Family! 

 

I hit my 4 month mark and I realized that time is flying by really fast. I don't want to take this name tag off! Ever. I love being a missionary, I LOVE the people. I probably shouldn't be thinking about these things, but Missionary Work is addicting. Good thing member missionaries can be full time too! 

We have been searching this week! We've talked to A LOT of people. We were street contacting on "walking day" and Sister Dorneles felt like we should knock at a specific house, when the man answered, he told us how he felt he had no purpose in life, well that's a perfect segue for the BOOK of MORMON! After we talked about it and the peace it brings into our Life, he started to cry. The spirit just poured over this little door step lesson as we talked and I could feel just some of Heavenly Fathers love for him. We are going to meet with him again this week :) We also now have a 92 year old investigator after we sang Happy Birthday to her she opened up and we were able to share the gospel. Like the saying goes "They don't care how much we know...until we SHOW how much we Care" It's true. We are trying to focus on finding more people prepared to hear the gospel. So we are kind of starting from scratch again...it’s a whole new adventure every day. 

 We had a special "Butter-fly" training meeting just for Sister today. We had an awesome Yoga session with an instructor and just learned how we can present ourselves better....my posture is really slacking lately...I look like I'm ready to hike a football when I'm teaching a lesson, so it's a nice reminder. 

 I don't know how but we ran into Jason again....the man that proposed to me. Seriously what are the odds? Turns out he's been reading the Book of Mormon and was even quoting passages to me. He twisted everything into marriage and the reasons why he's the one for me but I was very excited to hear he's been reading and praying!...so we might send the Elders over to teach him more :) 

 Thank you soo much for your emails/pictures. Holy cow, I was just blown away by HOW OLD everyone is looking. TODD...I might have teared up seeing you so Manlike, Congrats on the Eagle Scout award!  I'm so proud! Jennifer you are so BEAUTIFUL and I am blown away by your beauty! Rachel you look so MATURE and grown up and gorgeous (nice nail polish btw, matched your outfit perfectly) :) Loved the pre-school spa prep, its a must ;) Good luck with your week! Remember that you are daughters...and a Son of Heavenly Father! Look for opportunities to share the gospel in Russet land! 

 

I love you all soo much! 

Sending hugs and kisses from the East

Sister Heather Sue Houghton

 

 

 

Emails from 8/05/13 and 7/29/13

Family! (8/05/13)

First off thank you soo much for your LOVE and SUPPORT. I am one lucky Sister Missionary out here in Jersey!

Secondly I was cleared to serve in Ellis Island! My back ground check took a little longer than the other sisters here...must have been all the crazy things from my past ;)

Ellis Island is currently under construction, so we do all of the volunteer work on Liberty Island. (Hurricane Sandy flooded Ellis Island and we don't know if it will be open for a LONG Time) Our job as the Sister is to help the Liberty Island and Ellis Island foundation with Family History volunteer work. We have special badges and are allowed to drive onto Ellis Island after our car...and we are checked for bombs. It’s quite the process :) We got to the Island super early so the worker let us have a private tour through Ellis Island, last time I went through it was wall-to-wall people, soo sweet! I'm also soo happy to say that I wasn't motion sick at all! BIG STEPS

We aren't allowed to proselyte while volunteering...which is hard but we got to meet people from countries I have never heard of in my lifetime. It was an adventure trying to communicate with some people, :)

This week has been a week of stretching and learning, we have been dropped by most of our investigators...or we had to drop them. We had some days full of tracking and hardly any lessons its hard but we are praying really hard for guidance to be led to find people to teach! 

Remember how my driving was in Utah...well it's not getting any better and I'm the only one allowed to drive in our trio..... I get honked at constantly, I can't parallel park which is almost a must here. I have forgotten to turn the car off and went to an appointment with the car still running (good thing my companions noticed)....I accidentally got onto a toll road and didn't know what to do, there was a HUGE line of cars honking so I panicked and just drove through it....apparently that's not good soo I'm waiting for a ticket, but hey at least I learned my lesson! My companions think it’s really funny but I think I will laugh about it in the future. 

We found out one of our progressing investigators can't get baptized until he finishes probation....which might be a while because it hasn't started yet. But we are praying that it won’t be to long!

We also have a new investigator Tom! He's an ex-convict and has had a really rough past but loves the Book of Mormon and learned about the church from his last Dr visit! Way to Dr! That's what member missionary work is all about! There is a big movement for missionary work, so many of our brothers and sister don't have the gospel in their lives. I was thinking how much Christ loves all of his siblings; he wants us all to use the atonement so we can live with him again! He has soo much love for us, we need to share that love with others! Let us "Serve the Lord God with all of our HEART, MIGHT, MIND and STRENGTH!" (Exclamation point added) :)  

I love you all! Thank you for the letters, I am grateful for every SINGLE one of you! Have a wonderful week and remember that I love you soo much and Heavenly Father loves you even more! 

Time to get out and work! 

Sending LOVE from Joisey
Sister Houghton

 

 

 

hey Hey HEY family! (7/29/13)

 

 

This week has been an adventure...that's for sure. We had transfer conference and I had to say goodbye to Sister Dotson... it was soo hard, I know mission is all about change but Oh boy Change is hard, BUT I have a new companion! Sister Sprague, she is from Nevada and reminds me of Katniss...like off of Hunger Games, not scared of anything she was raised on a farm and is probably stronger than most men I have ever met. We are complete opposites but I love her soo much! She's waiting for her visa to Brazil, is it bad if I'm praying for her to stay here? :)

 

We had some umm....different experiences this week. We met a man who may or may not have been well not fully there?...I'm not sure, he tried to sell us a cd he made. What a great opener to share the gospel right? Weellll after we shared a brief message he kept getting closer and closer to me. And out of the blue he asked me to marry him. I was soo surprised. My companions were busting up laughing and I was just standing there really confused, it really just came out of nowhere. I told him as a representative of Jesus Christ I would not :) He asked me if he changed his life would he be worthy to have me? I told him he needed to have faith in Jesus Christ and REPENT. He said we could have a spiritual relationship?.....what does that even mean? haha let’s just say we left right after that and laughed all day long. But I'm actually super grateful that missionaries travel by two's or three's, some things are just NOT safe. :) 

 

 

We tracked all day on Saturday and everyone we offered a Book of Mormon to, rejected it. I'm fine with rejection but after door after door AFTER DOOR it gets kind of hard to swallow. It's also hard because it’s something that is soo precious to me...to all of us! IT IS THE FULLNESS OF THE GOSPEL. and they are turning it down, breaks my heart. BUT miracle on our way home we were at Subway and the sandwich maker asked US about the church! He is interested and when I offered him a Book of Mormon he was so happy and honored! I literally almost cried, after the trial of our faith then the miracles come. IT’S TRUE. 

 

 

Adriana was confirmed yesterday and she was soo happy. On her way back to her seat she did a double fist bump in the air it was hilarious! I love the people here more than I can even describe. 

 

 

Marla CAME TO CHURCH!! and Joffre brought his family! (They remind me of a family from the district it’s a mission thing.) We were so excited to have them. I couldn't help but do a happy dance....(mission appropriate of course) 

 

 

The work is progressing! It's slow but we know that like the little motto goes "the more you give the MORE you GET...the more you SMILE the less you fret" I'm grateful for the time I have to be out here! I can't believe it's the end of July; I'm starting to see how Ammon, Aaron, and the rest of the super heroes of missionary work were on their missions for 14 years. When you love something time flies....and its addicting! I love the work!

 

 

Thank you for all of your prayers and the updates on the reunion and all of the adventures from last week. Looks like the WHOLE family is doing well. Give everyone my love and A GIANT HUG from me! I pray for you all every day. Now let’s go share the gospel! 

 

 

Sending love from the East Coast

Sister Heather Sue Houghton

 

 

P.S. I love you

P.P.S I have the best family ever

Ya'll ROCK! 

We won the shake weight for having the most investigators! Sister Sprague on the left

Hello Fam!

This has been one of the most rewarding weeks so far and also one of the hardest. We found out last Tuesday that Sister Dorneles was getting Transferred for a week so we have had a new companion, Sister Tueller! She's from Shelley Idaho, what are the odds right? She is so sweet and we have a lot in common because weeeelll both of our families are living in that little community. ha She also knows the Brownings small world!

We had so many tender mercies this last week, Heavenly Father is looking out for all of his children and he wants everyone to hear the gospel! At church we had more Less-Actives and investigators show up than we had missionaries to cover them! It was an incredible feeling. I couldn't help but do a happy dance everyone time someone new showed up! ITS HARD TO CONTAIN THAT FEELING!! :) Church was crazy, the good kind of crazy. I think I broke reverence rules because I was literally running from room to room trying to figure everything out. We didn't have suits that fit everyone. We might have lost Adriana's 5 year old son and weres late to the baptism because we were running around the halls. I had to run into the chapel because I forgot I was leading the music and the song was starting....AND President and Sister Jeppson were there! :) but EVERYTHING worked out, we adjusted some of the suits, found Adriana's boy and the spirit was there! Heavenly Father Provided a way!

Almost everyday last week we met with Adriana so she would be ready for baptism! She passed her interview with flying colors, and after church Adriana, Emily and Lydia were baptized! The Elders found the last two, (they are amazing) It was incredible to stand by the font and watch Adriana make that covenant with Heavenly Father. I got goosebumps all over and might have shed a tear or two...When she came out of the water she told us how clean she felt and just cried through the last part of the meeting. It was amazing.

 

Joffre, the man that has been investigating the church for years....and years and years came to church with his family, he stayed for the baptism(s) and after talked to President Jeppson, he told us that he has decided to get BAPTIZED!! so exciting! When we meet with him on Tuesday we are picking a date. Miracles.

Emily (one of the girls that was baptized) brought 3 non member friends to church. I talked to them after and they said they wanted to come to church every week, and we are going to teach them! They are adorable and I can't wait!

 

We also found out that Sister Dotson is getting transferred. We all woke up at 5 this morning (because we were soo nervous) and read the transfer text....we started bawling. It's so hard to have her leave, we literally are like sisters and have had so many incredible experiences together. Sister Dorneles is going to be training a Visa Waiter going to Brazil and I will be the 3rd member. Hey maybe I'll learn some portuguese while I'm at it :)

 

Thanks for all the e-mails and the love! I am seriously soo blessed to have this family! Keep up the good work sharing your testimony and serving others! I love you tons!!

Lots of Love from Joisey

Sister Houghton

Email from 7-15

Hello beautiful wonderful family! 

First off THANK YOU SOO MUCH for the wonderful Birthday surprise! I seriously wanted my birthday to be just another day out here, (I didn't even decorate the page in my planner...) but my companions had other plans. They made me cinnamon rolls and put up the birthday decorations that you got me, they made me lunch AND a Oreo cheesecake. They went above and beyond I was almost embarrassed from all the attention. Thank you for the wonderful gifts and GPS! It's literally going to be a life savor out here. Muchos gracious. I think my favorite thing was ALL of the letters It felt like ya'll were there with me telling me about your week and the fun Houghton Reunion. 

I saw the birthday celebration you had for me at home! It was cute and adorable, I can just imagine how loud and funny the happy birthday song was.  everyone sounded singing to me

We've seen miracles this week! We contacted a Golden Referral! Her name is Marla and she is hooked on the gospel and Mormon Messages! She's reading the Book of Mormon and has felt the spirit! She always answers questions we ask perfectly...often time I'm so taken back that I don't know what to say. We gave her a picture of the temple and Christ and she put them on her mantle in front of her statue of Mary. The Sisters and I were fist bumping each other...spiritually of course ;) 

The Ward Mission leader and all the missionaries in the ward put on a ward mission activity to get the ward PUMPED for missionary work. The leader just wanted to set up tables and chairs...BUT I just couldn't let that happen. We brainstormed with the Relief Society president and created a really cute theme and center pieces for the tables. It turned out really cute and it was fun to get to know the ward better....and show that sharing the gospel is FUN. 

 

 

Adriana is on track to be baptized on Sunday! There is 3 convert baptisms that day, we are soo excited for all of them! 

Yesterday we were trying to find people to teach, and we all felt prompted to go see a Less-Active and her husband who has been taking the lessons for many years. Turns out that they are going through a really hard time right now and were praying for the Sisters to come to their house. Heavenly Father is aware of our needs! Love the gospel!  

We have a very busy crazy P Day.... it goes by soo fast and sometimes we don't even get grocery shopping in. (The life of a missionary) But I promise I am trying to write everyone back, I'm soo sorry If I haven't written you back but I will try to today! 

I love you all! Thanks for your support and love! 

Sister Houghton

P.S 1. I have an awesome watch tan line on my wrist

       2. The elders gave me a "Farmer IQ" book for my birthday so I will know all the in's and outs of my new home town. 

 

Mosiah 5:13 "For how knoweth a man the Master whom he has not served?" Time to go out and serve! 

Hello my wonderful family! 

Thank you for the love and the early birthday wishes! You ALL know how I hate getting older, but lucky for me my birthday is just another day out here! wahoo! 

Shout out to my amazing cousin Elise!! Congrats on your mission call to MEXICO! Your going to tear the mission field up with your testimony :) Go convert those lamenites cuz! 

We have had an incredibly crazy busy week. On the 4th I had an exchange in Jersey City with some Spanish sisters. I was soo worried because well I don't speak Española. I'm about as English as it comes..... It's a walking area so the sisters do a lot of street contacting, we were walking down the street this woman walked by us and I felt prompted to turn around and talk to her.... the feeling was sooo strong that it stopped me mid stride, I turned and introduced the church to her she said "sorry no hablo English" ha luckily my companions could talk with her. Turns out this sweet woman was a former investigator and wants to hear about the gospel again! Even though I had NO IDEA what was being said...I could feel the spirit as my companions testified about Jesus Christ! No matter what language is being spoken the holy ghost will be there when we testify of truth. I absolutely Love the GOSPEL! 

While on the exchange I might have offended some Guatemalans that had us over for a bbq, they had us eat a HUGE hamburger AND then a hot dog... with all the sides I thought I was going to throw up! I could only eat half the hot dog, but I chose that over throwing up all over their beautiful patio. 

We got together with all the missionaries in our zone the night of the 4th. We have this Book of Mormon rap that is getting to be kind of famous :) some members recorded it and we might be the new YouTube sensation ;) We watched the fireworks at the Montclair Stadium, President Jeppson gave us special permission to be out later for the fireworks. IT FELT SOO WEIRD to be out so late. I honestly don't know how I was up that late before the mission? Early to bed is where its at! I'm grateful for this free country and for freedom of religion! It's an amazing blessing and all part of the wonderful plan.

Sister Dorneles goes on A LOT of exchanges so Sister Dotson and I are solo for half of the week. on Saturday we went out looking for less actives in the ward....to bring them back to the fold! Door after door after door. Nothing. We literally had zero lessons. We were driving to see one more person before curfew when Sister Dotson just flipped a Uey? (is that how you spell it?) and said she felt prompted to see a different sister. This sister was home! and told us that a month ago she made the decision to come back to church, and she took us coming as the sign she needed. We shared a message with her and asked her to say the closing prayer. While she was praying the spirit was almost tangible. We could feel Heavenly Father's love for the sweet sister. She started crying, we started crying, it was a humbling experience. She came to church yesterday and it was one of the sweetest experiences of the mission. I'm grateful that Sister Dotson was listening to the spirit and that this sister is ready to act on her desires! I just love this work :)  

This week is full of lessons and meetings! I wish I could write about everything but the work is just really moving forward. My training is almost over...I can't believe I'm almost at my 3 month mark! Time is flying! 

I love you all!!

Sister Houghton

 

Also! On my birthday ya'll should make a cake and eat it too! PARTAY it up ;) 

 

July 1st email

Aloha!

I cannot believe it is already July?...just soo happens to be the best ok 2nd best month of the year (Christmas wins) but all the Summer funs and oh I don't know, something really awesome happens.... like July 11th is a really cool day for some reason? :) Thank you for all of your support, love, letters and prayers this last week. It was much needed and I'm soo grateful for you!

This last week was an exciting week here for us NJMM missionaries. We had a special summer chill event with ALL of the missionaries (230 of us) sports, skits, some food, and lots and lots of bonding time. Maybe one day I will be able to remember everyone's names...maybe

 

 

We got to go to the temple! We met up with a bunch of sisters in Jersey City and ended up by the World Trade Center? There was some confusion and Sister Dorneles, Sister Dotson and I were in lower Manhattan all by ourselves....and we needed to get to Upper Manhattan pronto. I said a prayer asking for help and felt guided to specific subway stations and people to ask for directions. We were able to make it to the temple and experience the peace that only the temple brings!  Heavenly Father was definitely looking out for us small town girls in the BIG CITY. I almost didn't want to leave, but don't worry, I decided that probably wasn't the best thing to do, there's people to find! So I'm back in good ol' Joisey.

 

I also discovered that while elevators are PRIME spots to talk with people about the church crowded subways and side walks in NYC are too. :) I got to talk with so many different types of people about the gospel. I met some nice NYPD officers and talked to them about the church, maybe they will let the missionaries into their home someday? :) We got to teach a mini lesson to an adorable older woman in Central Park. She was so sweet and kind to us and I hope that she will be able to get in contact with missionaries serving in that area. I was surprised by how many people recognized us, It is exciting to see the gospel rolling forward :) LOVE. THIS. WORK.

When we got back from the temple all three of us were pretty sick, but we are all better and ready to go again. 

Our investigator Adriana came to church! After sacrament meeting she started crying, she told us that this is where she is supposed to be and it feels right. We are so excited for her to feel that peace in her life. She heard the special member missionary training that the ward had and took it to hard, we went to visit her last night and she invited her friend and was helping us teach her friend about the church. She told us if she had FB she would be using it to find people to teach. How cute is she? She's getting baptized July 21st and we are just so happy for her.

This week I'm so grateful for the people that made our country free. For standing up for what they believed in, because of that we have religious freedom, what better gift can a nation have? GO USA!

I am grateful for each and everyone of you! Enjoy the family reunion and please be safe!

Mucho love!!

Sister Houghton

Email from 6-24

Hello my amazing family!  (Sent 6/24/13)

Thank you for the updates on life in Idaho and all of your adventures! 

I just love my companions, we are laughing 24/7 a Brazilian and a red head make for very exciting days :) because we basically have started from scratch we have been going through 25 pages of the ward list trying to bring people back to church. I have been sworn at and told to...well not nice things. One man while yelling at us asked if we were the same Mormons that had been coming after them for 25 years, I told him that I wasn't even 25 so there was no way I could have, I don't think he really liked that. :)

 

It has been interesting but we are seeing miracles!

We saw a cute girl walking with her dad on the street, we "pretended" to put things away in our car and just happened to walk by the same time they were :) I tried to give them a card but they weren't interested, we went to our appointment and when we were walking out the same girl and father called after us. She said she was really interested in the Mormons because she wrote a paper on us for her school and it was the best grade she got. Sister Dotson and I were singing the hallelujah chorus (in our heads of course), we gave her a book of Mormon and she said she wants to read it and learn more, her dad was a little more hesitant, so meeting with her has been difficult but one day we hope his heart will soften!

Sister Dotson and I are still in training but our trainer is the training leader so she is gone twice a week on exchanges. (confusing I know) Those days Sister Dotson and I say A LOT of prayers, we know Heavenly Father is strengthening us because we are just two new things out here. 

One family let us in their home, they seemed really interested in prophets and the restoration, and then BAMB they started bible bashing and preaching and knocking down the church. I was so confused why they even wanted us to come into their home? There defiantly wasn't a good feeling there and I learned that I need ALWAYS listen to the spirit. He's there to HELP and PROTECT and to GUIDE us! 

We got to give the sharing time in primary. I asked them who was planning on serving a mission, ALL of the boys and almost ALL of the girls raised their hand. I remember when I was in primary, that wasn't the case, the age change is affecting the children of the church. They are more missionary minded and want to help the missionaries out. One little boy got baptized on Sunday and he kept telling his non-member friend to get baptized and become clean. It was so cute! 

We got to watch the specialized training at the chapel. I think I cried on and off through all of the  musical numbers. It's amazing to see how the church is not just moving forward....it is SPRINTING forward. Thanks to technology, the age change and our parents for teaching us, missionary work is booming. This is truly HIS work! 

Thank you for all of your prayers, letters and support! I am so grateful for your love and guidance!! 

Hurrah!

Sister Heather Sue Houghton