week #41

Hola!

Quite the crazy week this week! 

Monday we had an excellent Posoli dinner and lesson with some investigators! Tuesday Elder Okolowitz left and two of the other trainers came into Kerman with me for 2 days! We kept super busy and have been teaching a lot of people! We also got to attend the temple Wednesday! Great session! We then got our new companions Thursday! My new companion named Elder Dodge! He's a super solid Elder from Indiana who just got here from the MTC! 

Our investigators have shown a lot of progress! Veronica committed to baptism just needs a date now and a lot of the other investigators are reading the Book of Mormon and coming to church! We also found some great new families to teach and got some solid tacos from the Cinco de Mayo!

My favorite scripture from this week is from Jacob 5:72  72 And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things.

When we work in the lords vineyard he is with us working beside us! These are the last days before the lords coming and we are his laborers preparing the way for his coming!

Take care and have a solid week!

Con Amor,

Elder Houssian

Trainer Email

It is with great pleasure I am writing to inform you that Elder Houssian has been called to serve as a Trainer in the California Fresno Mission.  We deem this to be the most important leadership calling in this mission because of the significant and lasting effect it will have on a newly arrived missionary to our mission.  Consequently, under inspiration from the Lord, we choose our trainers before we select any other leadership positions each transfer.  Only the most prepared, diligent, obedient, humble, and best teachers are called to this position in order that our new missionaries become powerful missionaries and Trainers themselves in as short a time as possible.  This calling has an initial 12-week (two-transfers) assignment during which Trainers remain with their newly arrived missionary companion.

I must share with you that when Trainers met their Trainee Companions for the first time this past week, there was an incredible confirmation of the Spirit that they are called to be together and the area they are assigned to has been chosen by the Lord as well.  Attached is a picture of Elder Houssian and his Trainee, Elder Dodge.  As they consecrate and dedicate themselves to missionary service, they will be led to those who are prepared to receive the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Elder Houssian and his companion are blessing our lives, the lives of these new missionaries, and the lives of members and non-members in their areas; and hopefully, you will feel blessed by their service as well.

It is difficult for me to adequately express my sincere appreciation for Elder Houssian.  Thank you for supporting and loving him with your prayers, love and sacrifice.  As he consecrates himself in the calling to be an ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ, he is becoming a true disciple of Him whom he has been called to serve.  It is nearly impossible to replicate the spiritual growth experienced on a mission and its lasting effects lay the foundation for their next best two or four, or ten or fifty-years as he becomes a husband, father, and servant in the Lord's kingdom.

With much love and appreciation,

President and Sister Mackay

California Fresno Mission​

Week #40

Buenas Tardes!

Super good week this week! We saw a lot of progress in the work! Some of the investigators we have who've been investigating for a LONG finally are ready to get baptized so lot's of good stuff coming up this next transfer! I also got called to TRAIN!!! I'll be receiving a new missionary from the CCM this Thursday! Elder Okolowitz is getting moved into my old area of Porterville! He's been a super solid companion! 

This week we also help a family paint there house! They had us paint the ceiling too which took some time and tired arms! We also helped with the Sisters baptism this Saturday and gave a talk there. Our recent convert Aida is still on fire! We helped her get a temple recommend and got her an lds.org account and on family search! She already has over 10 names to bring to the temple but searching mexican family lines is like finding a needle in a haystack!

Overall lot's of stuff coming up this next week! My favorite scripture of the week comes from Jacob 4:14 ... Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall;... Many members look beyond the mark which leads them into blind paths. The mark is Christ! His gospel is plain and simple and if truly understand it and live it we will grow to become like him! 

Have a great week! 

Con Amor,

Elder Houssian

Week #39

Muy buenas tardes!

It's been quite the week! Time seems to be moving so by so fast!

Started off with a few solid teaching visits, including with our mission Presidente at an investigators house! She cooked us a solid traditional Oxacan meal (Mole) then we had a great lesson over Lehi's dream! She's getting close to baptism!

Aida's (our investigator that was just baptized) testimony is still growing stronger and stronger and she says she can feel the holy ghost very strongly now she has the gift! We had a great lesson on temples and she is already working on family history and SUPER excited to go to the temple! She said a long time ago she came across the scripture in Corinthians that talked about baptism for the dead and went and asked her pasture what is meant. The pasture had no idea neither anyone she asked! So when we taught her about it the spirit of Elisha came over her so strong and she's said it was another manifestation that this is the lords church! We are planning to go with her to the temple hopefully this week! We also had a great lesson in a member home with a new solid investigator that is the husband to a member and had rejected the missionaries for years but finally is ready and wants to learn!

We also went to help an older sister cut her lawn and when we got there the lawn was super overgrown and 2-3 feet high in some places in the back! Elder Okolowitz and I both had mowers and it still took 2 hours! Well worth it though as the Sister deeply expressed her gratitude and told us it hadn't been cut since last June!

My favorite scripture this week comes from 2nd Nephi 32:3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, wherefore they speak the words of Christ, wherefore, I say unto you FEAST upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do!

I like to make the analogy with our investigators comparing the word of God to a massive plate full of Tacos de Carne Asada! We have this massive plate of deliciousness in front of us that we know and we are told is super good and tasty and if someone were to only rip of a little piece off and give it to us, we'd eat it, know it is good and want more! Then we dig in and feast and are filled and satisfied! The word of God is the same we must feast upon it and do it everyday! But the difference is the Tacos bring only temporary happiness but the Word brings brings us eternal joy!

Have a great week!!! 

Con Amor,

Elder Houssian

Week #38

Hola mis amigos!

What a week!!! The work is catching fire here in Kerman! We started off with a solid zone conference where we got our new smartphones and trained how to use them! It's weird having a device again but so nice to not have to carry around so much in my bag and to have a ton of new resources! Definitely is going to push the work further! We saw a ton of progress in our investigators! We also had a miracle baptism! 

We finally were able to meet with our investigator Aida this week on Wednesday and she said she didn't feel like it was the right time to be baptized anymore because her mom was really sick on her deathbed and said she needed to be with her. That night I started a fast and Elder Okolowitz and I prayed hard together and fasted all day tell we met with here right before dinner on Thursday and one of the first thing she tells us is her mom was stable again and she wanted to be baptized as long as she stays good!!! We then had a super awesome lesson and she said she was ready for the interview! We had to call president over for an emergency interview on Friday and then planned the baptism in 1 day! It was a bit tough but it ended up being a super awesome and spiritual baptism! When Aida arrived at the baptism she told us her mom started to get worse but she had faith that God wanted her to be baptized and would watch over her mom while she was away! She loved the baptism and looked so happy and felt the spirit so strong! Aida for sure is going to be a rock solid of a convert with her firm testimony of Christ and desire to build to lords kingdom!

Saturday morning we were biking around and we saw this lady sitting outside having a yard sale! She told us she used to be taught by missionaries but moved away and told us we could come teach her! So we set up an appointment and right as we were heading off I spotted a ping pong table in the corner of the garage, I ask how much and she said 20$ plus she'd deliver it to our apartment! A sweet two in one deal, Investigator and ping pong table!

Sunday I gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting and I got the talk Saturday night and it ended up being pretty good (At least that's what they tell me) and 12 min long! Before the mission I was a terrible public speaker but I think I'm finally getting used to it!

My favorite scripture comes from some of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon! 2nd Nephi 29:2 ...and my words shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people,...

And in the words of one of my favorite talks by Ezra Taft Benson in April 1975 explains:

Now, we have not been using the Book of Mormon as we should. Our homes are not as strong unless we are using it to bring our children to Christ. Our families may be corrupted by worldly trends and teachings unless we know how to use the book to expose and combat the falsehoods in socialism, organic evolution, rationalism, humanism, etc. Our missionaries are not as effective unless they are “hissing forth” with it. Social, ethical, cultural, or educational converts will not survive under the heat of the day unless their taproots go down to the fullness of the gospel which the Book of Mormon contains. Our Church classes are not as spirit-filled unless we hold it up as a standard. And our nation will continue to degenerate unless we read and heed the words of the God of this land, Jesus Christ, and quit building up and upholding the secret combinations which the Book of Mormon tells us proved the downfall of both previous American civilizations.

If your not reading it daily your being robbed of so many blessings and promises!

Have a great week!

Con Amor

Week #37

Hola Hola!

Very great week this week! Saw a lot of progress in the work! We've been working a lot of our investigator Aida Diaz and she's super excited and solid for her baptism this Saturday! It's amazing to see how the spirit can change people! We also got the car back so we finally got to go to the little towns outside of Kerman and we taught a lot of people out there!

We went and visited the one lady who had the "Coffee" doormat and the first thing she does is challenge us to a pool match! We accept and Elder Okolowitz and I both beat her, so she called her husband to come play us and we beat him too, but only cause both times he scratched on the 8 ball! They then said" Well, since you beat us we'll now listen to your message" so we shared an awesome message with them!

This week my favorite scripture was 2nd Nephi 2:  26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

100% of what we do is focused on Christ! Christ is the way, the only way, and once we truly understand who he is and what he did and continues to do then we will have a burning desire to share it with others! 

Have a great week mis amigitos! Next week this will be sent from a smartphone!

 Some home made stove pizzas!

Little town of San Joaquin 

Week #36

How are you!?  How was your week??  What did you think of General Conference?  Pretty awesome huh??

We had a good week here!  I subbed at Rooster the first three days of the week.  It was the busiest office I've subbed in so far, but it was still fun!  The boys were busy with basketball, robotics, soccer and church stuff.  

The boys didn't have school on Friday (yay!).  We decided to just stay home and chill that day.  It was a nice break!  Dad and I went to the temple that night.  The bluebonnets are out and it was a gorgeous drive all the way to the temple.  It was ward temple night so it was fun to see some members of our ward there.  We ate at Lupe Tortilla on our way home and I ate the HOTTEST pepper I've had since we moved here!  I about died!!

Saturday, Nathan had a basketball tournament in San Antonio, so dad took Nathan and I stayed and took Matthew to his soccer game.  Sam joined us and then we went to the YMCA to swim.  They have totally remodeled the YMCA here and there is now an outdoor pool where the parking lot used to be!  Then I took the boys to Taco Bell for lunch.

Today we had the Stankovichs, Lindquist and G & G over for Easter dinner and General Conference.  We had lots of yummy food and loved conference!

That's pretty much it for us.  I hope you have a super week!  I love you millions and zillions!!!

Love, 

Mom