WEEK FULL OF EMOTIONS

Sister Houston's email:
April 18, 2011

Hello wonderful family,
Where to even start....
Its been a week full of emotions. Some great, others...well not any ones favorite feelings. You wouldn't think this since I'm literally swimming in the gospel, but its so easy to get discourage and loose focus.
All in all its been a great week. Lets start with Bro. Carl Gibson...he's the investigator I've been telling you about. Bro. Gibson has this thing with coming to church. He's been seeing missionaries for a couple months and has never given a sure definite yes that he will come (as far as i know anyway). Its always been this "maybe" answer followed by his Bro. Gibson laugh. We have been determined to get him to come! He's been praying more and being consistent with his Book of Mormon reading. The next step is to get him out to church!!! Sister Andersen and her last companion had everything set up to give him a tour of the church a while back but things fell through. We decided we wanted to give it a try again. We had it all set up for Wednesday, even drove out to Hiram. He never showed. Said he forgot! Little stinker. We were determined to get him there so we set it up again for Friday!! Satan of course was determined not to allow this and things kept popping up for Bro. Gibson right before it was time to head out there but He came!!
We took him around and showed him the building and talked about what would happen in each class. We then shared a short message with him in the chapel about the sacrament. Ok so at one point Bro. Gibson turned to us and asked "so with new people do they still have to walk up to the front and confess there sins to the man in charge??" He was dead serious! Poor guy! No wonder he didnt want to come to church! When we told him no way he just had this look of shock on his face. The spirit was there in the chapel with us. I could see Bro. Gibson feeling something different...something he's not familiar feeling especially after he said the closing prayer. You could tell by the look on his face. and Guess what??? He came to sacrament meeting yesterday! A member and his wife drove to his house and Bro. Gibson followed them out to Hiram. He loved it! After Sacrament meeting ended he said "so is this how it is every week? No one standing up there preaching?" As he left he had this huge excited smile on his face wondering when the next time we were going to come over and teach him! I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with love. This is why I'm here. Bro. Gibson is being converted. The gospel changes people. Not only does it change there lives for the better it changes them. Pretty exciting huh
I love how Colten put it....we are living in a challenge that will push us to our limit when we think we cant go any more. We can be exhausted and overwhelmed. The power of prayer is real! I have to constantly be on my knees pleading with the Lord for help because i literally can't do anything with out him. And when you feel the power of angels around you bearing you up and you see the sweetness the spirit brings in peoples lives it feels you with this overwhelming sense of love and joy....it keeps you going. The life of a missionary is something special.
I'm so happy for the things happening back at home. So many good things! Its just as exciting as the things happening out here in Ohio. I hope you all have a wonderful week and especially enjoy Easter. I'll be think of you!
I love you!!!!!

Love,
Sister Houston