February 21, 2012

I want to give a quick update on what is happening before I read any of your mail!

Sunday evening rolls around and I have no idea if I am going to get a transfer call or not. I wasn't sure if I was done, although I felt that I was. As we were driving home President Scott called us! We pulled over, answered the phone, and got our transfer plans. Elder Welch is staying in our area with another Elder, actually the same Elder that served with Elder Wendt right after I trained him. I spoke to President and I have received a new assignment to be a Zone Leader in the London Zone! I'M BACK IN LONDON! I was soooo surprised to get the opportunity to get right back to where I started my mission off at. But to add onto that, I am serving with ELDER HANCOCK! Round two! I'm sitting at the church emailing right now in London with Elder Hancock...talk about unexpected! I can't put into words how excited and happy I am to be here in this spot with my great companion. By the time we are done together, we will have spent over 6 months of our missions together. There really is no better way to spend my time. I've been built up and tried by my challenges and now I've been given a chance to lay out all I've learned and prepare to see the fruits of those lessons. I'm serving in the YSA branch here in London. We meet at the same building as London 2nd ward does. I couldn't be more excited to be here right now.

All of the District Leaders in our Zone I know very well...Elder Nash, Elder Roberts, and Elder Hales...2 of whom I've served with, and the third was my previous District Leader. I know there is so much more they can teach me and I look forward to relying on the Lord to keep moving forward, despite all the excitement and happiness I'm feeling right now.

As far as my work in Don Valley, I feel as if I'm done. I finished what I was supposed to do. Celine left to fly back to Germany the day I left. We were supposed to find her, teach her, baptize her, and prepare her for activity in Germany. I've learned so much and truly have part of my heart left back in Toronto. Those missionaries there are the best in the world and I've developed and made friendships and bonds that will last beyond the eternities. I am a very blessed missionary.

I know the Lord knows what’s going on. He is in control. His plan is what is best. It is so easy to forget. I have seen his support lead me to exactly what makes me happiest and what is best for me. Father knows His children.

I literally got dropped off here at the church straight from Toronto about 15 minutes ago, so I can't tell you much about the area. Other than we work constantly around University of Western Ontario which is one of the most party-ish schools in North America. Fun! Next week I'm sure will bring some good stories.

This I know-the gospel is true. Prayers are heard. Diligent commandment keeping is seen. Stretching to go the extra mile is noticed. We are rewarded in whatever way is best for us. The gospel is real and true.

-Elder Porter

Out talking to people, almost all Canadians know about and make a comment on Mitt Romney's campaign. It seems that these Canadians are WAY more involved and concerned about our country than they are their own, which I find amusing. Nearly all comments and opinions I hear about him have been positive. He is doing a great work for the church weather he realizes it or not-he's getting our name out there and causing a lot of curiosity. It will be very interesting to see if he takes the crown or not...

Well, here are some pictures I took recently.

Elder Conner Jasperson and Elder Matt Porter at a traning meeting

Elder Webster and Elder Porter

French Toast with REAL Quebec maple syrup. It really makes a difference! Notice the can is in French.

Typical street in North York

Typical apartment

Typical building we tract in

On a mission I have learned the principle of accountability. Not accountability to my leaders, my companion, or my mission president, but to myself and to the Lord. Anybody who develops this automatically has an invincible sense of self-enforced integrity. I account every night and wait for a spiritual confirmation to know if my efforts were accepted and smiled upon today. Anybody can ENDURE by STAYING HAPPY no matter what they are going through if they know the Lord is pleased with their chosen course of action. It’s quite simply really. Just account and do your best and you will be happy!

I wanted to leave a quick note and story. I know very strongly that prayers are answered. Lately I've been going through another rough patch.  It is so frustrating that often times, although I may not act on it, I have huge levels of frustration and annoyance inside my heart. I try to get rid of it of course, but even Christ got frustrated with people when they were in the wrong. I do my best to prayerfully respond to my situation with love, humility, and care. Often times I succeed and feel great about my reaction, other times I am not 100% at peace with the way I act. I am not perfect, and feel that I expect myself to be. It causes a lot of times when I am too hard on myself for it. My district is doing great right now! The other English area had a baptism yesterday, and the two Farsi areas had 8 people to church between them, which is great! Our area has had 2 people at church the past month and I've been working my tail off.  Over the past month my confidence has gone down. My finding has become ineffective due to contacting 1000's of people in a row with not even one break. I feel my finding is hollow and my approach rote. I have had feelings of inadequacy, self doubt, depression, and frustration. I just wasn't sure if I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. I didn't know if I was succeeding or failing and it was so painful being where I was.....I fasted and prayed to know my standing with the Lord concerning my missionary work. In the evening our District had an ESL class. After ESL, Elder Hyatt, a missionary in my district, asked if he could talk to me. We went into a classroom and closed the door and he expressed his thanks and gratitude for me. He said that I needed to be here because of the incredible influence I have had on others around me. He said I have no idea what I've done for the missionaries in this area. He encouraged me to keep going and keep pushing when things get hard, because I have no idea how much influence I am having on people around me. He told me I am the best, well put-together missionary he's ever seen and that he loves me.....

These things are quite the opposite of what I had been feeling and had thought about myself. It was easy for me to recognize this as an answer from my Heavenly Father that I am on track. That I am performing and acting in the way He wants me to. I am not perfect or at the standard I want to act at, but it’s impossible to do so. My daily repentance and recommitment has been adequate to make the Lord proud and fulfill His purposes in having me be here in my exact spot for the last 6 months. I have trust in Him. 2 Nephi 4 was especially helpful and conveys my feelings and thoughts. I have a testimony that this is the Lord's work. That he is in control, and that He loves us. I know prayers are answered and that Father loves us so much. I want literally more than anything else in my sphere of existence to do what Heavenly Father wants me to do. Nothing else compares. Nothing. I know this gospel real. Keep going. Keep pushing. The storm and winds and sleet and whirlwinds will stop eventually. All will be alright if we trust in God and continually look forward to His promised blessings. I leave my testimony in the name of Jesus Christ.

I love you tons! My District is going downtown today! Transfer calls are this Sunday, I've been here for 6 months, and I’m probably gone. This is my last P-day here so we're hitting downtown! Don't worry; I'll take lots of pictures!

Love,

E. Porter

February 6, 2012

A beautiful winter continues to bless us here in Toronto! The weather, just like Utah, has been unusually sunny and dry. I've only broken out my boots 4 times so far-it’s been great. The weather rarely drops below 20F-ish. We've had a few cold days but it’s been nice overall. It helps us smile more when it’s not freezing.

I love my mission. Right now the work is slower than we would like. We've hit some challenges, but are striving to move forward. I have grown to love the area I am in, and will be devastated if I get a call to leave. I love my District, my area, my investigators, my ward, and the remarkable people who travel to Toronto from all over the world.

Lately most of our work has been moving towards finding efforts. Rather than being out in the cold for hours on end tracting, we have the option of moving into big tall apartment buildings. 10, 20, 30 story buildings are common to tract in the city. There is never a lack of people in the city which is nice as well. There are always packed buses and subways at night that are full of people to talk to. It is so different from Utah here that I might have a culture shock going back someday! We rarely talk to true Canadians, almost everyone is from over-seas. Lots of people from the Philippines, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, China, Western Africa, the Caribbean, and pretty much every other place you can imagine. It is incredible.

Today I simply want to bear my testimony about prayer. I know prayers are heard and answered. Heavenly Father manages our lives to such small details; we will be astounded when we come someday to realize how deeply he was involved. If we are humble and pray with real intent, then He will answer us! I have faced a particular challenge in my companionship lately. It has been slowing down our missionary work and has been causing tension. I have many times wondered what the solution for our problem is. I have also wondered why I am still in my current area. Why I am with my current companion. What lesson am I supposed to learn from being here? What trait am I supposed to develop? What am I supposed to accomplish? I have many times gone to bed feeling lonely or discouraged because I didn't have answers for these questions. I haven't seen the success in the past month or two that I would like to see and I have been looking for what purpose I was fulfilling, if any. I had forgotten who is really in charge-who manages our individual lives and who directs specifically a mission by revelation. I wasn't able to find my answers until I fully turned to Him for help.

As we put our trust in Heavenly Father he can give us the answers we seek. Consistently throughout the past week my answer has come through scripture study, through experiences in my missionary work, and through new ideas come into my heart as I pray sincerely. I have my solution and I will work hard to fulfill the divine purpose I have being where I am. He will help each of us overcome feelings of doubt or fear. Many times we do not know ALL we are supposed to do, or HOW we are supposed to do it. Many times the only thing He reveals to us is the final result that surely comes from being faithful. With faith in the final result, we can move forward, being "led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which [we] must do." I testify that the Lord is mindful of us, and that he has given us a view of the final result, if we are faithful. Think of the temple's blessings. Think of your Patriarchal blessing. Think of the Plan of Salvation. We can have faith in the final result, and move forward as He would have us do.

Love,

Elder Porter