At least it's not HOT

Well this week involved laundry 2 times due to how many times we had to change clothes. The weather was crazy! It rained all day every day like the entire week! One of the mornings it was gorgeous so we went to the library to do some of our planning for the week and right as we finished it was a complete down pour flash flood type of day... we road home on our bikes in like a river of water and by the time we were home it had looked like we just got out of the ocean lol. It was crazy! I have used an umbrella more in the last week that I have in my entire life! 

Moments of the week:

-My cup got spilled 2 times this week during a lesson.. to different days same house... oooppsss the kids got to it!!!

- We got a call "my neighbor told me she wants to be a Mormon will you teach her?"

- Gave last minute talks at church

- Went on a beautiful hike today

Look up the "parable of the pushups" I loved it and that is what I decided to speak on this last Sunday. It's so true. The price has already been paid whether we use it or not. I'm so grateful for my Savior who suffered and died for me, I am grateful that he now lives so that I will be raised as well. The opportunities are endless as we follow Christ. It doesn't matter what state we are right now. Go to him and let him change you and mold you to be as he is. The invitation I leave for you as well as for myself is to seek him out daily and allow his Atonement to change you and shape you into being who he needs you to be. I love you all and am so grateful for all you do! Smile lots this week and take that next step in your life!

Elder Porter
Honolulu, Hawaii

Welcome to north shore. Loving Laie. 

This will happen with my future wife right here... Elder Lidangs the proxy right now lol

Eggs, bunnies, and food coloring

This week was busy, long, fun, but super HOT!

We got to teach seminary, have Zone Conference, have interviews with the President, and have our Stake conference on Easter Sunday! There were so many wonderful things shared throughout all those meetings!

But I want to talk about the reason we are able to do what we do, and it’s the reason why we Celebrate Easter! The Atonement is the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without these things there would be no point to this life. We would be hopeless, lost, and set up to fail, and fail miserably. Gods plan for us revolves around the Atonement. It’s the Key in the ignition that makes everything run. We have to keep everything clean and maintained and running properly. But the reason it works is the Atonement. So yesterday was Easter Sunday where we celebrate and Praise the Lord for Raising from the Dead to be joined with his body for eternity. Think about us, each one of us will experience this regardless of how we live our life. Each one of us will live for eternity. Our actions will determine where we will be once were resurrected. So let each one of us take a look at the Saviors life and how he lived... then align our lives with his. The only thing we can give him is our will. Everything else he has already given to us. The ONLY gift we can give is our will. Think about what that means. Ponder and think about that throughout the week and then act on your feelings and thoughts.  

I remember every Year in school being so excited for summer and for school to be out… Now I’m dreading it! Summer brings hot weather and its already blazing hot so we will see how the summer goes!! I hope you all have a wonderful week! Be happy and Smile for HE IS RISEN!  

Elder Porter

Honolulu, Hawaii

 Elder Dorrough almost died in the heat so he had to lay down twice lol

A cool mountain

 The Temple

I wanted to add missionaries to the door..

Zone conference with some of the elders.

Our dinner... a chicken each... a tub of rice... and a gallon of POG

Bike Rides and Monsters

Just when I think a week can’t get any better Heavenly Father blesses me with a week like this! We found so much success and progress with our investigators and were able to set 3 Baptismal dates with people we have been working with. It seems like all at once all our investigators keep and exceed their commitment. There is a special spirit about the work over the past couple weeks. It’s so wonderful to be a part of!

Elder Dorrough and I had to take our bikes to Laie and we don’t have a car and no trucks so we biked there. It was a long and hot trip, but it was a fun time. We’re having a wonderful time together! Well at least I think so not sure about him lol! The mission is really the best 2 years everyone talks about and it’s just because you are working hand in hand with the Lord. We found this HUGE spider in our pad this week. We caught it and put it in a Tupperware dish and taped a paper to the top and put it out side so we could show the Zls the next morning. We woke up and went to see it and it was gone!!!! There were no holes to get out I have no idea how it got out but it did!!!! We haven’t seen it again but it freaked us out and there may have been one or two girl noises when we saw it! Lol good memories!

"Faith is kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith" Friends and family I hope you know that this statement is true. Share your testimony and do it frequently. I know that it will touch someone every single time. I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ it true. Not only is it true but it is the way back to our Heavenly Father. It is the only way we can find peace in this life and eternal life in the next. It all begins with Faith. Let us increase our faith by reading scriptures, saying prayers, going to church, hearing testimonies from the faithful, and sharing our testimonies with others. I know as we do so that the Lord will bless our lives, and that we will feel his love for us, and we will be able to press forward on our journey back to him.  I love you all so much and hope you have a wonderful week! 

Elder Porter 

Honolulu, Hawaii

This is a members skate house in the back yard. (skate park)

 feeding chickens!

YSA (young single adult) Pig roast. Supper yummy!

The zone leaders car got broken into and stuff stolen so taped a bag over the window for him. Their bags with scriptures in them were stolen

 Knocking on every door. :)

 

All Paths Lead Back To God

This week was absolutely terrific! Elder Dorrough is my new companion, he’s from Connecticut. I know weird haven’t heard that one before! He’s a stud and we get a long really well! This week we have been blessed with so much success in finding and in the progression of our investigators. "Obedience brings blessings, Exact obedience brings Miracles" Let me tell you that statement is true! This week has been a week FULL of miracles and I want to share a few with you. 

We were in a lesson with our investigator and it was such a spiritual lesson and she was feeling the spirit so strong especially after just watching all 4 sessions of General Conference. The lesson is wonderful and the participation from here was awesome and she totally opened up and expressed everything! Towards the end I asked "Will you follow the ex..." and she cut me off with an excited almost yell of "YES I WANT TO BE BAPTIZED" I’m not even sure how she exactly knew what I was asking, but we all rejoiced together as she also shared her desire to take her family to the temple too!

One of our investigators has been struggling with the Atonement and how we can be forgiven of past things as well as forgive others. She knows the bishop in the ward well and so we invited them to talk. After they did she said all doubts and thoughts were gone like a weight was off her shoulders. She is now pursuing to be baptized this month!

It was 8:40pm and we had to take some stuff some members gave us back to our pad. When we got there we dropped it off and said we have 20 minutes where should we go? I asked Elder Dorrough (even though it was his second day in the area) left or right. I felt strongly to go left and without mentioning that he began to walk that way. 2 houses up from us there was this group of kids. As we were walking on the other side of the street, one asked us "What is your favorite Bible verse?" We went over and I told them mine and my comp said his. He then asked what theirs was. They were not familiar with the bible and told us to come back the next day and they would tell us. I then had the thought to give them a Book of Mormon and have them choose one out of there too. So I did and when we returned the next day they shared their insight and we had a wonderful lesson with them and will continue to see them all frequently! 

From Finding, to Teaching, to investigators progressing... The Lord continued to direct his work all week long! We also got to watch conference which was amazing!!! I cannot wait to go back and study the talks more. They truly are called of God. The messages they share are life changing, so let them change us! I hope your weeks were wonderful and you had many reasons to smile and look towards Heavenly Father. Have a wonderful week! Love ya all!

Elder Porter 

Honolulu, Hi 

Good bye my little Filipino!

 Chinamans hat is what the island is called.

Oatmeal, Vienna sausage, canned fruit is what we had for dinner because dinner canceled and we didn't have food lol. Don't worry mom, we have food now.

 Mexican food truck.

 Prepare for hair cut.

Elder Dorrough cutting up our jalapeno spam.

 Aloha