Animo!

First and foremost, happy late birthday to Sam Jensen, Stacy Nuzman, Gideon Parsons, anddddddddd 

AMERICA!

HBD USA!

Woohoo! Freedom! Let it ring! I`m a couple days late, but enjoy it with me! Woo! 

Elder Jenks and I had the most killer 4th of July of the CENTURY. It went a little something like this:

Wake up. Play some Soul Gospel Music and Dance, Sing the National Anthem, put on our American Flag Ties, bask in their glory for a good couple minutes, study the scriptures, eat lunch, and then we went out to preach The Gospel to those who are yearning all the freedoms we enjoy. La Familia Bastidas invited us over to have smores on the 4th of July (well, actually, I explained what smores were, gave them money to buy the stuff, and asked if we could make some, and they said yes) which was SUPER FUN. 

I shared a thought and got pretty emotional as I read to this family the story of the Title of Liberty. Only scripture that can almost get me to cry :)

It is found in the 46th Chapter of Alma, which is one of the many war chapters in the book of Alma. In this particular battle, The Nephites were short on numbers and seemed to be doomed to defeat. That happens a lot with the Nephites, and it happens a lot with me too. I always find myself at the point of defeat in the spiritual battles I am called to fight. Moroni, Captain of the Army, sees the waning animo of the warriors and, I imagine, is also frightened by the lack of hope among his soldiers. What Moroni then does is a message to you and to me, the solution to the wars that we are all called to fight in our day and time. 

 12 Y sucedió que rasgó su túnica; y tomó un trozo y escribió en él: En memoria de nuestro Dios, nuestra religión, y libertad, y nuestra paz, nuestras esposas y nuestros hijos; y lo colocó en el extremo de un asta.

 13 Y se ajustó su casco y su peto y sus escudos, y se ciñó los lomos con su armadura; y tomó el asta, en cuyo extremo se hallaba su túnica rasgada (y la llamó el estandarte de la libertad), y se inclinó hasta el suelo y rogó fervorosamente a su Dios, que las bendiciones de libertad descansaran sobre sus hermanos mientras permaneciese un grupo de cristianos para poseer la tierra,

 14 porque todos los creyentes verdaderos de Cristo, quienes pertenecían a la iglesia, así eran llamados por aquellos que no eran de la iglesia de Dios.

(translation)

 12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

 13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—

 14 For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the church.

He tears the tunic off his chest, and writes upon it the very reasons for which he was fighting. He takes this pledge, this Title of Liberty, and holds it up for all too see. I kind of think of the moment when Louis Zamperini holds up the plank of wood over his head, and calls out in hope and determination to not drop the plank. Moroni calls to remembrance the reasons for which this army is fighting. Their wives, their children, their religion, their God. 

All who see this Title of Liberty are inspired by it and rent their garments, and covenant to do the same.

I am grateful to The Lord for the burst of animo we enjoyed that day and the opportunity we had to reflect a little bit on the freedoms we enjoy as Children of God, and for the opportunity to be born and live in America. My Patriotism forces me to admit that the USA really is the best country in the world. I am grateful to have been born and raised where I was born and raised. 

I love this gospel and am grateful to share it.

-Elder Hixon

(Played soccer with some people from the ward. The kid in the white next to me is Jorge, the investigator of this family we are teaching. Super awesome kid, on date for baptism!)

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