Texas Houston Mission

Monday, January 26, 2015

Encircling the Sheep that our Fruit Remain

To the Missionaries of the Great Texas Houston Mission!

As I think about your continued great efforts to gather the Lord's sheep, my mind goes to Alma 17:31 where Ammon exhorts his brethren: "My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back unto the place of water; and thus we will preserve the flocks unto the king..."

As I read your letters I can hear Ammon's voice. I love your attitudes, your faith and your efforts. If we continue reading however, we see additional light and knowledge about our continued duty once we gathered the flocks. Once Ammon and his brethren gather the flocks as we are doing, we read, "And those men again stood to scatter their flocks; but Ammon said unto his brethren: Encircle the flocks round about that they flee not; (v. 33). We can do better in our efforts to "encircle."

Elders and Sisters, sometimes we act like our only responsibility is the initial gathering. It's not. We have the responsibility to gather and "encircle." In fact the Savior taught, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain." (John 15:16). We are to both bring forth fruit and do all that is necessary that it remain.

In this context, as you study Ch 13 of PMG, please review carefully the letter shared by President Hinckley regarding the new convert's perspective on p. 214 and then read how we can better "encircle" these new and returning members on pages 215 and 216 by working with the Ward Council and other members to make sure "they flee not" because we know as Ammon did that "those men" will always be at the water to scatter the flocks.

I love this analogy! Think of it. It would be impossible to encircle with just one member involved. We must have several members involved to comfortably encircle our new members. Seek revelation on this idea and work share it with your Ward Councils to make sure these precious sheep remain.

We love you and love serving with you in this great work!

Love,

President and Sister Mortensen

We received a new missionary on Saturday! We are so excited to have Hermana Bas with us. She will be wonderful.

We had another wonderful Mission President's Fireside last week in the Houston West Stake.

It was a treat to hear such beautiful musical numbers performed in Spanish. They sounded amazing!

Here are our wonderful missionaries providing service to the local food bank.

And the winner of the Special Zone Activity is....

Houston North Spanish!!

First zone to have a repeat win. Way to go! We had so much fun with you.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

New Companions, New Areas, New Opportunities...

To the missionaries of the Great Texas Houston Mission,

I have attended a few district meetings and love that your are focusing your area reports around your goal for setting baptismal dates this month. Great miracles are happening because we are focused on our purpose.

With the recent transfers, there is an opportunity to review your outlines with your new companions and take the best from both to create new outlines together. Then practice them. Daily. If we do our part and prepare, the Lord will entrust us with those who He has prepared. Part of being prepared is role playing. Many of you have said that since we have created outlines, you have had better unity in your teaching than ever before.

Other important ways we can be prepared that we don't often consider are found in Ch 13 of PMG. Learning these additional ways can invite revelation and direct our work in meaningful ways.

As we are going into interviews over the next few weeks, I would like you to study Ch 13 of PMG as a companionship and look for the ways our detailed preparation can help us accomplish our purpose of building up the church in our respective areas.

We love you and look forward to a year of great miracles!

President and Sister Mortensen