To the Missionaries of the Great Texas Houston Mission,
With specialized training and zone conferences behind us, I was able to participate in many companionship studies and district meetings. We're so happy for the great things you are doing! I did note a few things that I think are good to remember that sometimes are easy to forget in the routine of things:
1. The most important part of the day is planning at night. Not only planning, but EFFECTIVE planning. In Ch 8 of PMG, we read: Meaningful goals and careful planning will help you accomplish what the Lord requires of you (p. 137). The unfortunate reality is that the absence of meaningful goals and careful planning means we will unlikely accomplish what the Lord requires. Please review Ch 8 with an emphasis on the planning tools listed on p. 139 and start every planning session with the question, "What can we do tomorrow to help ______________ keep the commitment they have made to us." This includes the multiple commitments that progressing investigators ought to be keeping. Often we think of investigators only, but this list of people should include members as well.
2. Member Commits. It seems like we have lost sight of what we are trying to accomplish with our member commitments. In Ch 11 of PMG, we read:
• Every finding opportunity—with members, referrals, or personal contacting—should lead to an invitation to act, usually to learn more about the message of the Restoration.
• Rarely, if ever, should you talk to people or teach them without extending an invitation to do something that will strengthen their faith in Christ (p. 196).
We are blessed to have good members in this mission who are eager to help us by feeding us. We hope you are gracious at each dinner appointment. We also hope you will look to inspire members and commit them to act. This should be something that is role played and planned during companionship study and added to the goals for the day. If we are having 7 dinners provided to us with approximately 20 members present during those dinners, we should come away with 20 commitments. Anything short of that suggests we have significant room for improvement. If you're not feeling confident in this, ask for help. Members need to see us as encouragers, focused and purpose-driven. If they do, their confidence in us will grow and their desire to help will increase.
We love you and pray for your continued success! Keep up the great finding efforts. Many families are coming into the waters of baptism!
Love,
President and Sister Mortensen
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| Our missionaries are doing such great work on college campuses throughout our mission. We visited Blinn Community College to see them in action. |
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| Elder Barlow in action setting up a table for contacting on the campus of Blinn Community College |
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| Elder Croft contacting on the Blinn campus. We love how kind and focused they are! |
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| Driving through beautiful Snook, Texas |
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| We got to see these darling hermanans at the baptism of one of their investigators |
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| Beautiful musical number at the baptism |
And the winner of the Special Zone Activity is the Cypress 2 Zone!! Congratulations on your excellence and hard work.
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| We went miniature golfing at an indoor golf course. Some of our missionaries had never done this before! We had a wonderful time together. |
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| We enjoyed a delicious lunch at the home of Pres and Sister Chappell |
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| Relaxed a little in the media room...without any media! |