I Looked Out the Window and What Did I See July 18th 2016

Good Morning Everyone!

I hope you are all enjoying your summer and making memories!

Elder Cummings and I have been crazy busy this week! There is so much going on and we have had some amazing experiences! 

In our area book there was a lady name Patricia that the previous sisters had met with.  She showed a lot of promise however due to some health issues her they were unable to get a hold of her.  We tried getting a hold of her but it was to no avail. Sunday the 10th, we made a plan that we were going to call her again and see if we could set something up with her. When, by "Coincidence", a less active member family that we had been trying to get to come to church for the past 8 weeks came and they Brought Patricia! They told us that Pat needed a place to go and so they invited her to come live with them! They asked if we could help them move on Tuesday, which we readily agreed to! 

Tuesday came and we filled up our truck and loaded almost everything of hers. After we unloaded everything we had a sit down lesson with them. Patricia told us how she has been to several churches but has never felt right about any of them. She told us about an experience she had while at church. When the second speaker got up she had an overwhelming feeling come over her where she described as if she were dead and she heard a voice say to her "You are blessed". She absolute loved it. Then during our lesson as we were describing the Apostasy and we used the analogy of the Church as a vase which fell and shattered in  many pieces and others coming and taking pieces and forming their own church. When we said that she couldn't believe it.She said she had seen what we were talking about before! She was then Blown away by the first vision. After it all we invited her to be baptized.  She said "Heck Yeah" ( that's the screened version) haha she is all for it! It was a Remarkable experience! 

Later that night we met with the Lipka family, a Family that we have started to meet with. They have been making some huge strides and they have been reading from the Book of Mormon. It was amazing!! they also have 4 young boys and they are all warming up to us as well. It is so exciting to teach a family! to top it off to they Gave us a container of homemade Laundry detergent! They are amazing!

Friday we were able to go up to The Pageant again with a bunch of the members.  They took an RV up so that was really fun. While we were there I was able to see Sister Sofia who was baptized a year ago when I was in the Pittsford ward. She is preparing to go through the temple so I am excited about that! The nice part of the RV was that I got to take a nap on the bed on the way back. One of the best things I have ever had the chance to do! :) We got back really late that night.

Saturday morning I had another very unique experience. We woke up to this Sound that was coming from outside. So we looked out the window and there were about a dozen or so Hot Air Balloons Floating past our apartment! It was So cool I felt like a little kid again! 

They had a huge Fair on the main street during the day. We had a booth on family history. it was really funny because the booths that surrounded us were on Vaping, wine, tattoos, Guns, and then for part of the time there was Concert right in front of our booth! we went from 8AM to 5.PM that day and we talked to a boat load of people literally thousands of people came for the Balloon Rally! It was amazing! One cool experience we had was we saw a lady named Anastasia that we had meet about two weeks previously on her porch, she wasn't to interested but was friendly. Well we saw her on Saturday and started to talk to her again. This time she was much more open and ended up saying " Can I ask you a question? Could I give you my phone number and have you guys come over and tell me more about the Bible and your church?" haha We said of course! and set up a time to see her on Sunday! We had a powerful lesson on the restoration, and she wants to learn more! Sometimes you just never know when someone might be ready! we just have to make sure we invite! 

Being a missionary and share the gospel really is one of the most wonderful things! how grateful I am for this wonderful and sacred privilege! I love you all so much! 

Love

Elder Todd Houghton 

Baptize Me Alma (Favorite quote from the pageant) July 11th 2016

Hello Hello! 

I hope you have all had a wonderful week! We have had such an exciting week! It literally started with a bang! ( Because of the fireworks) 

We got to meet the new Mission President and his family on Thursday. I am very excited to see what great things he will bring for this mission. He is a powerful teacher and has a great vision of what we can accomplish through our Faith and Obedience! 

We got to go to the opening night of the Pageant on Friday with Andrea. We crammed in the back of the Moore's car and made the two hour drive up. On the way up we had a fun little experience when a cop pulled us over for speeding (in a spot where everyone speeds) and then instead of giving us a full speeding ticket he gave us a parking ticket so it wasn't as much of a fine. HaHa then as we were pulling away we saw him make a U turn and pull over someone else. That was pretty exciting. 

The Pageant was such a wonderful experience. It felt like every five feet there was someone that I knew from one of my previous areas. It was so wonderful to see them all again! The Pageant was packed that night. I haven't ever seen it that full before! It was a weird feeling as the pageant started because I felt like I had just barely been there watching it like the night before. But nope it has been a whole year. Crazy how fast time travels. Andrea seemed to like it! We are really hoping that this will be able to help her to take those steps in the right direction. We got back about 12:30 in the Morning. Its not to often when we missionaries get to do that. Needless to say it felt weird.

While I was on Exchanges With Elder Keller.

Us getting ready! 

 The Stage all ready to go

That next Morning we had a great opportunity to help a Methodist church set up for a fundraiser  festival they had going on. It is always a wonderful experience to help others. We then went to the Balloon Ralley Parade in Wellsville. It made finding people to talk to very easy because everyone was out. This upcoming Saturday they are going to launch several Hot air balloons all day. This is what Wellsville is known for and thousands of people come down for it! I am very excited for it!

One huge miracle for us was getting to meet this member that recently moved into the the branch.  His name is Tim and he is one of the funniest guys I have had a chance to be around. He recently got out of Prison about 3 weeks ago and was in there for about 13 years. He is a man that has turned his life around. He told us about the man that he used to be but now he has had a complete 180 degree  turn. He studied the Bible a lot while he was in prison and loves it and now he is going back into the Book of Mormon. He is on fire. Tim is a great man, and has been introducing us to many of his friends and family members and is already being a great missionary. Well, the neat part about this is we met a young man name Tristan who wants to turn his life around as well. It turned out he lives in the same complex as Tim and it just so happened that Tim has been helping Tristan already come unto Jesus. So last night we dropped by Tim's and asked if he wanted to join us for a lesson with Tristan and he was out the door and already walking over. haha It turned out to be a powerful lesson and Tim really helped Tristan feel more comfortable around us and he is a great fellowshiper! I am excited to see what things will come! 

Another triumph this week was that we had 8 less active members come to Church for the first time in a really long time! That was a Miracle! 

There is so much work to be done! We are running to try and do as much as we can in such little time. Honestly 2 years is really short when it comes to the Work of Salvation.

I sure love you all! Hope you have a great week.

Love

Elder Todd Houghton

Proud to be an American July 4th 2016

Hello again! And Happy Independence Day! 

We got to enjoy a nice parade this morning, It was the largest one in Allagany county, (but I think Saint Anthony's pioneer day parade is better!) :) Tonight we will be able to enjoy a firework show as well so I am excited about that but other than that today Is another P-day.

This Week the baton has been passed as President Francis finished his service and President Evans, From Meridian Idaho, is picking it up!  It is always exciting. He seems like a great Man and we will get to meet with him this next Thursday.

We have had some fun experiences this week. One was we were meeting with a less active lady, Brenda, that lives in a cabin in the woods. Well, right as we finished meeting with her her neighbor, Denise, came over to drop off some groceries that she had gotten for Brenda and she also had her thirteen year old niece. I thought they were only going to give us a nice "how do you do?" and leave but No! Denise came over and  sat and talked with us. Her only understanding of Mormons was that of Polygamy, which we quickly cleared up. She went on to tell us many of the hard things she had been going through but now she is going upward in her spirituality. We told her how the Book of Mormon is something that strengthens our faith in Christ and how it can help us. It was weird what happened next. Denise said almost warningly to us "Here is where I will shoot you down" and  she started to ask us what she thought were difficult questions about why would we use another book (the Book of Mormon) other then the Word? We happily and calmly responded and told her how we use the Bible and Book of Mormon together. We had the chance to answer many other questions. By the end of it all we gave Denise and her niece a copy of the Book of Mormon, and set up a time to see her again this week. she told us she wouldn't have asked us those questions if she wasn't curious and that we had talked enough to satisfy some of her questions.We are excited to see what happens next! 

While on Exchanges on Saturday we had a great opportunity to help out one of our investigators on his engine. We went over got our hands dirty and got to rub shoulders with this man named Eric, He really wants to start coming to church again. And is a really good guy, I was happy we were able to help him out. It wasn't until after that I realized that he lived about a quarter of a mile from the Pennsylvanian border. We were at the very bottom corner of the mission. We snapped some pictures and then went back to work!

 We have been having so many other great experiences this week things are really going well!  I love being a missionary! There really is no greater job than to be a representative of Jesus Christ! 

I also love this country something about seeing American flags everywhere gets that patriotic spirit to swell in side of me! How grateful I am for the those who have sacrificed so much for the Freedoms we enjoy!

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your 4th of July.

Love 

Elder Todd Houghton

Ps. For the 4th of July we have Fireworks, parades, wear all assortments of red, white and blue, and barbecue late into the night to celebrate our nations independence. What do you think the Nephiets did to celebrate the day they came to the Promise land? Food For Thought. :) 

Some adorable German Shepard puppies

Another Week! June 27th 2016

Hello!

Looks like you're all enjoying your summer! I hope your having lots of
chances to put on your swimming suits and enjoy the pools and beaches!

I really am enjoying this Summer! There is nothing like walking around
in the hot sun, swimming through the humid air, in my suit, shirt and
tie! I get to have the full the summer experience too! :) I am loving
it! I can't wait to tell you all of the wonderful experience I have
had! there are far to many to even count! There is nothing like
serving a mission.

Elder Cummings and I have been working hard! And we are seeing some
great things and people are coming out of the wood work. And we have
had  some interesting experiences as well!

 The first couple I want to talk about is Devin and Katie. They are a young
newly wed couple that live in the northern part of our area, so it's
a little harder to get up there. We had a meeting a few weeks ago and they said
they were interested in learning more! Elder Cumming saw them on exchanges last week and had a really good lesson teaching the restoration to them. Then we got to see them again this week and Devin was telling me how much he enjoyed their visit the week before and how he really liked that we were not forcing him into anything instead we were inviting him to learn more. They both like that.

We read through the first chapter of 1 Nephi with them. They really
enjoyed it and then, before we left, we extend a baptismal invitation
to them and as we were inviting Devin and Katie were nodding there
heads in agreement before we could even finish the invitation! Haha
the only down side is Devin is moving to Pennsylvania! So we are
coordinating with the missionaries down there to meet with him! Katie
doesn't go with him till October so we will still get to visit with
her!

We got to go on another exchange on Saturday.  I was with Elder
Hamilton. Several of our plans fell through so our back up plan was to visit an investigator who lives in Bolivar. When we got there
they were having their annual Pioneer Oils Day Fair. So they had
blocked off all the roads and put in a huge car show! It was really
cool. We met with the investigator and taught a pretty good lesson. However, on the way back we started talking to two young men that are going to be
seniors this next year and they were really cool. As we were talking to
them this man , in a wheelchair, went past us.  He stopped and turned around
and then proceeded to "Anti" us. So here we had these two cool young
guys who were interested and an anti.  Elder Hamilton and I
instinctively split up, he distracting the anti and I with the two
young guys. I told them of the restoration which really seemed to peak
some interest and we set up a time to see them again this week! I
definitely had the better job of the two but it was cool seeing us
work together and Elder Hamilton did a great job holding off the anti.

We also were able to have another powerful lesson with Andrea. We
watched the Joseph Smith movie, and she really seemed to enjoy it so we
are seeing some good progress with her!

Today we had a reception for President and Sister Francis leaving the
mission. We had all of the Rochester and Palmyra zones come to get a
picture with president before they left. They had another one for the
Buffalo missionaries. So we had to start going at 8 to get there at
ten. It was wonderful to see President one more time before he leaves.
He really has done so much for this mission and I have learned so much
from him. I am so grateful for the Francises. It was also great to see
most of the mission. It is amazing how many relationships you make
from serving. When I first came out I literally knew no one, but now
I have met and made hundreds and hundreds of new life long friends!
I know I say it a lot but I love serving this mission!

We are seeing so many great things here in Wellsville. The work is
moving forward! I love you lots and hope you have a great week!

Love,
Elder Todd Houghton

Happy Father's Day June 20th 2016

Hello Everyone!

Happy Father's Day Dad! I can't thank you enough for your great example to me and for all the things I have learned from you! I hope you had a great breakfast yesterday, and had some good brownies after church! :)

Today officially starts my last transfer! It has blown my mind how fast this past transfer has gone. So much has happened in such a short period of time this area has had a complete 180 degree turn! I am so excited to continue to see more wonderful miracles that are in store for this next transfer!

We had a neat experience last Monday night. We were exchanging with the Dansville Elders in our district and so the middle point was at the Hornell Elders Apartment. We got there a little early and there was a beautiful sunset, so we decided we would run up the hill and try to get a better view. We succeeded and saw a beautiful sunset! We started walking back, when a lady sitting in front of her apartment said, "hello", so we went over and showed her the pictures we had just taken.  This got us onto a great conversation! Her name was Amber and as we were talking to her a young girl about 10 years old came out with her dad and said "My dad said that you go around selling church to people and so I just wanted to ask what are you guys all about?" We were Blown away but such a great question. For the next thirty minutes Elder Cummings and I did a tag team. I was talking to Amber and her Husband who later came out, and Elder Cummings was talking to this girl and her father! It was great and both were very open with having missionaries come over! When we got back to our car the other elders were freaking out thinking that we were kidnapped because we had accidentally left the phone in the car and the door was open. We thought we were only going to be 30 seconds so we didn't think about it when we left. but all was well and now Hornell has two solid families to start teaching! :)

The Beautiful Sunset

Then Next day on exchanges we saw miracle after Miracle and found so many people that were interested in learning more. That evening we had about an hour before we were going to exchange back. We were walking on the street past a church when a couple pulled up next to us and asked if we were missionaries. We said we were and they said that they were having a missionary night at their church and invited us to go with them. We figured why not, and went with them, Sam, the Husband, was wearing a Houghton College shirt so we immediately had a great connection for reasons I am sure you could guess! :) it was very interesting! They had a Preacher come from the Czech Republic to show us how the church is growing in the Czech Republic. It was nice, but I will be honest compared to what I know this church can offer it really didn't show much. for example, one idea of missionary work they had was instead of a Sunday service at church they had a bowling service to get non believers to come.  Before we left the couple that invited us said a prayer for us.   They put their hands on our shoulders and blessed us that we would have success. It was neat. 

Thursday we had our interviews with President Francis and that was a wonderful experience. He only has a little over a week left and he has done so much for this mission and for me, I really can't say enough good about him!

On Sunday we went up to Palmyra because there was a musical Fireside and I had been roped into doing a musical number. I was planning on doing a duet with one of the members from our branch but he wasn't able to do it, so I was all on my own. I Got to sing one of my favorite hymns from the Primary song book  "If the Savior Stood beside me" It was a wonderful experience and the spirit from that meeting was powerful. On the drive down to Wellsville we got to see the Fireflies come out and they were shining in the fields and the trees! It was amazing. There are so many wonderful things going on here! The work is moving froward! Miracles are happening every day!

I hope you all have a great week!

Love 

Elder Todd Houghton

My fearless district

"I See You Have a Book" June 13th 2016

Hello Hello!

I hope you are all doing well because Elder Cummings and I are doing wonderful! we have been seeing countless miracle after miracle! There really is nothing else I would rather be doing! 

We met with a nice young lady on Tuesday in the park in Wellsville.  Her name is Rhonda and she grew up as a Jehovah witness so she said  she could relate with going and knocking on doors. We started teaching her about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon  and that's when she said how she really wanted to know what we believed about life and death?-- so we switched gears and taught the plan of salvation and testified about how the Book of Mormon brings hope in our lives.  She said that she felt like she had lost hope. Elder Cummings shared a powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon and it literally almost brought me and Rhonda to tears. After that she said. " I am taking your book and I am going to read it!" and then she said, "Can we do this again?" haha it was very exciting! we plan to see her again this week! 

The Hills are doing great! We went and visited her and and her son was there! Karla the mother was telling us how she had been watching a broadcast on Joseph Smith on PBS so she could learn more. We had previously dropped off a Book of Mormon to her son the previous week with a note inviting him to come to church and when he saw us he said he got our bible and that he would like to come to church with us sometime! Great! This family is basically- Dry Mormons! They are all just wonderful people, so we are excited to see what is going to come of it all!

On Friday we were invited over to have a picnic with some of the members from our branch. They had a Campfire and everything! i was so excited! However, the best part that we weren't expecting,a  was their in-active daughter and her three children, two daughters and one son, came as well! It was perfect opportunity to socialize with their great family and the kids really warmed up to us! it was so much fun! The son is about 10 years old and reminded me of myself when I was his age.  For example, he was the only boy, played soccer and liked to read. It was really fun just talking with him.  At one point he saw the copy of the Book of Mormon I had beside me and said, "I see you have a book. What's it about?" haha it was a great question!  As it got later  we were leaving and he came and gave us all hugs! I really hope we can go somewhere with this family! 

This is the greatest Job anyone could ever have. you're not payed in money but your payment is what it says in D&C18:15-16 which is Joy! 

Hope you all have a great week!

Love
Elder Todd Houghton

Holiness is a Life Style June 6th 2016

Hello Hello!

Another week has just flown by and we are just having a blast. I guess
the saying is true that time flies when you're having fun!
I know I say this every week but we are seeing so many miracles here!
Day after day we are seeing so many great things.  We are trying to cram as
much as we can into the short amount of time we are given, really
there is just so much work to be done and never enough time in a day
to do it!
We got to go to the temple this week for the adjusting to missionary
life meeting, it's always fun to go and see all of the missionaries
and learn from their great spirits. I really love the temple. There is
such a wonderful spiritual boost that comes from there, how I love it.
Getting to see president and sister Francis again is
always a great experience!

We are meeting many people with lots of potential, but I really want to talk about is Andrea.   We met with her for the
third time on Friday and had a wonderful lesson with her. We
always meet with her at the public library out on a terrace they have
there, and each lesson has gone really well. We taught her the plan of
Salvation and she seemed very fascinated by the plan. We also were able to
offer to go with her to the sites in Palmyra and she accepted.  She will go
with us that Sunday! :)
Saturday evening there was the adult Stake conference and
there were only four people there, us and the Moores.  Haha. Other then the Seventy that spoke my favorite talk was by a
dear black sister, she got up and wore a silver jacket that just
sparkeled in the light and she gave the most empowering talk about Holiness
I have ever heard! She talked about her conversation to the church and
how she loved the holiness of the temple, By the way she presented I
just wanted to stand and shout Hallelujah! It was empowering and not
at all what is common in our church culture. She then said how she had
only been a member for ten months.  That's when it hit me! It was the same
lady that I had had the opportunity to give her baptismal interview! I
didn't even realize it until then, but it was amazing to see the light
of Christ just fill this sister! It was a wonderful moment.

Sunday morning we had stake conference and this was not your normal
stake conference --they were calling a new stake president. Both elder
Beheshti and elder Perkins of the seventy came to reorganize the stake
presidency. We were watching the broadcast of it down here in
Wellsville, it was great and the men they have called seem like they
will do many great things for the stake, I am very excited. The sad
part was half way through Elder Beheshti's talk the sound cut out so
we could only see what was being said but could not understand
anything. They tried several times to get back on but it was to no
avail so we missed out on both of the General authorities messages. It
was a real bumber but the experience reminded me of Apostasy once we
were cut of from the revelation, we could only see with our natural
eyes and try to come up with what is being said, but once that happens
conversation turns to talking about recipes or how the lady in the
choir looks like she has puppy dog ears, or that person falling asleep! What once would of been very spiritual uplifting, fell into
mans own ways. It was an eye opening experience, don't cut yourself
from the source that gives me you enlightenment!

After that we felt a little spiritually deprived, but we were able to
make up for it. We went with the Moores and picked up Andre and we drove
the two hour drive up to Palmyra! It was a wonderful experience for
everyone! God was being very kind with the weather it rained the whole
way there and then once we got out it stopped, and then when we got to
the farm home it poured! And then once we left
out it stopped! It wasn't until we left the Hill Cumorah to come back
that it started raining again, it was such a tender mercy. Kind of a
neat experience was while we were there Elder Perkins and Elder
Beheshti came in so we got to meet and shake their hands! (I wasn't
able to hear them  that morning but I got to shake their hands!) Andrea
loved the sacred grove and also the Christis statue at the Hill. I
think she really felt some thing there! We are just really enjoying
working with Her and we wouldn't of been able to do it with out the
Moores! They really just made it a wonderful experience!
I  am constantly reminded of how much I just love being a missionary!
I am just embracing every moment!
Hope you all have a great week!
Sending love from the east!

Elder Todd Houghton