Some people like us, some don't. (07-27-2015)

Hello people! 

It has been an interesting week! 

We knocked on a door one day, and from the inside we heard, "Come in!" Well, I didn't feel comfortable just walking into a stranger's house, so I yelled back, "It's the missionaries!" and heard, "Just a minute!" A young woman answered the door, just poking her head around it. We asked how she was doing, and she said, "Well, I'm kind of naked. Can you come back a different day?" We readily agreed, grateful we hadn't just walked in! So that was funny. Sadly she ended up cancelling the appointment we made, but we'll keep trying!

Another door knock didn't end very well. We ended up getting bashed on for about 20 minutes. that was really rough. Good thing the next day was Sunday cause I needed that day to recuperate. I just felt so spiritually drained and sad after walking away. They just chewed up what the "knew" about the church and spit it back in our faces, barely letting us talk. All we could do was leave a simple testimony and thank them for their time. It hurt. But hopefully something will soften their hearts and eventually they will be willing to listen. Right now just wasn't their time. 

We are beginning to work with a lot of people! But most people are really busy with vacations and things so they say, "Give us about 3 weeks then we'll be able to meet with you!" So in the mean time, we just work our tails off trying to find! We did have an awesome lesson with a woman named Annette. She is so great! We had planned to teach the restoration, but ended up just discussing the atonement the whole time, which is fine because it was what she needed and what is the gospel without the atonement anyway?! She has had a crazy hard life, and lived a lot of it thinking God hated her and wanted her to just be miserable. As we discussed the atonement, how God loves her and has provided a way for her burdens to be lifted and to be happy, she just cried. It was beautiful to see the hope and desire in her eyes. 

I got to go to a baptism for Isaiah and Jacob this week! (They young boys I taught in my last area). It was so good!

I hope you all have a great week! Stay strong and remember who's team you're on! We are all here to help each other come unto Christ. That is our life purpose. Don't do anything else :)
Love you!

Love, Sister Porter

QUOTE: "When salvation is sent to me, I can reject or receive it. In receiving it, I yield implicit obedience and submission to its great author throughout my life." Brigham Young

Be happy. You're a representative of Jesus Christ. (07-20-2015)

Greetings! 

We are working hard here in Green Valley! Sister Maughan is awesome and has such great faith. She just wants to be the perfect sister missionary, so it's been fun to watch her grow. 

We were out doing some street contacting this week and saw a bunch of teenage, neighborhood boys out shooting hoops in the street. As we walked up to them I said, "Hey! Can I take a shot?" They said sure and threw the ball to me. I took the ball, explained who we were, then walked clear across the street. It was a pretty wide street, so it was probably half court status. I said, "If I can make this shot, will you all come to church this week?" They all got big smiles on their faces and agreed. I knew I probably wouldn't make the shot, but I gave it my all, and I was right. I was way off! But it got everyone laughing and they were willing to talk to us for a bit. It was a pretty cool experience! 

We have started teaching this amazing man! His name is Jose, and he is so prepared to hear the gospel! When we met him at his door, he broke down crying and said he was going through a really rough time. We've been able to teach him about the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation so far, and we have another appointment tomorrow. He's just eating it up! As we talked about the fall of Adam and Eve, and read from 2 Ne 2 with him, he sat there repeating over and over to himself, "I've never thought of it like that!" Suddenly he stood up, looking around for a second, then went over the the hutch and opened the drawer. He said, "I've got to get a highlighter. This is good stuff!" My chest just wanted to burst! I wanted to just jump to my feet and exclaim, "Yes! Yes it is good stuff!" He's awesome. I can't wait to tell you more!

We met a young man this week who claims to be "Abnostic"... funny!

On my birthday one of the other sisters had to join us for the day, and as we met with them that morning they came out of the car with a cake and candles and singing happy birthday! It was so sweet! Then later in the day a random Lebanese lady gave us a bunch of frozen pizzas (5 each!) and donuts and chicken wings! It was amazing. 

So, funny story... We were at our ward mission leader's house and getting to know each other a bit, and I mentioned that I grew up in Minnesota. He asked where, and when I said Waseca his head popped up and he said, "No way! I've been to that branch!" I was like, "Whaaaat?!" Turns out, he is Craig Evers' brother! Crazy! Also, there's a younger guy in our ward from Rochester, and we know a lot of the same people since we're close to the same age! Awesome connections. 

Ok. Got to go. I love you all! Share the gospel! Be amazing! 

Love, Sister Porter

QUOTE: "What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?"

Onward, ever onward! (07-13-2015)

This has been the craziest week so far!

Last week we had a few funny experiences... We went to see a less active member, who ended up not being home, but her sister was visiting and wanted to know what we believed. She said she'd never been able to understand why her sister would join the Mormon church, but as she asked us her questions it was pretty clear she'd never tried to understand! We were able to clear up a lot of her misconceptions and teach several gospel principles. We gave her a Restoration pamphlet... but the funny part is that she held the pamphlet in the same hand as her glass of vodka, with a cigarette in the other hand, wearing a very scandalous dress, and swearing like a sailor the whole time! It was just amusing :) 

Just after talking to her, we met a woman at the bottom of the stairs who was walking down the street. I offered a pass-along card to her, introducing ourselves, but she just busted up laughing as she took the card and turning to her friend said, "This is the second time one of these fools has tried to give me a card with a blunt in my hand!" (A blunt is a joint)... and they walked away. I hadn't seen the joint in her hand when I started talking to her, but even if I had, I really wanted to yell after her, "Maybe it's a sign! You need Jesus!" But, of course, I didn't... Funny stuff.

I am now in the Green Valley Stake in Henderson, serving in the Quail Ridge and Fountains Wards! I am loving it! However, saying goodbye to all of the people I had taught was so hard! Ivan came to Bible study the night before I left, and he said, "I am very disturbed in my mind, and when I lie down to sleep I am troubled. I am not well." I automatically asked what was wrong, wanting to help, but he said, "They are taking my teacher from me." I couldn't hold back the tears. And when saying goodbye to Si'i, it took everything I had just to leaver her apartment. I didn't want to go. And Chris Cooper... We went for my last new member lesson with him before I left, and he was all happy until we'd been there about 5 minutes, then he remembered I would be leaving later in the day. He couldn't stop crying, and neither could I. It was awful, but I'm so glad to have these eternal friendships! I hope and pray that the members who are there and the missionaries who continue to know and help them will love them as much as I do! 

So, Tuesday we came to my new area to get my things moved into the apartment, only to find it wasn't dwellable! It was the dirtiest home I'd ever seen in my life. These elders had left it in shambles, and it took about 3 days to clean. And the A/C was broken. So, that was fun. The area books were also a disaster. We were told the elders who were here last really didn't do any missionary work for the last transfer, so we're practically starting from scratch. But I'm up for the challenge! I'm glad for the opportunity to help these wards. We were also told we would have to gain their trust, since they really weren't impressed by the last few missionaries. So far we seem to be on the right track! We already have a new investigator, and the bishops and ward mission leaders have been really helpful. I am so excited to be here!

I picked up my new trainee, Sister Maughan (Mon), on Wednesday evening, and she is so great! She's as cute as a button and has the best energy about her. She's actually a LOT like my sister, Sarah. It's uncanny. I'm not sure how to handle it haha... She even has the red hair! She is actually a visa waiter, and her calling is to Brazil. I try to help her use her Portugese as much as possible, but I can't really help her much! Luckily there are some people in our wards who either are from there or served there, so that will help! There is also a part member family where the wife, who isn't a member, is from Brazil and doesn't speak much English. Amazing! The Lord really knows what he's doing! 

I love you all! I hope you are each praying for missionary experiences and acting on them! I know it will bless your life and bring you happiness you didn't know existed! Far and wide we'll tell the Father's story, far and wide His love proclaim! 

Love, Sister Porter

QUOTE: "If you're not a full-time missionary with a missionary badge pinned on your coat, now is the time to paint one on your heart - painted as Paul said, 'not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.'" -Niel L. Anderson

With great responsibility comes more responsibility! (07-06-2015)

Well, my heart is full. I don't even know where to begin!

Monday I received an email from my mission president, President Snow, saying that I will be TRAINING this transfer! I had a bit of a freak out moment when I read it, not going to lie! Usually missionaries don't train newbies so early in the mission, but I'm excited for the experience and I know the Lord will help me! Since I knew I would be training, we figured that I would be staying in the area for transfers, and that Sister Unsted would be leaving. Nope! I'm going to a new area (Green Valley), taking over an elder's area, and training all at once. Can I get an oofda?! I'm overwhelmed. In a good way. A little nervous. Wow. I just hope I don't disappoint and can live up to the faith and confidence that President Snow and the Lord have in me. I can't believe I've already been here 3 months. I feel like I just arrived. I'm devastated to be leaving my people here! I will miss them, but I'm excited for what adventures lie ahead!

We had a pretty great week! I just love talking to people about the gospel. People are much more open to it than you think they are, in general. Yeah, there's the occasional jerk who slams the door in our face or those people who just aren't interested, and we have to respect that. But really, I think the stigma of no one speaking about religion or politics really wears on people, and they want to ask questions. They want to discuss the things they don't feel allowed to talk about. They want to voice their beliefs, and it's great because as we discuss truth, the Spirit of the Lord can be there testifying to their hearts that this is a good thing. And that causes a desire for more. I see it all the time. Whether it goes very far or not is a different story, but at least a seed was planted. 

I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July!!! I had the BEST 4TH EVER! Mainly because my dear, dear friend, Julie (who also served her mission here before I was called), came to visit and I got to spend a lot of the day with her! She went out with us to visit people, and it was great feeling like she and I could be companions for a day! She also brought me an amazing birthday package and a bouquet of flowers, so that was great!! We also attended a baptism that day for a young man I got to teach a few lessons to before we passed him off to the young single adult sisters. It was a great baptism, and I was filled with such gratitude for everything in my life! I still can't believe that I get to be here, doing this. I have been blessed to teach amazing people, to make fantastic friends, to know myself better... so many things. 

On Sunday in our first sacrament meeting we attended, a young boy got up to bear his testimony. He couldn't have been more than 6 or 7, but he bore one of the sweetest testimonies I've ever heard. A few words into it he started to cry uncontrollably. He was so overcome with his love for Heavenly Father, and I started to cry too. I wondered just how much harder I will probably cry when I hear my own child bear his or her testimony someday. Then in our second sacrament meeting, Ivan bore his testimony. He rolled to the front in his electric scooter and was brought a microphone, and as he spoke of his reverence and love for the gospel, and for the Savior, I just lost it. I was bawling, and I thought, "Maybe this is what it will be like when my own child bears his or her testimony." I was just so proud of Ivan. Also, Chris Cooper, a man who was baptized just before I got here, blessed the sacrament for the first time! We have been teaching him the new member lessons, and I have just loved teaching him! He is one I will miss dearly. 

I love you all! Pray always! Smile lots! Remember that the Lord is mindful of you in all things, and send a little prayer my way for all the changes that will be happening in the next few days!

Love, Sister Porter

QUOTE: "If you dwell on the things you're not, you'll miss out on the things you really are."