184 missionaries = fun! 8/20/10

Well hello hello everyone

This week was just wondrous of course. The weather is starting to get a little bit cooler which I have mixed feelings about. Summer has gone by WAY faster than I had expected it to. Fall will be beautiful here at Temple Square though or wherever I get sent to... Alaska? This last week we had another wonderful training from our mission president. He is SO inspired and knows exactly what the Lord wants for the sisters at this mission. We are SO HARDWORKING here you would not believe it! I am so impressed that all 184 sisters are willing to adapt, improve, and work work work. There is never any drama like you would imagine or negativity. The spirit is always so strong and we all just LOVE each other. Funniest part of the week was when we had our new clothing guidelines meeting. We were informed that we now have a much broader variety of clothing! The shouting and screaming in that room was hysterical. I am just excited that we get to look a little bit more normal..... we are not 'sisters' we are 'SISTERS'!... From Mama Holmes (mission presidents wife).

Yesterday we were heading to lunch in the Church office building and we were stopped by a security office who said "Sisters I'm going to have you wait there for just a moment" we were directly in front of a sliding door that went into a parking garage. Just a few moments later we stood in awe as the first presidency and then the quorum of the twelve apostles walked by... ALL OF THEM! My companion and I were just hitting each other and trying not to freak out. It was the coolest thing ever! They had just left the Temple and were heading back to the administration building. Then just a few moments later I was blessed to have lunch with my Grandmama and Grandpa Butterfield! It was so fun to spend some time with them. They are both serving service missions here and I love hearing about the work that they are doing as well. How funny that we are serving at the same place?

Miracle of the week would be a tour we took of 20 Asians from California. They were so open, receptive, and asked many questions. A mother and her 12 yr old son Nick were especially interested. Nick would walk next to me in between stops and ask lots of questions and then listen very intently! He told his mom "I want to read that Book of Mormon!" They were so cute and so prepared to hear the Gospel.

I hope you are all doing well at home. I pray that the members of the church can get over their fears of sharing the Gospel and OPEN THEIR MOUTHS more often. I know its hard... but so what!!

love- Sister Carly Jo Porter

"He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation." (2 Nephi 26:24)