EASTER ~ New Life

I loved getting an Easter package from home! Thank you so much! I am so excited to teach my comps how to color Easter eggs! I'm also so excited for my little brother to get his mission call. I hope you all had an awesome Easter. What did we do this week? What did we do for Easter?… Teach! It was crazy this week. The winter season is starting, and it's cold. It is been raining and cold/windy outside. It's not fun. Especially without an umbrella. Mine broke and my companions broke too so we carry our stuff in bags and just get sopping wet. We will buy umbrellas today for sure. 

Our lovely boots as we watched Women's Conference.

The other women were staring at us like we hiked a mountain or something haha.

We have been sharing the Easter video that the church launched. It is super good!

We had divisions this week with Vila Julia and Uruguaiana wards. I was dying with excitement because I got to serve with Sister S.! She is the new American sister from AZ.  I feel so grateful to Heavenly Father for giving me the opportunity to teach, serve, and help her during these difficult days of being new here. The division went so well. I had never served with a "newbie" before, so it was interesting. She can only share her testimony right now (in Portuguese) so I basically had to do the teaching. She is was so sweet. She cried a few times during the division too, and it reminded me of how I was when I arrived in the mission. It was the hardest, most lonely time I've ever passed through in my entire life. Wanting to talk and share and not being able to, not understanding anyone, not knowing what to say or do, and feeling alone and useless, is the worst feeling ever. I just gave her lots of hugs and I gave her a few pep-talks and we chatted about the mission and how she can do it. I bore testimony to her about how Heavenly Father helps us, comforts us, and gives us the strength to do all things. I shared my personal experience with her and I loved being able to use what I've learned to help her have more confidence and hope. It was so strange knowing that she met my family, saw my new home before I did, petted my dog, and read my emails before she came here. I felt like she already knew me super well. It was so special for me to help her. I felt the same way she does and I'm so glad I could help another with the knowledge I've gained. I loved serving with her!

I also served with Sister C., another American from Missouri, St. Louis. She is so fun and one of my good friends now. We live in the same apartment and are always talking and enjoying little antics. I love serving with her too. 

Sopping wet on our division!! We were soaked!!

Really, I feel so privileged to be learning from many sisters from all over. They are also incredible and powerful examples to me. I am a lucky one. We have been seeing so many miracles lately. L. is trying to get married so she can get baptized on the 16th, V. and V. told us yesterday that they both want to be baptized and will pray about the 16th. People are stopping us in the street to talk to us about the gospel. We found a man wanting to change his life. He yelled out, "Missionaries!" And asked us if we could help him. Also, the members are giving us references. One reference we went to visit yesterday. She told us that her husband had treated her bad for many years and abused other women too. She cried so many times during the lesson. She told us that she left him and wants to start again. We talked her about the atonement and she expressed her feelings towards her situation. At the end, she thanks us so deeply and closed in prayer. During the prayer, she thanked God for our visit and thanked Him for sending us there because she was thinking about killing herself before we got there. Ahhhh!!! My heart sank. God really does guide us and knows which children are ready or not. Mission life is tough, but so amazing. I love being able to help people as an instrument in gods hands. He does everything. The church is so true in every way. I hope you all enjoy conference this week! Sister Porter

 VISA MUGSHOT (haha)

This freaks me out. I went to the police station to update my visa and they took a pic. It was a whole year after I had arrived in Brazil. Look at the difference of one year!!!! The one on the left is when I got here, and the one on the right is right now. I am a new person!!!! Little girl to woman...haha crazy, huh??

ZONE TRAINING MEETING

Sister S. from AZ. 

Hello! This week was so different. It flew by so fast, but was so amazing. This country still makes me smile every day. We are loving this work and the sweet gauchos we are serving. This week started with us in Santa Maria. We were there for a couple days handling visa paperwork because I've been in Brazil for about a year now. And we also had the mission council meeting with all of the zone leaders, sister training leaders, and President and Sister Parella. I loved being able to pass my P – day there in my first area. Sister G. and I went to visit some people I taught and knew as a new missionary.  It was incredible! 

Santa Maria, I. 

I absolutely love seeing everyone again. It was so cool to see how much I've changed in such a short amount of time and to remember all of the hard days I had there struggling at the beginning of my mission with the language and basically, everything. Ha ha. Heavenly Father truly helped me through it all and comforted me when I needed it. 

C.G. and family

Santa Maria is a place I will always remember. I felt so alone when I was serving there, but I grew so close to my Savior. He is my true friend, guide, and what I relied on. It was so funny seeing the people and seeing them get all wide eyed in shock that I could speak and understand them. It was amazing. 

G. and familia

Seeing J., who was baptized, left me emotional. She looked me straight in the eyes and thanked me for inviting her to be baptized and for teaching her. She gave me the biggest hug and we just shed tears of joy together. 

J. 

What an amazing experience it was for me. Being a missionary is the best thing ever. Members told me that the whole ward talks about the "Little American sister who struggled to speak but did everything with love."  I was so amazed at how even though I thought I wasn't making any difference, the people were touched by my loving them with my actions. The mission council meeting was good. I'm officially the oldest sister in the mission, all others have less time. So weird. So sad. Thursday was our zone conference in Alegrete. 

Conferencia de zona

It was so weird giving a trainment during the conference but neat seeing how the sisters can help teach the elders too. President Parella turned the time over to us and we gave a trainment about the Book of Mormon and how we need to use it to teach. I don't remember what I said, but I know the spirit helped me know what to teach the mission. It was so nerve-racking teaching in front of half the mission, the assistants, and President and Sister Parella, but everything went well. So many elders and sisters complimented us at the end and president said he loved it! So we are way more calm now, ha ha. I love my calling and this work. 

I'm so glad that God helps us accomplish what we never thought we could do and stretches us to be more than we are. He knows us so well and knows what we can become with his help. All we have to do is have faith in him and his plan. 

We are teaching tons of amazing people that should be baptized soon. C. needs to get married so she and her kids can get baptized. L. too. A. needs to come to church along with V. and V. Here in southern Brazil, this is the problem - Marriage, and coming to church. But, we know God will help us to baptize his children when we follow his ways and plans.  I am so grateful for this time in my life. I love these people with all of my heart. I know God is helping us and loves us. He so real. I love this gospel.

Sister Porter

One of the best missionaries I've ever met. 
I loved working with him in Livramento.

Sister Smith-a couple missionary who is so sweet.

 The elders I served with in Sao Gabriel

& the elders I arrived with in the mission Elder S. and Elder M.. 

They are zone leaders & I'm a sister training leader now.

The elders I served with in Santa Maria. 

The shoes I threw away this past transfer....

MISSION FULL OF SURPRISES

Oi familia!! Guess what?!? I didn't get transferred! Sister Gregatto and I are gunna stay together in Uruguaiana!!! Yay! and right now I am in Santa Maria for Visa purposes and the mission leadership counsel. 

The border of Argentina adventures with my ladies

That is why I didn't have time to write a longer email. But I am so excited for today because it's p-day and so we are going to go visit some of the people I taught when I first started my mission here!!! Ahhhh I'm dying to talk to the people that I couldn't fully talk to or express my love to when I couldn't speak Portuguese! I'm so excited for this next transfer. The time is passing way fast though, this transfer will only be 5 weeks instead of 6. The sister, that met you mom in Arizona, is coming tomorrow and I hope I will see her at our zone conferences this week! We will be having zone conference in Alegrete again, but this time, President Parrela asked  Sister Gregatto and I to give a trainment. So we will be giving a trainment to all of the missionaries about the Book of Mormon and how we need to use it to teach people.  In front of all of the elders and sisters and President and Sister Parrela. Ahhh  Talk about nerve wracking! I never would have imagined doing this before the mission, but all things are possible through our Heavenly Father who takes our fears away and gives us the strength to do all things. We are excited. I love to teach.

This week was crazy. Just a few things that happened:

-We got a phone call from the zone leaders. They told us that they think it would be good for us to go visit the sisters and see what is going on because there has been a lot of what we call "fubecagem" going on in their apartment (basically disobedience). So we woke up early and went to the sisters home at 6:30am and called one of the sisters to open the door. Wow! did we see a sight. When we got in the apartment, a sister was heading to take a shower. She saw us and then ran into the room to change into her work-out clothes (we work out for 30 min every day). Another sister gasped with shock that we were there. Another sister was SLEEPING at about 6:40am and the other sister was doing nothing. Woww. it is incredible what happens in the mission with disobedient missionaries. We asked the sisters if we could see their plan book and it had blank pages or they drew pictures on the pages. These sisters weren't doing anything. I have learned so much about how to deal with people that need to be helped. I am so grateful my Heavenly Father is allowing me to help these sisters.

Some things that happened this past week~

-My companion fell asleep during a lesson. It was hilarious!!! The man totally knew it and we laughed a ton.

-We found out that V. and V. are married and that she received an answer that the church is true just by reading the Book of Mormon. It is seriously the most powerful testimony and witness of the true gospel and the restoration.

- We are teaching I.'s husband now!yay!

We are working tons and seeing miracles. The mission really is amazing. As I am here in Santa maria, I remember being a new missionary and can see how much I've grown. I came into the mission field 1 year ago! I have become someone that I never thought I could become. My life has completely changed. The mission field is super tough, but so incredible. I love being a missionary. There is no greater work than this. I am so grateful for the things I've learned and grown from and for this time for me to give back to my Heavenly Father what he has done for me. I love helping the missionaries here in this mission and am looking forward working my hardest for my master, Jesus Christ, all the way to the end. I love you all and hope you have a great week!!!

Sister Porter

LOVIN' LOLLIPOPS

      The train tracks that I love. 

Oi familia!!! This week was really great. I love serving here in Uruguaiana. The members and people are amazing and the sisters we live with are super fun. I loved getting packages from my sister and my grandparents. Thank you so much for sending me stuff!! You dont know how important the candy was for a family we have been teaching. I gave the little kids the candy that Caitlin send and they were all in heaven! They don't have much, so it was so sweet to see them cherishing every bite of the candy. We are teaching some amazing people and are seeing the hand of our Heavenly Father in every moment. He is in charge of this marvelous work. The time is racing and it is killing me. We will be receiving the transfer phone calls this week and I am thinking that I could be transfered. We shall see, but thanks for all you do and I hope you all have an amazing week!!!

 

                                   Happy my sister took a picture 

                                   with my flag at her wedding!!! 

                                               I love it!!!!

JOURNAL ~ Tuesday, March 1, 2016

The time is flying, it's insane. March already! I have been thinking a ton about the MTC lately being that I was there learning a year ago. It blows my mind how much I've grown and learned in just one year. I look back to those first missionary moment and remember all those nervous and scared feelings missionaries get as they press on with faith through the MTC and the first few months of being in the field. I am a whole new person because of the experiences I've had. I loved the MTC and I'm so glad I got to witness and feel the powerful spirit there with missionaries from around the world. I will always cherish in my heart my MTC experience. Today I have been reflecting on a lot of things.

Friday, March 4, 2016

We are teaching so many amazing people and we are seeing miracles. God truly is in charge of his work. C. still loves the church and loves our messages. She needs so much help with her family, but she is so strong through all of her difficulties. As we are right today, they all gathered around (her family of six) to hear our message. We taught the gospel of Christ with her and talked about things He taught. At the end of the lesson, we asked her about baptism again. She shared that she wants to be baptized but she's not married legally and doesn't have money to do so. She shared how they only receive food on Thursdays and that the kids don't have clothes. My heart broke. We asked her about how she feels about the church and how she felt at church on Sunday. She got quiet and started to cry. She said that she feels like all of her problems and trials disappear when she enters the church building. She said that we are her angels sent from God that are changing her life. I shed some tears with her as she expressed her love and things for us and for the change we are helping her to make in her life and her family's. What an amazing feeling it was to see someone that has been impacted by the gospel and Christ's church I shared with them candy my grandparents sent me from the USA and it was so sweet seeing the kids savoring every bite. It took them a good 10 minutes to finish eating it. I love this family and their humble sweethearts.

I love this family!

Thanks to my sister for the lollipops!! They all loved them!!! 

I gave them the suckers as we walked to the church building. 

They all were in heaven.

Sat., March 5th, 2016 

There are so many people from a religion called the "Banda". I think that it only exists in Brazil, but our area has tons of members and it's not good. The people have ceremonies and rituals where they kill animals as sacrifices, drink blood, talk to and or see spirits from the other side, and do all sorts of horrible things. It's super scary. We found and talk to someone from this religion and met someone possessed with an evil spirit. Satan is so real. He really does have followers. I'm so grateful that the truth has been restored on the earth once more and that as members we have the peace that the Spirit brings. I am grateful for the covenants I've made in the temple that guide me and serve as a protection from all evil. The last days are here and I'm so glad that Heavenly Father is calling all of his children to repent and be protected from all that is bad. He is so loving. All we have to do is do what he asks and directs us to do and we will have true happiness forever.

Sister Porter

      Love the horses in the middle of the street.