Happy Valentines

 

 

February 10, 2014

 

HAPPY VALENTINES DAYYYYY!! ...on Friday:)

 

Kodi's Mission President didn't tell them she was coming home???? WHAT??? That is the strangest thing I have ever heard. That is sooooo sad :( She has just been on a crazy roller coaster ride. I feel so bad because I feel like I really influenced her to go. I hope she doesn't let this effect her.

 

I'm happy you enjoyed the birthday card :) One year older and wiser too?? haha Love you lots. Don't worry mother, you will have your grandkids ball games to go to :) The Ballard's did send me a Christmas present :) Don't worry, I always send out my thank you cards.

 

We set a baptism date with our investigator Ailynn for June 14th. Its pretty exciting to see her progress so well. I most likely wont be her for that long but its still just amazing :) On Saturday we didn't have time to go home for dinner so we grabbed some chick-fil-a at the mall. IT WAS SO WEIRD THOUGH! When we sat down, we talked to one another about how awkward we felt with all these people around us. Totally felt like a fish out of water! I didn't ever think I would be uncomfortable being in a mall......haha 

 

This week I have been pondering a lot of wonderful things. First with it being Valentine’s day on Friday I was thinking about the Savoir and what it is about me that he loves and why. I was making a list in my mind of my different strengths, talents and attributes that I have that the Savior would love me for. My appreciation for those things became more real and the Love for my Savior grew. Shortly after though a realized that with those comes my short comings and weaknesses, and I thought to myself "Does the Savior really love me for those things? Is he really proud that I failed?"  These thoughts started deepening and my faith was falling into a massive black hole.  But instead of letting these thoughts conquer me, I decided to turn to the scriptures. What love does the Savior really have for me?

 

 2 Nephi 26:24 "He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world, for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his life." This that we are able to partake of his salvation!! John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends." NO MAN has greater love for us than that of our Saviors. He died...for ME? No one can probably even comprehend this affection, charity, grace and or mercy that he had upon us. In Moroni chapter 7 he tells us to pray so even we can be filled with this love. This is the great news of the gospel. That we can be filled with that love. The pure love of Christ. The love that he would die for us and only do this for our benefit. Lawrence Cambridge writes in the fourth missionary "To believe that weakness and deficiencies in your character are unchangeable is to reject the central truth of the plan of salvation." We are always changing. And this is possibly because of this LOVE that Christ has. This is A WHOLE LOT of love.  SO through all of this I know that God does love me for my weaknesses. He knows that I’m trying. And he created me. He knew this is who I am. And he loves me for me :)

 

I’m so grateful for the scriptures for teaching me the pure doctrine of Christ. For giving me hope in this life. And I’m grateful for Jesus Christ and all that he did to show me that he loves me forever and always! :)

 

LOVE MY FAMIILY!

-Sister Porter

 Ps. thinking about how we always have chick fil a on Valentines day :)

 

 

 

Our Car Got Towed

 

Family February 3, 2014

 

I just love reading you and dad's emails :) FIRST, I just want you to know that I do truly and deeply love my mission with all my heart. I won’t lie I HAVE cried and I HAVE had really hard days but I feel really lucky that I have been able to move forward. I think that’s the hardest thing for people to do in this life. The Savior so easily forgives us, but it’s up to us to throw all our worries behind us and move on. Sister Nelson and I were talking about this other day actually we decided that missions are like relationships, we meet people and try to create this bond and love for them. Help them repent and change and when they drop us its like we are getting broken up with. OVER and OVER again. haha it’s kind of silly how worked up we get about it but it really does break my heart to see people reject what means so much to me. A mission is NOT easy. BUT it is totally worth it :) My third transfer me and my companion didn’t get along very well. The first night after we had been assigned with each other I cried myself to sleep. We worked really hard to get along and I prayed ALOT and I know that the savior gave me strength. I love her with all my heart. I look back at that part of my mission and realize how much I grew as a person and how thankful I was for that time. I learned how to have patience and many more attributes that I will forever treasure. I am actually very grateful for the hard times. It makes the days more challenging and rewarding. But this has been the best time of my life. I enjoy it sooooo much :) It breaks my heart to think how fast the time is going.

 

We get fed almost every day. But unfortunately life gets in the way sometimes so some dinner appointments cancel so we do have to make food at home. I have a budget of about 35 dollars a week that I can get stuff so I buy some good food to eat throughout the week :) I’ve been trying to eat a lot healthier because I totally have gained weight! Its hard to maintain it when you eat huge dinner every night at members’ homes. I love my ward :) I love being with and serving them.

 

Yes, I do make my bed every morning :) IT’S A MIRACLE! haha We try and keep the apartment pretty clean so we can feel the spirit.

 

So much has happened this week! SO first......after all the car drama that we were already having something even crazier happened last Monday! After an awesome lesson with Ailynn and Sister Fletcher we decided to go get some ice cream. When we go outside to get in our car we realize that its missing!!! We were totally freaking out. We thought someone stole our car!! Before we called the cops though we knocked on the door of the house it was parked in front of. An old grumpy man answered the door and announced that he had towed out car! Isn’t that crazy. We were relieved that it wasn’t stolen but still upset that he would do that! apparently if it is parked within a certain amount of feet from your driveway you can tow it........But still! SO the impound was closed that night so we decided to just go get it the next day. SO the bishop's wife took us up to the police department in downtown Waco to pay the fee and go pick it up. BUT when we got there and tried to pay that said they needed more proof that we were ministers of the church and that we were authorized to pick up the vehicle. So we had to get our stake president to write a letter, get it notarized, and fax it over to the police. After we did that though apparently it still wasn't enough information so we had to call our mission president and have him do another letter. I felt so bad I hate bothering him for things like that. STRESSFUL! haha But we finally got the car and the fee wasn't too expensive. Luckily I had some birthday money from some people I could use.

 

I was so happy yesterday at church!! Our investigator Tobi came and all of the young women were so excited!! They came up and were talking to her and were telling her how excited they were for her to be in the ward and all this great stuff! :) I just loved how excited they were. Our young women’s is SO small its sad :(

 

haha So everyone knows that Sister Porter now loves pasta. A couple in our ward were going to have us over for dinner on Saturday to feed us pasta!! and this was going to be the first time I've had it on my mission! So when they called to tell us they were sick I was SOOO sad! they thought it was so funny and now apparently everyone is going to make me tons of pasta now!

 

These last couple of days have been cold again. Our little heater in the apartment doesn’t work very well so its really hard to get out of our blankets in the morning haha. Thats one thing that I am thankful for that I haven’t had a struggle with on my mission is getting out of bed. I get up at six twenty everyday with no exceptions. Obedience is such a blessing. I feel like that the one thing that I can control as a missionary.

 

Tell dad thank you for the pictures :) Avee's hair is getting so long!! she is just precious :) I heard you were sick?? :( how are you feeling? any better? Jill Barton got Bronchitis! is that what you have? man so sad for her. she is in young women’s now and I think she just loves that. Kylee is teaching primary?? that is wonderful :) she’s probably going to love it!!

I LOVE YALL!!!! hope you have a joyous week!