Elder Robert W. Houghton & Sister Linda Houghton

1986 -1988 couple’s mission

1988- 1991 Mission President of the Singapore Mission (Including India)

I retired from the U.S Air Force as a Fighter Pilot in March 1986. We quickly became Elder and Sister Houghton and were assigned to the Singapore Mission. We served in Hyderabad, Karimnagar, and Rajahmundry India. We also served in Singapore and Indonesia.

Our last assignment was in Bangalore, India and we were delighted with our assignment. I was asked to be the District President. What a wonderful difference the Bangalore Branch was to any place we had seen before in India! We were amazed at what we saw in the chapel the first time we attended. The way the meetings were conducted, the talks that were given, and the lessons that were taught were all very well done. There was reverence and the Spirit was strong. We were thrilled at what we witnessed and knew India was on its way. Michael Anthony had served a mission in Utah, returned to India and taught some members and the branch how the Church was supposed to function.

Almost all of the Bangalore Branch members were educated in the English language. Very few of the Church materials were translated in the various Indian languages at that time, so the members’ knowledge of English helped in their ability to read and comprehend the scriptures, Church books and magazines, and handbooks, etc. This helped the testimonies of the members to grow strong.

It was heartwarming to see how the Elders worked with the members. The Relief Society worked so well in the Branch, and the Priesthood functioned as Michael had taught them. The talks and lessons were just wonderful. We were excited. We could see that there were young men who were coming of age to go on missions and were very anxious to serve.

In July 1988 I was assigned to be the Singapore Mission President. We were delighted to return to our beloved mission. We were pleased to see more than one foreign missionary in the Singapore/Malaysia part of the mission, however, we needed more Indian missionaries. I asked my leaders in the Missionary Department in Salt Lake City if we could have any ethnic Indians going on missions to be assigned to the Singapore Mission to serve in India. It wasn’t long before we started getting more Elders. This helped with the work a great deal. We flew to India at least every three months. It was wonderful to watch the branches grow. We could see in the six months we were gone that Bangalore had truly blossomed.

In 1989, Elder Dallin H. Oaks, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, dedicated the country of India for the preaching of the gospel. It was done in New Delhi in a lovely park on a beautiful morning. A hymn was sung and Elder Oaks offered the dedicatory prayer. We were a small group. Among those in attendance were Elder and Sister Oaks, President Smith, the Area President and his wife, and President and Sister Houghton, the Singapore Mission President and a small group from the New Delhi Branch. It was a special experience.

Our youngest son returned from his mission in Germany where they had few baptisms but had changed everything and had become the most effective mission in the area. When our son came home from his mission he came to Singapore and told us what they were doing to be so effective. I mentioned to our Area President about the success of our son’s mission and how I would like to send him and one of my Missionary Assistants to India to visit each of the companionships in their areas. I felt like this would give our missionaries a helping hand in getting more baptisms. Sure enough, after our son and my Assistant came back and reported about what they had done, the work started improving.

Bangalore began to be doing very well. They moved into a nicer building for a chapel. The saints were working with the missionaries, especially in making new members feel very welcome. The missionary couples were always a great help to the mission and to the Branch over the years with their love and experience. It was very easy to see the growth of Bangalore over the years as we observed the saints and the Branch. We were very impressed at how the youth were being prepared to serve on their missions and then in their future lives. We were always amazed when we met with the s