The Blessings that Come from Becoming "Enticers" of Righteousness

To the Missionaries of the Great Texas Houston Mission,

We loved seeing you in zone conferences this week! We hope you will take the opportunity to review Moses' last words to the children of Israel before they entered the promised land (Deut 6) and pay particular attention to the words he shares with them about their duty to teach their children as well as how he councils them to respond to the question, "Why do we keep the statutes?" If you can remember this council and follow it, you will bless your families forever.

One of the blessings that we don't often consider that comes from magnifying our calls to teach is found in D&C 88:77-78. Pay particular attention in these verses to who the Lord says will be blessed and with what as we are diligent in teaching the "doctrine of the kingdom":

77 And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.

78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;

That miracle of being diligent in teaching is that we are instructed! In other words, WE are the ones who learn or are "instructed" as we teach. You have experienced that in your missionary service. This principle will always be the blessing to you as you teach.

We would also like to share with you that we have called a new counselor to replace President Chappell in the mission presidency. As many of you are aware, President Chappell was called to serve as the 1st Counselor in The Woodlands stake with President Sorensen. President Chappell has played an integral role in the growth of the kingdom as he has served as a counselor in the Texas Houston mission over the past 8 years with three different mission presidents. We love him and thank him and his good wife for their remarkable devotion to the work and the missionaries over this long period. We will miss him and are confident that he will be a great asset to The Woodlands stake.

We feel blessed that the Lord has directed us to call a capable replacement for President Chappell. We have called Charles Broadbent from the Tomball Stake to serve as a counselor in the mission presidency. President Broadbent has served in the following leadership roles:

•             Full-time missionary, Venezuela Caracas Mission (1972-74)

•             Bishop, Tallahassee 3rd Ward, Tallahassee Florida Stake

•             YM President, Raleigh in Apex Ward, Raleigh North Carolina Stake

•             Ward mission leader in 2 different wards

•             Stake mission presidency counselor, Cypress Texas Stake

•             President of Fallbrook ASL Branch, Cypress/Klein Texas Stake

•             Senior couple mission, Area Presidency executive secretary, Europe East Area (Moscow, 2013-2015)

As you can see, he is an experienced and capable servant who will be a great addition to the work and a great support to each of you as well as to President Petersen as you work together to move the work forward to greater heights! You will love him and his wife. You can reach him at (832) 791-0960.

We are inspired by your continued great service!

President and Sister Mortensen

The following pictures were taken at Zone Conferences last week

We went to visit Elder and Sister Taylor at their beautiful farm on Friday night. We got to feed the longhorns and watch the sunset. Perfect!

Sister Taylor teaching Dane about Longhorns

We took Elder Norton to the airport this morning and felt so grateful to him for his valiant service in the THM. He will be very missed!

Zone Conf

To the Missionaries of the Great Texas Houston Mission,

We look forward to seeing you this week at zone conferences! Here are the assignments for the 5 minute talks:

Missionary who has been out the least amount of time:

Please read President Ezra Taft Benson's 1989 Conference talk entitled "Beware of Pride." Please be prepared to share what you learn about pride, how it is manifest in us, what the effect of it is and what we can do to be sure to not allow it to take root in us.

Missionary who has been out the most amount of time:

Please read President Russell M. Nelson's October 2014 talk entitled: "Sustaining the Prophets." Please be prepared to share what it means to sustain the prophet, how it affects the way we live our lives when we do and what the effect is of not sustaining the prophet. (Read Exodus 17:8-12).

We love you and are excited to spend time learning from you!

Love,

President and Sister Mortensen

Best Lunch Company

Follow up Training for the newest missionaries

We will miss you Elder Heiner!

Elder Lozano is a wonderful District Leader

Role Plays

District Meeting in Klein

Gratitude

To the Missionaries of the Great Texas Houston Mission,

As we sat in our meetings today, we couldn't help but feel grateful knowing we were united in our fast to express gratitude for the many blessings we have received from the Lord. We have witnessed mighty miracles in our time here and seen His Kingdom roll forward in this brief period we have been allowed to serve.

One of the tendencies we all battle is the tendency to be more focused on what we lack and less aware of how richly blessed we are. The Lord has cautioned us against this tendency when He as says:

"And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things..." (D&C 59:21).

During the Savior's earthly ministry, Luke shares an experience the Savior has when He encounters 10 lepers. In that day, leprosy was one of the most awful conditions that was endured by society. People who contracted leprosy were viewed as "unclean" and therefore cast out of society and forced to live in colonies. We read in Luke 17:

11 ¶ And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Interestingly Elders and Sisters, for the people of Christ's day, leprosy was a real physical ailment, but for us it is a symbol of sin. Our "leprosy" is our own sins. Just as they pleaded for mercy, so must we. Our hope is that we will always be found as the one who realizes he was healed and turns back to glorify God. We hope that as we partake of the sacrament each week, we will reflect on the great blessings we enjoy beginning with the opportunity to repent through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. If we realize this, we will be happy and cheerfully "go our way" and share this with every "nation, kindred, tongue and people."

We love you and are GRATEFUL for each of you and the way you have blessed our lives and the lives of our brothers and sisters who reside in this great mission!

Love,

President and Sister Mortensen

Bear Creek Zone

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Conroe Zone

Cypress Zone

Houston North Zone

Houston West North Zone

Houston West South Zone

Katy Zone

Klein Zone

Spring Zone

Tomball Zone

The Woodlands Zone

Mission Leadership Council

 We attended District Meeting in the H10 District last Friday. Elder Child did a wonderful job leading and instructing his district. We were happy to be with the wonderful missionaries in H10!

Elder Child in action

Wonderful role play

Tender Mercies of the Lord

To the Missionaries of the Texas Houston Mission,

At the end of 1 Ne 1, Nephi gives us an idea of what he is going to share in his record which is the perspective he has gained by the conclusion of his ministry among his people. He says:

"...behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance."

Elders and Sisters, you are they who have been chosen because of your faith and have been made mighty even unto the power of the deliverance of so many of our brothers and sisters in this area. Last week Sister Mortensen and I witnessed the 4th stake created in this mission in the last three years. There have also been 14 new wards created with two more on the way. We now have 11 stakes in the mission. The Work of Salvation is rolling forward within the boundaries of the Texas Houston Mission. We are all privileged to be a part of this great work. What you are doing is effecting the eternities for those we serve.

On Friday night, we enjoyed another "Faith Meets Families" in the temple with about 30 recent converts. They brought the names of fathers and mothers, grandparents and siblings. They were having visions and clear impressions about the presence of those they love. Miracles are happening and we are able to play a part in them!

While we were at the temple, we remembered the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith many years ago. In a document written to John Wentworth, he said: "the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.” (History of the Church 4:540)

We are lucky to be a part of this great work. In Alma 45:1 we read that the Nephites "exceedingly rejoiced, because the Lord had again delivered them out of the hands of their enemies; therefore they gave thanks unto the Lord their God, yea, and they did fast much and pray much, and they did worship God with exceedingly great joy." Elders and Sisters, as an expression of our gratitude for the way we, and those we have taught, have been been delivered, we invite you to join us in a fasting of gratitude on the first Sunday of June. It is a small way that we can acknowledge His hand in the great work that is being brought to pass here.

We are grateful for you and for the way you are diligent in blessing the lives of those of our Heavenly Father's children who reside in this great Texas Houston Mission.

Love,

President and Sister Mortensen

Faith Meets Families

Faith Meets Families

Faith Meets Families

Mission Presidents and wives from all three Houston Missions

 The following pictures were taken at the Spanish "Why I Believe Fireside" where we enjoyed beautiful music (performed by missionaries) and testimonies from recent converts. Outstanding!