THE BEST TWO YEARS

Elder Houston's email:

August 27, 2012

 

hey family hows it going!!!!!

   so this week was really awesome!! we got to teach so many different people!!! like the missionary lessons. not the stuff that we just come up with for a spiritual thoughts or any of that the good stuff!! so wednesday we were ask to teach an indepth lesson of the plan of salvation to the EARLY MORNING seminary class. it was soo cool to be at the other end of the desk this time and see how i was in seminary and how badly i wish i could go back! i love the youth so much!!! my p blessing was dead on about that haha. they are so fun and awesome. i can honestly say it was the best plan of salvation discusion i have ever had! i learned so much preparing for it and all i keep thinking was man i wish i knew this stuff at there age. haha im sure i was taught it, time and time again. it just went in one ear and out the other ha.

 

we also got to teach the restoration of the gospel to like two new people that we are going to start teaching now! too cool ha. one of them is this guy named joe. he is, if you remember that lady i taught forever and she finally got baptized, like couple months ago. her name was courtnie. anyway joe is her boyfriend well now her future husband. they getting married now. he had been looking into the church i guess for a while now and courtnie has been talking with him a ton and now he is wanting to join! so we started teaching him and we are going to set a date with him this next week! so awesome!!!

 

we also got to meet up with an old investigator of mine and got her back on track and she is wanting to be baptized too! i dont think i will be around for either of them, but if the missionaries that come back into chesterfield keep with them, i know it will happen. there are going to be alot of missionaries coming out this transfer so i think chesterfield is going to get there own missionaries again :/ kinda sad.... but its been fun!

 

so this sunday was this kids farewell jarom peterson is his name im pretty sure he is going to be like an apostle haha... he is a better missionary then me and he has not even left yet haha... he so awesome. but he talked this sunday and it was cool to see him and all that he has done to prepare. it brought alot of things to my memory of back at home. one of them was an expirience me and hunter had. i dont think i recognized it at the time, but when i thought about it yesterday, i know it was a huge factor in my decision to serve a mission. but this was also a spiritual time for hunter i think. so before you share this with any one ask hunter if it is ok with him.

  so it was back when me and him were staying in the same room. so it was a while ago. not sure when tho. but we were watching the movie the "the best two years", and it came to the part in the movie when the elder and his companion had got done fasting and had the phone call to meet with that guy at there apartment. he came over and they got him to sit down and they talked about the restoration. the older elder finally realized why he had come on a mission. the spirit was so strong in the movie and in our room i just remember crying along with the elders and i looked at hunter and he was as well. im sure he felt the same way as me, and that i didnt know why i was crying. i just knew i was happy and a peaceful feeling come over me. i now realize that it was the spirit baring powerful witness to me and hunter that the restoration is true. that the message that the missionaries were saying in the movie was true. that this work truely is the Lords work upon the earth and how important it is. that feeling has returned time and time again proving that to me it is true and right! it really is the Best two years and im so eternally greatful to be able to be here now and for hunter putting that movie in that night so the spirit could witness to us those truths.. i love ya brother ! treasure those expirences, as well as you my wonderful family. when times of doubt trial or confusion come into your lifes remember what the spirit has taught you, for you cannot change that for the spirit teaches what is true! (moroni 10: 3-5) such a blessing that our Father has given to us:). and if you have not had such a witness yet, pray, ask, "knock" and it shall be given you. i know these thing to be true and say them in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

 i love you all and glad all is going well ill talk to you all next tuesday!!

love elder houston

SERVICE AND POWER OF THE PRIESTHOOD

Pictures are just a few random ones that i put on so you could see Elder Houston.

I believe most of them are from when he was in springfield last year. Enjoy that cute face!!!!

 

Elder Houston's email:

August 20, 2012

 

hey family hows it going !!

 

so this was a pretty fun week!!! we got to do a ton of service and had an awesome zone meeting and interviews!!!! i love pres shumway. its so awesome to get two way cool mission pres. both are totally different but both called of God.

    so we had a couple big service opporrtunities this week. one was we helped this new family move into the ward and holy cow they had a ton of stuff haha. but they are such a cool family and we got to know them a little bit and their family. the other thing we get to do was some tough work too. its been a while since i have got to do some real hard labor haha. it was kind of nice to get down in the dirt ha or this case the cement. we helped this member lay some concrete down to make a path and a ramp so that this guy could get into his house, he is in a wheel chair. and i dont mean to toot my own horn but we did a pretty good job haha. oh man and i totally got to cruise around on riding lawn mower again this week haha so fun! we went over to one of our investigators houses. he is really sick. he has alot of health problems especially with his lungs. he is on oxygen and we go over and teach him and mow his lawn its fun. so alot on service this week. we also got to serve people through the preisthood too. we got to give two really powerful blessings it was so cool.

   one was to a little boy. he has no arms and scolioces and a bunch more health difficulties. he was going in to have sergury this week and the mother and father are friends to some memebers in our ward. oh and they are not members. so the family that is in our ward asked if they would like a blessing. they agreed to it and we all met at there house. we got to talk to them about the preisthood and how blessings work. they were really nice and had such strong faith. we gave the boy a blessing and you could defiantly feel the power of the spirit in the room. afterwards they had more questions and we got to talk to them a little bit more. this sunday we talked to the members and they said that they were soo curious now and are wanting to know more! they have not commited to lessons but i think they will soon we are going to stop by again this week.

   the other blessing we gave was last night and man it  was such a awesome day ! so we cover two wards now so we have church at 830 then go till 1130 then go to lunch and go back at 230 until 530 haha its a lot of church but it so awesome they are both really strong wards and this sunday the spirit was especially strong and the lessons were so awesome!! and not to mention we had a less active guy finally come and and investigator too it was sweet.

 but anyway, so we are still getting use to having a car and how it needs GAS haha.... so saturday we forgot to fill up cuz we got in late and we were on E. we thought eh we will be ok we just have to go to church. well that didnt go as planned haha we ended up having a big lunch that we drove too and i got chocolate milk all over my suit so had to drive back and change suits haha and then back to church. then we had a dinner to drive too. it was at the edge of our area haha and in the hills so climbing UP haha.. oh man we thought for sure we were going to run out. then just before dinner we got a call that some one from another ward needed a blessing. that she was not a member, but he was a less active guy. the hospital was clear on the other side of town. but we knew we had to go. so we said a silent pray in our hearts the whole way and some how we made it. we had no idea until now, but she was soo badly hurt. she had fallen from the deck of her house 20 feet and on too rocks. it hurt me just to see her and how broken she was. with our stregthend faith, with our prayers answered knowing now why Heavenly Father made it possible for us to make it there, we gave her the blessing. even though i dont know what is going to happen. by the comfort and peace i felt there, i know she will be alright.

   it was such a testimony builder to me to see that if the Lord needs something done He WILL make it possible. we could have stopped and got gas but i know that this experience would have not been the same. it was a reafferming to my testimony that our Father in Heaven does hear and knows each of us and loves us more then we could possible imagine . its also a testimony that the priesthood is real! and that with and through it we do His will and bless lives. i love you all soooo much

 

love elder houston

AWESOMENESS!!!!! A CAR AGAIN.....

A new Transfer week and Elder Houston is staying in Springfield with Elder Taggart.... i will get on him about sending pictures soon....

 

Elder Houston's email

August 6, 2012

 

Holy moly!!!!!!!! such an awesome week !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  so i dont even know where to start ! so ill start first by saying i totally forgot to tell you this week was transfer calls .. dont worry im staying haha and so is my comp! which is awesome cuz i love this guy!. ok so we got the call and it was elder treasure ha he is the new AP but we were like wait why you calling if no one is staying or going. oh man such a change. so they are taking the missionaries out of chesterfield!! crazy huh ya. but thats not all haha..... so they made it a part of our area! haha so i cover chesterfield again!! so now we cover the entire bottom half and some of springfield!. oh it doesnt end there haha we get ..... a CAR!! woooo haha no more biking in record braking tempts! haha so crazy. so now we cover there ward and all there investigators and all our ward and investigators. its so cool. pres merkley and shumway are defiantly in tune! at first i thought oh i guess i was just needed in southern hills and its good for my health stuff but little did i know that the Lord had a plan. he knew this would happen and that he would need some one who would know the areas and people. and its so crazy because pres shumway and merkley didnt exchange any info they couldnt, your not aloud. so it was pure and divine beautiful inspiration. man i love this work! haha so cool! we are going to be sooo busy and time is just going to fly by. its sad to know that we are lacking in missionaries though. there are so many men and women that have no idea what they are missing the joy so much to the consumming of your flesh!! i have known no truer happyness then this.

 we got to go over to talk with courtnie, that lady i taught for 7 months who was just baptized and so much change has happend all around her. she is so happy her family has changed sooo much. they all get along so much more and to see how much at peace they are. her daughter is now learning more. when before she use to fight with her mom that she would NEVER be a mormon. and now courtnie is getting married to an awesome guy who is now really investigating the church and his daughter. it is the ripple effect of the gospel. so beautful to be able to whitness. i truely felt that i was just a small pebble that didnt do much in my mission but as the ripples have traveled and time has gone by i was bless by the Lord to be able to see the effects of what i and many others have done. and truely how great is my joy. the scriptures have proved themselfs again D&C 18:15 ha. so future missionaries you are needed it is never too late to go. i have had wonderful time meeting missionaries of all ages. our district leader is 25 so get ready to go you will never regret it. the Lord will bless you and you will have so much fun and learn soooo much and become spiritual physically mentally straigthened. i know this to be true with all my heart and am a living witness to it

 i love you all sooooo much. i totally want to see anthanys pictures!! oh and i wrote to john and kim this last week. i so happy all went well with the blessing.

 talk to you next week and ill prob write you too talk to you later

love elder houston

BOOK OF MORMON BLESSES OUR LIVES

Elder Houston's email:

July 24, 2012

 

hey hows it going family !

 sorry this might be a rushed letter.. alot happend this week it was great!. so last week we got all those referrals. well they just kept coming after that haha.. most of them were old ones but we contacted 10 !! haha it was awesome 2 of them became new investigators and are way nice. one is this dude from bolgaria or how ever that is spelt... he has a cool acsent.. he is a truck driver too ha... so hopefully i can relate to him a lil. dad you might need to help me on that one haha. we also finally got to meet with an investigator we had not seen in a while. it was an amazing lesson the spirit was with us every step of the way. it was like alma and amulek... we could desern her very thoughts. she felt it was God talking to her. she told us some of the stuff she is going through and how she is ready to start the long journy to true repentance. it was so cool. it was a baring witness to me again the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ and how through him we can be lifted from ANY burden we have. that we CAN with out a doubt be cleansed from our imperfections that bring us sadness.

   the rest of the week went really well haha on saturday our ward mission leader fed us and he is from gana africa and he fed us one of his africa dishes haha it was PEANUTBUTTER SOUP! hahah sounds wierd huh! it acually was not too bad i kinda liked it. haha.

   so the reason im emailing tuesday is because yesterday we had this new thing that the mission headquarters wants us to start doing its like just a zone training thing... anyway it was kinda like a mini zone conferance. it was sooooooo awesome the spirit was there so strong at the meeting. it was about the book of mormon and how important it truly is. how all the prophets like mormon and moroni gave the entire like and went through soo much to make sure that we would have this sacred book to help us. they saw our day and new the things we would go through. pres. shumway wants all of us to use the book of mormon to resolve peoples concerns and to relate to them. we put up all these senariose that some people would have and each one we were able to relate some thing in the book of mormon to then and help resolve their conserns it was such a testimony to me the divinity and power of the book of mormon. everything we go through in this life there is ALWAYS some thing in the book of mormon that can help us and bless our lives. it truely is the words of God through prophets that are all for our blessing and help. i also learned a wonderful and really cool truth that i never saw before. i am a living whitness that the book of mormon IS another testiment of our Lord. i know with all my heart that the Savior died for us that He is the living Son of our Heavenly Father. the book of mormon was the only book i have ever read front to cover. my testimony came from reading the book mormon because it is all i read before! i hope that made sence it was really cool to see that and know that my testimony of the Savior came from reading it and praying and that was just yet another reaffermering witness that this wonderfull book is true!.

    it was an awesome week love you tons

elderhouston

HE WILL ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS

Elder Houston's email:

July 16, 2012

 

i love ev'r last one yu'ns! haha hey family hows it going !

anthony is tearing it up back there going through the temple!!!! wooo! thats so crazy it has come so fast !! ha hopefully you all been able to gett everything ready in time. im so excited for him! he will love a mission ya needs to remember stick with it. it will have loads of ups and downs but just stick with it and it will get better and better its going to be great !! i cant wait to get to email another elder or sister of the family ! ha tori and colten helped me so much and now im here for him if he ever needs anything i will do my best.

well everything sounds to be going well. the Lord is defiantly watching out for us. He truly is every time money seems to be going tight the Lord places people is our paths here that help us out. we had a member that was from utah that was visiting us gave us 20 bucks and these people wont take no. we cant except money as an answer hahah.. God bless each of them tho. it has been such a blessing to feel there love and the Saviors through each of them.

so im still trying to get use to missouri again. trying to get use to the majority of the population hating us haha at least once a day or every other day we have some one flip us off.. yell terrible things at us as they drive by or just treat us so rudely! its so funny on preparation day we have been wearing normal cloths lately and no one says anything. but as soon as we back in the proselyting clothes they go back to the yelling and cursing.. haha but its all good. the Lord always sends some random person to lift us up when we are down.

 like this week we had some random trucker honking his horn waving at us down the street ahaha.. he was funny and that one light of kindness brightens our whole week. it really shows you how one little act of kindness can create a ripple effect of so much good. the Lord did say love one anther and that is like unto the greatest of all commandments, which is to love the Lord thy God. oh it was so cool to seen another working of the the Lord and Heavenly Father it has strengthened my testimony in prayer. if you pray and ask and it is the will of the Father, He WILL answer your prayers. so on wednesday we had district meeting and it was mostly about finding and really stressed on finding even when we have people to teach. so that if or when  our area, every one you were teaching gets baptized you still have people to teach. we have like no one in our teaching pool. so we have been trying and trying to find people but not much has been happening. then the other night as i was preparing my talk for sunday i read in preach my gospel and i got the impression to pray and ask to find new people to teach. then those very next days and even today we got 5 referrals!  plus the couple we got in our package from pres three more so we now have 8 referrals to go contact! and i dont know how tori mish was but if you ask her that is A LOT haha he didnt make it set in stone that we just got new people to teach, but he left it up to us now to use our agency to go see them and find them and see if they are wanting to learn more. it was so awesome.

oh and my talk went well too i was suppose to talk for 5 to 10 mins and i couldnt stop talking and went for 20 min haha it didnt feel like it was that long. well that is all i got time for today. i love you all so much and will keep praying for work. and congrats anthony!! can wait for ya ha good luck with your talks! you will do great i know it . talk to ya next week ! love ya!! have a great week and have fun laugh and enjoy each day with love to everyone!

love elder houston

I WILL SERVE WITH ALL MY HEART

Elder Houston's email:

July 10, 2012

 

hey family!

 so it sounds like all going pretty well there and happy birthday mother dearest!!! it sounded like you had a pretty fun birthday ! wish i could have been there too rain check till next year ;) haha. so they made a new spiderman huh i seen it all over walmart haha.. that might be another one i need to put on my must see when i get home list. and anthony going through the temple!!! holy cow so awesome man he is so close ! i wish i could be there but ill see him when he gets back and we can go again ha. i was looking in the newest ensign and it looks like his mission just got a new mission pres too pretty cool. oh one thing i would do different i was just thinking of this last night. i would get sheets for a full bed. because as long as i have been out i have only had one twin size bed so my sheets never fit haha. so get a little bigger and they will still fit if you have a twin too. but any way ha too cool im way pumped for him. oh and i just got 4 letters yesterday from my family!! so thank you!! you all rock!!

   soo this week was so awesome full of spiritual confirmations as well as fun lessons to learn. so i dont got much time and im under the weather today so i will just pick a few of the things that happend this week. and save the rest for another time.

so it was on thursday day and we were just coming in from ridding forever in the hot sun ha we looked pretty beat up and we just got flipped off again in the intersection on the way back to our apartment for dinner ha and yelled at and i was a little down and kind of mad. as we were going through this grocery store parking lot this guy pulls up in his car and yells," hey!, are you mormons?" i was like oh great here we go ha and elder taggert didnt know he stopped me so he kept riding. so i said yes. he ask if i was on a mission, i said yes. he said he was a therapist and he saw people who were depressed all day and it was nice to see some people going out and serving our God. ha i was really surprised haha usually people yell at us and say that we should go home and read the bible haha. so it was nice to find some one that said OUR God. but as he was saying this he took out his wallet and said i have some thing for you. he busted out a hundred dollar bill! i told him thank you so much but we cant accept money haha he said sure ya can and just gave it too me ha i told him thank you and he said no thank you. by this time elder taggert came riding back and the guy got out another hundred!! and gave it to him and said here you have one too haha he told us to go and have our selves a good meal on him. it was such an amazing feeling all the times that we have been yelled at or cursed at, this one kind person made it ALL worth it. well we went on with the night as normal with that little kick in our step haha. well later that night we had to go to walmart to get some pictures for that next day when we met pres and sister shumway. as we were going along we passed this homeless guy that was sleeping in the grass at a buss stop. the thought poped in my head, hey you should give that dude your 100. haha so i stopped and told elder taggert i said we should probably talk to him first. so we did we found out that he was drunk beyond drunk. when we woke him up he was kinda pissed at first but calmed down ha. as we were talking to him he just got up and started peeing on this bush behind him! hahaha it was so funny ! and this was like on a really busy street ha. but as we sat with him and he told us the same story over and over and tried playing his guitar we finally got to pray with him. after i finished the prayer he got angry with us again and told us not to look at him like that! he picked up this cane that he had and said he was going to hit some one ! haha i was getting ready to dart but just then he started to cry and said he didnt want to hit anyone. we got to talk to him a little more and by the end he said that he really loved us we gave him a book of mormon he said he would read it and then gave him the money. he didnt even look how much it was. it was so cool. he was just so thankful for our help and love.

 as we were sitting there the Lord portrayed a vision of when he was with the poor and as he was ministering to them. i couldnt help but cry as i felt the spirit so strong and how it was a reaffirming testimony to me that i am an agent of the Lord how as a missionary we are to be representative of him. i saw the vision the Lord wants us to see and know that we are here to help all of our brothers and sisters to find Him and to have happiness. the man might not remember anything we talked to him about but i know he will remember the kindness and the love the Lord was able to show through us. i know i will never forget it and maybe that all that he wanted to happen. it was a wonderful experience to be able to be a part of ...i thank the Lord each day for these things i have seen and learned on my mission. they are laying a wonderful foundation of a testimony that i know He lives and is alive in this work each day and that our Father loves each one of us and knows our trials. 

 the next day was even a more wonderful day or just as we got to meet our new mission pres and his wife and two kids that still live with them. He is with out a doubt here for us and is called by our Heavenly Father. haha He made sure that i new that with out a doubt in my mind confirmation after confirmation i felt and saw. like i have been having a hard time feeling the spirit like i use too. i think from all that happend last few transfers ago and so i felt that i should ask pres shumway if he would give me a blessing to help. and before i could even ask he gave us all a blessing and said exactly what i needed to hear. this was only one of the many things that i was given an answer too, as we all got to meet him. it was defianlty a tender mercy of the Lord to tell us all with out a shout of a doubt that He called pres and sister shumway for all of us and those in the tulsa oklahoma mission. 

 it was an awesome week and im ready and spiritually fed to continue to do my best to serve with all my heart. thanks again for all your letters i loved them!! i will talk to you all next week! remember joshua 24:14-15 "serve the Lord in sincerity and in truth.. choose you this day whom ye will serve... for ME, [i] will serve the Lord!! woo not some day but this day and all days! i love this work and i love you all !! talk to you later !! love you!! 

love ,

 elder houston 

NEW MISSION PRESIDENT....NEW AREA

Hopefully i will get some pictures soon from his new area and mission President Shumway...

 

Elder Houston's email:

July 2, 2012

 

hey family !

 

sorry this going to be short email. the email thing for our new mission pres got all changed around so i just trying to figure it out and now i running low on time. but all is well in my new area we had transfers on tuesday this transfer instead of the usual thursday. i think it was because the new pres coming. but so i got up at 4:00 am! to drive all the way to the transfer loop then left at 6:30 am and the assistance needed me to drive the loop on the south side ha so i got to drive for the first time in like 10 or 11 months. it was kinda scary but i guess its like riding a bike. because i still can do it. so that was fun tho.. i got to go all around the mission and see so many of all my mtc district and all my old comps!. i saw elder treasure!!!! haah he is still short haha and he had a present for me! i love that man haha. he also like i totally told him he would when we were companions that he would become an assistant to the pres and he did this transfer! so now i get to see him every zone conference and maybe other times as well! so i guess it comes with being an older missionary but it was so weird seeing all the missionaries at transfers because alot of them i didnt know and they knew me? like they said hey elder houston and im like heyyy haha and they say i have not met ya but heard alot about you haha i hope its all good what they hear ha.. but it was a testimony to me that i need to watch all that i do and say it was a good feeling to know that they all know me for good reasons tho... a really good feeling. makes me always even after the mission make sure like it says hornor my father and mother. so when people hear my name it is all for good reasons. it talks about that in my p blessing any way it was cool.

but ya so i got to the end of my loop and met my new comp. elder taggert is his name.. he just got done being trained and he is from a town of 900 people in colorado haha he is awesome.. he funny and is always laughing which i am loving it just makes it so hard not to have a great time all the time. we are geting along way great and the area is so awesome. they doing loads of lessons and have had so many baptisms. it was so awesome sunday too because i got to see people from the chesterfield ward, which was my last last area. and im going to see courtnie today !!!!! im so excited she was the lady i was teaching for 7 months and finally was baptized a couple weeks ago! its been a great week and im really excited to get back to being crazy busy ! this friday we will also get to meet pres shumway and his wife which im really looking forward too. well i got to go,,, oh man i almost forgot haha mom you would have beat me up too,,, ha my new address is.. 4347 south weller apt. number B50 springfield, mo 65804.

well i love you all and hopefully i will have some good stories to tell ya when i get back next week.. cant wait to hear from yall and glad you all had fun in texas!!

love elderhouston

CLOSING PAWHUSKA....TRANSFERS

Elder Houston's email:

June 25, 2012

hey family !! ,

   so we got transfer calls.... i better tell you that first . haha so president always seems to send me for a loop ha. so im going back to springfield missouri!!! not the same area but the ward right next to it haha.. the same district ! like i will see everyone in chesterfield. soo wierd! haha president came to church with us yesterday for some reason. but i got to ask him. like if he forgot that i just came from there haha .but he did and said it was going to be fun haha. so i was like ok ..whatever you say haha. it will be so awesome to get to see everyone again and alot of the people that i knew already from my area too. and courtnie just got baptized too finally!! :)!! so i will get too congratulate her in person now! and usually in our mission when you become a district leader you stay one or go to zone leader. but this transfer i going back down again. i a senior again which its all good. i really enjoyed being a DL it will be nice to get to less up on the stress and just focus on teaching. which i really need. i have not taught very much these past two transfers. but it will be interesting to see how long i there again. ha if i there for 7 and half months again i might be there for christmas again haha weird huh. but cool!!!

 i dont have my address yet sorry... i been pretty busy with alot of stuff this week. like gettting the area ready to close and getting ready to leave and i taught a lesson friday for the stake youth conference and then sunday i taught the Gospel doctrine class too ha lots of stuff. its been fun though. haha the catholic father daigle haha.. he is so funny he is like way sad that we are leaving. he really likes us alot haha. he said he going to cry. he is so going to be a member. if not in this life in the spirit world he even said that we can do baptisms for him when he dies hahah its kinda funny. but i really think he would join the church if he was not so bread catholic through and through like and all his family and ancestors. but ya never know with the Gospel anything possible. he is such a great man. all the people we have met here are so wonderful so many seeds where planted here and they WILL grow i know it..

 i will talk to you next week and send you my address or i will write you when i get there tomorrow. im driving the transfer loop for some reason ..the assistance wants me to. oh!! and i totall knew he would.... but elder treasure is the new assistance! haha so i will get too see him alot more now!!! woooooo haha. it will be cool.

oh so ya the youth conference was really a cool thing we did this week. it was all on missionary work and missions. all the youth got mission calls and we tought them the first lessons and how to prepare to go and it was soo perfect for me because i got asked to talk on how to prepare spiritually to go on a misson and thats what bishop was wanting me to talk to our boys about haha.. so i got it all ready now haha funny how the Lord makes those things work out:). it was cool to see all the young men and women talking and asking about a mission and they all got learn so much stuff.. i wish i new or at least would have been nice to know it was way cool to be able to help and feel the spirit testifying that the choices they were thinking of making are so true and that it is His work. i really enjoyed it. im really sad a year has already come and gone but i know the best is only yet to come.

well im glad you all got to get together to see colten wish i could have been there too. haha and it sounds like everyone is have a blast :) thats great thats a good family get away. oh!! randy!! please tell him thank you for the money he sent me at christmas! i been trying to write him but i keep fogeting and i never had his address tell him i said thanks. and tell steve happy b day !! too. hhaha ya they got lots of those frog here too! i love oklahoma its sooo beautiful!! like huge rolling hills with like ranches and wild horses i love it its a way different beauty ha then arizona. and man its getting way hot here too this week in the 100s and wayy humid i never stop sweating hah especially on bikes.

well i got to get going sorry about no address ill write ya as soon as i can kk and love ya so much keep having a blast for me!! :)

love yall!!! talk toyou later bye!!

love elder houston

Father Daigle....possible Mormon someday.....

COME UNTO HIM.....AND BE FOUND

WELCOME HOME ELDER COLTEN HOUSTON...JOB WELL DONE!!

 

Elder Houston's email:

June 18, 2012

 

hey family hows it going !,

   so i got elder houstons departing email.. it was awesome!!! thank you so much for sending that too me. the gospel is such a beautiful thing. and serving a mission and even just living to the fullness of our potential in the gospel of Jesus Christ helps us feel of that un dieing love that our Heavenly Father has for us.

  Elder Koelliker said in conference that,"the feeling of love from our Heavenly Father is like a gravitational pull from heaven. As WE remove the distraction that pull us toward the world and exercise our agency to seek Him, we open our hearts to a celestial force which draws us toward Him". Living our lives in harmony with the Lords gospel and teachings. and showing our love for him be keeping His commandments, is a shear fire way to be pulled into the arms of our Father in Heaven for guidance, protection, and eternal life of happiness, which is the greatest gifts that the creator of all things, could give to us. and like Elder Houston said He is waiting for us to come to Him.

 i read in this ensign once of this perfect analogy that helped me understand this princible. it talked of a mother and father that were playing hide and seek with there little children. as they would run to hide and the children would listen carefully to there foot steps they would purposely leave clues to where they went. they would be sure to leave the door open or a foot visible where they were hidding. or at often times they would hide in the same place more then once so that the children would know that if she found them there once she could go there again to find them. the parents said that we wanted them to search for us, but we also wanted to be found. that is the same with our Father in Heaven. He wants us to excersice our faith. because what happens when you exsercise ? you get stronger. i bear my testimony along with Elder Houstons that our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us we are His children. He wants to be found by each of us. with his arms of eternal love wide open waiting to" embrace each of us and say with that quite, still but piercing voice, "i love you"." im so greatful for you all for that heaven designed plan for families that show us all the love He has for us. i love you soooooo much ! and Elder Houston! for setting the example for each of us and being a witness of the truth of this beautiful gospel ! ill see you in a year ! well i guess i will see all you in a year! haha but until then i will continue to , ".. embark in the service of God, and see that i serve Him with all my heart, might, mind, and strength,..( D&C 4). these things i say in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

 sorry didnt get to say much about this week just know all is well and that im doing great transfer calls are this saturday and i got all my meds so no worries about anything i will right you today and let you know more if anything need too. OH and tell dad HAPPY FATHERS DAY! I LOVE HIM!!! and i sent my card late sorry haha talk to ya later.

love elder houston     

FROLIC IN WHEAT FIELDS???

I would have never known that my son would have known what Frolic meant....believe me... he was on drugs.... good drugs!!! haha ( oh no...he got the drugs the next day)... he has some explaining to do...frolic? really....

 

Elder Houston's email

June 11, 2012

 

hey family,

 so its week ending of 6/10/12 and man it was pretty slow ha. but first things first. so i got your letters thanks for them the were huge! :) i wrote hunter and tori too the dang mail man doesnt pick up mail at our house some times and this week he didnt all week so theirs just got sent off today.

   so sunday sounded like so much fun ! i miss those days and tori making pancakes!! niiice... when i get back i will try to join in with my GF crapes and it will be a breakfast balooza!! haha. i love breakfast mmmm. ha tori going to have to teach me some of her cooking skills that she has learned. one thing i have learned alot about is like health foods and stuff there is a ton of natural eater people out here. like never in my life would i have ever drank almond milk! ew but i had some a while back and it not too bad just a little price so doesnt help me ha. oh! and i learned that blue berries help people with there memory as they get older !! haha there is hope for us mom!! ha there sure is alot of weird stuff out there that i never thought of eating that apparently it is really good for ya like aloe haha there is aloe juice! any way ya sounded like a good sunday. and no i dont think i have ever played that game it doesnt sound familiar. haha chase always wins. haha i found out if you cant beat him just join him haha in cahoots ;).

   so this week was pretty slow a couple things did happen though. the reason it was so slow was i went to the doctor first... bad choice ha. but first on wednesday my district had our first exchange so i got to know elder buckley a little better we stayed in pawhuska. we had district meeting in indpendence kansas, so i got to go to kansas for the first time. apparently pawhuska covers parts there. but ya it all looks about the same. but fields and fields of WHEAT! hah i just wanted to go frolic through it and eat it all!! but that was fun. its an hour there and hour back! so that took up most the day.

  then thursday came around and thats when it all went so wrong haha ok not really, but it was not to fun. so i dont know if i ever told you but back in my last area we were playing b ball and this HUGE dude jumped and landed on my toe. and its had been bugging me ever since. here in pawhuska we walk quite a bit so it started hurt a lil more, so i went in to this members doctor office he is like doctor chang back at home, he just does it all i guess. well he checked my a1c cuz i wanted to make sure it was good before i did anything and if i need perscription, i can get them from him now so no worries about that anymore. any way so he said well if its bugging you i can just cut it out, like that one i had done before i left for the mission. i said ok because that was not too bad. well this one apparently was worse he was sticking the needle in and it hit something...... and thats where all the infection was and why it was hurting and man that killed!! blood was going everwhere haha it was like war zone. he finally got the darn thing out and choped it up like last time. but man it hurt and for some reason it made me sooo sick. haha i grabed his trash and puked in it haha i felt bad but i got real white and almost passed out he said ha. i just laid there while the lady raped it up. he gave me perscriptions for some pain killers and anti boitics and sent me on my way. so i guess the pain killers he gave me was lortabs and those are terrible!! they made me sooo sick! ha and dizzy i puke them up real quick ha so i was out for thursday and friday i felt so bad for my companion ha by saturday i had to call him and figure something out. this dang thing has been a pain the rest of the week. tho but now its under control i hope ha. so ya that was the high light of this week ha sorry not the most exciting and spiritual ha but its at least under control and no more pukeing and my sugars not wigging out from the meds. haha and i cant wear a shoes for a few days and apparantly missionaries get this done alot and they just wear sandals. haha and mom you know how much i hate them things ha so instead i got a wheel chair and a rope and my companion going to pull me around haha...:) 

    so that was my week this week i know will be much better so stay tuned for next week. im glad there has been more work with dad. and i hope you all have fun in texas. give colten a hug for me ! ill look for my contacts this week and let you know.

love you all so much !! talk to ya next week!

love elder houston

 

KEEP ON WORKING

Elder Houston's email:

June 4, 2012

 

hey !!

   hows it going ! so it finally came!!!! too crazy Atlanta Georgia!! so cool! thats where dung went! oh man hes going to love it soo much haha. i wish i new where that was on a map haha .wheres that next too? too cool im so excited for him. i talked to colten via email and make thats so crazy this is his last week!!!!! ha i bet his mom and dad are getting excited!! haha i keep having these dreams that i am done with my mission like where i am at now and im like tripping out because i cant remember the last year of my mission. like on that movie click when he fast forwards and he doesnt remember anything that happened. it was scary! im afraid that is going to happen. so i am going to make sure i do everything possible that that does NOT happen and i dont feel like that when i get home!! i think i keep having those dreams because my last companion went home and now pres and sister merkley are going home too :( it was so sad to hear there closing testimonies. im going to miss them soooo much pres merkley. more then i explain in words. but they said they would have a mission reunion so i will get to see them again.

hey there is a couple people from here on missions or going to leave to mesa on a mission soon. an elder oakley and a sister slader. she is at the visiting center tho. so i dont know how that works but any way .

   so this week was a great week. we got alot done it was awesome and the spirit and the Lord taught me sooo much. i felt i have been in the pattern of missionary work. just because i have not been learning as much and now that all this change has been happening i am out and learning so much more again im loving every minute of it !

 so tuesday we had the assistant come out with us to blitz the area. that was such a great time. we got double the work done and the shared some cool stuff with us to get me so pumped to go out and knock every door in this reinky dink town haha. they are both going to be going home soon so they shared some pretty cool experiences with us and helped give us some ideas to help build the area back up. they are great. then friday we had a combine district meeting in bartelsville for interviews and i had to instruct along with the other district leader who was new too. ha he was just as nervous as i was. ha oh man i was nervous.  mainly because i procrastinated my lesson haha as usual and didnt feel ready but as always the Spirit told me what to say and bring up and it ended up being a great meeting. and president and sister merkley said there closing remarks it was awesome pres shared how he first gained a testimony at the age of 18 it was a way cool story im running short on time or i would tell you it. but interview where awesome and he directed me to the section 84 in the doctrine and covenants and made me feel like the best missionary in the world ha. i hope with all might heart that he knows how much i am thankful for ALL he has done for us here and for me individually. he ask me to help pawhuska have its chance to shine. he couldnt close the area unless he knew it had its chance. he asked me to do him that favor. i felt to good and great ful that he trusted me and my companion to give the area that chance. and it was so cool to see that. later that day when we got home we got a new investigator and then that saturday another one, a spanish family. it was really hard to teach them but i know and feel that the Lord will make it possible because of the promise president merkley made me.  it was such a cool feeling to have that unshaking faith in the power of the Lords word and the scriptures. I LOVE THIS WORK ! ha. nothing like it in the world. and im so greatful to know that even after im release from a full time missionary there is still more of it to be done and i get to be a part of it!! woooo!! ha

 well im just about out of time thanks so much for the card mom and the email anthany your going to love your mission soooo much i know it keep up the work. pops and hunter you should defiantly write me hahah i miss yall !! :) ill try and do the same love you! more then i could have put in words ! through the tongues of angels, the spirit, i hope you can feel it, the love i have for you ! talk to you later

love elder houston

 

 The one grocery store in Pawhuska......

 This is the Catholic church that Elder Houston did lots of service and help in the soup kitchen

 The town of Pawhuska

 

HAPPY HUMP DAY.....ONE YEAR LEFT

Hey to all who are trying to keep updated on Elder Houston's mission.... so sorry i have been a slacker.... last time i posted was a couple of months ago..I was having some technical difficulties on his blog and wasnt sure why it was running so bad.. so i finally got it figured out (well shalyse figured it out, since i am not a computer wizard) thanks shalyse!!! and now i will try to get caught up. i am not sure i will go back and post all of his emails. But i will get you all updated with whats been going on right now with him.

Its been a crazy couple months here at home. colten returned home in june from his mission in mexico and we were all able to welcome him back. We also got Anthony sent on his mission to Atlanta Georgia on August 1st and he is now one day away from heading out of the MTC.... Anthony mom is gonna keep a blog going on him if anyone is interested in keeping updated on him.....

Life is grand....so tune in for more updates and pictures.....

 

 

Elder Houston's email:

May 29, 2012

 

HEY!!!

 

 happy memorial day!!!

   and hump day for me!!.. on friday ha it was awesome thanks so much for the package!! it was perfect and i love the "Bahama bucks" haha too funny. it was almost as good as the real deal! haha almost.

  thats awesome you all got to go to the lake! thats all everyone did here too! there are a lot of lakes around these parts. and from what we hear most of them are really clear like powell is. haha i was thinking if i become an assistant to the pres i will have to haul a trailer around all over the place. and maybe hint hint haha i will be able to take the boat out when i get home.:) haha fingers crossed pops :) haha. 

  that is so crazy to think all your kids are graduated mom!!! man pretty soon we will all be moved out!! and you will be empty nesters!!! haha to weird. well tell hunter congrats for me!! it doesnt hit ya until after the summer at least thats how it was for me too!! then it just feels natural after that. like a thing in the past. man and im jealous he can drive for dad now and make some big bucks. there are soo many truck drivers out here. it would have been a great conversation starter to have on a mission. maybe the goverment will let me drive when i get home.

   thats so awesome about landons dad! ya i talk to him quite a bit we just email. ya he is in cali his hump mark is coming up here soon as well!

 speaking of missions no call for anthany man thats crazy haha. he must have really stumped the brothern. haha just kidding.. they just know he will do amazing work whereever he goes, so they just narrowing it down. you will have to let me know asap! dont forget!. haha oh man i dont know if i could wait ha you better hope he doesnt get it until you back from camp mom ha.

   sooo this week was a really good week. it was hot haha thats for sure. it has not rained in pawhuska in sooo long it seems like. but yet its still soo humid ha im not sure how that works but eh oh well. we have been doing alot of contacting and going over the ward list and trying to see all the less actives that live in town because all the active members live out side of town, so it is hard to meet with them to get referrals. but its been nice to just get that opportunity to talk to everyone and the Lord has defiantly put the opportunities there we just have to find that elect person.

we had a pretty cool experience on saturday talking to this lady. so we were going to see these referrals that a member gave us to invite to church and on the way there we rode by this woman sitting on her porch. i kind of thought we should stop and talk to her but, i just brushed it off and said na she doesnt want to talk to us she is probably in a bad mood. she look pretty deep in thought. well we just kept on going and went and saw the referral. we ended up going to the wrong house, but no one answered so we left back down the street passing that lady again. when the thought popped in my head again, this time with full force almost as if God yelled it in my ear too look at her and she looked so sad then and i felt almost as if i was being guided or force around to go talk with her . so immediately stopped and turned around. she really did look down in the dumps like some thing was wrong. so we talked to her. ha i told her she looked like she needed a friend to talk to haha. i could only imagine what she was thinking. but she just said she was contemplating life. we talked to her a little bit and then offered her a book of mormon. said it could help with the contemplating. she turned it down and laughed and said she was a Jehovah witness. haha which they normally flee at the sight of the mormons around here so its kinda funny. we all laughed and she told us she was comfortable with her faith. we told her that was totally fine and said it was good to see her smiling now and left. it was such cool experience. even though she didnt take to the gospel it was so awesome to be able to make her smile and hopefully made her day a little better. and who knows maybe we just planted a seed. it was just so cool to feel that love for her that through the holy ghost i was able to feel just a smidge of the love that our Father in Heaven has for that woman. that being a complete stranger to her i felt sadness to see her so down and it made me want so bad to help her with anything. it gave me a different testimony of the power of the Holy Ghost and that as saints who have that blessing should use that gift to spreads Gods love. and it renewed my faith and testimony that we really do have a loving Father in Heaven who loves us sooooo much, each of us, individually, and wants so much for our happiness. i am so greatful for the opportunity to be the one choosen at that time to be on the Lords errand and hope i can always have his trust in me to know that i will do whatever i can to help. with our prophet Thomas S. Monson's commitment that he will always be willing and ready to be on the Lords errand, i too stand.

 i love this work so much.. im so bumbed that a year has already passed by, but i greatly look forward to the next year i have left to serve.. im ready to make the most of everything i have to give! :)

i love you all sooooo much thank you for everything all you have taught me and for placing me on that path from the start and helping me every step of the way !! i cant wait to here from ya next week !!

love, elder mitchell houston