Ma famille!

The weeks fly by and the days are a blur so I'll try to tell you everything! This week was really good, but hard. I struggled a lot with the language. Frere Laguan challenged us to talk in only French for 24 hours and it was SO hard. I was so discouraged by the end because I felt that I could hardly say anything at all but it was such good practice and Soeur Mason and I try to use only French every morning so we can apply what we are learning. 

 

This week we had a scripture share in class and we just talked  about why we love the Book of Mormon and the Spirit was so strong!! I am so grateful for the scriptures! I can find so much peace and strength there! Whenever I'm struggling I just turn to the Scriptures and my Heavenly Father. Prayer is SO powerful. As missionaries we are counseled to have a personal devotional with our Heavenly Father each night and as I've done that I have been more able to see His hand in my life and feel the Spirit more strongly. So whenever things get tough, just kneel and God will give you the strength you need!

 

On a funny note, strength in French is la force. So whenever I pray I feel like I'm asking the Lord for the force to be with me like on Star Wars haha I think it's great :)

Also do you remember how I used to do those random hiccups all the time? Yeah...those still happen... in the middle of class...haha Frere Laguan called me an Ecureuil. which is squirrel in French, it was hilarious.

 

Thank you so much for the package! I wear my boots everyday now! and the suprise rat in the boot was great-thaaaanks. also I've included a picture of me wearing the pumpkin glasses, my district got a real laugh out of that one! Amy's letter was so adorable. I'm writing her back today!

We are getting new sisters this week!!!!! I'm so excited we finally get to take care of someone! And they'll be right next to us in the residence so it'll be great I think!

 

Also lessons this week with our investigators were AMAZING. We taught the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. With Steven I was able to recite the First Vision in French! The Spirit was so strong and I know with all of my heart that Joseph Smith saw God and His Son Jesus Christ!!

 

With Ismael we taught him that as well but he couldn't understand that we could pray to God and He would listen to us. He thinks God is too important. So we were able to testify of the power of prayer and the relationship we can have with our Heavenly Father so I'm excited to see how his prayers went this weekend!

 

In answer to your questions Dad, no. we don't host the new missionaries or pick them up. I would love to but we have so much to study we just don't have time! And also we don't have a culture class which I really really wish we did, that would be cool!

 

Sundays are my favorite days ever. SO much spiritual nourishment it's wonderful! My companion had to speak in church yesterday and it was great. Rumors are I'll be speaking next Sunday...ha yeahhaa.

 

The MTC is my home now. I LOVE it here even though the food just keeps getting worse and worse so I'm living off those snacks you sent haha but really I feel so comfortable here and I love the people I'm around. I'm excited to go to France and start really spreading the word of God but I'm really scared too because I know I won't be able to understand much and I'll be in  a foreign country plus I know that my anxiety will be really bad out there so I'm trying to prepare myself as best as I can! 

 

The temple is wonderful. We were able to go this morning and I found so many answers to my prayers. I know that God is with me and that I belong in France. Sometimes I think of home and I want a pep talk from Mom and a blessing from Dad. To talk with Meg for hours and chat with Zach and to tease Jeff and the little ones but I know with all my heart I don't belong in Idaho with you guys. Not right now. The Lord needs me here and I will be an instrument in His hands. He's with me every step of the way and I feel His support and the Holy Ghost so much! I know that I am in His hands and He knows what's going on. He sent me here to succeed. He sent me here to bring this joy to the people of France and He doesn't expect me to do it alone!! God is with us always. We are never ever alone. Mormon 5:23 "Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God?" He has a plan for all of us. He knows exactly what we are doing and if we have faith in Him we can be made stronger through our trials. I love being a missionary. I have never felt the Spirit so much. I love my Heavenly Father and I know that He knows and loves each one of us!

 

The other picture I've attached is from a long time ago right before Emily left for Vancouver. She's so incredible and will change so many lives in Washington!!

 

Happy Birthday to Natalie this week!!! Wish I could be there! :)

 

We leave for France on the 28th. We should be getting our itinerary this week hopefully so I'll definitely let you know!! 

 

I love you all! Thank you so much for your support and prayers! 

Avec Amour 

Soeur Hawkes 

 

I always forget to answer some of your questions! But we try to talk as much as we can in French and if I have enough patience I try to think a lot in French. Usually after class my brain just automatically does it! also quite often the French word will come quicker than English ones, especially when I'm writing letters or emails and my journal is full of more French than English haha and I actually dream a lot in French, I'll wake up in the middle of the night completely distraught because I was talking to someone but couldn't figure out how to say what I wanted to them in French. So sleep has been a little hard to come by actually but I'm working on it. Also we always sing in French which I love. French hymns are so beautiful! The best part of being a missionary is feeling the Spirit so strong 24/7!!  I love my teachers and my district and my companion at the MTC!! The worst part....hmm maybe not being able to talk to my family...? I love the schedule I love the studying I love the gospel so really there isn't much not to love except the gross cafeteria food. seriously every day is worse than the one before haha! Thanks for all the quotes Mom, they are always exactly what I needed to hear!