Changes - 1/12/10

Hi family, friends, everyone I love!

Life here on Temple Square is so wonderful! I had many many changes this last week with a new transfer, new assignment, new apartment, and of course my new sweet companion! You guessed it.... she is straight from Japan! She spent 10 weeks in the MTC learning English and then came straight to Temple Square. I can't decide if she is lucky or not to have me as her trainer... haha. So far we are having a ton of fun together though!

So training is an interesting experience. I have to be very cautious of my example I am setting because she follows everything I do. Training on TMSQ is difficult because there is so much to learn here. We must learn how to represent the church perfectly as we meet many many people here everyday from all over the world. Within a few short minutes we contact, get to know them, discern what the need by the spirit, and meet their needs! There are a lot of skills that we develop on how to teach people here.

So my challenge with my new companion is that she know's very very little English. She understands about 30% of what is going on when talking to people. I will look at her to say something and her face will just be blank. Our first day together we were in a meeting and someone asked her a question and she just started crying because she couldn't find any words to answer. I was so sad for her!!! SO we are having English lesson's 24/7 :) Who knew that my months spent in China teaching would come in handy on my mission! She is learning very quickly though. She is so determined and is constantly learning new words and trying new things.

On Sunday night I had a mini break down. I was feeling a lot of pressure and was just wondering if I was capable of teaching this sweet new sister. Training is a huge responsibility because it set's the tone for the new sister's whole mission. I just want to make sure I teach her well and help her to love her mission! The English barrier has made it very difficult for us to communicate at times. That evening as I prayed I just prayed that Heavenly Father would give to me the strength, love, power, and compassion that I need to accomplish this calling. At this moment I felt such a complete need for my Savior like I never have before. I knew that without him, it would not be possible for me to accomplish what I wanted. I just prayed and prayed that my faith could be strong enough to carry on and be the example I needed to be!!

Well the next day I had some wonderful experiences. Yesterday morning I was studying in Moses 6 about Enoch. When the Lord called Enoch to teach the people and command them to repent Enoch doubted and asked the Lord why he had been chosen. The Lord responded and told him to GO and DO the things he has commanded him! The Lord promised that he would be with him, that he was chosen, and that his mouth would be filled. I know that I am a weak servant of the Lord, but like Enoch i received strength from the Lord that I can do the thing's he has commanded me to do. If I have fear, doubt, or concern, I would not be able to accomplish these things! Yesterday evening we went up to the Christus and began talking with a woman who was sitting and pondering there. I started talking and getting to know her and was having a good conversation. She drives trucks for a living and comes to TMSQ every monday because that is her day off. It is a place that she comes to find peace and refuge. I had the sudden thought to look at my companion so she could talk so I looked at her and the words just spilled out of her mouth. It was the cutest thing ever, AND she had a scripture in mind that she shared with the woman. This same situation happened a few more times yesterday when the spirit prompted me to look at my companion so she could speak, and she was alway's ready with something to say! Miracle!!

My companion is amazing! She is so humble, patient, and loving. Everytime we pray together she alway's say's, "I grateful for my companion Sister Porter, please bless her always". Even though we don't alway's understand each other, we truly do love each other and support each other as missionaries called of God.

I will continue to forget about myself and give everything to her as I try to make her first transfer the best!I love the Lord and that he is kind enough to bless us with tender mercies each day! Remember that FAITH is the opposite of FEAR. When we fear it lower's our abililty to be an instrument in the Lord's hands.

Have a wonderful week!

With Love always- Sister Porter

A little more! Jan. 4, 2010

So I forgot to tell you that we had a talent show on New Year's day! it was so fun and all of the sister's that performed did GREAT! I got to play the piano, of course I played my short and fast Gershwin song and everyone loved it. I guess it was really funny because I just pranced up there and played it so fast then pranced off and they all thought it was just the funniest thing because I made it seem like NO big deal at all, which it wasn't, haha.

Also one quick experience. Yesterday evening we took a father and daughter around and also his sister. We loved visiting with them and sharing with them so much about the Gospel. He especially LOVED hearing about the Book of Mormon and thought it was so amazing. Then when we took them outside and taught about the Temple they all just were so amazed and completely agreed with everything. The daughter is a college student and she loved the Temple and hearing that her family could be together forever, she just said that it makes so much sense. At the end of our time with them ALL 3 referred to learn more once they get back home, they all live in difference states. This is a pretty simple example but it is so so so amazing how the Lord send's people here who are prepared to learn more about the Gospel.

We have 8 Japanese sister's coming here on Wednesday, 2 from India, 1 from Pakistan, 1 from China, 3 from Spain, and about 10 from other countries. The Lord must be preparing people in those countries to come to Temple Square sometime soon. So wonderful! I LOVE this work! Today has been crazy trying to get everything moved. We were in the middle of moving when my companion got a page for a VIP Korean tour. We had to run to the Square to take this tour and there were 2 Ambassador's that came from North Korea. It was amazing! They both loved the tour... NORTH KOREA!! So... it was pretty sweet.

Love you all! Happy 2010!

-Sister CJ Porter

scripture of the week Mormon 9:15-20 - God of Miracles

Transfer day and fun changes!!! - Jan. 2010

Oh I am freaking out right now! So we had TRANSFERS this morning. Such an exciting morning and all of the sister's are so funny all freaking out when they find out their new assignments and new companions. Some sister's crying and screaming... haha soooooo funny. Sister Kim is going outbound to the Las Vegas, Nevada mission! She is very excited! There are 20 sister's leaving. The biggest news though is that I'M TRAINING! hahaah ya! We are getting new sister's straight from the MTC and I get to train one of them. woo hoo! Sister Katterfeld is training to, so we were freaking out together. It's only my 3rd transfer.... pa haha. I am so excited though to get a new sister. There is one coming from mainland China and a few from Japan... so who knows?

Everything else is going great! I don't have too much time to email because I have to go home and move apartments again back to the old building I was in first. I am so excited for this new transfer and new everything. I am in North Zone now so I get to spend a lot of time in that area which will be great. OH my p-day is now on Tuesday's, so next week I will be emailing on Tuesday, K?It sounds like New Year's was so fun! I am glad that everyone came over and had fun together. Of course you made waffles and had a party... of course.

Oh I miss you guys and home and everything! But, I'm not homesick at all, my mission is so much fun! Oh mom I didn't get the other package yet, probably today I will. But I did get the poster and it is beautiful! It is amazing and it made me cry when I opened it. What a beautiful amazing wonderful family we have! We are so blessed in so many wonderful ways thanks mom dad and tara for the emails! So uplifting and wonderful to hear about the news from home. Tara and Catie on a double date! Whew! that would be a riot... wow I can't believe Catie is dating. Thank you Catie for the letter, I LOVED it so much! You are beautiful and wonderful. Tara I love that you and Zach are dating.. so great so great so great.

John and Brandon Hopkins came to the square yesterday. It was so good to see them, haha I was just laughing when I saw them. they had been looking everywhere for me. John was so funny telling me how I just had the "missionary glow" it was fun to see them!

Sorry this letter is so random, I am just trying to hurry and remember what else I need to say because we have to go. Oh Sister Kim is great mom. We really do LOVe each other so much. I have been very very blessed to have her as my companion, I learned so much from her. OH and my headaches are not too bad. I get them once in a while for a day or 2. I am going to buy more herbs at whole foods today so hopefully they will go away soon.

Love you guys so much!

Thank you in advance for the package and letter, you are the best in the whole world! Tell Rob hi for me and everyone else. I don't have time to write another email for everyone so maybe you can put part of this on the blog? Anyway, have fun in Disneyland. Ride space mountain like 6 times for me.

Loves - Sis. Porter

Jelly beans and Advil

Story time.

Yesterday I had advil liquid pills in one of my pockets because I had been getting headaches so they were there ready for me to take. I had jelly beans in my other pocket... just because. So I'm walking to the Square in the evening and I popped a few jelly beans in my mouth and bit down and POP ... BURST sick acid yucky into my mouth. I just started screaming and freaking out trying to get it out of my mouth. My mouth went numb and my eyes all watery. Sickest thing of my life. Seriously.. don't mix jelly beans and advil.

This last week was wonderful! On Christmas Eve we were able to have a big dinner and then do some service for the Humanitarian center and just enjoy our time together. The mission prepared wonderful gifts for each of the sisters which included really nice books about Temple Squaure and the Tabernacle. That was a pretty big deal to us since our missionary library is so limited.

Christmas day was wonderful! We didn't have to be to the square until noon so I was able to call my family in the morning and visit with all of them. I was very proud of myself for not getting emotional until the very end:) (shee forgot she actually started crying right at first - hahaha) It was so good to talk to everyone and let them know on the phone how much I am learning and growing on my mission! At night we had a wonderful Christmas program and all of the sister's participated. I was the pianist so I had fun arrangeing Christmas Carols and making them sound pretty :) Everyone had a great time, it was a wonderful Christmas! Probably my best so far!

Yesterday we had the opportunity to go to a family ward nearby. We got there and it turned out that WE were the program for Sacrament meeting! We hadn't planned anything. So the 6 of us each spoke for about 5 minutes about Joseph Smith and missionary work and it turned out to be amazing! The spirit was so strong and we loved sharing out testimonies with them! The ward was very grateful for the time we spent there. It was wonderful!

Everything is going well! Next monday is transfer day so I will find out who my new companion will be and a lot of changes will be happening... very exciting. This mission is always changing.We just came from doing a session in the temple and it was so uplifting. I encourage you all to go to the Temple whenever possible! Don't keep putting it off. It is the house of the Lord and we are so blessed to have the opportunity to go! I know that the Lord could not be happier with us when we give just a small part of our time to him and do service for those who can't do it for themselves! I always feel the presence of those people there with me in the temple... it's magnificent.

love you all- HAPPY NEW YEAR

loves- Sister Carly Jo Porter

I LOVE MY MISSION - Dec. 14 2009

hey everyone!
This week was so wonderful! I LOVE this season here at Temple Square. We work so hard all day every day and when I get home at night I just fall on my bed. It's great though! My companion thinks that I am funny because she says I am so "busy" I am always doing something like cleaning or cooking or writing in my journal, she said I should be resting when I have extra time, but there is not time for rest!
This week we had zone conference and it was wonderful. It was focused on the birth, life, and atonement of Jesus Christ. I felt the spirit so strongly during the entire meeting and once again was full of gratitude for his life and everything that he has done for us! I especially loved thinking about Mary and Joseph and their special roles as the father and mother of Jesus. When Mary heard of her calling she simply replied, be it according to thy will. She trusted in the Lord completely even with the knowledge that she could be stoned to death. Amazing right? During the Angels visitations to both of them, he told them to "fear not" even though they had all reason in the world to fear! But as we know, if they had fear, there could be no faith. Love it!
We met many amazing people this week. We took a tour with a man from California yesterday and he was so funny and great. He loved that we wanted to show him everything and teach him about the church. He had TONS of good honest questions and his insights on the Gospel and especially the New Testament were all really good. We could tell that he was moved and touched by the spirit but... he didn't refer at the end. We invited him to hear from missionaries in his area but he wouldn't take it. SO sad! Sister Kim and I just walked away with our heads down trying to think what we did or said that we could have done better. BUT then I realized that we did all that we could have done! The spirit was there, we taught testified and invited, but in the end these people have their own agency. So we pray that in the future he will do something about the spirit he felt while he was here!
I am not sure what our plans are for Christmas yet, but I do know that Presidant is planning something fun! The Square closes Christmas eve night at 6PM as well as on Christmas day. I do know that Christmas night we are doing a wonderful christmas program in the Joseph Smith Memorial building and I get to arrange some hymns to play at it! I don't really have time to practice, but I will make it work out. I hope that everyone is doing well.
Please please please don't let gifts and business distract you from the peace of this season! This is a wonderful time for us to spend with family and friends and share with them the love that we have for each other! There is war raging all across the world and there are many people without food or homes. So be grateful for what you have been given, especially the Gospel and the knowledge of the true meaning of Christmas. We are so extremely blessed to know what we know!
I LOVE MY MISSION! I never know what the next day is going to bring, but I study and prepare myself everyday so that the Lord can use me to bring about miracles here on Temple Square.
Merry almost Christmas!
With love- Sister Carly Jo Porter