He made it to Hawaii!!

Aloha!!

Elder Porter is in Hawaii!!! He was able to call and talk to us Monday before he flew out. His plan was to buy a calling card while he was there. We were a little nervous about whether or not we would be getting a call from him. To our excitement, someone brought six extra phones to the airport in case someone needed one. Well Elder Porter needed one. We were blessed to be able to talk with him, or rather listen to him talk for about 45 minutes. He was so excited about his time in the MTC, and he was anxious to get to Hawaii.

 These are some of the things he shared with us: He loved how the spirit flooded the MTC, he loved listening to The Nashville Tribute Band, and singing his favorite song along with the band and all the other missionaries. He loved learning more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and strengthening his testimony. He was humbled to be able to use the Priesthood as a District Leader. He said for the most part he was too busy to get home sick. He loved getting mail and reading letters from home; he said they referred to letters from home as “a kick in the pants.” I’m sure he didn’t mean it like; that roller coaster was fun, a real kick in the pants. He was more meaning the kind of kick in the pants that can leave you with a deep stomach ache for the next few hours. Even though it is a “kick in the pants” he loves getting emails, however hand written letters makes him feel he is almost there with his family and friends as he reads their hand written words. He said there is just more of a connection. Reading the letters I think is a reminder of what these missionaries are sacrificing while they take time out of their lives to serve the Lord.

We received an email from the Mission President with some photos of Elder Porter and his fellow missionary’s arrival to Hawaii; it was good to know they arrived safely. Now we pray that all will be well for them and everyone else in Hawaii as the Islands are about to be pounded by two hurricanes, one on each side of the Islands. We have faith that the Lord will protect his missionaries. Their mission may just start out with plenty service/clean up opportunities.

A message from the Mission home in Hawaii:

“We have found that weekly encouragement from home helps the missionary remain happy, and also inspires greater missionary effort.

Mail should be sent to:

Elder Logan R Porter

Please contact his mom for the address.  Unfortunately not everyone has good intent and want to send missionaries positive things. He would really like to hear from family and friends.

Please be aware that first class and priority mail can be forwarded from the mission office to missionaries without cost. Other services (FedEx, UPS, DHL) do charge to forward mail, which we collect from the missionary.”

 Next week’s letter will be from Elder Porter. This week please remember him in your prayers. We will not know what island he is serving on until next week when we hear from him.

Please send him a letter if you get time. I know he would love to hear from his friends and family.

Thank you so much. 

Love, Michelle and Tad Porter

 Arriving at the Airport

Making calls to home

Pugh, Klaassen, Hansen?, Dabbs

Elder Pugh and Elder Dabbs

Elder Klaassen and Elder Furner

Elder Porter and Elder Campbell

 The Sisters

 Big group of Greenies

 President Bekker Elder Porter and Sister Bekker

 The new Hawaii missionaries on the overlook with President and Sister Bekker

 

This smile says it all. It melts my heart and strengthens my soul.

The part that makes mom cry...

Today Elder Porter had his P-
day. It was so good to hear from him. I just wanted to share a little part of his email to me. I hope you enjoy it and it touches your heart like it did mine.

Mom,
 I am doing terrific. There is nothing better than being a missionary. No uniform I would rather be wearing than a white shirt and tie held together with a name plate that is connecting me with my savior Jesus Christ. This is what my last 18 years of my life has been preparing me to do. Any game I have ever played, any championship that I have ever won, any award I have ever received... is not even comparable to the joys I have every morning when I wake up and get to put a badge on and dedicate my entire day to serving My Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I am doing awesome. I love it!!!

Love you mom!

-Elder Porter

 

 

6 days left in the MCT

Hello everyone!!

Well this week flew by!! It blows me away how much stuff you can do in one week. So bad news. Elder Holland didn't come it was just a rumor so that is lame. But Sister Oscarson came! She is the general young woman’s president! She was fantastic and talked a lot about humility and fulfilling our duties as missionaries. She said "success isn’t probable… It’s promised" she goes on to talk about the promises are made when we are faithful, obedient, and charitable. It was absolutely amazing and so inspiring. She also said "Let the Lord show you who you are." I have learned this principle since being here in the MTC. It is absolutely amazing what Heavenly Father has in store for us; the strength he gives us when we trust in him and the abilities we never thought we had. I know that my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ Loves me. Christ is with me every step of the way, He is there to pick me up when I am down, pushing me to grow, and to cover me and all my short comings. I know this is not just for the missionaries in the field. That Jesus Christ does these things for each one of us each and every day. Come close to Christ, find out who he is, what he can help you do, what Gods plan is for you, and most importantly, how to grow closer to him.

8/17/16 Wednesday; our lesson with Bryce went outstanding!! He kept all his commitments and is progressing so fast! It was so cool to see him start to recognize Gods love for him, and the ways that this has been expressed in his life. OHHHH and new missionaries came so I’m not the new guy anymore!! It was a big deal!! LOL

8/18/16 Thursday; I learned today about the Atonement and the role that repentance and baptism play in it. Repentance removes the guilt and bad feelings, but it isn’t until we are baptized that our sins are washed away. Baptism allows us to access the full power of the atonement and it is only through baptism that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father, family, and friends. I have learned the importance of repenting every day. None of us are perfect and we all need it, in fact it is a commandment. Let us all strive to repent daily and fully use the atonement in our lives.

8/19/16 Friday; Hey guys my dad is 40!!!! Today was pretty relaxed, as in nothing big happened to tell about.  We got Bryce our TRC to commit to baptism though so that was awesome! I can’t wait to get to Hawaii and have it happen for reals!! 

8/20/16 Saturday; Well today I decided to spend my study time reading the Book of Mormon and I ended up studying and reading through 14 Chapters! It was such a cool day. I read and study a lot every day but today I never left the Book of Mormon. I love how the spirit can testify over and over and over of the truths of the gospel. Friends and Family, even if you have already, read the Book of Mormon diligently and ask Heavenly Father if it is true. As Moroni teaches, I also tell you from experience that you can know for yourself the truth of the things in it and also of the amazing man Joseph Smith was! It’s incredible. Do it, and do it again!

8/21/16 Sunday: Sundays are always awesome but this one was my favorite for sure! Have you guys heard of the Nashville Tribute Band? Well they are awesome!! I listened to these guys all the time before I left on my mission. Look them up!! Anyways they came and performed for us!! It was outstanding!! One of my favorite songs by them is "The hardest thing I have ever loved to do".  Anyways, the end of their program came to a close and this wasn't performed yet and I was so bummed... then it happened. They started playing it and it made every missionary in the MTC break down into tears. After it concluded, he said he wanted to play it again but wanted everyone to sing with him. Every missionary in the MTC sang this song with him. This was like a perfect dream come true. I absolutely loved it and it was so powerful! It blows my mind how strong music can invite the spirit into a room.

8/22/16 Monday: Today I learned that my role as a missionary is to invite the spirit UNTO the hearts of the people, and the Holy Ghosts role is to take it INTO their hearts. This was so cool and such and amazing principle. Oh and Mondays the MTC has catered foods and it was ALOHA foods. How convenient having Hawaiian food on our last Monday!! 

Oh I head to Hawaii on the 29th!!

Anyways, that is the gist of what happened in my week, the spirit here is so strong and the testimonies that are given are so powerful. Thank you all for your support and prayers. I feel strengthened through all of you. 

-There is a difference between testimony and Conversion. Testimonies fall while conversion last forever. Family and friends, convert yourselves to the Lord. Be willing and able and ask how you can come closer to Christ and as you do this and try to be more like him, your conversion process will pick up and increase. Never be stagnant. Always be on the move!!! 

I love you all<3
 
Elder Porter

Honolulu, Hawaii 

 Elder Pugh (Meridian) Elder Wills (Rexburg)​

Porter, Pugh, Wills. Your Idaho boys heading to Hawaii​

Porter, Demond, Christensen... Friends from back home<3​

Elder Parke (my district) draws a picture for the other district​

Porter, and Elder Christensen. He left this morning to the field!!​

Sisters photobombing our pics​

Friends and family that is a temple(;​

​long walk back to the MTC​

Yes mom I see Elder Pugh here a lot(:

Week 1!!

Friends and family,

            What a terrific week this has been! Wow not even sure where to start... 16 hour days slammed with stuff from the time you wake up to the time you retire to bed. I guess I’ll start with my Companion. Elder Andrew Hansen is a stud! He’s from Draper Utah and is super athletic; he enjoys rock climbing, wrestling, and lacrosse. We made friends quickly and enjoy each others company and work together well. It is so good having a good companion as I begin this journey. I got assigned to be the District leader for my district. Elder Hansen is my assistant and we are over 5 other companionship's. It is so awesome and our district is fantastic. We have 4 elders going to Hawaii, 4 elders going to Georgia, and 4 sisters going to Arkansas. We all clicked right off the bat and have fallen in love with working together. Walking in to the MTC is how I imagine heaven. Tons of people with huge smiles on their faces welcoming you as they are running around working, serving, studying, and preparing for their missions. From the beginning it was go go go. Tons of class time and study time. We jumped right into it starting to teach our teacher as they acted as a investigator. The days feel like they go on for years but looking back it flew by. And by the way this doesn’t have spell check so hope this is okay LOL

Day one I learned that all my worries and insecurities are all focused on me and my abilities, but then as I looked at what I was most excited for it was all focused on others and their progression. I learned that first day that these next 2 years I had to absolutely forget myself, my concerns, my worries, and just focus on tuning myself in with Heavenly Father and he will take care of the rest as i do my best and work hard. 

Day two I got to know my District better and also got called by the Branch President to be the District leader. My room Consists of Elder Hansen, Dabbs, Roberts, and I. Our room is like the dream team room! I love them and am pumped that us four are all going to Hawaii so ill get to see them in the field and continue to grow our relationships and love of the lord together. 

Day Three I saw my first Miracle here on my mission. Elder Hansen and I had been teaching a man by the name of Paul (our PI), he was super interested in the church but had doubts and wanted to know the logistics of the Atonement and how repentance works. We got out of our first appointment with him kinda discouraged because he was asking the same question over and over and we would answer it for him and he wasn’t getting it. So we committed him to read the Book of Mormon. We went back the second time and he was progressing but still getting held up. Elder Hansen and I had been praying nonstop and studying and were coming up with nothing that would help him. We were studying in class one day and Elder Bunker a missionary in our zone came in wrote two scriptures on the board and walked out. He didn’t know us at the time or why he decided to do that but those two scriptures answered all of Paul’s questions. The next lesson we shared this with Paul and committed him to baptism. I saw that day the power of prayer and the various was the Lord answers them.

Day four was full of classes but I found out for myself that.. The Lord will never deny your best. So long as we are trying and giving it our all. So long as we put our faith in Jesus Christ. So long as we have the spirit in our lives and invite it to be with us every day. So long as we humble ourselves and work God will make up the rest when your best isn’t good enough.

Day five my entire district joined the MTC choir which is massive there was easily 1600 missionaries singing at the same time. It was so powerful and amazing!! We sang "Johns song" and "I was born" such amazing songs by the Nashville Tribute. Look them up and find the meaning. I learned about John the Baptist and the man he was. We sing tonight for Elder Holland as he is visiting the MTC to give us a talk!! I am so pumped for this and to hear his words and counsel. 

Day six TODAY IS P DAY!! We woke up and went to the temple as a zone at 5:15 this morning and it was awesome! We also ate in the cafeteria there so we could get a break from the MTC food lol... 

I’m going to figure out how to add pics and ill send you some shortly

I want you all to know that God loves you. He has a purpose and plan for your life. As we live our lives trying to be perfect in Christ he will manifest that plan to us. I know without a doubt that as we do the things were supposed to do and follow Christ’s example that we will be showered with blessings. I realize that one of the biggest blessings I have now besides my eternal family and the covenants I have made in the temple, Is the opportunity to wear Christs name on my chest as i serve his children. I am grateful to be here in the MTC and cannot wait for the day to enter the field in two weeks and head to Hawaii. Jesus Christ died for us, he atoned for our sins, but more importantly he Lives today. He lives and gives us the ability to return to live with our Heavenly Father. The only way to do this is through him. So find him. 

I hope you all are having a fantastic time this week! I love and miss you all! What are you doing today to be better than you were yesterday?

Elder Porter

Honolulu, Hawaii 

8/16/2016

 I'm official

 Elder Bunker is in the middle​

 ​My district ​

 ​Elder Hansen my comp​

​Missionary temple walk. The line goes on forever.