Jacob 5

My companion is awesome!! Just a hard worker and wants to do things the right way. We are seeing lots of miracles. I`ll give you a rundown of yesterday.

So, at the close of last week, I was feeling a little bit confused. My companion and I have been trying our best to work hard, and we have seen tons of miracles in doing so! But all these amazing and prepared people we keep finding....seem to just disappear off the face of the earth after having the first contact/lesson. At the end of the week, all of the fruits we felt we had found had kind of all disappeared. At one point in the allegory of the Olive Tree, The Lord of the Vineyard tries all of the fruit...and it`s all bad. Every single one. He even gets pretty discouraged by that...he was hoping that at least SOME of the many fruits were good! In a small way, I felt pretty discouraged on Sunday night as we looked at the end results of our week. We had movement during the week, but no progress. 

My companion and I decided to take a similar approach to the one described in Jacob 5, from verses 49 to the end. I love these verses!! Just so much hope, which hope sparked action. The Lord, his servant, and even others rally up and go to work, one last time. They put in their effort and it results!! They see fruits! For us, yesterday was a fruitful day. 

We woke up yesterday morning and, after studies, were able to get out and work. The Lord placed prepared people in our path. We ran into a man who was a missionary in Brasil for 12 years, but had lost had lost his wife and daughter to some kind of disease and was now living again in Chile, taking care of his autistic son. We were able to bear testimony of the book of Mormon and set up an appointment for another day. While contacting later that day, we were able to teach 2 new investigators and, at the end of the lesson, one asked what they needed to do to be baptized! We have another cita with them on Friday. We found another potential investigator while contacting, he answered the door and said, "Look. I want you guys to come back in 15 minutes. My mom died a few days ago and I need help. I used to know the missionaries, and was about to be baptized, but we lost contact and I moved on. I need your help." Unfortunately, we had another appointment right then, but we are also going to be able to go back on Friday. His brother is a less active who we have been trying to find. 

 A couple we started teaching last week really seems to have a burning desire to learn more. They asked that we come over to teach 3 times a week and committed to come to church every Sunday. They understood the passages of scriptures we read and even believed them. They are looking for peace and unity in their family and recognize that the message we are sharing is providing those things. The boyfriend said, "Okay. Now I`ll be going from playing Futbol 7 days a week to 3 days a week, to be here with you guys and keep learning." Ended the day with an awesome family night we 2 recent converts, a family of members, and 3 nonmember Hatians.

Fruits! 

Another week awaits. Wax Strong folks!

-Elder Hixon

Snowing Miracles!

Writing a little early today...I hope all finds you well! 

Reporting a great week. Elder Davis and I were able to work hard all week and see the miracles that The Lord provided as a result. More than once this week, We were contacted by people who are receptive and looking to participate with the church. A recent Hatian convert, Herode, is really opening the door to allowing other Hatians to understand and accept the Gospel. Another investigator is preparing to be baptized shortly, and there are a few golden families that we have been able to find and teach in this past week. Elder Davis really is such a huge example to me, the spirit he has with him is so contagious... multiple times during the day, The Lord provides miracles that are testimonies that we really are in the right place at the right time, and I know that is because Elder Davis is helping us follow the direction of The Spirit. I have already learned so much about how to recognize when The Spirit is prompting and how many blessings are waiting as we follow spiritual promptings.

It snowed!! On Saturday. Elder Davis and I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and go outside to do some morning contacts, hoping that some families would be out and about because of all the snow. We met a guy from Venezuela name Henry, who was SO awesome!! He is here with his wife and his son (3 years old), and his sister. He commented that him and his wife have been looking for a church, something to do as a family on Sundays. They work every other day. He explained that normally they just stay at home because they don`t like to drink, smoke, or party (therefore eliminating a lot of chilenos from their potential friend groups haha). Hopefully we are going to be able to teach him later this week and have him worshipping with us on Sunday!

One of many miracles. We also found another golden family who were are going to teach every Saturday and Tuesday from now on, so prepared by The Lord to know and accept the gospel. 

This week, it didn`t just RAIN miracles....it SNOWED miracles!!!!!!

Love you!

-Elder Hixon

It's Raining Miracles!

I saw the header of Elder Keslch´s email....for old time´s sake, I´m gonna have to copy it.

It´s raining miracles!!

We have witnessed TONS of miracles this week in our sector, there isn´t enough time to write all of them. I´m trying to decide which ones I should share....ahh. Okay here it goes: 

TODAY! My companion and I went to the temple today. It´s has been some time since I have gone, and it was so refreshing to feel The Spirit there and learn more about The Lord´s will for me. I love that the Temple is right next to the CCM, every temple trip it brings back waves of memories walking on those grounds. So much has changed! After our session, we got asked to go help with some sealings. So we did....and due to a lack of people, we were in the for quite some time. I kind of started worrying, knowing that we still had to get back in the mission and eat, write, buy, and get back to our sector. Time continued to pass. After we got out, in the changing room, one of the temple workers started talking to me (kind of random). Here´s our conversation: 

"Hey Elder, what mission are you from?"

"Chile Santiago Sur."

"Really? What sector are you in?"

"La Cisterna!"

"I used to live in that ward! On a street called Iquique"

"HEY! We live on Iquique!"

He then explained he lived there (over 30 years ago) and that there is a family on that street who he has been praying for. They were really close family friends with him and his family, and a little over a year ago the parents died. He has been trying to find time to go down and ask permission to do the temple work, but hasn´t found the time to go. He gave us the address, and gave us his name and phone number. Told us to go to the house and tell the family that he has been praying for them, and that we would like to teach them about the true doctrine of Christ. He also asked that we get permission to do the work for their parents. 

What!! So cool! I quickly repented for my lack of trust in The Lord in the sealings, as I was (selfishly) growing kind of anxious to get back to my own schedule. As we walked out of the temple, Elder Davis commented to me, "I was praying in the Celestial Room that The Lord would give us a new family to teach. He always answers our prayers."

Okay. I don´t think I have time to write another. But I have really felt The Spirit this week and have felt that The Lord just keeps guiding us to be in the right places at the right times. We have been finding tons of new potentials and they are all so great. We had 7 investigators at church on Sunday!! The ward is great, the people are great, and the harvest is ready. 

Gotta get back to work! Wax strong!

-Elder Hixon 

Ours For the Taking

(Bishop, Ward Mission Leader and Counselors)

Changes!

Surprise changes, I am now serving in a ward called La Cisterna. My companion is a mission hero of mine, his name is Elder Davis. If you were rewind time 20 years, and put my dad on a mission in Chile Santiago Sur, you`ll probably find yourself with somebody like my companion. He`s the man. I`ve always looked up to him, always admired his work ethic and firm decision to do what`s right...and now we`re comps! Woo! He finishes his mission this change, so I`ll have a new companion next change as well. 4 comps in 4 changes... 13 companions in my mission....man, I must be a tough guy to be around ;) On average, each companion lasted almost 2 months with me! That`s it haha. 

 

I`m excited for the new sector. I`m sad to leave Las Americas, but they are in the zone still, so they`re not too far away. I`ll definitely have to go back for when Alex and Andrea get baptized!! Elder McKane`s new companion is an awesome guy, so I`m not worried about the sector at all. 

I`ve got tons of pictures to send, so I`m just going to share a quick experience we had yesterday. While we weren`t able to celebrate National Freedom with fireworks, a giant inflatable water-castle thing, and soda at TJ`s (okay maybe we still drank a few glasses of Coke)....we were able to look for people and try to teach them how they can be spiritually free, and remember  He through whom we are all given that opportunity. In doing so, we met a guy named Fernando. Here is his story:

3 years ago, his wife got pancreatis (? disease in the pancreas) and passed away suddenly. A year later, doctors found 2 tumors and his stomach, requiring surgery to get them removed and a lengthy recovery, with regular doctor checkups after. In April, his house on the coast burned down while him and his kinds and grandkids were staying there, which resulted in intense burning on both of his hands and arms. He had to have surgery and was in the hospital for a month afterwards. He`s been going to rehab since then, trying to regain the feeling and strength in his hands. When we met, we didn`t shake hands or anything because he couldn`t.

In tears, he expressed how it has been a dark time in his life. We sat for a moment, listening to him and trying to put ourselves in his shoes to really know how to help, when my companion began to testify that God is our Father, that He knows us, and that He is aware of our trials. He even shared that God knew how strong Fernando was, and that he was going to able to use these experiences to grow closer to Him. Testified that God is ready and willing to help, and that He had sent us to his door. 

We have an appointment with Fernando on thursday! Pray for him! Pray for us too, that we`ll know hot to help him!

All is well. I am grateful for this opportunity that I have been given to be made free, and for the opportunity that I have to help others do the same. Here in Chile I have met a lot of people who are "captive" in some way or another, both spiritually and physically. I have seen how The Gospel of Jesus Christ truly does allow EVERYONE the opportunity to be made free. A dear gift bought at a great price, and it is ours for the taking. 

I love you!

-Elder Hixon

 Las Americas Bishop

Valentina! a less active girl who Elder Canaan and I worked with in Las Americas, she was reactivated in march and has a mission call! kinda quick but awesome! to Honduras!

Familia Tobar Alday!  Pedor and Esteban

Familia Toro

Elder Batista and Elder Hixon

Pizza and Root beer, last night in the sector 

Batista and a sweet  Chile jersey that a family gave me

Futbol with some missionaries from the district and mission