FORGET MYSELF.......BUT NOT COMPLETELY

Oi oi oi! Thank you so much mom for the package!! 

My companion cried....a ton...you have no idea how much that meant to her.  

J.and B., thank you so much for your letters! I hope to be the kind of missionary you are.

Funny things about Brazil:

-The elders talked to a woman about her baptism in the Evangelica Igreja and she said that they didn't have any water, so they used Guarana.....soda...hahaha

- It is way awkward with the culture of kissing cheeks because the men don't understand that us sisters can't.....yes......men try....and I freak out every time.

- My companion is always telling me that the dogs here literally bite people and sometimes kill. Ya, kinda thought that was silly. But we were walking to an appointment and my companion says "Sister! Coacher!  (dog)" and I thought psssh yeah right,..he wont do anything. Ummm ya he started charging at us!! I was dying! So ya a dog tried to attack us.

-I don't know if I ever talked about this, but we do not knock on doors, we clap.

Wow. I don't even know where to begin on what happened this week.

On Monday, sooo many doctors were calling me to find out what's wrong. They were investigating the cause of my sickness. I felt really grateful that people really care so much about missionaries. I learned sooo much this week through this struggle of being sick on the mission. If you know me well, you would know that this mission means everything to me and that I am here to sincerely work my hardest. Being sick, not able to focus because of migraines, feeling like I'm going to pass out in the street, and being in constant pain is not the funnest thing as a missionary who wants to work. This has seriously been the hardest thing ever. But, I was reading in Mosiah, and of course Heavenly Father told me what to do. He is so good to me. Mosiah 4:27. I read this scripture during personal study and almost started laughing because it was so funny how immediate He answered my questions. It talks all about not running faster than we have strength. I learned that stopping to take care of ourselves is a necessary. Even though I want to work, work, and work, my body has limits. Working through a sickness was not a good idea. But I took rests and learned from this experience that I can forget myself and go to work without completely forgetting myself haha. But what really was the highlight of my week was interviews with Presidente P.. Wow. Changed my life. He told me so many things that blew my mind. I believe he will be an apostle someday. The spirit beams out of his face. He told me so directly that he knows how I feel, knows what this time means to me, knows what kind of a missionary I will be, that my Portuguese is a miracle, that he can see the gift of tongues moving really fast in me, and told me that this trial of being sick will make me so much stronger. He gave me a blessing, but half way through, he started speaking English. The spirit was so powerful and was exactly what I needed to hear. The priesthood is real. He also gave me a hug. Which I thought wasn't allowed haha but gave me so much comfort. I learned so much from him.

This week we worked a lot with less active members who haven't come to church in years. We visited a man named M., and he was so happy we came to visit him, it was so touching. He said he judged the church when he became inactive because no one came to visit him, but said he repented when we visited him. The entire lesson the spirit was so strong. I literally could hear His voice whispering sentences and words to say in my mind. It was crazy. I have no doubt that the gift of tongues is real. I feel the spirit literally speaking through me every day. It is the most amazing feeling.

Saturday was Festa Junina!!! Brazil celebrates Festa Junina every year around June/July. 

It is so fun!! They all dress up like cowboys, dance, eat, and celebrate their culture. I was dying at how fun it was! 


Brazil is seriously the perfect place for me. I love the members here and the culture is awesome. But the best part about the Festa, was that we had 1 investigator, 7 less actives, and received 1 more investigator. Amazing. 

This week was a miracle. I still am getting over my illness, but feel sooo much better. I had the flu and major migraines and they never stop. But my companion and Sister P. are amazing and have been helping me so much. I feel so blessed.

This mission is amazing. I want to live here forever with these people. They have touched my life in ways I never thought possible. I will never be the same. I know this is the church of Jesus Christ. He is real. He loves you and is aware of you. He knows what things you need to go through. Stay Strong!!! Eu amo voces com tudo meu coracao!! Beijos!! (translate: I love you with all my heart!! Kisses!!)

Sister Porter

Threw away my flashcards from the Missionary Training Center...hahah

Eu e minha companheira (translation: Me and my companion)

M. B.(pesquisador) e seus netos (M. B. and her grandchildren)

Festa Junina na capela (translation: Saints Feast in the chapel)

 

 

DON'T EVER PASS BY

My view every morning

DON'T EVER PASS BY

This mission continues to be the absolute best. I LOVE Brazil. I am truly meant to be here. Sure the mission has its ups and downs, but I wouldn't want to be in any other place on Earth. This week was not the funnest. I have been really sick all week and tried to figure out what was wrong with me. This week was so hard on me. Wanting to work and teach, but not being physically able to is the hardest thing ever. But I have learned a lot and the Doctors here are amazing. So I will be alright. No worries mommy, I will be ok ;)

But this week we had an amazing lesson with a less active member, M. He has been out of the church for awhile and we felt we needed to visit him. He was so happy that we came. He told us that he thought the church forgot about him because no one came to visit him when he left and the missionaries would always pass by him without saying anything. This taught me that as missionaries we really do need to talk to everyone, because who knows who is sincerely searching. He will for sure come back to church. I am so grateful for the spirit because the only reason why people want to return to the church is because they cannot deny the spirit of Peace they feel in the church.

A ton of things happen in a week and I can hardly remember what happened yesterday. The life of a missionary is crazy. But it is amazing. This week wasn't the most productive with me being really sick, but I know that this is a time that the Lord is testing me. He Always allows us to have difficulties to make us stronger and to help us become what he wants us to be. I am so grateful for the trials I have in my life. This mission has already changed me forever. The people, the culture, the church here, everything!! And it is all possible through Christ. Some of the people here I truly feel I met them before this life and I cannot imagine my life without knowing them or meeting them here. Their example has touched my heart and changed me forever. Sometimes it is hard when I cannot fully express my love for them with words. But my Heavenly Father always helps me. I have never felt so close to him or my Savior. The gift of tongues is REAL. I literally cannot speak to these people without the spirit. The power of the spirit is the real life changer. I feel so honored and blessed to have this time to be an instrument in Gods hands here in Brazil. I am so grateful for this time I have to give my all to my Hero and Master, Jesus Christ. I know this is HIS work! I love you all and hope you continue to remember him Always. Beijos!

Sister Alena Porter

I made my Grandmas coconut cookies for my companions year mark!! SO yummy!

The elders came over to fix my bed...it was so funny.

I took a picture of the typical meat I eat everyday for my daddy. hahah I cried with joy! (pork, steak, chicken, sausage)

SPLITS, SICKNESS, SPIRIT & STRENGTH

Olá minha família e amigos! Eu amo vocês muito :) Muito Obrigada pelas muitas cartas (google translate ~ Hello my family and friends ! I love you very much :) Thanks for the many letters) .I will try to reply to all of you when I can. Okie? Dont even know where to start. This week I learned a ton.

First off, can I just say that this mission is absolutely perfect? I seriously have a firm testimony that Heavenly Father literally calls his children to the exact place he knows they will serve the best. I truly feel like Brazilians are my people. I absolutely love everything about Brazil. I feel so blessed.

We had divisions with the sister training leaders this week and I got the Brazilian..yay :) She doesn't speak English at all and has a very thick Northern Brazil accent. So I was kinda worried what would happen with us being that I am new. But I suprisingly understood and talked to her the entire day. And man, it was an amazing day! I learned so much from her! It was hilarious teaching her English during my language study. Brazilians have a hard time with "th" and "K" at the end of words haha. We made many contacts in the street and the lessons were so amazing. The spirit was so Strong all day. It was an amazing experience I will never forget. She is the perfect example of teaching and working with love.

Our investigator, J. is praying for a baptismal date and told us she is fasting to know which day. and we didnt teach her about fasting....she learned it from church! I love how the ready and willing people are willing to do anything to know the truth. truly amazing.

We taught M. again and she told us she likes how we arent pushy with her about the gospel. We continue to meet with her and hope she will commit to baptism soon. She gave us cake and cookies and told us that they didnt have milk....um ya they had milk in them....so guess who was sick the next day? Yep. me. I recieved a blessing from a member in the ward. The spirit was so strong and I felt so grateful for the priesthood. I had to stay home, drink this nasty cha boldo tea, and rest. It was awful. I dont know why, but the milk here I seriously cannot eat or else I get wayyy sick. I am so much better now though. I just cant eat anything with milk for the rest of my mission and make sure the people know.

Sister G. was sick one day, so Sister V. came in a trio with us. It was so much fun. But then my companion got the same sickness, then Sister V. got the same sickness, and then I got the same sickness!!! Ahh it was crazy! but we are all better now. Blessings of serving in Brazil ;)

We had so many wonderful lessons this week. The spirit is so amazing. I wish I could tell all that happens in the week, but it's not possible. This is seriously the most amazing time to be a missionary. I have been thinking so much about everything in my life that has led up to this moment and I cannot deny that Heavenly Father has a part in every moment. He literally prepares his children for what he wants them to be. I was born to be a missionary. I have never been happier in my entire life. I feel so immensly blessed to be serving my máster here in Brazil. I know that the spirit is real and that the priesthood is literally power given to us from God. I know my Savior lives!! Continue to attend the temple, pray, and read your scriptures. I love you all!!! tchao :) Sister Porter                                                 

Investigators home....and I love her dog

 Lunch with my cute friend

THE OTHER SIDE OF EARTH ~ 

IT'S THE BEST!

Oi minha família!

First off, can I just say that I am in love with Brazil? Seriously, this is the best mission ever. The best culture ever, and the best people ever. Everything here is so diferente (seriously, I am on the other side of planet Earth), but is so wonderful. The people here are so loving and are truly special to me.

This week was full of miracles and hard times.

Bad:

-Thursday was a Holiday. No one wanted to listen to us and everyone had something going on. Horrible.

-J. and M.are investigators. We visited them and M's mom was there. She is an inactive member and basically hates the church. She bashed on our beliefs and told us she found the truth in her new Faith, the Evantista church....haha One day she will see

-Fights in the streets and scary people

-Our investigator is constantly drunk when we go to visit him. it is heartbreaking

 Good:

-We taught a strong Catholic about the Restoration and Book of Mórmon. My Portuguese was better than normal, it was amazing. She testified of the gift of tongues and told us that she could feel the spirit when I spoke....um crazy! Miracle.

-J. - Amazing lessons, said she will be baptized, she is continuing to pray and attend church. We are hoping she will be baptized soon.  Just waiting on an answer from God. She made me bread without milk and gave me a dress from Spain. She is like a mom to me.

-Wednesday~ My companion was not feeling well and we were asked to speak at a baptism about the Restoration. I literally taught the whole Restoration to a crowd of people.  Words just flowed out of my mouth and the spirit was so strong. I was so amazed at how much I could say. I was freaking out with my Portuguese, but Heavenly Father is Always helping me. So many ward members came up to me and told me they were touched and were emotional. I couldn't believe it, with the spirit all things are possible.

-S.- we had so many amazing lessons with her, but this week was diferente. I asked her a question that the spirit placed in my mind and we found her doubts. I am starting to recognize how the spirit is speaking to me in Portuguese. It is an amazing feeling. I testified to her of the power in the Book of Mórmon, how much the gospel means to me, and why we are here as missionaries to help her. The spirit was so strong. She asked my age and was so shocked. She told my companion, "Wow, she suffers a lot doesn't she". Yes, yes I do! This language, this mission, this everything is not easy haha. but people see how much of my heart, strength, and soul go into helping them understand our message. It was an amazing experience.

I couldnt feel more grateful for this time in my life. I feel my Saviors love during the hard times and the good. Last night I had a special experience. I literally could feel my Savior right beside me. And I cannot deny it. It was such a calm, peaceful presence. He is REAL. he is Always with us. Even when we don't see Him. I know that this is His work, and I'm so grateful to be a part of it. I love you all!!! tchao :)

Sister Porter

Sister G. & I in a skirt that an investigator gave my companion hahahaha

The little primary kids write notes for us during church. I am "Sister Potter". haha Everyone loves Harry Potter

We forgot umbrelas and got SOAKED one day. Literally. I had to change my clothes completely

Lunch at the G. home with our favorite girl C. :)

Zone conference with my favorite sisters

Sister G. (Northern Brazil) and Sister V.(Salta, Argentina)

ONLY AMERICAN IN THE HOUSE

Oi oi minha família e amigos! (google translate~ Hello my family and friends)

This week was like a roller coaster. Seriously,we had so many ups and so many downs, but the life of a missionary is amazing!! Heres some happenings and tender mercies:

-Started the week with the funeral of a woman who had câncer in our Ward. It was soooo sad. She has two little girls and everyone was so upset. I couldn't help but think of my mom and how I couldn't imagine my life without her. I learned so much about the Plan of Salvation. It is so perfect and we are so Lucky to have it.

-M. B...she invited her grandson to live with her and he is a bad influence. He hates the church and constantly tells her bad things about us, so she wasnt baptized this week. I was so upset and of course I had to ask her if she knows it's true, and she said yes....ahhhh!! PORQUE?! I cried. It was hard but I know she will be baptized one day. We as missionaries need to trust in the Lords timing in all things

-It rained allllll day on Wednesday super hard. and when it rains here, it falls in every direction and everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) gets sopping wet. haha It was so crazy… And no one wants to talk to you. So it was a rough day

-Our investigator, E., prayed for the first time. It was so spiritual and as she prayed for our families, she started to cry. It was so touching.

-I love companion prayer with Sister A. de S. She said, "Today wasn't very good, but we are doing our best, Father....it rained a ton and no one wanted to listen to us. Our área is dangerous and we like our lives....please keep us safe."hahaha

-Found out that my companion and I will be together for another transfer, wooohooo!!! :)

-J.is a huge blessing. She is a stellar investigator and has such a tender heart. She is so sweet. She made us cake and scarfs this week. Brazilian culture is sooooo loving. J. is sometimes tough on me with the language. After saying something she'll say "did you understand what I said?" and I usually understand, but she Always asks "ok, what did I say then?" ahhhh! haha It is a little tough sometimes because I only get the gist. But I am so grateful that at 6 weeks I can understand and talk with almost anyone. It is still hard, but I feel so blessed and know my Heavenly Father is helping me.

-My companion and I live with the sister training leaders and we got a new sister this week! She is from Salta, Argentina and is so sweet. She reminds me of my cute Hermana Safsten. So I am officially the only American in the house. yay!!

-Made contact with a man and he kept staring at me. I'm starting to get used to the stares, but then he grabbed my hand and said,"Com todo respeito, você é muito bonita" (google translated ~ With all due respect, you are very beautiful)...haha it was so weird, and my companion told him I am American and you would have thought I was a celebrity. So funny.

Now on to the spiritual. This week I learned so much, but I want to share a few thoughts with you.  I was Reading in Jacob 5 about the olive trees. My mission has changed my life. It has been so hard, but I have seen the hand of God in everthing. He knows all. It was so hard for me to leave Michigan and start over with everything here. Different everything. But, like the olive tree, Christ is Always here for us. To mold us, shape us, cut us down, and bring us back up. He knows what we need to become what he wants! And sometimes it is hard understanding his will, but that is why Faith is so important.

Mormon 1:7-This scripture is amazing and exactly how I feel. I have been so humbled being here and not being able to do anything without the spirit. I literally cannot function with out it. Jesus Cristo Works through his children.

I am so grateful for this time in my life. I KNOW that this gospel is true. I dont have a single doubt. I am so grateful for my best friend and Savior, Jesus Cristo. Through him we can do all things. I love you all with all my heart!! tchao :)

Sister Alena Porter

I took a Picture in front of the churches that are everywhere. This one is "The heart of Mary."

J. made us scarfs

 

Fog was really bad yesterday as we walked to church

Love Santa Maria

 

Família por almoço  

I killed a bug in our apartment because all of the other sisters were afraid haha