The Things That Count‏

Afoyo!

Well, to be honest it was kind of a long week. We had a lot of bounces and didn't have that many lessons. The people that were supposed to get baptized this month are falling through for different reasons. We were supposed to have like 8 or so before the end of the year, but I'm not sure if we will get any. It's okay though, they will most likely get baptized early next year.

This week I had a cool experience when we were at an investigators house. He told us that his wife got into a contract to work for the next two months and she would have to work on Sundays. He apologized and said that he figured that our success as missionaries was depending on how many baptisms we get. I told him that we do have goals, but what really matters to us his him. I told him that the reason we want him to get baptized isn't because he is a number, but because we have come to love him and his family and we know that this church can change his life. That really is the truth. I think about President Uchtdorf's talk a couple conferences ago where he said that sometimes the things that you can count don't count, and the things that you don't count do count. That is especially true on a mission. I have come to love all the people of Uganda and especially the people we are teaching. I want to see them accept this gospel so they can change their life, as it has changed my life.

Sometimes in life we get caught up in the numbers. We need to stop and think about the things that really matter. This Christmas, don't get caught up in the numbers. Don't count how many presents you got or how much money you spent. Think about how you feel when you give or the smile on someones face when you just take the time to talk to them. Most of all think about what the Savior has done for us. He went through all that pain, suffering, and anguish so we could make it back to our Father in Heaven. Think about what we can give back to him. We can never repay him for what he did, but we can show him how much we appreciate it by the way we act, and the way we treat others. In the end God won't judge us on how many great things we have done, but who we have become because of them. This year give yourself to Him.

I hope you all enjoy this Christmas season. I love you all. Be who Heavenly Father needs you to be.

Love, Elder Hawk


You know you're in Africa when people switch their Ls and Rs when speaking.

Our Sweet Jerseys

(another photo, thanks to Elder Roylance)

Recognize the Lord's Hand‏

Afoyo!

What a week! It was kind of slow in terms of lessons, but the end of the week was my favorite by far. We found some great families this week. Geoffrey and Gladis, Robert and Maria, David and Jackie, and a couple others. We have been seeing the Lord's hand in our work, especially the last couple of weeks. Families are progressing!! It is so great to see these people want to change their lives. I told you guys about how our church attendance was struggling and how investigators weren't coming to church, but it's all changing. It just shows if we continue to have a good attitude and work hard and be obedient, the Lord WILL bless us. The last two week in church have been amazing! The best weeks we have had. Yesterday, was a bit better than last week. I'm not going to say how many people or how many investigators came, but every single chair in the chapel was filled. We can see the miracle that the Lord is doing in this branch and I am so happy to have the privilege to watch him do so. Don't get me wrong, me and Elder Majawa are doing what we are supposed to be doing, but I know that this success is in no way because of us. As I'm  writing I realize that this might sound like I am boasting, but in the words of Alma, "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my own strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

Well, I don't have much else to say. I love the work, I love the Book of Mormon, and I love all of you. I hope all is well back home and that you are preparing yourself for Christmas. While it's getting cooler over there it's getting hotter over here. What family in need are you going to help this Christmas? Have a great week.

Love, Elder Hawk

You know you are in Africa when its 95 degrees in December.

The Chapel in Gulu 

 Chowing down

The Zone---after playing basketball  in this sweet stadium that is at the school where the guy in our compound works!

Thanksgiving

Afoyo!

Well this week I am going to tell you some more about the culture
since I haven't said much about it yet. Here goes: The people here are
in the Acholi tribe. They all speak Luo and I have learned how to say
quite a bit. Mostly greetings and such but it is a pretty simple
language. Here in Uganda there are over 40 different languages. Some
sound similar, but most are completely different (Talk about tower of
Babbel). The people here are extremely friendly, especially to guests.
If you are a guest to their home they will bend over backward to make
you feel at home and welcome.. well a majority of them. They will give
you their seat, their food(which they don't have very much of), and
anything else you can think of. Most people only eat one meal a day
around 6 or 7. Practically no homes have running water, and all the
water that comes from the tap is unsafe for drinking. So they either
boil it or they go get water from a well. They carry water in big jugs
called jarry cans. Quite often for service we carry them and they are
super heavy. Almost every road here is made of dirt, and they aren't
smooth either. There is no major store, we just go to small shops to
buy food. I cook almost every meal. When the people cook they usually
do it on very small charcoal stoves. They eat a lot of cassava,
greens, beans, and white sweet potato. A lot of men here after they
get home from work they go out drinking. When they drink though its
not your usual alcohol, its alcohol that looks like mud. They usually
share and drink out of a pot with really long straws. It's disgusting.
The women are very powerful and independent since the men are almost
always away at work. They tie their babies to their back with a
blanket or sheet and usually have something balancing on their head.
Well... I can't think of much else.. so that Gulu! It's a very small
town so this isn't typical Uganda.

On to this week. We met so many people this week! I can truly see the
Lord's hand in the work here in Bar-Dege. We find at least one new
family a day. We are trying to change the dynamic in the Branch to
families so that way it has a solid foundation. This last week was the
best week of church yet. It was so powerful! We had more families
there than I had ever seen. One investigator that sticks out to me
this week is Michael. He is the man! He is 75 and is super smart! He
understands what we teach him and is always willing to keep the
commitments we give him. I always feel the spirit so strong when we go
and I always leave happy. We have only taught him twice but I can tell
he will be a very good addition to the church. We haven't gotten tot
teach his wife yet because she has been sick, but I am sure he can
help us to teach her since he already has a powerful testimony. Well
not much else to say. I will try to talk more about the culture and
the people from now on because those are the things I'm sure you want
to hear. I love you all and hope all is well back in the states.
Remember who you are and love everyone you come into contact with,
because you never know what kind of positive impact you can have on
someones life.

Love, Elder Hawk


You know you're in Africa when almost everyone you meet has a family
member with Malaria.

Beware of Spiritual Ruts‏

Afoyo!

Well I feel like every time I get on I never have anything to tell you because all the days feel the same, but I'll try my best. So this week was pretty good. The Assistants came on Tuesday and went on splits with us. Elder Burdett came with me and Elder Majawa. He is the man. Every lesson we had that day was super powerful. I found myself in a rut, teaching the same way every single time which makes it hard sometimes to feel the Spirit. When he was here, I realized that I needed to convey the same special message but in a different way every time to fit the needs of my investigator.

As I put this into practice I have felt a great change. This can even apply to you guys. Sometimes we just do things in the church because we are supposed to, like reading the scriptures or praying, and we fall into a spiritual rut. As we change how we do things constantly and try to get as much out of it as we can we will be able to feel the Spirit stronger. Don't just read the scriptures, study them, ponder on them, ask questions, and write down your thoughts as you read. When you pray, don't just recite a prayer. You can actually communicate with our Father in Heaven and it's one of the greatest gifts He has given to us! Tell Him how your day went, tell Him what you are concerned about, what you are excited about, because like your father here on earth, He to is interested in what is happening in your life. I know that as you put this into practice you will learn more, feel the spirit more, and get so many more blessings then you could have ever imagined.

Today we got to go to a school that one of the guys in our compound works at. He is from the US. They just finished an indoor basketball stadium and he asked if we wanted to come and play and it was so fun! The stadium was way awesome too!

Well thank you so much for supporting me. I love you all and hope all is going well. Keep doing what Our Father in Heaven wants you to do.

Love, Elder Hawk

You know when you are in Africa when you eat bugs.

Note: I asked Elder Hawk to tell me more about the culture and the people, so this is an insert from my email:

Most of the people here are very hospitable. Almost every house we stop at tells us to come inside, or they always bring a seat to us. Most even give up their own seat. The guest is always a guest of honor. Most places we teach offer us food. I am learning to love African food. I really like casava. I think that Tanner talked about it while he was in Fiji. The people usually only eat one meal a day. I actually didn't even know that until today. It usually is around 5 or 6 at night. There are very little homes that have running water so they have to carry big 3 gallon jugs from a well or from a spic-kit somewhere. We carry jarry cans (the 3 gallon jugs) for service almost every week. I'm not sure what else to say, but I will keep thinking. It's not as different here as you would think.

Crazy Week‏

Afoyo!

This was a crazy week. Mostly because of transfers. Elder Roylance didn't have a companion for like 2 days and Elder Gwazvo was sick so I got to see some other parts of Gulu this week. On Wednesday me and Elder Roylance were reunited in a trio with Elder Majawa in our area. We had a rough day though. It is starting to rain almost everyday, so sometimes its slow going. It's supposed to be the dry season but I guess the weather was really weird this year. On Thursday I went with Elder Dean and Elder Roylance to his area. It was kind of weird experiencing the different parts of the zone. But that night Elder Ndamane arrived and we also got our washing machine back!! It broke before I got to use it, so I have been washing my clothes by hand for 6 weeks.

Me and Elder Majawa have no problem finding families. The Lord has been helping us so much!! However, the problem we are having now is getting these families to progress, let alone answer the phone! It seems that everyone now a days is either in Kampala or "the Village." That is usually people's excuse for not answering the phone or not keeping a commitment we give them. Its pretty frustrating. I think right now though we are just planting a lot of seeds and the success will start to come in a couple of transfers. Even if I don't see the fruits of my labors, I am glad where I am at this time. I love the people here so much. Every time I'm in a lesson I just feel a great love for them and even the love that our Father in Heaven has for them. I love the work so much.

Not much else to report for this week, other than I won't be sending pictures this week due to my camera being stolen out of the truck.. I love all of you and hope you have great weeks. Keep having faith in the Lord and he will put you in the right place at the right time.

Love, Elder Hawk


You know you are in Africa when kids either crowd you and want to touch your skin and hair or they run in absolute terror.

Transfers‏

Afoyo!

Well we got transfer news today. It's a little different though because there won't be any changes next transfer because there is only one new missionary. I am staying with Elder Majawa in Bardege. I am excited to continue the work here in Gulu. Elder Dean is the new Zone Leader, which is weird because he was already in our zone. Elder Rogers is going to Nsambya. Elder Roylance is staying and getting a new companion.

Well now to talk about the week. It was a pretty long one. We are still finding a lot of families and many are progressing. The biggest struggle we are having right now are getting the investigators to come to church though. That being said the overall church attendance is going up and the atmosphere of the branch is getting much better. We have been talking with the branch president a lot to see how we can not only bring new members in but get some of the inactive ones back. I know that with the Lord we can make this branch much stronger and build a solid foundation in the Bardege branch.

This week we had some great dinner appointments, which is rare here in Gulu. The one I'm sending a picture of is with a family where only the daughter is a member. The Mama is a very strong catholic (just like everyone else in Gulu), but me and Elder Majawa got caught in the rain and we took refuge in her little shop. We talked for about an hour or so and we had her laughing big. We asked her when we were going to come eat with her (something that's not rude here) and she said we could come the next day with the whole zone. She cooked a lot for us! We had chicken, beef, cabbage, doe doe, sweet potato, and chapate and it was delicious!! After we ate she asked each one of us to share our story and testimony about the church. As it came to me I had a strong impression to share about the importance of the plan of salvation and the ability to be with our families forever. I talked about Jace (Elder Hawk's brother who passed away 16 years ago at the age of 4 months due to a congenital heart defect) and how I knew that one day, if I live right, I could be with him again. I felt the Spirit confirm that truth in my heart. I truly believe that we can be together with our families forever, and I know that it is only through this church that its possible. I'm so thankful to be part of this gospel, and part of a family who has been sealed in the temple for all eternity. After everyone finished she finally understood why her daughter wanted to be part of this church. She may never be baptized or accept the gospel, but she knows that it is a good church.

We also got to watch conference the last two days! (Finally!) We didn't watch all the sessions though because Saturday is the best day to catch people at home. I love conference so much and can always feel the power of the spirit testify that these men were called of God.

Well not much else happened this week. We are still pushing and working hard. I hope all is well back home. I love all of you and want you to know that God loves you more than you can imagine.

Love, Elder Hawk



You know you're in Africa when women can balance anything on their head.

African Safari

So today we got to go to Chobe! Wow was it beautiful! We woke up at 6 this morning and headed there. We got there and ate a sweet buffet breakfast! It was super nice!! The resort is right next to the nile so we ate our breakfast on a porch over-looking the Nile! It is probably one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen! Pictures will not do it justice, but I will send some. We did see very many animals though. Mostly just a bunch of Giraffe. It was still way cool though.

So this week was really fast. We are making great progress in the Branch. Our attendance is increasing slowly. However, we have run into some major obstacles this week. The number one is marriage. I think I can count on one hand how many people are married here. It is very frustrating. Last week I talked about Jeoffrey.. His name is actually Godfrey.. haha. I guess we just heard him wrong... But him and Martha aren't married, which is a huge bummer since he is so ready to be baptized. He already has a super strong testimony. Luckily we have a senior couple who is in our area. They are the special team. They have attended a lot of classes on how to get people married here since the process is very different. We will be using them a lot for the next little while. Also Emmy (kid I got to baptize) bore his testimony yesterday and it was one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever heard from a 12 year old. Wow. 

I don't have any spectacular story or adventure, but then again, I have many mini adventures everyday. I climb over very sketchy bridges, we walk through thick bushes, and we even fended off some hungry lions the other day! Well, most of that was true.. I am getting used to life here in Uganda though and I love it so much. I love being a missionary, I love being a member of this church, and I love all the people I meet everyday. 

I hope all is well back home and that you are all loving life as much as I am. I love you all so much.

Love, Elder Hawk

You know you're in Africa when you chase after Giraffes