The New Garden

Well, here we are.

Back in Serbia and hopefully to stay this time 'til I return home. I like Novi Sad a lot.  It reminds me of a littler, cozier Beograd with warmer, kinder people.  

The branch is struggling.  We had the magic number 10 at church this week (wait...isn't that only Podgorica small?). 6 missionaries, 3 members, and 1 guest. The 3 members are cool. Tanja, Biljana, and Dragana. Dragana is like Novi Sad's Vladan. She just moved back here from Rijeka, and she's awesome.  I gave a talk and talked about Gideon and his 300, and related that story to how we follow Christ and do as he does, like Gideon's army did following Gideon, and that's how we serve others. It was a good one, I was happy with it.  

Other than that, the struggle has been real. We found some new people to teach this week, and other than that we had a lot of legal work to do, a border run for Elder Bolan, settling in, and etc. Transfers came Saturday night, and I am staying here with Elder Bolan. So, it's going to be a long and good one. We've got a lot of work to do to help build this branch up. 

Also, the Senior Couple here, the Slane's, are super cool. I've known them since I was in Beograd and they entered the mission a bit over a year ago. They're from Southern California but have a daughter in Arizona and they are always down there in Mesa. We've oriented ourselves and they'll be around after the mission, like the Westergards. Isn't Arizona the best?

But, since there's not loads to report on, I did have a few things that have been on my mind.  I have learned that any problems you bring out on your mission (i.e. things to work on, weaknesses, etc.) are magnified out here. I'm not sure why, though I have plenty thoughts for another day, but anything that was maybe a minor problem becomes much, much worse. Granted the strengths make their appearance stronger, as well. But, for example, I am impatient. I've always been pretty impatient. I've wanted the next thing coming to come faster, and I've always wanted the whole package rather than partial bits in anything.  Coming on my mission, my impatience magnified.  But the other thing that I've learned is that the Lord truly does, especially on missions, "show unto (us) (our) weaknesses" so that He can redefine them into strengths.  I've been angry at my companions in impatience, I've had trouble seeing eye to eye with others, and I've even called my Mission President and expressed (in calmer tones) my frustrations with one thing or another. But just holding out until the next situation change or next transfer seemed to never cut it. The Lord loves His missionaries, and He will beat lessons into them if that's what it takes.  No pun intended there.  He intends to make lifelong warriors, not just 2 year contracts, and so He literally (at least, in my case) gives us exactly what we don't want, or exactly what is too hard, or exactly some situation or companion that will test and try that weakness, while simultaneously building a strength.   

I hope it continues.  Though I hate it at times, I really hope it does. Granted, I hope the lessons change, I should figure this patience thing out soon enough to move onto the next weakness, right? I've been trying to change my attitude about it the way Dallas Woolf does, that it's just another opportunity to get out of your comfort circle and expand it further and further. 

That's all for today.  That's what I'm learning. I love my mission, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I love you all!

Elder Hixon

The only pic we  have of his new companion Elder Bolan

Second Row from the top, seven from the left