Sister Alena Porter

NEW ADVENTURES AWAIT IN ROSARIO do SUL

Ola! I am going to be training a new sister!!! Yayyy!!! I am so excited!! I always wanted to train a newbie. I will meet her on Wednesday morning. I dont know who she is yet. I am also opening the area for sisters, so we will be starting from scratch! It will be so fun to talk to everyone and use the members to find the people prepared for us. I am so stoked!!

My District

I will be heading to Santa Maria tomorrow afternoon and will have a training meeting there with Presidente Parrela, and then on Wednesday, we meet our companions and will be heading out to our areas. I will arrive in Rosario around 4:30 on Wednesday. It is so funny because I arrived here in Brazil one year ago and was being trained and now I am the one training. So crazy how much we grow and learn. I don't know who my comp is yet but I did hear there is an American arriving. I don't know if I will get her or the other sister who also will be training. I hope I get her so I can help her.

I hope you are all doing well. Although I thought I was going to be getting transferred it is exciting but at the same time so sad. This will be my last area of the mission! The elders called on Friday and I about died. I had been talking with my companion about what I would like to have happen with the transfers, and exactly what I desired occurred. I thought the elders were joking.

I will be heading to serve in Rosarío do Sul, which is right next to Sao Gabrielle where I served for four and a half months. It is a small city with people that are humble and super gaucho. I will be opening the area for sisters. It had only elders before, along with couple missionaries. I have been called to train a new missionary! Ahhh! I am so EXCITED!!!

I always wanted to train someone new to the mission, open an area, and serve in a hard place. I will be serving in a branch. I'm so pumped to work like crazy! I love this work. I'm so excited to help teach a newbie the things she needs to know - help her gain the confidence I've gained, and to love this time in her life. I can hardly wait!

Every day this week was full of miracles.

*We found so many people that were prepared to hear us.

*The weather was perfect.

*We visited a lot with the members.

*People rejected us a ton, but we always saw the Lord's hand guiding us.

*We got transfer calls and I'm beyond excited for the next two transfers of my mission.

*It was hard saying goodbye to everyone, but was amazing seeing how The spirit used me to testify of the truth and how the people were changed.

I was shocked at how many people cried because I was leaving. The spirit truly changes people and touches lives when He guides us as missionaries.

*So many people are ready to be baptized soon and even though I won't get to witness them being baptized, I am eternally grateful for the change the gospel made in their lives.

The mission is so amazing. I loved Uruguaina with all of my heart.

I will always remember the time I passed here and how much I've grown and changed because of the amazing members and people.

My heart breaks saying goodbye, but I know I fulfilled what my Heavenly Father wanted me to do here.

I'm so excited to get these last two transfers my all. I feel like I'm running track again and I am hitting the final laps. I need to push harder, run faster, and give it my all! This time is so precious. I'm so grateful my Heavenly Father allowed me to serve Him and His Brazilian children here in Rio Grande do Sul. I could not be more happy.

Sister Porter