October 13th Just Another Boring Week in the Mission Field

HAHA Just Kidding!

So much happened this week I don't even know were to begin.

OK well Tuesday we got to see "Meet the Mormons" with all of the missionaries in both the Buffalo North and South zone and Holy Cow wasn't it incredible! All of those stories were so inspiring and wonderful I was truly inspired to be a better person! I think every missionary was a little choked up at the end. That was just pretty sweet.

Also that morning President Francis called and asked if he could go with us after the show to see some of our investigators!! I was a little shocked and nervous, but let me tell you we had one of our best lessons so far. President Francis, in my eyes, is like the Prime Missionary! He asks the right questions and is always looking for clues to talk to people.  It was really cool getting to see him at work. It was just crazy.

That saddest part of this week though was that we had to give up the van. :( apparently some other Elders need it more that we do. It was a hard parting. I had grown so close to that van and now its gone. but I guess that's how mission life is so instead we got a Truck.  It might look more manly! But the van was better.

So we had an amazing Miracle happen this week. Basically a week ago a really sweet Catholic lady, that we had been visiting, invited us to come to one of their Prayer circle Groups things to talk about our Religious Roots or what it was like growing up as a Mormon. So we Gladly accepted! The meeting was at her home with about 8 other Catholic ladies, and it was by far the best thing I have been able to do on my mission!! We told them all about reading the scriptures each morning and night as a family and Family Home Evening (yes, I told them about our Houghton Title of Liberty) and also what it was like going to school. These ladies had lots of questions. It was just perfect because all of their walls were down and we got to just talk to them. Near the end we asked if they had any more questions and one of the ladies asked if she could get a Book of Mormon. We of course said yes thus causing a chain reaction and every one wanted one! It was wonderful!! We closed the meeting by singing "I know that my Redeemer lives" The spirit was very strong. I absolutely loved it!

The lady that invited us, she asked if we could help rake some of her leaves some time. Two days later we put on some service clothes and went to work. Her husband couldn't believe that she had asked us to help. However,  by the time we were done, he expressed that we are going to Heaven and that if Mitt Romney was like us then where would our county be now. haha I thought that was funny. They were very grateful that we came to help them and now they want to feed us dinner which I am super excited for! 

Ready to Serve

Yesterday during Gospel Principles a lady that hasn't been to church for a long time came in because she was sick and wanted a blessing. I got to anoint for the first time! You definitely have to be on your toes as a missionary because you never know when you will have to exercise the priesthood, or if the Lord will want you to do something.  We just have to make sure that we're worthy to do it!

I am so grate full to serve here! The Field is White and ready to harvest!

Love you all so much 

Elder Houghton!

Chill'n on the Erie Canal

October 6, 2014

Feeling down in the dumps?

Watch General Conference it can help!

Hello Again!

This has been Quite the week! 

I mean I started off by going with an investigator to Niagara Falls! so yeah that was pretty amazing. It's been really interesting working with Jeff, he is all about helping out the missionaries and showing us all the Cool things to do in New York, but it also has been interesting to try and share messages with him because its hard to stay focused with him! BUT I think we found the cure! and it is through movies!  We just watched the testaments with him just last Friday and that really went well!   We have one of the greatest missionary tools coming out this next-- Friday!!!! "MEET THE MORMONS"!!!  This movie is inspired, it is perfect for our investigators and also to let the world know what Mormons are like! I am so Stoked! We, as a zone, will get to watch it this Tuesday! 

Also we got to meet and have a sweet lesson with Kriza, she has come to church Twice, she is from the Philippians and she wants to learn about the church, all because one of the members invited her! It was crazy-- we met with her on Wednesday, we had Sister Lahti and Sister Campbell who are her friends that invited her, and then we needed a male to come as well so we had 3 members present! We just set up a table in the Gym and taught her the Restoration. It's really nice when you have lots of members because they practically teach the lesson!  After the lesson we had Pizza! so needless to say it was a good lesson! 

Elder Walker and I helped move a very nice man move from one side of his house to the other I think we rearranged his bedroom 8 times! haha He is a super nice man that is a convert to the church but he hasn't been coming much lately, but we can help change that! 

Saturday we did more service.  We went over and pulled a ton of weeds around a ladies home, like it was so bad that the neighborhood was putting a petition to have her kicked out of her home! So our ward stepped in and helped her out! I love helping her out but during the project it rained like crazy so we were muddy and and wet and happy as could be,  about the time we were done it was nice and sunny! We finished the project about 11:15 (conference starts at 12 here) so we rushed home got ready as fast as could be and drove as fast as we could (legally) and got to the church at 12:00 so it was perfect!  

GENERAL CONFERENCE WAS INCREDIBLE!!!

Seriously! I don't know if it's just me but I could swear that each General Conference is getting better and better! and wasn't it amazing how they let general authorities speak in their native tongue! The Church of Jesus Christ is a world wide Church! This Gospel is truly Going to every nation Tongue and People! 

We had a luncheon at the church between sessions, we invited several people and like no one showed.  It was incredible any ways and we went back for round two and later round three. So we were both spiritually and physically fed.

Sunday we went and watched it at the Blatto's, a part member home, it was really good..  Over the course we got to finally meet sister Blatto's husband who is not a member and talked to him even though he didn't watch it with us. They had two young daughters who were really fun and crazy! I just love getting to watch conference from a home. It made me think of all the conferences we watched growing up in our family-room with everyone  asleep and I would be watching and listing intently ;) Ha just kidding we were a Perfect family no one would Evvvvverrr fall asleep! 

I Love y'all so much!!!!

I am so great full to be one of the 88,000  Missionaries serving through out the world it is incredible!

Hurrah For Israel

Love 

Elder Houghton!

Excited about our new investigator--Fluffy!

By the way doesn't a certain Sister Missionary get home home soon?