Conference Miracles

I cannot explain the joy I feel right now.

I can't even think how I'm going to get everything into a letter. Just can't, so bear with me, we might be all over the place. FIRST, if you did not watch the Preisthood session of conference, do so now. We watched it this morning, and not only was every single talk inspirational and powerful, but there was a touch of personal meaning that had us all cheering and so STOKED!!!

We received a phone call giving us a bit of warning ahead of time, so we were expecting it. In President Eyring's talk, he spoke of a young priest who was an orphan. He talked of a new country opening last year, this boy's country, and the nurse of that mission finding this young priest seemingly by mistake (miracle) and yeah, you can listen to the whole story. Well that town is a little town called Tuzla, Bosnia. That young man is one of 6 members, and he shared the sacrament on Easter with 4 elders, one of whom was my boy Elder Sheridan. The tears!!! I cannot explain the joy that we all felt as President Eyring promised a branch in Tuzla, a stake and someday a temple. A temple in this mission....Ahhh I just cannot put it into words. Our mission nurse at the time was led to that boy, so we could open that area. Naturally it is Elder Sheridan who has to start from scratch and build up the kingdom in Tuzla, I'm just glad he has a priest there so strong as that boy to assist him and the other elders in the work.

Now, let me finish with conference, then I'll hit my week as chronologically as possible. So, just as an overview, it was another hard week. We haven't taught a lesson to an investigator yet, which means yes, we have only had doors closed on our faces, and people on the streets cursing at us (I'm learning Serbian curse words, I don't use them though, promise!) and being crossed at or told that we are a "cekt" which is the Serb word for sect, but it better translates to "cult." There are some good conversations and whatnot, but no results. So conference was coming up. I was horribly homesick thinking about all the conference traditions I'd miss, all the while remembering family and friends and just thinking of fun times in the sun (still haven't gotten any sun here. It's so cold.) But with the time difference, our schedule was such: Saturday night at 6 we would watch at the church the Saturday morning session live in Serbian. Sunday morning we would watch the Saturday afternoon session at the Rice family home (they're one of two families who work at the U.S. embassy, both are way awesome and they speak English !! Brother Rice and Glenn speak Serbian well too, though). Then Sunday night at 6 we would watch the Sunday morning session live in Serbian at the church, and finally we would watch the Priesthood session in English Monday morning for studies. Not sure when we will squeeze in Sunday afternoon session, but we will!

So here's what happened. We passed out fliers a ton to try and get people to come watch conference, as well as English class which starts this coming week. We had a meeting with the branch missionaries before Saturday night's session (consisting of Vladan, Katerina, and Victoria. They really are becoming some of my best friends, and I'll tell you why.) So during that meeting I jokingly say, "Who's gonna translate conference for me?" And we all laughed, then I said it would be good Serbian practice anyways. I wasn't planning on getting anything out of that meeting. I was going to try, but it's already hard to understand the translators if you know the language, much less if you don't know it like me! I sit down to watch the session amongst a few members, some less actives, and maybe 2 people we found on the street (there are later stories for them.) As conference was about to start, Vladan leans over to me and asks, "Would you like me to translate for you?" I told him it was really okay, that he should watch and learn and I would try to understand, and then I would look up the talks later. He told me no, that he would help me now. I wasn't going to argue further, so I agreed. Each talk, I was humbled as I watch Vladan hear the sometimes rough Serbian translation, and then struggle to find the right English to tell me what was going on. He speaks great English, don't get me wrong, but anybody who knows languages knows things don't directly translate always, and a double translation is bound to be difficult. The amazing thing was, I was getting answers. My prayers and concerns were answered, my fears were quieted. I received strength, and I got more out of that session of conference, my session from Vladan, than I ever had before. I was so grateful he was there and willing to give up his opportunity to listen intently and take notes to help me understand. We are now much closer as friends, and I love that guy! He was only baptized last June/July!!! (Can't remember which.) He's 20 and putting his papers in soon to serve a mission.

Then we had a HUGE breakfast that morning at the Rice's, and watched in English an amazing session where again, prayers were answered. When it was time to go, I felt I had been blessed beyond anything I had expected or deserved, and I was very grateful for those experiences.

Then, Sunday night, we went back to the church. We again sat down for conference, but this time there was no Vladan. He had a big test, common in Serbia to be on a Sunday, and he was going to come late. I wasn't expecting him to translate anyways, he had done his fair share. For some reason though, perhaps habit, I said a prayer before conference for specific answers I was searching for, things that I needed to know and comfort and peace that I needed. As I closed my prayer, I realized I was going to be searching real hard for these answers, since I was on my own translating Serbian back into English. As conference was starting up, Katerina called me back a few rows, and said "Do you want me to translate for you because Vladan is gone?" I assured her it would be alright, more so than I had with Vladan, but she wouldn't let me say no. She said if anyone needed to hear this session, it was me. I said okay. I was fighting my tears halfway through the first talk. Katerina, too, struggled at times to relay the message to me, but the things she told me, in her own words and in her own way, answered my prayers EXACTLY. Even at times where I wondered how it was possible that those words were coming to me, and I knew that the Lord had provided the challenge of the double translation to humble us and to allow the Spirit to be the teacher. I told Katerina that my prayers had been answered after just the first talk, and she was thrilled and wouldn't stop translating. It was an incredible experience for me, and when I was thanking her, her only response was that she was glad that she could help. That's all! Then conversations between us and the other missionaries and members and investigators resumed as normal, and it wasn't made a big deal of that such a miracle had been wrought.

But in my heart, I knew that the Lord heard me, and He answered me. He sent those two youth, aged at 19 and 20, both with stronger testimonies than I could imagine finding here, to help and answer me. I love them, and they truly will be my special friends always. 

While Elder Marks and I had limited physical success finding people to teach, our group efforts in Centar paid off. Several people came from off the streets to hear conference. I'll share 2 quick stories.

The first is a man from Somalia. He lives in America. He speaks English, no Serbian. He is here because of a very long and confusing story that I won't go into here, but he long story short he was here to get his 3 year old daughter and take her back to the States. He can't read very well, and his hand is broken or something like that. He was wandering around Centar (Center) and wondering how he was going to figure out how to read and then fill out all the legal papers for his daughter. Then Sister Compare and Sister Burton contact him and invite him to Conference. He exclaims, very defeatedly, that he can't understand Serbian and that he didn't know what to do. Our Sisters immediately begin speaking in English to him, and they assess his situation. They volunteer to help him with all the paperwork. They did, and he was so grateful for the service that he pleaded with them, asking if there was anything he could do to help them. They told him they would love if he came to conference, and explained it briefly  He said he would absolutely love to, and in walks the first black man I've seen since coming to Serbia. Elder Bates (the walking dictionary) translated the session for him. At the end, he was so full of joy and happy, and asked the Sisters what else he could do. They said they could get him in contact with missionaries where he lives in America if they got his info. He gave them everything, Sister Compare even jokingly (I think it was a joke) said she has his Social Security number memorized. He said he wanted to know more about this church that sent to him angels at the precise moment he needed them, that the conference was truly inspirational and he needed to learn more.

Story 2 is much shorter, just that another guy the Sisters contacted (Sisters are seriously just the best) came and stayed the whole time at the session, and asked if the missionaries would come and teach him more. I'm not sure whose area he is in, but we will see! HE was way interested and loved what was being taught. And finally, we do actually have an investigator. He was taught by Elder Marks and the Elder before me, and believes that our church is as close as he has found, he comes to church every week, reads the book of mormon avidly, comes to aktivnost (our attempt at a mutual) and etc. We haven't taught him because he has stopped progressing. We aren't sure what wall he has hit, but he simply won't be baptized yet. Aleksander doesn't believe we can baptize with the Holy Ghost. He believes in the Restoration and in Joseph Smith, but somewhere he's hit a wall. He's a great guy and I love talking (trying) to him. However, he said Conference was incredible, beyond what he expected. He said he was waiting for something to be political, or out of line with the Bible or Book of Mormon, but nothing came. He was touched by the Holy Ghost, and said something's changed. We are going to meet with him this week, and heck we will get this man baptized! 

The moral of this weekend was this: I was expecting to lose because of the unfortunate circumstances. But the Lord showed His strength in blessing my life, on a very personal level. And it got me thinking, through all the lack of success and the lessons I'm being taught, what is the Lord trying to teach me? Really, what lesson must I learn before I'm allowed to have success and be trusted with teaching these people? I am not absolutely there yet, but we have been taught over and again that we must love the people. That sounds easy and all that in words, but after the weeks I've been through, I wasn't sure how to truly let that sink in my heart and not be a motto or a catchphrase in my head. I wanted to LOVE these people. Like the missionaries around me. They're crazy, they are SO faithful in the belief that these people are wonderful and miracles are happening here. I couldn't see what they saw for a while, and naturally the success was kept from me. But this weekend, after being humbled significantly to a position where I couldn't do it alone, where I needed assistance very literally, and it was given willingly, I saw then a glimpse, just a glimpse, of what the others see in the people here. I loved them, truly I loved them. And for an instant, I let that thought sit, and let it flood over me. Joy began spilling into my heart and filled my soul!!! I cannot describe it really, but I am beginning to understand in small ways that I do love these people. And that it needs work, but it's there, and it's growing. I love them.

On a secular note, there has been rallies and protest marches in the various streets surrounding Centar about the Kosovo issue and votes and whatnot. Pretty nuts, hundreds if not more all holding up Serbian flags, tons of speakers and rallyings and chants and whatnot, with the equivalent of SWAT teams everywhere decked out to keep the peace. Pretty cool stuff, I'd say, but we keep our distance. We also went to Kale Macdon (hey that's probably spelled wrong), which is the oldest fort here in Yugoslavia, I believe. It was nuts!! I'll send pictures, but it was just way cool. We went into a small Pravoslav church too, and I have a bottle of Holy Water from there :)  it was a fun P Day, not sure what we are doing today, but hey!

I'll try to answer individual questions and emails and stuff, but yeah!! The work will go forward, and I'll do my best to learn what I need to. Of course you knew I'd be here Dad, you've always known. I feel all of the prayers and love, you give me strength every day. 

I love you all!!

Elder Hixon

I forgot to mention that we did teach one lesson this week, to a less active gypsie family. Only part of the family was there. Their daughter served a mission in Florida. But anyways, the lesson went well and we were all moved. It was great to feel the Spirit abiding there in that little home. I call it a home, but let me tell you, a spot off the freeway with muddy/water walkways with slats of wood to cross on and cement-like huts to live in, with every makeshift anything for walls, doors, ceilings, and etc. made my heart hurt for them. But the Spirit was there, and I know that God is here in Beograd. We just need to show these people where to find Him.

I'm trying to get back to everybody, so forgive me if I'm breif!! I appreciated greatly all your letters, from Lo and Cal and Chip and Mom and Dad and Bishop and others, and I'm working on responses, be patient with me! You all are great, I love the support and boost you all are to me :)