To the Missionaries of the Great Texas Houston Mission,
On July 24, 1847, after 1,300 miles beginning in Nauvoo, Illinois and ending at mouth Emigration Canyon in the Salt Lake Valley, Brigham Young was very sick with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and was riding in the back of a wagon. After exiting Emigration Canyon and cresting a small hill, he asked to look out of the wagon. Those with him opened the canvas cover and propped him up so he could see the empty desert valley below. He then proclaimed, "It is enough. This is the right place. Drive on." The words, "this is the place," were soon heard throughout the wagon train as the Mormon pioneers descended into the valley, their long journey having come to an end.
None of us will ever know how profound the sacrifice was of the approximately 70,000 early saints who ultimately made this trek. We will also never understand the difficulty of the way. But all of us inherit the legacy left by these early Saints who became acquainted with the hand of the Lord in their extreme circumstances.
There is an interesting parallel between those early Mormon pioneers and those of us called to leave our homes and families to travel a distance and sacrifice our time and efforts for the gospel's sake. Our challenges are different, but the reward of coming to know and trust in the Lord that results from those challenges is the same. In our day, the Lord still admonishes that we serve Him with ALL our "hearts, might, mind and strength." It is the price of discipleship. It always has been and ever will be. It is only as we give everything that we qualify for the promise to inherit, "all that my Father hath" (D&C 84:38).
Joseph Smith taught, "A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary [to lead] unto life and salvation." Understanding this then, let us willingly give our whole selves to this work that we might lay up for ourselves "treasures in heaven" and find the joy promised to the faithful.
We love you. The Texas Houston Mission is the place for us to labor to bring to build up His kingdom. We love our pioneer heritage and love knowing that as we develop our faith, our posterity will be blessed just like our lives have been blessed because of our "Blessed, Honored Pioneers.
Love,
President and Sister Mortensen
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| Lunch with Departing Missionaries |
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| Temple Trip with Departing Missionaries |
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| Wonderful Assistants |
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| Testimony Meeting at the Mission Home with Departing Missionaries |
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| Hermana George and her parents |
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| Elder Bullinger greets his mother and family |
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| It's Go Time! |
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| We are sure going to miss these wonderful missionaries and those who departed on different days. |
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| Final Goodbyes |
Here come our new missionaries from the MTC! They look wonderful and ready to work.
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| Such an impressive group of new missionaries |
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| So many new sisters! |
Here come our five new missionaries from the CCMA! So happy to have them all together.
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| Training at the Stake Center |
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| Texas BBQ at the Mission Home |
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| Love our new kitchen help! |
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| Singing happy birthday to Dane! |
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| Lucky birthday boy! |
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| Blue Bell ice cream fans! |
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| Breakfast at the mission home |
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| Elder Nelson cooks AND cleans!! |
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| All of our new missionaries |
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| Temple trip to remember to begin with the end in mind. |
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| Elevating our vision |
The following pictures are of the new missionaries with their trainers. They are so excited and ready to get to work!
Friday we attended District meeting in the Bear Creek District. We loved being there and seeing the great things that are happening among these consecrated servants of the Lord.
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| Elder Moray in action |
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| Bear Creek District |
