Nathan Haws returned home on April 18 after serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Houston and Santiago, Chile.
Nathan Haws returned home on April 18 after serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Houston and Santiago, Chile.
SIERRA VISTA —Nathan Haws returned home on April 18 after serving a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Houston and Santiago, Chile. Haws stated, “I went to Texas (for the first 7 month) because it was harder to get into Chile (due to) the pandemic.”
Haws said, “Luckily, I was able to talk and meet a lot of people outside (during this time), but the virus has changed missionary work to be a little more virtual, like Facebook. Also, at the beginning of my mission, we still had to wear masks. It was difficult to understand and speak Spanish when everybody was wearing masks over their mouths.”
Despite serving in two vastly different places, in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, Haws feels like he was blessed in many ways.
He noted, “I have realized that the Savior loves us and is very patient with our weaknesses. He gives us many opportunities to learn and accept His gospel. I have also learned that joy is a process and comes through serving others and the Lord.”
Haws felt like the structure of his mission helped him.
“In the mission, we always have a schedule for every hour of every day,” he said. “There’s never a dull moment. I think having a schedule has definitely helped me and will help me be more effective with my time.”
His father, Darren Haws, and mother, Stephanie Haws, shared their feelings about their son’s mission.
“It has been great to watch Nathan serve diligently in Houston, Texas and Santiago, Chile! He taught the gospel of Jesus Christ to many cultures and nationalities and his love for those people grew. Though he faced many challenges, he was blessed with many powerful times of growth. Nathan has always been a great example to our family, and we look forward to seeing what he will do in the next phase of his life!”
Haws’ younger sister, Emma, said, “It was cool to learn about the different foods in Chile. It made me happy to know Nathan was serving Heavenly Father even though I missed him.”
Haws plans to attend Arizona State University to study business in the fall, but he says, “My plan after coming home is to first serve more faithfully in the church.”
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