WEEK 16 (SEPT. 3O)- COME LISTEN TO A PROPHETS VOICE

Well this week has flown by! We went on an incredible hike last pday. The Stevens took us on a hike up Mt. Piscgah. It was phenomenal. It overlooks Lake Willoughby and the view is stunning. I'll have to send some pictures.

We started a 40-day fast in our branch in efforts to increase missionary opportunities in our area. We missionaries and our Branch Mission Leader took the first day to start off the fast and then members of the branch have been signing up the remainder of the days. At the end of the 40 days we're having a fireside. It's pretty incredible because just from this past Tuesday when we started the fast we have already started to see miracles happen in this area. They aren't all huge, but things are definitely starting to change.

We had tons of service opportunities this week which was awesome! We've done a lot of wood splitting/stacking in this area. This Friday was a pretty exciting day! We committed Danielle to be baptized and she accepted! We set a date and everything, but unfortunately she didn't come to church on Sunday so we had to drop the date. I still have faith though that she'll stick with her decision. It has been incredible to see the changes that she has made in her life. We have started teaching a new family, the Hacketts. They have three little kids who are adorable. We helped them move from Island Pond to Orleans so now they are just down the street from us!

We watched the Relief Society broadcast on Saturday which of course was amazing! I am sensing there to be a theme of a lot of talks lately on keeping our covenants....Repetition usually means that it's important. Watching the broadcast made me even more excited for General Conference this upcoming weekend! I can't wait!

This Sunday was incredible. Sister Simpson asked us to help her with her lesson in Relief Society because it was on missionary work. She did such an incredible job and the spirit was so strong. Sister Deters and I were able to bear our testimonies on the trials and blessings of missionary work. Sister Simpson told us how beneficial it was to the lesson to have us do that, but I felt that it was far more beneficial to us as missionaries to have that reminder of why we are serving a mission. I really grew to love the women in this branch even more that day! I just can't say enough about the incredible people I get to serve with.

I feel it appropriate since general conference is this weekend to encourage everyone to watch it! I don't think I've been as excited for conference as I am now! How lucky are we to have a prophet of God on the earth to give us guidance and direction in this crazy world? It's incredible!!! I hope you can feel my excitement through the computer! There is a pretty neat promise in Preach my Gospel in regards to listening to the prophet. "Those who listen to and follow the counsel of living prophets and apostles will not go astray." That is quite the promise! One thing that I am doing this week is evaluating my life and looking for the ways that I can improve and also thinking of questions that I want to have answered by watching conference. When we watch conference with questions in mind, chances are they'll be answered, even questions you didn't know you had! Preach my Gospel goes on to say that "The teachings of living prophets provide an anchor of eternal truth in a world of shifting values and help us avoid misery and sorrow. The confusion and strife of the world will not overwhelm us, and we can enjoy the assurance of being in harmony with God's will." (PMG pg. 75) I know that as we watch conference we will be blessed!

I love you all and wish you the best this conference week!

Much love,
Sister Dixon