Before broadcast--Sister Hyde is to her right

March 31, 2014

Hey family!

Thank you all for writing.  I would like to announce I am wearing ZERO pairs of tights right now.  I seriously can't remember the last time that happened...but it should be in the 50s and 60s these next few weeks! Spring is coming and it is such a blessing!  I am grateful for the winter, though.  It really taught me the value of hard work.

Well we had a great week here at MSU.  I picked up my new companion Tuesday night after spending a day at the mission office with Sister Gardner as my companion.  It was an adventure-filled day!  Sister Gardner and I taught one of our investigators, mailed out nametags to missionaries, and prepared packets for the new missionaries.  I even got to do my personal studies in President Hess's office!  I was so excited to have Sister Hyde come.  She is WONDERFUL.  We had a crazy busy week and we were always on the go, so it's been a whirlwind, but we feel so blessed.  Sister Hyde is just what I needed right now.  She is full of charity and excitement for the work--it's just one more testimony to me transfer calls are SO inspired!  

Our investigators are doing really great right now.  Dymin is still wonderful and progressing well.  She wasn't able to come to church this past Sunday because her ride accidentally slept in...let me tell you 9 o'clock church is a TRIAL for a student ward!  Alysha had a rough week.  Her sister came into town and anti-ed her pretty badly.  If you all could keep her in your prayers that would be great!  She knows it's true, she is just having a hard time deciding to follow the Lord's way instead of what is easy.  We need a miracle with her!! We also have an adorable investigator named Mia.  She is Chinese and absolutely loves reading the Book of Mormon in Chinese.  We taught her the POS last lesson and at the end she got really quiet and said "Wow. God's plan is perfect."  Isn't it though?  I am saddened it took a mission for me to realize how perfect and wonderful the gospel truly is, but also SO grateful I had this opportunity to deepen and strengthen my own testimony.  The Book of Mormon and the restored gospel are spectacular.

Sister Hyde and I got to watch the broadcast at the institute building.  We had a ward activity right before where the elders quorum fed us and the other RS sisters dinner and we were treated like royalty!! They gave us crowns and little chocolates and then took our orders and brought out the dinners for us.  We had an amazing time and some of our recent converts were able to come and they absolutely loved it.  Ajee said she was "leaking" at the end of the broadcast--she always says that when she cries haha:)  Also, she got called to be a ward missionary so we are really excited for her!  When she found out, she asked us if she would have to be deported somewhere.  She thought she would be sent to Egypt or something...we assured her she wouldn't have to but it was still cool to see she was willing!  She loves the gospel!

Something that really stuck out to me about the broadcast was how our spiritual strength and power lessens when we compare ourselves to others.  So often I just think pride happens when we think we are better than others, but it also takes a form when we wish we could be like someone else.  I love that God celebrates individuality and wants us to develop what we have--not to be covetous of what we don't.  I have been reading about Amalickiah and Moroni in the book of Alma this week and I realized Amalickiah struggled with comparison.  He always wanted MORE.  More power, more prestige, more influence, more wealth, more land, etc.  On the other hand, Moroni was happy with what he had and chose to strengthen and fortify what he was blessed with.  It was then, and only then, that he was blessed with more land in return for his diligence and patience. I really was thinking about this during the broadcast.  Should we spend our time trying to be something we are not, or should we spend our time strengthening the God-given attributes we have, with faith we will develop more?  I know when we internalize our divine nature with humility and patience our lives will become so much more rich and meaningful.

Elder Gardner gave us a Boyd K. Packer quote that reminded me of this:  "Some are tested by poor health, some by a body that is deformed or homely.  Others are tested by handsome and healthy bodies; some by the passion of youth; others by the erosions of age.  Some suffer disappointment in marriage, family problems; others live in poverty and obscurity.  Some (perhaps his is the hardest test) find ease and luxury. All are part of the test, and there is more equality in this testing than sometimes we suspect."

  

Anyway, just know you should all love the lives you live, because every person's circumstances are the best for them!  What a blessing that reassurance can bring.  

LOVE YOU ALL!  HAPPY APRIL!

Sister Dixon