Transfers!! I am now living with a Brazilian. Elder Paiva from Amapá Brazil. He is super great! He is very good at fostering relationships with others and teaches very well! This transfer will be full of miracles I just know it.
This week was lovely. We found a ton of new people to teach as well as continuing to teach those we have been teaching. I know I have already spoken a lot about Maria, but her story just keeps on getting better! I absolutely love her. I told her that she is my Brazilian Grandma this week. She is so sweet. Allow me to share more about her life
We found out that Maria, the day before she was to get confirmed fell in the shower and dislocated and broke her left shoulder. It was so sad but she is so spirited and happy. She is not capable of making it to church so with special permission we will be confirming her in her home. She is an amazing woman with an amazing spirit. Her kids on the other hand.... basically devils haha. We had an experience this week that truly was heartbreaking with them.
Elder Paiva and I were over there visiting Maria on Saturday and 2 of Maria´s daughters were there that are crazy evangelical(is the church in English called Evangelist? I am unsure) lovers. They do not like our church. And we were trying to visit with Maria and not get in any debate... but then it started. They tried bombarding us with anti stuff and scriptures from the Bible to refute such a Book as the Book of Mormon. They had tried this previously one time but we did not get into much of a debate but this time, I did my best to follow the spirit. I made it very clear to them that what they were doing was rejecting the pure gospel. I have never spoken with so much power in my life. The spirit was so strong and was bringing words to my lips that were not of my own. I boldly testified of the truthfulness of Joseph Smith as a prophet, seer, and revelator as well as the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I remember near the end, I bore a very solemn testimony about the Book of Mormon. And as I did, I could literally see it in the eyes of these 2 daughters and the husband of one, that they believed what I was saying. I know it with all my heart. They absolutely knew what I was saying was true. After I finished my sayings it was still for just a moment, only to be interrupted by the hackling of the husband of one of these daughters trying to dispute what I said through his "testimony" of Jesus Christ. It was then that I had a feeling I never had before. I desired to cry. My heart broke for these people. I clearly saw that they felt the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and then they turned away. There was not much more I could do after this, I thanked him for doing his best to be bold in what he believed was correct. Then we prayed and left. My heart was seriously so heavy the rest of the day. I could not stop thinking about how I felt for their souls. It was an experience I will never forget. Satan is real and EVERYONE has agency to choose.
Maybe some of you reading are thinking dang... Elder Hixon is a little nuts, and hey maybe I am. But I know what I testified was true. I know the Spirit was with me and I KNOW that they could feel the truthfulness of my words because of the Spirit.
Everything in life is up to us. Every choice we make is fully and always will be in our power. There has never and will never be any sort of forceful decision making. Satan can not perform such an act and God will not perform such an act. My Father always taught me growing up, "If you force it you will break it". Every choice is our very own to make. Let us follow the example of Joseph Smith in the Doctrine and Covenants section 135 “I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men. I shall die innocent, and it shall yet be said of me—he was murdered in cold blood.”
He knew it was the end and he chose it. For His Savior Jesus Christ. I hope to never be afraid of making a choice to serve my loving Savior and Redeemer.
Elder Hixon
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