Fish, Blood, and Miracles

This week was a fun one. We had lots of preparation to do for transfers. I will be staying in my current area with Elder Willden for another transfer! I'm excited to stay together another! He's a good guy!
Last week I shared a story of Penelope, the lady we met on the off ramp and helped her out. Well we called her and got no answer. I guess she was trying to get a hold of us but lost our number. She saw some other missionaries called out to them got our number and got a hold of us. Yesterday we went to her home and talked and taught a lesson. It was amazing, the spirit was so strong and she was so excited to hear about it. She had been reading the Book of Mormon we gave her and we both shared our story on how we came to know it was true, tears filled her eyes as the spirit took over the room. It was such a divinely appointed meeting. It was incredible to be there.
I was able to go back to Laie this week and attend a District meeting. I had the privilege to attend Elder Bringhurst’s district and it was the single most powerful and spiritually district meeting I have been a part of. So cool! It was great to be back there, it just has a different feel than the rest of the island!
Funny story for the week...Elder Willden is like this big tough guy... until you set fish in front of him. We had a dinner drop off and it was all fish. He was disgusted but he found a piece of chicken… or, what he thought was chicken. He took a bite and game over... FISH, it's his kryptonite. Good thing desert was cheesecake. He wanted to smell it, instead of fish, he literally put his face 2 inches away from it. It would have been so wrong of me not to smash his face in it... so I did! Good thing we are friends, especially since his nose started bleeding due to his face hitting the plate. (We had fish another night this week and due to his seat at the table no one even noticed he didn't eat it, lucky guy.)
We had our first lesson with a new investigator, Ian. He came to church with his girlfriend, phobias, who recently returned. We had dinner with them and it was a great experience. The food was amazing and that was like the worst part of the night because our conversations were so cool! Mariah shared her story and testimony of recently reading the Book of Mormon. She shared her Brother’s story of falling and being in an awful part of life, then because of an answer to his prayers about the Book of Mormon he has now completely changed his life around! Ian felt the spirit so strong and shared his story and his desire to learn and join the Church. It was a very real and authentic conversation and it was all centered on Christ.. just amazing! I know that because of Christ we can all change. From little bad habits to terrible ways of life and everything in between, Christ suffered so we can overcome it.. so we can overcome the world. I hope you all have a wonderful week full of experiences to help you grow and know more of Christ. Let us all think of him more this week and as we do joy will fill our days and a smile will appear upon our face! Love you all! Don't forget to smile!

Elder Porter
Honolulu, HI

 Cheese cake and blood

 Office door

 I am now certified and the van driver for the mission...

If you can dodge a wrench you can dodge a car.

Alright, this week went way to fast... going on exchanges all the time is crazy and makes the transfer go by so fast! It is a marvelous experience being able to go on exchanges and serve with the zone leaders all the time. The transfer is almost up and now comes even more craziness working with transfers and picking up greenies and taking departing missionaries to their activities.

This week on exchanges with Elder Heimburger a missionary I have a ton of respect for we had some cool experiences. Elder Willden had our car and I had no GPS for the day and still learning our crazy and huge area. So I took the wrong exit and half way up there was a van pulled over and so I pull over on the off ramp in front of her and we get out to go see if she's okay. It was this older lady named Penelope. She ran out of gas. She was like freaking out and didn't know what to do so we helped her out. Meanwhile, no one was driving with ALOHA and we almost got destroyed by a few cars but I'm typing an email which means we made it! She got the help she needed and asked for a Book of Mormon. We shared a bit and got her number to meet back up. While we're there another car stopped and yelled: "do you have a Book of Mormon?" It was a young guy and girl. I ran got one and gave it and our number through their window. Meanwhile, cars are stacking up behind them stopped on the off ramp! So we gave out 2 copies of the Book of Mormon out on the freeway off-ramp. We also had a very personal and spiritual experience with this homeless lady. The Spirit witnessed to me again that no matter the state or decisions of an individual, Gods love for them never drifts. For a split moment, I was able to see and feel of Gods love for her and it was an amazing experience. We had curry and baby octopi for dinner that exchange too! It was a super bomb day!

We had our zone conference. It was super awesome. Learning of Christ-centered obedience and how we should have our savior on our mind as we go through the day. Learned of Knowledge and how applied knowledge is Power. Sister Bekker loves stories and shared the story of the Titanic and why it wrecked. From the building structure to the captain's decision, and the preparatory precautions. Knowledge wad not applied.. power was lost and it affected many lives.

One last funny story: We were on our Monday night conference calls with the zone leaders, sister training leaders, and President. We counsel together about the last week. Well, it is my companion and I job to facilitate this call... So we're talking and English was just a struggle that night. We both were having a hard time getting words out. So I said something and muted the phone waiting for others to answer. Elder Willden says "We suck at talking on conference call, we lose our English skills" I replied "it's like talking to a brick" well... the phone wasn't muted and 30 seconds later I get a text "It's like talking to a brick 🤣" he said it wasn't super loud and clear but if you were listening then you would have heard it... Well, they heard me not my companion so the context was gone! He took it that all the other people were not participating and weren't ready (which was true so even worse) so it sounded like I said they are like talking to a brick... Well, that's just 22 zone leaders and 14 sister training leaders and President Bekker with the potential to have heard that.. not to bad. LOL 🤣
 I'm so grateful for the many experiences our Father in Heaven allows us to go through... the good and bad. We learn so much and grow so much as we take these experiences, rely on God, and keep meek and humble. I know what we go through today is preparing us for tomorrow. Keep a smile as things come and know through Christ, we will overcome the world. Love you all and have a great week! 

Elder Porter
Honolulu, HI

A note from Elder Porter's mom. :) I wanted to let you know that a several weeks ago Elder Porter was called to be an AP. We are so proud of him for his hard work and dedication.

 No sugar and p-day isn't here... hot cocoa mix in oatmeal lol.

 Selfies

My guess is Elder Willden in 6 years from now

 Elder Eborn misses me I guess!🤣

 Glen got baptized!!! Good job Elder Eborn and Elder Johnson for finishing it off!! He is one of my most scriptural studious investigators I have taught. He is so humble and it was an honor to get to know him!

More Selfies!

 Pretty view

Back with old friends!

This week was crazy! It started off Tuesday evening after last P-day. We went with Brother Andrus, one of our members, and we went and tried to visit some less actives. We were not having success and no one was answering their doors until the last one who opened up, let us in, and we talked and had a great visit! Bro Andrus is setting up a barbeque with their families. It was a perfect example of a great member helping out with the work. It was such a good visit it made us an hour late picking up Elder Fanene and Iverson up from the airport... oops! Lol. We had exchanges with them and it was great. It was fun being back with Elder Fanene he's the best! We saw some cool miracles being able to visit and have lessons with some people we haven't been able to see in a while! We saw the same thing happen when I was on exchanges 2 days later with Elder Pugh. Doors are opening that have been hard to get into. Our area is being so blessed right now. This week we got a new ward mission leader due to our last one getting a new calling! He is amazing! It's amazing what a good, strong, and proactive person can do to hasten the work. He came to a lesson with us yesterday to a family we’re teaching. They are solid! We taught the Word of Wisdom and they had never heard of it, they willingly and immediately say they are done with everything and will live it from now on. What faith they have to not question or try God and his commandments but upon learning and receiving revelation it's true just lives it.

Today we went on a hike. It was beautiful many views of the ocean and the mountains. It was a very cool one! I hope you all have a wonderful week take care and find joy in the day. Look for things that will put a smile on your face. Love ya all

 Elder Porter

Honolulu, HI

 From our hike today

Elder Fanene

Elder Willden

Elder Pugh

His work his way

This week was very awesome! I had some awesome exchanges with Elders Klaassen and Savaii. With Elder Klaassen, we met so many people and had many mini-lessons. It was so cool to see the spirit work with them as we focused on Christ and how we can build our faith in him. Many of the lessons we had this week were set that day.  With Elder Savaii, we noticed there was a carnival so we created a survey of 6 questions and that evening went to the adjacent corner and while people were waiting we got people to volunteer to do them. In just over an hour we had 27 people volunteer.  Of those 27, 19 gave information to learn more. We have since contacted and set appointments for quite a few! So many miracles this week! 

Dell, one of our investigators, got baptized this week. He bore his testimony at it as well! The spirit was so strong. A cool part was, our recent convert, Lillian, gave one of the talks... And wow! It was AMAZING! The spirit was so strong and it was such a joy to hear! Dell bore his testimony the next day at church as well. It is so cool to see people change through the gospel of Jesus Christ. And that was his testimony, how he has changed so much and changed for the good. 

We had lots of preparing and preparation for our training this week. It was so cool to see how when our true desire is to do the Lord's work, in his way, that he will guide and direct us into doing just that. When we join the Lord's team we join a team that will never lose. I am grateful to serve and know my Savior, Jesus Christ. I will forever be indebted to him.

This week I would challenge everyone to seek opportunities, then serve someone every single day. "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God" Let's choose today to serve God the rest of our lives and serve those around us each and every day. I hope you all have a fantastic week! Enjoy life no matter what's going on. Live every day with a smile! 

Elder Porter 

Honolulu, HI

 MissionaryLeadership Council (MLC) this week

 Dell

 My companion Elder Willden

 Elder Savaii

 My mom knew a family from home that was coming to Hawaii. They brought me a package and I was able to give them a tour and talk to them about what missionaries do.