Week #101

Hola!

Wow! The final week has now past! We had a sweet week! Loads of teaching and finding! We had some cool experience this week! We went and taught this family we found when we first came into the area, they have been progressing very steadily and taught the law of chastity this week! We had a bit of nerves going into the lesson because they aren't married but live together and didn't know how they would take it. But we went in with faith and the spirit was there very strong and when we invited them to get married so they could get baptized a smile came on there faces and told us they have been really talking about getting married recently and loved the idea of getting baptized and married the same day! Their response was "two fiestas in one, sounds good!". They will be baptized in the next coming months!

We went tracting one night and Elder Clement felt inspired to go to this area we hadn't ever really tracted in and the 6th house we knock we get no response and we were about to turn back when I got this feeling to knock one more time but hard! A bit skeptical because it is one of the really nice houses on the block surely a gringo (Gringos don't like loud knocking)! But I give it a pound and we wait a second and then this young man opens the door with his headphones hanging from his ears and asks "how can I help you" we introduce ourselves then pull out one of our questions of the soul cards and ask him to chose a question he would like to learn about! He chose why does God allow suffering and pain, and he said I actually have been thinking a lot about that and I think we need opposition in all things and the good cannot exist without evil and pleasure without pain! In our minds we were thinking "brother you just quoted 2 Nephi 2". So we asked him if he had ever heard of the Book of Mormon and he said no and so we told him he pretty much quoted right out of it and explained the Book and showed him how it answers all the questions in the card! Then he starts firing off questions and we start answering and even expounding upon the answers and he has even more questions and we had even more answers sooner or later we teach the whole plan of salvation in great detail and his friend joins in and we teach him too! They were just memorized by the plan and both gladly excepted a Book of Mormon and to learn more! 

Well, it is the end now. I can't believe and came and went so quickly! I wouldn't trade my mission for anything! This has been the greatest experience of my life! I have been able to meet so many amazing people, learn new cultures, learn a new language, be an instrument in the Lord's hand to help change so many lives, and come to know Jesus Christ my Savior in and in an invaluable way! The Central Valley and the people here will always hold a special place in my heart! I thank all those who have helped me get to where I am today and know that this is not the end but just the beginning!

To end it off I share my favorite scripture and the one on my mission plaque at home! Ether 12:27- 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

I was a very prideful man to start my mission and as I have served my mission the Lord has helped me change so many of my weaknesses into strengths! I know without a doubt that through the grace of Jesus Christ we can be changed and invite all to come unto him, lay aside all your sins, fears, and weaknesses and come unto him! I have felt the greatest joy in my life through serving the Lord Jesus Christ and know this work will go forth as a stone cut out of a mountain without hands until it fills the whole Earth! God bless mis queridos amigos!

Con amor

Élder Houssian

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Week #100

Hola!

100 weeks my friends! Wow time has flown! This week was excellent! No meetings or extras just pure missionary work! Got a lot of teaching opportunities and saw some people we have been working with for a while really progress!

We had a sweet lesson with our good friend Arnulfo and showed him the video of Christ's baptism! The spirit filled the room and when we invited him to be baptized he happily said yes so we set him up to be baptized on the 29th! He came to church as well and loved it!

The water broke at church so we just took the sacrament then everyone left. On Friday we went to Sizzler with a friend we are teaching and feasted physically and spiritually! The chicken there ended up bad though and had 2 days in bed from severe food poisoning! 

Favorite scripture comes from Mosiah 21:33 And it came to pass that king Limhi and many of his people were desirous to be baptized; but there was none in the land that had authority from God.

There never has or will be anyone that enters into the kingdom of God without being baptized by his authority! This is a great work to be done to help open the doors to the kingdom of heaven to all nations! What a privilege to do this work 24/7 as a missionary!

Hasta la próxima!

Con amor,

Elder Houssian

Week #99

Hola familia!

A wonderful week here in Merced! Started off with a fire zone conference! Sadly will be my last. They had us give a training to all the Spanish missionaries and as well I had to give my departing testimony! Such a weird feeling, I feel like just the other day I got here!

We had a great week of teaching and saw some awesome progress in the work! We had a sweet lesson at a pizza buffet with our amigo Roman! A spiritual and phisical feast! Roman came to church as well for the second time! We also are working with a man named Arnulfo straight from Oaxaca! He had a heat stroke so we gave him a blessing in the hospital! He had a very fast recovery and came to church as well! Both want to be baptized!

Saturday got to go back for a baptism in Kerman! A lady and her granddaughter who we taught my whole 6 months there and has been taught for 7 years finally got baptized! Presidente Mackay performed the baptisms and there was a super sweet spirit there! An unforgettable experience for sure! Got to see a couple other converts we baptized there and and one is in the rellifer society presidency now and one just got the Melkezidec priesthood and is in the Sunday school presidency! So sweet!

Favorite scripture from the week comes from Mosiah 13:31 But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of things to come.

This scripture was Abinadi teaching the wicked King Noah and his priests! He cleverly teaches them that all things that God had revealed to them pointed towards Jesus Christ! All that God continues to reveal to us in one way or another as well points to Jesus Christ! Let us remember who is at the root of it all!

¡Hasta luego!

Con Amor,

Elder Houssian

Week #98

Hola Hola!

Very nice week out here in Merced! Started off with a great trip to Yosemite! When we got back we went out knocking some doors in this heavily Hispanic area and this man comes up to us and asks us if he can come to our church! We tell him yes and end up teaching him and his son! 

We then had a sweet temple trip! Afterward we ate at the famous Doghouse grill! On Wednesday we got a text out of nowhere from a friend we have been teaching for a while saying "When is the soonest I get can get baptized? My heart is telling I need to do it ASAP!" So we said how about Sunday? And she says ok... or would Saturday work? And we said sure let's do Saturday. And she said ok... actually what about a weekday is that possible? And we said if that's your desire and you are ready that works! The. She said can we do it tomorrow? So we set up an interview for that night and she passed and was baptized the next day! Definently a sweet spirit their at the baptism and the branch came through strong with great support! We had the water on all the way hot because the water heater normally runs out and starts to dump in cold water but for some reason this time it didn't so the water was over 108°! The baptism by fire came quicker than we thought! 

We helped out with a Hmong baptism too and sang I'm a child of God in Hmong! We also had a great turn out at church and a lot of our friends came! One man who was a professor in Mexico and led humanitarian work all over the world and a Catholic missionary came to church and loved it! He was very surprised to see a full court basketball court in the church but thought it was a great idea!

Favorite scripture comes from Words of Mormon 1:14 ...and also Zarahemla did rejoice exceedingly, because the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of brass which contained the record of the Jews.

For hundreds of years these people lived without the scriptures and it took a toll on their society. But with the arrival of mosiahs people the people were exceedingly glad to have the precious gift of the scriptures once again! Today we have a bountious supply of the scriptures yet sometimes we live sometimes as if we had none! Let us always take advantage of the precious gift of the scriptures!

Hasta la próxima!

Con Amor

Elder Houssian

Week #92

Hola!

Solid week! The cold spell continues with a ton of rain and a hail storm! It was Elder Clements birthday as well so had a nice in and out lunch! 

A lot of good progress in the work, had a big set back with Bertha and Ponciano from some family problems but they'll come around! Found a sweet new family to teach and set another solid baptismal date for June! 

Had a really cool experience teaching this Catholic who we've been working with for a while. He has had a really hard time to give a sincere prayer, so we had a really solid lesson on the Godhead and at the end said a beautiful prayer to end the lesson!

Heading up to Yosemite again today! Should be excellent form all the rain/snow!

Favorite scripture comes from Jacob 5:54 And, behold, the roots of the natural branches of the tree which I planted whithersoever I would are yet alive; wherefore, that I may preserve them also for mine own purpose, I will take of the branches of this tree, and I will graft them in unto them. Yea, I will graft in unto them the branches of their mother tree, that I may preserve the roots also unto mine own self, that when they shall be sufficiently strong perhaps they may bring forth good fruit unto me, and I may yet have glory in the fruit of my vineyard.

The roots of most churches are good but the key to producing the natural fruit are the restoration of the covenants! Through the covenants in the power of godliness is manifested! (Ex.19:5-6)

Have a great week!