Where is Sister Houston emailing from????

Tori did get her transfer!! She is in Norwalk!! Sounds like a Heavenly place to be!!
Here is Tori's email about her first week (almost a week) in her new area!!


Tori's email:
July 26, 2010

Hello my wonderful family,
I miss you!!

So are you all ready to hear what happen to me???

Wednesday Sister Stewart and I spent all morning packing and cleaning to get ready for transfer meeting at 11:30. Like I said in my last email, we got the call on Sunday that we were both being transferred but no one ever knows where or with who until that morning at the meeting only those who are training are told on Monday which area they will have but not who there companion would be. The new sisters all came in Tuesday and stayed over night at the Mission Presidents house. Then on Wednesday, everyone who got the call that they are being transferred meets over at the stake center where the new missionaries meet their trainer and everyone else finds out where they are going. Since all the ten Sisters who are training knew which area they would have, Sister Stewart and I found out on Monday that Sister Barker (one of the sisters training) would be taking our area, Willowick. Well anyways long story short, I was so nervous because I had know idea what was going to happen to me. I just got comfortable with the area and now I was getting transferred to who knows where and everyone had a pretty good idea that Sister Stewart was going to be transferred out to go to a full proselyting area so I figure we aren't going to be staying together....long story but we knew there where big changes coming because with all the new missionaries coming in there weren't enough areas so we knew that they had to open up a new area, or put a companionship at full sites or full proselyting....anyways hopefully this is making sense.

So we get to transfer meeting, sing a song, a few of those going home bear there testimonies and then the Zone Leaders get up and announce the changes.

"In Norwalk, Sister Stewart and Sister Houston."

Where is Norwalk you ask??

Well family, for at least the next six weeks I am now a full proselyting missionary. Norwalk is about an hour and 45 minutes away from Kirtland. The area is huge!! It covers all of Norwalk and a few cities to the north, east, south and west. So after transfer meeting they give us a GPS and stick us in the car and on our way we go hoping that "Sally the GPS" would get us to our apartment.
We made it though!!
Sister Stewart and I are what you call "white washing" an area which means that two missionaries who have never been in the area come to serve (maybe dad and chase can explain it better).
The Elders before us I guess were not doing so hot one even went home early, we dont know details but yesterday at church the Bishop of the ward told us he had a talk with the Mission President and said there has to be a change and to send over his two best missionaries!! Can you believe they sent me??? Basically we are starting from scratch searching for those who the Lord's preparing and trying to contact the many many less actives who have lost there way. The last few days we tracted a total of 9 hours!! Its hard work but I am so humbled that the Lord would put me here and give me this opportunity out of all the missionaries. I love these people already and want to do all that I can to help them! I am praying really really hard that the Lord will help me become the person I need to be and to have the abilities to teach the gospel as best I can! Its been hard but I can't even explain how many miracles I have seen in the last few days.
The ward is so excited to have sister missionaries! They haven't had sisters for over five years! I even had to give a talk in Sacrament meeting yesterday!!

The second night we were here we even had a tornado warning! Sister Stewart and I were called by the elders and ward mission leader to go camp out in the closet under the stairs! Yes I was freaking out but its ok no tornado just alot of rain and lightning. We only had to stay under there for a little while and then went up stairs to bed! Hopefully no more tornados!!

I love you family! I don't know if any of you wrote me this last week, but I got mom's letter she wrote on the 18th and dads letter too. If you did I hope the Visitor Center forwards over my mail!
Well I will write you letters today so expect them sometime this week. Oh and thank you for finding that talk for me!!! Tell Becky thank you too!!


Love you all,
Sister Houston



OK so thats my girl!! Isn't she amazing? only out 6 weeks and doing full-time proselyting in a new area!! I knew Heavenly Father was gonna bless her! She is amazing! Hopefully she will find those that are looking for the gospel! Sounds like she might need some new shoes soon! :) I know she will miss being in the Kirtland area and being with the sisters there, but hopefully she will get to go back again sometime before she heads home!

Well keep up the good work Sister Stewart and Sister Houston!! We love you!!

Transfer!! Do I Stay or Go??

These will be the last few pictures of the Kirtland area for now!

Tori got a call on Sunday saying she would be transfered on Wed July 21st

Where will she go??

These sister's are trying to spell the word "Kirtland"
Great job girls!!



If Tori gets moved out of the area i know she will surely miss the friendships she has gain in the last 6 weeks!!

This is part of her email she sent expaining the transfers!

July 19, 2010

Hello my wonderful family!

I hope everyone is doing well! I just read your emails Mom and Shalyse and have a huge smile on my face! I love you family! Every story you tell, every advice you give, seriously everything you guys write makes me so happy!! You always have the perfect things to say, everyone of you, in your emails and letters! I wish you knew how much you help me and how much you inspire me to do better and be better!!

This week has been crazy. I think i say that every week but every week is crazy heehee! So I explained last week that transfers are on the 21st, this coming Wednesday, and so schedules have been changed around for the last two weeks because so many sisters are being trained to train the ten new sisters coming in. This week we were at the Kirtland sites for four full days, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and after church on Sunday. Tuesday and Friday we had half day at sites and the rest of the day in our area. Friday was a busy busy day at sites. I wasn't there but I heard that there were about 1800 people who came through and a couple even knew me!! One of the sisters told me on Saturday when I went in to sites that someone from the ward came through asking for me. She couldn't remember his name but she thinks it was a scout master. Do you guys know who it was??? And then that same day Caitlin Owens moms friend came by and left a note for me saying Hi!! She said they told her to look for me here! How fun huh! I'm sad I missed them! It would of been fun to say hi to familiar faces! On Monday night after p-day ended we went to the Emma Festival which is a celebration that the Community of Christ puts on every year to celebrate her birthday. It was held in the Kirtland Temple and the Community of Christ church put on a program all about emma. The sister missionaries were asked to sing a few songs so we got to sit in the choir loft (i think thats what its called) and sing! It was so fun to just sit there and think about everything that took place in the temple and being right where Christ appeared!! I still havent comprehended all that took place here in Kirtland but it is so awesome to be serving in such a sacred place where so many things happened! I can't wait to learn more!
Ok so I am so nervous for transfers. On Sundays before the Wednesday transfer someone will call you and tell you to pack your bags. Not everyone will get a call so if you don't then your basically staying with the same companion and the same area. If you do, you pack up all your things and then go to a transfer meeting on Wednesday where they will tell you where your going and who you'll be with. You could still be with the same companion and the same area you just might be in a different house or even just move into a different room in the same house. So yes guess who got a call last night to pack there bags?? Me and Sister Stewart! I am so nervous because I have know idea what is going to happen. I could change companions, change areas, be called to full sites or full proselyting, or just move down stairs to another room or just another house! Its crazy! and I wont know until Wednesday!!! I didn't fall asleep until like 1:00 this morning and had to be up by 6:00 so i really sorry if this email doesn't make any sense heehee i really tired :) Im going to be packing and cleaning all day today and I wanted to write letters to everyone and send out like 8 birthday cards!! I will let you guys know what happens on Monday though and Im really sorry if I don't get to write letters this week! I have so much to say to you guys too :(

Dad, Happy Birthday!!! I hope you are doing good. I need a letter! You better write me soon!
Mom, Thank you for the box of goodies and pictures!! What a cute family forever plaque and I love the picture of Christ! I hung them above my study desk. Thank you for all the treats and the book and bookmarks!! I have the best mom in the world!!! Sister Hill said thank you too! She loved it!
Ok so sorry this email is so random!!
I have to go now. I love you all. I love this work and know with all my heart this church is true. What an awesome blessing it is to have each other forever and to know all that we know! Keep reading your sciptures and having family prayer. I know that as you seek for the Lord's help in every decision you make he will help you and lead you along the way! You guys help me so much so keep writing!

PS I love all Chase's missionary advice!! Thank you and Dad you should send some too! I need it!

Love you family!
Sister Houston

Amish? Whoa!!

"Whoa? where am i?

These are some of the pictures Tori Sent when she went to Amish country a couple of P-days ago!! Sister Hill, Sister Stewart and Sister Carter. Looks like they had a great time visiting the shops and seeing some of the Amish tradtions!!

Check out the stroller on the top of the buggy!! Too funny!!

Hi Family!!

Tori is such a great missionary and daughter of God!!
I love hearing her funny stories!
I think i will post Tori's last email!! She is so funny the way she explains things that it is hard for me to do it in my own words:

Well hello my wonderful family!

How are you all doing? I miss everyone! I try not to think about how long I still have because then I get sad. It seems so far away but I know it will go by fast! Guess what we did for P-day today?? Sister Stewart, Sister Hill, her companion Sister Carter and I went to Omish Country! Yeah I totally saw the omish! They were just riding along in there little buggies around town, even have some shops where they sell all the crafty things they make. We were going to go eat at a restuarant and stop by a chocolate factory but of course we didn't have time. We did get to stop and look through a couple of shops where I got to feed some baby goats and buy the "Worlds Best Sugar Cookie"! Im pretty sure it was the best! They had all kinds of goodies, banana bread, cinnamon rolls, homemade peanut brittle! I wanted to buy everything in sight and send it home for you all but I was worried about the cost heehee. We also stopped at a cheese factory where I met this kind old LDS lady who purchased some mozerella cheese for me! Oh and Sister Carter informed me on the drive there that the men who are married have beards and those who are single are clean shaven! Interesting people.....

Well this week has been ok. Most of the sisters including Sister Stewart and I have not been able to have alot of time in our area. When we were in our area we just tracted, did stop bys and made appointments for next week but taught zero people so its been a pretty slow week. Transfers are on the 21st of July so like a week and a half and because 8 of the sisters are going home and 10 new ones are coming out, 10 of the sisters here were asked to be trainers. So for 2 days last week and 2 days this week those trainers have to go to like an all day training workshop so we have had to switch our schedule around. Its been crazy busy at sites and we were there for 3 full days last week. The same for this week. I was able to go to a baptism yesterday though! Sister Stewart, me, Sister Wright, Sister Andersen (my mtc companion), and two Elders, Elder Robison and Elder Bills all serve in the same ward. I think because the boundaries stretch out for miles but anyways the elders had a investigator baptized on Sunday and Sister Stewart was asked to give a short talk. Guess what I was asked to do??? Yup lead the music, my first time ever leading. It was quite embarrassing standing up there waving my arm back and forth pretending like I was on beat. Im sure I looked like a fool heehee. A mission is definately preparing me for life! I do all sorts of things that make me look quite silly! Im even eating things I would have never eaten before for example tomatos and just for lunch we stopped to get a pizza and everyone wanted supreme so I ate a supreme pizza! yay me! it wasn't too bad either except I picked off the onions. Anyways back to the baptism...oh my goodness what an amazing feeling! The spirit was so strong and it made me think back to my baptism. I didn't know at the time what a special day that was and I don't think I fully understood what a step I was taking!

Im so grateful for you wonderful family! Thanks for being such great examples for me! I hope I have time to write letters today. We stopped on the way home from Omish Country in Sister Carters and Sister Hills area to emailing and then after we finish up here we are going to shop for food then heading back home so if you don't get letters from me this week i so so sorry!!

Mom, I never get tired of getting your letters so please keep writing! If you didn't send them I wouldnt get very much mail heehee! You and Shalyse better keep them coming or else!!!!! I love to hear how everyone is doing and no I never got any pictures from your trip to Texas except one of you guys at the space center. I did get my SD card though and Shaylse I got your package!! Thank you! Those pictures made my day! What a cute family i have!!

Well Im out of time, hope everything is going great back home! Everyone write me or I will kick some butt!

Love you all!
Sister Houston

ps there are all kinds of creatures out here. I've seen deers, wild rabbits, squirrels every where, nasty nasty bugs and the other day i saw Pip, you know the little squirrel type animal on the movie Enchanted the one that accidently poos!! Made me laugh so hard when I saw it!!


Hopefully we will get Pictures soon!!
Sister Houston would LOVE to hear from all of you!! better do it or she might kick some Butt!!

"First Lesson"

After the email we recieve on monday I recieved a letter from her a few days later with more details of her week. Because of the 4th of July the Library was closed on Monday where she normally emails so she had to email from the sites and she didn't have a lot of time. She wanted to share with us her official "First Lesson" with us. It's sweet so i thought i would share it:
"On monday we were able to meet with Carly who we met tracting last Friday. Before i tell you what happened i first have to say that i have been feeling discouraged because since being here in Ohio i havent really felt like a missionary. I know its wierd to say but i just haven't felt the spirit like i thought i would. I dont know really how to explain it but anyways i was so nervous for this lesson. It was my first basically with an investigator. Carly is 21 and was raised catholic but stopped going because her mom got really sick with cancer and passed away not to long ago. She has been away at college and wasnt really sure on whether or not to move back home for the summer to live with her dad and little brother. She had a job there and everything but felt for some reason she should come back home. When she got here she found a job right away and said she knew God has been answering her prayers. She startd going back to church a month ago when she moved back for the summer. Before her mom passed away Carly said there were two girls about our age who would come over and talk with her mom. Carly wasnt usually around when they would come over so she wasnt really sure if they were missionaries from our church. so when we stopped by to talk to her the frist time and asked if we could come back she said she was curious about what we believed.When Carly was telling me and sister Stewart all this the spirit was so strong, and i realized that all of these events that had taken place were because the Lord was guiding her and that sister Stewart and i were being guided by the spirit even if it didnt seem like it at the time. I mean think about it... She had a feeling she should come home for the summer, found a job right away to allow her to stay here, recognized that God was answering her prayers so she started going back to church right in time for me and sister Stewart to walk on to her street to talk about religion and being curious if these were similar sisters that talked to her mom before she passed away... At a point during the lesson i had a thought to turn to 2 Nephi 29:9 So while sister Stewart was teaching her about the restoration i turned to it quietly and read it to my self. Before the end of the lesson like literally right before we left i finally shared it with her. I'm still working on the talkin and not holding back sharing thoughts that come to my mind. You know me! hee hee Well the scripture talks about how the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever and i bore my testimony to her about the Book of Mormon. Afterwards she said that she is glad i shared that scripture with her because it makes sense that the Lord would talk to everyone and prepare everyone not just those in Jerusalem and that he works the same way today with us. Even though it took me like 30 minutes to get the courage to share this scripture im so glad i did because it helped me to realize the way the spirit works with us. I know that as long as i am being obedience and living righteously i am being guided by the Holy Ghost. Sometimes it doesnt feel like it but when things happen like this it opens my eyes so much more! We havent been able to meet with Carly again but i will let you guys know if we go back and teach her again!" I love you guys and miss you so much! Keep reading your scriptures and say family and personal prayers! There is a reason why we are asked to do these things and i know you will be blessed!!

Oh man!! what a great letter!! Wish we could all experience these kinds of things daily in our lives!!

Who is in OHIO??

TORI had a GREAT BIG SURPRISE on July 4th!! Justin on his way to New York with some friends decided to go to kirtland and surprise Tori!! she was so Happy to see him!! Here is what she says in her email the next day:

"Yes I'm still smiling! I can't believe I got to see Justin! I was so lucky to see him because this Sunday we only were at sites from 12:30 to 3:00! Elder and Sister Butterfield, the directors here, were so nice to allow me to come back at 6:00 and give him a tour. They only allowed me an hour but still I was so grateful! I was here at sites when Justin called to talk to Elder Butterfield and so he called me in and asked if I wanted to give my cousin a tour. I looked at him like what??? I'm so confused?? My cousin??? What are you talking about??? Then he told me who and I said YES!!! I was still so confused wondering why the heck he would be all the way in OHIO. We left from sites at 3:00 and headed to our area! I was so anxious to get back! We were at a less active members home for dinner then headed back to sites around 6:00! I guess he saw me and Sister Stewart pull up because he came out to meet me and gave me a big hug!! It was so fun to see them! Justin is such a good guy.

I was so glad that Justin did that!! but i was a little jealous that he got to give her a BIG HUG!!

Thanks Justin!!

Tori explained a little about where she is living:

Ok so Im not sure if I even explained where I live and what in the world I do here in Ohio. Maybe I explained a little so I will explain a little more just in case....I live here in Kirtland in a older home with 8 other sisters including me. Its not to bad because there are two kitchens, an up stairs where my comanion and I live AND I also live in the same house as Sister Hill, one of my MTC companions! This transfer Im at the sites half days either giving tours or on the phone calling referrals we collected from the tours to offer them a free dvd, book of mormon, bible, etc. or answering the inbound calls which are non members calling in for one of the free gifts. When I'm not here im out in my area tracting or at a lesson. And yes Sunday's are the same as any other day of course the only difference being church.

Well that's the latest with Sister Houston!! She would really love to hear from everyone!! please write her!! hopefully will we get more pictures soon!!