Monday, February 26, 2018

Hello from Bauang


This week was a lot of hard work. But I already love Bauang with all my heart. (And it has a beach- I love the beach!!) I was welcomed so warmly by the members and I was so impressed by the spiritual maturity of the leaders -- all of which are recently returned missionaries, including the branch president. We have such wonderful and involved young single adults! I couldn't help but bear my testimony on Sunday that I felt such love for the people here even though I'm new and excited for the opportunity to serve, comfort, and help the people here.

I can also see that it's quite a big assignment. There are so many people here and we have quite a large area. We are finishing the training of Sister Tobias too. She is such a sweet, loving, positive, and wonderful companion. She works so hard, teaches clearly, loves her investigators and cares about their salvation and their lives. She is so kind and understanding to her companion too. I feel very blessed.

The first week we found some kind new investigators and I was excited to meet all the investigators here. People are very very humble and kind here in Bauang. Sister Joann just got baptized this Saturday. She is truly humbled and prepared for the gospel. Her husband hasn't quite softened his heart yet but we know they can make it. Sister Joann is always inviting him to church and telling him this is the way. But she comes to church with her little kids no matter what and has completely embraced the gospel and felt the Spirit confirm to her that this is where she needs to be. I feel so blessed for the opportunity to meet her.

Brother Rafael used to be a minister of Iglesia and is very smart and very kind and truly seeking for truth.  President came to help us in teaching him. I believe in Divine Design and that there is a reason that he walked into the church a week ago. I felt the Spirit as we testified of what we know to be true. I believe in the future of this young man and his potential to be a powerful leader in this church as he truly searches for the truth.

We met with President Tangalin and asked about the branch mission plan and are going to do our best to support him.

Rica Padilla and Charlene Calica are going to be baptized this Friday. Their mother needs a whole more help reading the Book of Mormon. But they are going to get married soon and want to get baptized. My only concern is that they are struggling with their reading but after watching the video about the Book of Mormon and missionary work I feel more committed to help my investigators read the Book of Mormon.

I see all the work and the people that are here in Bauang and I just always feel so inadequate and falling short of what is expected of me. But I'm going to focus on the Book of Mormon with myself and my investigators and I know that miracles will happen.

Cultural Notes: I'm the cook here! I'm cooking lots of Filipino dishes. Everyone is so shocked -- they say that if I didn't look American they would have thought that I'm Filipino -- personality, food, my Tagalog has improved.

Sister Porter







Tuesday, February 20, 2018


A Transfer to Bauang, La Union, Philippines

I just want to say that this week changed me. I had been struggling a little with my emotions but I learned SO much this week which I am 100% certain has changed my life. It was the devotional with Elder Rasband.
I had been fasting and praying for weeks to be prepared for this devotional. I had a question in my mind when I came. The talks were so powerful. I had brought a notebook to write down notes, but when Elder Haynie spoke and Elder Rasband, I could not write I was so completely taken over. All I could do was listen to every word that came out of their mouths. I realized many good things that we do -- how we treat everyone as a child of God that needs the gospel, our sense of urgency and not wasting time. But what Elder Rasband and Elder Haynie told us about giving EVERYTHING to the Lord -- all of our energy until we are absolutely exhausted at the end of each day, sharing the gospel with everyone, and the miracles that would happen because of it -- completely pierced my soul. I felt shock waves go through my body -- it really felt like shock waves. Elder Rasband told us that what we do now -- our obedience, our hard work, our love of the gospel -- will directly be how the rest of our lives will be like. That hit me so hard. I realized that truly I was not going to be happy UNLESS I gave it EVERYTHING I HAD. The miracles that Elder Rasband shared were beautiful -- I truly believe now in the DIVINE DESIGN.
After Saturday our work changed. Not only did we work hard but we worked smart. We followed the Spirit. We found an elect lady that cried, felt the Spirit the first lesson, and told us all of her questions of the soul about forgiveness and seeing her sister again in the next life. We met a couple that for years had been waiting for missionaries to teach them about temple marriage. We talked to everyone and made tons of contacts. We still weren't perfect -- but we felt the Spirit that day. We went to work early and didn't waste any time in the apartment. We loved the people. Every time we meet someone, we tell them that we were messengers sent from God to meet you and tell you about this gospel of happiness, that it wasn't a coincidence that we met you. I quickly saw how humble the Filipino people are.
We met this really sweet 22 year old Stephanie who has 2 little kids and her husband works in the army. She has been moving from house to house as her husband is assigned to different places. They have no real home and no permanent address. When we met her we knew it wasn't a coincidence because her close friend and neighbor growing up was Mormon. We have had a shortage of Book of Mormons for weeks now but I felt impressed to give her mine. She was completely overjoyed she almost cried. She's about to move again and so I may never see her again, but I am certain God has a plan for her. God has a "Divine Design.”
I'm so grateful for everything I have learned. It's taken a lot of trials, and I know there are a lot to come. Sometimes I wish that I had learned all this earlier in my mission, but then I realized that the Lord knows us and taught us little by little, line upon line. It's been hard with my medical trials, but I've been blessed with wonderful companions and wonderful areas. I see the conversion in my life becoming full. That my missionary work is for the rest of my life.
Arnold was baptized last week. We felt the Spirit teach Sister Wilma to come back to church and who she was and the divine plan there was for her. I love her so much.
I'm excited to know what the Lord has in store in Bauang with Sister Tobias. I know there is a FIELD of SOULS ready to harvest. I'm really going to overcome my worries by looking to Christ. Whenever those feelings come back again, I will just smile as hard as I can and talk to everyone I meet -- that's what brings the Spirit to me. I know there are so many people who need the gospel.

Love, Sister Porter


Monday, February 5, 2018

More from Naguilian

I know that it was revelation from God for me to stay here in Naguilian for a little bit longer. I am so so grateful. This week I saw incredible miracles. Last week I was hit with trials because things didn't work out right and I felt like I wasn't doing enough -- I felt surrounded by darkness. But so did Joseph Smith before the First Vision. At the very moment when you feel like you feel like you must abandon yourself to destruction or sadness, if you keep praying, the Light comes. And it came! 

This week we worked so hard -- from the time we wake up to the time we go to bed we are still working. We planned, we prayed, we trusted in God that he would give us words to say. And He did!!! We have the best investigators!

We are teaching a new family that was a referral from our recent converts. The Flora family is SO prepared for the gospel. The Spirit is working with them so much. The Spirit helped us teach one of the most clear and understandable lessons of the Restoration I have ever had. Their little 9 year old son has a sweet connection to the Spirit that he begs his family to come to church -- he's the first one ready every Sunday! They were touched at testimony meeting this week, started reading the Book of Mormon as a couple, and even though they are still confused about Joseph Smith they prayed to know if this is the right church for them and they said they received an answer that this is the right path for their family. In just two weeks they told us their family is changing little by little. They were thinking about another church to join but that was when they met the missionaries and they realized it was a sign from God. We are so so excited about their progress Sister Umpad and I were overjoyed last night.

Their neighbor Sister Gida, was the lady who stopped us on her motorcycle, who has been searching for a real family because she was abandoned when she was a child and now helps abandoned children. She has been working so hard ever since she was young to build a living for herself. And we knew their was a reason we met her. This week when we came to check up on her she has changed. She grabbed her Book of Mormon, explained to us that she had met with her pastor and asked about Joseph Smith. He told her that even Satan can appear and deceive people. So she explained everything to us and told us she was confused but she wasn't quite convinced by his words. She told us she felt she needed to read the Book of Mormon and she started reading the testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith at the beginning. After that I believe that Sister Umpad and I were filled with the Spirit and knew what we had to say. A scripture popped into my head - 3 Nephi 14: 16. And we told her that the Book of Mormon invites others to come unto Christ and nothing this good that brings forth such goodness and eternal life could ever come from Satan. Satan tries to counterfeit goodness and confuse us, but everything he does eventually leads us to be miserable like he is if we follow him. The Book of Mormon has the words of Christ and is the evidence that Joseph Smith was inspired by God. We then read 3 Nephi 14: 7-11 and promised her that because she was seeking for truth that God would answer her and bring her goodness. She came to church yesterday.

Brother Arnold is so excited to be baptized that he wanted us to move up his baptismal date. He said he would be active in all activities and even came to branch council. Brother Nuevo is such a great fellowshipper to him and to our investigators. He drops everything to work with the missionaries or come to an activity or meeting. We are going to try to finish he lessons this week. We have some commandments to finish but he is doing so good. He is giving up his old ways and starting new ones. Their baranggay is buzzing with news of how people are changing because of the gospel. That's why almost all our investigators are in that baranggay it's pretty funny.

Sister Erlina came to church too. They are getting married this Thursday. She is 20 years old and we brought the YSA to visit her and they loved her. After the lesson they came back the next day to learn how to make Baguio headbands. Sister Erlina felt so loved at church. They are a very poor family but prepared. We are teaching her more simply but she felt the Spirit when all the youth testified of the blessings of the gospel. She begs the missionaries to come back to her. 

Sister Emilia is a long term investigator but when we first met her she wasn't ready to be baptized. She still has things she needs to do but she has started reading the Book of Mormon seriously for weeks and the scriptures are talking directly to her and helping her change. The Book of Mormon is a miracle!!!!!! We feel the Spirit every time we read the verses she highlights with her and liken it unto her. 

Sister Rina that President allowed to come and research the missionaries, is 100% prepared by God to hear the gospel. She has been studying us and is so curious. After her survey we did EDPER in district meeting and Sister Umpad and I got to teach Sister Rina about the Book of Mormon and the First Vision. Afterward she got so curious that she testified to our zone that she felt something new -- she doesn't know it is the Spirit yet -- and said she was ready to meet with the missionaries. Hopefully the office got the referral we sent with her information.

We fasted with the leaders of the branch this week for our investigators and miracles happened at church. It was amazing. Brother Zaldy and Brother Arsenio blessed the sacrament today and did an incredible job. Brother Wally's girlfriend is leaving on a mission -- who knows what brother Wally will choose to do? (Hopefully he will serve too) I love the faith of the leaders here and I love Naguilian so much. I am so grateful for the counsel that the leaders have given me here -- they helped me feel peace and happy. I am actually learning that I like to plan and all the branch goals and meetings. I know that I stayed here for a reason. This week saved me because it brought back the peace that I was looking for that maybe I wouldn't have had otherwise because I see the fruit here in Naguilian. Truly the field is ripe and ready to harvest.

I know that there are still trials to come. I still feel inadequate because I make mistakes everyday. I have a lot of weaknesses. A ton. But everything that has happened here has been a gift from God and never because of our efforts. We can see that this is the Lord's work and not ours. That He knows His children and won't let them perish if they believe in Him. I, despite my innumerable weaknesses, believe in Him and keep praying and reading the Book of Mormon, and so I know He answers my prayers and gives us what we ask if we ask in faith. We have to be patient with the Lord's timing. Something I read from Jeffrey R Holland in (Tomorrow the Lord will Work Wonders Among You) is that the Lord knows the desires of our hearts. I know that I have struggles and I know they will come back. I know my weaknesses and I have a ton of things to improve. But we are being obedient and me and Sister Umpad are very happy. She is one of the best companions I have ever had because of her testimony, she makes me laugh and truly happy because of her conversion of her and her family, she is so humble and so bold and patient with me and our investigators. 

In my personal study I read John 21, and know that after my mission I can't go back to my old life either. I am not successful without the Savior, just like the disciples caught nothing when they went back to their nets. Christ is the one that gives success. Our work is nothing without Him, but we find strength and miracles beyond our capabilities. But more important is that Christ called us to feed His sheep. He can get fish is he wants -- but He wants us -- ourselves -- He needs disciples forever who will covenant with him to sacrifice our time, talents, to build the kingdom of God. I made that promise when I was called as a missionary and now I must be His disciple forever. 


Sister Porter