Work, work, work 6/25/10

CRAZY week here at Temple Square! My new companion is ..... da da da.... Sister Lautaha! hah yes yes we are companions again for this next transfer. I'm not sure how thrilled she was to be with me again (weird little blonde person) but I am thrilled to work with her again! It was super nice because we didn't have to move apartments or readjust or anything. With all the changes in the mission there was a ton of office work to do amid trying to reorganize in the RC. We realized we needed to De "clutter" the RC so we moved some stuff around and simplified everything and it looks GREAT! So.. we are pretty happy. We had to move a table with 2 computers on it from one wall to the other and move some file cabinets. My companion and a few others were moving the files so I went to work with the computers. I guess I did it pretty fast because they were all just dieing laughing because they turned around and I was already connecting cords and finishing up... and had a huge grin on my face.. technician Sister Porter comes out.. hah.

Summer is wonderful here though and it is so amazing to see all of the sisters working so hard and being so selfless. Often sisters are asked to sacrifice a part of their lunches or dinners to take tour with big or small groups and I am always impressed how they never hesitate. We are here to serve our guests and to bring them closer to the Savior, 1st and foremost! We had a meeting with President and he told us that he has 2 goals for this mission 1- To become the most obedient mission in the world, and 2. To become the most hard-working mission in the world. I was so excited because I know that this is the track that we are on and all of the sisters want it, so YESSSSS.

We took a unique group on a tour a few days ago. It was a group of 45 Philippine people from California. We began in the Tabernacle where we shared the History and the Restoration very briefly. As we exited the tabernacle about 15 people walked away from the tour. As we shared about the Temple and the purpose of temples a few more walked away. We ended in the Assembly Hall with about 25 people when we shared about the Book of Mormon and invited them to learn more. Of all those people only 2 of them referred to learn more. At the end we were discussing and actually thought it was very symbolic, because as missionaries we are sifting through the world to find the elect. The people who left obviously were not prepared to feel the spirit at this time. And we wouldn't waste our time trying to convince them. But those who stayed to the end were very receptive and were touched. The 2 who referred were the most important and we were so happy we could find them!! I'm am grateful that we do not hide behind our message using the "history" but we boldy share that Jesus is the Christ and Joseph Smith restored His church! This is not a visitor center mission... it is a PREACH MY GOSPEL MISSION. mmmm hmmm.

I love this Gospel and I couldn't be more excited to have the opportunity of sharing it every day. I know that it is a very unique time given to me by the Lord and is changing everything about who I am and what I want to become!

love you all- Have a wonderful week!

Glory in the Lord 6/18/10

Another wonderful week of bi-polar weather in Utah! hah the work is good though of course and we are just loving every minute of it. Transfer conference is on Monday already and I cannot believe it!! I would LOVE to stay with my companion another transfer but most likely we will be changed. With the assignment of RCD usually another sister will be put with me so I can train her for the next sister so that the leadership continues down.. but who knows. There is a slim possibility that they could send me outbound to another state, but I'm guessing probably not. So... we will see!

I just wanted to share a few thoughts from Alma 17. I was studying this chapter this week and just felt a flood of the Spirit as I thought about missionary work right now and also thousands of years ago. I love the sons of Mosiah , "for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God". After having refused the kindom from their father they departed to, " Preach the word of God to a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people; a people who delighted in murdering the nephites, and robbing and plundering them". How would you like to take on the Lamanites? I just read that and thought what in the world are we ever complaining about?! The people all around us who I am pretty sure are not murderers NEED to hear the Gospel. BUT they did not depend upon themselves but they "fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God". The following chapters we hear of their trials and success for 14 years of preaching among the Lamanites. What better example of missionary work??? 14 years! Then my one of my most favorite verses, "Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel" (Alma 26:16).

During these last 9 months on my mission I can truly say that this is how I have felt. I haven't met murderers but I have met people that were very hard and perhaps ferocious. I have seen the light of the Gospel touch their hearts and have felt this exceedingly great joy. If you have not felt this joy in your life then something is wrong! The Lord commands us to share the Gospel. I know that every one of you have someone you know who is not a member or who is in-active. So.. reach out to them!!! Act as the Savior would and INVITE them to come closer to HIM. I know that as you do, you will feel a great peace, comfort, and JOY in your life. Heavenly Father will pour out his blessings and you WILL BE HAPPY.

With Love- Sister Porter

T2 6/11/10

How is it already Friday again?! Time is flying by, I can't believe it! Transfers for us are a week and a half away, crazy! Well this last Tuesday we had another RC pump up day and it went really well. We did it a little bit different this time as we were less "logistical" and more spiritual. We spent the first 10 minutes of the hour sharing our personal testimonies of the Atonement and how we should use it in the RC. We has 6 groups throughout the day and each time we shared it was a little bit different. Really cool to see how the spirit helped us to know what the sisters needed to hear! We still had slips of paper with a question they had to use and because of that had some amazing miracles! I called a girl in Texas and my question was "how can you come to know that Joseph Smith was a prophet?" I wasn't sure what her reaction was but she replied, "I guess I better read and pray about the Book of Mormon again!". Really. cool. The overall attitude in the RC has changed and sisters are a little bit more excited. I still am not satisfied with the result so we will keep working. The problem is that a lot of the sisters are SOOOO nervous to make calls! If they are nervous than they have a hard time following the spirit and teaching by the spirit.. so we will keep working on it. I feel so blessed to have always had such a love for the RC. I Love going in there and not knowing who I will talk to or what will happen, it's just pretty sweet.

Yesterday evening we were making calls and I was getting a little sleepy because no one was answering. I finally got a hold of this woman Sandra from CA. She had requested to receive "Finding Faith in Christ" so I was calling to make sure she received it. As we talked I learned that she ordered it a year ago and hadn't heard from anyone since then. I began teaching her about the Savior and the Restoration. We had THE BEST discussion and got to know each other really well. After sharing the restoration I asked "So Sandra what do you think? How does it make you feel to know that God has called a Prophet again in these days" and she replied "This is exactly what I have been looking for! Thank you!" She got a little emotional and said that she never answers her phone anymore but for some reason answered. Sooooo.. the missionaries will be visiting her soon with the Book of Mormon, and I told her I would call in a few weeks to make sure they found her.. HAPPY!

We also spent a lot of time on the Square this week! We usually have about 3-4 hours a day which is really good. There are sooooo many people here it is crazy! The new Temple display has caused a lot of traffic which we love. We had two older couples here yesterday from CA and they had watched all of the movies (Joseph Smith, Legacy, and Testaments) and were on their way to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearsal. You could see how they were just basking in the spirit and wanted to learn more. BUT... they didn't refer??? Now.. how does that happen! One of the women asked me "Now how do I get me one of those Book of Mormon's" I said "Here! Have mine!!" I think she would have taken it... hah but they just refused to have missionaries come and share more in their homes. BUT it's okay because we know that people have their agencies and that just coming to Temple Square is a million steps in front of where they left off.

I love this work! I love the Gospel! I am continually trying to strengthen my faith so I will be a more powerful instrument in the Lord's hands!

"And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me". - Moroni 7:33

LOVES- Sister Carly Jo Porter

Urgency 6/4/10

It's finally warm here and I LOVE it! I never ever thought that summer would be here, but it's here! This last week was wonderful. My companion and I have been working on clarity and brevity in our teaching and I think I will transfer that skill to my emailing as well :)

So after noticing some issues the sisters were having with being productive in the RC my companion and I decided that we needed to have a RC Pump Up Day! So yesterday for 7 hours we had hour long shifts when the sister's would come in, we would motivate them and remind them of their purpose, and then they went to work. We saw so many miracles! We gave them little slips of paper so when they were talking they had to figure out how to ask questions.. for example "How does reading the bible bring you closer to Jesus Christ". Or questions like this one, and then bridge it to the restoration. We saw so many miracles! President Holmes stayed the entire time with us to visit with the sisters and also to make some calls. My companion and I were exhausted by the end but it was so worth it! Oh and we get to do it all over again next Tuesday with the rest of the Sisters :)

A few nights ago we had a tour with 14 people from all parts of the country. They were part of a tour group going cross country. I just loved being able to visit with them and to share the restoration so simply. Again I was hit with a sense of the LOVE our Heavenly Father has for all of his children. I felt a bit of urgency when inviting them to learn more, this could be the only opportunity in this life that they have to accept the truth! When you feel that much love it breaks your heart when they don't accept, but the JOY felt when they do accept is incredible! 6 of those people wanted to learn more about the Book of Mormon.. happy day.

I know the church is true! I am trying my hardest every day to be the daughter of God that my Heavenly Father wants me to be. I know that we are never done growing or progressing spiritually, how incredible is that? I LOVE this time I have to focus on the Christlike attributes and hopefully overcome some weaknesses that I have. I LOVE this work!

I hope that everyone had fun at beautiful Tara and Zachs' wedding yesterday! I had a prayer in my heart all day that everything would go well and that they would feel loved! Which... as far as I have heard they did. When I was walking home at night I was pondering about the reception, wedding, everything I was "missing" and I thought I would suddenly be sad... what was incredible was that I just felt an outpouring of gratitude for my family and for this time on my mission. While it was sad that I couldn't be there, I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world!

Love you all! Have a beautiful week and find someone to share the Gospel with!! k? k!
-Sister Carly Jo Porter