Ejemplos‏

Hola,

This week I am going to go back in time and tell a few stories of things that happened before the mission that I remembered this week. I think I am becoming more sensitive and sentimental in this last time. haha

One of the days this week I decided to try to love everyone that I talked to as much as I could and as we were talking to an older lady I don`t know why, but I remembered Michael. I was probably like 6 or 7 and we went to Washington Elementary school. I`m not sure how but mom heard about him and how they lived basically homeless and he had a really rough situation. We took him to school every day in the car cause the bus couldn`t go for him and he wouldn`t be able to go to school if someone didn`t help him. Then we walked home with him to our house and took care of him until his parents could take him again. I remember that I did not like having him around. To me he was strange and he wasn`t well bathed and he bothered me. I only thought about how it was a pain to have to go home with him and everything. But as I sat there talking to this woman about 14 years later I almost began to cry thinking of how amazing my parents are. I saw a problem and they saw a child of God who needed help. The simple act of helping him go to and from school changed his life. It took 14 years for that lesson to finally sink in, but now I understand. I am so grateful for my amazing parents who have always given an amazing example of living the gospel of Jesus Christ which at its essence is service. Michael wasn`t the only person to whom my parents have opened their house and heart. I am grateful for the Spirit for reminding me of that experience. I hope to be able to continue to see everyone as they truly are--children of God no matter what they may appear. Perhaps one day I can love others unconditionally like my parents do.

The other experience I remembered my road to get here on the mission. I was talking to Elder Cancino about the power of the Atonement and how it changes our lives and that is what makes us want to share the gospel and then I shared a bit with him about how I have felt the Atonement in my life and then read the following verses in Alma 26: 

17 Who could have supposed that our God would have been so merciful as to have snatched us from our awful, sinful, and polluted state?

 18 Behold, we went forth even in wrath, with mighty threatenings to destroy his church.

 19 Oh then, why did he not consign us to an awful destruction, yea, why did he not let the sword of his justice fall upon us, and doom us to eternal despair?

 20 Oh, my soul, almost as it were, fleeth at the thought. Behold, he did not exercise his justice upon us, but in his great mercy hath brought us over that everlasting gulf of death and misery, even to the salvation of our souls.

 21 And now behold, my brethren, what natural man is there that knoweth these things? I say unto you, there is none that knoweth these things, save it be the penitent.

 22 Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance.

I can`t describe how grateful I am for the mercy of God that has changed my life and allowed me to truly change. Without Him and His Atonement we are all "consign(ed) to an awful destruccion." The least we can do to show our gratitude is to help others receive the same mercy that we have received.

I love being a missionary. I value this mission so much. Its a true privilege to represent my Savior and serve Him. It is going to be hard to leave. If you all weren`t waiting for me I don`t think I would ever go back. haha I love you all! See you later.

Con amor, Elder Hawk

Siervos inùtiles‏

Hola todos!

Well it was a pretty crazy day. I am writing a lot later cause President LaPierre let us go to Paraguay! First we were just going to go to buy stuff but when I talked to him today in the office when I was getting my passport, I mentioned about Mariola and Scott in Ita Paso right there in Encarnacion and he gave me permission to go see them! I had never been able to go back to an area before or see anyone from an anterior area. It was weird but so awesome! They are doing very well and are excited to go to the temple to be sealed in January. Scott is about to get the Melchizedek Priesthood and the Spirit is strong in their home. They have passed some trials, but they are doing great and have strong testimonies. It was an awesome reunion. They asked me to dedicate their home and so I did and I felt inspired to talk/pray about the temple and that they can have it be the center of their lives and strive to have the Spirit of the temple in their home and in their lives. Every once in awhile as missionaries we are able to say "If these are the only people touched by my service then my mission was a huge success." I can truly say that about this family. I know that I truly played a small role, but it is amazing to see the blessings. When Mariola got baptized all of the other brothers and sisters of Scott started to warm up to the gospel. I promised Sister Benitez that that would happen when she told us about how sad she was that her kids were all far away from the gospel. She fasted and the next week we started teaching Mariola. Now her other daughter in law is preparing for baptism and her other son quit drinking and is accepting the missionaries in his home. It is amazing to see the effects that came from this faithful sisters small act of faith. With the difficulties going on here in Miguel Lanus it helped me to remember the sweet blessings of the work.

Also, this week I have been studying harder to make sure that I am more focused. It was difficult this week cause sitting around the week before got to me. But I am doing a lot better now. Today I was studying faith and the relationship it has with miracles. I always looked at it as like God does 90% and then if I do my 10% then the miracle happens. But today I realized that God does 100% and we just show our confidence in Him (which is what faith really is: confidence in God) by doing what He asks of us. Anyways as I was thinking about all this I went into the other room to prayer and as I talked and thanked God for my incredible mission and all of the miracles that He has created for me I saw in my mind a Christmas present. It was dirty, dented and very tiny and I said that that is the offering that I have given the Lord as a missionary. It isn`t much. I haven`t always worked with a pure purpose, I haven`t always loved the people like I should. I have stumbled and fallen. I have gotten frustrated and angry. I certainly didn`t do anything perfect. My offering has been nothing more than a tiny, dented present. As I thought of that I was filled with gratitude to know that although I have given such an imperfect offering, my Father in Heaven has blessed me more than I could ever have imagined. I have given so little and He has filled me with His Spirit, changed me, and given me so many amazing experiences and miracles. I don`t deserve all of this. I am not worthy of so much mercy and love. I am more grateful than words can describe. I will not ever be able to pay back the Lord for all that He has given me as I have had the privilege to be His servant for 2 years. But what I do plan on doing is to continue to give Him offerings. They will all be small. They will be imperfect. But to show my gratitude to Him I will make sure that they will all be my best.

"So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have (only) done that which was our duty to do." Luke 17:10

Con amor, Elder Hawk

Enfermo

Hola,

Well the two attached fotos describe my week better than words could. ON Tuesday I woke up sick and we kept working and I kept getting worse and on Friday morning I folded and we went to the doctor. It was way funny though when we were going into this tiny hospital that was in poor condition and Hermano Ojeda who took us there in his car told me that I needed to make myself look like I was dying and to cough a lot and put my head down so that they would see me. haha Turns out that that is the only way to get in and out of the hospital quickly here. haha It worked cause we were in and out in like 20 minutes. haha I have bronchitis. They gave me an inhaler thing and some antibiotics and some pills for the fever. I am kind of better now. I am more sick of being inside the apartment than I am sick from the bronchitis. haha It is super boring. We had some appointments on Saturday and I was feeling a bit better so we went out for awhile. It felt so good to be out in the street doing what I need to be doing. Unfortunately, all the appointments fell through. We got back to the apartment after only a few hours super exhausted. haha It probably wasn`t a good idea. But it made me appreciate more being able to work. After lots of time it starts to just be the normal routine, but when you are pulled out of the routine you realize how awesome it really was. On Sunday we went to church and by the end we were way tired again. I think I have slept more in these last 4 days than in my entire mission combined. It is super boring. But don`t worry about me cause I am getting better. I will be fine.

One of the best things about being sick is all of the funny suggestions about home remedies that everyone forces you to listen to. haha Orange tea, lemon tea, honey, hinhibre (not sure how it is spelled but it is a root that you put in boiling water that helps the fever supposedly). The best suggestion so far was carpincho fat. hahaha A carpincho is like a giant guinea pig and supposedly its fat is like a magical cure for all times of respiratory problems. It healed a man of asthma that he had his whole life. haha Also, cinnamon milk, if taken daily guarantees complete immunity from all types of colds. I never knew. But the best was that when Elder Cancino`s back started hurting from laying around too much he ask me to iron it out with the iron. haha I have pictures. It didn`t work.

But really I recognize how incredibly blessed I have been my whole mission and my entire life in terms of health. I really have been so healthy always and it is one of the greatest blessings we could ever have. Everyone here asks for health for the family in every prayer and it really is amazing. That is sometimes the only thing that they ask us to pray for. And I just take it for granted unless I am sick. So if you are healthy, give thanks now..before its too late... haha But really. Be thankful.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. I am so blessed to have all of you praying for me and rooting me on. I love you! Even sick, I`m living the dream.

Con amor, Elder Hawk

Los milagros‏

Hola!

It was a very good week. We are seeing the beginnings of progress. The best part of the week was when I got up to bear my testimony and I looked out at everyone and there was Hno. Custodio! We have worked with him and felt the spirit so strong with him for over a month and I was not expecting him to be there. It was so awesome! The ward received him so well and he definitely felt loved. He still has lots of struggles and lots of repentance necessary but he is taking real steps and I think it strengthened the ward`s faith. They saw that with a united effort even those who appear the hardest can be brought back to the fold. The members visited him several times and he finally made the step.

Yamila Zarza also came to church on Sunday! She definitely felt the Spirit and the Young Single Adults helped her a lot. They are awesome here and the Lord helps us find people who the ward is prepared to receive. She is going to have lots of support and she really needs the gospel because she has passed through lots of hard stuff. She has a strong desire to change, but she also is scared of the reactions of her parents. We will see how it all goes.

Also, the Martinez family is doing great. The dad told us on Friday that he really wants to start living his religion instead of just being a passive participant. They really want to just live the whole gospel. I think that is what I most learned this week. It isn`t enough to just pick and choose which parts of the gospel we are going to live--we just need to live all of it. That is what will bring us more joy and certainty. We don`t have to settle with a small part of the blessings that the Lord has in store for us. We can have them all! The Martinez family is learning that and it is amazing to feel the difference that is with them and the Spirit that is in their house now. They are very humble but have so much faith that the Lord will help them. I am also certain He will help them. One of the daughters who is like 11 is amazing. She reads the scriptures every single day and drops the cane when they don`t say family prayer and sings amazingly. I told her that she needs to start preparing for the mission. haha

Little by little we are seeing miracles here in Miguel Lanus. More and more I learn that it is the Lord who works the miracles and we are just a tiny part of it all. I love you all so much!

Con amor, Elder Hawk