Week 8

This week has been amazing. here is how it went.

 

WEDNESDAY

We had our first lesson with an investigator. We only had one since we were shot gunning. He seem awesome but we are thinking that we will have to drop him then pick him back up. He told us that he can only go to church once a month for the next year. We are praying that something will change but he doesn't seem to think church is really important. 

We also went looking for a less active family, the Ramirez family. We found then and he said that we could return on Friday to talk to them because his wife wasn't there. His wife showed up 1/2 through our convo with him and didn't seem too happy but said it would be okay if we came back on Friday. 

We are working with the Perez Family to convert Karina's boyfriend (also her baby daddy) and reactivate her brother. We stopped by just to see if anyone was home and Jonathan (the brother) was. We were just talking to him getting a feel for how he was doing and what he believed and what he had problems with when out of no where Hna Hurley asked him "have you been saying your prayers?" I was completely shocked. It really turned out fine and he told us no but that he had prayed recently and he doesn't feel that God is answering his prayers. We told him we would pray for him and that we could come back and talk to him more if he wanted to and he said that would be fine. 

THURSDAY

We had district meeting which was completely in Spanish. I didn't really understand anything other than we did some role plays. Sorry. 

We went to visit some only drops but they all ended up living in the same apartment of another guy that we had run into a few day before who was from Romania and super scary. We called the numbers but they were all disconnected so we got to throw them away. This made us realize how important keeping the area book up to date is and keeping it organized. 

We went to visit more drops but no one lived there either. So really no help at all. 

FRIDAY

We had our lesson with the Ramirez family and it went so good. They told us why they quit going to church and they said that we could keep coming back if we wanted to.  Their little girl Lixy is soo cute and is a bit of a hand full. They said that if we drag them by the ears they will come back. Were going to keep going back to help them. 

We had two miracles happen on this day. All of our back up plans had failed after the Ramirez family and we had no clue what to do. Hna Hurley said that we should just drive up and down Madison Ave. and see if we could find any of the apartments that we were looking for (non of them had complete addresses) and guess what WE FOUND THEM ALONG WITH 2 GOD SENT MEN. We were looking for a guy named Alverlardo (weird name, right?) and the numbering systems were all screwed up. We decided to stop and ask two men who were out smoking for help. Turns out one of them is named Jesse and is DATING a member. We got to talking about churches and he said he really wants to come to ours. He has been doing a lot of research on Mormon.org and loves our church. He also loves temples. He said "You can just see the Spirit of God radiating from all the temples. It has too be much more than just man made." And get this, he was completely sane. We were crying of joy. We had to give the referral to the English Elders but that is okay, we found him. 

We also found Alverlardo who had moved and was just back visiting a friend, who was super creepy. It was amazing that we found him but we don't think well teach him. His friend kept calling us and sent us over 6 text messages. The next day we picked up to tell him to stop calling us and he asked Hna Hurley out on a date. We had to tell the District Leaders but everything turned out fine and he hasn't tried to contact us since. 

SATURDAY

We spent pretty much all day organizing the area book. We had spent like 2 hours running around lost and back and forth and we figured that organizing it would be a better use of our time both now and for the future. It actually turned out to be so helpful and we can not go to an area and visit all the drop and potentials. It has helped us already. 

This night we had a lesson with Jenaro (Karina Perez boyfriend) turned out to be a big fight between him and the mom because he said he didn't want to change. It was super awkward and we didn't know what to do. Basically he told us he didn't want to change religions. He was happy with the Catholic church. We are still going to go back because he wants to know more but doesn't necessarily want to change. If we cant help him in a couple more visits then we aren't going to spend as much time there. 

SUNDAY

Spend all day at church. Didn't understand a lot because it was all in Spanish. It was good though. 

Had another lesson with the Baltazars. It went not as we expected but we feel that it is Hno Baltazars time. He doesn't want Sergio, the son, to get baptized because we thinking that he is too young and people are feeding him the answers. He wants him to make the decision for himself. When Sergio explains himself he does it in English because he cant speak Spanish that well. The mom tries to translate for him but the dad thinks the mom is just telling him, Sergio, the answers not how to say what he feels.

Hno. said that he would read the Book of Mormon and we can continue to come by. We feel really hopeful that it is his time and so does Hna. She said the lesson that we taught was perfect. It was so good and I think we are going to do a lot of good for that family. 

QUESTIONS

Is it crazy with 3 other sisters in your apartment?

It isn't. WE get a lot of separate time but it is great because we are like a huge family. It is actually really fun and we get along great. 

Do you have a washer and dryer?

Yes we do. And we can do laundry any day of the week which is super nice. 

What do you love most about being a missionary?

Working with and getting to know the members. They are so great and they want to help as much as possible. 

Is your whole ward Spanish speaking?

Sure is. and so are all of the Elder and Sisters in our district.

Are the other sisters Spanish speaking?

They are. WE are the only sister in the WHOLE Zone. WE are all Spanish speaking. 

How is the Spanish coming along?

The members and my companion tell me I'm getting better. I cant really notice a change. So hopefully that means better. 

Are you driving?

I am not driving, Hna Hurley is but yes, we do have a car. 

How much walking are you doing? 

WE walk around apartment complexes and once we get to know the area more we will walk more. It is kinda sketchy though so we figure the car is the safest place. 

 

Are you taking your meds?  

Of course. Send more please. I'm almost out. 

How are you feeling?

Feeling great. A little frustrated because i don't know when Spanish will come.   But other than that fantastic.

What do you  do for exercise?

WE go for walks. When Hna Hurley gets tennis shoes we are going to start jogging.

  

Do you eat only Mexican food?

Basically. We do have the Mong members feed us a lot because they love us so we get a lot of that food too. But it is mostly Mexican. 

SHOUT OUTS

Dad

Sarah

Mom

Misty

Elder Garbaro

Elder Anderson

Hna Warner

Bishop Faulstick

Have a great week. 

Love, 

Hermana Porter

 

 

Week 7

This week has been awesome and I love being in the field. This will be short because I answered a lot of the stuff in the questions. 

We have seen miracles already. Our area is brand new and so are we (to the area). So we are starting from scratch. We met Daniel who is a senior. The missionaries asked him to read in the BOM and never returned. He read and prayed and had a ton of questions. We feel really good about him. His dad could be a barrier though because he likes to argue with us. This week he kept trying to get us to drink Tequila because he was having a party. We kept saying no but he would just say "Sister, we drink Tequila so we can KNOW God!" It was funny but you could tell that Daniel just wanted to talk about the church. 

Other than that we have just been moving in. It was crazy because we couldn't go anywhere Saturday because of our car being towed. It was crazy. I'm not sure what else to say because I think I've told pretty much everything. I will attach some pictures. 

Mom. Can you start the group email again? My companions want it and they can't see the blog. 

Please send that package with my IPOD and stuff by the end of the week. Just so you know it takes about 1-2 weeks to get to me. Also, have you sent the dress and Journals yet? Send as much artsy and food stuff as you can because we only get 30 dollars a week. Hna Hurley says that most people have to use their own money. 

Also send a flash drive if you can so i can print off pictures. 

SHOUT OUTS

Ashley Vance

Sarah Harward

Sarah Faulstick

Daddy

Misty Richey 

You guys are the best! I love hearing what happens at home. 

Love you all,

Hermana Porter

P.S. Didn't email yesterday because it was Zone Conference. Not a lot happened though. 

What happened with the car getting towed? and why did you have to pay for it all? and are you driving? and......

Crazy story. So Saturday we walk out of the apt to get to our car (all Hna are in cars in our mission.) and it was gone. We had parked in our parking spot the night before and it was totally gone. WE were trying to get ahold of the apartment management but no one was answering so we didn't know where our car was. We then found a tow sign and called that number. Our car had been towed from our parking spot. Turns out our parking spot was not our parking spot and the person was mad. The towing guy said that Managament was present when they towed the car. Talked to managment today and they said that they hadn't heard anything of this. We had to pay it because it was our parking violation and the mission doesn't cover things like that. When we told Elder Marsten this (guy over cars) he flipped. He is going to talk to President Jardine about taking legal action and getting our money back because it wasn't any fault of our own. The Apt. Lady should have written our spot down for us and the tow guy flat out lied. But as far as i know we won't be getting money back. 

- What is your companion like? where is she from? do you like her? do you get along?

Hna Hurley is awesome. She is from Arkansas and she is so funny. I love her and she is awesome. We are shotgunning (meaning neither of us have ever served in this area before). Our area is brand new, almost, and we haven't spent much time out because of moving into a new apartment and being shut in from being towed. I've taught three or four lesson so far. We are doing great and I love her.

- What town are you in? what is a mailing address or is it all supposed to go through the mission office?

I am in North Sac. You are suppose to send all mail to the mission home and if you send packages send it only through Priority Mail United States Postal Service. That way they can forward it onto me. 

Speaking of this can you send me my IPod?  Music rules are really lax here so if you could put all EFY, Hilary Weeks, buy some David Archuletta, and a ton of church. We can listen to all or most Disney as well. If you could send me that and a cord that would be great. 

Also, art supplies (computer paper construction paper, ect) would be great too. We only get $30 a week and I'm already struggling. haha.  Journal and pens anything you can think of would be great. WE have no left over stuff because the apartments new so we need to restock. haha

- Will you use your bike?

I will use my bike once a week at least and then when we run out of miles. Hna Hurley forgot her bike so until we get hers back we can't. 

- How was your first ward? are they friendly? any dinner appointments this week?

We didn't spend much time in church because of the towing incident. We spent all of sacrament meeting on the phone with the towing place then had to leave to get money and pick up the car. Breaking the Sabbath as a missionary - We live the crazy life. 

- How many lessons did you teach last week?

We only taught three our 4. It was amazing though. We got to talk to this guy named Angel Baltazar.  He is the primary presidents husband and he isn't a member. He won't let the son, Sergio, get baptized either. Sergio speaks a lot of English and not a lot of Spanish so there is a language barrier between him and the dad. The dad wouldn't have anything to do with the missionaries until we came. He sat and listened to the WHOLE restoration lesson. He then said that he would watch President Monson's conference talk. He told us we could come back at anytime and teach him again. We have high hopes that he will get baptized but even if he doesn't we think he will let Sergio be baptized. We are also hoping the lesson will help Sergio with Spanish. 

- What do you think of your mission president and his wife?

Love them. They are so great. They are the coolest people ever. They are so kind and funny. They are extremely busy though so I am not sure how much time I will spend with them. 

- Are there Elders in your ward too?

There are 2 sets of elders and 2 sets of sisters. 8 of us. Crazy right? We are having a great time with the other Hnas. because we live with them. Hna Sheffer is also being trained but she is half way done.

- What are you doing for p-day?

We went to the Airforce Museum and also doing our shopping. We get to eat Thi food here in an hour or two. Other than that nothing much. 

- Will you be able to see Meet the Mormons?

No. I missed the mission showing by a week. They showed it the Friday before I got here. I am so upset. I wanted to see it so bad. They said when it comes out on DVD we might be able to watch it. 

Mom, I really love my trainer. She is awesome and really encouraging. She is super funny too. I also love the zone. and the other sisters. I miss you much and can't wait to get your cards. SEND A TON. I love to feel spoiled!

Week 6

So this is my last time emailing at the CCM. It is crazy how fast time has flown. I can't even believe it. I am so excited to enter into the actual mission field tomorrow but I am not excited about having to wake up in less than 11 hours. My flight leaves at 6:08 am and I'm not excited for how early that is. We have to leave the CCM at 2:00 am. No sleep for me tonight.

So...general conference! How amazing was it? I totally loved it. Here are some things that I learned. 

1. Lynn G. Robbins. He is awesome. I loved that entire talk. I loved that fact that he said that we are accountable to God not to man. Changed my life. I was always so nervous about saying things because I was scared of how my companions would react or if I had a disobedient companion how I would handle it. But if I am receiving spiritual revelation that I should say something or do something then I should do it and I shouldn't be sacred of the outcome because I serve God and my trust is in him. 

2. Dieter, my main apostle, did a great job as always. Both in GC and in the women's session. I love how he taught us how to learn His voice. This has helped me so much. I have been really struggling noticing the Lord influence in my life this week. I've been so nervous and so aggravated with my comp that I have had a hard time being in-tune with the spirit. As I search His words, ponder and consider and fearlessly strive to believe, and ask Him, and do his will I find it to be easier. I find when I don't focus on those things then I get distracted and things get harder for me. 

3. Jorg was awesome. His talk changed my life. I loved how he was like, if there is something in your life you don't like, take control and change it. That made me realize that is what I need to do. That is the 3rd time that I've heard this in the last week. Shout Out to dad because he was one of them. I need to work on that because there is a ton of stuff that I have to change if I want to be a GREAT missionary. Jorg killed it almost as much as his name did. 

4. I loved President Monson's talk. I loved that he told us that we need to follow the example of Christ. That is something I really struggle with because I get so caught up in myself that I don't follow His example and I start to feel guilty. I need to ¨let His teachings guide my life.¨

5. BEDNAR, my man. He killed it. I am one of the 88,000 that get to do this full time! I am sharing the thing I love most. I am so grateful for it. I share this not because I am forced to but because I love it and I want others, that I love, to have this great happiness and joy. That is my hope that I can bring just a little bit of joy into someone else's life. 

Other than this I don't have a lot to say this week. It has been a difficult one with my companions but luckily I haven't been too home sick. I just wish I had people to talk to on the occasion just to get my feelings out because that is what I need to do most of the time. 

I can't wait to be out in the field and serving. I hope that will help me lose a lot of the selfishness I have. I also can't wait for American food. 

I have little presents for all of the sobrinos and I cant wait to send them. 

Happy birthday to Claire-bear. I cannot believe she is 1 already. That is crazy to me. 

Love you all and have a great week,

Hermana Porter

Last Week!!

This week it was so busy it isn't even funny. I have so much to do and not enough time to do it. Sunday was fast Sunday and we decided to have a district fast for us, that we will have the courage to speak once we get out in the field and we won't be too nervous and also for our trainers that they can have more spiritual experiences and be ready for us. I have really been stressing out about this whole "actual field" thing and as soon as we started the fast I felt immediately calm and it helped so much. I've never felt the power of the fast that strong. It was really amazing.

On Saturday we had a Book of Mormon activity with Hno Salomon and we read Alma 36 together and I got so many things from this. The first thing is in Verse 3. Alma is talking to Helaman and telling him all the advice a father would give to his son. He told him that the only way we can find true happiness is through the gospel and we have to gain that conversion on our own. Our obedience to God and his commandments are what bring us true happiness. This made me realize how much I value the advice of mom and dad and all the things they've told me. It also made me realize how important it is to gain your own conversion. You can rely on anyone else, you have to gain it for yourself. 

Verses 10-17

If we don't obey we will one day realize all of our sins. We will feel all the pain we will have caused others and we will feel the guilt for our mistakes. It might not come right away when we start to make bad choices but the guilt will come because we will know the things that our parent have taught us. I know that is prevalent in my life. I know everything that mom and dad have taught me but when I make my own choices and it isn't along the teaching that I know to be true I feel the pain of my mistakes later and the guilt and it reaffirms how much we need to obey the Lord and our parents.

Verse 27 and part of 29

The lord is there with us through all of our trials. He will not leave us alone. He will set us free from bondage again and again because he loves us and he wants us to choice the right.  The Savior didn't suffer for us just to relive us of sin once and then the other times we sin he'll say, oh I helped you that one time and that is enough. No, he will help us always and he will continue to be there for us and love us. That brings me so much comfort because I know I will never be perfect and I know my life will be hard but that I can always receive comfort and peace through the atonement of Christ brings me great joy.

Sunday pretty much changed my life. We had an amazing devotional by Elder Bednar and he talks all about the natural man and how it is an enemy to God. He gave countless examples of how Christ was the perfect example of someone who turns outwards and focused on other people. That even in the middle of His greatest anguish He still turned outward and helped others. Not once did He feel sorry for himself and wonder why people weren't helping him. He said that we need to develop this characteristic in our lives but it isn't one that we can develop because we want to, it is one we develop as we start to have love for the Savior and want to help others. When we do this, we find ourselves but we won't be looking. We will experience true conversion but we won't be looking for it. We will know who we are but we won't be looking for who we are because we will be so focused on others. How great would it be to have some of these characteristics?

We also watched a video about Joseph Smith this night. The thing that really stuck me was that him and Emma were talking right before Joseph was about to go to Carthage Jail and Emma asked him "Do you ever think the Lord asks too much from you." and Joseph responded with "No, I do not allow myself." How amazing is that? He knew that he might die. He knew that he might never see Emma again or their children in this life and yet giving up his life was not too much for the Lord to ask. He was willing to do it with out a doubt because he was truly converted to this gospel and I wish I had that type of personality. I thought the Lord was asking too much by asking me to go on a mission but really that is nothing. That is 18 months of my life where some people give all of theirs for the gospel. I should be counting my blessings not wishing I was doing something else. 

I'm going to skip to yesterday because I am running out of time. 

Yesterday Hno. Salomon sat us down and told us that he has lost his job here at the CCM and that he couldn't continue to teach us for the next 2 days because his contract was up and they said he either had to renew or find a new job. He said he felt like it was time to move on from the CCM but he really wanted to finish out our stay and be our teacher for the next 2 days but his boss said he couldn't so yesterday was his last day teaching us. We were all heart broken. Since he was leaving he sat us down and told us he wanted us to share 3 things with him. 1. Our testimony 2. What is the biggest thing we've learned here at the CCM and 3. What we expect from our missions. Here is basically what I said. 

I know that this gospel is true and I know it without a doubt. There is no way I would leave my mom and dad and dog for 18 months for something that wasn't 1000 percent true. I know that the Book of Mormon is ANOTHER testament of Jesus Christ because I've read it and I've prayed about it. And because I know the Book of Mormon is true, I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet and we have modern day prophets. The biggest thing I have learned here in the CCM is how much God knows each of His children personally and he knows what they need and when they need it. He helps us. I have a hard time seeing His help in my life but I can see it in my district members and since he is helping ALL of them I know he must be helping me too. What I expect from my mission is to plant a lot of little seeds. I don't expect a grand conversion story that will be published in an article or and huge miracle to happen, I just expect me to be the example and plant a lot of little seeds and one day they will turn into plants. 

After I said this Elder Anderson said something that really struck me. He said "Like Porter, I expect to plant a lot of little seeds but I also expect a big story and I want that big story to be me. I want it to be my conversion. I want to be my biggest convert. " 

And that is so true. That is what I really want. I want me to be my biggest convert because I have dedicated myself to this calling and I have done my best and tried my hardest to bring the fullness of the everlasting gospel into other peoples lives and as I have done that I will be converted. 

I know this gospel is true. I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve a mission and I'm glad for the experiences I'm having and for the things I am learning. I wish I could share all of them with you. I know that it is never too late to repent and ask for forgiveness and develop a relationship with the Savior. I know that if you are struggling now, start to day and do something to change it. 

I love you all. 

Hermana Porter. 

QUESTIONS

What is the thing that sticks out most that you have learned at the MTC?

How much God loves all of us and how the gospel was put together with exactness. Everything that has happened has happened for a reason and in some way or another this gospel if for everyone. I've also learned a lot about the atonement and how powerful it is and how much it helps EVERYONE

Are either of your companions going to Sacramento?

None of my companions are going with me to Sacramento. Only one of my elders is. Elder Burwell. 

How many people will be traveling to Sacramento with you?

There are 4 of us I think. 3 Hermanas and 1 elder. I love the other Hermanas and they are so funny. I'm convinced one of them will be my companion for a while. If not, I will be disappointed. 

Anything funny happen this week?

I taught my district about joulers. I attached some pictures. 

Are you feeling a little more confident in speaking Spanish?

A little bit but not a lot. I feel like I am going backwards now. I hope it picks up more when I'm in the field and learning a lot and speaking with natives.