July 29, 2019 The "Big Heat"

All anyone wants to talk about is the heat. All the english speakers like to talk about how much they're suffering, and all the spanish speakers like to talk about how much WE'RE suffering. I don't really mind it too much, but I get really sweaty and flushed and they just smile grimly at me and offer us chilled water bottles. They call it "el caloron" or the "big heat." 

The only one who couldn't care less is little brother hermano Herman Lopez, who grew up in Mexicali before there was air conditioning. He's in his mid seventies, and comes to outdoor lessons with us no problem in his hat and slacks. Afterwards he gives us a banana and putters away in his little green car. 

We got rain---warm rain, for about ten minutes. Hermana Staker and I just sat in awe on our little porch and watched it as we ate dinner. 

Apparently Thermal has its own weather. What was only a little warm summer rainstorm in Indio turned out to be a little microburst there which took down trees and powerlines and damaged trailers. Mecca still hasn't regained power! For a whole week they blocked off the main road to reach our people (the 70) and we couldn't even call. Finally we got past...we may or may not have driven around the barrier....and discovered that Esteban hadn't left! We laughed pretty hard with him about having a second "goodbye lesson." 

He bore his testimony to us at the very end, which was my favorite. He talked about how the day he started reading the Book of Mormon "his heart opened," and that pretty quickly he knew he needed to get baptized. At the very end he said, "Christ says 'Come, follow me,' and that's what I'm doing. I'm going. It's step by step, but I'm going." 

I woke up this morning super early, light was just peeking through the blinds, and just felt grateful. I just felt this little tap-tapping in my heart not to rush today, not to think too far ahead today, just to be here. I've always prayed to know what real happiness was, and how to live it, and my mission has taught me it isn't something you find, it's something you choose. Happiness and gratitude are brothers I think; I find it in learning to savor the tiniest tender mercies in my day. 

We taught a little eighty-year-old named Fermin this week. He doesn't say much, just shuffles his huaraches (little sandals) and blinks at me, but he told us he thought he'd like to come to church. I wasn't hopeful, but Sunday morning there he was, and in a COWBOY hat. I was so happy! 

The Lord definitely has a sense of humor, and he is definitely in charge. We've worked so hard to help people come to church, and this week we had six new faces at church, only one of which we were teaching or even knew very well! They all just started coming! It was the best little miracle, and hopefully we can start working with them all soon. 

Love you all so much, have the greatest week ever! 

Love, 

Hermana Hawkes 

Great Quotes

"Do you remember when I made popcorn without a lid? I don't think you taught me very well." --Hna Ballard 

"In your face fruit!"--Sister Bastian

"You have been dubbed, 'Sis Bash'"--Hna Staker to Sister Bastian 

"Ugh, I'm just going to go put oil in my hair!!" --Hermana Staker (she was fed up!)

"Who even invented grapes anyway?" --Me (I should have known that one) 

"Finding and teaching are the SAME THING. When you step out of your door, you are a teacher." --Sister Tiatia