Visa Update

With the happy news at long last of the arrival of missionaries from the United States, we have not forgotten that we still having others waiting. In fact, we have more than double the amount that we received still waiting. We continue to pray for them and look forward to their arrival, hopefully, at the earliest opportunity, which will be July 17. Some of the missionaries that arrived said that they were replaced in their US mission by other waiters for our mission.

Currently, we have 35 missionaries waiting for visas. We normally don't receive news or travel plans until close to the end of the transfer period, however.

June 18, 2012

Hola there familia!

 

How are you guys? how are things out in AZ and everywhere? Dad gettin out of the hospial today! thats way sweet! good to hear, i know all will be well. It was good to hear from al you guys though this week, I just read all your emails :) thank you so much. I got some mail too this week, that was awesome, really made my week :) Mom i got your tie clip too so thank you for that, lil pacages like that they can put in our mailbox. BUt how is everyone? everything?

 

THings here are amaizng. Honestly thats the only word I can use to describe my experience here so far. LIke missions are incredibly, truely life changing. Not gonna lie, its alot of hard work, cookin all your own meals, walkin everywhere , gettin up early, startin your own shower lol, but things have seriously been awesonme. Like my companion is way cool and we have a way good tiime with whatever were doing, evern if it may not be the funnest thing in the world ( walkin miles to see an investigator) But like we underst6and why were here and how important it is. So we do what we need to do :) thats one thing I love like how the hard things become so much easier with a good positive mindset.

 

So Elder Bell is a way good guy. And a way good Trainer. Hes been out here in Tennessee for a year and a half now and this dude is seriously a stud. Hes a way good missionary, a way hard worker , a way good trainher, and his spanish is legit! I inspire to be like this guy one day. We have alot of fun though. Like thats one thing we established up front. Everything we do we go Hard at. And thats how it is and I love it :)

 

So missionary work itself is pretty difficult, alot of people dont really want to hear what you have to say. But when you find someone who does and who wants to better themselves it is truely amazing. We have this invesigator named Jose Chicas. Dude is incredible, so prepared for us and so acceptive to the message andd principals we teach him. Hes got a hurt foot so we meet with him almost every day, which is really rare for this area. A lot of people work in construction with no set schedules so they never know when their going to be home. Like I know there way a reason we met this man. Its been so amazing and rewarding to see first hand how he is progressing and developing a relationship with his father in heaven. This week he told us something that really got to me. Keep in mind this is a man who is out of a job right now because he broke his foot. He lives in an apartment 2 bedrooms with like 12 guys, all they have in there is airmatresses. HEs really strugling right now without work but he told us that he kinows he broke his foot for a reason, to be able to meet us.. Aww like I cant even put it into words. Its so humbling to like hear him say that. Its been amazing to help him and see him grow. I , as well, know that there is a reason we met him. I seriously Love that guy. We hope to set a baptisimal date with him this week so keep it in your prayers.

 

Aww the mission: The best decision I have ever made. Iv learned so much and gorwn so much in such a short period of time. LIke with all these experiences it just  makes all the hard times worth it. LIke I miss you guys so much but I know this is where I need to be, Its hard fopr us all but Im doin this for me, for the people, as well as for you guys. KNow that I always think about you and that Your always in my prayers, all individually.

 

I am so greatful and blessed to have such amazing family, froends, and girlfriend as you guys. Like seriously you are amazing. I Love you guys all so much. Your support really keeps me going, I hope you know that.

 

I hope you guys all know that I know Of the truthfullness of this message. I know this churchg is true and that Joseph smith truely did restore the gospel that we have in the world today. Its such a privelage and honor to be able to share this message and this happiness with other people! Althoguh its been only a few weeks like this whole experience has been incredioble!

 

Im makin you proud out here guys, know that. IM sendin out letters today too so keep an eye out for thouse. Thank you for the support. I will talk to you all soon! Hope all is well with you guys

 

 

Aloha,

 

Elder HAwkey

June 11, 2012

Hola Familia!!!!!

Wow its been a long week! Lo siento ( im sorry) for not being able to email you guys or even just let you guys know whats going on. I feel really bad, I didnt want my girls and my family worrying about me. Entonces.... here I am. :) Its mi primero dia de preparacion y resposa (first p- day and day of rest lol) So here the story. We travled all last monday and finally about 2 in the afternoon arived here safe, we met our mission president President Mcee who is seriously in the top 5 most amazing men iv ever met in my life. Him and his wife picked us up from the airport and it was kinda funny. LIterqally as we were getting our bags they were saying their goodbyes to 9 more visa waiters who just so happened to be going to all over Argentina. Pretty crazy, I guess this is just the place they need some help from us Argentines! No se. BUt it was cool getting to talk to them as they werte about to leave. THey were in the same situation we were and they were here for 9 weeks waiting, so not too bad... Anyway we went back to the house and there we were. THey told us all about the south and the work here. What to expect, what to watch out for, everything. We each had interviews with both President and sister Mcee and then we had a really nice dinner that their daughters all made for us :) that night the missionaries whos companions had left came and president assigned us to our new areas after a nice little testimopny meeting for us all ( all at the mission home, it was sweet) BUt heres the thing we thought it was just another monday, but it turns our p days here are on monday ! :( so we had to wait a whole week to be able to email and write and all that6 good stuff. So I wanna say sorry, i was worried aboiut you guys and i thought i could write sooner, but it looks like every monday is when it will go down :)))

 

So president assigned me to providence B. The smallest area in the mission. Its in the down town area of NAshville TEnessee, and let me tell you, its LAtino central in here! I love it though. MY companions name is elder BEll and hes seriously the sickest. Such a good trainer and guy, I love that dude. HEs been here for a little over a year and a half and hasbeen training for mosrt him mission so hes a way good guy. HEs from idaho and is seriously the sickest ! like such a great missionary, such a hard worker! I insopire to be like him.

 

So I said smallest area which means we dont have a car ha ha . NO bikes either, we just walk. Everywhere ha ha. And by smallest I dont really mean small, just the least big I guess you could say ha ha. So we walk all the time. like 8 miles a day . Its funy though cause like its so steriotypical missionaries, walkin everywhere. ha ha walkin miles to go to an apartment complex to see some investigators or waling an hour to get to district meeting at the church. The thing is, like its not bad thogh, like neither of us complain cause we just know thats what we need to dol. Its really cool actually :)LIke how easy it is, if that even makes sense ha ha Walking builds character though and its a great time to practice our spanish! so im way glad for the opportunity.

 

OUr appartment situation also very steriotypical. HA ha  we live in a pretty less fortunate part of town in a pretty run down apartment. BUt i love it! like its our apartment! OUr little desks for studies all our stuff, our little kitchen, its way sweet! We eat with members sometimes, every tuesday and sunday we always do :) but the other days were on our own. We each get 30 dollars a week to live on so for food we preety much live on like tortillas and anything that we can make with em. Its sweet like making your own food, like 2 of the whitest guys in the area, just livin the dream in an all spanish apartment livin off lation food. Its awesome. Were livin the MExican American Dream!

 

I love the mission tough, and everything about it. Stuff is hard but honestly its all part of the experience, no one said this would be easy. ANd like i am truely greatful for the chanse i have to serve and to learn and grow into the man I will be for the rest of my life. LIke the mission is awesome and experiences here I wouldnt trade for the world, even if their hard.

 

SO missionary work: We met this guy from el Salvador whos name is JOse Chicas. Seriously the coolest most prepared guy ever. HE works in roofing but he fell off a roof and hurt his foot so right now hes out of comision for about A MONTH. wHICH IS GOOD.  We met him one day and talked to him for like 2 hours. This was on wendsday. We meet with him now every day! ha ha right after studies at 1 30! the dude is incredible. LIke so reseptive and so prepared. We watched the restoration dvd with him and it was seriuouusly rediculouse. The spirit was so strong and we all just sat there after in silense. It was amazing. HE keeps his comitments and is progressing so much! My first real investigator !!! HE came to church with us yesterday too which was way amazing. HE was bumin it on his crutches but it was perfect. Everyone was so nice and welcoming to him. He loved it. Were meetin with him tonight and hopefully we can set a date with him :)

 

theres 2 other way cool stories I wanna share but ill wrote them in letters, I only have 14 minbutes left :) your all gettin leeters sent out today too btw :) so look forward to that.

 

I love you all so much and miss you guys like crazy. The mission is hard but like its weird. Its easy, and like so amazing. Wev had crazy experiences so far and its seriously been the adventure of a life time. LIvin the life of a missionary out in Tennessee. Anjd I love it!

 

I hope all is well with you guys and i hope guys are diong alright. I pray for you guys all individually cada dia toda dia ( all day every day) I know its hard but just stay strong. Its hard for me too but I have faith that all will be well. And it will be, I know everything will work ourt perfectly. I love you guys so very much, never forget that. NOw that im in the field comunication is gonna be like that, once a week. BUt stay strong. Say your prayers, and never forget that I love you and that i am always thingking about you. Dont think for a second im not cause I am always thinking about you guys :))

 

Stay strong , obey the rules, pray for me, know im makin you all proud and have fun :)

 

new adress: 

105 West Park Drive

Suite 190

Brentwood Tennessee

37027

(mission office adress and they just give them to us) this adress for PACAGES ONLY

 

LETTERS

380 HArding Place

Appt U-1

Nashville Tennessee

37211 (our little ghetto apptment, we get letters in a bopx but the pacages go to the office cause they always get stolen ha ha )

 

I love you all!!

 

LIvin the missionary life

 

ALoha,

Elder HAwkey

 

ps: your gettin letters soon, miss you guys tons :)

Waiting for a Visa

Some of you may know that Bryce's mission has been having difficulty getting visa's from Argentina. The church has been temporarily reassigning missionaries while they wait for their visa's. Bryce and his MTC districts have been temporarily assigned to serve in the Nashville, Tennessee Spanish Speaking Mission. 

Bryce will leave the MTC on Monday, June 4th. He will be serving in Nashville until he receives his visa. At that point he will be reassigned to his original call in Argentina.