Sister Missionaries to the Rescue!

HOLA! Sorry I wasn't able to get an email out to ya'll on Monday! The library was closed due to the holiday but because our mission president is amazing he let us come today! :) This past week was full of amazing things! We taught Young Womens last week. It was lots of fun! We took them through a typical day of a missionaries life. We printed of mission calls for each of them to open. The girls were so excited about that they loved it :) It was fun to see their excitement and joy to find out where they would be serving. Reminded me of when I opened my call. What a neat experience for me. In two months it will be whole year from when I did open it. CRAZY! and if my calculations are correct in two weeks from today I will hit my sixth month mark! which means I have a year left! I cannot believe how fast the time is going.

 

Friday night we were out and about when it started down pouring rain!! We booked it to our car but we didn't make it in time to stay dry.  We were soaked! head to toe. Then we got a frantic call from the bike elders in our ward, announcing that Elder Reynolds fell off his bike and thought that he broke his arm. SISTER MISSIONARIES TO THE RESCUE! :) After driving up and down a couple of streets we found them siting on the curb with their bikes. We strapped the bikes to the back of the car and tried to figure out if we should take the poor elder to the ER. It didn't look broken, and he seemed fine so we decided they would just have a member take them in the morning to check it out. Needless to say that next day we found out that he had broken it in two places!! I felt so bad because I didn't think he had broken it. But glad he is ok. And thankful I don't have a broken arm!

 

Yesterday morning we had the opportunity to hear from Elder Pino of the 70 and his wife. We had to be in Fort Worth by nine which meant we had to wake up at five! yay......I'm the driver so while everyone else took a nice little nap I drove for straight two and half hours! haha but that's okay I like driving. They shared some really neat stuff with us! Elder Pino doesn't speak very good English so one of the Elders in the mission translated for him! it was very cool. While he was addressing us he had one of the elders (Elder Foulcher who is my zone leader) come up to the stand to help him do something. He was talking about our missions and how we should live it to the fullest. Then he came to the end of his talk and said it was time to go home. He looked at Elder Foulcher and removed his name tag and set it on the stand. The elder looked down at his name tag trying to fight back the tears. The hairs on my back stood up and I had goose bumps on my arms. Me and sister Tuck began to cry. It made me realize how precious my time truly is. I must appreciate the time I have because it will be gone before I know it. " I am 100 % missionary RIGHT NOW. I will never ever have an experience like this again. Such an eye opener to me.  The mission is not easy. BUT indeed is rewarding. I love that.  It reminds me of the fall of Adam and Eve. They had to experience sorrow to know joy, and darkness to see the light. And same with missionary work, we have to go through the hard times so we can gain a better and more full appreciation for when things do work out. "Salvation is not a cheap experience!"  We must work hard for the good things to come to pass!! :) And I have learned that patience is required in order for this to happen in our investigators life. They have work for this conversion. We must pay a price to win the game.  But indeed this is all possible with our eyes single to the glory of God boasting only in him and no one else.

 

TTTTTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKK YYYYYYYOOOOOOUUUUUUUUU for the package! :) I love it!! soo soo fun. I love Halloween! Me and sister Tuck are gonna make those cupcakes on Halloween and bring them to district meeting. Are ya'll doing anything fun for Halloween? It just still continues to blow my mind that time is going so fast. I'm so grateful for my loving family. :) Ya'll are such a blessing to me. And I know with out a doubt that one of the main reasons why we are so close is because of the gospel. We are centered around Christ. The family is the best place to teach learn and apply the gospel in our lives. We help each other endure to the end by sharing our testimonies with one another and reaching out and helping. By being an example and serving one another. LOVE MY FAMILY!

 

Ayrikas moms name is SUE! :) haha When is bay due? Is it a boy or girl! I don't think ya'll ever told me..... Is Kodi getting her mission call this week? keep me updated. Today it was actually pretty cold outside it hit the 60s! Everyone has on their big jackets and stuff, pretty funny. Ya, its kind of hard to get stuff up here because my area only has Wal-Mart....crazy I know. I can get by with simple stuff like tights and what not but I honestly think it will be cheaper to send up just some of my stuff. I could probably just wait until you send me a Christmas package or what not. Just send up maybe another one of my jackets and some of my long sleeved stuff. And I have a pair of gray boots that I could probably wear. That's about it. I just don't have any warm clothing! haha But Dont worry about it for now I will figure out for sure what I should do. And you don't have to buy new stuff I have TONS of winter clothing. Okay I wear xs on both G's. bottom and top. Thank you so much for getting that for me. Oh and for buying me face stuff too! cause I know how expensive it is so ya. My face looks beautamous now! :)

 

WE are indeed part of our heavenly fathers plan. We help guide it along. Its amazing to think that we chose this plan. I can stand her now and say that "I am a follower of Christ" ...no one told me to be, no one made me be this way. But I chose it. Becuase I know its true and I have felt his love. I love you! missin ya! hope all is well. Have an amazing week!!

-Sister Porter

ps. remember when me you and Kylee would have pizza nights on Mondays? good times! :)

1st pic: This is my zone! lots more elders than sisters! haha crazy.

2nd pic: These are the elders being crazy!

3rd pic: me and sis Tuck getting McFlurries @ mickey D's pretty for sure I have chocolate on  my lip.....

 

 

 

 

Young Women------So much fun!

 

Pancakes For Breakfast Every Day

 

Dear Family,

 

I sit here and think..."How did I get so lucky?" This weekend was extraordinary. Our beloved prophet and other leaders were able to give us ten hours of loving advice and specific instruction on how we can better our lives as members of the church and people of this world. I love that our prophet is not a seer and revelator for just the members of the church but for everyone! His words were loving and kind and I KNOW with all my heart that he is a man of god.

 

All of the missionaries got to ride over to the stake center and watch all the sessions there. It was lots of fun "hangin" with all the elders. In between sessions we all went out to lunch and played card games. Ricardo was able to come to the Saturday afternoon session and with the amazing ability we have to watch on the internet he was able to tune in and watch at home all of the Sunday sessions. During Elder Holland's talk he began to cry. After it was over he looked at us with tears in his face and just smiled. I knew Heavenly Father had touched his heart:)

 

Apparently its pancakes for breakfast everyday this week. haha I guess we were just in the mood. We've been busy busy busy! I gave a training last week in district meeting, will be giving another one in Zone conference tomorrow, me and sister Tuck are teaching the young women about missionary work for mutual, AND I'm giving a talk in church!! PLUS we are just teaching the gospel like crazy. It really awesome.

 

Im so happy to hear that ayrika is doing good!! :) It so fun to see her go through and experience these amazing things. She is gonna do great things for the people in her mission :) Next is Kylee! has she thought about a mission? Sad that the volleyball team is having a hard time. But exhilarating that they won the whole tournament for basketball. Good group of girls. I will pray for you everyday until your surgery! that's so scary :( haha maybe now youll be able to hear huh?:)

 

I will have to share with ya'll some of my notes that I took from conference next Monday because I forgot my journal.

 

LOVE my Savior. LOVE this gospel. LOVE my family :) I pray continually that he will watch over ya'll. Send my love to everyone.

 

-Sister Porter  

PS. Okay, so I might need you guys to send over some winter stuff my way. It still in the 90's during the day but at night its pretty cold! Plus I think its gonna be getting cold soon and I didn't bring anything with me. So I need some of my long sleeve stuff sent over and maybe some tights and a pair of my boots? just let me know what you think? And Maybe an early Christmas present?  I need some more garments.

 

The Work is Progressing!

This is hard work. But anything is possible with Heavenly Father.(Luke) I'm so jealous that it beginning to look like fall up there! It is still in the 90's down here and looks like mid July! haha Apparently there is not too much of a fall here anyways. So that's a bummer because I love the fall! :) Its gonna be weird not being home for the holidays. BUT what a neat experience to be here on a mission right? :) This past week was absolutely amazing! The work is progressing so much. Me and Sister Tuck have found tons of new investigators and have been teaching a lot of lessons! We met a lady named Melissa on Thursday. We told her that we were missionaries and I asked her if we could share a message with her. She willingly said "sure!" I was shocked and became very excited! No slamming the door in our face or "I'm not interested" but instead a sweet desired "sure!"  We began to share the restoration with her, and when I cited the first vision she began to cry. She had felt the spirit during that powerful experience that Joseph Smith had. She said "God will answer my prayer huh?" YES let us not forget that we are daughters of our Heavenly Father and that he loves us. We are destined to achieve great things and he wants to help us by answering our prayers. 

 

Ricardo came to church again!! :) it was fast and testimony meeting and right as the first counselor was going to get up and end the meeting, Ricardo stood up and made his way up to the front. My heart was beating fast and I prayed that everything would go okay. He shared the most deep and powerful testimony I had ever heard.  As soon as he began to testify of Christ the room became silent and the spirit overtook us. I began to cry I was so happy! He looked over at us and thanked us for bringing the gospel into our lives. then he proclaimed that he was ready to become a member of the church and part of this family! I almost fell off my seat! He will be baptized on October 26!! :) It feels nice to see a happy ending to this story! 

So I will be giving a training tomorrow in our district meeting on "How can I benefit MOST from General Conference?" And I thought I would share with ya'll what I will be sharing. :) The first thing that came to my mind was 

 

1. Pick Questions: Specific Questions=Specific Answers! Why is this so important? "Picking out and seeking for questions that are specific for the needs of us and others will help us search more fully and abundantly for those specific answers." 

 

2. Recognize The Spirit: The Holy Ghost works in perfect harmony with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He reveals and teaches us the "truth of all things" (Moroni 10) 

-All honest seekers of the truth can have this confirmation by the spirit. 2 Nephi 32:3 says "Angles speak by the power of the holy ghost, wherefore they speak the words of Christ" If we invite the spirit while we are listening, it will testify of truth! 

 

3. Excitement: Mosiah 18: 11 "And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy and exclaimed THESE ARE THE DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS!" :) These ARE the desire of our hearts! lets us rejoice and be "excited" for our beloved prophet and other leaders of the church speak to us. 

 

4. Pray for Inspiration: D&C 9: 7-9 Why should he tell us these things if we haven't asked of him first. "STUDY IN YOUR MIND"--then ask him--[your bosom shall burn] and you will feel that it is right. +shows our faith and yearning to know. 

 

5. Awesome Note Taking: On Page 18 of Preach My Gospel is says "As you [listen to conference] pay careful attention to the ideas that come to your mind and the feelings that come to your heart" --Write these ideas and feelings down!! They will come to great advantage to you in the future! (Plus we arent going to remember EVERYTHING) 

 

6. Render Yourself: In the fourth Missionary by: Lawerence E. Corbridge, he explains what he calls "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER" --"The fourth missionary gives his will to the Lord. He surrenders all of his desires, dreams, ambitions and his wishes to the Lord. In his heart and in his head, he lets go of what he wants to do. He wants to do the Lords will" ----Let us forget ourselves and open our hearts to the council of our leaders. AND thing "What does my Father In heaven want me to learn????" 

 

7. Evaluate and Apply: !! Let us Restudy our notes and take what we have learned and apply it to our work so that we can be effective servants of the Lord.

I know with all my heart that Thomas S. Monson is Gods True and loving prophet!

I dont think I need anything at the moment!! Still wondering what I should do about my pain in my uppper right back. I put Icey hot on it a lot ..... And take some meds to stop the pain. I LOVE MY FAMILY!! :) 

-Sister Porter 

 

  

New Address---------Blessed to have the Bartons in Waco

New Address:

Sister Samantha Porter

1700 Breezy Dr., #298

Waco, Texas 76712

 

FAMILY!!! :)

I cannot believe kylee got in a wreck! STAPLES in her head?! haha oh goodness that girl is crazy. BUT she had a cool little testimony experience. She would be such a good missionary! glad she is doing okay. what did ya'll get her for her birthday? Her and Mitch seem pretty cute if I might say! :)

 

I LOVE WACO!!!!:) :) love it! I am serving in the Hewitt Ward. My new companions name is Sister Tuck. She is super sweet and kind. I LOVE HER. We get along just great. Waco is just little counrty city. its tiny compared to arlington. But i really enjoy it here. My apartment it A LOT nicer than the one I was living in before. OH and Jill and Zack Barton are in my ward!!! haha how funny huh? I had no idea who she was until she had us over for dinner and she was like "I KNOW YOU!" small world! We got talking and she said that she loved you and dad. She said that when her and Zack were dating that dad bought him a Braums ice cream gift card and told him to go get her! :) haha sounds like dad to me. Shes so cute I love her. She is a ward missionary so she will be coming out teaching with us a lot.

 

I love the people here. Its so weird to teach older people and to be in a family ward. ITS so loud during Sacrament meeting. haha. They had a pot luck dinner at the church and a ward talent show on Saturday. It was a lot of fun and I was able to get to know the ward a little more too. Bishop Partin is a great man! So far Im just loving the change! Its good to change it up a bit. One of our investigators, Ricardo, came to church for the first time yesterday. After sacrament he told us that he felt good inside! SO awesome! and he texted us that night and said he was really excited to go to church next week! :)

 

How's work? how's seth and bay? steph and dustin? how's his leg? Stephanie writes me almost every week. haha Shes so sweet I love her. Anything new going on?

 

I would love some more stuff for my face! :) :) And I got a watch! No worries. Also my upper right shoulder has been in some serious pain the  past couple of days. ....What should I do? :(

 

I love ya'll! :) Hurrah for Isreal! I love being a missionary. I love serving my Savior and helping others come unto him. HOW GREAT IS MY CALLING!

 

Ps. What's Kodis email?

 

PSS. I already bought more of that deoderant :) but thank you for being a good mommy :)
 

The picture is  Jennifer Anderson and the other girl was marissa. she is one of our investigators.

 

A lady in our ward makes these bows!! so cute! :) they are all the disney princesses! I want to get one for avie!

Me and Sister Barton cookin' away!

Transferred to Waco!

 

 

HELLO! :)

 

Okay...I got a call this morning from my zone leaders and they told me I was being TRANSFERED TO WACO!!! holy moly!! WHAT! oh my goodness I have such mixed emotions right now. I'm so sad to be leaving Arlington, but SOOO excited to go serve somewhere else!! We called Bishop this morning and he freaked out haha. Him and Sister Pepper want to come say goodbye. Jennifer Andersen wants to take me out to lunch and Kimberly began to cry! so sad! And Leslie and Cory are driving me to the Hurst Stake Center so I can make the switch so I'll be able to say goodbye to them too! It's just so sad! And we have a couple of baptisms coming up! Sad that I wont be able to see them but so happy that they came to know these things to be true! :) Waco is about two and half hours from here apparently and its pretty getto. So ..... I'll let you know how it goes! My new companions name is Sister Tuck. And I will be the Senior companion! So excited! :) :)

 

Elder Anderson and Elder Callister from the 70 came and spoke with us on Wednesday! It was the most amazing thing ever. I couldn't contain my joy! My face hurt afterwards because I was smiling so much! Before he spoke to us we were able to all go up and shake his hand! and as he shook my hand I couldn't have been more proud to be a missionary! He looked into my eyes and said these very words "thank you for all that you do Sister Porter!" ahhhhhhhhhh!!!! :) I feel my Saviors love. He talked to us about trying to fully apply the atonement in our lives.  It was super spiritual and amazing. I'm so thankful for living prophets and apostles!

 

We helped a girl named Ashley from our ward move into a new apartment the other day. As I was moving very little of what she had into her new apartment I began to cry. Her apartment was so tiny and she shares it with her brother (who is against the church) and his girlfriend who has four children. Ashley sleeps on the floor some nights and only owns a couple of clothing items. How could I help my dear friend? Ashley my friend with so little gives so much. I know she loves her Savior, and is so thankful for the gospel. She said this to me "I was baptized a year ago. Before then I was lost. With all I had, I had nothing. But with the gospel I have the world."  She is such a great example to me and I really experienced a humbling time while helping her. I'm SOOO grateful for the life I have and the person I am. I truly feel my Saviors love.

 

The Carrols had us over for dinner on Friday and invited one of our investigators and her boy friend (who is a member) Her name is Madeline and she is so cute! But it was such a fun time to sit around the dinner table, having a home cooked meal, and laughing with everyone. haha Cory's dad said the funniest thing! Cory joked that he really like eating frosting all by itself. And I got excited and said "ME TOO!" Brother Carrol looked at me with a big smile and said " I knew I got married to early!!" hahahahahahahaha We died laughing I couldn't believe he said that!

 

KYLEE LOOKS SO BEAUTIFUL!!!! oh my goodness! I cant believe she already had homecoming. Time is flying by! I'm so happy they won their game too! It feels good to win. Do you think they will make it to state this year? how's work? I think its so fantastic that ya'll called Brother Cook to be the Ward Mission leader! He will do great things for the mission efforts! Where are the two missionaries that spoke on Sunday serving?

 

I love and miss ya'll! Hope you have a wonderful week I will let you know next week how everything goes with transfers! wish me luck!

 

-Sister Porter

Ps. The reason why no one ever post pictures from dinner and stuff and tag you is because we are in a YSA ward. And we only get fed like once a week. And when we do they usually take us out. so ya....but hopefully they will start doing that in Waco! Since its a family ward. OH I got the address for my new area ...... but its at my apartment and we don't have enough miles to go all the way back to get it so I will have to give it to you next week. Patience is a virtue! :) DID you get Kylee's birthday package?? Did ya'll get her anything fun for her birthday? can you believe she is already 18? so crazy!

 

 

 

Be Not Afraid

 

HOWDY! :)

First of all! I LOVE YOU! and missin ya'll alot! Sounds like everything is going well up in Spanish Fork! I want to see Kylee's Dress! She probably looks so beautiful! I can't believe she is a Senior.  I remember when she was just a little sophomore. How time flies. GO BYU! haha:)

 

Transfers are next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahhh oh my goodness. I have a strong feeling that I will be leaving Arlington. Sad to leave this awesome ward and all the friendships I have made BUT ready to serve the Lord elsewhere! It gets harder the longer you are in an area. Any guesses on where I'll go? :) EXCITING NEWS: We get the opportunity to have Elder Anderson come speak to us this week! :) :) :) I am just so excited!! I have been preparing myself for this day for a while! I have a feeling that he is going to announce the usage of internet! That would be so amazing! SO many new changes and things that would have to happen.

 

Last night the Andersons had us over for dinner. I love Jennifer she is so sweet! She comes out with us sometimes to help us teach. I asked her if she was thinking about going on a mission and she said "NO! Im serving enough of a mission by going out with ya'll!" haha shes too funny. Me and her were talking about how we used to leave recess early to go eat with Kylee the girl who had cancer in 5th grade.  We talked about that for a minute and for some reason the spirit just overcame us. We both began to cry! The Lord confirmed to us that he was thankful for the kindness we showed to Kylee. She was a daughter of god and she was our sister. SO awesome.

 

Kimberly is doing so great!! :) She and Adrian Titera are dating!! WHAT! that is so weird for me because I know him and I taught her. haha small world. She got her temple recommend and attended the temple last Tuesday! I was just too happy! It feels good to see her come so far from when we first met her. I made a difference in her life and her future generation! Well the Lord did! I couldn't have done any of this with out the Lord!

 

John 14: 24 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let your heart not be trouble, neither let it be afraid!"

 

I love this. LET US NOT BE AFRAID! the lord has promised us peace. So let us continue in faith to pray unto our father and diligently study our scriptures. Let us not forget these amazing tools he has given us! Let us set our eyes single to the glory of God so that we can qualify ourselves for the work! President Hinckley said "The best antidote for stress is WORK. The best cure for Sorrow is Service and the best medicine for weariness is helping someone else out whom is more tired than you." THIS IS SO TRUE! We must work hard and serve our brothers and sisters! Let us not forget that when we are in the service of our fellow beings we are in the service of our god:) Im so grateful for the gospel in my life. Being on this mission has opened my eyes up to so many opportunities and blessing that I had never seen before. Christ LIVES! he is my Savior my Lord and my Master! he is my friend :)

 

HUGS AND KISSES! :)

-Sister Porter

Ps. Thank you sooo much for the support and example you are to me! And thank you for helping me out with money and such. It takes off a whole lot of stress!
Pss. This is a picture of my district. and the other one is of the Elders who split the YSA with us. Elder Bowthorpe is on the left, he is our district leader. and Elder Semideni is on the left and he is 18! so crazy!! And the girl with the blue shirt in the district picture her name is sister Nelson! she went to high school with me! :)

 

Watches----please!

Hey!

Soounds like ya'll are having some fun times! Makes me sad that I'm not there but so happy at the same time. Makes me grateful to have such a family as I do that loves and cares for one another. The babies are getting so big its killing me!! haha How's work for you? You will have to send me pictures of Kylee's room when it is finished! So I bought Kylee a cute birthday gift so I will have to send it next Monday and hopefully it gets there in time for that day!! (by the way....how much money do I have in my account?) I have a sick feeling that its dwindling away.......yuck. I think of all that hard work at the cafe and its all gone! I'm going to be broke when I get home.

 

When is homecoming? Thats so cute! I'm so excited for her:) more pictures for you to send me! woo! Has she had a home volleyball game yet? I still cant believe she is a senior....

 

I got an wedding invitation from my roommate Alex! They look so beautiful! I'm so happy for them.  They got married this past weekend in the Manti Temple! So weird that everyone is getting married.

 

Last week was a pretty good week! We go every week to read the Book of Mormon with this lady named Dorothy. She pretty old so she has a hard time reading so we help her. She had a cat named Homie who she just loves so much. (Sister Edwards doesn't like cats) It reminds me of meow meow! When I told Sister Edwards that our cats name was that she died laughing. She thought it was pretty funny.

 

 We had a really cool lesson with an investigator named Marissa. She is attending UTA up here and its her first year. She walked in last Sunday and was like "hi, I'm investigating the church!" haha Pretty awesome. So we had our first lesson with her last week and it was probably one of the coolest lessons I have ever had on my mission. We were going about teaching her the principles of the first lesson. But when I quoted the first vision, the whole room became silent and the spirit was sooooo strong. I got goose bumps and began to cry. What Joseph Smith saw that day became so real to me. At that moment I knew with out a doubt that I could not deny what I had felt.  It's true. ..... Joseph Smith was a prophet of God who restored such precious truths back together. SO AWESOME! Then after we invited Marissa to pray.  She was a little hesitant at first but when she finally gave in it was so spiritual.  That prayer was from her heart. And when she finished she proclaimed "wow!" me and Sister Edwards looked at one another and just smiled really big. then she said "I have never felt like this before." It so awesome how the Holy Ghost can reach out and touch people's hearts like that. I'm so thankful for the Holy Ghost in my life. Its moments like that when I know that this is where my Heavenly Father wants me. As a missionary, a servant, a disciple. I love serving the Lord. He is my master. I want him to smile at me and say "good and faithful servant".   HOW GREAT IS MY CALLING! :)

 I love ya'll so much. I'm thankful for the support and prayers. I feel them in my work. Thank you for the great example and the love. I just encourage you guys to continue to read your scriptures and pray with and open heart and real intent. Reach out to others in need and act on the promptings god gives you. Another thing that I think would be cool is if you guys started going through the lessons that missionaries teach! It might be a really cool experience and (might get Kylee excited to serve a mission!)

 

Next week Elder Anderson is coming to speak to the Fort Worth and Dallas missions! I;m sooooo excited! I've never met a general authority before so I'm pretty stoked! :) :)

Hugs and Kisses!

-Sister Porter

 

Ps. Remember that watch that Stacey gave me? the black one? Could you maybe find that....and send it to me? Mine has broken.  I can go get it fixed but I need another watch! and All the missionaries have lots of watches.  Sorry if it is a burden on you. 

 

PSS. We were doing less active work the other day and we went to go see this guy named Marshall Kelly. When we walked up to the door I got this weird feeling and I turned to my companion and said "I've been here before!" we walked in and sure enough it was that lady that had all those bears in her house!!!! so funny that I remembered that!  (Sister Baldwin)

 

 

Sister Day and I.  She is soooo good to the missionaries!

 

Love this place!