Lexi didn't write a mass e-mail yesterday...somehow her computer time got cut short.  But I do want to add a picture she sent us last week.  This is Rhea Taylor, a dear aunt of Ken Bowden who lives in our ward here in San Diego.  She's 91 and full of spunk and Lexi thinks the world of her.  She's even been out working with the sister missionaries.  You go girl!

Hello!

This week has been good.  We went again to the Big Hole Valley- to a place called Wisdom.  We taught Nate and Hillary who are doing well and loving the gospel.  We also met Nate's dad who was staying with them.  He talked about fishing and how much he loves it and then gave us his # so we can call him and go fishing with him some day, haha...We can't do that, but now we have his #!  The people here are so funny.  Sometimes I feel like my face is glued in a happy face as I'm listening to someone talk about something because they are so funny about it.  

There is a family, the Lochridges, who are amazing.  They are the most self-reliant family I have ever met.  They are so funny because they love to talk.  I sit and listen and learn so much because they love to talk about the gospel! What better thing to talk about! Especially to a missionary who loves talking about it too! 

This week we went to a lady's house named Betty.  I don't know her very well, but she lives in a cottage.  A little red house down a dirt road, tucked behind some trees.  We came in, sat down, and she was so nice.  So so nice.  She lives back there and crochets amazing things and sells them in craft shows.  She doesn't own a car. She used to go to church when she was little, but then her neighbors who took her moved away.  She hasn't gone for 40 years and would love to learn more.  I am excited to see her again! I have been amazed at the simplicity of life here.  Some people's lives are crazy, but some people's lives are just so simple.  They accept what we share with them because they see it as good.  

Sister Spencer and I spoke yesterday on missionary work.  I shared a little something on how Christ shared the gospel.  He "went about doing good."  I love that phrase.  When we go about doing good, we are following the example of Jesus Christ.  Sometimes I get overwhelmed with everything that I am asked to do, but I try to remember that the gospel is one of joy and hope.  I have been thinking about the scripture for a while and finally found it this week! Yay. It is Ether 12: 4-

"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

That's all I have for now.  I wish I could tell you about everything, but actually I don't.  I wish you could just sit in my bag and come along for the ride!  

Thank you Terri Lamp for your wonderful letter.  I loved it!

Love,

Sister Hixson

It's getting cold!

 Lex thought this was a picture worth taking.  Probably a common sight.

Kara at her baptism, with Lex and Sister Spencer.

Hello,

This week has been another adventurous week filled with fall leaves, travels, laughs, lessons....and Kara's baptism! 

It snowed last week, and then reverted to Fall, so it is so pretty here.  We traveled this weekend to Butte and the drive was gorgeous.  One hilarious thing that happened this week is the three kind men in camo (camouflage attire, I assume) with missing teeth that helped Sister Spencer back me out of a parking spot.  It was a 6-point turn and Sister Spencer was backing me up while eating a bag of chips and these three men in camo come out of the parking lot.  Then, suddenly they are helping Sister Spencer back me.  Haha, apparently she wasn't doing the best job.  They were smiling and laughing and helping and had no teeth, and it was so funny.  Haha.  There is no place like Dillon.

Kara got baptized on Saturday! We have been teaching her and her family for a few months now. The Reynolds family is so nice and the baptism was wonderful.  Kara got out and said, "I feel so happy."  I'll send a picture of her.  

I'm just going to send pictures now.  Love you all. 

I got letters from Sister Lamp and Mom and Dad.  Thank you!

Love,

Sister Hixson

Hello everyone,

This week I won't have any pictures, but I will just tell you about one experience.

We went out to a place called the Big Hole.  It is a valley next to Dillon and we serve there too.  We rarely get out there because it is so far and we don't know too many people out there, but we got a call from someone who had a family for us to teach.  They picked us up Thursday and we went out to the farthest place from civilization I have ever been.  We drove for 2 hours, and probably 45 minutes of that was on a dirt road.  I start to get really panicky feeling inside when we go far away from civilization, so I was starting to feel kind of sick.  I was also nervous about the lesson because I didn't know what to expect from this family.  But then, we stopped the truck and said a prayer.  I started feeling better.  We drove a little further and got to their house, and it was this young couple who had a 2 month old baby.  They welcomed us right in their home, and I felt more at peace.  We taught about the Restoration of the Gospel and invited them to be baptized and they happily agreed.  They said that since they have had Daniel, their baby, they have wanted to turn more toward God.  They asked many questions and are very sincere.  It was a really cool experience to feel their strong desires to know the truth and to be able to share it with them.  (There was even a bird flapping around in the wood-burning stove that wanted to hear some of our message...good thing he calmed down so we could continue the lesson, haha :) I was grateful for this experience because it showed me again how true this message is and also how there are many people who want to hear it, even far far away in the mountains of Montana.  They were humble and grateful and so kind to us.  

We walked out of the house and just stopped and stared.  It was so dark. And there were so many stars.  I haven't seen anything like that in a long time.  Sister Spencer said, "Listen."  But, I couldn't hear a thing.  Then, I realized that was the point.  It was sooo quiet.  I am grateful for times where we can be still.  God says, "Be still, and know that I am God."  I am trying to do that a little more.  I am learning that "Being still" doesn't just mean "do nothing."  It is more than that.  To me, I think it means pausing and remembering what I know.  

I love you all.  Just like our leaders said this weekend in Conference, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the light in the world.

Thank you Gisselle for the package and letter and Mom and Dad and Sister Lamp for your letters.

Love,

Sister Hixson

Here is an explanation of the two pictures below, which Lex sent me in a personal letter.  Quoting verbatim (because it's SO Lexi): "Well, I wanted to tell you that this weekend we went to a ranch in the mountains with the Rhodes'.  They wanted us to experience a cattle branding and meet their friends.  We tagged cows and sat on them (really Lex?  How'd that work for you?) while they got shots and got branded and got castrated....Yes, Mom.  It was crazy.  I was just like...I have never seen anything like this before.  Haha."

 Those lucky Montana missionaries.  Look what they get to do!

 Lexi tagging cows.  Or should I say, taggin'.  

 On the way to Bozeman.

 Lexi's view from the back of her house in Dillon.  Not bad!

People tend to give the missionaries lots of homemade jam.  This is how much she and her companion currently have in their fridge!

Hello!

Today I am actually emailing from Dillon! It has been 6 weeks, I think, since this has happened...minus one week :) It feels nice to email from home.  

This week, we met a lady named Sienna Babcock.  She is someone who we thought was a member of the church who we didn't know, but apparently she is not a member, but her mom and step dad are.  Her dogs were jumping all around us and she was taking a break smoking outside, so it was kind of an awkward approach, but she just talked about her dogs and then invited us in her house.  Her four kids were there, and they pulled out their Kid's Bible books, haha.  It was so cute.  They started  asking us "who this prophet is, and who this prophet is!"  Sienna came inside and told us her kids have been asking her about life after death and she doesn't know how to answer them so she recently got these Bible books for them.  She wants to help them, but she can't answer their questions.  So, we taught her about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and she said she would read and pray about it!  We told her kids that God loves them and know them very well.  They were so cute.  We are excited to see Sienna again this week!

Also, Jody Housel is another lady we are working with.  Last week, she said she didn't know how she would find time to read the Book of Mormon....and then she read 16 chapters!!! She said it brought her comfort and she prayed about it and she feels it is true.  Amazing.  The Lord really wants to answer our prayers, and He will. 

Also, Dell hasn't smoked for 10 days!!!! 

Good things are happening all around! :)

The weather has changed brrrrrr.  And our car came just in time!! :) And, we have two heaters in our little house.  It is the best thing :) 

So next to Dillon, there is a valley called the Big Hole Valley.  I love the name.  There are just a few hundred people who live out there, but we work in that area too.  It's far away so we have only been there once.  This week, the Bishop out there invited us to come teach a family on Thursday who want to learn more.  How exciting! 

Thank you Mom, Dad, Brooke, Paige, Kathryn, Kenzie, Gma and Gpa, Grandma and Grandpa for your letters.  They make me so very happy!

Love, Sister Hixson