Week #38

Howdy everybody! I hope this week has been great for you. I am so stoked for General Conference this weekend. It'll be my 2nd session out of 4 on my mission time is flying by! 

We had a lesson with David, Rachel, and Samson on Tuesday. It was so great. The Spirit was very strong and very present. Brother Schmauss joined us for the lesson and him and David hit it off. They are both very familiar with scripture and had a great conversation about Hingis. David was asking questions and implying things like "I know there's more" or "I know that something like this exists", and referencing things about the Plan of Salvation and the Restoration. We just need to help him understand that we DO have that "more" which is the Book of Mormon, and in due time, that will happen. They are a wonderful family and really help us feel the Spirit.

I was asked to give a training during District Council this week on "Energy/Excitement/Motivation in the work". I loved it because it was basically me getting hyped in front of the district (all Elders) and then getting them hyped and motivated as well. It was so much fun! The funny thing is, is all of the Elders in my district have been out 15-20 months, and I've only been out 9, and I'm the one giving the motivational training  we laughed about it. But it was good. I came across a quote while preparing for my training that says "Be the missionary that your mom dreamed you to be". That hit me hard, because I do not want to let my Savior down, but I don't by any means want to let my mom down either! For me, that was my pick-me-up, my motivation. I hate to break it to y'all, but I have the best mom in the world. 

I was privileged to be asked to speak in sacrament meeting yesterday on the Atonement. It's my first time speaking in sacrament meeting on my mission! I made it 9 months haha. The talk was great. While preparing, I talked to our Stake President/member of the mission presidency about the Atonement. I expressed how I sometimes felt that I wasn't adequate or worthy enough to be on a mission because of mistakes I made and repented of in the past. He asked me if I confessed my sins and if I forsook them, and I said yes, so he said basically "get over it" haha not in a harsh way, this man is a remarkable person. He then said "maybe someone in the congregation needs to hear you say that you've been experiencing this kind of thing" and that really hit me. So of course, I included it in my talk, and it went great. The Spirit was really strong and it was the most relaxed I've been while giving a talk. Normally I'm shaking so bad that my knees are hitting the pulpit and people can hear it haha.

We had a less-active member call us last week asking when church was. She hasn't been to church in a year, and has an amazing story. She's now engaged to a non member, and she also has a son who is a member. So she randomly calls us and says she hasn't been to church in a year and wanted to come! She showed up yesterday with her nonmember fiancé, and he loved it! It was definitely a miracle to have her call us out of the blue.

My spiritual thought comes from part of my talk actually, where I took a few quotes and added some personal commentary. The quotes are found in the talks "When Thou Art Converted" - D. Todd Christofferson, "The Great Plan of Redemption" - Linda S. Reeves, "The Plan of Happiness" - Boyd K. Packer, and "Am I Good Enough? Will I Make It?" - J. Devn Cornish

"Don't be afraid of the effort required." You are not alone. Christ personally felt everything we have gone through, are going through, and will go through. He hears our prayers and answers them in His time and according to His will. Don't give up. Don't you quit. The Atonement is for EVERYONE. "It is not possible for you to sink lower, than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines." If you have doubts, which we all do at one point or another, then I challenge you to pray about it. Get on your knees and pour your heart and soul out to the Lord, expressing your wants, desires, and needs, and ask for His help and guidance. He will hear your cries and He will help you. "The Atonement is not a general thing; The Atonement is individual, and if you have something that is bothering you--sometimes so long ago you can hardly remember it--put the Atonement to work. It will clean it up, and you, as does He, will remember your sins no more." I promise. I have experienced it in my life and in the lives of the ones I love. All you have to do is show a sincere desire to be better. "His grace will make you clean, even holy. Eventually, you will become like Him, perfect in Christ." "If you truly repent, you are going to make it to the celestial kingdom, being perfect in Christ; and you are going to receive the blessings and glory and joy that God desires for each of His precious children--including you and me."

Brothers and Sisters, it is because of this event that we are all here today. It is because of the Atonement that we can be forgiven of our mistakes, we can be cleansed and become pure, and we can one day stand in front of our Maker and enter into His presence. And to me, the greatest blessing of all, because of the Atonement we can have our families forever. I know my Savior lived and died for us, to set an example and to atone for our sins. I know He rose on the third day and was resurrected. He lives! I know we have a loving Father in Heaven who desires all of us to return to Him, and we can only do that through Christ. This gospel is the word of God. It is here for our guidance and to grow us closer to our Savior. I love y'all and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I hope y'all have a wonderful week this week! Keep doing what you're doing. As long as you're doing what you're supposed to, God will help you and bless you. Until next week! God speed.

Elder Houssian

Saw Scotty G from my last area who was here for a farewell in another ward

The Comp