Free resources about the Texas Houston East Mission:
- Mission address and phone number
- Mission map
- Video interviews with returned missionaries
- Missionary blogs
- Facebook groups
- LDS Mission t-shirts and gifts
- List of past mission presidents
- Cultural articles written by returned missionaries
- Survey with RMs
*Other Mission Pages: Texas LDS Missions.
Houston East Mission Address
Here’s a recent address for the Houston East Mission. We try to keep this information up to date, but it’s a good idea to check the address with several sources, including your mission packet or the mission office.
Texas Houston East Mission
2815 W Lake Houston Pkwy Ste. #109
Kingwood, TX 77339-5220
Phone Number: 1-281-361-8710
Mission President: President Spencer C. Hewlett
Texas Houston East Mission Map
Here’s a link to the mission map for the Houston East Mission (LDS). To access the official LDS.org map for the Houston East Mission:
Videos with Houston East RMs
Here are in-depth YouTube video interviews with returned missionaries from the Houston East Mission. We interview hundreds of returned missionaries each year, so check back regularly to see new RM interviews.
LDS-Friendly Videos about Texas
Here are LDS-friendly educational videos about Texas. We scoured YouTube to find the best quality videos about Texas, that are free from inappropriate music, immodesty and profanity.
Houston East Missionary Blogs
Here’s a list of LDS missionary blogs for the Houston East Mission. This list includes the missionary’s name, URL and when their blog was updated.
Houston East Mission Groups
Here are Houston East Mission Groups- for LDS missionary moms, returned missionaries, mission presidents and other alumni of the mission.
- Texas Houston East Mission President Crawford Group (229 members)
- Texas Houston East Mission with President Lake Group (118 members)
- Texas Houston East Mission Facebook Group (113 members)
- Texas Houston East Mission Facebook Group (48 members)
- Houston East Pres. Allen Farnsworth 1990-93 Group (41 members)
- Houston East & South Mission Moms (LDS) Group (12 members)
- Texas Houston East Mission Facebook Group (12 members)
Houston East Mission T-Shirts
Here are T-shirts for the Texas Houston East Mission!
Shirt designs include Houston East Mission logo/emblem shirts and Called to Serve shirts. The shirts make great gifts for pre-missionaries, returned missionaries and missionaries currently serving. LDS Mission shirts come in all sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, up to 4XL. The mission designs are printed on white shirts and are shipped to you.
*Simply click on a shirt design to view the details and submit an order. The designs on mission t-shirts may also be printed on other LDS mission gifts, including: Houston East missionary aprons, Christmas stockings, ties, pillow cases, teddy bears and Christmas ornaments.
*Click here to browse Houston East Mission gifts
Houston East Mission Presidents
Here’s a list of current and past Mission Presidents of the Houston East Mission.
- 2017-2020, Spencer C. Hewlett
- 2014-2017, Dennis Bruce Drake
- 2011-2014, Thomas J. Crawford
- 2008-2011, Dan Edward Moldenhauer
- 2005-2008, Michael S. Lake
- 2002-2005, Steven R. Sutherland
- 1999-2002, Kevin R. Nield
- 1996-1999, Clifford A. Brennan
- 1993-1996, Frederick H. Stringham
- 1990-1993, Allen S. Farnsworth
Texas LDS Statistics (2015)
- Church Membership: 334,772
- Missions: 8
- Temples: 4
- Congregations: 635
- Family History Centers: 11
Helpful Articles about Texas
Houston East Missionary Survey
Here are survey responses from Texas Houston East RMs, to give you a snapshot into what it’s like to live in the mission.
When did you serve?
- 2013-2015 (Hadley)
- May 2013-November 2014 (MaKell)
- 1999-2001 (Duane)
- 2002-2004 (Robert)
- 1998-2000 (Sarai)
- 1999 -2000 (Chris)
- 1998-2000 (Michelle)
- 1997-1999 (Corri)
- 1996-1998 (Kadin)
- 1996-1998 (Gavin)
What areas did you serve in?
- Pasadena, Woodville, and Summerwood/Fall Creek. (Hadley)
- Livingston TX, (Heights Area) Houston TX, Moss Bluff West Lake LA, Jasper TX, Buna TX, Liberty TX. (Robert)
- Baytown, Hobby. (Sarai)
- Huffman, Melbourne South, Broadway South, Northshore North, and Lake Charles LA. (Chris)
- Channel View, Central Park, Broadway. (Michelle)
- Houston, Pasadena, Kingwood. (Corri)
- Deer Park, Denver Harbor, Winnie, West Broadway, Sunnyside. (Kadin)
- Port La Vaca, Magnolia, University of Houston, Pasadena, Galena Park. (Gavin)
What were some of your favorite foods?
- Mexican food, Gumbo, and Chili. (Hadley)
- Flautas, pupusas, mole, tostadas. (MaKell)
- Boudin. (Duane)
- Frog Legs. Alligator. Cajun Food. Squirrel Soup. (Robert)
- Beans, chicken and cereal and lots of water. (Sarai)
- Gumbo and everything else Cajun style. (Chris)
- Mexican tortas. (Michelle)
- Shaved ice in Kingwood, Blue Bell ice cream. (Corri)
- Mole, tamales, barbecue, tacos, papas con huevos and fresh tortillas, homemade retried beans. (Gavin)
What was a funny experience?
- Biking for hours in the pouring rain and just getting drenched with my favorite companion. (Hadley)
- My companion and I were knocking a trailer park for ever and no one would let us in. We threw our backpacks on the ground and sat down. We just sat there crying then looked at each other and got up and kept going. It was not funny then but it is now. (MaKell)
- Dressing up as Santa Clause and waving to all the children in Buna Texas. (Duane)
- I helped feed a horse. We cleaned fire trucks for service. Got chased by dogs. Bird poop fell on the crown of my head. We got lost and got to go on a ferry float. (Robert)
- Getting bloody noses while out knocking doors. My nick name during a game was “hairy ghost”. Making up awards for our combined volleyball game was a total hit! (Sarai)
- When Hermana Davidson and I thought a chicken was in trouble because it was stuck in a trash can. (Being silly city girls we thought chickens couldn’t really fly). We went to rescue the poor chicken and to our surprise and the great amusement of our investigator, the chicken flew tight up in our faces! (Michelle)
- My companion decided to make a U-turn in the middle of the road and as she turned I saw that there was a median with a hill of grass on it, but I couldn’t think of the word median. Instead I said, “There’s, there’s, there’s… something in the middle of the road!” (Corri)
- I was in Denver Harbor and one of the few places that was a house, that we stayed in instead of an apartment complex. There was a stump in the backyard and I didn’t check first to see if any animals were on it. I sat straight up on the stump with my missionary attire on and had my trainer take my picture. After the picture was taken, I learned about fire ants and how vicious they can be. Sad to say I have a few more encounters with fire ants along my stay there in Denver Harbor, but in different places in that city. (Kadin)
- One time while waiting at a doorstep my companion picked a chili pepper from the potted pepper plant at the door. He was rolling it between his fingers while we waited. A little while later as we were walking I heard him start screaming. Turns out he had forgotten about playing with the pepper and rubbed his eyes basically pepper spraying himself. (Gavin)
What was a crazy experience?
- We were actually told by one of our investigators that some people he knew were planning on mugging us with a gun. But it all worked out okay and we just avoided that area after dark. (Hadley)
- Got chased by dogs. My companion was from Las Vegas and I was his first country companion prior to this he was in the city. (Robert)
- Ghost town in Baytown. (Sarai)
- I got hit with a rock, a cup of ice, and an egg all in the same day. (Chris)
- When a Chihuahua jumped up and bite me in the chin and wouldn’t let go. The owners had to pry the dog off my face. (Michelle)
- When an investigator called us in the middle of the night and told us details of a crime. We didn’t know if it was real or a hallucination. President Brennan told us to never ever tell the details of the conversation to anyone. I honestly don’t remember them anymore. (Corri)
- I was walking my bicycle across the crosswalk where the exit ramp of the freeway was. My companion and I had thought it was safe to cross the street. Little did we know that a car was going very fast off the freeway and just was inches away from running into me. The car had stopped and I peeked up at to see them and I continued on my way across the street. My heart was beating so fast I thought I was going to die from getting hit by a car. I was glad that my companion was able to comfort me at that time. (Kadin)
- Someone got shot out in front of our apartment (Magnolia area). We went outside because we heard sirens and saw a group of about 10 cop cars circle the block trying to find the victim. We ended up having to flag them down and show them where the person was. (Gavin)
What was a spiritual experience?
- My favorite spiritual experience was when we baptized a lady named Aduke. She didn’t speak a lot of English but she loved the church we taught her a lot by videos and pictures and she really understood and felt the spirit. Another was that I was able to watch my dad and brother be baptized while I was serving my mission. I got to Skype and see the whole thing and give a little talk too. (Hadley)
- Sitting at a baptism and being filled with pure joy from living and sharing the gospel every day. I had never felt so happy in my life and was so grateful for that experience. (MaKell)
- Baptizing then one year later going to the Temple with converts. (Duane)
- Finding a investigator in the dark, then finding it again in the day time in Houston. (Robert)
- Maria and Alex are always a happy thought as my first teach in the mission and they got baptized on Halloween 🎃. (Sarai)
- We had the privilege of teaching a non member that attended church for over 20 years and never was baptized. We were at least the 20th set of missionaries to teach him. He finally was baptized and I was transferred immediately after he was baptized. I am certain his conversion is why I was sent to that area. (Chris)
- One of the best experiences looking back was finding and teaching La Familia Rendon. We found them following what I thought was a really pointless assignment to go through the very old less actives list. Their home was deserted and boarded up with a big wire fence around it. But by some chance, Sister Rendon was chatting with an old neighbor. We felt prompted to go talk to the ladies and found out it was her. She gave us their new address but said they weren’t interested in coming back to church. They had been less active for 8 years. Well long story short, it was a miracle that we found this less active family and helped them come back to church. The father baptized his boys ages 11 & 12 then, who have now both served mission and are married in the temple. The family was sealed a year after I came home. Their sweet daughter was only 4 when I was there. She wanted to be baptized with her brothers. She is now serving a mission. (Michelle)
- I had only been out about a month and was on exchanges with a member. We went to an appointment, but it was the wrong apartment. I taught some of the first discussion. As I was quoting the First Vision experience I thought, “Wow! I have this memorized really well.” Immediately I forgot every word and had a difficult time recovering. It was very humbling to realize that it was not me, it was the Spirit speaking. I tried from then on to be very grateful for the guidance I was blessed with. (Corri)
- One day we missed an appointment due to a tornado. We almost decided to stay in due to the horrible weather but decided we had better at least make contact with our appointment. To our surprise when we showed up after a look of shock on her face she told us she wanted to be baptized. Later when we brought a member with us to visit her, she told the member that she had prayed that day and told Heavenly Father that if we showed up that day it would be a sign to her that she should get baptized. Every time I question fulfilling a commitment I think back to that time that had we not listened to the Lord and kept our commitment she may never have had that opportunity and it would be our fault. (Gavin)
What are some interesting facts about the Houston East Mission?
- It goes partially into Louisiana. It’s one of three Houston missions. (Hadley)
- There were a 144 missionaries in my mission at the time. The Houston Texans opened when I started my mission. The Houston Texas Temple and we got to go quarterly. The peanut butter factory is in the Houston Texas Mission. (Robert)
- I served there. (Sarai)
- It is T. H. E. greatest mission in The Church! (Chris)
- The Spanish areas do not look like you are in the US anymore! (Michelle)
- It is T. H. E. Mission of The Church. (Corri)
- The country area is really slower pace than the city life. I spent most of the time in city life, so when I went to Winnie, out in the country, I learned pretty fast that life was casual and more slowed down. Once I got the speed of that, I was fine. (Kadin)
- San Jacinto Monument is there. You can visit a battleship. Houston temple is one of the few temples not built on a hill…because there aren’t any hills. The bridge over the ship canal is the highest point in the city. When I was there the border between the Houston and Houston East Missions ran right through the middle of the Galleria Mall. (Gavin)
What was the weather like?
- Really hot and humid in the summer and then very cold and humid in the winter. (Hadley)
- Hot and humid in the summer and cold and humid in the winter. (MaKell)
- Humid hot. (Duane)
- Hot and humid from April-September I believe. Cold and freezing from October-March I believe. Sorry can’t remember it has been a long time ago. (Robert)
- Humid and hot with a lot more humidity. (Sarai)
- Hot!! Humid!! (Chris)
- Hot and very humid in the summer and wet and bone-chilling cold in the winter. (Michelle)
- Humid, Hot, Great thunder and lightning storms! (Corri)
- Hot and humid in the summer and cold and humid in the winter. The snow there was beyond the comfort of snow that I was used to. It was so cold that I thought I would get frostbite. I never did get frostbite, thank goodness. (Kadin)
- Hot, humid, rainy and cold…sometimes all in the same day. Humidity in winter cuts through about everything, so bring a good winter type jacket. Get used to being wet, no amount of rain coats can stop you from getting soaked during a down pour. The day can start out clear, rain gallons in the afternoon and end at about 80 degrees with 99% humidity. (Gavin)
What did you love about the people/area?
- The people are so nice. They love Jesus a lot! It’s a really amazing place to serve I love that it was part city and then part country. (Hadley)
- The people are loving and kind. (Duane)
- Loving the people. Getting to know the people. They teach their kids manners. (Robert)
- Everything and everyone. (Sarai)
- They were some of the greatest people I’ve been in contact with. (Chris)
- Very humble, generous and loving people. (Michelle)
- For the most part everyone was very kind. They didn’t always want to hear our message, but would still offer us a glass of water if it was hot. (Corri)
- That a city heavily populated with the black community was more accepting than the wealthy people were. (Kadin)
- The area was super green and the people are very friendly overall. It is amazing how open everything is (outside the city). Texas pride is everywhere. It was like its own country. (Gavin)
Any packing advice?
- Pack really light clothes for the summer and really warm for the winter. You can buy some clothes there so that’s nice too. I would send your pillow to the mission home before you leave. I did and I didn’t have to pack it. It was nice. (Hadley)
- Layers for winter and as thin as possible for summer. (MaKell)
- Cotton poly blend. (Duane)
- Elders for silk ties you might want to wear them for winter months, polyester ties wear during summer time so it does not soak in the tie of the silk ties. (Robert)
- Pack things that dry quickly. (Sarai)
- Very light and comfortable clothes. (Chris)
- Warm clothes for the winter. Really warm coat that keeps out the wetness. (Michelle)
- Light breathable clothing. Light rain jacket for the winter. I used to just wear a sweater and so many people gave me a bad time about it. (Corri)
- Cotton poly underclothes worked best for me. Bring a thicker jacket, especially if you are on a bike. Remember to get a clip for your chain side pant leg. I really liked the black socks that look like crew socks. The elastic wore out way to quick on classic dress socks. Bring mostly short sleeve white shirts that are wrinkle free. No one has irons in their apartments. Maybe two long sleeves and the remainder short sleeves. Learn about sorting laundry too. Make sure all clothes are machine washable…ideally ties as well. Get suits a little roomy as most of us were well fed out there. There are tons of thrift stores out there and while I was there, shopping for thrift store deals was a fun preparation day activity…it’s also a great way to get replacement clothes while in the field. (Gavin)
What blessings did you receive from serving a mission?
- I was able to see my family baptized on my mission. I also met my now husband while serving there. It for sure wasn’t like anything on the mission but when we got back something sparked. A definite blessing. (Hadley)
- I know the scriptures. (Duane)
- Being obedient brings blessings. (Robert)
- Still receiving daily. But being able to share my experience with my nephew who is currently serving in Florida is priceless. (Sarai)
- It was there, that I gained a sure knowledge of the love of our Savior and a testimony of the gospel. (Chris)
- How to trust the Spirit and work hard. But also that each person has their own agency and even if they know something is true they can still choose how they will live their lives. (Michelle)
- Knowledge of the gospel. Faith in Jesus Christ. Friends. Answers to prayer. (Corri)
- Well, I can’t really even count them all. They are still coming. I was in the field where I first had my testimony challenged and for the first time had to decide if I truly believed what I thought I did. I learned more about the gospel and the scriptures than I ever had. Even now 20 years later I think about the lessons I learned on my mission. I learned about hard work and perseverance. I learned to trust in the Lord to guide my decisions. It wasn’t easy…in fact there were times where I questioned myself more than I ever have…but it is also where I discovered my true strength. (Gavin)
What are some skills you gained on your mission?
- I learned how to be more open about my feelings. I learned to not be so afraid to talk to people–it was really hard at first. (Hadley)
- Spanish. Talking to people and in front of people. Study habits. (MaKell)
- Your own laundry. Waking up on time. Pray when you need it the most. (Robert)
- Opening my mouth. I’m painfully shy and an introvert. (Sarai)
- I learned how to teach, lead, and share the gospel. I learned how to communicate in many different situations to better myself and those I served with. I also learned a small amount of Spanish. (Chris)
- Learned a language. Learned how to get along with people who were not so easy to get along with. Learned about how to study and serve others. (Michelle)
- Talking to others helped me to be a better high school teacher now. (Corri)
- Learned to speak Spanish, learned to talk to people and keep a conversation going. Overcame fear of the unknown. Learned to study the scriptures more in depth. Learned to do some cool tricks on my bike. Learned how to repair a bike. Learned to not fear the opinions of others. (Gavin)
What do you wish you knew/did at the beginning of your mission?
- I wish I would have known it is okay to take some time to take care of yourself too. If you’re like me and have some depression/anxiety issues–it is okay to struggle and take some time. (Hadley)
- That God would take care of my family and not to worry about them and just focus on the work. Talk to everyone, the spirit will help you. (MaKell)
- It’s okay to feel it is hard. There’s more to a mission and growth than just baptism numbers. Quality over quantity any day. (Sarai)
- That you don’t have to be perfect to serve a mission. A good part of the mission is for your spiritual progression and temporal and spiritual maturity. Everyone starts with different levels of maturity. Be patient with yourself and others. (Michelle)
- Work hard. Be obedient. Pray for charity. (Corri)
- Looking back, I wish I knew it was ok to enjoy yourself. It is important to work hard, but don’t let that kill the joy you have. Being on a mission is a once in a lifetime opportunity where you have nothing to worry about except teaching the gospel. It is ok to laugh and show people how much joy the gospel creates. Obey the rules, but don’t be afraid to have fun while doing it. (Gavin)
Any advice/testimony for pre-missionaries called to serve in Houston East?
- Just love your mission and love the people! Loving the people will open the doors and so many ideas. Just love your mission too, it is the quickest 18/24 months so just love and appreciate it. (Hadley)
- Go because you want to and remember who you represent. (MaKell)
- Just be obedient to the rules and be faithful and all else will fall into place. (Robert)
- When faced with a difficult companionship, the lessons learned last a lifetime. We all have ticks and gifts. (Sarai)
- Remember that your faithfulness and obedience is very important, but also remember that people have agency. You can’t force anyone to Heaven. You may not see the miracles that happen in your mission while you are serving, but they are there. Write things down. Give it your very best, work, repent and serve your hardest. You may just be planting seeds but people will remember you and you may get to be part of their progress! Rely on the Spirit and not the numbers! Take a journal and get contact info of the people you teach. (Michelle)
- Be your best self and the Lord will take care of the rest. (Corri)
- That you can expect doors slammed in your faces, getting cursed at, having to face lot of Jehovah Witnesses. That it is hard work and not easy to get people to baptism. To not get the hateful speaking of those get down on you. To have support from your companion and if he doesn’t help, then the mission president. (Kadin)
- Follow what they teach in the MTC about speaking the language. Use every opportunity to speak so that you become fluent faster. Talk to people about everyday things. The MTC teaches the gospel language, but not as much about how to just have a conversation. It is harder to start up conversations with someone on the street if all you can do is quote the scriptures. Remember that sometimes you can learn more from failure than success, so don’t be afraid to fail. Remember that if you look hard enough every experience is a blessing. The key is finding it. (Gavin)
What was a funny language mistake you or another missionary made?
- Washeteria. (Sarai)