First Week Speaking Farsi! Everything is now a secret!

We got a little worried when this email was labeled "The BIG ONE!"

Sent on May 23,2017

No time to email. Craziest week of my life. I love my Heavenly Father, and I love you. Pray for me

Sent May 28, 2017

Actually, this has been a ton of fun and I never knew how much I would enjoy learning a language! And quite honestly it's actually A LOT easier than I thought it could be!

This week I had my first Farsi meeting. Which is where the 4 of us Farsi Elders get together and talk about moving the Farsi work forward, it was cool. We also Skype Germany every so often and talk with them about moving the work forward, so that' cool. I think we are doing that tomorrow for my first time.

     Last preparation day we went and Elder Ward, Holden, and Bakker got haircuts that ended up taking 2 1/2 hours, hence no emailing time.

     This last week we got to mow and trim a lawn and take down some Christmas lights which were super great! Haven't got to do that in a long while!

     By the way, I can't really tell you about any of our investigators or Farsi members or their names because that's super under raps. Which honestly I am pretty pumped about! You can just know that the work is going super well and we are seeing miracles!

     It is definitely different being in Farsi work(in addition to the language), while we still get to talk to Farsi people, most of the people we talk to are English speakers, and most of the potential investigators we find we pass right along to some English missionaries. on the flip side, we get referrals from them which are awesome!

     One definitely great experience this week we got to give a blessing to a Brazilian member, what an incredible experience it always is to be able to participate in blessings. I know of nothing which testifies of the divinity of this work to me more than participating in the administration fo a Priesthood blessing or receiving one.

     I was happy to see and hear that dad ran into Elder Merkley! I sure hope he is doing well!

     I know this work is real, and that it's the Lord's work, he has said "I am able to do mine own work" and He does. stop being afraid, just believe.

    I love and miss you all! And hope you have an incredible week!

*note from mom...

I'm not sure how I feel about the fact that he can't share with us who he is working with. And especially that Steve is super stoked about this!!

Toronto, May 8, 2017 Tripanionship

This week has been an incredible one! WE have seen many miracles and with a phone and now our correct number the work is progressing at an exponential rate!

     WE taught a Nigerian family last week and they are amazing and we will meet with them tonight! Can't wait to see miracles with them!

     Frank is doing amazing! Committed to being baptized and we are planning on setting a date this week!

     New investigator Alexis Harrison is super cool and wants to know how quickly she can become a member!

     Our unity amongst the tripanionship is only getting better and we see miracle after miracle after miracle!

    we had a conference for northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada yesterday which was incredible! Very inspired messages from Elder Gong of Seventy, Elder Perkins (I think) seventyBonnie H. Cordon primary presidency, and Elder Oaks 12. The spirit was very strong! and I got to see Elder Bakker, Ward, and many others at the meeting!

     WE had interviews with President this week as well which is always a wonderful experience!

     I am so grateful for all of you and your loving prayers on my behalf! I know that this work is real and am so grateful for my opportunity to be a part of it! Love and miss you!

!

April 24, 2017--Toronto-staying in a trianionship!

Another incredible week! We still don't have a phone which makes it 3 weeks, and the entirety of my time serving here without a phone, but President is on it! So hopefully we get it figured out very soon! Jimi, the investigator that came back from Turkey and was ready to be baptized barring his parents approval, now has his parents approval and is ready, and we are just helping with a few small Word of Wisdom items and then he will be ready!

     We have had other almost lessons and are trying pretty hard, certainly a phone will make it more of a reality of being able to meet with people! One media referral we did get in contact with and had a quick conversation with has recently had his brother pass away and wants to make his relationship with God a much higher priority which is very awesome!

    Transfers came, and were pretty interesting waiting for a call because we didn't have a phone... Anyway The Portuguese Elders just asked for us and turns out we are staying in our tripanionship here for another 6 weeks! That'll be awesome and we are all super excited!

   Love this work, and love you! Have a great week!

Easter in Toronto! April 18, 2017

This week has been incredible! Many miracles! This 3 week transfer thing is really not a good idea! You probably didn't know this but libraries were closed yesterday(Monday), and we use the libraries to email so we are emailing today! President still had us have preparation day yesterday though! So today we are just emailing and then getting to work!

    One cool finding thing we do here is an English as a second language class! It's super fun and from what I hear it is probably the single most effective way of finding new investigators that missionaries have found. Of course we as English missionaries arent' directly teaching those investigators, but we get to help with the class!

    We also have many service opportunities here! And it seems much more often that people accept when we offer to help lift various items, or other things. We do service for someone almost every week to organize her work office haha. Last time we were organizing receipts for taxes haha.

First District meeting here was good. Had an easter egg hunt an dtalked a bit about hope and the Resurection!

   Ressuerection Sunday and really the whole week was incredible! We really used the Easter video in all finding situations with members and non-members!

    Ressurection Sunday itself was incredible! In church we sang "I know that my Redeemer Lives" and I really felt the spirit! I am so grateful for my knowledge that the Savior was resurrected and that He lives today! In Jesus the Christ it goes through all of the reasons why it is simply a fact that really there is no legitimate disputation over that the Savior was resurrected, but then says the greatest evidence we can receive is from the Spirit when we ask Heavenly Father for ourselves! I know this is true! No worldly evidence will ever compare to the incredible evidence that can be received from Heaven! So ask, I know He answers.

   Also at church an Investigator named Jimmy showed up and he left to Turkey my companions thought for a few months a short time ago, and he's back! And I'm pretty sure he is ready for baptism so that's wonderful! And we have found some sweet people and have solid appointments with them today and the rest of the week!

   Also can't remember if I said the Book of Mormon Musical finished on Resurection Sunday, Elder Tetauru is searching hard for a poster haha. It's been a fun conversation starter with people here!

  I love this work and know that it is real! The Lord has the capacity and willingness to accomplish His work! His work is not frustrated, and it will go on until all His promises are fulfilled! I am so grateful I get to be a part of It! Love and miss you all! Have a wonderful week!

Elder Dixon's first P-day back, April 11,2017

Sorry I got this off a bit late, his new one will follow shortly. This was last week's email!!

Thank you all for your prayers and your support while Steve did his two transfers at home and had his ACL knee repair. While he was home he was able to be a temple ordinance worker 4 days a week and he got to teach seminary 2 days a week at a local Jr. High with one of his favorite people in the world Brother Vallace. Between that and physical therapy and attending the temple, he was very busy.

We count ourselves very blessed for getting this 3 extra months with Steve.  He was so present while he was home. He would play four square with Sarah and her friends after school, and he would be full time quarter back with Kevin and his friends regularly. He would talk to his sisters and listen to them. It was basically like getting to live with a full time missionary in our home. He was very strict about studying, bedtime, and media. What an example and blessing it was to our family. A very surprise blessing. You wouldn't think your son blowing his knee out on his first P-day of his mission would be a blessing, but none of us here in the Dixon family would trade that special recovery time for anything.

We all feel so blessed that the surgery went so well. His physical therapist said that it is the 2nd all time best recovery he has ever seen in his practice, and that there was definitely divine intervention. 

We are so grateful he was able to return to the Toronto, Canada mission on April 4th 2017. I don't think it was quite as hard sending him back the second time, maybe because we all knew how badly he wanted to return. 

Ok Here is the email from Elder Dixon....

Hello from Canada! How great it is to be emailing back home to Utah again! I love being back!

When I got to Toronto President and Sister Shield's picked me up with my new Zone Leaders Elder Scofield and Elder Bagtas. Then they drove us to the zone leaders car, put my bags in their car and said see you later! They then took me to our apartment in down town Toronto. We are in the Ossington Zone in the Toronto East area. It's quite a bit different than Tillsonburg! haha we us the TTC (Toronto Transportation Company [I think]). So light rail trains, buses, and subways!

   It's crazy! We literally can't talk to everyone, because there are people everywhere pretty much all the time! So we talk to a lot!

    I am in a tripanionship with Elder Burton and Elder Tutauru. They are awesome! Elder burton is actually from Bountiful and is very outwardly humble and awesome! Elder Tutauru is super funny and is from Taheede. He is a native French speaker and was up in Valdoire speaking French, but I guess was struggling or something so now he is down here and has been here for a while! His English is very impressive! 

     This week we had interviews with President Shield's, which was good because I could ask him all of my logistical questions! Also had Zone council this week (in our mission that is a monthly meeting that the Zone Leaders put on just for the zone). They are talking a lot about the Prince of Peace Easter Initiative which is fun because when I was last here the big thing was the Christmas Light the World intiative!

   

     The new schedule is cool and super weird and I'm definetly getting used to it. It is a lot more flexible and missionaries have a lot more freedom, which is good, possibly could be difficult too.

Many miracles! I lov emissionary work! I love the Gospel and know it's true! Even today when an "ex-mormon" said she was there for me... haha I did contact and pick up a potential investigator right in front of her face too haha. Anyway life here is amazing, and I have a toothbrush I bought today! I had forgotten mine... Good times here in Toronto! Love you all! Have a great week!

Steve Returns home for Knee surgery DEC 17-APR -4

On December 17th 2017 Elder Dixon returned home from his mission to have an ACL knee surgery.
He decided to have Pepper Murray perform the surgery and he had it on January 4, 2017.

It was fun for Elder Dixon and his family to be together to for Christmas. Although Elder Dixon would have rather been face timing us from his mission.

Elder Dixon was a complete delight to have home for 3 months. His mom was worried that he would be depressed and it would be very difficult time for the family while he was home. It was not that way at all. From the second Elder Dixon got off the airplane from Toronto until he re boarded the airplane in April there was rarely a time you didn't see a smile on his face.

He was constantly studying, praying, visiting, and being such a force for good, even during all his recover time.

We all feel blessed we got to spend this 3 months with Elder Dixon in the middle of his mission.
I'm not sure there will be another time we will get that kind of time with him.

His knee surgery and recovery went as great as possible. His Physical Therapist, Joel, said it was the 2nd best recovery he has ever seen. He said there was definitely divine intervention.
He had to walk 3 days in a row 6 miles a day with a priesthood leader and Kelly gladly volunteered for that assignment.

Elder Dixon got to be a ordinance worker in the temple for the 3 months it was home. Kelly and Teri and Grandma Dixon all got to go and be with him while he was the session leader and Kelly got to do initiatory with him. He also baptized and confirmed all of us. What a great time to be in the temple.

We are so grateful to Brother Vallace who let Elder Dixon come and teach with him 2 days a week. Steve learned so much from this experience.

Tullsonburg with Elder Gardner

December 5, 2017



It has been another wonderful week out here! We have seen miracles every day!

     Our last district meeting of the transfer has now come and gone! I can't believe how quickly this 5 week transfer has gone! We will have Zone council this week which will be a party! also I believe we get to go the the new missionary's temple trip and meeting this week!

     We had a wonderful experience with a man named Mike Gunston who prayed for one of the first times in his life, and the spirit was super strong! We've had a little bit of trouble setting solid appointments with him though and we'll see what we can do in the future!

      We have been doing everything we can to #lighttheworld!! We have given multiple pass along cards to all members that we have come in contact with at church or otherwise and invited them to share them with everyone! Also we watch the video with everyone we can that has a computer(not many haha). Also we give them to everyone we talk to and there are a lot of people that seem interested in looking at it and giving it a shot!

     Sister Nancy Alberta is doing awesome and is SO close to living the Word of wisdom, she still has the goal to have it all solid by Christmas and we're excited for her!

     We talked to Sherry again for the first time in a few weeks on her doorstep in some hefty rain for about an hour, which was cold but so worth it! she seems very hurt by us not meeting with her and had made up her mind that she wasn't going to come to church anymore(that was her real reason, she gave some other weak ones at the start). She is having a lot of inner conflict that we noticed pretty easily and pointed out to her, she didn't really want to admit it but was willing to. She said she would look at the LIght the world stuff and that she needed a few days. I love her more than words can say, and really hope that she starts turning toward Christ so he can help her!

     The Christmas devotional was incredible! It was awesome to hear Brother Holmes speak! He's such a great guy! I remember when he came and did a question and answer meeting at the seminary building last year! That was awesome and so was his message last night! I have come to know that receiving the gift of Christ's love, Atoning sacrifice, and Godly peace are so important and really are the glad tidings of great joy that our wonderful missionary message delivers to the world! And it is REAL! I am more at peace, and feel more loved, and I feel the Atonement more and more and more in my life every day as I seek to accept my Savior! I love this Gospel! The Restoration of it is a fact. God bless you all and have a wonderful week!

This was mom's email to Steve..

Hi bud it’s mom! I of course have been extremely worried about your knee all week. Jane Jeppesen just had knee surgery on DEC 1st and had to get her meniscus taken out. They told her no more sports! She is devastated she has the same look i did at that age. Do you have any idea when your MRI will be? We are having the neighborhood get together tonight here. Dad and I are going to go get the garage all cleaned out. We are also going to have the families he home teaches over and Bro Hawks our home teacher over for soup before it starts so we can get all that taken care of at the same. You can just call me the major multi tasker of the century! Toast is in sleeping because he feels like he is going to throw up. Seano and Tomaicita have had the pukes and Luke Morris threw up at church yesterday. Tis the season for being sick! My Sunday school class looked like they were going to fall asleep during my lesson yesterday, any suggestions. I have Peter Jeppesen, Brooke Vogrenic, Kaytlin Numbers, Emmaline Morris. Its sad not having Logan in there anymore he really added a lot. He has moved to st george to spend December with family before he takes off. Erin has to teach a little lesson in Seminary tomorrow for 10 minutes and it is really stressing her out. Her and Jami also have tryouts tomorrow for their acting class play. Kevin and Sarah are loving the school play Aladdin. Jamilyn asked if she could quit piano and I told her no. Sarah and Kevin both want to start piano! Yikes, that is a lot of kids to get to practice! We have had a lot of fun watching Christmas movies in the theatre room. They had a kid take a gun to Milcreek Jr High and was going to shoot kids but his dad went and wrestled the gun out of his hands. Dad did a great job conducting yesterday but looked so nervous, I think it was because Elder Baxter, the stake president, the missionaries (we have new sisters by the way) and the high council man were all there. Elder Baxter bore his testimony about how amazing sister missionaries are. so be nice to the sisters in your mission. 
We miss you and love you tons. We think and talk about you all the time. We pray for you and the people you are working with. I am so grateful to have my boy on a mission. Go work hard and know that we love and support you.

Steve's response...

I'm not sure when the MRI will be! At the latest February 13, that's the appointment that got set up by the hospital when we went in! However Elder Cannon is working hard to find something sooner, we'll see what happens! That sickness doesn't sound too fun! Ask more thought provoking and inspired questions for the sleepy class! Presenting something is something that "Teaching in the Saviors Way" says is selfish because it's all about putting the attention on the teacher, but worrying more about them and asking a lot of good questions leads to real involvement and participation! Also they need to know that there comments meant the world to you and to adding to the spirit of the lesson, because if they don't know that they will lose interest in giving more engaged participation. As a missionary I struggle with that one a lot because people out here like to talk a lot about things that are not easy to tie in haha. I love sister missionaries! They are incredible and make miracles happen in ways that Elders never could! I love you! I know what you are doing is making a much bigger difference than you think it is and that lives are being impacted in ways that will last throughout Eternity!