FAITH IN CHRIST

Sorry everyone I am struggling to get caught up with Tori's blog....please bare with me!!
She is an amazing Missionary so with a few transfers left I hope you will stick with me until she is home!!

Sister Houston's email
June 13, 2011

Hey family,
I feel like i say this all the time, but another transfer has come and gone! Crazy how fast they go these days. No good. That means I only have three more. THREE MORE!!!!
What a week. We served at the Johnson Farm Wednesday and Friday. Not very many tours those days. We took one tour through on Wednesday. A family of five and the grandparents. I loved what the mom said to me about Joseph Smith right after the tour...."He had to have known this was all true! After everything he went through, the tar and feathering, all the persecution...he had to have known everything was real to be so committed and to stick to it" Just this simple statement was so powerful for me to hear. The spirit was invited through her simple testimony and my heart was prepared to feel it because I've been striving to strengthen my testimony of the prophet. Joseph Smith was indeed a prophet of God!
We had a good week in our area as well. Remember my long story about Vera and her family last week? Well, we ended up teaching her 3 times again. We are trying to get all the lessons in so she can be baptized on Saturday. Sister Morrell and I have been helped a ton by people in the ward as well of course by the Lord. We've been strengthened in our ability to teach to meet Vera's needs in the little time we've been given to do it. Tender mercies from the Lord. She's been faced with many challenges in the last two weeks. Things that could of potentially prevented her from wanting to be baptized. Through her faith in Christ, Vera has done great enduring through them with hope that everything will work out. There was even a mix up with the church building being reserved for a reception the night of the 18th. No worries though, as far as right now we are doing it at the Solon building so everything is still good to go! Im grateful for the opportunity to be here to see her be baptized. Such a blessing.
My testimony of the power and authority of my calling has been strengthened.
A couple of examples:
Saturday we planned to stop by a former investigator from 2008. It was a tiny little apartment complex. The setting of it made me uncomfortable. There was a group of people off in the corner bbq as well as drinking. As we were walking in, there was a man that passed us in the parking lot. I had a thought to go and talk to him, but just kept walking. When we walked inside there was another group of people this time teen/ysa age. We hurried and knocked on the door. The former investigator had moved a long time ago. We talk to the boys inviting them to look at mormon.org and turned to go. The man i saw in the parking lot was coming through the door. We introduced our selves and ended up staying and talking with him for 15 minutes or so. He was a less-active member not on our ward list. Hasnt been to church for over 20 years. He recognized who we were but didn't want to talk to us...actually he said he was trying really hard to do everything he could to avoid us! heehee We don't know how things will go from here. He doesnt really have a desire to come back. Heavenly Father knows his heart and Sister Morrell and I were guided to be there.
Yesterday, also while tracting we met a lady named Barbara. Turns out that Barbara's great great great grandpa helped build the Kirtland Temple! Ha so cool! She grew up in Kirtland but hasnt been out that way for a long time. Barbara has know clue how important this building is, why there was even a need to build it. We testified of Temples and invited her to go see a play put toghether by the Kirtland Stake thats coming in July all about the Kirtland era. She said we could call her and come back some time. This was as well not a coincidence.
Its such an awesome feeling being able to recognize the Lord's hand.
Sister Morrell and I had many many encounters with dogs too. Dumb dogs. One snapped at Sister Morrells leg while her big chicken companion took of running once I saw the dumb dog charge at us. Another laid a little treasure for us, wait wait wait actually a very very large smelly treasure right by our feet while we were testifiing of the Book of Mormon to his owner. This dog was almost as big as teddy!! Sick!!
Anyways...The church is true :)

well next wednesday is transfers. I'll find out Monday if im staying or going. Tuesday is our p-day!
I hope you all have a wonderful week. I love you!!! I love you!!! I love you!!!
I hope you have a safe and fun trip to Utah. Tell the Princes that I say hello!

Love,
Sister Houston

PSS. HAPPY FATHERS DAY DAD!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!