July 30, 2012

Family,

Wow sounds like the family renuion was a lot of fun and thanks so much for the pictures I´m going to go and print them off and add them to the little photo album you all sent me in my last package!  I´m glad everyone had fun and that everyone´s doing well!

Ok so this week was awesome.  Josue and Hyrum, the two kids got baptized this week!  They were both so excited and had so much fun at church and in their baptism.  Their grandpa performed the ordinance and their whole entire family came.  It was a wonderful service and the spirit was so strong.  Their dad who has been inactive for who knows how long came to all three hours of church and to finish off in the baptismal service had tears in his eyes as he watched his two sons enter the waters of baptism.  Afterwards he told me he wants help getting married to his girlfriend so that she can be baptized and that they can be sealed together in a year.  It´s amazing right now my companion and I are in the process of marrying 3 couples all of whom the wife will be baptized once their married.  This week we´re going to try and do all of it so wish us luck:)  Other than the baptism there isn´t a ton to report so I will send you these pictures. 

We are working with the members really well here and doing the noche de grupo every week has been a huge hit.  It has been fun to watch people invite friends that aren´t members and they instantly feel accepted and as though they have friends in the ward already.  I´m excited to keep working here and getting the people to come out to church.  The assistancein our ward went up this week and we were able to pull 64 people out to the chapel (that´s alot here ok) haha.

I sent a memory card home to Kenzie in a letter I was sending to her and so look out for that in the next week and have her bring it over to you guys.  I know mom you want me to send that stuff to you but I was already sending her a letter so I didn´t wanna waste more postage;)  Ps.  my black shoes are pretty much done so if it´s at all possible to put some money in my account to buy some new black shoes next monday that would be awesome! 

I´m doing really well and am honestly happy and comfortable here.  My companion is new but willing to learn so everything is going really well between us!  I´m happy that we´ve been able to have baptisms and that Í´m helping him have a good start to his mission!

I love you all so much and will be so excited to hear from you all next week!

Elder Hawks

I love you all so much and am so grateful to be serving the Lord here in Panama!