Wednesday, May 22, 2013

MY DYING WORDS.......HE DID IT!!!!!

 Entering the MTC on May 2011
 GOOD FRIENDS.....  at MTC

Wow so He Did It!!!!! such a proud mom!!! i hope that everyone enjoy Elder Houston's journey!!! he had many sweet and sour moments but what a wonderful young man he has grown into. what a powerful testimony he has gained and he will always be a great missionary thru out his life. thanks to all of you who has supported him thru this wonderful Tulsa Oklahoma Mission!! as he says
"The best mission EVER!!

ELDER HOUSTON'S FINAL EMAIL
May 22, 2013

wow.... so what to say well.. i did it ... haha what a trip! i have loved every minute of it..... the sweet and sour of it. i just hope and pray that i was able to do all that the Lord needed me to do. i tend to get in the way at times and i was by far a perfect missionary. but i pray i did my best that i knew how. ha if i had the chance to do it all again i would. a little break to see my family and then back to work i would go ha.... but wow what a trip.
       i never thought in all my life i could feel so much love for so many people. i never have known such happiness nor sadness. i have never been so excited or tired ha. so stressed! or so at peace with things. not any combinations of words can describe the feeling i have for my mission. so i will not try haha.
  but i will say how greatful i am for it and all that it has taught me to find my own personal testimony and witness! i have seen too much to deny the authenticity of the book of mormon, or the reality of the first vision and the restoration of the true living gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. i have in peace and surety entered in to the rest of the Lord, me knowing the truths of the gospel that can never be taken from me. and now the importance of these things has been shown to me and i know now the importance of making it possible for ALL, every one, to hear the message of the gospel. the elect hear His voice and harden not there hearts. in D&C we learn we are angels. all those who will and have ever lived here. and as it says in alma 13:24... im going to try all i can to be one of those angels declaring unto many and preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word. i pray i can be the example i need to be in all times and places.
     even though i cant be a full time missionary out here, i can be one in other ways. and i will need everyones help to keep me accountable to this, that i will live a life that is closest to the Saviors as i can. so others hearts might be softened to hear the gospel and have that rest that comes with it, that happiness :).
    i love the gospel soooo much. i love my Father in Heaven, who loves me with a perfect love that i will never know in this life. and im so eternally grateful for the love that i have gained for my Savior. i know i would have never known without my mission. im soo grateful for all those of my brothers and sister that made it possible for me to be where i am now. a love i have never known for life and everyone:)!!!
    charity is a pure love. the love of Christ who gave everything.
love ya family!!!!
see you soon !!!
love elder houston

Friday, May 10, 2013

2 WEEKS TO GO!!!!!!

 
Mitchell will be home in 2 weeks...Friday May 24th at 1030am...call me if you want to be at airport and i will give you more info.. His homecoming will be on June 16th at 12:00 at our ward building on southern and horne.
 oh my goodness.......FUNNIEST picture ever!!!!!! Elder Babb and Elder Houston having some fun!!
District meeting

 
 
Elder Houston's email:
May 5, 2013
 
hey family,
  so my heart is so full with the spirit this morning ha im on cloud 9 haha. so im not sure what i will get out in my email im just kinda dazed ha but ill do my best :). im just so full of love for my mission Pres. and for the people we are teaching and the members here and for my comp. hes so crazy but i love that dude haha. i hope you get our awesome picture hahaha i could keep a straight face i just lost it as he was licking me hahahaahah! so funny. we saw that sign on our way to houston missouri for a baptism of a guy and his wife who i taught when i first came out. two years ago. we where the ones that started teaching him and when he said hey guysi know its all true but my wife has to go through the disciplinary action and i want to wait when she gets baptized for me to be baptized. that was two years ago. the Lord is so loving and so aware of us  and the blessing he has in store for us. it was not coincidence that my last area was placed in the random district of mt grove, houston, and west plains missouri, where i was trained. and that i was place as a district leader so that i could do my very first interview to a guy who i didnt think i would see again let alone see him enter the waters of baptism. it was a complete circle of my mission. proof that the Lord has a plan he made it possible that i would still be where i needed to be in lebanon MO but placed us in a funny district at my last transfer so that i could witness this wonderful miracle. i love the Lord! and i love His work! sooo much.
   this weekend was just magical ha i loved it i have been able to see how blessed i really am is ways i have never thought of before. lebanon is about to have a flood of work and elect are being prepared all around us. it is sad that i am leaving just as its getting good ! haha but that is how my mission has been and i know it is for a reason. at the beginning of this year we helped set some goals for the lebanon ward one of them was to have 4 people baptized. a few weeks or so latter i received an answer in the book of mormon and the spirit that said the vineyard of lebanon missouri can easily exceed that goal if we work hard. and i know its true now there are so many people that we have met just in this last transfer that are ready for the gospel.
   we just started teaching this wonderful family. we have taught the mother allie only three times and she made it to church for the first time this weekend. haha it was funny it was fast and testimony meeting ha im not sure why but that always seems to be an investigators first sunday ha but any way the spirit was so strong and people where coming up and getting very emotional and crying. haha allie was kinda shocked by this it was very different ha she said, people at your church are very... emotional haha they cry alot. and she is not a emotional person. but as the day went on she came to class and we taught a lesson where the spirit was very strong and she got a gospels principals manual. when she got home she read the entire thing except two chapters! that a ton. but any way we went and stoped by to see how she liked church and she telling us about how we cry alot haha. then she got to telling us about her reading the manual and she said it was great i got to a part in there where is just made my feel so good and i started crying! hahaha she said what did they do to me! haha so funny we then go to talking to her about the spirit and how it can cause those strong feelings. she said it makes sence... and i know its true i always did i just didnt know where to find it. she began to tell us of some experiences she has had and how she knows this is it and she said what do i need to do to be baptized im done smoking what is next :) i could of kissed that lady after that !! haha i was so happy!!! but i didnt haha no worries i refrained haha but man it was hard i just wanted to shout praises and do a little dance haha but i just wait till we got to the car haha. I LOVE THIS WORK!!!!!! sooo much im going to miss those experiences they have not happened alot but just that one time make the entire two years worth every second. my mission was nothing that i expected but everything i hoped for. im so blessed and have been and am so grateful for the Lord and Father in Heavens infinite love and mercy my heart feels so full as to bursting and i know it is only a small small portion of their love for us :) i love this gospel and i love you all soooo much i cant wait to talk to you next week ill call you in the morning and tell you the plan for the skype stuff love ya and have a great week!!!
love,
 elder houston 

FIRE!!!!!

Elder Houston's email:
April 29, 2013
 
hey !!!
    so this was a  pretty great week we got to meet a couple new people that seem super interested in the church ! and we are moving back up in lessons ! i also got to talk with my companion a little about my goals before i leave and i think he is going to put in the effort for my :) he is so awesome i just wish he would follow mission standads better. haha so i forgot to tell ya last week he was going to make some lunch and it was one of them oven bake pizzas. haha he came and asked me hey do you think i could put the cardboard that was under the pizza. i was like i dono haha. so he put it in next thing i now i come in the kitchen and there is smoke pouring out of the top of the oven! i was like wo!! ITS ON FIRE! haha i opened the oven door and not the best idea smoke filled the entire appartment!! haha we were just running around yelling ITS ON FIRE! ITS ON FIRE! haha we opened all the doors and windows and through the pizza out side and patted it out. haha. then, after all was calm, elder babb took a peice of the pizza and ate it.. i asked how was it. he said its got a real smokey flavor. hahah it was great haha.
   we also got to start teaching this wonderful family that im soo excited to see them learn about the gospel there is sooo much great things coming to our new district. we have at least three in the areas mt grove, west plains, and houston. and we have a family of three another couple part member familys that might be able to get baptized before i leave! so awesome im super excited i just pray i can do all i can to make sure the area will be ready for elder babb and his new companion after the 24th. the ward council is also really took a jump on the work as well the bishop is helping a ton.
    well thats about all i have for this week sorry it so short. im so happy to hear all is going well at home thats so awesome mike and dallan go to speak together. haha tell mike im super pumped to see him too and i said hi! haha and i cant wait to hear his cool accent haha i dont have much of an accent sorry mom haha all thought when i feeling exctra hill billyish i can sound like a real gen-u-ine hill billy :) haha well i love you all im super excited to work and finish strong wth the goals i have sent and so excited to come home and see everyone and so excited to be the new born again person i feel i have become through my mission the new out look on life and the gospel and the real important things of this wonderful and exciting life im going to miss the spirit that comes to us missionaries but want to do all i can to keep on the wave of missionary work and always be worthy too keep the spirit so strong in my life. im going to need yalls help though i need you to keep me accountable. thanks so much for everything and for being the Saviors light in my life with your example of His love. for as long as His light of love is in a room darkness cannot be there.  oh and i dont mind when i talk what ever is easiest for everyone. just give me the topic and the day and ill do my best to get out of the way and let the spirit guide ha. tell bishop rogers im ready to be a ward missionary ;) haha i know i cant do this but i put in a request for it haha  love ya and have a wonderful week
God bless!
love, elder houston

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

ADVERSARY IS SO REAL.....


  Elder Babb and Elder Houston

Elders he got to hang with last week.... silly boys




JUST GOT ELDER HOUSTON'S RELEASE DATE:
HE WILL BE HOME ON FRIDAY MAY 24TH AT 10:30AM


Elder Houston's Email:
April 23, 2013

hey everybody!
     hows it going ?? thanks mom for the awesome huge letter. hey so not alot of time today and i kinda feeling sick, so sorry for the short email. but know im doing great and had an wonderful week haha its been interesting. i love my companion so much hes so nice and way fun. i have been doing all i can to just try and help him see how awesome a mission is and how much better you feel when you follow the rules. hes taking a little bit to get the picture haha but i can defiantly see SOME progress, which makes me super happy. he can really do soo much good. by the way mom thank you soooo much for what you said in your letter it was EXACTLY what i need to hear. it totally opened my eyes and i hope i will be able to stay strong and prove myself and prepare for the adversary and the trials God has prepared for me to test me.
    the adversary is so real and it scares me to see it in the world today. we know ! how he works his tricks, but yet many are still tricked by him and dont see him right there in front of us. its just like in the scriptures, i always thought it was so crazy when the people begin to become prideful and sink into sin again especially right after they just saw the Savior in the book of mormon! but many of the world today do the very thing and dont even recognize it. 2 nephi 28 lays it down in front ha especially 20-22 says it pretty well. it kills me to say, but i even see it out here in the OTM my mission!!   oh na uh! haha.....
     but its true like verse 20,"for behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good." there are missionaries that are so strong and courageous that stand up to missionaries that want to go do something or talk about some thing that is not appropriate and he is hated for it, is called a party pooper or said he is a jerk! i bout cryed when a i saw that happen. i wanted to punch them elders in the nose.... and in verse 21, " and others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: all is well in zion; yea, zion prospereth, all is well. and thus the devil cheateth ther souls, and leadeth them away CAREFULLY down to hell." i hear it all the time "oh its no big deal its just this little thing like tea, you think the Lord will condem me for drinking tea." no i dont think he will, but it NEVER stops at that once the door is opens. figureatively speaking the devil will open it ever so slightly until he can come in. so it might not be a big deal to do that BUT obediance is the reason for it ! to keep us safe and show our love.
    i am the farthest from being perfect but it just totally weighs me down with "much sorrow " to see the wonderful people and even missionaries out in my mission! that just cant see the importance of the gospel and these things
:(.       pres Shumway is on this new thing that is a cleansing of the mission. he wants to rid our mission of all evil and disobediance. there are some that might think that it is going to make us all into stiffs and make the mission so boring! but its not true. in my 23 months i have defiantly seen sooo many elders and learned that the gospel is universal. there are sooo many shapes and sizes you can still have so much fun and do sooo much more when you are obedient to the mission rules.
     i was able to have to coolest expirence with 6 elders this weekend that i will never forget. so on sunday there was going to be a special mission conference with bishop dean m. davies of the prosiding bishopric and it was going to be in tulsa. my comp wanted to go to tulsa to see it and i think he just wanted to see all our missionary buddies. but so i said ya to it. so we asked the zone leaders to make sure, we didnt go behind there backs about it. because anyone out this far in the mission was just going to watch it on the broadcast. but they totally said it was fine because they trust me. anyway we left saturday to go bout half way and meet some elders and stay at there place. so in the morning we could still get sacrament, we just went to there church that was the only way we could do it and get the sacrament. and we picked up some elders on the way. anyway that night the elders we were staying at had a teaching apointment that night and dinner at the bishops house, where the lesson was going to happen. so he invited all 6 of us to come haha. at the presiding bishops!!!! we got to hang out and get to know all the people there, lots of non members where there for a party :) haha but they got to all get to know us. elder babb played some music for them. it was great!! but then time came for the lesson and it was going so great, the spirit was sooo strong. and the spirit hit me so hard.... as i saw 6 elders so very different in the personalities and all from different back grounds and lived in different places in the US... bore powerful testimony of the wonderful message of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon.
     the love i have for my mission and the missionaries in it, grew 100 fold. we are a big family. just like every family, we have our weaknesses, each of us with our own individual weaknesses, but i love everyone of them! and want more then any thing to help each missionary i meet with what ever i can do to help them enjoy there mission to the fullest.
     i love the gospel !!!! it is so true with out a doubt. we are all on the same team. the team of Christ trying to defeat satan and his followers so we can save all our brothers and sisters :) and strengthen EVERYONE. God answers prayers through his Followers. we are answers to prayers :) 
    haha well i had more time then i thought haha. hope i made sense. kinda just said what came to mind thanks soooo much for all your love and support!
 
im soooo blessed. i have never in my life felt that i was not loved. best family anyone could ever ask for :) haha and best mission i could have ever been called too. talk to ya next week stay safe and talk to ya soon !!! woooooo ! 
love elder houston 

LAST TRANSFER.....PRAY FOR ME

Elder Houstons email:
April 15, 2013
 
hey family!!
so this week was transfers and i sent off elder godfrey and got elder babb he is a pretty funny guy. a old time rocker kind dude. he is super nice and is way fun. but he reminds me alot of elder hamlin from pawhuska... :/ he doesnt mind too much for rules, nor working hard. hes got a sleeping disorder, i forget what its called so his schedule is all wacked out. this is going to be one interesting last transfer. a real test to see my will power ha and my desire to finish strong, not just to have fun. im going to do all i can to keep the schedule and do what i can with what i have. i felt the Spirit so strongly impress me the importance that i need to help him see the importance of the gospel and how you can follow rules and still have fun. and be yourself. any one can be disobedient and go their own way but it takes a strong person to follow and humbly obey. the advisary really wants us to think other wise, that a person is weak and un cool or what ever they want to call it to follow commandments or rules. we do not come out here do do what we want, but to do what the Lord wants. he lived his entire life in service of others and His Father. and we are ask to just give two years for the full time service to live apart from the world. but for some reason it is hard to do. not to say i am perfect at all, because it is really hard for me with some stuff. we all know how mornings are for me haha but it is the sacrific and the effort that we make that counts. he knows that we are going to fall short, its not a suprise to Him. He just ask us to give it our all and i have found out some times thats hard to find out what our all is. i know i can do better so its hard to say i have given it my all. but progression is the key i think and i hope that i have progressed better then when i first came out or then i was yesterday and i hope that i was able to help others progress better each day.
    boy do we have such a loving Heavenly Father, dont we,, and the perfect elder Brother Jesus Christ. i love them soo dearly. haha i loved it when elder Holland said it must be frustrating that all our Father has to work with is us, imperfect people haha. but oh how much he loves each and everone of us. :) so true ha and so humbling to know how much we depend on Him and His Son and the atonement!.
   ha man oh man am i greatful each day for that!!! wow am i ever!  ha. no greater love then this, that a man layeth down his life for his friends, and wow did He, DOES He, ever love us soooo much still and for ever will. :)
    i pray, i need yalls prayers, to help me help my companion to see the potential he has. he is a leader ! people look up to him and will follow him, but he needs to lead them by example by leading from the front in his choices. i dont think he really knows yet the importance of these things and i pray i can show him my love for him and my desire to help him see his potential to do good! and he doesnt have to give up who he is. the spirit bore such a powerful witness that i need to do this but keep too the work and make sure i do all i can these next six weeks im here.
   its going to be an interesting transfer and it will be a test to me if i can stand up for my standards i know to be right and the standards the Lord has asked of me. to dare to stand alone as Pres Monson would say. its alot harder then i thought it would be, my mission has taught me ha. but i know the Lord will help and he needs me to learn this. im greatful for the oppertunity and to give it my all and trust He knows what He doing haha.
    well i got to go sorry this email was kinda scaterd brained and me just venting. but know i love yall and will leave ya with a quote, i love short powerful combinations or words :) haha
 
i aksed God for strength,
   that i might achieve,
i was made weak,
   that i might learn humbly to obey
i asked for heath,
   that i might do greater things,
i was given infirmity,
   that i might do better things
i asked for riches,
   that i might be happy,
i was given poverty,
   that i might be wise,
i asked for power,
   that i might have the praise of men,
i was given weakness,
   that i might feel the need of God
i asked for all things,
   that i might enjoy life,
i was given life,
   that i might enjoy all things,
i got nothing that i asked for, but everything i had hoped for.
almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
i am, among all men,
Most richly Blessed.
  
LOVE YA Elder houston:) 

LOVED CONFERENCE!!!!!

Elder Houston's email:
April 8, 2013
 
hey family!!!
   wow what a conference!! there were so many awesome talks!! its been such an amazing weekend with conference and the weather here so beautiful the trees are starting to bloom! so much of Gods beautiful creations all around us.
    so first off we got transfer calls on saturday !..... im dying in lebanon haha elder godfrey is getting transferred and im getting elder babb. im sad to see elder godfrey go. he was a great guy even tho we didnt always get along. we really grew close over the time together. im little scared to get elder babb though too haha. one thing i have learned on my mission is you cant always trust everything you hear about some one, no preconceived judgments, but i have heard that he is not the best obedient missionary and that scares me. we all know what happen last time i heard that. :/ but i know the potential that pres shumway wants to see in him. he will become the next district leader when i leave and its my duty now to help him meet that goal by that time. i hope i can help him see his potential and want to reach it and am a good example for him. he is a really out going crazy and funny elder so im excited!:)
   my district also was way changed too. my area was moved into, get this, my first ever district!! haha my first area i came out in, mt grove west planes and houston missouri!! so awesome!! it was a revelation come true!! 
   when i was in my first area right before i got transferred, i had this crazy thought that i would be back at the end of my mission to see everyone i first came out to teach. i took it as i would just be transferred back to mt grove and houston my last transfer. well as my mission went on, i totally forgot about it. until i got the call that i would be the dl for those areas now. i now will be going on exchanges to my first area and fullfill that revelation i received and make sure those people that were not ready at that time for the fullness of the gospel would not be prepared and from the bad past events that happened in that area cause them to slip through the cracks. i knew that there was a reason. i remember that area so well still :) and names of people that i taught. its so exciting !! a great way to start this last transfer off. 
    wow.... so many wonderful talks about missionary work and member missionary work in conference. its got our ward pumped ! and me too!!! i especially liked, i think it was in priesthood session, i cant remember who but they said, " and you return missionaries, find your missionary tags, dont put them on," haha, " but put them somewhere where you can see them. you are needed now more then ever." im totally doing that. those talks where answers to my prayers of what i should do when i get home to not forget all that i have learned and how i can stay close to the Spirit and the Lord.
   im so excited for all that i have learned and all that i can continue to learn and grow and find and have new ways to try and be more obedient to what the servants of the Lord have ask of me. like even down to making a garden haha ...mom i have acquired some new knowledge and skills in the garden so now i can try and help you :) haha notice how i said try haha... i might not have the green thumb like ya. i still not sure if its hereditary ha.
     i defiantly am still not the most obedient person by far, but i love trying to be better now that i know just like pres Uctchdorf, haha (i know that not spelled right sorry), said in conference. ...we are like a toddlers learning to walk. we try and try but we undoubtedly fall but our Love and Merciful Father in Heaven does not shun or scowled us for it. He is so  happy and wants us to get back up again and try try try. and as we turn to the Lord for help He will help us get better and better and better :). i love the church so much i kinda want to try and find a job that revolves around the church like work for them or something. that way i will always have it on my mind i need the constant reminders im bad at remembering ha.
   well i got to go oh and thank you mom soooo much for telling me about brother waddups calling, that made my entire week already. i love them so much. i will forever remember the wonderful people that i have been so privileged to meet. i might forget their names but they will always find place in my memories and heart. he is such an awesome dude. that was an answer to my prayers, so thank you so much for telling me.
     he makes me love everyone of Gods sons and daughters we are all in this together and need to help each other out to forgive faults and let go of pride even when we think it not our fault. only then will we have happiness to know we did all we could to get ALL our brothers and sister back to Him. thats what our Savior did for us he forgave us all for all we did to Him, every drop of blood ever pain and sorrow that He had to suffer for us so we could just choose to be happy we have to ask for and allow forgiveness to all. i hope that i can do all i can to be forgiving of all the pain and wrong i have done to others and i will probably continue to unintentionally hurt others and i pray that i can always be forgiven so i must also forgive. D&C 64:9-11 we are required to forgive all and need to ask it as well or we cant be forgiven. wow i pray i can right all the wrongs i caused its going to be a life time goal but itll be worth it, i know it :) i love you all so much !!!! and pray all is still going well. tell jessica i said hey!!! and congrats!! as well as taylor when he gets home on may 1st! tell them i love em and give a em a hug for meee.
 well talk to you later!
love,
 elder houston

Saturday, April 6, 2013

OH BABYLON!!!!

Elder Houston's email:
April 1, 2013
 
afternoon family,
  so wow this week started out a ton different then it ended haha..... so poor lebanon in going crazy.. but! before i talk about that HAPPY EASTER/ APRIL FOOLS DAY! haha. haha
wow she called quick haha... sister talbat is the old lebanons bishops wife. haha she just showed up for easter and they were originally from mesa and moved to lebanon, then lost job so had to go back to mesa like a month before i got to lebanon. but she was like hey! i want you number... im going to call your mom haha i was like sweet! she was funny.
 
glad everything went well yesterday! we had some awesome weather here too. such a blessing. lets just say its tornado season and our weather has not been the best ha. hahaha no drownin tho. darn ha we need to sick em missionaries on papa and georgia ! get em baptized. by the way it was georgias and houstons b day. if i dont get a card out too them or a letter at least tell them happy b day !for me .
   soo ya this week started out really awesome! we had some awesome lessons and were able to meet with some people that really needed to talk. like larry that guy couple weeks ago that stabed himself. we met with him and got his spirits way up. he was literally jumping and skippin around... like picture how funny it is to see a 60 year old man trying to jump skip around trying heel clicking haha. safe to say he couldnt so he just danced haha funny guy. he is very bad alcholic and had depression meds that he should NOT be taking with alcohol and well he is.. so about mid week we found out he skiped out on work and no one had heard from him in few days so we text him and he said back he was going back to heavenly father. so safe to say we broke in to his house and found him up stairs talking to himself. he finally came too and ask if we would take him to hospital. i could smell the alcohol on him. we took him too the hospital and told them everything. the doctor was very rude to us and all this mess happened later that night. we got a message from him saying dont ever come over again :(. after all that we did for him and gave him true friends not the people he hangs out with and he is angry with us very sad.
   wednesday, we had a wonderful district meeting and then thrusday we had an exchange come with us to see the family that had the dad go a-wall. he has major stuff with his mind because of the military. he also last week tryed to kill himself and got sent to a hospital. something just set him off cause that old stuff them demons to come out. its so sad because he is soo awesome!! such a humble sweet dude. wouldnt hurt a fly, but had lots of probs from all that army stuff and a head injury. he is doing really well tho, he back to his good ol self. mostly. but anyway we went and saw his family with a member of the ward that is a old war dude too, with some PTSD as well and he could really help and relate. such an awesome guy. i about broke into tears when the youngest girls one 10 and 8 i think, came in crying. its so sad how much this family has been through. the 8 year old just barely got over leukemia ! just getting over all that stuff and feeling better really sad.
 
 as a missionary, we get to already feel so much of Heavenly Fathers love for all his children and to see and realize all the thing that these poor children have to go through in this world today,,, just tears me apart. "suffer the little children to come unto me for such IS the kingdom of God". it makes me sooo grateful for the loving family that i grew up in and how strong we were raised in the gospel. that is something this family has strayed from, that i so wish they would come back too. makes me wish, like when i was little that i was a super hero so i could help all these people ! i might not  be able to do big things, but i can do a little," by small and simple things", right haha.
 
the Lord has a mission for each of us to do. thats why we are here, because if we finished all we needed to do, we would be taken back to that God, who gave us life. some of us are too live till we are 100, some not so long. but all we can do is live the best we can and do great small things all our life and serve the Lord, "he that loses his life for the Lord shall find it."
  
 my eyes were opened to a loud awakening, to the reality of this world and the battle going on between good and not so good ha. it really showed me how small i am and how big and omnipotent our Heavenly Father is.
 
 He loves us!! He is watching over us and weaps when we fall and rejoces when we do good. He wants to help us with His streched forth hand. thats why he sent us :) His saints and all his sons and daughters.
 
 i was defintely brought to a new level of humility this week, and i hope i will always remember it and be stured up in rememberance for the rest of my life, of the goodness and mercy of our wonderful loving Father  and Savior. we knew this life would be hard and would get really bad BUT.... we knew it would be worth it. if we just lived our lifes right and did all WE ,each of us as a whole and individual, can to choose the right and love one another. isnt that why he died for us. wow i love our Savior ha.
  
we went over to a members house last night and she was very upset and was telling us all that is going on with the world and with our country. wow its getting very sad out there things are defianly changing in babylon and for the best im not so sure. we have seen it first hand that the Lord truley is hastening the work and not only with all the new missionaries and the age change. the members were saying thats why they think the age change happend because the Lord is prepareing the world/ quickening the work to find the ones prepare for the message of the gospel. i felt some thing big was going to happen at this last conference address to the world by the Lords apostiles and prophet. maybe this is why im super excited to hear the next or new council from the Lord. every one prepare this week pray for answers and inspiration!! 
haha... so i know i was kinda freaked out a lil, with all that they were telling us. so sorry if i talked to much about it. but it is always time to be prepared and keep familys close and keep the Lord in our families. small and simple things will bring Great things to pass.
   i love you!!!!! so excited to talk too you in a month ha and then see ya that next week haha kinda silly but hey :) ha pray to find what it is each of us can do to better the world and bring out lost sheep brothers and sisters to the wonderful and happness of the gospel :) feed the sheep! haha
  love ya so much stay safe and talk to you next week
love elder houston
 
ps didnt get you package yet when you send it ? i will look for it today thanks :) love ya mama tell hunter i working on his letter sorry taking lil while love ya

CRAZY WEEK!!!

Elder Houston's Email:
March 25, 2013

hey family hows it going !!
 first off thank you so much for writing hunter!!! it made my day!!!1 i flipping miss my brother!! super excited to see ya!! :)
 and second pa im still waiting from that promised letter ?? hahah must be a LOOONG letter :)
  it is so crazy to think gerneral conference is here already ! im sooo excited !! and its the last one on the mission :( i am praying for guidance and direction and also that pres Monson gains revelation that missions will be extended to 30 months haha... i can hope right??
   that is so crazy about the merkleys that lived accross the street from us!! going on a mission!! so awesome ! she is going at a mavelous time! the work has been hastened. we are breaking numbers, breaking records in lessons and many other thing in our mission. our mission pres. is being asked to speak to a bunch or mission presidents about what it is he is doing haha.. he said hes just going to say, its easy you just keep sending me the best missionaries haha... he so funny and awesome. i love the shumways. i have been so lucky to have the greatest two mission presidents ever. speaking of i wonder if the merkleys are related to the merkleys that use to live accross the street from us? hm..
    by the way, im going to send a cd home soon with a talk on it that you all should listen to. its awesome like for FHE... i think hunter would really like it. oh and i was meaning to ask you in letter but did papa danny get my card i sent him? and shalyse haha hers was funny :). OH and hey if you are not planning on sending a easter package its ok you dont have to but if you were could you see how much the mormon messages 1 and 2 are and send those :) that would be awesome!! they are awsome teaching tools and very powerful. 
 oh! and mom you will love this book a member showed me its called kelsey in korea, letters home, its of this missionary, a sister named sister lund. its all her emails home about her mission and she is soooo funnny you would like reading i.t i think i might be able to get one for ya and ill send it home when i get money from the mission for like easter or something my gift to you. its suuper funny.
     any way so this week, so sorry about last week ending so ubrupt. i ran out of time haha and just saw it so had to end and send. but i was talking about this lady that was going through alot with her room mate and he stabbed himself. well so this week there is this less active family that the dad he has PTSD really bad from the army and he went bunkers and was having crazy dreams and fell back into old habits and gets really depressed and tried killing himself because he didnt want to hurt his family!! it is so sad one of the daughters who really liked listening to us teach and learning, the only one that came to church activities is getting forced to move to her real dads and she is so upset and really shook up from all this. she got on face book and added me and elder godfrey and got our address so we can keep in touch. i feel so sad for the family. satan really is doing all he can to tear families apart. if we are not careful and fortifing our selfs against him and the evils of the world, he will attack with no mercy and bring us down into the depths of misery and darkness.
   i have really been thinking so hard about being a missionary and how even with all of us out here trying to teach all we can and find, we still need more the forces of the advisary will never stop and never rest. so we can never let our guard down. there are people every day dieing with out a knowlage of this wonderful message of hope and love. we really must once we are converted never stop and never rest untill we strengthen our brothers and sisters. it makes me so sad to know, even with all our efforts some people go all there life with out the gospel, but it also makes me feel so happy and blessed to know that there is a time after this wonderful perfect plan, does not end after this life the work goes on!
   we truly do have a mercyful loving Heavenly Father whose love is in His Son, Christ the Lord. He gives us ALL the oppertunity to have this joy of the gospel. and im sooo greatful more then words can describe, that i was blessed to come into this world with goodly parents and been taught in the church of Jesus Christ and the Lord found me worthy enough to recieve this knowlege to make them known unto the inhabatants of the earth. all of us have that blessed oppurtunity and obligation to share these things. everything we do and say makes a difference even the small and simple things. i had to learn this out here, but i know it to be true.
   but we can count how many seeds are in an apple, but we cannot count how many apples are in a seed. everything we do the way we live makes a difference. 
  oh awesome story about this week... we were lead to a family that has been so prepared to hear the gospel. it was a referral  from the missionaries in st robert and we went by and finally caught them at home. as we were sitting there and they were telling us the things going on and their beliefs and their questions, i had to hold every thing back to not jump out of my chair and say YEAHHHHHH!  EXCACTILY!!! this is what we have been trying to tell everyone! will you get baptized!!! haha everything was so prepared for the message we had. and it was so crazy too how much the adversary was trying to distract them. they had these three dogs that were running around and going crazy and i could totally see satan or his followers hidding, pokeing and prading them dogs to get them all rilled up. ha and he was like ha ha nea ner nea ner haha. and then the guy just stopped and said man it just seems like somtimes when  God puts something in our familys path to bless us, the adversary puts a distraction in our way. satan probably went oh...poo he knows, and left haha. because right after he said that the dogs just stopped and layed down. it was crazy!!!  
all i could think of was like daniel in the lions den haha so cool.
no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing. once we recognized the opposition the Lord aided us in our efforts as he always does. if we just do our part and do the little things, like go to church and pay tithing and pray and read scriptures, when we put on the armor of God, we can have his aid and protection. thats all the commandments are is protection like the string of a kite might seem to be holding  the kite down but , really its the reason it soars so high :) haha i love the gospel. its so cool sorry enough preaching.
    so ya it was a eventful week... wish i could talk all day about it but im about out of timelll oh you might be getting a supprise call from brother ellis who is like the man! him and his wife are both converts and wow spirit giants!! they are awsome and have been teaching me and helping us soooo much.
well i hope you all have an awesome easter!!! remember the real message it holds of our Savior :) i love you!!!! oh and if papa and  georgia are there sick the missionaries on them :)  
love elder houston

Saturday, March 23, 2013

AMAZING YOUNG MAN

I hope everyone has enjoyed listening to Mitchell grow from a super young man with a little bit of faith to an AMAZING young man with the power of faith to follow his Heavenly Father to eternity.... his journey is coming to an end soon and i will miss his words of encouragement to all of us. He always seems to say the right thing each week to help me get thru the tough times.
I am a proud mama.....

Elder Houston Email:
March 18, 2013

hey mother!!! thanks sooo much for the long email... no letters for the past couple weeks takes a toll! haha i love hearing from ya! but no worries about it. i know you been running around trying to fix all that stuff with your purse getting stole :/. haha.. Trust me, i was very upset when i saw your email last week, it took all my strength to not scream in the library hahah.. but i knew because of what happened that last Monday just before i found out, that it was a trial for me, to test me and see what i would do. and so i had to change my thoughts. the Lord helped a lot :)..... it already happened and there is nothing you could do about it, but we can change our thoughts and reactions to trials. that's our agency part, that's how the Lord test us to build us and strengthen us. we should be greatful for the opportunity to grow. He knows its not easy so He promises to help. Harold B Lee said "there is only one day that we have to live for, and that's today. there is nothing we can do about yesterday, and there may be no tomorrow. the thing for us to do when we arise from our beds, as God gives us a new day, is to take what ever comes to our hands , and do it to the best of our ability." we will always have trials. in doc and cov it says, be patient in afflictions , for thou shalt have many haha.. as not cool as that sounds its true, but we have the most wonderful and glorious elder brother who payed the ultimate price for each of us so that we can be triumphant and grow and learn from all those trails. mom you must be the closest to the Lord, because the nearer a person approaches the Lord, the greater power will be manifest  by the adversary to prevent the accomplishment of his purpose. Heber C Kimball said that. and you are a witness of it mom :) i love you mom.
i have not gotten anything about flights. i got a paper making sure you all have not moved and i still live where i do so, they might be waiting for me to send that back to the office haha. but i just got that. all i know is i will be home on the 24 i think it should be that Friday. but ill get that thing sent in. haha.... i should  just tell them i lost it so they cant send me back hahah just kidding.. kinda haha.
wow!!! this week has been another wonderful week. we lost a couple of wonderful people that we have been meeting with. they are moving, its a bummer!! its that family that just got baptized or that couple i mean. and then today one of the sisters that we have been teaching is moving to Colorado. she has been through sooo much this past two weeks, so she has to move away from it. which was sad because she has come sooo far and been growing soo much in the gospel and the Lord. we just got back from teaching her today. she ran into some anti and it just tore her apart. she was soo upset and felt so betrayed, but we went over and talked with her and the spirit was soo strong. that dumb anti doesn't stand a chance against the Holy Spirit of our Heavenly Father mmhm ha. i have seen it time and time again the very bells of hell ring as soon as a person even makes one stride in the right direction towards baptism. well i am out of time sorry ill talk to ou in a letter  now kk love you !!!!
elder houston

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

WOOHOO HE IS STAYING PUT

Elder Houston has two transfers left....wow its coming up fast
 
Elder Houston's email:
March 4, 2013
 
hey mom... so first thing first... I wrote you a big letter and ha still have not sent it ha... so I will get it off today and I have a sweet talk to send home. listen to it for fhe its awesome!! and also I got the package thanks soooo much and LOVED the letter from Cameron ha made my week!
 
so all is going great here... we got transfer calls and im staying here, so is my companion. we are working hard and trying to stay focused ha. the trunkyness is starting to set in haha. I think its just more excitement to see you all!! :) but im trying to keep my mind on the work ha. its like an emotional roller coaster haha, up and down up and down. im going to need the Lord so much in these next few months. im really scared for the BIG changes, but I know he will help just like He did when I left on my mission.
 
so this week we got to do a TON of service, not as much teaching as I would have liked but its ok with all the crazy storms that been going on here we had to go to the food bank place. we help out three times this week. it was fun!! I love it there. soo many wonderful people just trying to make the area a better place. we also had a couple of really awesome lessons with some investigators that hit a road block and now they are on the move again. sooo close to recognizing the truth and committing to baptism. there are a lot of people out here that do not have an education like grown adults, that cant read. its so sad and hard for them to grasp the things we teach, but through the holy ghost and divine means they have taken in sooo much and are progressing so much. its so awesome to see. it also just builds my testimony in the prophet Joseph smith. how he himself were like these brothers and sisters and he through the Lord became the Greatest prophet in our dispensation. Only through our Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost could that  happen. and wow has it shown me the importance of an education.
 
  this week I have also had the wonderful opportunity to get to know the ward of Lebanon and wow I love them. they are very different but wonderful people and saints. im learning soo much from them. im super happy I am able to finish up here. ha speaking of Lebanon, I cant remember if I showed you this awesome scripture I found a lil while ago, if I did sorry ha but its in 2 nephi 27:28 haha its cool and has proven to be true so far :) ha.
 
it also was stake conference this sunday for the mid western states. they did a broadcast from salt lake to all the states in this area of the US. it was soo awesome elders Christenson, Hawk and Oaks talked and sister reeves I think was her name.  wow... was so powerful. my mission has made me grow to LOVE stake conference! and it got me super pumped for general conference !
one thing that comes to mind that someone said wish I remembered who but they said, a way to  see if someone is truly becoming converted is based on the sacrifice they make. the Lord made that Great and Last sacrifice, there are wonderful people all around the world that sacrifice so much for the blessing of this gospel. it makes me so happy to see the sacrifices that you all make for me to be out here to share the gospel. I pray that its been a building block to all your testimonies as it has been for me. as well its an example to me and a drive for me to be more converted to the gospel and cheerfully sacrifice more, haha cheerfully being the key word. I need to work on that more ha. wow it is so awesome to see the quiet and divine workings of the Lord and to be able to receive the witness each time from the Holy Ghost. He really is there. I know it with all my heart and am sooo greatful for the testimony that I do have now. I love yall so much and will talk to you next week
love elder houston

LOVE IS IN THE AIR....AND A BAPTISM

Elder Houston's email:
February 19, 2013

haha heyyyyy you guyssss
sooo this was an awesome week!! we had the best valentines day ever!
adam and leah got baptized !! haha on the day haha that is going to be
easy to remember now ha... so awesome brings a new meaning to love :) ha
it went so perfectly and was totally suprised, but i got ask to do the
confirmation like last minute! the spirit was so powerful!! i really for
the first time, i think was totally lead by the spirit as what to say. i
barely new this guy and i just was completely, head to toe filled with
love for the brother. i could feel just a small amount of Heavenly
Fathers love for the man and how happy he was that one of his lost
sheep came back unto the fold. im going to miss that feeling soo much.
to be able to feel that indescribable love for Gods children. that love
for a complete stranger it is so wonderful.
  Pres. Hinckley and the Book of mormon say it best, the essence of life, wherefore, my beloved brethren,
pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye
may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are
true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons
of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall
see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified
even as he is pure
moroni 7:48
Love is the very essence of life. it is the pot of gold at the end of
the rainbow. yet it is more than the end of the rainbow. love is the
security for which children weep, the yearning of youth, the adhesive
that binds marriage, and the lubricant that prevents devastating
friction in the home; it is the peace of old age, the sunlight of hope
shining through death.
i love my mission so much i love every bit of it and im having the
time of my life sprinting to the end !! everyone says that we
sacrifice two years of our lifes to be out here. if this is sacrifice
then i want to sacrifice all i have to the Lord for all my life
because i have never felt so happy when i do
the principle of sacrifice.
and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding,
and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his
neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices.
mark 12:33
"sacrifice is the very essence of religion; it is the keystone of
happy home life, the basis for true friendship, the foundation of
peaceful community living, of sound relations among people and
nations. without sacrifice there is no true worship of God."
Pres. Hinckley at it again... man i love the things he says.. 
well got to go... i love you all and will talk to you next week
love elder houston

Monday, February 11, 2013

PICTURES...long over due




 this is a sister that came out with Mitchell from the MTC

 President Merkley saying goodbye


Enjoy the pictures...finally got a ton of them.

NEW AREA...NEW BAPTISM

Elder Houston's email:
February 11, 2013
 
hey family so sorry this week is a short one haha i got to chating with mom :)
 
but this week was pretty good! we had an awesome zone meeting and i love!!! our zone they are awesome ! we have a baptism coming up this week !! im finally going to stay in the area for!!!!! woot woot haha its an awesome couple too. adam and leah, leah is his wife she was soo prepared to hear the message of the gospel and just absorbed everything like a sponge. i came in at the end of the teaching, so she already knew everything. its wierd that i didnt have to find her or anything just kinda walked into it ha and adam on man!! he is a modern day alma the younger. he is an ex- member that had a complete change in life and heart and now is the most dilagant faithful guy .he finally got permission and is going to be re- baptized with his wife ! im so happy for them and will let you know how it all goes next week love you all so much happy valentines day!!!!
love elder houston

MORE CHANGES....AGAIN???

Elder Houston's email:
January 28, 2013
 
hey family!!!! how art thou?
   so everything went well this past week i got all packed up and said good bye to everyone in nevada got a few pictures and said by to me boy ! man im going to miss that elder. he was the MAN he taught me sooooooo much. im so eternally thankful for him and hope i will get to see him before i head home.
oh ha we also had some fun times before we left nevada too. so i finally met sister houston !! haha the less active in nevada MO. haha too funny she was short just like us !! she is originally from cali. her grandpa is where she got her last name they raised her. she might be a distant relative but i couldnt find any family that i knew that she was realated to. oh and  also my last sunday in nevada met a leavitt too !! he was related to some houstons too. some of his family is from vegas too. he called it something else like another town out there like mesquite or something... anyway that was fun. 
 
so i got on the transfer loop and got to see alot of good ol missionary friends ha including elder treasure!!!!! :) i got to say bye!! it was so sad he got all teary eyed.. man i love that little man! he is going to be a prophet some day. so i will get to see him again ahah. that was great.
so my new area is pretty cool. there are some way cool members and a ton of work that needs to be done. like they just have not had the work done. we were talking to a member at a dinner last night and she was crying saying how she has her grand daughter that wants to be baptized and she is scared to let the missionaries teach her because her daughter, the mom is not a fan of the church and the past missionaries have not been the greatest. :( and its really sad, because one of them was my old companion from pawhuska elder hamlin the one that did not like rules. i felt so sorry for her. that should never happen ever!! it just made me want to work so hard and be so much better. my companion that i have now is a older, new missionary. he only been out for like 3 transfers and he is like 23 or 24. his past companions and him didnt get along very well. he liked to tell his trainner what to do and then his second one, the one i just replaced was not super with rules or working. haha he is a good elder and wants to work hard. me and him have had a pretty good start ha. he was kind enough to tell me how to manage my diabetes!!! haha mom you probably know how i took that haha.. but i didnt say anything. im trying really hard to be patient and full of charity.
the Lord knows what i am suppose to learn from him and i dont... so im hoping i will be humble enough to listen to Him and Heavenly Father. ha but in the mean time if any one has pointers on how to cope with a very controlling companion, my ears are all open haha colten or chase or dad you know my email haha. HEY speaking of you dad... if i remember right you owe me a letter. i sent my card. haha cant wait to hear from ya... soon.. haha. oh and i been meaning to write bishop rogers and sister rogers tell them so sorry and that i will try to send one out soon, love them and miss them.
but ya, so these past few days have been fun meeting new amazing people of Lebanon MO. oh and its not as close to springfield as i thought. its actually close to my very first area !! i got to see the elders that are serving there! ha they said they still talk about me there ahah. i thought that was pretty cool :) made me feel like a good missionary ha. i know mom you tell me i am all the time and thank you so much, but its nice to hear it from.. well not just your mother  every once in a while haha...
OH so cool... so i met a family out here that are long time arizona valley livers ha. they have alot of family and history in az. like there family was one of the ones that brigham young sent to settle there. his mother was just in the news there for turning 100. the same time az. did like in febuary they are so awesome !! ha
well sorry for the boring email. this is just whats been going on. getting settled in again. everyone thinks this is where i will be staying for a while. so we will see. haha thanks mom for the doggy story. ha loved it and cant wait for the big letter. its so wierd to think that kenric and sister shelley are home now ha.
 
i love you all so much thanks for everything and the letters. i finally was able to get some of the Christmas cards i made sent off haha... realllly late ha sorry hope you like them. talk to you next week !!!!
love elder houston!
 

OH WOW...VERY SPECIAL EMAIL

I hope with all my heart that everyone will read and remember this email and remember your families and love them
 
Elder Houston's email:
January 21, 2013
 
hey family!!! 
  i dont have much time but i wanted to just email you all and tell you how much i love you sooooooooo much.
if there was anything that i could narrow down and say, the most important thing that i gained from my mission, it would have to be the extrodinary love that i have gained for my family. 
in all the times of trouble and tribulations the ups and downs you have been my steady anchor always steadfast the blessing i will always have for time and all eternity. oh and how greatful i am for that and that made possible through the restoration of the church and even further more because of the atonening sacrifice that our Lord and King made for us to open the gates to enernal life.
all through my mission i have had reminders of things that happened through my life that have shown me time and time again of your tenderness and kindness to me and others. especially you mom and dad. the hidden expresions of your love for us kids are intertwined in our lifes and memories and will forever be there to lift us when we are down and build us stronger when we are up. when the very bells of hell are ringing and times of hardship rein down upon us, we will turn to each other and come close together like armies of stripling warriers. covering each opening or weak point that we each have with our sheilds of truth and righteousness and of each of our strengths protecting each other from the firie darts and blows from the adversary. as we continue to work together and with the Lord as our master and chief we can make it through anything and we have so far :).
im so greatful for the gospel that builds us and keeps us close so that we can keep safe. the gospel truly has in innumerable ways blesses families. i know this with every bit and peice of me heart. im so greatful for my mission opening my eyes to this eternal truth and i pray that i may never cover my eyes or turn them from this. and i am soo thankful for everyone that made it possible for me to be out here and of course, im so blessed and greatful for our wonderful, fantastic, imperfect but yet so perfect family :) that my Heavenly Father allowed me to be a part of.
i love you so much!!! thank you for everything!! hope you have an awesome week and cant wait to talk to you next week !
 love elder houston
 
love ya 
dad
mom
shalyse
chase
kael
claire
tori
tyler
hunter
anthony
and all others !!