Hello all!
Hope all is doing well with you guys. Today was a different week than most. We had a zone conference which was really good. I understood practically everything up until the President asked me a question. Always seems to work out that way. LOL Got sick from some water last night. It was a really small amount but that was sufficient to make for a less than ideal morning. I got some medicine and it is starting to work. We also went to the beach and took a few pictures. We were just there to give a priesthood blessing, but we took advantage of the opportunity (we just took a picture). Also found an Air Force PT jacket in the market so that reminded me of ya'll in ROTC with me this past year!
I learned a lot this week about unity in the companionship and hope. Oftentimes we can feel challenged more than we are capable of handling. and sometimes that is true, but it is only through the tough times that we grow. We need to have a hope and exercise faith in Jesus Christ that although we feel awful for whatever reason, it is for our good. And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good” (D&C 122:7). Luckily it has not been as difficult as descibed in this scripture, but it is a true principle. When we have faith hope and charity, we can endure any challenge or adversity that we face with a perfect brightness of hope.
An excerpt from our family letter.
I am really glad to hear you are all safe from the hurricane. I have heard that it is really bad and it is in the news here. So this week was a little bit erratic. we had a zone conference on Thursday and interviews on Friday so we did not proselyte on our normal hours and it showed. There were a few day were we literally didn't make any new contacts. So that was tough, but E Yovera and I spoke with our Papito who is also the second counselor in the stake. He is a really great and humble guy. He gave some great advice that despite the problems we face in the street and in the ward, that this obra is true.
I also have felt like I have improved this week trying to teach by the Spirit and also in my relationship with my companion. It is very important for us to listen to 2 people in a leccìon. Them and the Spirit. You yourself have no part in that equation as a missionary. The task is to listen with love. Something else that my comp has said is to have hope and love. I think that Alma was really on to something with the relation between hope, patience, and charity. I realized some of the same things that you pointed out in the emails (dad) This time is a process. I need to have hope, which is defined in PMG as a belief that Christ will fulfill the promises he has made. If we don't have hope, it is very difficult to have charity if you don't see yourself having success and loving your mission. If we have hope, we can experience our trials with a different outlook, one with an attitude that we are supposed to learn something, that our Father is shaping us into something better.
Today as a zone we watched the Good Dinosaur. We all picked up food to eat while we watched it and while we were in the market, I saw an Air Force PT jacket. So of course I took a picture of it. Also, all the streets by our pension have German names. So the main street is Nuremburg and the alley behind us is actually Stuttgart! Kind of a little reminder of home. I am going to try to get a picture with it. Also, the zone leader who lives with us told the Senior Couple in charge of pensions some of the things that we have wrong with the apartment and they said that we can move if we find something! A little exciting and hopefully closer to our sector.
Love you all!
Elder Porter
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
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