August 18th

Hello Familia!

It's been another beautiful week here in Freehold. I think the culture shock has worn off and I have fallen in love with this VERY diverse area. Sometimes I think I am in Alabama, England, 1700's, California...back woods West Virginia, I could keep going, needless to say I love it and am learning lots here.  

I have CONQUERED some major fears this past week

Playing the Championship game of Softball at our all mission activity, AND playing the piano at a members home

Conquering story 1

Last Monday we had a mission wide Softball tournament, everyone in the zone had to play or the team forfeited. I was trying to be discrete and hide, I'm a chicken what can I say. They discovered I was hiding called me out and it turned out to be so much fun! 

Conquering story 2

A member found out that I have a phobia of playing the piano in front of people, sweet sister Rogers told them I could play?  they wouldn't let us leave until I played a hymn and they sang along with me. 

What I've learned- Not to let my fears control me, these aren't crazy things, but they were big to me. The stripling warriors " were exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity...they were true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted" Alma 53:20 and hey If the Stripling warriors can do INCREDIBLY hard things...I can face my fears! God will give us the strength we need.

side note (I am still not changing my mind about roller coasters) 

Also I lost the hearing in my left ear again, I woke up in the middle of the night in quite a bit of pain, my left side became swollen and it hurt to talk, no worries. We went to a Dr's and he said I had a double ear infection, he put me on some pills and drops and 5 days later I am good to go. Bless that modern medicine. 

I also left our phone at the soft ball field and we had no way to get it back, we then realized that we had literally no gas, zero, zilch, nada. We rolled into a gas station (here in NJ people pump your gas for you) the Egyptian man spoke no English, I was trying to use hand signals for 5 minutes to communicate we needed a phone to call our phone. It was a mess, BUT our zone leaders saved the day and brought our phone a couple hours later. I wish I could say that won't happen again...but I'm related to my mom. :) 

Dad you wanted to know about our new mission president, President Taggart. It is different. I was expecting more rules, but there are a lot less rules, and our buried word list doesn't exist anymore. He is really into technology and is doing a lot of good for our mission. I am learning new things and grateful to serve with him. 

Our Teaching pool is growing, slowly but it is growing! Sister Rogers is a wonderful companion and I'm learning a bunch from her. Our golden investigator is  a member referral. John is a man of many martial Art (he told us its ART not arts) He teaches and really focuses on having good energy and staying in balance. When his friend told him about the church he felt something different. We met with him outside the church on a bench. (after a little wig out from a giant sikada- look them up they are nasty) We had planned to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, we only finished faith when we both felt like we should bring up baptism, we asked him to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized and he immediately said YES! There is something special about John, he has a true desire to change he reminds me of Alma "Oh what joy and what marvelous light I did behold" and he is experiencing that. He came to church yesterday. His life is changing and he is feeling the Joy of the gospel more and more everyday. 

I got to give a talk yesterday about Hope and Enduring to the End, I talked about that Havasupai hike....and making it to the oasis, after the face plant. Life is not easy, but our Heavenly Father has a beautiful place prepared for us if we are faithful. The same principle applies to my mission. I have experienced some of my own mission face plants here in good old NJMM, I have felt exhausted and literally no energy, but I have also experienced some of the most beautiful spiritual moments of my life, some of the highest highs and beautiful friendships. This is the greatest calling and I want to be like Paul my last few months and declare "I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST" I know with my whole entire being that this is his gospel and the only way we can be saved, the only way to feel that joy. 

I love this work and am grateful to serve here! 

I love you all! Thank you for your support, love and letters! 

Sending Love from New Jersey

Sister Houghton

August 11, 2014

Hello Hello family!

I'm now e-mailing you from the beautiful area of..... FREEHOLD, New Jersey. Yes, Freehold, doesn't that just sound patriotic? its because it is, lots of revolutionary events happened here

Fun Facts (I know) about this area. 

#1 There are fields... literally farming fields everywhere. Feels like I'm in a green Idaho

#2 This is a VERY Historic town, our church is built right next to the battlefield orchards..where the famous George Washington had the battle of mommoth? (I'm 99%sure about this info)

#3 Some of these homes are bigger than my High School

#4 I went on an exchange here almost 6 months ago, Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways. 

#5 I've had some of my most embarrassing moments already 

My companion is the sweet Sister Rogers from Richmond Utah, she's been out for about 10 months and just a great teacher. I'm excited to learn and grow here. 

I also got ALL of the beautiful birthday packages. I. Loved. It! Thank you all so much for the cards, and cute jewelry, and I love the skirt :) That is something I would wear at home, Muchos Grasias :) 

Elder Houghton welcome to the East Coast. Let's give these people Salvation :) one. two. three HOUGHTONS! 

We have a lot of finding to do here, I know that we are going to find prepared people. and we already have! We were knocking a street, and literally asking everyone for referrals, this man referred us to his neighbors. His neighbors are these cute Asian girls, in the middle of teaching them, my nose started to bleed, and not a little drip either. Quick background on my life before the mish  I NEVER had bloody noses. Literally anything to do with blood made me feel light headed, I said a quick prayer and felt immediate strength and luckily Sister Rogers had some tissues, bless her! The whole 40ish minutes we were talking about the Gospel I had a constant heavy stream of blood. Somehow I didn't scare them off and they want to know more. (Amber, who knew we would be so in synqe? your story made me almost fall out of the seat laughing, I hope you took a picture on the plane... mom always said crisis+time=humor. I testify that is true. I hope your feeling better Am!

We have had some spiritual experiences with the less-actives we are working with. And 5 of them came to church. Which is HUGE, here. We know that with Heavenly Fathers help we can experience miracles. And we intend to do everything we can to help. Ammons words describe exactly how I feel "Yea, I know that I am nothing, as to my strenght I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things" Alma 26:12. 

I'm incredibly grateful to be here, to learn more in these last 12 weeks than I have before. I love this work. I love the Joy, the happiness and peace it brings to everyone and to ME. I have felt it and am so grateful for this power in my life. 

I love you all! Thank you for your support and letters! 

Sending love from Historic Jersey

Sister Houghton

August 4, 2014

Hello Family!

You survived another MTC* drop off. I'm so proud! The reunion looked like it was lots of fun.... I can't believe how much older everyone looks. Uncle Eric you and your whole family are in my prayers, I love you all!  

We've simply had an amazing week 

The Episcopal Church called us and said they wanted us to present "Mormonism" at their church. We were ecstatic, but also VERY nervous, we prayed and prayed and PRAYED for guidance, and fasted for help. We attended their service, and had the class right after. The class had lots of questions for us, we went through the history of the church...what better way to present our history than share the Restoration....when we shared the first vision with the members of the congregation, the room was completely silent, the spirit was testifying for us. It will be a moment I never forget on my mission. We testified to every person in the room that we knew these things to be true. They had lots of questions for us, some of the questions that would have made me terrified at the beginning of my mission but both Sister Crow and I felt Guidance and direction to know exactly what to say and we were able to answer every single question, with the spirits help. 

Some questions like Polygamy (it was asked toward the end and one man said "thank you for addressing the elephant in the room") blacks and the priesthood, do dogs go to heaven?....(that one sister Crow took care of, but I am becoming more of an animal lover on my mission. I have told people their dogs were cute and meant it! ...) temple sealing...and baptism for the dead. The minister testified to her congregation that is something the members of the church when Christ was on the earth did, she said "I wonder why we don't do that anymore" she quoted 1 Peter 4:6, with other doctrinal points she also testified that Christs church did those things. It was incredible. 

After we went to our church and it hit me how simply beautiful this gospel is. The chapel is simple and lets the spirit be the true teacher. I am grateful for the power that is in sacrament meeting when conducted by the priesthood of God. Or when members of the church testify of the truth. I said a silent prayer of gratitude to have this simple gospel in my life. 

Pat and Diego both bore their testimonies in sacrament meeting. I had the thought that if this was my last Sunday in the ward I would remember it forever......

Wellllll I found out this morning that I am getting transferred. I was a little surprised. I love this area, I LOVE this ward. I know that this is Gods will and I will Go and DO whatever the Lord wants. I have come to the conclusion that getting transferred is something the Lord wants me to learn. This will be my 10th transfer conference, and my 7th area. Pretty rare for a Sister Missionary. But I'm grateful for this opportunity, I know I have a lot to learn and I am excited to spend the next 3 months. "But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart and put your trust in him, and serve him with ALL diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will...deliver you" Mosiah 7:33 

I'm grateful for the surprises and the opportunities this mission brings. I love this work!

Sending love from New Jersey

Sister Houghton

P.S I'm going to be a GRANDMA!!! Sister Andrus is training! I am so excited for her, she's going to bless that new sisters life. 

* The day Elder Houghton went into the MTC we had MIRACLE after MIRACLE. That night I was reflecting on this miraculous day and it hit me... Every member of the family is blessed when a missionary is serving, even the missionaries in the field.

At the top of the Newark chapel. This is right next to the steeple.