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
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Strengthening My Testimony!!
Sister Houston's email:
April 11, 2011
Hello my wonderful family,
Its the sweetest missionary ever, according to mom any way :)
I'm doing wonderfully. I love this area and I love the opportunity to be with Sister Andersen.
Its been another good week. The Lord taught me a couple of much needed lessons. First i have to say how grateful i am to be serving in a visitor center. There is something so powerful about a group of sisters who have been set apart to represent the Lord getting together, teaching, being edified by the spirit, sharing and hearing testimony. I realized that this week at our training meeting with all the kirtland sisters and the site directors, the Edmans. I loved the way Sister Edman put it....I'm rubbing shoulders with some of the most righteous women! I really am. My testimony has strengthened so much because of the people im around, because of the testimonies they have, there diligence and love for the lord.
Remember Carl Gibson who I told you about last week? Well, we had an awesome lesson with him yesterday! The member we brought with us was perfect for Bro. Gibson. He really showed that he cared about his life, about his job, his family. It helped him so much!! It was the most comfortable, smooth sailing lesson i've been apart of. Nothing that we did of course. The spirit was with us all. It guided the lesson to where it needed to be. We taught about the plan of salvation and at the end we had asked him how he was feeling with all of this, about the plan, the book of mormon, praying. Bro. Gibson said that he's noticing that he's been thinking about his life in a different way and thinking about things that he's never really thought about before. He also said that he sees a change in him self...a subtle change but a change! That is so huge for him! Usually when he's been asked how he's felt or if he is seeing a difference he always says no. Yay!! Bro. Gibson is continuing to read the book of mormon despite the challenges in his life and although he hasnt been doing personal prayers he's been "thinking" about it through out the day which is good! Its a step in the right direction. Now its just getting him to do it! I'm beginning to understand the concept of learning line upon line :)
Well I hope you are all doing wonderfully and hope that when i head to sites tomorrow my mail box will be full of letters from you!! :)
i love you!! I know this is the gospel of jesus christ!!!
Have a great week and be safe. Have fun in Vegas too and tell everyone hello for me!!!
Love, Sister Houston
April 11, 2011
Hello my wonderful family,
Its the sweetest missionary ever, according to mom any way :)
I'm doing wonderfully. I love this area and I love the opportunity to be with Sister Andersen.
Its been another good week. The Lord taught me a couple of much needed lessons. First i have to say how grateful i am to be serving in a visitor center. There is something so powerful about a group of sisters who have been set apart to represent the Lord getting together, teaching, being edified by the spirit, sharing and hearing testimony. I realized that this week at our training meeting with all the kirtland sisters and the site directors, the Edmans. I loved the way Sister Edman put it....I'm rubbing shoulders with some of the most righteous women! I really am. My testimony has strengthened so much because of the people im around, because of the testimonies they have, there diligence and love for the lord.
Remember Carl Gibson who I told you about last week? Well, we had an awesome lesson with him yesterday! The member we brought with us was perfect for Bro. Gibson. He really showed that he cared about his life, about his job, his family. It helped him so much!! It was the most comfortable, smooth sailing lesson i've been apart of. Nothing that we did of course. The spirit was with us all. It guided the lesson to where it needed to be. We taught about the plan of salvation and at the end we had asked him how he was feeling with all of this, about the plan, the book of mormon, praying. Bro. Gibson said that he's noticing that he's been thinking about his life in a different way and thinking about things that he's never really thought about before. He also said that he sees a change in him self...a subtle change but a change! That is so huge for him! Usually when he's been asked how he's felt or if he is seeing a difference he always says no. Yay!! Bro. Gibson is continuing to read the book of mormon despite the challenges in his life and although he hasnt been doing personal prayers he's been "thinking" about it through out the day which is good! Its a step in the right direction. Now its just getting him to do it! I'm beginning to understand the concept of learning line upon line :)
Well I hope you are all doing wonderfully and hope that when i head to sites tomorrow my mail box will be full of letters from you!! :)
i love you!! I know this is the gospel of jesus christ!!!
Have a great week and be safe. Have fun in Vegas too and tell everyone hello for me!!!
Love, Sister Houston
TRANSFER TO HIRAM OHIO
This is in Hiram Ohio where Sister Houston will be serving for the next six weeks
Sister Andersen and Sister HoustonThey were companions in the MTC and now they get to be companions almost a year later!!!
so as you can see i am way way behind again!!!!! It seems that when Mitchell recieved his mission call i have been in a whirlwind of trying to get him ready in the 8 weeks before he was to leave.......he left on the 25th of may so now i will sit down and get her blog updated. sorry and hope you enjoy the next few emails from her. This is a transfer email and she has moved to Hiram from Solon and has a new companion!!
Sister Houston email:
April 4, 2011
Hey family,
My heart is so full....
What a great week its been! Yes, thats right. I'm in Hiram. Hiram, Ohio! Hiram is usually an area where we would be serving at just the Johnson Farm, not Kirtland, but over the slow months its only the senior couples that serve there. Its a bummer that its still not open for sisters, but i'm hoping i can stay next transfer to! It will definitely be open then. As of right now i'm still serving in Kirtland. I went from two days a week being in Solon to now only one! I'm kind of sad about that and worried. I still need A LOT of help giving these tours especially since the busy season is coming! I'm grateful for the this opportunity to be in Hiram though and know everything will work out for the better. Not every sister or senior couple in this mission gets the opportunity to serve at the Johnson Farm. Heavenly Father is being so good to me. Not only have i had the privilege to go full pros AND serve in Kirtland, I get this great privilege to serve in Hiram! And guess who my companion is????? Sister Andersen!!! Yes! My MTC companion, well one of them any way. Crazy Crazy I know! We were not expecting this at all. I love her. She has already taught me so much that i'm so grateful for. She is diligent and hard working. She's constantly thinking about others and what she can do for them. The person she is inspires me to be better! And we get to hit our year mark together!!! Not that I want the year to come but it will be awesome to spend it with her.
Wasn't conference amazing??? I loved it! and I get to take this message to Ohio!!!
This last week we met with a couple investigators sister andersen and sister carver found tracting.
One is Carl Gibson. Carl is probably in his mid 50's, lives alone, is very private about his family and past. They have been teaching him for about a month. Carl has been searching for a church for years but He's had bad experiences. He works in construction and his clothes are kind of beat up and grungy. When he would show up to a church like that they would complain so finally he went out and bought a nice white shirt and tie. The church he showed up to in that complained that he was to done up! So he stopped trying...
When the sisters showed up he was willing to listen and now is almost done with the first book of Nephi! He reads every night and really loves it. He doesnt always comprehend what he is reading but he always asks questions!
Our experience with Carl on Thursday broke my heart. It was my first time meeting him. We watched the restoration dvd and talked about prayer and how to recognize answers to our prayers. We tried to explain the feelings that come to us through the spirit and we really wanted him to recognize them. At the end of the lesson we all knelt down and he said the prayer asking Heavenly Father if this was true. It was a really sincere prayer you could tell by his tone of voice and the things he had said. We sat there in silence for a couple minutes. The spirt was there. Sister Andersen and I both felt it! He was honestly searching to feel something. Sister Andersen asked him what he felt and he said....nothing!!! I was hoping for him to say he felt Somthing but nope he didn't feel anything. it was so hard to leave on that note but we promised if he kept praying like that and searching to feel the spirit he would feel it and he would know it with out a doubt.
This work is so hard! Its hard to see people not know how great this is and to see them not accept it but its even harder to see when they are sincerely searching like carl that they can't recognize it. I know he'll find an answer. The Lord has his timing for everything.
I love that I have this opportunity to search and ask God how to help these specific people we are teaching! It's brought me so much closer to him and the savior.
This church is true family! Its the best thing we can ever have so share it with those around you!
I miss you all
Have a fabulous week!!!
Write soon.
I love you!!!!
Love, Sister Houston
My heart is so full....
What a great week its been! Yes, thats right. I'm in Hiram. Hiram, Ohio! Hiram is usually an area where we would be serving at just the Johnson Farm, not Kirtland, but over the slow months its only the senior couples that serve there. Its a bummer that its still not open for sisters, but i'm hoping i can stay next transfer to! It will definitely be open then. As of right now i'm still serving in Kirtland. I went from two days a week being in Solon to now only one! I'm kind of sad about that and worried. I still need A LOT of help giving these tours especially since the busy season is coming! I'm grateful for the this opportunity to be in Hiram though and know everything will work out for the better. Not every sister or senior couple in this mission gets the opportunity to serve at the Johnson Farm. Heavenly Father is being so good to me. Not only have i had the privilege to go full pros AND serve in Kirtland, I get this great privilege to serve in Hiram! And guess who my companion is????? Sister Andersen!!! Yes! My MTC companion, well one of them any way. Crazy Crazy I know! We were not expecting this at all. I love her. She has already taught me so much that i'm so grateful for. She is diligent and hard working. She's constantly thinking about others and what she can do for them. The person she is inspires me to be better! And we get to hit our year mark together!!! Not that I want the year to come but it will be awesome to spend it with her.
Wasn't conference amazing??? I loved it! and I get to take this message to Ohio!!!
This last week we met with a couple investigators sister andersen and sister carver found tracting.
One is Carl Gibson. Carl is probably in his mid 50's, lives alone, is very private about his family and past. They have been teaching him for about a month. Carl has been searching for a church for years but He's had bad experiences. He works in construction and his clothes are kind of beat up and grungy. When he would show up to a church like that they would complain so finally he went out and bought a nice white shirt and tie. The church he showed up to in that complained that he was to done up! So he stopped trying...
When the sisters showed up he was willing to listen and now is almost done with the first book of Nephi! He reads every night and really loves it. He doesnt always comprehend what he is reading but he always asks questions!
Our experience with Carl on Thursday broke my heart. It was my first time meeting him. We watched the restoration dvd and talked about prayer and how to recognize answers to our prayers. We tried to explain the feelings that come to us through the spirit and we really wanted him to recognize them. At the end of the lesson we all knelt down and he said the prayer asking Heavenly Father if this was true. It was a really sincere prayer you could tell by his tone of voice and the things he had said. We sat there in silence for a couple minutes. The spirt was there. Sister Andersen and I both felt it! He was honestly searching to feel something. Sister Andersen asked him what he felt and he said....nothing!!! I was hoping for him to say he felt Somthing but nope he didn't feel anything. it was so hard to leave on that note but we promised if he kept praying like that and searching to feel the spirit he would feel it and he would know it with out a doubt.
This work is so hard! Its hard to see people not know how great this is and to see them not accept it but its even harder to see when they are sincerely searching like carl that they can't recognize it. I know he'll find an answer. The Lord has his timing for everything.
I love that I have this opportunity to search and ask God how to help these specific people we are teaching! It's brought me so much closer to him and the savior.
This church is true family! Its the best thing we can ever have so share it with those around you!
I miss you all
Have a fabulous week!!!
Write soon.
I love you!!!!
Love, Sister Houston
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
OKLAHOMA!!!!!!!!!
Good bye to Sister Stewart....tears
Cute little waterfall in SolonSister Lyman and Sister Houston
Sister Lyman and Sister Houston outside the Kirtland Temple after the program 
Yummmmy!!! 
Good bye to Sister LymanWell alot going on in this email.....Transfers again and NO she isnt going to Oklahoma...... but her brother Mitchell is. He got his call and is leaving May 25th. SAD cause they wont see each other for Three and half years but they will get to talk on mothers day!! Super excited for that!!
So Tori is getting transfered but she doesn't know where to yet, she will know on wed. Also her trainer Sister Stewart is heading home to Utah. Sister Houston spent 4 months with her when she first got to the mission. Sister Stewart was a great example for Tori and taught her well!! Tori will miss her!! But on to new adventures!!
Sister Houston's email
March 29, 2001
hello family!!!
OH MY GOODNESS!!!! TULSA OKLAHOMA!!! Whooohoooooo
Im so surprised!!! I was not really expecting to get on today with the news! How long did it take to get your papers back?? That seemed so fast! Everything seems to go by so fast these days! Im proud of you Mitch and very excited. AND i get to talk to you on mothers day still!! May 25th! Thats just around the corner. It seems like just yesterday that I was opening my call to leave in May! Crazy Crazy!!! Oklahoma is lucky to be getting you. Be the best missionary you can be! You will grow to love it! Its a perfect place. Haven't you always wanted to be a cowboy??? heeheee now you get the chance! I think, right? Its cowboyish there isn't it....i don't even know where Oklahoma is! oh boy boy...Back to school as soon as i get home :)
Well, i'm getting transferred. Yup. There are 3 Kirtland sisters going home and none coming out, one of which is my trainer sister stewart.....tears...lots and lots of tears. I can't believe she is heading home! I am sad to leave Solon, but excited for whats to come. There are so many options!! There are alot of sisters being transferred. I'll be staying in the Kirtland area i'm sure. They wouldn't send me out full pros again. It would be very unusual if they did...but who knows :) i'm a very unusual person right :) Anyways, you can keep sending my mail to the Kirtland Visitor Center.
Its been a great week. This morning after studies we headed over to ihop to have breakfast with our district....yum yum blueberry pancakes! Then us four sisters, sister hatch, morrell, lyman and i went to chagrin falls to take a picture of the water fall! its finally melting! its just little but really pretty and such a cute town. It was fun!
On Sunday it was the 175th anniversary of the Kirtland Temple dedication. The stake put together a nice program to honor the day. There was one at 7:00am and then another a 6:00pm...same speakers at each. Since the Temple is limited on seats you had to have a ticket to get in and all the rest could watch it being broadcast in the visitor center there at the temple site or down the street at the church building. For the missionaries they drew names out of a hat to decide what time and if you could go be in the temple. Guess what?? Sister Lyman and I got to be in the temple!!!! We are so so SO happy we were able to. It wouldnt of be the same experience watching over a screen! Elder Selden spoke (the seventy), our mission president, Karl Andersen (who is like the Kirtland man, i guess he's written lots of books about Kirtland), and a few other speakers. The music was BEAUTIFUL and one of my favorite parts. They had a choir, violins, flutes and even a harp! At the end of the program The Spirit of God was sung and the spirit was brought so powerfully!! I can't even describe the feeling! It was incredible experience to be apart of.
After Sunday I walked away with a greater love for Kirtland and a greater appreciation for the opportunity i've been given to serve here. How did I get so lucky to be among such sacred grounds?? This is where so many turning points for the restored gospel took place! Where the savior himself appeared!
What a great week.
Well I better get going. I love you all so much!!! Can't wait for conference!!! I'll be thinking about you!
Congrats Mitchell!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!
Have a fabulous week and don't forget to write me.
Love,
Sister Houston
OH MY GOODNESS!!!! TULSA OKLAHOMA!!! Whooohoooooo
Im so surprised!!! I was not really expecting to get on today with the news! How long did it take to get your papers back?? That seemed so fast! Everything seems to go by so fast these days! Im proud of you Mitch and very excited. AND i get to talk to you on mothers day still!! May 25th! Thats just around the corner. It seems like just yesterday that I was opening my call to leave in May! Crazy Crazy!!! Oklahoma is lucky to be getting you. Be the best missionary you can be! You will grow to love it! Its a perfect place. Haven't you always wanted to be a cowboy??? heeheee now you get the chance! I think, right? Its cowboyish there isn't it....i don't even know where Oklahoma is! oh boy boy...Back to school as soon as i get home :)
Well, i'm getting transferred. Yup. There are 3 Kirtland sisters going home and none coming out, one of which is my trainer sister stewart.....tears...lots and lots of tears. I can't believe she is heading home! I am sad to leave Solon, but excited for whats to come. There are so many options!! There are alot of sisters being transferred. I'll be staying in the Kirtland area i'm sure. They wouldn't send me out full pros again. It would be very unusual if they did...but who knows :) i'm a very unusual person right :) Anyways, you can keep sending my mail to the Kirtland Visitor Center.
Its been a great week. This morning after studies we headed over to ihop to have breakfast with our district....yum yum blueberry pancakes! Then us four sisters, sister hatch, morrell, lyman and i went to chagrin falls to take a picture of the water fall! its finally melting! its just little but really pretty and such a cute town. It was fun!
On Sunday it was the 175th anniversary of the Kirtland Temple dedication. The stake put together a nice program to honor the day. There was one at 7:00am and then another a 6:00pm...same speakers at each. Since the Temple is limited on seats you had to have a ticket to get in and all the rest could watch it being broadcast in the visitor center there at the temple site or down the street at the church building. For the missionaries they drew names out of a hat to decide what time and if you could go be in the temple. Guess what?? Sister Lyman and I got to be in the temple!!!! We are so so SO happy we were able to. It wouldnt of be the same experience watching over a screen! Elder Selden spoke (the seventy), our mission president, Karl Andersen (who is like the Kirtland man, i guess he's written lots of books about Kirtland), and a few other speakers. The music was BEAUTIFUL and one of my favorite parts. They had a choir, violins, flutes and even a harp! At the end of the program The Spirit of God was sung and the spirit was brought so powerfully!! I can't even describe the feeling! It was incredible experience to be apart of.
After Sunday I walked away with a greater love for Kirtland and a greater appreciation for the opportunity i've been given to serve here. How did I get so lucky to be among such sacred grounds?? This is where so many turning points for the restored gospel took place! Where the savior himself appeared!
What a great week.
Well I better get going. I love you all so much!!! Can't wait for conference!!! I'll be thinking about you!
Congrats Mitchell!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!
Have a fabulous week and don't forget to write me.
Love,
Sister Houston
THE WORK IS GOING FORWARD
Sister Houston's email
March 23, 2011
Hi family,
How are you all???
I'm doing good. I'm glad that my email and pictures went through last week. I was worried it wouldnt since our computer is an old grandpa :)
Anyways, its been a good week. Another transfer coming to an end.....so sad. They just seem to go by faster and faster every time. Wednesday is transfer day. That means next Tuesday is p-day and Sunday I'll find out if I'm being transferred or not. I've been in Solon for three so i'm pretty sure that I'll be transferred. We'll just have to wait and see!
Oh! I have great news! Marlayn and her mom Felice came to sacrament meeting on Sunday! Woohoo!!!
We hadn't heard back from them about setting up a time to come over so Sister Lyman and I dropped on by Saturday. They were both just hanging out around the house getting things ready for there move...just your typical Saturday afternoon. We had helped clean up a little and then we read the first chapter of the book of mormon with them. Marlayn had read part of it last week but she didnt comprehend any of it. When we asked her what she had learned she said "Oh it was just about the John Smith guy." Oh my my....
As we read through the first chapter with them, we stopped and discussed it. Both of their reading levels are low so we had read it very slowly. As far as we know Felice doesnt even read. Even though they didn't quite catch on as quick as we had hoped for, by the end of the chapter they had felt and recognized the spirit brought by the book of mormon.
Then we had talked with them about church...again, and asked why they didnt come. I guess last week Felice had been all dressed and ready to go. She asked Marlayn if she was ready and Marlayn the little stinker said no! She wasn't happy because her sister made her mad. Apparently after that she didn't want to do anything. Sister Lyman and I had felt that maybe what was keeping them from coming to church was the fact that it was three hours long :)
So when we talked about maybe started off small and just coming to sacrament meeting they jumped right on the idea. They both promised to come and they did! They even were right on time. After our lesson on Saturday Felice said the closing prayer for the first time! She was so nervous! They are doing so great. Progress is moving slowly but they continue to recognize the goodness and peace these things bring into their lives. Just one more week and then they head to North Carolina. Its ok though. Apparently Marlayn and I are now facebook buddies! Oh my my.....heehee
Well anyways, thats the highlight of the week. The work is going forward and the Lord is refining me day by day so that I may be a more effective instrument for him. Its rough and hard to handle, but with these hard times i've come to just rely on the lord. By doing so I've recognize the goodness of God in my life and the peace that comes knowing that he loves me so it makes it all worth it in the end. I can say more confidently that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers.
I love you family. I love this gospel. I love that I have this opportunity. My testimony is becoming more deeply rooted and honestly its what keeps me going.
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Spring is here!
Love,
Sister Houston
PS Oh Mitchell....i have my guess ready!!!! I'm guessing that you are going to be serving in NEW YORK!!!! I think there are a million different missions there so I pretty sure i cant go wrong :) heehee
k keep me posted!!
March 23, 2011
Hi family,
How are you all???
I'm doing good. I'm glad that my email and pictures went through last week. I was worried it wouldnt since our computer is an old grandpa :)
Anyways, its been a good week. Another transfer coming to an end.....so sad. They just seem to go by faster and faster every time. Wednesday is transfer day. That means next Tuesday is p-day and Sunday I'll find out if I'm being transferred or not. I've been in Solon for three so i'm pretty sure that I'll be transferred. We'll just have to wait and see!
Oh! I have great news! Marlayn and her mom Felice came to sacrament meeting on Sunday! Woohoo!!!
We hadn't heard back from them about setting up a time to come over so Sister Lyman and I dropped on by Saturday. They were both just hanging out around the house getting things ready for there move...just your typical Saturday afternoon. We had helped clean up a little and then we read the first chapter of the book of mormon with them. Marlayn had read part of it last week but she didnt comprehend any of it. When we asked her what she had learned she said "Oh it was just about the John Smith guy." Oh my my....
As we read through the first chapter with them, we stopped and discussed it. Both of their reading levels are low so we had read it very slowly. As far as we know Felice doesnt even read. Even though they didn't quite catch on as quick as we had hoped for, by the end of the chapter they had felt and recognized the spirit brought by the book of mormon.
Then we had talked with them about church...again, and asked why they didnt come. I guess last week Felice had been all dressed and ready to go. She asked Marlayn if she was ready and Marlayn the little stinker said no! She wasn't happy because her sister made her mad. Apparently after that she didn't want to do anything. Sister Lyman and I had felt that maybe what was keeping them from coming to church was the fact that it was three hours long :)
So when we talked about maybe started off small and just coming to sacrament meeting they jumped right on the idea. They both promised to come and they did! They even were right on time. After our lesson on Saturday Felice said the closing prayer for the first time! She was so nervous! They are doing so great. Progress is moving slowly but they continue to recognize the goodness and peace these things bring into their lives. Just one more week and then they head to North Carolina. Its ok though. Apparently Marlayn and I are now facebook buddies! Oh my my.....heehee
Well anyways, thats the highlight of the week. The work is going forward and the Lord is refining me day by day so that I may be a more effective instrument for him. Its rough and hard to handle, but with these hard times i've come to just rely on the lord. By doing so I've recognize the goodness of God in my life and the peace that comes knowing that he loves me so it makes it all worth it in the end. I can say more confidently that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers.
I love you family. I love this gospel. I love that I have this opportunity. My testimony is becoming more deeply rooted and honestly its what keeps me going.
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Spring is here!
Love,
Sister Houston
PS Oh Mitchell....i have my guess ready!!!! I'm guessing that you are going to be serving in NEW YORK!!!! I think there are a million different missions there so I pretty sure i cant go wrong :) heehee
k keep me posted!!
A FUN DAY IN HIRAM
These are the Pictures that Tori was talking about in her email this week!!
Sister Lyman and Sister Morell in front of the Johnson Home! Read Tori's email to get the jest of what these two sisters where doing and thinking of doing!! haha
The Johnson Home where Joseph Smith preached after he was tarred and feathered
The Johnson Farm in Hiram Ohio
Sisters and there District leaders
Outside of Tori's apartment......they thought winter was over....haha no such luck!!!
Sister Lyman and Sister Morell in front of the Johnson Home! Read Tori's email to get the jest of what these two sisters where doing and thinking of doing!! haha
The Johnson Home where Joseph Smith preached after he was tarred and feathered
The Johnson Farm in Hiram Ohio
Sisters and there District leaders
Outside of Tori's apartment......they thought winter was over....haha no such luck!!!Sister Houston's email
March 16, 2011
HELLO Family!
So... I attached some pictures. Sister Lyman let me use her memory card reader so I hope they work for you! Its been quite an eventful week! but first I have to say Yay for Mitchell!!!! The papers are finally in! Wooohooo!!!!! Now we just have to anxiously wait and see where your going....my guess....the OHIO CLEVELAND MISSION! heehee i wish :) but really though I'll pray that those papers don't get lost in the mail....with your luck they just might (i know, i know i shouldn't laugh about it....its just a little funny)
Ok now on to my week....
Thursday the Solon Ward Relief Society put together a little b-day party to celebrate the "birth" of the Relief Society program. and guess what?? Marlayn and Felice came! Shock i know. It was a stress to get them there and by the time they finally showed up it was almost over. There were about 20 sisters that came. Sister Taylor, the RS president, had started her spiritual thought so all was quiet when Marlayn, Felice and Jayden her 9 month old son walked in. At first I think they felt really uncomfortable. Remember this is their first time even to the church building. Toward the end of the night, you could tell they were easing up a little. Some of the sisters were so great and came to welcome them and said hello. Over all by the end of the night i think they had a good time. They didn't come to church on Sunday
:( but on the brighter side, Marlayn finally read the first chapter of the book of mormon!!! Woohoo!
On to the next great thing of this week.....
Every week we have a training meeting at Kirtland with all the sisters and the Edmans, the site directors. In Remembrance of the tar and feathering and the revelation of D&C 76 that happened in the months of February and march, we went to the Johnson Farm. We woke up bright and early Monday morning, 4:30 am, and traveled to Hiram. All the Senior couples and the sisters came. We split off into groups, took a tour of the farm, took lots of pics and then ate breakfast. Although i was a zombie missionary the rest of the day, it was an awesome experience and we had a lot of fun! One of the pictures attached is me in front of the Johnson Home. That is where Joseph stood to preach the next morning after the tar and feathering. After I took a picture of Sister Lyman standing up there too, next thing i knew she was bending down feeling and smelling the concrete!!! heeheee i was cracking up! After I asked what in the world she was doing, this is the conversation between sister lyman and sister Morrell:
sister lyman says, "you cant really appreciate something until you've touched it and smelled it."
sister morrell says, "yeah i agree. and lick it!"
sister lyman says, "yeah and lick it! its how you immerse yourself in history."
heehee oh goodness. Luckily there was no licking involved :)
Well its been a great week! I could go on and on but i better stop. I love you family so much! I hope you all have a happy st. pattys day! Make sure to write me too!!!!
Love,
Sister Houston
PS Yes i know elder richardson! he is my district leader. he is the one on the far left side next to elder baxter. this was our last district meeting last transfer....it was on valentines day if you couldn't guess from all the pink :) Tell his mom hello for me and that her son's an amazing, dedicated missionary! he's doing great work!
PSS the picture of the parking lot i took outside on our balcony. a couple days previous to this there was zero snow on the ground! Sister lyman and i were excited because we had thought it was finally over. The next morning this was what we woke up to! Through out the night it snowed more then a foot of snow! crazy! I cant wait for summer!!
So... I attached some pictures. Sister Lyman let me use her memory card reader so I hope they work for you! Its been quite an eventful week! but first I have to say Yay for Mitchell!!!! The papers are finally in! Wooohooo!!!!! Now we just have to anxiously wait and see where your going....my guess....the OHIO CLEVELAND MISSION! heehee i wish :) but really though I'll pray that those papers don't get lost in the mail....with your luck they just might (i know, i know i shouldn't laugh about it....its just a little funny)
Ok now on to my week....
Thursday the Solon Ward Relief Society put together a little b-day party to celebrate the "birth" of the Relief Society program. and guess what?? Marlayn and Felice came! Shock i know. It was a stress to get them there and by the time they finally showed up it was almost over. There were about 20 sisters that came. Sister Taylor, the RS president, had started her spiritual thought so all was quiet when Marlayn, Felice and Jayden her 9 month old son walked in. At first I think they felt really uncomfortable. Remember this is their first time even to the church building. Toward the end of the night, you could tell they were easing up a little. Some of the sisters were so great and came to welcome them and said hello. Over all by the end of the night i think they had a good time. They didn't come to church on Sunday
:( but on the brighter side, Marlayn finally read the first chapter of the book of mormon!!! Woohoo!
On to the next great thing of this week.....
Every week we have a training meeting at Kirtland with all the sisters and the Edmans, the site directors. In Remembrance of the tar and feathering and the revelation of D&C 76 that happened in the months of February and march, we went to the Johnson Farm. We woke up bright and early Monday morning, 4:30 am, and traveled to Hiram. All the Senior couples and the sisters came. We split off into groups, took a tour of the farm, took lots of pics and then ate breakfast. Although i was a zombie missionary the rest of the day, it was an awesome experience and we had a lot of fun! One of the pictures attached is me in front of the Johnson Home. That is where Joseph stood to preach the next morning after the tar and feathering. After I took a picture of Sister Lyman standing up there too, next thing i knew she was bending down feeling and smelling the concrete!!! heeheee i was cracking up! After I asked what in the world she was doing, this is the conversation between sister lyman and sister Morrell:
sister lyman says, "you cant really appreciate something until you've touched it and smelled it."
sister morrell says, "yeah i agree. and lick it!"
sister lyman says, "yeah and lick it! its how you immerse yourself in history."
heehee oh goodness. Luckily there was no licking involved :)
Well its been a great week! I could go on and on but i better stop. I love you family so much! I hope you all have a happy st. pattys day! Make sure to write me too!!!!
Love,
Sister Houston
PS Yes i know elder richardson! he is my district leader. he is the one on the far left side next to elder baxter. this was our last district meeting last transfer....it was on valentines day if you couldn't guess from all the pink :) Tell his mom hello for me and that her son's an amazing, dedicated missionary! he's doing great work!
PSS the picture of the parking lot i took outside on our balcony. a couple days previous to this there was zero snow on the ground! Sister lyman and i were excited because we had thought it was finally over. The next morning this was what we woke up to! Through out the night it snowed more then a foot of snow! crazy! I cant wait for summer!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)