ANOTHER FABULOUS STORY

Sister Houston's email:
August 29, 2011

Hey family,
How are you all today??
Sister Gamble and I are doing great. We have had quite an eventful week. I have a story i want to tell you! Its a good one i promise :)
On Wednesday we spent the day in Garrettsville. Its a tiny town. Right in the middle is a strip of old looking stores and restaurants. We ate dinner there at Subway...yum...then went out to sit in our car to make phone calls and read our book of mormon. Well...there was a bench right in front of our car. I noticed a young man sitting there. He had wild crazy hair! I had the thought to go talk to him but felt it was a little to awkward so i ignored the thought. Selfish me. Our plans after dinner were to contact people around the area so when our dinner hour ended we headed down the street to park in the grocery store parking lot. Off we went and in the far distance i noticed the young man walking into Dairy Queen. We contacted around the area for a good 20 minutes or so. As we were rounding the corner heading back towards Subway again i saw the raggedy young man....again!!! I thought "ok ok ok fine! Obviously Heavenly Father wants us to talk to him." We were at a four way stop. He was across the street so we headed after him. He was walking to fast so I called after him...yes not something i particularly like to do...but he was nice and stopped to talk to us. This raggedy young man's name is Collin. He is 19 years old and this day happened to be his first day in town. He just moved from Columbia, South Carolina. We ended up talking to Collin for 45 minutes. He met missionaries in Columbia a couple years back. I think he maybe only met with them once or twice. He doesn't remember much of what they taught but says he remembers the feeling he had about it all was "surreal". Oh my Collin has been through a lot in his life. Part of the reason for moving to Ohio was because a gang was after him. At one point he started getting into religion and praying to God but then got involved in some mischief and was put in jail. He stopped praying after that. Now Collin just believes in spirituality, no Godly being and that Christ was a good man who walk to face of the earth. I never prayed so hard in my life!! Sister Gamble and I both tried our hardest to follow the spirit. I think I felt a little piece of what Heavenly Father feels for all his children. It was overwhelming. Collin agreed to come to church on Sunday. We even set up a ride for him but he ended up saying no to the ride. He preferred walking.
Well...church went on....during the middle of Relief Society Sister Watson came behind us and whispered "collins hear" WHAT!!!!! Yeah! he came to church!! He missed it all but he still came! Apparently he went the wrong way, was about to give up but then noticed pioneer trail which is where the church is so he kept on walking. Bro and Sister Watson, who were going to be the ones to pick him up, were sitting out in the hall when he walked in. Bro Watson our newly called ward mission learder is even from South Carolina! It All worked out perfectly. Collin ended up going home for lunch with the Watson family and plans on coming to church next sunday. I don't know what will all come out of this but im so grateful for this experience. I wanted to share it will you! everyday i am continually reminded how aware God and Jesus Christ are of each one of us! Collin may not know this just yet. Some day he will. I know he felt the love of the members. Its that sense of love that softens peoples hearts!
I know my savior lives and that this is his work. I will be forever grateful for this opportunity to serve him!

I hope you all enjoy the story :)

Have a fabulous week and dont forget to write me pretty please. I love you!!!!!!


Love,
Sister Houston