Transfers

It has been a big week in the Texas Houston Mission with meetings, firesides, meals and trips to the airport.  On Monday, Elders Anderson, Baker and Sister Vance left to Brazil as their visas finally arrived (first picture). We thank them for their faithful service here in Houston.  On Tuesday and Wednesday, we said farewell to six of our own - Elders Fisher, Hicks, Yu and Taylor, along with Sisters Latu and Crandall.  Each have served faithfully and will be missed. We wish them the very best as they move forward with their lives.  Later on Wednesday, nineteen new missionaries arrived - Elders Field, Contrys, Harms, Hillebrant, Larsen, McKell and Mortimer and Sisters Allred, Barker, Daniel, Gregson, Lockhart, McCleary, Ogden, Parry, Phillips, Priddis, Wahlen and Wessendorf.  An additional missionary, Sister Pedersen, arrived on Friday evening (see picture below).  We are thrilled to welcome this new group and hope they each find great joy and satisfaction in their missionary service.  A big thanks to all who helped with transfers this month!

 

Departing Missionaries

New Missionaries

 

New Missionaries with Trainers

Sister Pedersen arrives

Mission Memories

Today we are posting some pictures submitted by our departing group of missionaries - Elders Hicks, Fisher, Taylor and Yu and Sisters Latu and Crandall.  As you can see, they represent some meaningful and fun memories from their service here in the Texas Houston Mission.  

 

 

To Conquer Discouragment

Dear Sisters and Elders –

As full-time missionaries, we frequently confront challenges and obstacles as we strive to invite and help others come to Christ. It can be difficult to find people to teach. Sometimes those we teach don’t keep their commitments. At other times, members seem preoccupied and disinterested in missionary work. When these things happen, we are tempted to allow ourselves to be discouraged.

It is very important that we do not give in to discouragement. As explained in Preach My Gospel: “Discouragement will weaken your faith. If you lower your expectations, your effectiveness will decrease, your desire will weaken, and you will have greater difficulty following the Spirit” (10).

A couple of weeks ago, we had a discussion with all of the senior missionaries serving in our mission. I asked them: “How do you avoid becoming discouraged?” I thought their answers were very insightful. Please find their suggestions below:

“Remember that negative thoughts come from Satan. When you have a negative thought, ask yourself: ‘Would Heavenly Father say that to me?’ Replace a negative thought with a positive, faith-filled one.”

“Get busy. Do not sit around. Accomplish something. Getting things done will always make you feel better.”

“Study the scriptures. Gain God’s perspective for your situation.”

"Remember that other people are depending on you.”

“Serve someone else. Do something kind.”

“Find strength from other missionaries.”

“Remember the many blessings you have received from God. Pray to recall your blessings. Write a list of recent blessings in your journal.”

Discouragement is the enemy of faith and limits our ability to experience miracles. I invite each of us to apply these excellent recommendations from our senior missionaries in order to avoid discouragement. I promise that as we do, the Lord will bless us with great joy and increased effectiveness in our work as full-time missionaries.

Love,

President Pingree