Prophets, Seers and Revelators

To the Missionaries of the Great Texas Houston Mission,

What a remarkable opportunity we enjoyed to be together and learn at the feet of President Russell M. Nelson this past Saturday. We were so proud of each of you as we saw you come forward looking so good with light emanating from your countenances. We hope your experience was as inspiring as we felt ours was. Having Prophets and Apostles on the earth is a knowledge that many of us have grown up with and have unfortunately taken it for granted for much of our lives.

Several years ago, we attended an Evangelical church sponsored activity in southern California. After some initial instruction, we were invited to get with someone not of our faith and discuss our beliefs. We identified a nice looking couple and started sharing our beliefs about the Savior, His early church, its foundation and fall. We told them of the prophecies of a restoration of that church and our belief that it has happened complete with a living prophet and apostles. The wife looked at us sincerely and said, "you mean to tell me that there are Apostles on the earth today?" We said "Yes." She then said with great enthusiasm, "where are they and what are they teaching?" We proceeded to have a wonderful conversation. We will never forget the look in her eyes when she discovered this great knowledge.

The blessing of prophets and Apostles is only beneficial if we follow them. Before our meetings this week, we encourage you to prepare by reviewing the notes you have taken and the impressions you have received so we can counsel about them together. We only stand to be blessed as we strive to make the necessary changes in our lives according to those impressions and counsel we have received.

We love you even more than before, if that is possible, after seeing you standout so impressively in righteous ways.

Love,

President and Sister Mortensen

Last Saturday we had the wonderful and rare blessing of having President Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in our mission as well as Elder Corbridge.  We gathered with the other two missions in Houston and were instructed and edified. Each missionary had the opportunity to shake hands and greet President Nelson. What a day!

Sister Nelson, Sister Stevens, and Sister Mortensen.

President and Sister Drake (Houston East), Elder Corbridge, President and Sister Mortensen (Houston), President Nelson, Sister and President Hall (Houston South)

Transfers were this week. The following are pictures from those 3 days

Temple trip with departing missionaries

Testimony meeting with departing missionaries

Hermana Dryden's mother came to pick her up

These three hermanas will depart early in the morning. We will miss them!

Hermana Perry's parents came to pick her up

It's go time

Final photo with these honorable servants of the Lord. We love you!

Last goodbyes

 We didn't have long before we received our new missionaries straight from the MTC. They look great and so prepared to serve. What a blessing to have each one!

Greeting the President

Everyone except Elder Tidwell who was arriving from Mexico and Elder Stone was on another airline.

Real Texas BBQ at the mission home

Love this clean up crew!

Bonding over sports 

Writing letters home

The whole group!

President instructing us to begin with the end (temple) in mind

Our faithful trainers. A beautiful sight to see.

Awaiting the announcement of trainers

Love our Assistants

The following pictures are of the new missionaries and their trainers. They are all in excellent hands!

Our Elders Hansen meet :)

 President Mortensen and I attended District Meeting in the Inwood District. We received great counsel and enjoyed the spirit among these great elders.The following are pictures from that meeting.

Elder Hendrickson provided great leadership

I love watching this companionship sign. Wonderfully unified!

A Day Never to be Forgotten..

To the Missionaries of the Great Texas Houston Mission,

This past Friday we experienced the fruits of the vision we hoped for when we introduced our "Faith Meets Families" initiative. That evening we gathered with many of you, more than 60 recent converts who brought their own family names and countless angels who rejoiced that their work was finally commencing! The rejoicing of the angels is justified as we consider that they were undoubtedly influential in you finding their posterity!

What a blessing it was to see the baptistry full on a Friday evening with recent converts on both sides of the font lining up, their faces full of anticipation and their eyes just beginning to see the vastness of this work. Many committed to return soon with their own names. Elders and Sisters, this is what Ammon must have meant when he exclaimed to his brethren after beholding the fruits of their labors:

5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.

6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them.

While this is a wonderful beginning, it is only just that. There is much more work to do. We hope you will be diligent in focusing on those recent converts who have not yet had this opportunity to help them have similar experiences. In coming weeks, we will show all of the pictures of those who have been to the temple (no names included) at THMtendermercies.blog.com. If your recent converts have any inspiring experiences they would like to share they can email them to Sister Nelson (2011239-FIN@ldschurch.org) and she can post them at this blog as a record of those tender mercies. We will protect their privacy.

A couple of reminders:

     1. These fourth Fridays are reserved by the temple for RECENT CONVERTS who are bringing THEIR OWN names for the FIRST time.

     2. No convert should come unattended. This should be a time where members of the ward can If they can't make it one month, they can come the following month.

     3. Any less actives, recent converts who wish to go again can go during normal temple/baptistry operating hours

We love you and feel so richly blessed for the great privilege it is to serve in this mission with you!

Love,

President and Sister Mortensen

We had the blessing of attending a Worldwide Missionary Training via Satellite from Salt Lake City last Wednesday. We were instructed by members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and other General Authorities of the Church. We learned more about our purpose to Preach Repentance and Baptize Converts. We were inspired and edified!

Singing the rest hymn

Some final words from President Mortensen

President Mortensen and I also attended the District Meeting of the Melbourne District on Friday.

Elder Borman provided great training and leadership

We always improve with role playing!

The most wonderful event happened on Friday Night! We had our first "Faith Meets Families" at the temple. We invited the most recent converts in our mission to find families names and bring them to the temple. They in turn we able to perform saving ordinances for their family members in the House of the Lord. It was one of the highlights of our mission experience thus far. It touched us so deeply to witness the spirit touch the hearts of these new members as hearts were turned to their Fathers (Malachi 4:6). Here are a few pictures the Nelsons took that evening. They will post all the pictures on our THMtendermercies.blog.com.

We also held another Mission President's "Why I Believe" fireside last night. It was a wonderful event with amazing music and testimonies. We enjoyed hearing a beautiful rendition of "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul" from Sister Packard and Hermana Bohn with Sister Ita'aehau on the piano and Hermana Beaty on the flute. We were pleased to hear a musical quartet with Elder Griffith, Elder Backstein, Sister Pinster and Sister Bates singing "Israel, Israel, God is Calling". We also enjoyed a medley of hymns performed by Elder Taumoe'anga and Elder Berry with Elder Mikesell on the guitar. Wow! The missionary choir brought many to tears as they sang the EFY medley of "Sisters in Zion and Armies of Helamen". Goose bumps all the way! We had many investigators and youth present and it was a spirit filled night.

Here are some pictures taken before the fireside

Members Can "Astonish" in Inspiring Ways

To the Missionaries of the Great Texas Houston Mission,

In the Book of Mormon, we read of an interesting experience that took place with Alma and Amulek. Alma had been cast out of the wicked city of Ammonihah, but the Lord asks him to return. Upon returning he meets Amulek who we learn is an "inactive" member of the church. Once Alma "ministers" to Amulek and his kinsfolk (Alma 10:11), the Lord commands Alma to preach again and this time to take Amulek with him. Interestingly, as they go and preach, Alma (the missionary) begins the teaching and says all of the right things, but fails to "move" the people of Ammonihah. Seeing this, Amulek steps forward and teaches so personally and so boldly that we read in Alma 11:46that the people of Ammonihah were "astonished". The people weren't so impressed when the missionary taught, but when the member taught as a second witness, things changed.

Typically when we think of member involvement, we think of "member presents" and that is one important area where members can make a difference. The truth is, though, that often the most valuable member influence that members can have is outside of the lessons. This kind of involvement usually requires us to help members see the opportunity and that's unfortunately why it sometimes doesn't ever happen. We can do better. Think for a minute about the last time you had progressing investigators who didn't come to church after having previously attending. Who did you ask to reach out to them to express concern and that they were missed? If it is a family that missed, did we reach out to primary teachers, primary presidency, YM/YW leaders, RS presidency, EQ presidency and bishop and ask them to reach out to the family via text, email or phone? If we didn't, we need to do better. This, Elders and Sisters, is how we "encircle the flocks" that have been led to the water. We need to help our investigators feel wanted and identify for members easy and effective member missionary opportunities. The difference between our investigators feeling like they belong or not, comes down to small things like these.

The other group of members we can do better with is the youth. During this round of interviews I have been asking many of you about the youth in your ward. How many of them have specific commitments you are following up with them on. So far the average has been less than 5%. Committing the youth is important for a couple of reasons:

     - We convey our belief in them which motivates them to act

     - We help them build their faith

     - We help bless their friends who are likely the recipients of our invitations.

     - Parents follow youth. If the youth get activated, parents will; both the parents of our youth, but also the parents of their friends.

As we expand our vision to mobilize the members of the ward to be involved with us and with our investigators more, we will see greater and more frequent miracles.

Love,

President and Sister Mortensen

We attended an Open House at Lone Star University to launch another Family History class on campus.

Brother Dickson from the Copperfield ward was there to answer questions and assist sign ups. 

There was a lot of interest in our class and we are excited about the potential of many hearts turning to their Fathers.