Week #89

Hola!

Great week over here in Merced California! We got a lot of good work done! Were able to find some great new families to teach this week! We went back to one lady we taught the restoration to last week and she had read a bit in the Book of Mormon! We went over the introduction and showed her how it fits right into place with the bible! She was amazed and at the end told us how something has been telling her ever since we fist came that she needs to find a new church and the Lord has been telling her to search for more! She exclaimed that us as members of Christ's church just seem to have a glow about us and she now understands why!

We gave a baptismal interlude on Saturday for the other Elders here in Merced who baptized a lady straight from China who spoke almost no English! There was a local member who served a mission in the wars who served in Taiwan so he was able to teach her and do both ordinances in Mandarin! That's a perfect example on something our mission President calls the principal of proximonity which is the Lord prepares the hearts of the people who are in the sphere of influence/areas of members so they will have instant fellowship and friends in the church!

Got to attend the Branch for the first time and it was sweet! A small branch of about 60 actives + whatever the missionaries bring! Our branch presidente is from Chile and is super solid! It was one of the craziest testimony meetings I've been to! The Branch presidente and his coucellor started off, than an Elderly lady, than my companion and I than this man the other Elders invited, not even a member went up and shared a fire testimony! After that like 20 members and another non member got up and gave there testimonies until 35 after it was supposed to end! (According to my companion most testimony meeting you only get like 3 people who go up and about 15 min of silence)!

My favorite scripture from the week comes from 1 Nefi 13:19 And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.

In this vision of America Nephi saw God's hand directly in the establishment of Amercia! To prepare the land for the restored gospel! What a privilege it is to live in this land and have the restored gospel in our lives!

Hasta la proxima mis amigos!

Con Amor,

Elder Houssian 

Week #88

Hola!

Great week! Now in Merced, California! A city of about 100,000 people north of Fresno pretty close to Yosemite! My new companion is Elder Murray from Colorado and is a tall Elder (6' 6") and has as well been out a good amount of time! The area is sweet! We cover a Spanish branch but are the only Spanish missionaries in the area so got a lot of work to do!

We found a lot of families to teach this first week here! The branch is actually in a little town 15 min north in Atwater so here in Merced we need some strong new families! We found one walking down the street and saw then outside washing the car! We walked up and introduced ourselves and they invited us back for the next evening! We went and they woke up to come get the door (never happens)! They invited us in and we shared the restoration with them! They loved it and when we invited them to be baptized Bertin the father paused, thought for a second and then told us he felt that was the next step for him and his family and they would get baptized! Solid! 

Every Friday here they play soccer here with the branch and anyone we invite and we got a pretty good group! They are super good and play super hard too! 

My favorite scripture from the week comes from 1 Corinthians 3:6 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

In the Lord's vineyard we plant a lot of seeds, sometimes we even water them, but in the end God gives the increase! It is his work and it will roll forth like a stone cut out of a mountain without hands that will soon fill the whole Earth! But to fill whole Earth we must plant seed by seed!

¡Cuidense mis amigos!

Con Amor,

Elder Houssian

Week #87

¡Hola!

What a week! We took a solid trip to Yosemite on Monday! We then were packed with teaching throughout the week and set up some people for baptism! Wednesday was super sweet! Got a call in the middle of a service project and got to Skype in to my brother Kyles wedding! Congrats to him and Lyndsey! 

Thursday we had a fire zone conference with Elder Gangster from the 70 and then Friday a mission leadership council with him! What an experience! There is no doubt in my mind the apostolic keys are here on Earth and guide this work! We got transfer calls and after 7 1/2 Months I will be leaving good ole Fresno! I will be moved to Merced! Super excited but will miss Fresno a lot! Gave my departing testimony and said goodbye to the great people here! Today went to a trampoline park for the first time in a while and broke a tramp, I guess a bit of extra weight goes a long way!

My favorite scripture from the week comes from Moroni 10:29 And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true.

Finished the Book of Mormon once again this week and every time I get to the end the confirmation of the Holy Ghost comes and reminds me it is true! And every time I read it seems as if it is a new Book with so much to learn! 

Hasta la próxima!

Con Amor,

Elder Houssian