July 13, 2015

The Esparza's have kittens!  Their cat, Porter (named after yours truly), had babies.

This is week two with out the Jardines, I'm in a fallen and depressed state. JUST JOKING. Although I do miss the Jardines very much I am LOVING being in the Modesto Mission. Me and Hermana Carpenter have had a very busy week. We had two investigators at church yesterday. Beatriz and Enrique.

Beatriz and Enrique...I love them so much. This is a long story so if you don't mind sitting down and settling in...here i got. Feel free to go get a snack first. So it all started back in the trio. We were teaching Beatriz and Enrique and they were golden. They would study their assignments for hours and once we left them the Jose Smith video to watch and they watched 3 times before we came back two days later. When we got there they knew dates and fact and everything. We extended them a baptism date for the 17 of July and Enrique really wanted to accept but Beatriz wasn't too sure. Plus, they had never been to our church. When they realized that our church was in Spanish, because they thought it was only in English, they were jumping to go. Things got crazy and we couldn't find time to go visit them and they were going out of town every few days. So for about a month we couldn't get over. 

Well when Hna Carpenter got here we made it priority to see them .The first day visiting them (last week) Hna. Beatriz was home alone and she just started crying and was telling us all this bad stuff that had happened to her family with in the last month. Hno. was working overtime at their son's business because a business deal had gone wrong and he was in jail. This that and the other was going bad. We brought Hno Ku with us to one of our lessons and he gave her and her husband a blessing. When we came back the next day to see them Beatriz was like "Hermanas. Last night, I slept with out a sleeping pill. I have felt so much peace since I got that blessing. I know the power of the priesthood is true." Then Hna Carpenter, being the inspired genius she is said "Hna. How do you feel about Jose Smith?" Beatriz said "Oh, it is true. I know it is true. Everything that happened with him, true." Then she said "I was a little bit leery about the book of Mormon. I wasn't really sure about it. But then you left me that scripture the other day in Alma and it was exactly what I needed so I decided to give it a shot. I started from beginning and I'm in 1Ne 13. I love it. It relates to me so much and I see how it goes hand in hand with the bible." We extended a baptism date right then and guess what. HER HUSBAND WAS LEERY OF IT! He said "Hnas. I'm not sure about this." Then Beatirz said "I think I know what it is. Honey, you've been so busy that you haven't had time to listen to me read the book to you. Because you haven't been reading you aren't sure anymore." Me and Hermana Carpenter were just like "Um, yep. Exactly right." Then she said "I want to get baptized by the end of the month, but I want to do it with my husband because we do everything together." 

Flash forward to church. They came but they were only going to stay for the first hour. When it came time to go to Sunday school Hno. said he was going home but Hna was like "Bu-bye. I'm staying here. I wasn't to learn more" It was beautiful. She stayed the whole time and she basically taught gospel principles. It was so cute. She already has a lot of little friends and everything was about what she needed to hear. She just kept saying "I feel full. This is where I need to be." I can wait to go and see them tomorrow and see what they have to say! 

We didn't get to see or really talk to Janelle this week. She got grounded from her phone and her dad hasn't seen her in 2 days soooo. This week we are going to try to get back in touch with her and see what we can do to work on this whole situation. She is really sad that she couldn't get baptized but she said she wanted a blessing so she could get happier quicker and start progressing again. What a stellar little girl she is!

Fidencio is doing great. He couldn't come to church yesterday because he had to work. We should have a lesson with him tonight. We are just working with him so he can receive an answer of his own. We know he wants it, I just don't think he knows how to recognize it. that's what we are going to talk about tonight. 

I got a letter from Kaylea Trueblood the other day. I was SO excited. I love that woman. 


What is your favorite thing about your companion?

We get a long really well. We are really good friends but we also work together really well. We are always looking for ways to improve and get better but it isn't annoying. I just love her. She is the BEST. 

What was the funniest thing that happened this week?

Well last night. We went over to our Recent Convert Noe's house. His wife was making something in the kitchen so we went to see what it was. Turns out it was a bunch of bugs eating bread. They were eating them too. We were so grossed out. But then...we decided to do it just for the picture. So we did. Last night, I ate beetles. Yup...I'm disgusted with myself too. 

Any new changes with being in a new mission?
Not yet. Maybe next week there will be more information. Sister Palmer is coming up here to go out with us this week. We are going to take her out to dinner and then to a few appointments with us. We are so excited! 

What is the next transfer date?
August 12th. Right before my birthday :(

What was your best lesson this week?
Beatriz and Enrique. Hands down. 

Love you all,
Hermana Porter

 

All the bugs!

I wasn't happy!

Me and Homegirl.  We were waiting to see if we were going to die from eating the bugs.

Real life FEAR FACTOR!

 

Ice Cream for days. 

 

 

July 6, 2015

It's Official:  California Modesto Mission

 

 

New Mission, New Me

 

Welp, it is official. I'm in the California Modesto Mission. Everything online is changed and everything. That is crazy. Now when I get home and people asked me where I served my mission I will say "Well, I served half of my mission in the California Sacramento Mission but then I was rejected to the California Modesto Mission." Okay, rejected that is a little harsh. This week we got to meet our new mission president. I didn't get a picture with him but I did get to meet him, so he is a real person.

President and Sister Palmer are awesome. They are so sweet. Sister Palmer is a convert to the church and he isn't. He served his mission where she lived, near Plymara,  but they didn't meet while he was on his mission. He owns his own business and does pension funds. They have 5 kids, I think. They are really funny and really sweet. I feel so bad for them because they are basically shot-gunning a mission. How cow, that would be stressful. 

This week has been a little bit stressful. The last three days have been really hard. This week we decided that we were going to plan a miracle baptism. My first baptism. We felt really good about it and we felt that it needed to be Janelle. She is 10 and the only reason that she can't get baptized is because her mom hasn't said yes yet. She has been coming to church since the beginning of the year and has only missed 2 weeks. Her dad has been taking her. We fasted and we prayed for it and we worked up until the last minute. We worked with her all week to tell her mom her testimony and get permission. We tried talking to her mom a few times and she would blow us off. We had Janelle's address but we thought it would be better if Janelle got the permission and not us. Welp Saturday came along and we still didn't have the "yes" from mom. We had to start filling up the font at 2 to have it ready for her by 4. At 1 we went to try to talk to her mom. She wasn't home and at 2:00 her dad, Jorge, called us and told us to call the whole thing off. Her mom was ticked.  We made all the calls to tell people it wasn't going to happen. President Palmer was even planning on coming...it was hard to tell the AP's to call that off. Me and Hermana Carpenter were super depressed. 

It was hard because we felt like it was the right thing to do but then it didn't work out. We know that the Lord has a plan in all of this. It is a time where Janelle has the chance to share the gospel with her mom instead of just ask for permission to be baptized. We know this is His work and He knows what He is doing. We just have to wait a little while. She will be baptized eventually. 

The good news from this week. 

We had an awesome lesson with is guy named Fidencio and his friend Deena. Deena has been making some changes in her life and really wants to find a church to go to. She LOVED everything that we had to say. She was so prepared. She even accepted a date for the 15 of August. So did Fidencio. The way we found him was really cool. He was a referral from the Spanish Elders. We gave him and call and he said "So when are you coming to visit me?" We was even there when we went to see him! It was so cool. He didn't come to church yesterday but when we went for our appointment he has been reading in the Book of Mormon and he was in 1 Nephi 4 already...we had just asked him to read the introduction. Then we asked him to pray. he told us that he had NEVER prayed in his life before so we taught him how and he prayed right after. It was so cool. It was a really good experience and we are so excited to teach him. 

This week we were asked to study John 4:34 that says "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." I've been thinking of that scripture a lot lately and I LOVE it. I love that it says that "my meat is to the the will of him that sent me." Now I'm not sure about all of you, but I love me some meat. I feel like that should be the same of doing the Lords work and following his commandment. I should make that my meat, the think that I love. As I do so my will will align with his and we will become one in purpose. I invite you all to ponder on that this week. 

I Love all of you so much.

Love, 

Hermana Porter

 Me and Elder Perry!!!

Me and Puppy

 

June 29, 2015

 Saying goodbye to President and Sister Jardine

Holy 10 months!!

Yep. That's right. I've been out 10 months. Who would of thought. That means I have only 8 months left and the panic has started to set in. 

So here is the thing that I learned this week. LOOSE YOURSELF IN THE WORK. This was the Zone Focus that we set last week and me and Hermana Carpenter have been working really hard to achieve it. We started our small and now we feel like we are working really effectively. We pinpointed the time that we felt like we were being the least effective and that was in the car. We spend a lot of time going from place to place and from Lodi to Galt to Lodi again. There was a lot of time that we'd spend in the car not doing anything. We started by making a list of things that we could do in the car. Let me tell you, for every one thing that we crossed off we get 3 things added on. Also, we see that it is blessing our work because it shows us the people who are truly interested in our message. 

This week was good. We added 5 new investigators. A recent convert in our ward brought his mother in law, brother and sister in law to take the lessons. They are super interested and they came to church on Sunday. They stayed for the first 2 hours. They said it was different to what they were used to but they liked it. We met a few more people who seemed really interested we just make return appointments with them though. 

We are planning to have a baptism this week. Her name is Janell and she is going to have a miracle baptism, I can just feel it. She is 10 and has been coming to church with her dad. She has been taught everything the only thing is that her mom wont let her get baptized. We have her whole baptism planned for Saturday. We have the program made the talks assigned and the font reserved. We are going to fast with her tomorrow and we are praying really hard that her moms heart will be softened. Her grandma (who is a member) is coming up from Texas so she can be there. Our faith is high and we really feel like this is going to happen. 

Who did you have dinner appointment with this week?

We had a dinner appointment with the Perez family. During dinner we have been focusing on the first vision and asking them to make a list of people in their lives who could use the gospel. We are making a return appointment with them so they can talk with us about the next step is that they can do with their friends. Hermana Perez was super excited about it and she also wanted us to help her with her family history work. Serving the members, CHECK. I really should have paid more attention to dad though when he was trying to teach me how to it.

How are you and your companion getting along?We are best friends! We are working getting our studies done because we love each other so much that we just talk and talk and talk. Things have gotten a lot better. She is such a classy person and we are working SO hard. It is going to be a great 8 weeks.

What was your favorite thing about this week?So last night to start off the new mission we had a little get together with the zone and we shared our testimonies. At the end we wrote all of our fears down and tied them to a balloon and let them go. Well you see, homegirl here, let her balloon go and it got stuck in a tree. After forever of it not getting itself out an elder climbed up into a tree and he got it out. When the balloon let go the fears i tied to it fell. Guess I wasn't meant to let my fears go. 

Do you still go to a Spanish branch?

Yes. I only work in Spanish work. 

Did you get to see Cody Perry? What's the weather like now?

I haven't seen him yet but I did hear that he was in my mission now! How exciting! Hopefully this week. The weather is really hot. It is in the 100's almost every day. The high has been 114. It isn't too bad though because it is different heat than home.

What's your favorite thing about the area you live in?

There are super nice people. They are all so loving and kind. I love everyone here.

Have you met your new mission president yet?

I haven't met him yet. He just landed last night and the split officially happens on Wednesday. We will probably meet him this week sometime. 

Love you all, 

Hermana Porter

 

 Letting our balloons go.......

 Sister Jardine trying to do a jowler.

 Unloading $5000 worth of food for a stake trek.

Hermana Carpenter and Elder Williams

June 22, 2015

Selfie Sunday

The good news about this week is that Hermana Carpenter does not have a brain tumor. She had been having these weird headaches for a week and the mission nurse didn't know what to do about it so Friday we found ourselves in the emergency room and she was getting a KAT scan of her brain. The doctor said that it is just a migraine so we need to make sure she is drinking a lot of water and what not. So we dodged that bullet.

This week has been interesting. Since we are covering both areas now I kind of feel like a chicken running around with her head cut off. We are just running from one place to another and I don't really feel like anything is getting done/i feel like we are accomplishing a ton! I feel a little bit of pressure because I've been in both areas but it has been so long that I've worked in Galt that I don't really know where to take us and the same with Lodi. I've only been in Lodi for a short period of time so I don't know where to go or what to do. It is a little stressful. The good news is a lot of our members are helping us out. Thank goodness! 

If I'm being honest, I'm a little bit sad writing this email today because Ruben isn't going to get baptized this weekend. He told us this week he wasn't sure if he wanted to be baptized anymore. My little heart is broken and I'm trying to catch up with what is actually happening. We decided what would be best is to give him a little bit of space and make some choices on his own and we want him to rely on the Lord for what he should do, not us. He made the choice not to come to church this Sunday so we are going to go over to his house on Tuesday to see what he is thinking. I guess I will let you know what happens next week. 

So I don't think that I made it clear last week but me and Hermana Carpenter are the only ones living in the apartment now. The STL left and they weren't replaced and so because they left me and Hermana Carpenter cover their area. It is quite the work load. I love Hna. Carpenter so much! We are like two peas in a pod. Sometimes we talk too much...studies are hard to do but this week we are buckling down. She is from Utah. This is the first companion that I've had from Utah. She is 22 years old (Her birthday is the 16 of July so make sure to send her something.) She has graduated from BYU with a degree in Biology and after the mission she plans of going to medical school. Even though she is super smart she doesn't make me feel stupid. She is one transfer younger than me and she is amazing. Her Spanish is great and I feel comfortable talking in front of her. We are doing great balancing everything in lessons and I think we are going to do great together. Especially since we have 8 weeks together instead of 6. 

So I guess now is the time to yell you that I've received a 2 week extension of my mission.l You should get a letter about it in them mail this week. On Sunday I will no longer be in the California Sacramento Mission I will be in the California Modesto mission. Please stop sending mail to the Sacramento Mission Office. When I receive the address for the new one I will let you know. Hopefully that doesn't mess up our plan for the future! 

Alright everyone. I love you so much and I hope you have a great week! 

Love, 

Hermana Porter

 

At the hospital.

 

June 15, 2015

Yesterday was basically the craziest day of my life. Transfer Monday = my least favorite day. They are so crazy and hectic that sometimes you just don't want them to happen. The whole day you have a knot in your stomach because a phone call that comes at 8:00 decides your future for the next 6 weeks at the very least. Can you start to understand why I hate transfer P-Day.

We also call Transfer P-day Man-Up Monday because you go a week and a day with out rest so usually you try to find some sort of service for Monday so you can still function. Welp, yesterday we found us some good service. We moved a family, who were non members. They got movers to pack their stuff for them and let me tell you something. I will NEVER have movers pack my stuff. Also, a must have for my future husband, he HAS to be good at Tetris. That is a must for moving. I almost died twice. At the top of the pile was a SWING. A huge porch swing. Ugh. It was not fun. That took us all about 4 hours to do and we were SWEATING like a pig on the 4th of July. It was so hot that I took ANOTHER shower. 

That night we went to have a dinner at a members house with the whole zone. It was quite the party. We didn't get to stay long but we got some good chicken sandwiches. We had a really good lesson with the Esparza family. We talked a lot about the Lord and what he expects of us. We watched the Will of God and that video always hits home with me. I love so much how they say that "The Lord loves us to cut us down." and that is something that I'm still learning. The Lord loves me enough to tell me what I need to do and what I need to change. I love that so much. 

Our night got really hectic around 8:00 p.m. That is the time that transfer calls usually start coming and we got a call from President Jardine. The whole thing about this transfer is that if you stay south, you will be in the Modesto mission but if you go North you will stay in the Sacrament Mission. So this is what is happening to me. 

Hermana Porter has served diligently and faithfully in the California Sacrament Mission for the last 10 months of her mission. The Lord has called me to serve, again, but this time I have been Re-assigned to the California Modesto Mission, where she will finish the remainder of her mission. This becomes affective as of July 1st, 2015. 

Yes. Homegirl is leaving President and Sister Jardine and Sacramento as she knows it. My new companion is going to be Hermana Carpenter. I'm not sure what area we will be covering yet but I know that I am staying in the same apartment. The STL's are leaving and NOT being replaced. As well as for the rest of the district. Elder Williams is staying here and being companions with Elder Guzman. We all almost died because we though that Elder Anderson was leaving. BUT that champ isn't leaving us he is just being made a ZONE LEADER. I think he is really stressed about it but I'm so proud of him. He is a spiritual giant. 

My new mission President will be President Palmer. I'm really really sad to leave the Jardines but I know I have a lot to learn from the Palmers and I'm excited for this time that the Lord has given me to grow and learn. 

The rest of this week has been really good. We took a temple tour with Ruben and he LOVED it so much. He told us that he wants to serve a mission and he wants to be a missionary like us. He also said that he feels sad for all the people who don't want to enter the temple. He came to church on Sunday and he is progressing very nicely for his baptism date on 27 of June. 

Cool experience. On the way home from the temple we stopped at Chik-fil-a (they don't have one in our zone) and this guy named Justin served us. He is a member and he is trying to decide if he wants a mission next year or not. He is not entirely convinced of the idea. We got to bare our testimonies to him about the importance of missions and i could see the spirit speak to him. It was beautiful. 

Alright ya'll, I love you so much. 

Les quiero, 

Hermana Porter

 

LODI SURVIVORS: E. Phillips, E. Ducket, E. Williams, E. Blanchard, E. Anderson, E. Simms, E. Graham, S. Christensen, H. Webb, me, H. Cuesta, S. Pisa, S. Williams, S. Amos

June 8, 2015

IPADS!!!

This week has been quite crazy. We got to spend a total of 4 hours in Galt all week. That was a little bit stressful and disappointing to me but this week we are going to try to use our time more wisely this week as to what area we are going to be in. We have specific days planned out for the area that we need to be in.

Some crazy new. Lodi was hit hard this transfers with crazy things happening to it. This week we had another E.T. (emergency transfer). Our beloved zone leader Elder Murdock was made an
Assistant to the President this week so he left yesterday. This was our zone at the beginning of the transfer. 

Elder Graham and Elder Snapp (E.T) Murdock came in (E.T)

Elder Anderson and Elder Willams

Elder Owusu (E.T.) and Elder Riplie (E.T.) No one came in

Elder Ducket and Elder Phillips

Elder Bilbrough(E.T) and Elder Blanchard and Edler Simms came in

Hermana Porter and Hermana Flores (home)

Hermana Cuesta and Hermana Webb

Sister Amos and Sister Pisa

Sister Wilson and Sister Christensen 

Currently there are 12 areas in our zone and those 12 areas are being covered by 6 sets of missionaries. That my friends, is very crazy. Lodi was hit hard this transfer and we are all trying to survive it. The devil has come at us hard but we are growing in ways that we never though were even possible. The Lord is teaching us so much and we are developing muscles that were non existent  before. We are learning more and more how to rely on Him and we see how He has a plan for everything that He does. This is His work and we are simply instruments in His hands. 

This week we had an amazing zone conference where we learned a lot. The assistants trained us on how to keep track of the commitments that we receive and apply them often. As we continue to keep them they will make us better missionaries. We then received our I PADS! It was slightly anti-climatic but it was exciting none the less. We are excited to have this new technology to help us with the work. We have already seen so many blessings from it. It makes finding resources for lessons so much easier and some of the videos bring the spirit so strongly. The Lord really has his hand in this work and he know what he is doing, not that we doubted him before.

-How was church?

Church was really good this week. It was fast and testimony meeting and the testimonies were amazing. Almost all of our priesthood holders bore their testimony and the spirit was really powerful. Our returning less active member Jorge bore his testimony and the spirit was so powerful. This gospel has changed his life more that anyone could ever imagine. It was a beautiful sweet conviction that the Lord loves and know each of his children individually. 

Relief Society was on patience and how good things come to those that wait. We watched the video with the kids and the marshmallows and we talked about how patience and charity go hand in hand. As we try to develop patience we can look at charity for reference and vice-versa. It was a really good lesson. 

-Do you understand most of what is said?

I understand a lot of what is being said, although it takes a lot of paying attention. I find that by Relief Society I am exhausted and usually tune out. I'm trying to make sure I pay more attention in that class but it is progress. 

-How's the companionship situation?

We have our problems like any companionship but we are doing really well. We  have noticed that none of us are on the same mood schedule. One of us is mad on any given day of the week. We all stink at communicating our feelings but we are trying so hard because we know that if we don't get a long it will be so hard for us to work. Practice makes perfect! 

-Did you get my card with the Subway gift cards?  Were you guys happy to get them? And what was the goal you set?

We did! We got it but we haven't had time to set a goal yet. We are going to do that tonight at 8:00. (keep this on the D.L but we haven't finished weekly planning yet..oops.)

-The Elders here said after the repentance talk you get the iPad. Did you get one this week?

Got the I PAD. Still getting used to it but it is awesome. It is hastening the Lords work so much. He is making it so much easier for his children to be found.

- How many dinner appointments do you get each week?

We get a lot. We are going to try to start something new that Sister Jardine thinks will help hasten up the work with the members but that might break it a bit. We love the member and we are working really well with them. They are amazing at helping us fellowship our investigators.

  
- what is your favorite food you've had?

Sopes. They are DELICIOUS. It's a round thing with beans, cheese, meat, cheese, lettuce, cheese, and salsa. SO delish. 

- How many days do you spend in Galt and how many in Lodi?

Yeahhh....

- Who drives?

ME! I've developed an extreme case of car sickness this last transfer. Plus the other two hate driving so I'm the lucky winner! 

- Anything you need?
A new CTR ring...Long story but please? Mom. See if it fits your middle figure and go up a size so it fits on my cyst figure.

 

 

We took all the stuff Elder Anderson gets distracted by....this is only a portion.

 

June 1, 2015

 Trip-ship in front of the temple.



Those who go to the temple together, stay together.

 



So I hit nine months on Wednesday. Whoop-te-doo. I hope you can feel like sarcasm dripping out of those words because it is hard core soaked in there. I really cannot believe it has been 9 months already. Where in the world did the time go? I feel like it was just yesterday that I was boarding the plane to go to Mexico City. Crazy that I've been though Training, Follow Up Training, and now all of my companions are dead minus one. (also, one died prematurely). Oh, also, how could I forget the trio. I've been in two trios. What in the world...

This week has been pretty anti-climatic. We went to an IPAD training where we in fact did not receive I PADS. What kind of training is that if we don't even have the device we are going to be using. I'll tell you what kind of training it was. It was inspired from God. We ended up talking about the repentance process the whole time and what kind of servant of the Lord we wanted to be. We were all called to repentance in a good sort of way. I'm really grateful that the Lord has given us that opportunity to learn more about our calling and how we should act as missionaries. 

On Wednesday we had interviews with President Jardine. They went well. Not my favorite interview that I've ever had but it was decent. I felt a little misunderstood throughout the whole thing but I did learn quite a bit. We talked about what it meant to expect perfection of ourselves and he brought something to light that I had never thought of. He said that when we expect perfection of ourselves we cut out the atonement from our lives. We start to believe that perfection is something that we can achieve on our own but we can't. We have to have Christ's help. I had never thought of the atonement that way before. Also, as we start to cut out the use of the atonement we start to loose the peace that we feel because peace is what comes when we us the atonement. Never thought of it that way before either.

There isn't really any more interesting news. 

Here is some sad news. Ruben doesn't have a date for baptism now. He was really sick so he couldn't come to church this Sunday. He is still progressing really well and he is going to pick another date at our next lesson. 

I CANNOT BELIEVE I FORGOT ABOUT THIS. 

The whole Esparza family came to the temple this week. Luis and Cholo and get this EDUARDO! He is home now and Hermana is SO happy. They all came to the temple and the spirit was so strong. The Elders got to ride with them to the temple and I think that was really good for them.

On Sunday, they all came to church! Heck yeah! The elders went out and talked to them and they said "We promised Hermana Porter we would only sit out in the lobby for 3 week. In 2 weeks we are acutally going to enter the chapel. I love that family so much!! 

I hope you all have a great week. 

Les queiro, 

Hermana Porter

 The Esparza's at the temple!

 The Temple!

 District Temple Photo: Elder Williams, Elder Anderson, Hermana Webb, Me, Hermana Cuesta.

 The signature Elder Williams.

 Our Gangster Faces.

 Our Temple Selfies!

On the way back home.