Letters from Montana: "I felt extra small"

Hello!

Right now we are at the church with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir playing while we write, and it's the best. I love music. I've come to love it more and more on my mission. We were in a lesson about a week ago with Bro. Wilde and his friend, and Bro. Wilde asked if we would sing a Primary song for his friend. We did, and the Spirit was so strong. It was Faith, p. 96. The words were perfect for what we were talking about. I realized again just how inspired music really is- the right kind of music :)

It was a great experience to be on exchanges this week. I had a really cool experience with Sister Bain. We had finished our exchange and headed to Thermopolis where Sister Smith would come pick me up. The Elders who drove us had a meeting in the church, so we had about thirty minutes until S. Smith came. They said we could go try a less-active who lived nearby. Well, he wasn't home so we started tracting. We had knocked a couple houses, and S. Bain said she kind of felt like we should go try this one brick house she had seen a couple streets away. We went there and knocked on the door, and this old lady lives there. She couldn't see really well, so she looked really closely at our name tags as we told her who we are. She then got so excited! She let us in and just was SO happy to see us. Then this man walks up the stairs, and says, "Hey! I'm ready to be baptized!" Then he runs downstairs. Hahaha, we are kind of confused....Then, we took a seat and he walks up with a Bible and a Book of Mormon and tells us he has been taking the lessons for three months in Sacramento, CA from the sisters there and just moved here and is ready to be baptized and is attending our church this weekend and it starts at 9 and he can't wait! Haha. It was awesome, and he is black and hilarious, so it was even better. As we talked with the lady, he kept accidentally interrupting and then saying, "Oh, I'll stop talking...I'm sorry." He was just so excited. He quoted scriptures and said, "I don't mean to brag, but yes, I have all those pamphlets you are showing me right now." Hahaha. So we called the Elders who came by and met him, and apparently he came to church and is doing so well! I just wish you all knew him. His name is Artis Hamilton. It was so fun, and it was so inspired of S. Bain. She wasn't sure if it was a prompting, but it was! Often we don't see results quite like that when we follow promptings, but that does not mean it wasn't a prompting. I'm so glad she followed it, and we were able to meet him. After we had talked with him for a few minutes and we told him the Elders were just up the street and we could call them and they could come meet him real quick, he didn't say anything. I repeated myself, and he still was silent. Then he said, "I'm speechless." Hahaha, he was just so happy! I'm glad we could make his day and very glad for the prompting that led us there.

This week, because of the traveling, I had the opportunity to drive through some beautiful parts of Wyoming. It is flat in some parts, but canyon-y in others, with rivers and little hills, and trees and rocks. As we drove, I was just so grateful to be here. I was so grateful for the world God created and I felt very small (extra small, if you can believe it! ;) as I drove through it all. He gives us all this and more just in this life alone. Imagine what else He has in store for us as we try to follow Him. My mom wrote me this week and quoted Mosiah 2:23-24.

23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.

24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?

I do feel this way. I am just so grateful God let me have the gospel and is patient with me as I try to serve Him faithfully. No matter what happens, I know I can pray to Him and He will help me. I love this gospel, and I know it is true.

Love always, Sister Hixson