Kumusta po?!?!?! 

Pasensiya I didn't send an email last week because of Skype last week and this week is transfer week so I am so sorry I can't to people's emails this week again! But I wanted to make sure you all heard from me so I decided to write a weekly email still! 

Anyway... transfers tomorrow and my trainer is leaving..... Man she is the sweetest trainer in the whole world and reminds me of you Mom. She has a lot of the Christlike qualities you have and really is always there for me in our happiest and saddest moments on the mission. She has been so selfless, unconditionally loving those she serves. I've been so lucky to have her and honestly don't feel deserving because i'm so new on the mission and still have so many things to learn and improve about myself. But there are two things that I think help you  overcome the natural man --becoming a parent or caretaker, and going on a mission. I just want to thank my parents right now -- I love you guys so much and I am just astounded by how amazing my family is in my life -- thank you for supporting me and showing so much faith in Christ.

One quick story. I have been scared to extend a baptismal invitation to a mother who used to be rich but lost everything when her mother died so she makes gloves for a living for her little kids. I had a hard time understanding her desires because sometimes she was distracted in lessons. But I know she believes in Jesus Christ. When I extended a BI to her this week, she told us she had a dream that there was a fountain of a clean water surrounded by wilderness. There was a path leading down into the water but she was really afraid to make the step down there. Then the next day I extended a BI and she knows the step she needs to make is baptism, that we can't ever give up on her and that we have to help her have the courage to take a step towards her Savior and Redeemer.

Something one of the ward counselors told me this week is that all of the members here start out poor and have to show tremendous faith by making sacrifices to come to church and pray and read the scriptures. But over time, their faithfulness brought them the most tremendous blessings. I have seen that in these member's families. The members here are so so so grateful for missionaries and send their kids on missions. These Filipino missionaries are literally the Stripling warriors. Their parents are strong converts and they have strong conviction on how this gospel will bless families more than anything else. I've been astounded by their success. I am so grateful for the faith of members in the Philippines. Salvation isn't cheap and Satan is all around us. It is so hard to help our investigators. But the promises are sure for them and this is the work of God and salvation.

Anyway, want to share a story that Pres. Bangal sent that meant the world to me. Often I feel bad because my skills are not enough to help everyone, although I see that little by little I'm learning things about myself and how to serve others even when I don't know what else to do. I'm already a better person than I was a year ago, and I believe with my whole heart in this work. Sometimes when we feel cut down it's because God wants us to become a better person through our experiences. We are constantly molded in His hands if our desires are to follow Him. We will make mistakes, but every small good decision DOES make a difference. Just trust Him!!!!! I love my Savior and I love His Plan for all of us to become perfect someday like Him. This is the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST for everyone. It applies to everything in our lives -- our hopes, our dreams, our talents, our service, our families. I promise you that no matter what you have done in your life, that you can do anything through our Savior. 

(Just got the sports  psychologist talk from you Mom!! Thank you!!! Maybe thats the best way to send letter because I don't think letters through any other way will work.)

The Currant Bush

by Elder Hugh B. Brown (1883–1975)

Hugh B. Brown was born in Granger, Utah, but grew up in Alberta, Canada. From 1961–1970, he served as a counselor to President David O. McKay. He was a powerful speaker and teacher with a great love for and understanding of the youth of the Church.Previously published in the January 1973 New Era.“Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down.”

"You sometimes wonder whether the Lord really knows what He ought to do with you. You sometimes wonder if you know better than He does about what you ought to do and ought to become. I am wondering if I may tell you a story. It has to do with an incident in my life when God showed me that He knew best."

"I was living up in Canada. I had purchased a farm. It was run-down. I went out one morning and saw a currant bush. It had grown up over six feet high. It was going all to wood. There were no blossoms and no currants. I was raised on a fruit farm in Salt Lake before we went to Canada, and I knew what ought to happen to that currant bush. So I got some pruning shears and clipped it back until there was nothing left but stumps. It was just coming daylight, and I thought I saw on top of each of these little stumps what appeared to be a tear, and I thought the currant bush was crying. I was kind of simpleminded (and I haven’t entirely gotten over it), and I looked at it and smiled and said, “What are you crying about?” You know, I thought I heard that currant bush say this:
“How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth. I was almost as big as the shade tree and the fruit tree that are inside the fence, and now you have cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me because I didn’t make what I should have made. How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.”

"That’s what I thought I heard the currant bush say, and I thought it so much that I answered. I said, “Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down. Thank you, Mr. Gardener.’”
Years passed, and I found myself in England. I was in command of a cavalry unit in the Canadian Army. I held the rank of field officer in the British Canadian Army. I was proud of my position. And there was an opportunity for me to become a general. I had taken all the examinations. I had the seniority. The one man between me and the office of general in the British Army became a casualty, and I received a telegram from London. It said: “Be in my office tomorrow morning at 10:00,” signed by General Turner."

"I went up to London. I walked smartly into the office of the general, and I saluted him smartly, and he gave me the same kind of a salute a senior officer usually gives—a sort of “Get out of the way, worm!” He said, “Sit down, Brown.” Then he said, “I’m sorry I cannot make the appointment. You are entitled to it. You have passed all the examinations. You have the seniority. You’ve been a good officer, but I can’t make the appointment. You are to return to Canada and become a training officer and a transport officer.” That for which I had been hoping and praying for 10 years suddenly slipped out of my fingers."

"Then he went into the other room to answer the telephone, and on his desk, I saw my personal history sheet. Right across the bottom of it was written, “THIS MAN IS A MORMON.” We were not very well liked in those days. When I saw that, I knew why I had not been appointed. He came back and said, “That’s all, Brown.” I saluted him again, but not quite as smartly, and went out."

"I got on the train and started back to my town, 120 miles away, with a broken heart, with bitterness in my soul. And every click of the wheels on the rails seemed to say, “You are a failure.” When I got to my tent, I was so bitter that I threw my cap on the cot. I clenched my fists, and I shook them at heaven. I said, “How could you do this to me, God? I have done everything I could do to measure up. There is nothing that I could have done—that I should have done—that I haven’t done. How could you do this to me?” I was as bitter as gall.
And then I heard a voice, and I recognized the tone of this voice. It was my own voice, and the voice said, “I am the gardener here. I know what I want you to do.” The bitterness went out of my soul, and I fell on my knees by the cot to ask forgiveness for my ungratefulness and my bitterness. While kneeling there I heard a song being sung in an adjoining tent. A number of Mormon boys met regularly every Tuesday night. I usually met with them. We would sit on the floor and have Mutual. As I was kneeling there, praying for forgiveness, I heard their singing:

“But if, by a still, small voice he calls
To paths that I do not know,
I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine:
I’ll go where you want me to go.”
(Hymns, no. 270)

"I arose from my knees a humble man. And now, almost 50 years later, I look up to Him and say, “Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for cutting me down, for loving me enough to hurt me.” I see now that it was wise that I should not become a general at that time, because if I had I would have been senior officer of all western Canada, with a lifelong, handsome salary, a place to live, and a pension, but I would have raised my six daughters and two sons in army barracks. They would no doubt have married out of the Church, and I think I would not have amounted to anything. I haven’t amounted to very much as it is, but I have done better than I would have done if the Lord had let me go the way I wanted to go."

"Many of you are going to have very difficult experiences: disappointment, heartbreak, bereavement, defeat. You are going to be tested and tried. I just want you to know that if you don’t get what you think you ought to get, remember, God is the gardener here. He knows what He wants you to be. Submit yourselves to His will. Be worthy of His blessings, and you will get His blessings."

We went hiking for P-day. It was the most gorgeous view I have seen so far!!! I love being outside more than anything  else. Going out and doing. I love the PHILIPPINES!!!

Mahal ko kayong lahat! (My Tagalog has gotten a lot better this week! Not perfect in understanding investigators, but I can have fluent conversations now!)

All my love!

Sister Porter

Magandang umaga! O gabi para sa inyo hehe 

It's been another week! It's starting to rain A TON here-- it just comes down in buckets. Even though I'm super lucky to have a drainage system in Baguio because the roads are still steep, the rain just flows down the road like a waterfall hahaha. I'll have photos next week.

Cultural Note for the Week: The native people that live here are called Igarots. They usually have pretty good English and Ilakano because they're all pretty old. They're aren't as many left of them anymore. But I'm pretty sure they are descendants of the Lamanites because they have colorful native clothing, dream catchers, and they worship the Great Spirit -- or something like it. I asked Sister Agner and the predominant Israel tribes here are Manasseh and Ephraim... pretty cool huh?

So this week I've had so so much rice. It's everywhere. No meal is complete without it and people think you're crazy if you don't eat a lot of it. One day I had to cook for my kabahay (roommates) and they are all Filipino so I had no idea hahaha. I ended up frying eggplant and rice, but my roommates weren't satisfied and bought a bunch of fresh fish instead haha.
So, we are struggling with investigators right now, but I know that the Spirit led us to the Buhawi family. Jonathon is 21 and was a member when he was 16 and lives with his girlfriend Grace and his little boy. They let us in and Grace started reading the Book of Mormon even though she is Catholic and doesn't understand it a whole lot -- there's street Tagalog and deep (malalim) Tagalog and it's hard to read deep literature most people don't understand it well. Bishop said we can help them get married and they are really excited. Jonathon left work just to listen to us. The Spirit was in our lesson and I hope we can get them to church because Grace and him have so much potential. I know it wasn't a coincidence that we met them.
I've been reading about Christ visiting the Nephites after His Resurrection. Seeing him descend out of heaven must have been the most incredible experience I can't even describe. He stayed with them when they asked Him to stay and he healed them all. I know that He feels the exact way about us -- His compassion is perfect and I know He will heal us. We just need to have faith and trust in His perfect timing. I know that is true. I know that He loves all of us. And if you read in 3 Nephi about His visit to the Nephites you will know that He is our Savior and Redeemer and will do anything for us. We just have to trust Him and keep moving forward and that faith will lead us to follow Him and repent everyday. That is how the Atonement will strengthen us and change us--- faith unto repentence and then making covenants with God to follow Him -- that is how we can become like Him and live together forever with our families. I just wish I could tell everyone about it -- it's an impossible concept to understand unless the Spirit tells you.
Mahal kita!!! Can't wait to Skype on Mother's Day! Minamahal ko ang lahat ng mga nanay at lahat ng mga ginagawa nila para sa amin! Magtiwala kayo sa Diyos! Trust in God! Trust that mangyayari ng mg himala! That miracles will happen!​

Lahat ng Aking Pagmamahal,
Sister Porter 

Mensan, meron lang tayong pananampalataya

Kumusta po kayong lahat! Magandang tagiinit! Happy summer! April is actually the hottest season in Luzon (north Philippines) so it's summer here! Even though I hear it snowed this week back home hahaha. It's killer hot in the lowlands but I'm just fine up in Baguio -- perfect temperature right now and rainy season (tagulan) doesn't start until June or July

This week we got to work with the youth and they came with us to hand out Book of Mormons to people on street! It was probably the best activity I've ever had. I was in charge (just me) of a group of 15 year old girls that were so excited to share the Book of Mormon and their Tagalog was perfect and mine was not so great haha. But they would run up to someone on the street or in a tindahan to share the gospel but then they would freeze because they were so nervous. So I got to help them share the Book of Mormon and show them to not be afraid to share. I thought it was hilarious that this Americana was showing all these native teenagers around and speaking for them hahaha. They all want to go on missions now! 

This week we met a less active 22 year-old named Jonathon. His family is active in another part of the Philippines but he had to leave his family to come here. We had no idea he was a member and he had never been on any of the less-active records we have seen. I hope that we were led to his house for a reason. It was amazing to meet him -- he had forgotten so much but is clearly looking for something missing that he once had.

Prayers for one of our investigators that wants to be baptized in June and has done everything she possibly can to change and align her will to God's will -- is being physically forced by her friends to do wrong. It hurts so bad that she is being hurt and Satan is trying to discourage her.

I learned a ton about faith and grace this week. I just want to accomplish so much and I feel like my skills are so inadequate and often I have no idea what to do.But I was reading in the Book of Mormon in Helaman about how despite trials, the Lamanites were FIRM and STEADFAST in the faith. It really stuck out to me although I've heard that phrase hundreds of times. 

Faith in the Bible Dictionary:

The Lord has revealed himself and His perfect character, possessing in their fulness all the attributes of love, knowledge, justice, mercy, unchangeableness, power, and every other, needful thing, so as to enable the mind of man to place confidence in Him WITHOUT RESERVATION. Strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Alma 32:21 -- faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore, if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.

We do not know our future or exactly what's going to happen in our lives. We may not understand why we are not like this or that, why something horrible is happening to us or others, why our expectations are not matching up to reality. But we can place our trust WITHOUT RESERVATION is someone that has our best interests in mind, someone who is PERFECT in all understanding, all knowledge, and has perfect love for us. Everything will work out for those who love God. 

Grace is divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we have faith in the Atonement, we will have help to do good works that we otherwise do not have the ability to do. It is a promise that all we have to do is ask Him and then proceed forward with faith. Things will work out even if things are hard now. By faith all miracles happen. Just keep acting and trying to follow the Spirit and I believe miracles will happen but sometimes we have to wait on the timing of our Father in Heaven/.

I love you all so much! Magkaroon tayong mas pananampalataya kay Cristo! Siya ay liwanag ng lahat ng mundo. The Savior is everything! I feel the prayers of you all!

All the love,

Sister Porter

Ang landas patungo sa kaligayahan -- Ang landas sa Simbahan

Kumusta po kayo Inyong lahat!!!!

This week was amazing-- it was like all of a sudden everything turned around and I really can't explain it. Sister Agner and I were on the same page -- we were both motivated to work so hard and talk to as many people as we could. We met so many incredible people and felt the Spirit so strongly in our lessons as we extended commitments and our testimonies that Jesus Christ and His gospel can change lives. We were just happy even though there were hard times too. We study Preach my Gospel everyday and apply it. Our mission has been struggling a bit so President Bangal came and told us to put our focus on the Book of Mormon. So that's what we did. Everyone we talked to-- we explained and testified that the Book of Mormon is another testament that Jesus Christ LIVES and LOVEs us so very much and is very much in all of our lives. We are flooding the earth with the Book of Mormon talaga! We start and end our day with the Book of Mormon -- and I know that that habit right there changes lives.

But that doesn't mean there aren't hard times. We have this incredible incredible investigator -- Sister Raquel. She is a true convert and living example that the gospel changes lives. She doesn't have a lot and her husband struggles to find work-- he is hardly ever home. But she told us that as she has studied the gospel and the Book of Mormon everyday that her perspective and her family life has completely changed. You see it in her eyes -- expecially this Sunday when all the members were helping her with her baby and her kids love primary. She shares her testimony often to us and is working on getting the courage to do it in front of the whole church. She is live Joseph Smith -- she talked to so many different religions but immediately recognized the Spirit when two girls met her on the street and she started listening to them in March. I wasn't there the first time Sister Agner met her but I was there the second visit. Jesus Christ is so merciful and so loving and I just love Sister Raquel so so much. She was going to get baptized next week but we learned that due to some marriage laws her she has to wait one more year. We all cried. Why did it have to happen now? As missionaries we were so disappointed that we had to wait. But her testimony didn't waver. She came to church with a smile on her face and said: ''Ang landas patungo sa kaligayahan -- Ang landas sa Simbahan'' -- The path to happiness is the path to church. It was incredible talaga. Pray for her! I hope to see her baptism in a year!

Sister Christine is the same way-- she has had the hardest life and cannot pay to go to church every time. She's waited a long time and knows this gospel is true and she wants to give everything to her kids. But she has to wait for her baptism too.

As missionaries -- it was so hard to see everything fall through --we were trying so hard to share the gospel, be bold and loving in sharing our testimonies -- why did this have to happen. But we decided this is a test of our faith -- that we will help our investigators and find more if we trust in God in His timing. He loves all of us and sometimes we just have to be patient. But there is a promise in Alma 26:27 to missionaries: "Now when our hearts were depressed and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, and bear with patiance thine afflictions and I will give unto you success." God will help me learn this language in His timing and help us find the people that need us.

Cultural Note: People burn their chickens ALIVE here. It was a little scary the first time I saw it happen to be honest.

Another Cultural Note: Older Sisters and Older Brothers get special respect here! Older sisters are always called Ate and Older Brothers Kuya.

A special Filipino treat that you can all make at home and think of me-- It's one of my FAVORITES -- they sell it on the street : Fry a banana and sprinkle brown sugar over it -- SOOO delicious. But the bananas here -- mga saging -- are way better here hahaha. 

Huwakan ang Inyong pagtitiwala sa Diyos

Happy belated Easter sa Inyong lahat!!!

Easter was pretty normal in the Philippines but getting to share the message that Christ lives and loves us makes every day special. Every day I get to remember that His work is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man and that through His Atonement, all of us can be completely healed -- Ipapagaling ni Jesus lahat ng mga pagsubok natin sa mundo, sometimes not in the way or timing that we want but He is the hope of us all -- Ang Ating Pagasang Walang Hanggan! Gusto ko na mapatotoo sa Inyo na nabuhay siya ulit at nadaig ang kamatayan. He lives and overcame death and is the light of the world -- Ang liwanag ng buong sanlibutan.

Dito sa Pilipinas, I expected that as a missionary somehow I would be different immediately, that somehow I would automatically know how to use my time most effectively, to talk to people and not be afraid, to not be afraid to stand up to other missionaries, and in discerning the needs of my investigators. I wish I was perfect in making and pushing myself in goals, never getting discouraged. Hahahaha I was so naive. Honestly, I've seen so many of my weaknesses and that my skills are not always enough for this job. But I want to become that missionary that can do these things, because it will help me bless others now and make a difference in the future. But it is completely impossible without Christ and the Spirit -- I need direction and strength from the Atonement to accomplish anything. 

How do we rely on the Atonement? Repentance and faith in Christ is key -- pagsisisi at pananampalataya. We have to keep pushing forward and making little changes in our lives little by little -- line upon line, precept upon precept. That's repentence -- it never comes overnight-- even though we wish that we could automatically change overnight. Everything is this world is a process -- whether we are studying or developing some talent or trying to overcome a bad habit or trying to improve in someway or another -- it's all repentence and conversion is no different. I hope that by the end of my mission I will know how to do these things much better. For now, I'm just going to implement Preach my Gospel in my life as best I can and trust God has a plan. I want to be the best missionary I can be even if right now my capacity isn't as large right now as I want it to be.I wish I could understand everyone, work as hard as I can, and be able to speak the way the Savior would.

But I remember one day in college when I decided to run 20 miles before I was in shape for it. I injured myself for months. We cannot run faster than we have strength, God increases our capacity as we push ourselves everyday.

Alma 37: 6-7 -- Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold i say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

It's so easy to get discouraged but we keep teaching people and hope that someday it will all work out!

Cultural note of the week: Easter week is holy week and everyone goes to the beach. It has something to do with healing. School is already out here!

Mahal ko kayo!!! Your prayers sustain me everyday!! And I know that Christ loves us so much no matter what! He will heal us and comfort us even though life is so hard! I have been completely blown away by how difficult life is for many of our investigators. One of my sisters, Sister Rowena, used to be well off with her first husband and went to college and everything, but when he died she was left with nothing. And she and her kids are living in poverty selling handmade clothes. I love her so much. She's so smart and reading the Book of Mormon and books of scripture because she is searching for the truth in her life. I hope she can feel the Spirit so she knows that through Christ and the Book of Mormon she will have the faith and comfort to endure.

Thank you for everything! Love you all!!!! Your emails make my week!! Thanks for making me feel part of your lives kahit na layo-layo ako mula sa inyo! I'm across the world but I still feel like I'm here for you!!

Kita kits tayo sa susunod linggo!

Sister Porter

Pagtitwala and Pananampalataya kay Cristo

Well, maraming natutonan ko ngayon lingo (I learned a lot this week)

My success of the week: My Tagalog has improved this week-- but it was truly the gift of tongues that helped me speak so much this week! Thank you Mom, your fast truly has helped. I have a lot of vocab to learn, and I don't understand everything, but I was able to answer the questions my investigators asked me this week! I know it isn't me though.. I recognize the gift of tongues during lessons. I say things in the lessons I couldn't outside of lessons. God is real!

I had to learn a lot of patience this week: Sometimes it's so easy to get frustrated when people don't want to read the Book of Mormon when you ask, or you get frustrated with yourself when your capabilities or time isn't exactly what you wish it was. But I have realized that everything is in the Lord's time and not mine. We can just love people no matter what and think about all the hardships in their lives. I know that I didn't understand just how important God's Plan was before I left on my mission, and it takes time to learn it. I just want to be an effective missionary but I know the Lord knows my heart and He knows yours too.

I just want you all to know that praying and reading the Book of Mormon is the only way you will know and understand what I am doing as a missionary. I promise that miracles come from it. 

Cultural Note of the Week:

Filipino Time is worse than Mormon standard time. People show up to things over an hour after the designated time. It's real. Also, People share everything here! So selfless it's seriously amazing!

Second Cultural Note of the Week: So a member fed me chicken liver and gizzard this week hahaha and it was definitely interesting. The fruits and veggies here are the best-- varieties you don't get anywhere else in the world. Singkamas are a sweet watery root I eat like an apple. It kinda looks like a turnip. Luzones are delicious! They look like big yellow grape bunches with hard skins. Camote is a sweet potato I eat all the time! It's a staple food for poorer Filipinos, and I just boil it and eat it all day hahaha.

Spiritual Note of the Week;

I loved a talk by L Whitney Clayton. I finally got to watch General Conference hahaha. It's in English and not many people understand but they love the feeling from watching it and there's a few small TVs with Tagalog subtitles, but they call it Deep Tagalog because street Tagalog is WAY different than written Tagalog or translated Tagalog. So it's still hard to understand haha. Plus people speak Ilakano here. Tagalog is like Swahili in Africa -- it's like a compromise language for the Philippines. You identify yourself by your language--- it's your people and your home. For example, my companion speaks Wari-Wari in Tacloban. But there are SO MANY dialects it's insane -- Bisaya, Elongo and Hiligaynon, Ilakano, Cebuano..... 

Anyway, He told the story of Jesus turning water into wine. Mary told the servants to do anything he asked. She had complete confidence that Jesus could solve any problem, even a simple one at a wedding feast/ She didn't ask specific questions of how things would turn out, she just had a simple trust in God. Simple acts of faith and belief in the Savior will turn into miracles --- just showing God you are willing to do what he asks even if you don't understand how things will turn out. Ating pagkilos ng pananampalataya at paniniwala sa Tagapagliktas natin ay magiging mga himala sa ating buhay. Right now I'm not sure how to help my investigators perfectly understand, or how my mission will turn out in the end. But I know that if I'm obedient and just trust in Him everything will turn out right in the end. Kung akoy magiging masurunin at magtitiwala sa Kanya! You will become what God knows you can become. Little things we do turn out to bring miracles or big consequences that may seem unrelated. Magtiwala kayo sa Diyos! We can trust in God!!!! And we should love others and see their potential just like Jesus did to everyone he saw. He never turned away in disgust or frustration. He just LOVED them, and he does the same for us.

LOVE YOU ALL! Your prayers for my health, and for the people I meet are so so appreciated! I felt the miracles from it this week!

Sister Porter

Just BELIEVE!!

Nainbug nga aldaw!!! (Ilakano for Beautiful Morning!)

Maraming maraming salamat for everyone's prayers and emails this week!!!! They seriously help me so much knowing how much you believe in me and have faith that I can do this!!!! I love you all!!! 

So, what happened this week? Haha funny story I had my first exchanges!!!!! One was with my kabahay (roommate) Sister Condie. Americana siya. I was supposed to lead my area (what?!?!?! I was scared haha to be honest) and of course I got a little lost. At one point we were on this dirt road -- no one else on the street. Then this teenager just walks by and starts singing a song by Ed Sheeran at the top of his lungs. After he left we burst out laughing. Two Americans speaking Tagalog on the top of this mountain in the Philippines and a boy is singing Ed Sheeran. Bizarre hahaha. Earlier today we chased down this jeepney because meron ang vendor selling lumpia (like a veggie egg roll but way better). 

I met this sweet recent convert tatay this week. He only speaks Ilakano but when I spoke in Tagalog about serving God and showing our love for Him because He loves us-- he told me he understood perfectly!! I was so excited! A miracle talaga. He said my accent is pretty good for an American haha. Although I have a really hard time speaking my mind still and understanding what others are saying, miracles do happen!!!

So, I just want a shoutout to all the nanays everywhere! (mothers) All my investigators are mothers who tell me that all they want is the best for their kids and they want to help them be the happiest they can be in this life and the next. Mothers are so so so so Christlike and have so much faith!!!!!!!!!!! Reminds me of all the mothers in my life back home (Especially my own mom). I just love them with all my heart and I know that's how our Heavenly Father feels about them too. Most of these mothers I have talked to have had the hardest lives EVER!! Oh my gosh I cried when I saw the circumstances of one of these mothers. I won't say it here because it might be too sensitive. But she has the strongest faith I have ever seen. Another mother Sister Raquel reminds me of Joseph Smith. All she wants is to love her kids and to know God. She's talked with maraming religions and even though all the missionaries of other faiths are really professional looking, richer, and older (like in their 30s and 40s), she chose to listen to two girls (one who can't even speak much) because she is sooooo in tune with the Holy Ghost. I just love her to death. 

There are so many people in my area and it's so frustrating when people don't want to listen or I feel like I can't talk to that many people. I want to learn this language and help as many people as I can. But I'm so weak and for sure an unprofitable servant. So many things come up that are not in my control and it's so frustrating. But I'm so so grateful to be a missionary. I just have to trust that God makes up for what I can't do. I have had to learn a lot of patience in the last month with others and myself. Someday I hope I can get this language hahaha. I want to so bad.

Ether 12:4 -- Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with a surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

Just believe! We can't see how things will work out! But someday it will! Good always wins because God always wins in the end and so will we because He shapes us into what we can be everyday if our desires are there and we try to be better everyday. That is repentence. Repentance is being better everyday and becoming more like Him, not just forgiveness. If we think this we will always want to keep doing good works!!

So, I met Sister Walters this week and we talked a lot. She has a blog you all like a lot right?? She is so good at the language, super sweet, and she gave me lots of jumprope workouts that are killer!!! I've struggled with finding ways to exercise because I love it so much but you can't really run in Baguio City (too dangerous with traffic) and I found some really intense workouts! I love them!

Photos:

Views of my area tapos a picture with my new favorite kids in the whole wide world! They found me and just swarmed me and I love them! They took me to her mom who had been given a book of Mormon when she was 9 years old by a missionary! Newest investigator! 

Mahal ko kayong lahat talaga! Maraming salamat ulit para sa inyong mga prayers!!!!!! Know that I love you all!!!

Sister Porter