SKIP BO!

 

For as long as I can remember our Simon has had a way with the elderly ladies in our world. I don’t know what it is but he loves them and they love his dimples. So it wasn’t a big surprise when we got this picture from Iowa with his Tuesday and Saturday evening skip bo group. He is just our favorite!

Boom!

Boom indeed! 

God is good! We had Annette's baptism this past weekend and it was phenomenal. I can't believe after 10 years I was able to be the missionary to witness this grand miracle. Annette is the cherry on top! She was probably the hardest person to baptize so far in my mission. On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday we had lessons with her and each lesson started with "I don't want to get baptized". She was so so scared. But we knew she wanted to do this. I was with Elder Cragun on Wednesday and he was amazing. He helped teach Annette and encourage her. By the end of Wednesday we had both bore testimony about going forward despite fears and the importance of baptism. So she then said sure she would get baptized. Then on Thursday again she started the lesson by saying she didn't want to get baptized and she was too scared. I was with Elder Anderson this time and he helped me testify of how everyone can be helpful in the church and how we needed Annette's gifts in the church. We shared with her Elder Uchtdorf's talk, "Believe, Love, Do". She left the lesson feeling inspired and ready to be baptized. Then comes Friday. I was on exchange with Elder Ireland and Annette did not want to be baptized. She was so scared and flat out told us she isn't going to do it. We met with her in the morning and the afternoon and at night. Each time started the same "I don't feel it is right". Our lesson at night, was so spiritual. We talked a lot about how we love Annette and know that she needs to do it. We discussed heavily on big decisions we both had to make in our lives and how happy we were to make them. Even when we were scared.

I for example talked about sky diving. How without the instructor up there in the plane I probably wouldn't have jumped. I wanted to all the way leading up to the moment I was 30,000 feet in the air. Then I got too scared. But because of my flight instructor, I did it and it was the funnest experience ever. Elder Ireland talked about a basketball game he had in high school and it was the semi final in the state championship and the seconds were ticking and the game plan was for him to shoot the buzzer beater 3 to win it. He talked about how he was excited for it at first but once the seconds started ticking he got doubtful and scared. He confessed that he kind of hoped his coach would just pull him out of the game. But coach didn't and they went forward and he shot and made it. He likened it to how yes when we do big things we can doubt ourselves and want to be pulled out of the game but we would be left with major regret. And that we had already signed up so let's just go for it. 

I then shared the story of me coming home from my mission. I expressed my fears of doing that. I feared that my family would be disappointed and my friends. I even told Annette I was afraid my good friend would leave me for good! (one of Annette's fears was the "ridicule" she would receive from family and friends). And I expressed how I didn't regret a single thing. And how it wasn't nearly as bad as I feared. I testified that Satan was the one who didn't want her to do this. He was blowing it out of rationale! It was him who was sending thoughts of discouragement and fear. The Spirit was very strong and some tears were shed. 

At the end of the lesson I decided to do something I've only done 2 times on my mission. It's what my family does every time someone in the family is about to do something big. We all hold hands and say a prayer together. One person starts it and squeezes the hand of the person beside them when they are ready for them to continue the prayer. Then the last person that gets their hand squeezed finishes the prayer. I started and then Annette finished the prayer. It was so spiritual and such an amazing prayer. We all opened our eyes feeling so much love and joy. We all embraced and Annette was feeling confident as ever. The next morning we were honestly expecting her to be back into "I don't want to be baptized" mode and we were ready to bring the spirit and help influence her agency again ;)... but it wasn't like that at all. We visited her with a plate of cookies we had for her and she greeted us with a joy I've never seen in Annette before. It had been 10 years of missionaries and she's been all the way up until the night before her baptism and then backed out. She had never been this close and she felt so good and happy. She went forward with faith and a few hours after our morning visit she was baptized and confirmed. It was such a privilege to be able to experience such powerful miracles! I was so humbled. I really don't feel as though I was worthy of seeing such miracles and such change in someone but I did. God is merciful. He allows us "broken vessels" to do His work! I am nowhere near where I want to be and need to be but God still let's me experience the miracle of change. In my own life and in the lives of others. I feel encouraged to do more and to be better. We love Annette!! Such a wonderful woman 

There was a speaker at Annette's baptism that shared such a cool experience that I want to share. I think it kind of puts into focus exactly what I'm feeling. This lady's name is Gretchen Van de Voorde. She is old and her husband is not a member. She was a hardcore smoker until the missionaries came. She recounted this story...

"I remember not being sure about whether or not I needed to join the church. I knew I had received spiritual confirmations about the Book of Mormon and even about the church. I knew I needed to join but I felt too unworthy. So I asked for yet another sign. I feel bad for even asking for another sign and feel shameful about it now but I needed to know. So I love glitter. I love glittery and sparkly things I guess that's just the little girl in me. And I remember one morning it had just finished raining and I was walking through my house to go outback. And as I opened the backdoor I saw the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. The sun and the rain were glistening just right on a 2 foot by 2 foot spider web. A massive web but it looked magnificent. It sparkled from the sun shining on little droplets of rain that still clung to the sticky webs. Then I looked a little further down and saw a hairy, ugly, tiny brown spider. And the thought came to me... if something that ugly can create something so beautiful, then so can I and God created me this way."

Isn't that so cool? It was exactly what I was feeling! And it is the coolest little story. This is such a miracle. Literally everyone was in awe. All the ward and everyone. One of the AP's taught Annette so he came down to come watch the baptism. Everyone was rooting for Annette. And because of Annette, 2 less actives are coming back to church and another girl named Liz wants to be baptized. Annette is the bomb!

Boom right? It was awesome! One other sweet little time with Annette was at church on Sunday. In our ward we don't sing the hymns we just listen to them in a speaker. Well the closing hymn was Count Your Many Blessings and this is Annette's favorite hymn. She couldn't contain herself and she started singing. Surprised the heck out of me because no one else was singing. But she wanted to sing! So gosh dang it I sang with her. Annette and I sang the 3 verses of Count Your Many Blessings together and afterward she thanked me. It was just a sweet moment to share. I felt that by singing with her I was helping her feel more apart of the church. And that she had ultimately made the ride decision. She's so great! It's been a blessing to be apart of her life. 

So yeah this week was Annette filled but was joyful. We found a Brazilian family who we are now teaching so that is way exciting! They are from Rio de Janeiro!! Super super amazing people who honestly I could see them as member of the church real quick so stay tuned;) 

Lots of boom and that's about it. A quick highlight from Come Follow Me something very interesting in 4 Nephi 1:38. Notice how Mormon specifies that the people didn't just "dwindle in unbelief" but that they "willfully rebelled". What a difference! I think it important to note that there is a difference but more important to note is that both of them are bad outcomes! One is less rebellious but both drive you away from Jesus Christ! Avoid both. Examine your lives and see which category you fall under. Chances are in some ways you are doing both!;) 

Love y'all. Have a good week! 

Elder Hixon 

Praying and Sifting

This week was phenomenal! General Conference was so so inspiring! If you haven't watched it... PLEASE DO!! You'll be blessed!!!! 

I want to share a quick insight I had this week during Come Follow Me! In 3rd Nephi Ch. 18 Jesus Christ institute's the Sacrament to the Nephites. Then in verse 18 he tells the Nephites something that I love because it reminds me of one of my all time favorite verses in the bible. It reads,

 

"18 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat."

Which reminds me a lot of Luke 22: 31-32! Which read, 

"31 ¶ And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."

Very similar! And interestingly enough Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament in Luke 22 as well just before saying this. Mirroring 3rd Nephi 18! But I want to point out a key difference that stood out to me. It was a testimony to me of how the Book of Mormon and the Bible can testify together to help us more further understand things! 

From what we read in the Bible, Satan desires to sift us as wheat. And in response to this desire Christ claims that he prays for us, or at least in this case Simon Peter, that our faith doesn't fail us. So a principle we could learn from the Bible is too remember Jesus Christ is praying for us to help us avoid Satan's sifting. But the Book of Mormon helps to show that there is more to do rather than just know that Jesus Christ prays for us.

In the Book of Mormon Jesus Christ commands the Nephites to pray always to be able to withstand Satan's sifting. I think that's something very important. M. Russell Ballard talked about the importance of praying as often as we can in General Conference and I couldn't agree more! 

I believe understanding both of these principles is crucial to being able to avoid Satan's sifting. Jesus Christ, our loving Savior, really does pray for us! He does not want out faith to fail us. We must remember this. Christ is on our team! He knows us so individually and so closely. We must change our mindsets and take advantage of this. But it's just not enough to only know this. We must pray always! If not, we will enter into temptation and Satan will sift us as wheat. What a testimony! The Bible, together with the Book of Mormon, can teach us so much more what we need to do in this life to find everlasting joy! Use both as you study. Find the connections! If you read something in the Book of Mormon that reminds you of something in the Bible, open up your Bible and take a look at it! Your mind will be opened and you will receive more light to aid you! I'm so grateful for the scriptures. Ancient and modern. I know as we use these resources to strengthen our own testimonies we will find joy and satisfaction in our relationships here on earth and in heaven. 

Love y'all! Read up!! The scriptures are GOLDEN! Better than corn!

Elder Hixon

General Conference

General Conference was absolutely amazing! Seriously was so bold and so blunt about everything. There is no beating around the bush and there is no sticking in the middle. We are either with Christ, or not! Oh I loved it. What an inspiring conference. If you went into conference without a question in mind then you didn't take advantage of it. Pray, think of a question and rewatch it. You'll be able to take much more from it! But okay okay I skipped all the weeks so let's come back to general conference in a little bit!

So this week was all kinds of fun. We were able to put sweet Annette on date for baptism for the 17th!! It's so exciting. She's such a sweet lady with quite a fun story!! We also woke up at 4 AM on Thursday to go wean pigs at a pig farm. I was pooped on and peed on. And I didn't have gloves. It was great. Definitely something I won't do again soon sorry... I smelled like straight poop for the whole day and my shoes still REEK! But it was fun. And sad a little. Animal farms like that... the animals are definitely not treated very well because the one purpose is to one day be food for us so... I could definitely see how one could decide to be vegan after seeing what they do at those places. Kind of crazy stuff but also super cool and fun. I was grateful to learn more!! 

There wasn't much more that happened this week. It was cold and rainy but the Lord still made things happen so we are glad:) 

One of my favorite talks from General Conference was from Jeremy R. Jaggi! He spoke about something that obviously had my ears perked. Simon! Simon the Zealot!! Ever since I read the scripture Helaman 5:6 my love for other people with my same name has changed. It changed so much that if you can remember from the letter I wrote when I first came home from my mission, that I even came home because of how powerful the principles in Helaman 5:6 influenced me. And even still today they do. So yes, i listened attentively to this talk! Brother Jaggi demonstrated the ability that Christ has to change us through the story of Simon. Which really hit home for me and pierced me deeply. It gave me hope that I still have chances to change. I can still become better amidst my imperfections! I, being over zealous at times, can learn patience and humility! Which gosh dang it I NEED to learn!! What's in a name? Well everything! Finding out why you have the name you have will give you more meaning. Your name is YOU! You are called to by your name. You make covenant by your own name! If you don't see any significance in your own name, then find some! Ask parents or grandparents. Do genealogy! And then take what you learn, and use it to come closer to Jesus Christ. It has brought me great joy to do this exact thing. To study my name in scripture and even in history. Even Simon Cowell! Yes I've researched a little bit of his life. Why not?! There's got to be something I can learn from him. We've got the same name that couldn't have been coincidence! Find out why your name is yours and come closer to Christ. He loves you and God loves you! 

Quite a detour from General Conference but I know studying your name and using your studies to come closer to Jesus Christ will help change you into who you really want to be! I'm grateful for my name!! I'm grateful for my parents. Who gave me the name Simon. I'm so grateful for my sweet nephew, who's name is also Simon! I have a Simon close to me forever that I can learn from. If you come to find that your name has no significance and is quite frankly worth nothing, which I don't believe can happen but hey I wont count it out, then be grateful that Christ has got that covered as well. I'm grateful that Jesus Christ let's me try and take on His name each day through the covenants I've made. He is our loving Savior and has worked everything out for us! We just need to make and keep covenants.

Love y'all! 

Elder Hixon