Christmas 2014

Hello Ho Ho Houghtons! And everyone else!

Thank you all so much for the Christmas cards, gifts, stockings and for the wonderful chance to see my most favorite people in this world!  It has been such a wonderful Christmas week, one that I will remember for the rest of my life!

Christmas Eve was so much fun! We had our mission Christmas party! So all of the missionaries in our mission came.  We have such great elders and sisters here! We had a talent show which was great! Missionaries sang Christmas songs, played the piano/ violin, one sister in our district danced point,(I thought about you Rach) some did some missionary raps, others sang about orange juice, and Elder Walker did a Hoop dance-I was so proud! It was so much fun! I was so happy I got to see elder Walker again because he leaves on New Year's Eve, I am going to miss him a ton! ( he was my trainer BTW) Then we had a fun white elephant gift! We had all types of things from cheap family
dollar gifts to full TV's! :) while I was there I got to see Elder Gammon!!! This made me so happy but it blew my mind, I mean I was baptized on the same day as this kid-- we even talked about serving together when we were younger so yeah a little crazy. Not to mention having Elder Tomilson there.  We graduated together, we were in seminary together,and we went to mission prep classes together! It is kind of nice having a familiar face from home here in the mission! :) just awesome!

Celebrating their 9th birthday together best friends--Sean Gammon and Todd Houghton

Elder Sean Gammon

After the incredible party we then went caroling with a bunch of families from the ward.  We had a huge caravan going around and it was super warm like over 50 degrees! So all we needed was a light jacket.  We had the windows rolled down and everyone we saw on the street we wished/yelled a Merry Christmas to them! We went to several places like an old folks home and the lobbies of apartment buildings where some members lived, and after we sang all of us missionaries just dispersed and handed out a ton of those "He is The Gift" cards! I loved it so much and we ate a lot! Then after all that we had dinner with members. It was a full day!

Christmas morning I woke up and the Santa/postman came! Bearing packages,boxes and bags. We had the ASL elders come over in the morning to open all of our packages. I got to make breakfast for them as well. Mom you would be proud my cooking, just saying. It was so much fun, then I made some cookies that we could take to some of our investigators, and because of it one lady we have been trying meet with let us in! She was really impressed that even on Christmas we went out
trying to help people. So hopefully this will let us get in next time to teach her! We did that for awhile! Then I got to talk to you guys! And that made me so happy! It made you feel a lot closer! I just loved
it!  We spent the rest of the day at the Pulleys and had dinner with them.  We also got to watch one G rated movie! So we watched Monsters University! That felt weird. It was a great Christmas!

The next day elder and sister Ray- a senior couple from Becky and Dan's Ward in Kaysville came to do deep clean of our apartment! By the way they think the world of the Bryan family! Kind of a cool
connection and I still can't believe that the Bryan's are moving to Idaho! I am super excited for all of them! Idaho is going to love them! Anyways we did a deep clean from 11 to 5 and now our apartment
is super clean! It makes me super happy!

The rest of the week was great, we have a baptism set with Luis! So I am so excited for him!

I love you all and I love this work and I am so grateful for the chance to be here in the Lord's vineyard!

Love Elder Todd Houghton

Skyping with Elder Houghton!

The best part of Christmas :)

When you are in the service of your fellow men you are in the service of your God.

December 22nd, 2014

HO HO HO

Can You Believe it-- Christmas is in 4 days!!!! Crazy!
And The Thing I am most excited for is getting to see all of Your
beautiful faces! :)
Well lets see I am going to have to give a quick recap of the events
this week because I have to save some stories for Christmas! ;)

Well a missionary broke his nose last Monday while we were playing
basketball, that was exciting.

Tuesday we had the awesomest Spanish referral! His name is Luis!
We dropped by his place and he Let us in! (That is always surprising
as a missionary.) He is from the Dominican Republic and Apparently he
used to meet with missionaries there. He doesn't remember to much from
all  they taught except the Word of Wisdom which he is keeping!
So we got to teach him the Restoration and the Word of Wisdom! I still
don't understand anything being said but I am able to at least follow
along and get the base of where the conversation is at.  It is kind of
cool. Then he invited us back Friday! When we got there he was ready
for us. He changed his sweat shirt and beanie for a button up shirt and
combed his hair back. :) then he told us how he wants us to go through
every thing slow so that poco by poco,  little by little he can become
fully converted to this gospel! He wants to be converted! It made me
so happy! Then he came to church last Sunday as well! it was awesome!
We now have two Luis's coming to church and they are both Spanish
investigators! and they are both Solid! The other Luis has a baptismal
date set for the 3rd! :)

Last Friday we had an interesting dinner with a member, basically
during the ward Christmas party a less active lady that let's just
say has a some kind of disability.  She invited us over for dinner.

 She lives in an apartment building and on her front door was an interesting sign. 

We didn't know what to expect haha, We were happy to say she was 

really nice! She went all out and made turkey and something else that I didn't recognize. 

It was ok I just don't want to know how she made it.

Talk to you soon love you all!!

Elder Houghton

December 15, 2014

Hello Again From Rochester!

It really is Christmas time in the City Here! They have put up
Christmas lights and every Thing! (But it doesn't even Compare to
Temple Square, witch is super awesome that You got to go! I absolutely
love that place!
Also Thank you So much for all Birthday wishes and packages! It made
me so happy getting packages on my Birthday! Elder Scott even took me
to Moe's For lunch and I got me a delicious Quesadilla! It was
awesome! and a great day for missionary work! a miracles happened that
day as well. so Cassie is one of the people with a baptismal date, but
we just haven't been able to get in contact with her like at all! she
would cancel appointments then we couldn't even get ahold of her on
the Phone. So Tuesday the ASL elders went to Starbucks to do Online
Proselyting (we get one Hour online each day) But the WiFi wasn't
working so they went to the restaurant next dour were the Wifi worked
so as they were doing there thing one of the workers came over and
started to talk to them and basically testified that she knew that the
church was true and is the only correct church in front of like every
one there and that it was a sign that they were there! and Guess Who
that was! It was CASSIE! She then told them that she would call us
that night so we could come over! It was awesome! I love it when
things like this happen and they happen all the time!

Wednesday really was an Eye Opener, we got to go to One of our
investigators Grandson's funeral. I am pretty sure it was a Baptist
funeral and we were 2 of the 3 only White People there. It was
probably One of the most different, and depressing things I have ever
experienced in my life. For example they had an Organ, drums, and an
electric Guitar, and during the Opening prayer the lady progressively
got louder till the point of Yelling, the Guitar and organ was playing
along and people were Shouting out! "AMEN" and "PRAISE JESUS"! and that
was just the opening Prayer! During the opening Number It was Chaotic!
Lets just say there was a lot of Weeping, wailing and Gnashing of
teeth from the mother of the son who passed away, and everyone around
her was trying to comfort her! all during the song! it was so sad.
Also I don't think I have ever heard the Word "Amen" so much in my
life. It was a really interesting, and It makes me so grateful to have
this Gospel and for the Wonderful plan that Our Father has made for
us-- to be able to live with our loved ones again! That truly is one of
the greatest blessings. And then to hear what happened to Jonathan
broke my heart, life is so fragile and it so hard to hear that some
one I knew and graduated with and has now passed away. My thoughts and
prayers go with his family!

And Then Saturday we were at the church like all day! We went to a
baptism in the morning and then we had a went to a single adult ward
lunch talked to an investigator there! And then we went and set up for
the ward Christmas party! It seriously was one of the best ward
Christmas parties I have been too! It was gorgeous the food was
incredible we had over 250 people there many were friends that people
had invited! President France's came and Spoke and we had fabulous
musical numbers and then the best part was I got to be Santa's little
helper! Yes I was an Elf! You got to love what you get to do as a
missionary!!!!! I will have to get some pictures to show you cause it
was incredible! But that was basically my week!

Oh! This is transfers week! And Elder Scott and I are staying
companions! Which is crazy because he has been in this area for 6
months already! Haha the work is going really well here still! And I
am loving it!

Hurrah for Israel

Merry Christmas!

 Feliz Navidad

Making ginger bread houses

 Downtown Rochester

That's not the language they Taught me in the MTC. Dec. 1, 2014

Dearest family and beloved friends

I hope you all had a magnificent day of Thanksgiving because I did but
I will admit it felt really weird not being with you for it. This was
both mine and Elder Scott's first Thanksgiving one the mission field
and we both just felt a little weird about it but it was really good.
So Thursday morning we started by walking up early (like 6) and went
with the the ASL elders to play some basketball at the church---still
terrible at it. And after that the stake had a Turkey Bowl in 3'in. of
snow. We went and played with with them two hand touch of course.
But it was so much fun! I don't think I have played football since
last last Thanksgiving! It was kind of crazy how a whole year has past
by since then. After an awesome game in the snow! We got cleaned up.
Did our studies we watched the Joseph Smith movie! I was reminded how
lucky I am that I am literally only 20 minutes away from where it all
started!

We then had dinner at the Pulley's, members from our ward, it was
my first time meeting them and they are a great family and dinner was
delicious!  Afterwards we got to play ping pong. It was a day to be
Thankful for! The the rest of the week we were busy doing a bunch of
missionary Work. We did Lots of contacting this week because 90% our
appointments canceled on us. We just get to meet tons of people it's
great!

One of the great things of this mission is Facebook! I love looking
for things we can do for creative post! I still find it crazy that all
time I spent on Facebook was actually preparing me for this mission!:)
My favorite this week was making the #ShareThe Gift in the snow. It
took a lot of skill and directing but I think we reached perfection!

Missions really are great and no matter how much I miss all of you!
There is no place I would rather be than here! Sharing this wonderful
gift with everyone we meet! It is a great and marvelous work!

I love you all a ton!

Elder Todd Houghton

That's not the language they taught me at the MTC.

Hola Mi Familia y Amigos!

This has been a happening week here in the New York Rochester Mission! As you have probably heard Buffalo got slammed with a ton of snow! Lake effect is the weirdest thing! It was right next to my last area as well so I dodged a bullet there. But to be honest I am a little bummed I missed it because It looks flipping crazy. Here in Rochester the weather is Bipolar. Its snowed a little. It was basically freezing last Tuesday, but today it is 68 degrees! It feels like summer right now! and it is wigging me out!!  It is going to drop to 40 degrees again. I am loving it here! Rochester is not in 8 feet of snow because We Are On Fire Here! :)

Just last Saturday we went to our third baptism into this ward and one from each set of missionaries. During the service all the missionaries that were there sang the Spirit of God, and on the last verse they had everyone join in, and that was a very touching moment the spirit was so strong. Baptisms definitely are a special day as a missionary!

We also had Zone Conference this week and as always it was Incredible! So remember the "Because of Him" video the church made for Easter? Well the Church is making another on for Christmas and it's called "He is the Gift" and the Church is going big on this video.   They bought the head banner of Youtube and they got one of the main billboards in New York City and they gave all the Missionaries "He is the Gift" cards and they want us to go around passing out at least ten a day. So this is going to be huge! I am a little excited about it!

Being the Spanish Missionaries and not speaking Spanish has been kind of interesting, last Monday we went to give a Spanish lady from our ward a blessing because she is beginning chemotherapy, and I didn't understand like anything they were saying, Its weird I can understand like the main topic of what they are talking about and recognizes one or two words and that's about it. The same is true with some of the other Spanish lessons we have had and school at church! I am trying though but the weird thing is I am picking up more ASL than Spanish! But its fun and really we don't have that many Spanish investigators.

Thanksgiving is Coming Up! I am super excited! We are planning on going to a members home for dinner! But really food is good and I am Grateful for it but there is so much more that I am so thankful for that by coming out on a mission I have been able to more fully appreciate what I have been taking for granted my whole life. Growing up and having a wonderful family and friends, the home I grew up in and the education I have been able to receive BUT what I am most Grateful is for the Gospel in my life, it really has been the most amazing blessing I could ever of asked for and Being able to serve each day and to try and share this joy that I have felt with the people of New York Has made me even Happier than before!

I Love You ALL

Stay Warm!

Hurah For Israel!

Te Amo!

Elder Houghton

November 17th, 2014

Hello again my most wonderful family

This week President Fransic raised the bar for us.

Rochester is the place to be, it is wonderful and super fun, I never know what to expect each day.  Because it's always different.  Also it was snowing huge flakes earlier today!  I got ot go jump around in it for a little bit!

As missionaries we have our "Standard of Excellence", which is to contact
10 people a day, have new investigators each week, and 1 baptism each
month. So now he has made it that in our weekly email to him we have
to tell him how many people we contacted each week.  Elder Scott and
I set the goal to reach 70 this week, so we worked hard! Tuesday was
perfect! It was super warm and every one was out it was way nice! Also
that night we went to go see Luis who is a Spanish investigator that
we have seen a couple times now.  Each time we haven't been able to
teach any of the lessons, but he is super nice and is really patient
with our Spanish. Tuesday night we went and talked to him on his porch
(it's always on the porch). Anyways as we talked to him he told us how
he had cancer for 4 years and he got a blessing and the next visit to the doctors
his cancer was gone! And the then he told us that be knows the Book of
Mormon is true! And then he turned to Elder Scotland asked him "Will
you baptize me"! But the crazy part was I didn't know what  was said
until we were leaving the appointment, and Elder Scott said, " well he is
going to tell us what day he wants to be baptized!" I was so happy! I
just wish I could speak/understand it!

Wednesday it got really cold! I am now bringing out the layers!
It is going to take some getting used to the cold humidity here. And
one problem with the cold is that not as many people like to be out
side In the cold. But We Do!

One of the days we got to prove our manliness by pulling up a super
heavy desk up the side of a house! We were all pretty pumped about it!
Another funny thing happened, I saw my first utterly wasted drunk guy!
We saw him on the ground with a brown paper bag in his hand, and we
decided to give him a mormon.org card, but when we got there he
held  a sign "just keep on walking" and then proceeded to yell out random
basket ball players, were I couldn't even understand what he was even
saying but it was pretty funny.

Saturday I went to the ASL elders baptism. And it was the coolest
thing they did all the talks in sign language, and they performed the
ordinance in sign language! It was so cool! And then on Sunday elder
Longherst performed the confirmation in sign language as well! It was
so cool. He starts off by putting his hands on her head and then he
takes them off and signs the blessing and then finishes by putting his
hands back on her head. It was on of the coolest things I have seen!
Sunday night we were at 68 contacts. So we were like we got to get at
least 2 more!--  We went to the Groc-er-y store! And we contacted two
more people changed their lives forever and we achieved our goal! I
was pretty excited about that. And we get to do it all over this week!
Rochester is such an amazing place! I am loving it here! The work is
really going forward here!

I love hearing from all of you all! Your letters really do mean the
world to me! You all are definitely living up to  our Houghton
Title of liberty, "as Houghtons will stand as examples of integrity
service and honer." I am so grateful for your examples. Those words
will be with me for ever! I love you tons!

¡Te amo!
Elder Todd Houghton

November 11th 2014

Hello To My most wonderful Family and Friends!

Ok, so remember how before I came out I was in the musical "Guys and Dolls"? Well I was a missionary in it and it took place in New York! Well my new area is right in Downtown Rochester New York! It has been the craziest thing! I have had the Guys and Dolls music going through my head all the time this week because that's what it kind of feels like! except Now I am experiencing/seeing these things for real and It is soooo much fun!

I got my New Companiero Elder Scott, he is so funny I like never know what I am going to get with him, but he is a way hard worker and I love it! He was called as a Spanish missionary so we, this past week, have been able to go and talk to a couple of the Spanish investigators. It is such a cool experience because  I have a good Idea of what they are talking about without understanding a single word that is said! It is kind of exciting so I got to brush up on mi Español!

Also the area I came to Is ON FIRE! We have been so busy this week that each night we are both just dead tired.  It's hard to describe just everything so I am just going to section it up.

Our district is way cool we have us, the Spanish elders, and then we have the ASL Elders, and then we have some Spanish sisters in our district and we are all assigned to one ward! its so weird to have 3 sets of missionaries at church.

Ok, One of the people we went to go see was a potential that Elder Scott had talked to a couple of weeks before for just like 3 minutes.  We dropped by and she let us in!! We got to teach the Restoration to her and that was way cool and after that she said she was interested in learning about our church! We also offered to rake her leaves for her later that week, and she said we could! ---So we did! and I think it kind of surprised her! She then surprised us by calling us! ( which never happens) and told us she wanted to come to church! We were almost jumping in the air with excitement! and then she came to church and brought her 26 year old daughter as well! We will go and meet with her! The craziest thing was that was only one of our investigators that came to church! We had 5 investigators come to church!! I was so happy and it was just my first week here!

• Also this ward is one of the most interesting wards I have ever been in! Its the ward that President Frances and his family go too!
• Also we have a Deaf Congregation in it, so the ASL Elders and one lady interprets the meeting! they are so much fun to watch!
• Also we have a few members that only speak Spanish so we have some one interpreting Spanish during the meeting!
• Also there are several people in this church that are let's just say, not fully there. One sat by us in sacrament meeting and in the course of the meeting he made a paper airplane and wanted to throw it at the interpreter. He told me he would steal my bag, and swore at me! and several other things! This is going to be an interesting transfer!
• The ward council is like a well oiled machine, and it is so amazing to see these great members at work and there diligence to serve those in the ward! 

This has just been a crazy week! These are only a few of the many things that have happened! I can't tell you how happy I am to be here! This is such a new and different experience and I look forward to the many things I will learn here!

I love You also much! I am so happy about all the missionary work that is going on back home! Members really are the best missionaries! Especially Houghton Members! ;)

Hurrah For Israel!

and Come Follow the Fold!

Muchas Amo

Elder Houghton

PS. Weird thing I saw this week was a guy eating out of the garbage. yup it was gross.

PPS. sorry I left my camera in my last area so pictures will have to wait a little bit.