Week #64

Hola hola!

Another packed but excellent week! We spent a lot of the week working with Alondra and Dominic helping them prepare from baptism! They got bapized on Sunday and it was an awesome baptismal service!

We saw a lot of progress in the work as well and Ruben should be set up to be baptized this coming Saturday! 

We also got transfer calls and we are both staying and TRAINING! We will be training a visa waiter so back in a trio!

We also played some golf today with our Elders quorum president! He's on the maintenance crew and the course is closed on Mondays so we got to go play! 

My favorite scripture from the week is Mormon 3:21 And also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you; and also that the Jews, the covenant people of the Lord, shall have other witness besides him whom they saw and heard, that Jesus, whom they slew, was the very Christ and the very God.

These words from the great prophet Mormon teach us that the prime reason for the Book of Mormon is to persuade all men to come unto Christ! And show to the world that Jesus is our savior! The Book of Mormon has helped me to come know my Savior and I've seen it change so many lives! 

Cuidense!

Con Amor,

Elder Houssian 

Week #63

Hola!

Another great week amigos! Conference was fire! Great talks and exciting changes! The Lord's church is moving forward! We had 2 friends we are teaching come conference! They loved it as well! 

This week the Book of Mormon play was in town so Presidente called together the Book of Mormon battalion together to pass out Book of Mormons after the play! We ended giving out over 1600 Books of Mormon over 3 days! We also met a man from Mexico who is almost 100 and told us the secret to life was first obey the word of wisdom and second bananas with milk and tortillas with soup!

On Tuesday Elder Lilly was backing me up and starts talking to this lady from El Salavador! It turns out she had been searching for help and guidance in her life so we teach her the restoration and about the Book of Mormon and she is super solid! We have many that are progressing towards baptism this and next month, lots of excitement in El Barrio Ventura!

My favorite scripture from the week comes from 3rd Nefi 27:33- 33 And it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings he said unto his disciples: Enter ye in at the strait gate; for strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it; but wide is the gate, and broad the way which leads to death, and many there be that travel therein, until the night cometh, wherein no man can work.

This is a message cleary stated over and over at conference that Today is the day get onto the covenant path and stay on it! The blessings on this path far outweigh anything else this world can offer!

Cuidense amigos!

Con Amor,

Elder Houssian

Week #62

Buenos Días!

Quite the packed week this week! Started off with some really solid lessons! Read Alma 7 with a lady we have been working with for a while and she really felt the spirit and set a baptismal date! We had Zone Conference on Wednesday and it was really Good! Learned a lot from Presidente Mackay! We then had exchanges with the assistants and district leader so I was in the gringo areas for two days!

We then went to the temple Friday with a recent convert who is moving back to Mexico! Such a cool experience! Saturday we saw a cool miracle, we have been teaching this lady and her mom but only she could come to church because her mom works. We had a really really good lessons in Mosiah 18 over baptism and invited her to invite her Mom to ask for Sundays off! We knew it'd be a bit of a long shot because it's in the harvest season but we had the Faith! When her mom got home for work that night she told her daughter that her boss out of nowhere decided to give her Saturdays and Sundays off! So they came and watched a baptism Saturday and church together Sunday! We had a solid turnout at church too! A long time less active came back and 5 others we are teaching!

My favorite scripture from the week comes from 3rd Nefi 20:13 And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from the west, and from the south and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them.

The gathering of Israel is fully underway! All around the world whether in foreign lands or here in the states, the children of God are being brought to the the light of the gospel! The times are here and more prophetic direction on how to gather Isarael will be given this week at General Conference! What a privilege to be serving a mission at this time!

Cuidense amigos!

Con Amor,

Elder Houssian

Week #61

Una semana muy buena!

Started off with some great lessons! Josefina got baptized also! She is going be a solid convert! Fernando is solid to and we helped him set up his proposal, and is planning on getting baptized and married this Saturday! Delia too is progressing very well and should be solid for this week!

We a bunch of service on Wednesday, vineyard in the morning then yard remolding in the afternoon! We then had exchanges and found some really cool new people!

Favorite scripture of the week comes from 3rd Nefi 15:9 Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life.

Enduring to the end is essential, baptism is just the gate. Enduring to the end is the path of happiness!

Take care amigos!

Con Amor,

Elder Houssian

(Mexcian food is getting to me a bit)

Week #60

Buenas Tardes!

Excellent week this week! A bit of a crazy and super busy! Monday night we had a family home evening with some people we are teaching and they committed to be baptized in October their aunt also sent us home with for massive bags of food! We also did a Zone training on Thursday about hastening the work and expecting miracles! A man we are working with named Ruben texted us out of the blue and had a complete turnaround came to our word activity and to church and loved it he also is said to be baptized on the 20th of October! Also during that Ward activity (For Mexico's independence day) one of the people we are teaching named Josefina introduced herself and told the whole Ward she was going to be baptized next Saturday and she got quite the Applause! Elder Lily and I sang for the talent show and I also added in a nice little flip!

This week we found a lot of new people to teach who the Lord has really prepared! Here in Fresno it just feels like there are people everywhere compared to Kerman! The majority speak Spanish but lots of Laos and hmong speaking also! We met this lady from Laos who wanted 2 pictures of Jesus Christ to keep the ghosts out of her house! We gave her a Book of Mormon as well and told her that would work better for that! 

My favorite scripture from the week comes from 3rd Nefi 12:6 And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.

It all starts with our desires! If we desire righteousness our thoughts and actions will follow and we will be led by the Holy Ghost, which will guide us in all things!

Have a great week! Se cuida!

Con Amor,

Elder Houssian 

Week #59

Hola!

Quite the week! New companions name is Elder Lilly! He is a really solid Elder from Salt Lake City but born in Kashakstan! I'm in a huge area and cover a big Spanish ward! Loads of work to do and lots of people to teach!

We had a lot of great lessons, we did quite a few splits with our members! We are teaching a man named Fernando who has a date for the 29th but has to get married! We also are teaching this lady named Delia and set a date for the 29th with her and she came to church! We had this man call us named Eric who just moved here and was taught all the lessons and went to church in Washington! He came to church too and loved it! 

At church I was asked to share my testimony and it was a bit different in an actual chapel! The baño was broken so we only had sacrament! We also had a few service projects and help with the new missionaries who came in!

Favorite scripture of the week comes from 3rd Nefi 26 And then shall they know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and then shall they be gathered in from the four quarters of the earth unto their own lands, from whence they have been dispersed; yea, as the Lord liveth so shall it be. Amen.

One of the last prophesies that needs to come to pass before the second coming is the gathering of Israel! What an opportunity we have to participate in this gathering!

Have a great week!

Con Amor,

Elder Houssian

Week #58

Buenas tardes!

Quite a solid week! Jammed packed! This week was the grape harvest so Wednesday we went and pick grapes for 5 hours! Then Saturday another 4! Really great experience to help make the raisins to feed the world! Huge crop too!

Marco continues to progress and came to church once again. Saturday after the vineyard we went to Firebaugh and Mendota and had some really solid lessons! Veronica stopped working so we finally taught her again and she came to church and is looking to get baptized very soon! We've seen the Lord's hand so much this week guide us to where we need to go! So many prepared people we're finding! 

I am getting transferred to Fresno East Spanish ward (Ventura Ward) to be a zone leader. I'm going to miss Kerman a ton a few tears were shed as I gave my departing testimony and said bye to all the amazing people,  but I will go where the Lord needs me and am really excited! Elder Dodge is staying and training a new missionary so Kerman is in good hands! 

Favorite scripture of the week comes from Helaman 14:30 And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free.

God has given us this beautiful gift of agency that if we used wisely we can learn so much and feel joy in our lives! A joy that comes from following the savior!

Cuidense amigos!

Con Amor y Pasas,

Elder Houssian