Hello!

This week has been great.  This is the longest I have spent with one companion, haha, and I just love it.  Sister Spencer and I have spent some more time on our bikes this week, but.....drumroll.....we just got a car!!! We are in Bozeman today because we had to come get a car, and we are taking it back to Dillon later :D

Guess what?  Our investigators were at church yesterday!! Kara and her mom, and Dell and Seth.  And Sister Probst, who hasn't come to church for years, came with her son.  She has come a couple times but not the past few weeks.  It was so awesome, and Sister Spencer and I sang "How Great Thou Art" in church.  Dell is still trying to quit smoking and she gets baptized in just a couple weeks, so we are really praying for her to be able to do it.  Speaking of a couple weeks.....General Conference is coming up!!!! :) I am reeeally excited.  I am excited to listen to the prophet and everyone else.  It will be a special weekend.

I'm not sure what more to say today.  The week has been good and things will keep on getting better.  I know that God is with us and rooting us on.  I know that He is rooting me on, personally.  I know that this gospel is true.  I know that He trusts us, and that is one of the best ways He shows His love for us- by trusting us.  I love Proverbs 3:5- "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." 

I love you all.  Thanks Mom, Dad, Paige, Kenny, Brooke, and Grandma and Grandpa, and Gma and Gpa for the letters this week. 

Love,

Sister Hixson 

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to be quick today.  We have another district preparation day, so our time is short.  We got our transfer call this morning, and Sister Spencer and I are both staying! 

I just wanted to share one cool thing that happened yesterday.  We were in church when Brother Rhodes whispers behind us to grab a Book of Mormon and come to the foyer.  So we did and there was an Argentinian lady out there who Brother and Sister Rhodes had helped on the side of the road on their way to church.  Her car had broken down so they picked her up and brought her with them to the church and somehow were getting her car fixed.  Because they helped her, she said she wanted to learn more about their church and she wanted a Book of Mormon.  We met her and shared with her the Restoration.  She told us about how she is angry with God and she has seen all these crazy sad things happen in her life, but she lives for her children.  She is a single Mom and she was on her way to Upland, CA.  She wants to find out for herself if Joseph Smith is a prophet, but she thinks it sounds crazy, but she would be willing to learn more because the Rhodes helped her and she wants to be part of a church where people help others.  It was so cool.  She just had a few minutes with us because she had to drive 14 more hours to get to California, but I was glad to be there so we could teach her and that the Rhodes picked her up.  The Rhodes are an awesome family I want you all to meet one day.  

I have to go now. I'm not sure what we are doing today, but it might include tennis and it might include frisbee golf woohoo! I love you.

Thank you for the birthday packages, letters, and emails Grandma and Grandpa, Gma and Gpa, Lathens, Mom and Dad, Andy, Asher and Bella, Sister Lamp, Kenzie, and Kenny.  

Have a wonderful week.  Moroni 10:3-5 :)

Love,

Sister Hixson 

 

This is my favorite picture Lexi has sent so far.  I can see why she raves about the beautiful surroundings on her mission.

This was taken in Sheridan, Wyoming.

 Lexi and Sister Spencer.  It's raining but they don't care; it's always the right time for a model shot!

Lexi says these sunsets are the reason so many people in Montana believe in God: "they just look up and see right into Heaven."

Hello!

Another week has gone by bringing with it many miracles! We have been working hard to fill our time with effective things and have been spending a lot of time with those who are not active in the church.  We also have decided to make a few changes to help us strengthen the ward here.  This week we got to see our President! That's not very usual with our huge mission, but he was in the area and stopped by and interviewed us, giving us counsel and love for the work we are trying to do.  It was really good to see him and get some counsel.  He really is inspired. 

I don't know yet if I have told you about Clark and Paige Christensen.  Paige is 11 and Clark is her dad.  He has so many questions.  He is a member but hasn't been active for probably 30 years or so.  He thinks our church might be of the devil, but he's not sure, haha. As we have been meeting with him, his mind has been changing, and along with it, his heart.  Really slowly, but yes, changing :)  He feels like we are trying to earn our salvation through our actions, so he has a lot of questions about works and grace.  There is a talk in the September Ensign about grace and works that we gave to him. It's AWESOME.  He has really warmed up to us and this week, after asking us many questions again and really making us think, he said, "Don't think you are wasting your time with me.." Hahaha. He is the kindest man I know.  When I said that, I thought, "Clark...really? You're not wasting our time....Anyways, to answer your questions....READ the Book of Mormon and pray to know it's true."  He said he will! He understands that he needs to find out for himself, but he holds on to all these doubts, contradictions, and past experiences with the church that he won't let go of.  But, he's getting there, slowly but surely. 

Now Paige is his daughter who is sooo funny.  She likes to be mean to people, but she is actually really really sweet.  She is in a wheelchair and this week she got a bike! You ride it with your hands...it is the coolest thing.  So Sister Spencer and I were on the street right by the Christensen's on our bikes, and Paige's mom stopped us and said that Paige's bike came and she won't ride it without us! So we changed our plans and went over to her house and rode bikes with her, and Clark ran along side us....he is an avid runner.  Paige has been in a wheelchair her whole life, so can you imagine the feeling of all of a sudden riding on a bike?? She LOVED it.  Her arms are going to be SO buff. She wants to come to church so bad, but her parents are confusing about it, and she hasn't yet showed up, but we will keep working on it. 

Some scriptures we read this morning that we want to commit Clark to read are Moroni 7:13-17.  How can a church be of the devil that brings people to Christ? :) Verse 13 says, "But Behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God."  The verses go on to say so many other good things, but basically, anything that brings people closer to Christ are of God! How do you know if something will bring you closer to Christ? That's where you have to judge.  And that's where we have resources to learn from...Book of Mormon, prophets, leaders, and most importantly, the Holy Ghost. God himself can tell us through His messenger the Holy Ghost.  It's not always as easy as it seems to know what is truth, but I know that everyone has the power to find it out for themselves, and the gospel of Jesus Christ is a great place to start! :) You might as well look into it right? Because if it is true, it's about to bring you the greatest joy you could ever experience...eternal joy.

Well, time to head out.  Today we are in Butte and are driving to Helena now until tomorrow night. I forgot to tell you that last Tuesday we went to Sheridan for our preparation day and we went on a BEAUTIFUL drive up the mountains. I'll attach pictures.  I love you all.  I think about you a lot and hope that you are doing great! Thank you for your birthday wishes this week.  It was a really good day! Thank you Dad, Paige, Gma and Gpa, Mia, Chase, and Allison for the letters and packages. 

Love, 

Sister Hixson

"Here's a zucchini I fell in love with at the Food Bank."

(probably because it's in the shape of a smiley face)

Here is Lex with her companion, Sister Spencer on top of Mt. Helena.

Hello!

I am about out of time again.  We are in Sheridan today, a small town of about 1000 or less people.  we are having preparation day with our district which consists of 6 elders and Sister Spencer and me.  I'll try to attach a picture....but this email might be short because many Elders are waiting on us :) We just love our families! Anyways, amazing things have happened these past couple weeks! The hike to Mt. Helena was so beautiful (I'll send pictures), and it rained and was sooo windy at the top, where we had a devotional on our work as missionaries.  The temple trip on Thursday was so awesome.  I just loved it because we were able to prepare for about a month before, and I was able to learn a lot because we prepared for it.  The Billings Temple is so so pretty. 

About a week ago, Sister Spencer and I attended a tiny branch that we actually are in, but it's an hour away so we never go.  But, we went, and there were about 15 people there.  It was amazing because it was so personal- everyone knows each other, of course, and one of the ladies even offered Sister Spencer and I extra winter clothes she has because we, being from SD and AZ....didn't bring any.  Guess what our opening song was? "Oh, Come All Ye Faithful."  Haha! Yeah, it was awesome.  I was smiling the whole time (I can't wait for Christmas!!! :D)

The Branch President lives 45 miles away.  He has one counselor.  You know how you can just talk to someone and feel their love?  That's how it was with the Branch President.  He just loves you, and you can feel it. 

We are continuing to work with Dell Carlin and Kara Reynolds.  Dell is working on quitting smoking with her husband and Kara and her parents are preparing for her baptism on October 12.  I am so excited for them both. 

Sister Spencer and I are studying charity this month.  We talked yesterday about the difference between charity and love.  We talked about how charity is the pure love of Christ, and when we have charity, we see someone how Christ sees them.  That is amazing huh! To see someone how Christ sees them is an amazing thing.  To really feel the love of Christ in us is really something we can feel.  Moroni 7:48 says that when we are filled with this love, "when he (Christ) shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."  We can one day see Christ and know him! I love that we have that opportunity and privilege.

Thank you Mom, Dad, Sister Lamp, Kathryn, Asher, and 

Paige, and Brooke for your letters this week.

Love you.

Sister Hixson