Just a short one this week (we got this a couple hours later than usual so he
either had a busy P-day, or spent more time emailing his friends)...


Yea that's a good quote haha thanks for that one. That's awesome Jackson got
his Patriarchal Blessing! You raised us really good mom! I wouldn't have been
raised by anyone else and you know that too! I couldn't be more thankful for
the mom I had!

Yea you guys can just wait and tell me his call over Skype if that's when he's
gonna get his call! (Tyson's mission papers are submitted and we expect them
back right before Mother's Day. Carson wants us to wait to open it until he
calls home). And yea Elder Peterson knows how to call people on Skype - so be
ready! And yea Morgan told me she went over and you thought it was for my 6
month haha. That's cool she stayed and talked with you guys! She enjoyed it a
lot. She thinks you're all hilarious.

Haha have fun at school too! I don't have a whole lot to say about this week!
Just working hard still and staying focused. Had a lot of branch work we had
to this week but we also had some luck finding people. Hopefully those people
turn into real investiagators but we'll see! The weeks just seem to be getting
faster and faster! Love ya mom!

Voting for a Picture

After all of the paperwork, doctors appointments,and wisdom teeth removed the time has come to submit her papers! The last thing she needs is to attach a photograph. Hmm how to choose? Let Facebook friends pick! 44 friend and family weigh in an the winner is the zebra picture, a couple clicks and submit. 

Elder Roberts SIX months

A Tie for Ylli

The attached picture is of Ylli and me! He loved the tie - thanks. I read my Patriarchal blessing every week but something I just remembered is  you said you were gonna send me my mission setting apart blessing and I  haven't received it. That would be awesome to read! And I think that's all I  need. An electric razor seems pretty nice but I don't want one. I would've  maybe if I could have started out with one cause buying razors and shaving cream  and having to share a bathroom an electric would be better, but I have a ton  of razors and shaving cream so I don't want an electric one. I'm shaving every  day though, like the white handbook says too. I can grow facial hair a lot  better now. But I'm blonde so that kind of sucks. We'll see how good of a  beard I can get when I get back. I only bought 4 white short sleeve shirts  before the mission and I'll definitely need more because it gets really hot  here in the summer. But I think I'm just gonna buy those in Macedonia because  they are only like 12 bucks and I'll be able to get more fitted ones AKA  European style AKA I'm gonna be looking so hot. #flirttoconvert And I did get  your package last P day so thank you! And Ylli loved his tie! I love Ylli so  much. We worked with him all last transfer trying to get him to stop smoking  and he's finally stopped! He blessed the sacrament the last two weeks!!! It's  so awesome!!!! It's so hard here but that was a reward that makes it worth it. Yea conference was good! I haven't seen the Sunday afternoon one yet because  that was 10 at night here but the other three were good. I am excited to  listen to the priesthood one too. It made me appreciate our blessings even  more. This is the first time they've translated conference into Albanian and  put it on the website since 2007. Plus, I don't think it's ever happened this  fast before. They might even get it to us with video I think! We were  celebrating when we actually found it in Albanian yet we can watch it live in  our native language, we can even go to the building to watch it! We watched it  with one of the members and she thought that was incredible you could go to  the building. Her name is Valmira and she is amazing. She's 18 and turns 19 in  August. She wants to go on a mission but her parents are Muslim and strongly  against the church. She trying to figure out a way she can go and I hope it  happens, but it's up to the Lord. If she's suppose to go, a way will be opened  up for her. I am so amazed by her and all the members here I'm worried about  when I come home. I am going to be very under impressed with people in Utah.  There's no excuse to not be a strong member in Utah yet we have inactive all  over. It's sad how much we take it for granted. Yea I got a Dear Elder from the Goodrich's a little while ago. I think they  said something about a Christmas picture they were gonna send me. That's  awesome Kaylee is going on a mission!!!! When did she decide to go?? She's  gonna be awesome! And yea we're gonna have so many missionaries!! And I was  thinking about it with all the new missionaries we'll have a ton of new  converts so the converts will keep the missionary number up when they go out!  Like Valmira, she was baptized 11 months ago so now she can go in August and  be one of those adding to the number ya know? We live in such a miraculous  time! Soon, even these muslim countries will know what the Book of Mormon is  and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. But I guess here they'll  know about Librit te Mormonit edhe Kishes se Jezu Krishtit te shentoreve te  diteve te mevonshme. I still don't know how to do the e's with the 2 dots  above it but oh well. So I'm really bad at keeping you updated but we moved houses last week  because the lease was up and we found a better house that was cheaper.  Saturday, we went to Brus to visit Ylli and he showed us his bee's. He has a  ton! He took me down to get close, which was cool. I don't know how it  happened, but i was wearing a beanie and I felt some stings on the hat but  they weren't penetrating me and I think I swatted and my mouth was open. So I  got stung on the inside of my mouth. It was an interesting feeling. I didn't  know how to react so I just shouted, "It stung my mouth!" I'm sure that was  pretty comical. No one else thought it was but thinking back that's a funny  reaction. It feels weird but I'm good. Haha another thing I forgot to tell you  about was an interview I did near the end of last transfer. I did a baptismal  interview as a trainee which was pretty cool. It was an investigator that had  been investigating the church for like 4 months and I went in knowing she  probably wasn't ready but at the same time being open. We started and I asked  if she wanted to say the opening prayer. She said no. I said will you? She  said no. So I said it and then asked her if she believed in God, she said yes.  The second part of the first question is if she believes in Christ and she  said no. I knew she didn't because that's been her issue the whole time, so I  wasn't surprised. I was just wondering why the missionaries had set up an  interview. I tried to think of something to say to save the interview, which  had inevitably failed. She continued saying she doesn't believe He still  lives. So I asked if she thought He had lived, which she did. Then I asked if  she believed He had died for our sins, and she didn't. She had your basic  Muslim belief on Christ. I told her Christ was important and central to our  church, then I asked her why she wanted to get baptized. She said she didn't,  she thought she was learning about baptism and then would decide, which is  what the sisters had told her. They just hadn't properly prepared her for the  interview. I'm still saying I did an interview as a trainee even though we  didn't get past question 1. Hahahaha it was so funny though. Saturday was the anniversary of Macedonia opening up!! The last country in  Europe to open! Just letting you know that. Pretty cool huh? I know the  missionaries that opened up Macedonia and one of them is serving there right  now! Cool fact of the day. Anyway, love ya and hope you have a great day! Good luck with finals and  congrats on making it through another semester!!

23 years later?

OK, so here is a lil post about my mission days, or rather back in the days when I met the missionaries. Early 1990 I met the missionaries, and they were willing to teach me about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. First I met Elder Snell and Elder Schneberger they taught me about Heavenly Fathers plan for me and why I was here on earth. Then Schneberger transferred out and Elder Wade came. That is when I learned about baptism and the priesthood. In April of 1990 I decided I would be baptized a member of the LDS church. For the next several months I made many new friends and missionaries. In some ways a couple of them were like the big brothers I always wish I had had. This post is dedicated to Elder Snell, whom over the years I have often referred to as one of my missionaries. I loved my missionaries, they came along at a wonderful time in my life, and helped me. Now I am not going to lie, I do think the cuteness of our young missionaries we send out into the world helps open the doors of some investigators, and I did know some of the cutest missionaries in California, but that's not what impressed me. I was moved by their willingness to serve, and just how generous they were.  Elder Snell was so humble and so positive he made being obedient sound fun.  Now that being said I thank my Heavenly Father everyday for my many blessings. I know by whom all good things come into my life, but I also know that my prayers are answered many times through the acts of others lead by the Spirit. You can build a beautiful lighthouse and save lives, but with no light it is useless. The light that saves is the light of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ.  Many times I have come across good people that have been lighthouses for me. Those sweet people who have found light in their life and been willing to share it. I kept in touch with my missionaries as much as I could, but as they they continued to teach and return home I lost touch with all of them. I did date a few of them after they returned home, but I'll save that for a different post, and I can assure you they had all been properly released before I even thought of dating them. Back to Elder Snell he had sweetheart waiting for him at home, he had spoken of her often, when they were engaged to be married I got an invite in the mail, but by that time I was in Utah and unable to travel to Arizona. We lost touch after that. over the years I have wondered, sometimes worried, and many times prayed for my missionaries. I don't know if it is the same for everyone, but when life gets busy 10,15, 20 years can pass pretty quick. I just plain decided I needed to find out what happened to to the Anaheim Elders of 1990, so I headed to Facebook. Were you expecting Twitter maybe? I totally don't get Twitter, but I guess I wasn't very good at Facebook either because I didn't have much luck. Then I remembered the wedding invite, that was the clue I needed. Once I knew how to spell Jeanene there they were.  We were glad they planned to come up for April conference and we got to have them over for dinner.What a neat experience to have our two families together after all of these years. Getting to talk about past mission experiences and getting to think about future ones. All of our children getting an up close and very personal look at how missionary work touches peoples lives.  My heart was full and I loved meeting their family. We really didn't want them to leave, I'm counting on future visits and getting to know the family better. They have some very cute children, who I see my children have already hooked up with on Facebook.   I fell asleep last night thinking how sweet it is to be a part of Gods eternal family.  One day we will be blessed with the memories of just how closely we are all connected, until then I will just follow the light and do my best to share it with others.

How Many are There???

Today we Celebrated the 183 semi- annual General Conference of the Church.. We know since they lowered the age for missionary work last October that there has been an increase in our youth leaving for missions, look how many we have out!  That is a lot of messengers about the earth. I am so excited for all of the them and the work they are doing.  I look forward to the day our first missionary receives their call.  

Elder Simmons

Elder Simmons = last year he was an average fun loving, popular, truck driving  Herriman high student with his pilots license. Now he is a humble, but fun loving, fabulous Missionary serving in Tallahassee FL mission. I hope to post some of his adventures soon too.

Missionary Fun

Elder Robert is the forth from the left. His parents made this after a good talk during our April General conference. The leaders of our Church, lead by the Prophet gather together and speak to all of us about the times we live in and important topics of life. We have a conference every April and October. Last October they changed the missionary age for young missionaries. This year we were updated on how the missionary program has grown. We were reminded of it's importance and the blessings of serving a mission. This picture captures the joy as well. Just about everyone I know has felt the swell of excitement in helping the missionaries in record numbers to prepare to go and serve. Carson is in Kosovo no, it is part of the Albania Mission. I am hoping to her from him soon some of his mission stories to share with you.

Sister Houston New to Vermont

Hey Everyone,

I'm in Sharon, Vermont right now and I have two companions! My companions are Sister Fratcher who was my companion in the MTC and Sister Caffall who has been out 10 months and is training both of us, lucky her! ;) Well it's pretty cold here so not too much different from home there but it's mud season here so it's very muddy! The Historic Site is Beautiful! We won't be serving in the site until May when it gets a little busier so for now we are just proselyting. It's crazy to think that I've been gone for almost a month but I've only been here for about a week. Already time is flying by. I still have so much to learn but it's coming slowly. We have a few appoinments this week with investigators so we are pretty excited about that. I'm not too fond of tracting but hey maybe eventually I'll learn to love it...Haha! Anyway they haven't had sisters in this area for a long time so the ward is super excited to have a here and they all are so great and want to be involved in missionary work so that's awesome. Sister Caffall says we are spoiled because everyone wants to help us so much! We have a feeling we are going to get fat in this area cause at church everyone kept saying they want to have us over for dinner and most of them will have investigators over too so we can teach a lesson. Well I'm about out of time but I hope everyone is doing well! Thanks for all the support! I Love you all!

Love, Sister Houston