"I LOVE SKYPE"

I LOVE MOTHERS DAY.....and skype too!! It was so good to not only talk to Tori but also to SEE her!!! Isn't technology amazing! Happy Mothers day to me!!

Transfers again and on the 12th of May is Tori's year mark!! Sister Andersen is one of the Sisters who were companions at the MTC together and it was so nice for them to be together because usually you don't get to be companions out in the mission with your MTC companion!! But i know that they were meant to be together at this time!! They were really hoping to hit there "year mark" together as companions! they only missed it by a day!! she will miss her but on to a new companion!!

Sister Houston's email
May 9, 2011

Hey family,
Sunday was the perfect day. I LOVE Skype!!!!! and I LOVE my mission even more because we have permission to do Skype!!! From what i hear not very many missions can. I would of sat there all day if i could have. Everyone looks so happy and healthy. Still can't believe Kael! Yes, Claire is getting quite big but since i really only know her through pictures its more of a shock to see how much Kael has grown. He has the cutest little voice! Ahhh...i have the best family.
Well, Sister Andersen and I just got back into town. We had district meeting this morning down in Kirtland. Sad sad news.....Sister Andersen is getting transferred :'( ...........sigh
Really this was very unexpected for both of us. We really were sure that we would stay together for another transfer. Usually you'll get a feeling...USUALLY. Apparently not this time :) I feel this area needs her, the people we are teaching need her and i need her!!! selfish selfish me i know but i really am sad. I think I am more scared to take over this area then Norwalk and Solon combined....for a lot of reasons. It will be fine. I know its what the Lord wants...
The plus side is that i am not training!!! ffewwww
I guess the sisters from Korea and Ukraine are not coming out until June and nobody else is coming out this transfer. Its been a couple transfers since we got any new sisters! Im sure we will soon for the Summer. Oh my goodness the weather is beautiful again today. It finally feels like spring. I thinks its safe to put my puffy coat away...well maybe not completely away. Im sure I'll need it a few more times :) This Ohio weather is the craziest thing I've seen
Anyways, i don't really know how to put this week into words. It was one of the hardest most miserable weeks of my mission (sounds gruesome and so drastic i know) its the truth. BUT it was also one that i wont ever forget. A few experiences we had changed the way that i recognize and see the Spirit working through us as the Lord's missionaries. One was with Bro. Gibson. Sister Andersen and I have been so happy about Bro. Gibson. We've felt that he's been progressing well, he's reading his Book of Mormon, praying, he came to sacrament meeting once before this last Sunday. But we knew he was getting content with things and we also both felt there was something not right. We just couldnt figure it out. Last Sunday Bro. Gibson said he would come to church but he didn't show up so later on that day we stopped by. He had helped a friend move and i guess hurt his back so he didn't feel like getting out of bed that morning for church. But he let us stay and read a little from the Book of Mormon with him. So after we had read we were getting ready to ask him to say the closing prayer. Before we did we kindly and boldly told him that he needed to pray to Heavenly Father in the name of Christ. He didn't get it. He just kept saying I know....and had this "don't i do that already" look on his face. We have tried to address this issue for a while now but he would always just say ok and then do his same way of praying. ahhhh frustrating...we couldn't figure out how else to put it so that he would pray properly. Well anyways in the middle of discussing all this with him Sis. Andersen had the thought come to her mind that maybe he thinks they are one person but she pushed it aside and didn't say anything. She didn't say anything to me either. The next week, on Wednesday we taught about the priesthood. During the lesson Bro. Gibson said something that made me have the strongest impression that he didn't understand God and Christ. We had another lesson with him the next day, Thursday, so we went home and during planning that night while discussing what to teach him i told sister Andersen how i felt and that i thought we should teach the Godhead. She agreed and again didn't saying anything to me about her thought she had. So Thursday we went over planning on teaching about the Godhead and after the very first scripture we shared with him D&C 130:22 which says God and Christ have bodies and the Holy Ghost is a spirit we asked Bro. Gibson how he felt about that. He said.....well, im confused. I've always thought they were one person. AHHH!! We had left that night both feeling a little discourage because we knew this was an important thing to know!!!!! Duh and Its something that should of been dealt with when we first started teaching. Sister Andersen then told me about her thought she had a couple weeks ago. This was just one of the experiences this week that really opened my eyes to the ways the spirit is working with us. I wish I could tell you all of them!! I do know that Heavenly Father knows his children and he is going to use us in the ways he needs to if we go to him seeking for help and guidance. He uses both of us, both sister andersen and I, and together we can receive the revelation we need to help those we are inviting to chirst. He opened our eyes to Bro. Gibson's concern. After that lesson he finally prayed to Heavenly Father in the name of Christ with out us even mentioning it and he came to sacrament meeting on Sunday.
This transfer changed my mission in so many ways. Im sad to see it end.
I have a testimony of missionary work. I know that God is our father in heaven and that Christ is our savior. I know that the Holy Ghost is real!
I love you family. Mitch i will be thinking about you all day tomorrow. Please remember what a special thing you will be doing and what a HUGE blessing it is to be able to have your family going to the temple with you. Your amazing!! Keep doing what you can now to prepare for your mission. Heavenly Father loves you!!

i hope you all have a wonderful week!!!

Love,
Sister Houston

PS Hunter good luck with your fight Friday!!! Kick so bumm!! Wooohoooooo
PSS mom, yes i will send you that address in the mail because i don't have it with me right now :) hmmmmm....i wonder what your sending me?????