Well ALOHA my friends and family!
How is everyone doing? Can I just say, it is good to be alive. This week was so
awesome. More than just the missionary work and fact I'm "stuck" in
Hawaii for 2 years. This week I tried my best to count my blessings and at the
end of the day pray and thank Heavenly Father for all I could recall... and man
our floor is hard but I'm glad I thought to put my slippahs down on the ground
because he does so much for us each and every day. Those were the longest
prayers of my life! But what an experience it was! I have a testimony that when
we ask and follow the spirit in ALL things we do we can be "led by the
spirit" even as Nephi.
Coming out on a mission I wasn’t
sure what to expect or how I was going to feel. I kinda imagined it as overwhelmed
with the spirit every moment of every day. These past couple months I have
found that is not the case. I kinda found myself questioning myself "am I
doing something wrong?" and this has kinda been on mind and in my prayers.
This past week those prayers were answered. The spirit is not always going to
come the same way over and over and over. The spirit is presented into our
lives in many many ways. I realized I have been feeling the spirit tons every
day but I wasn’t recognizing it. I was questioning myself and sometime and some
occasions letting those questions hinder and detract from the spirit. I have realized that
Satan uses each and every one us in temptation before. I feel like the big
things are easy… not swimming, staying off sand, the big stuff is easy. But the
little stuff is where he starts. Questioning yourself “do I measure up?"
"Am I good enough to be out here?" These questions are okay as long
as you can remove them right away. I have learned that letting these things
weigh you down is just a lack of faith. I am learning that "vitreous
thought unceasingly" is more than just clean thoughts and not thinking of
naughty stuff, but faithful thoughts in all things we do.
Yesterday we had a wonderful
sacrament meeting, many of our investigators came, many of the less active we
have been working with came, many visitors came, and the speakers were
terrific. One talk stood out to me and I feel impressed to echo it with my
testimony. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. We must not feel bad for
Christ taking our sins and pains upon Himself. It’s already done and over. We
must show our appreciation to him and use the atonement and repent of all our
sins. When we fully repent we are forgiven. No more consequence for those sins,
no more guilt or shame, it’s gone. This is a process a process of continual re
commitment, humble prayers, and righteous living. Repentance is not a check off
a list but it is who you are. Are you Repentant? It’s not a single event but
who you are and what you become. YOU are the atonement. It is every decision of
every day where you prove if you’re going to take a step closer to Christ or
distance yourself from him. Repentance is always there for us. You are never too
far down the wrong path to get back on the right one. You are never unworthy of
Christs help. The only thing holding you back is you. I have seen this in my
life as you doubt yourself and you doubt what you can do and overcome. It is my
testimony that Christ will never denote your best; he will take your best and
build you up. My brothers and sisters, we can do better. We need to do better.
Not only for our salvation but for the salvation of those we surround ourselves
with every day. We must be worthy, prepared, and ready to be called on at any
time to help those come unto Christ.
WE FOUND JOHN! Since conference we
lost contact with John one of our Solid investigators due to some housing
issues. Anyways after a week and a half without seeing him our prayers were
answered. We were doing service for this lady and right as we were done we were
walking out and John was walking down the street and was right in front of the
ladies house! That was the best hug of my mission this far! Such a moment of
smiles and rejoicing! His first words was "I have been praying I would
find you guys" It was such a special moment and the following 3 days we
had OUTSTANDING visits with him and he came to church yesterday and he is doing
awesome! One of those blessing I was able to thank Heavenly Father for in those
long prayers!
Today I was able to hike Pololu and
man was it pretty! The weather here has been super windy and rainy which is
OKAY. It’s not as hot! Haha Anyways, life here is good! Lots of food. Elder
Siaosi is a stud and I Love him more and more each day as we serve together.
Only rough thing is eating more rice than I have ever eaten in my life! Kohala
fun facts: No stop lights, No fast food places not even one, 2 gas stations,
tons of hippies live in the gulches, tourists come here for 2 things... King
Kamehameha Statue and Pololu.
Wish you all the best of luck this
week in whatever endeavors you have! I’ll talk to you all next Monday after we
celebrate Elder Siaosi's 25th birthday! My companion is a quarter of a century
on Sunday! haha Love and Miss you all!
Elder Porter
Honolulu, Hawaii
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