He is helping me get back into the Portuguese swing of things. I forgot how hard it is to understand when Brazilians speak Portuguese haha. With an American, yes I can understand. Put a Brazilian in front of me and it is a whole new ball game. I love it.
This week was already full of many miracles. The Lord knows us and loves us. I want to share 2 quick things.
The first thing is what I am learning from my mission president. He taught us in a stake ward council meeting about the importance of Following First the Prophet, then the Spirit. This meeting was interesting, all the ward councils in the stake met at the stake center and were taught rather than a regular Stake priesthood meeting or Stake Adult session. But he explained how the Prophet gives us commandments to follow. Like for example, Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. This is commandment that we have been given by God through a prophet. And in a sense, the Prophet gives us the limits of the commandment. The prophet does not always spell out the commandment and the do's and don'ts but he gives us a commandment as the Lord sees fit to give. But it is within these limits of the commandment that we follow the Spirit. For example, with keeping the Sabbath Day Holy we have need to partake of the Sacrament. That is one "Limit" the prophet has given us in order to keep the Sabbath Day Holy. And as we make sure we follow that "Limit" or requirement, we are then able to receive even personal revelation on what else keeping the Sabbath Day holy looks like. We may feel that we in fact do need to work this shift this Sunday to provide for a family, or maybe we feel that we can watch this football game today because we feel it brings our families closer and the Spirit has approved. But we must first follow what God has primarily asked through Prophets. Because when we do not follow what the Prophet asks us to do, how can we expect to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost to be guided? We can not. We need to be obedient and in so doing we will be able to receive further and more personal direction in our lives. President Horsley is awesome.
The other thing that happened was a tender and sweet answer to my prayers. Saturday morning I was feeling a bit discouraged. As what happens with many new missionaries when they arrive to the field. I was missing my family extremely that morning and felt that I was not ready for the day. The week felt long and the language was tough. I again asked myself why I am here? The constant changes from Brazil to home then to Georgia then back to Brazil, I did not like feeling as if I could not settle anywhere because would soon pick up my bags and leaves everyone I had come to love. So for these reasons my heart was troubled. But that morning I turned to prayer. All I asked was for comfort. I did not realize how great the Lord would bless me that day. Later that day we had that Stake Ward Council meeting I talked about earlier. Where each Ward Council in the Stake gathered together at this building to listen and be edified by the Stake. Again, it was a great meeting but I still had some feelings of discouragement and sadness. But right after the meeting my prayer was answered more than I could have ever imagined.
We were sitting closer to the front and so as the meeting ended we stood up and were getting ready to leave. As my companion and I grabbed our bags and turned around and started leaving I saw something I could never have imagined. My old ward of Ibiuna. These people were my closest friends I had made in my short time in Brazil. I had thought about them everyday since I had been away. And there they were. Staring at me and beckoning me to come to them. Feeling like a little kid I hurried over to them and received many hugs and warm welcomes. They all exclaimed "Elder, we have been waiting for you. We knew you would come back". My heart was filled with joy. The Lord is true to His word. He loves us all. Only He could have known my first week in Brazil would be when I would feel discouraged. Only He could have given President the inspiration to put me in the same stake and neighboring ward as Ibiuna. Only he could have inspired the Stake Leaders to invite all Ward Councils in the stake to that very Saturday, my first in Brazil. Only He. He knows me and loves me. And for that I am forever grateful. I will never forget my Ibiuna Miracle. My sweet reunion with these wonderful and amazing people. I love the opportunity to be here and to proclaim God's love. He lives. As does his Son Jesus Christ and it is in His name that I testify that we are known by our Father in Heaven.
Onto another week in the Service of our God
Elder Hixon
