Hello beautiful Idahoan family!  (6/17/13)

I can't believe I can say that now! (All those years of teasing the Idaho family are going to come back to haunt me) ;) But welcome to Idaho! From the pictures it looked like it was a LONG couple of days. I'm so grateful for the neighbors/friends/family that helped ya'll move! We are so very blessed.

I am now serving in the beautiful area of Caldwell New Jersey! It is beautiful! I'm in a trio with cute Sister's Dotson and Dorneles. Sister Dotson is from Enoch Utah (she jokes that now she's gone it will probably get translated...made me laugh for a good five minutes. Oh mission humor) we came out on the same day, she has bright red hair and has a huge caring heart. Sister Dorneles is from the Amazon and has the cutest accent. She's a Sister Training Leader so I learn soo much from her. She informed us she was going to feed us Brazilian food. She fed us rice, beans and... dinosaur chicken nuggets. We have so much fun together.

 

 

We have basically been tripled into the area. We started out with maybe one investigator. It's a huge area and SOO different from my last area. Not as many cultures...but a ton of Jersians. One lives below us named "Vincent" his arms are bigger than my thighs.
I'm pretty sure he works on his GTL daily. (Jersey Shore). I think he might have even been on the show....but don't quote me on that. ;)

We had a special training for all the greenies in the mission with President Jeppson and all the more experienced missionaries. It was MTC on steroids. We role played, and role played......AND role played for two days straight. Literally amazing, and also spiritually exhausting. One role play I was so flustered I didn't know how to help the investigator, or what to say. I was on the verge of tears the mediator told me to just testify and that Heavenly Father would put words in my mouth. I said a prayer for help and we started off again, A calm came over me and I knew exactly what to say and how to say it. I was crying and learned a powerful lesson. Our testimonies are our STRONGEST weapon, It's ok that we don't know everything. Just testify :) 

Our first day together we had planned to work with a member and help invite her neighbor to listen to us. We had some time to kill so we were street contacting and ran into MaryAnn, the very lady we were going to talk to later. She told us she was busy and didn't want to talk with us...oh boy. The last thing we want is to have the members confidence smashed. We didn't know what to do. I said a prayer and felt that we should still plan on going with the member to talk with MaryAnne. We got the member and walked over to MaryAnne's apartment. (my heart was beating so fast) At first she was upset, but when we offered to help her clean her home she broke down in tears. She explained to us that she is going to court to find out if she is getting kicked out of her home. We said a prayer with her, I was trying to know how to help her and in the middle of the prayer I could feel the Book of Mormon almost pulsing in my hands. I almost forgot to give her that book (It was a wake up call from the spirit) We gave her the Book of Mormon and scheduled a time to see her again soon. When we went to see her again she told us that she has been reading and finds so much peace in the book! (hallelujah chorus was going off in my head) We fasted and prayed for her yesterday. Her court date is Wednesday, we are going to see her tomorrow and Wednesday to hear the news. 

There's a lot of work to do here But it's good work, Tracking get's me so excited that I have been running after people on the street, waving my pass a-long cards :) The gospel of Jesus Christ is for EVERYONE and WILL help everyone! Helaman 6:3 so Let's rejoice together! someday they will accept the message!

Shout out to my Dad! You are such a great example to me! Thanks for teaching me how to live the gospel. I often wonder if you are Nephi in 21st century form, Thank you for never complaining and "Going and Doing" Thank you for being patient with all my phobias...including dogs, cats and roller coasters. Maybe one day I will be brave...Thank you for all the family home evening lessons and heart to hearts we had. I remember almost all of them, even if I was in a bad mood at the time. I am so blessed to have you as my dad! I love you! Happy 22nd Fathers Day! ;) 

I love you all soo much! Thanks for the pictures and the update on the move. Only 16 more left!! 

Mucho Love!

Sister Houghton

My New address is 25 Ozone Ave, Cedar Grove NJ 07009

 

Hello family!  (This letter was from 6/10/13)

I'm sure life is getting absolutely crazy with all the moving and packing and getting ready to leave good ol' Utah.

I'm getting TRANSFERED

It's rare to be transferred in the middle of your 12 week training, Sister Ward is going to be training 2 new missionaries which is WAY exciting. I am going to miss her. A lot. I love this area and the people here feel like family.  Change is hard (and ya'll know how much I love change ;) ) but I feel comforted because this is what Heavenly Father wants, I'm just trying to pull my big girl pants up and get to work. We find out tomorrow where we are all getting transferred Au Vouir New City.

They had us switch apartments with the Elders (to accommodate more Sisters coming) It took almost all day to gut both apartments and it rained literally cats and dogs the entire time. In a round about way feel like I got to help with all the moving at home. Growing up we always here that girls have cooties weeeeelll I learned that girls definitely DO NOT have cooties but that Elders do. I'm so grateful for cleaning products ;)

We got to have the wonderful Sister Training Leader come out and work with us on Tuesday. We picked her up in West New York New Jersey (it's a mouthful) We probably got in almost 100 accidents, but we made it back safely! Learning from the Training leader is amazing. I felt like I was back at the MTC getting spiritual training 101. Simply amazing!
 We taught Albert (the cute 88 year old man) He was not feeling well and he almost had a seizure while we were there. My heart breaks for him. He doesn't have the energy to come to church in the mornings (his cancer is getting bad) It's tough to see. He calls us "honies" and loves to tell us about his life experiences. I will miss him.
 We are seeing miracles here, Leydi is an investigator that Sister Ward tracked into, she told us that she was praying that morning to know what church to go to and for someone to help her know which one to join. She's committed to baptism but saw a picture of the temple and told us that is where she wants to be married :) she is the type of person you instantly love being around. I'm excited for her!

Grandpa wrote me and gave me some ideas about committing the lord to bring people in our paths. We did that on Saturday and we found the sweetest man (Julio) that loves the lord. He is so prepared! I can't wait to hear how this sweet man progress's.

The more I'm around these people the more I just LOVE them. I decided to not tell people I'm leaving, like pulling a Band-Aid off really fast. I'm hoping that way It will help my water works and keep me focused. When we visited Sister Kreppelt at the Old Folks home she had us sing "God be with you till we meet again" she doesn't know I'm leaving but that song is so special to me and while we were singing I couldn't help but be grateful for the experiences I've had here, the people I've met and the way that Heavenly Father guides us.

I'm grateful for the gospel and the chance I had to serve in this area of New York! I hope that everything goes well with the move, I am thinking about you and praying about you!!

Lots of love!

Sister Heather Sue Houghton

Proof that the mission is making me brave

Hey hey hey!

How is everyone doing? Thank you for all the kind words and the pictures! I just eat them up :) I wish I could send a clone of myself to help pack everything up! Moving up the street was soo hard and strenuous I can't imagine moving states is like. Will you give Ogden A HUGE wave and KISS for me??

Memorial Day is huge here! Everyone was barbecuing and outside...which was perfect for contacting people! They are not afraid to tell us what they think  about us. The Pena's (an awesome family in our ward) had the missionaries over for a barbecue  because the wards so small she is the Relief Society President and he is the Elder's Quarm president. They don't really have councilors, they have a lot of responsibility, it was so nice  of them to think of the missionaries. 

On Saturday Sister Ward got to go with a recent convert to the temple with her old companion Sister Taylor. I was so excited for them, and I got to be with Sister Page and Sister Whaddups (who came out the same time I did)  We went off to tract, their first time! Sister Whaddups lost her planner,(Planners are our life lines out here)  we stopped the car, said a prayer asking us to help find her planner. Right when we opened our eyes there was a man standing in front our the car holding the planner out to us. It was a best two years experience. ("Please Bless that young man, that he may call") We were all so relieved and grateful.

Albert the 88 year old investigator is progressing! He committed to a soft baptismal date and said he would come to church with us. He is adorable, he has probably 50 stuffed bears in his home that keeps him company. He has sung "I'm singing in the rain" for us and "LOVE" that song from parent trap? He also has done a little samba and waltz for us. He makes my day. 

We went with a ward member to pick up Mackay and Albert for church. Mackay was still sleeping so we almost pounded his door in so he would wake up.... :) I hope that's not unethical.  we were all crowded in this mini van trying to get to church on time,the member that was driving was probably dangerously over the speed limit. I was praying we would make it in time for the sacrament and we walked in right before the sacrament prayer! phew. Sister Ward and I were so grateful. I might have fist pumped the air out of excitement. After church Mackay told me "church WAS AWESOME!" church is awesome! It's a day for us to focus on our savior, to remember the covenants we have made and to commit ourselves to becoming better. The gospel of Jesus Christ truly makes us happy. It's fun to see the change with the people we are talking with. 

It has been hot Hot HOT here in New York, 98 degrees and humid. I am so grateful for this chance to be out here. It's literally my dream come true to be on a mission. I have so much to work on, but thank you for your prayers and support! Know that I think about you all and pray for you! Thank you for being incredible examples

Mucho love

Sister Houghton

Good luck to Mom, Jenn and Rachel and all the chickas going to Girls CAMP!! Good ol' camp Shawnee. I'm excited Amber will be speaking there! The girls are lucky to hear from you :)