Musical Number

This week was great! We had a baptism to start off, and it may have been the most spiritual baptism I have had yet. The ward like all came and so there were lots of people, aside from minor confusion, the talks were amazing and so inspired. For a musical number, Elders Fanene, Boyd, and Klaassen sang while I played the Ukulele. "Come thou Fount", it was so fun yet so scary too! I really enjoyed the program and it was wonderful to see, Alora, a Girl we have been working with all transfer, entered the waters of baptism and made covenants with our Heavenly Father that will lead into eternity. The sisters in our zone also had a baptism so we got to attend that one as well. It was awesome too! It was just a wonderful week here in Hon-west! 

Transfers came and Elder Klaassen will be leaving me… what a jerk! (Just kidding) but it will be okay because Elder Fanene will be my new companion and he’s the bomb! He’s from Samoa so it’ll be super fun! I’m excited for many new adventures to come! 

This week Elder Klaassen and I were out tracting. We picked a street and we went to knock every single door. So we did and had very little success but as we walked back to our car we both stopped and looked at each other and both in questioned if we got that house... we missed one! I don’t know how but we did. We went and knocked and met this man named Derick. He was awesome! He recently with in the last 2 years has gotten into organized religion and has been trying to do what’s right and change some things in his life. We were able to share about who we are, what we do, and share the message of the restoration. We also gave him a Book of Mormon and set a time to return to visit with him. It was such a cool experience and I was so happy to know that both of us were prompted to stop at that very moment and look around. 

I know we have a loving Heavenly Father that loves us and will use every experience to shape and mold us to make us an instrument in his hand. This week we got asked to teach all the primary kids. I realized that this very day and the things I do and will do today, I have been preparing to do for many, many years. I am grateful for God’s love he shows to me and my family. I’m grateful to have knowledge of his gospel/church that’s on the earth in this life that we can follow him and receive many blessings. Sometimes in life we block out those blessings by not doing the small and simple things. I have come to know that by the small and simple things great things are brought to pass. To focus on the small and simple things and things just line up and fall in place. God hasn’t made this life complex but simple. Through his prophets, he has spoken clearly and simply to us on how we must live to return to him. Let us all do these small things. I love you all and hope you all have a wonderful week with lots of smiles and good memories!

Elder Porter

Honolulu, HI

Elder Klaassen

Webling Elementary School Library Service

VC last week

 Sister Tuavau Elder Klaassen and me at the VC

 Alora's baptsim

Musical number

Short and sweet

This week was hectic but AWESOME! It was a little change of pace just due to all the big events! We had our temple trip, interviews, zone conference, and 2 baptisms we attended. We also had a trip to Laie to the Visitors Center with our investigators! 

  

The Book of Mormon another testament of Jesus Christ. Our mission is on a 100 day read of the Book of Mormon. It’s been awesome, and to go along with that our Zone Conference was all about that. I have come to LOVE the Book of Mormon over the years. To be honest, I never picked it up to truly read it until I lived in Park City Utah my junior year in High School. But since that time my life has been changed. I now know who I am as a Son of a Heavenly Father who knows me. I know Families can be together forever IF we do our part here. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is Christ’s Church once again restored to the Earth. And I know this, not because my family, friends, church leaders, or missionaries told me... But because I read the Book of Mormon with a real intent wanting to know if it’s true. I testify and desire everyone to know that I know the Book of Mormon is true, and I know you can as well. I plead with you to pick it up to read it whether it’s your 1st time or your 700th time. Pick it up read and pray to know if it’s true. It is life changing. Because of that book I am in Hawaii having the best time of my life, sharing that very book with others. 

I love you all so much; I hope you all have a wonderful week. Gods hand is in your life every day, it’s a beautiful thing! I have to get better at looking for it! The transfer is about over which means I’m about to make a new planner cover! Send me some ideas of some cool quotes or something I can put on it. Have a wonderful week and don’t forget to Smile, have fun, and work hard!

Elder Porter

Honolulu, HI

 Elder Tuituu from the District 1 came to our ward!!!!!​

 

Faith leads to action

This week was crazy! We went on 3 exchanges so I was able to get to know many of the other missionaries much better than I did before! It was also cool to see the other areas and get a different perspective on different styles of missionary work. In the mess of all of this, Elder Klaassen and I have been planning for this week which is absolutely crazy! Temple, interviews, zone conference, and comp reports all in one week.... it’s going to fly by way too fast! It’s been weird to see how each day brings a host of different experiences and people. I can say I have met the richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor; the smartest and those that just aren’t that bright, so many different ethnicity with many, many different situations. But one common factor in everything is that the Gospel has and can bless the lives of them ALL.

Not too many big stories this week but I just love the opportunity to share what I have come to find true with others. This week we were able to find a few people to teach and as we met with them all together we have been able to share the Book of Mormon with them, read it with them, and pray with them about it. Even in the past 3 days they have been able to tell differences found happiness and joy by just simply knowing that they are children of a loving Heavenly Father who wants the best for them. Knowing and believing in this simple principle is so comforting in all situations of our lives it boosts and supports in any circumstance. But do we truly believe it? Or is it just something we say. This week I would invite and encourage us all to seek out this principle and see if it is something you fully believe, take that belief to the next level, and maybe even ask, does me believing this change my actions in my everyday life? I know it does for me! And I’m so grateful for the knowledge I have of it.  I’m grateful for the beautiful place I get to spend every day and for the awesome people I have to serve around! 

Finally, I would like to leave you with a quote I heard from a missionary: "When you say that you are busy, you are not stating a fact....  you are stating your priorities." Elder Alalatoa.... So true, we all have time we can take out of our day to help people, to learn more of Christ, etc. Let us check our priorities and make the time for the things we know we should be doing. I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you all and wish you the happiest of weeks!!!(:

Elder Porter

Honolulu, HI

 More pics of skating from last week

 Rentals haha

Ice in Hawaii?

This week was crazy busy! Tuesday we got a layover missionary from Chuuk and he spent the day with us and then we took him to the airport on Wednesday. While he was here we went and taught as many Chuukese people as possible. It was fun watching him teach and we just sat there in support haha. Good times he was super awesome! We also went on exchanges I was able to go with Elder Smith which was fun because we came out together, we were able to see lots of people and meet and even teach some new people we met. It’s always and awesome time teaching someone the first contact with them! 

Saturday we had a Stake Chapel open house were the public came was able to donate blood to help the local hospitals, take a tour of the chapel, and while they were doing that got a free car wash from the youth in our wards. It was fun to have all the missionaries in the stake together and taking others on tours and allowing them to either be back in the building after a long time or see it for their first time. I know this is Christ’s church, the same church he organized while he ministered on earth. The spirit during that event made in known to all that this was true. I was so grateful to have been a part of it! 

There is one ice rink in all of Hawaii and it is in the zone I currently serve so today Elder Klaassen and I went skating with our investigator! It was soo fun to skate again and although I thought it would be hard and make me think too much of home, it just further confirmed that I’m doing what’s right and how happy and beyond content I am with my decision to serve our Heavenly Father! He lives and loves us and that’s what I desire to share with everyone! The mission is the two best years, but you can have very similar experiences as you live Gods standards and be willing to do his will the moment he asks you to. Replace our fears with faith, open our mouth and share the good news with everyone. 

I hope all of you have a wonderful week and can experience some miracles in your lives. Smile and enjoy your time! Have a great week!

Elder Porter

Honolulu, HI 

Don't eat fireworks

This week nothing too crazy happened which was good because that just meant we had a lot of good proselyting time! Elder Klaassen and I have been working hard at having Gospel conversations with everyone we speak with and not just talking but teaching and sharing truths with them. This week we were diligent with doing this and had some cool experiences with it! I know that as we are obedient and living righteously God will give us the very words we need to say to allow the spirit to touch the hearts of his children.
So, we cover KPT a low-income housing apartment complex. Elder Klaassen says "it's like walking down a sketchy alley in New York city, you know you shouldn't be there and you're risking your life but you go anyways" lol. So, we were knocking doors and there was this guy going through this huge pile of garbage and just taking clothes out of it and then casually takes them home then comes and gets more. It's soo sad! but while he did it we casually said hi and talked to him as he was digging through the garbage pile... it may have been the most odd setting I have ever talked to someone in! I have also been humbled big time at how blessed I have been in my life. These people here in certain areas are generally so poor that their houses are empty, no furniture or anything, the old aunties sleep on the floor on a towel same with the babies. It has opened my eyes so much, and also to see how giving, nice, and humble they are. It´s been a neat experience.
In preparation for today being the 4th of July we found some poppers the little kid pop thingys and we were playing with some. Somehow it came up for me to pop it in between my teeth and well we didn't have anything else going on that evening at 10pm at our pad so I did it. Elder Klaassen was laughing really hard and I was just kind of in shock. It was not what I expected but it was interesting. lol Klaassen is trouble...Hahaha
This week while standing in KPT, on the 16th floor, we took a few minutes to look out over the city. I asked Elder Klaassen “isn't it crazy that we have been trusted to bring the gospel to all of these people?" He responded with "Isn't it crazy that out of everyone in all of these houses and city he knows YOU" I thought this was awesome and the rest of the week just supported that, that Heavenly Father knows me and knows me personally and I know he knows each and every one of you too. Each one of us needs to know this. It is life changing and will bring a different perspective of life as we come to know it. I love you all and hope you all have a wonderful week! Smile, have fun, and HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!

Elder Porter

Honolulu, HI

Garbage pile

 other stuff

Some pics of KPT

In Hawaii when boats haven't come in a while everything gets super low on stock. haha

Elder Klaassen cooling off. :)

more pics...