Elder Logan Porter: Weighed down by the world

This week was an exciting one. Thursday we had a baptism. It was such an amazing experience. Tapu is such a good kid! You can definitely see how it went, by the difference of pictures before and after. He was so happy after and he told me "when I came out of the water I looked at my mom and her eyes looked a little wet." His mom is a non-member and the spirit was so strong no one in the room could deny it. It was a very small and precious baptism, few people made it due to the time, but it was something I will never forget. Sunday was awesome as well. The confirmation was just as powerful. The spirit filled the room as well as the hearts of everyone there. Such a special few days with him.

So we were doing this spiritual message at this party. They had a fire pit and so we were doing the "magic" trick with the friction pen and teaching the Holy Ghost. Elder Dorrough was using the fire to remove all the sin we just drew. This caught the paper on fire. Naiyah, the girl, had just drawn herself on the paper, her drawing burnt. Everyone started laughing and saying "Good job Elder Dorrough, you burnt Naiyah" hahah it was funny. One of those things we joke about happening and then it actually happened haha. Good funny memories!

There is this guy we met with yesterday. He has such a good heart and intentions. He often gives us anything he happens to have and "always makes time for the Mormon missionaries." He is a member but has his struggles. It was painful to visit with him. It was painful because he sat with his son in his lap telling us his desires and wishes but then expressed he can't achieve them. He is so weighed down by sorrow, sin, and addiction that it controls his life. He expressed how he wants to change, but it's so hard and he would do anything to go back and stay clean from the beginning. Friends and Family, what's holding you back? Let us truly consider cutting that rope now rather than letting it drag us down further. I wish none of us to ever be weighed down so much by sorrow, sin, and addiction that we can't move. It starts from our choice to let it go today! Our Savior Jesus Christ died and suffered so that we can overcome any struggle, temptation, and sin. Let us choose this day to give it to Christ and let the redeeming power of the Atonement free us from that thing. I hope you all have a wonderful week and don't forget to smile and find joy in every day!

Elder Porter

Honolulu, HI

Baptism Day