Charity Never Faileth

This week was certainly a week to remember. The Lord has strengthened me so much this week and I am ever so grateful. So let´s fly though super quick.

In the temple on Wednesday I went through for a man named Luigi. Never has my soul felt more joy. Okay maybe an over exaggeration but still it was an incredible feeling of joy. I got my first hair cut this week. It seems that 3 weeks is the time to cut my hair because of the rapid growth. I should be a pro barber by the time I am back. Unfortunately I could not cut my own hair this week because of CTM Rules but next time for sure.

Conference is almost upon us! Oh how excited I am to hear what the Prophet and apostles have to share with the world. 

On Saturday we were proselyting on the biggest avenue/street in all of South America. Policia Ave (probably spelled wrong). As we were proselyting and teaching in Portuguese we bumped into someone who spoke English. hallelujah. This man loved us. He had once served a mission for the Church. he was a convert who baptized his sister and brothers and most of his family. Then he served a mission. He explained to us that he has fallen away from the church. But he said that he loves the church and stands by it. He loves the prophet Joseph Smith as well. His one issue was his struggle with homosexuality. He explained that he had been dealing with it his whole life and that as he joined the church he felt the Love of God. He felt good at first. Then upon returning home from his mission he did not feel loved. He would come to his bishop for help and felt that the bishop did not love him but just was trying to get through another appointment. He says at Young Adult activities he felt left out or excluded because of his struggles. This lack of love eventually led him to leave the church. How interesting. The problem was not his ´love´ for the gospel but more the problem was with feeling the love of others for him. Oh how many problems that could be solved through charity. Charity truly is the pure love of Christ. As we love others continually as Christ did, burdens will be eased and trials will contain less suffering. 1 Corinthians 13. Without Charity we are nothing. Let us be a little better at simply trying to love so that we can be more able to receive the gift of charity.

I love you all. This gospel is true. Personal revelation is real. President Russel M. Nelson is the true prophet of God. Jesus is the Christ. 

Till next week

Elder Hixon

24 Hour Crutches!

(the picture situation is rough right now. this is about it until he figures his camera out)

Sorry these are so quick! I'm still trying to figure out how to manage my time writing here so here's the speed version.

I hurt my knee earlier this week playing volleyball. I could not walk the entire day and was assigned to crutches. It was pretty awful. But the Lord will not allow his servants to be out of the fight unless he wills it to be. The next morning BOOM. I could walk. With minimal pain but I was back just like that. The power of prayer is real. The Lord loves us. 

Heartbreaks are also real out here. Our Brazilian roommates, Elder Mattos and Elder Moreira left this morning for their missions. They were my best friends in the MTC here. Through their very tiny English and my small Portuguese we established such a strong bond of love. I seriously just loved them! They have the biggest hearts and know how to serve. 

I'm loving it here! I'm still struggling to adjust to rice and beans as my staple foods and I'm gaining weight like crazy, but I don't even care. Well another good week is in store for all of us! Maybe next week I will have pictures! 

Love, Elder Hixon

P.S. Until I send pictures youou can see me on the CTM Facebook page video of us singing, kind of. 

CTM Week 1

Made it! CTM(the name for the MTC in Brazil) is great. The flight on the way here was good. I was able to give a Book of Mormon away to a woman named Sonja. She spoke only Portuguese no English and I spoke about no Portuguese only English. But the Spirit is the same and was felt. She committed to read it and to come closer to God this year. I love the people of Brazil!

I am in a trio. Elder Draper and Elder Devenberg are my companions. They are good. I am serving as a District Leader for now and am really enjoying it. I love my district. And my zone and my Branch. I do not really have a relationship with the MTC President as we speak different languages. Any communication is via translators that we communicate with him and through devotionals and stuff . But I do know my branch president and I love him. He is the man.

I do not have a lot of time at all but I can quickly tell of something I learned because of Portuguese.  (Portuguese is going. It is tough but I am already bearing testimony and saying prayers in the language so I am happy.)

In Alma chapter 22 we read about King Lamoni's fathers conversion. A very cool story yes and most are familiar with it. In verse 18 it says `wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee`.... but in Portuguese it says `e abandonarei todos os meus pecados para conhecer-te`... Translated as I will ABANDON my sins to know thee. How cool! Another testament of the importance of forsaking our sins. We must abandon them and leave them behind. As we bring our sacrifices to the Lord and give him our sins we must abandon these sins and allow him to keep them. Never to return to those sins.

The mission is good. This work is great. Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. I love him with all my heart and will be eternally grateful for his Atonement. On to another week.

Elder Hixon