Po la`i e, po kamaha`o

This week I was able to go caroling with some of the members of our ward! It was so much fun and the songs are different than back home! 12 days of Christmas has different words, Silent night in Hawaiian, and Mele Kalikimaka! It was such a fun time! I loved it!

The ward Christmas party was crazy!! The amount of food was ridiculous!! However the preparations was so fun! From helping with the Imu to pealing more potatoes than I have ever pealed in my life combine. Everything was awesome! I wish I knew how many pounds of food there was all together lol. It was an awesome time and so fun having the ward and lots of other people together in one room to celebrate Christmas; The birth of Christ!

At church one of the members had just turned 8 years old and he got baptized a few weeks ago. He gave his first talk in sacrament meeting this past week and it was amazing! A talk I wish everyone could of heard! So I want to relate part of that message to you all! He speaks of Care bears and how they are "furry little friends" with tummy patches that tell you the role, specialties, or character of the care bear and who it is and what it does. He then posed a question. What does our tummy patch look like? What does it say we are and what does it say we do? I absolutely loved this talk and it was 100 times better coming from him. But I add my testimony that the difference between care bears and Children of God is our tummy patches can change. What is yours right now? If it is not what you would like and not something you or your Heavenly Father would be proud of how can you change it? Have a tummy patch that shows you are a Follower of Jesus Christ.

This week at Church, Gideon, our recent convert that got baptized a couple weeks ago passed the sacrament for the first time. It was so amazing to see how the gospel can change someone entirely from very little knowledge of God to using the priesthood (power of God given to man to act and speak in his name) to pass and administer the sacrament to the ward. It was such a wonderful experience to see and be apart of. The Atonement is real. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is pure and righteous and true. I leave you with a Quote my dear friend shared with me this week: "Live so that those who know you, but do not know him, will want to know him because they know you."

I love you and wish you all the best this Christmas season! I am grateful Christ was born for me and for you. Because of this we can feel peace, joy, and Love. Luke 2:10-11. Have a wonderful week, remember our Savior, Remember to serve, and REMEMBER TO REMEMBER.

Po la`i e, po kamaha`o... Peaceful Night, Wonderful Night.

Elder Porter

 10 turkeys and 2 pigs for dinner