A busy girl writes...

Wow, this week and day have flown by! And I have five minutes :) To tell you about this week in five minutes would be impossible, but I can tell you a few things in that amount of time.

First of all, ironically enough, I learned a huge lesson on taking life slower so I can feel the Spirit more.  As Elder Packer said, the Spirit caresses so gently that if we are preocuppied we will not feel Him at all.  I can testify of that.  The past four weeks have gotten the best of me, and I read a talk that changed things for me.  I don't have it with me, but it was called Opening Our Hearts to Revelation in the August 2013 Ensign.  Anyways, I have a testimony that the words of the Prophet and His Apostles and leaders of the church are of God.  I know that Heavenly Father wants us to rest as needed and that when we do, we can feel alive and able to do His work as He wishes us to. 

This week, though, has been one of miracles.  We are teaching this one man who is hilarious and so awesome.  He is a salesman here for the summer and a friend of a ward members'.  He wants to learn about the gospel and be baptized, and he has committed to be baptized next Monday! He talks talks talks talk talks and talks, and Sister Hixson listens listens listens and listens, while Sister Smith tries to talk tries to talk and helps me learn that if we are going to teach him we must interupt him.  Haha. He loves it though! I am learning to adjust my teaching skills to different people.  This man is humble and open.  I can see how when we are humble, we can feel the Spirit.  When we are willing to submit to the will of the Lord, He can show us truth.  I am so excited for our new friend.  His name is Tom, by the way.

I know the Book of Mormon is true.  It testifies of Christ, and it supports the Bible.  If anyone wants to know that for themselves, they can read it, pray about it sincerely, and listen.  This is something I have had to do a few times on my mission to, again, receive a confirmation of its truth.

I love you all.  Thank you for your prayers, love, and support! :)

Love always,

Sister Hixson 

"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

A drive through the canyon.

 Some good friends in Great Falls.  Such gentlemen!

 Well here's a pair of good-lookers for ya!

(taken from a mirror that distorts)

A beautiful day.

Hello!

Sorry about last week.  We were in Billings and we found out at 4:58 that the library closed at 5, so I had no time to write you all.  It's been a crazy couple of weeks.  If it continues like this, it's going to fly by! We have been out of town a lot, and we are going out of town again this week- just to Riverton and Thermopolis for a meeting and some exchanges.  

Worland is awesome.  It is small, pretty, and there are lots of fields and badlands (there is even a Zebra donkey we named Debra :)  The ward is nice, and there is tons of work to be done! I'm excited :) Sister Smith is also awesome! She is a southern CA girl as well and she loves to work and have fun! I love her.  She is teaching me a lot, and she is a great example.  

This week we had a few awesome lessons! We taught this guy who has completely changed around his life, and his wife is not active in the church right now, but they both want to be.  He wants to be baptized and is reading the Book of Mormon.  He is honest and kind.  I love seeing people change their lives around and want to be better.  That's when Christ can really help them even more.  

We had some other great lessons too, and basically are just figuring out what we can do in this area.  We want the members to be more involved.  We had a mission tour this week with Elder Godoy, a member of the Seventy.  He taught us a lot and was so funny as he did it! I loved it.  One thing that stood out to me is that we need to leave room for the Spirit in our plans.  As missionaries, we have set plans for every hour of every day.  He said, leave room for the Spirit.  It makes me think of a quote by Elder Uchtdorf: "Strength comes not from frantic activity, but by being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light."  As we go about our busy days, we need to listen to the Spirit and remember those things that are truly important.  I mean, I'm on a mission where I don't have the distractions that most of the world does, but I still need to remember to pause and remember what's important every day.  In daily life, not on a mission, I'm sure it is the same.  

I love this gospel.  I love sharing it because I know it makes people happy.  I know it brings us all closer to Christ.  

Alma 32:21

""...faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen which are true."

Love you all! Have a wonderful week! :)

Love,

Sister Hixson

ON TO NEW ADVENTURES

Hello!

This week was another wonderful week! We kept busy, rode our bikes, talked to a lot of people, and even went to the temple! What a blessing that was, right in the middle of the week.  I'll send some pictures. 

We taught the lady who came to church last Sunday, and she is excited to be baptized.  When we invited her, she said, "Can I?!" Haha.  She is  excited.

We interviewed Brother Dalton by asking him some questions that Preach My Gospel has for recent converts.  It was amazing to hear his testimony of so many things.  He was truly prepared to receive the gospel. 

We went to the temple again! This time with the Christenot's.  They are so loving- they prepared the car for us with water bottles with our names on them, cookies, string cheese, blankets for the drive, and even gave me a stool to get out of the car in! Hahaha.  It was the best.  The Temple was wonderful.  I love going there and feeling the love of the Lord.  It truly is a house like none other.  It is the house of the Lord.  I know that because of the Spirit I feel when I am there. 

Sister Frost and I are leaving Great Falls.  She is going to the wonderful Dillon, MT and I will be heading to Worland, WY.  We are excited and excited for the new sisters who will be here :) It's been a wonderful time. 

Don't send anything to my Great Falls address.  I'll let you know my new address next week :)

Something I read this week: Alma 13:3- It talks about how those who hold the priesthood were called "on account of their exceeding faith and good works."  The chapter continues to talk about faith, and I was reminded that the Lord can use us as instruments in His hands when we have faith and good works.  As we increase our faith and try to be good people, the Lord will make more of us, not for our own glory, but for His- so that His work may go forth as He needs and desires it to.  I hope I can always be a reliable and loyal follower for Him.  I know that the Lord will strengthen me and all of us as we exercise our faith and do hard things.


Love you all!! Thanks for your love, friendship, and prayers.  Sending my love and hugs your way...

Love, Sister Hixson :)

 A little boy gave Sister Hixson some flowers.

 Goodbye to Winter, Hello to Spring...finally.

A special stool for little Sister Hixson to step out of the car on--from a very thoughtful ward member.

MONDAY MAY MIRACLES MADNESS

Hello!

It's me again.  Here in Great Falls, MT, and loving it! This week was crazy with exchanges and living out of our suitcases at another members' home while our host family was out of town.  It's always an adventure to go on exchanges, and this week was no exception.  Also, President Mecham has been interviewing the whole mission this transfer, and so I had my interview! It was great to talk with him.  The mission is so big that it doesn't happen often, so I was so happy to meet with him. He is amazing.  He is so inspired and loving, but he is also so real.  I don't feel intimidated by him because I can feel his love for me and everyone. 

This week I was with Sister Crooks for two days, Sister Frost for one, and Sister Hicks for another two days.  I learned a ton.  I was grateful to be together again with Sister Frost.  We work together really well. 

We had some miracles this week! One of them is that yesterday this lady came to church with her little boy.  She was in Relief Society and Sister Frost and I went up to meet her.  We find out she is not a member but she wants to be! She looked us up in the phone book and talked to someone on the phone who told her where to come and at what time, and here she was! She said she would love to take the lessons and prepare to be baptized! That was awesome. 

Earlier in the week when I was with Sister Crooks, we decided to go tracting after dinner.  We said a prayer and asked where we should go?  Some streets came to mind and then a quick image of a blue flower came to my mind.  I thought that was really weird, but after the prayer, I told Sister Crooks that as we were driving around, if there was any house with blue flowers outside, we should go there.  We didn't see any blue flowers, so we parked the car where we felt like we should go, and started tracting.  On about the fifth house, we met Justin.  He was a young dad, and he was willing to listen to us, so we talked to him for a little bit, and then his five year old son ran out.  He is the friendliest, kindest, sweetest little boy ever! So we started talking to him....more, he started talking to us, for about thirty minutes! We talked to him about Jesus and the Book of Mormon a little bit, and then he ran off, and Justin's wife came out! So we started talking to her too! We were talking with her for a little while, and it was about time to go.  I was getting pretty anxious because we had been there for so long and it wasn't really going anywhere, when Christian, the little boy, comes up to all of us with a handful of blue flower petals. Sister Crooks and I looked at each other, and Christian ran off.  Then he comes up to me with a blue flower, the same one I had pictured in my mind earlier, and hands it to me.  I knew right then that God knows me and loves me.  I was stressed and exhausted that day, and God was there.  He sent me that little experience to remind me that it's ok.  The hardest part about missionary work is recognizing what you can and cannot control....and that may just go for life in general.  But as difficult as things may become sometimes, there is one who always knows what you are going through because He has already gone through it.  I know God loves each one of us and will help us through our different and unique challenges.  As we try our best, He will teach us and prepare us, which brings me to Alma 38:5-

"I would that ye should remember that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day."  

I love you all!! Have a happy week :D

Love,
Sister Hixson

Check out this sweet video Lexi sent.

http://motherhood.mormon.org/?cid=HPTH050814094