What an absolutely incredible week.....
I'll first start off by telling you about my new area/companion/ward/and new life really.
I have been moved from the London Zone, to the Brampton Zone. The Brampton Zone is in the heart of the mission, and is where the mission office and mission home are. We are around all the office missionaries, the APs, and a few senior couple missionaries who are an EXCELLENT addition to the already fantastic tools and resources that we have in this great mission of the Lord. The Heart Lake Ward which I am serving in now is the very center of Brampton City. The Creditview ward is on our left, and the Brampton 1st ward is on our right. Brampton City is VERY different than London City. Brampton is a very, very clean and very nice place. There is a RIDICULOUS amount of cultures and different kinds of people here, which makes things interesting. TONS of Islam, Hindu, and Sikh people. All of them are really nice. It is strange not living in a much lower class area anymore. It’s been a strange adjustment.
My new companion's name is Elder John Hancock II. He's from Phoenix, AZ, and he's a true gem. He is easily the most Christ-like person I have ever been able to associate with. So, so amazing. He is so loving, understanding, and such an amazing missionary. Our styles of doing missionary work are almost EXACTLY the same, which is weird, but awesome. He is pretty much what I hope to become in the future. His contacting, teaching, and social skills are all developed in a way that I hope to achieve someday. Such an amazing guy. We've been working SO HARD this past week. Even during breaks, and meals, we are going non-stop. Always updating records, always calling people, always rescheduling/scheduling appointments. It’s a good feeling when you go to bed at night knowing that you did everything that the Lord expects of you.
The Heart Lake ward is the most missionary orientated ward I've ever witnessed. SO AMAZING. Fellowshipping isn't a big deal, because there is always somebody in the exact same situation as your investigator. And they are always willing to help. I love the ward and its members already. They have such genuine love, they make you feel like a king. So amazing. I love them so much and can't thank them enough for their Christ-like example they set for me.
My life is a lot different in the sense that I HAVE A CAR NOW! Haha, woooooohhhhhhooo! I love cars more than ever before. We actually have a BRAND NEW Subaru Impreza. The missions always get really nice new cars, because we just keep them right until all the warrantees run out, then we sell them and buy brand new ones. So we've got an awesome car, it’s amazing.
This past week Elder Hancock and I surpassed all of our goals and all of the missions Standard of Excellence goals as well. Everything EXCEPT finding hours. We honestly didn't have time to find, because we were teaching almost all week. AMAZING. The Lord is blessing us so ridiculously much. We're worthy, we're obedient, we're working hard, we're trying to be humble, we're trying to always be better, we have genuine love in our companionship...it’s so humbling to see how the Lord will bless you if you simply DO what He wants us so. So humbling.
We had quite a few miracles this week.....
Day 1 for me in Brampton we did some finding in a place called "the jungle". There are tons of high-rise apartment buildings, so we find in the middle of them all. We contacted an 18 year old girl named Rebecca. Right off the bat you could tell she was VERY prepared for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We chatted for 5 minutes, and set up an appointment for 8pm that night at the library. Elder Hancock and I met with her, had an awesome lesson, and set her for baptism on MAY 1st! 3 weeks away. She is Brampton YSA, so we passed her onto the APs who cover the YSA ward here, and we've been getting frequent updates from them, and she's doing amazing. She came to church and was fellowshipped like crazy, and she can't wait for May 1st to come so she can be baptized. MIRACLE.
Day 2 in Brampton we went tracting, and when we tract, we typically go door to door, but we stop and talk to anybody we see outside, and then continue on. While we were going door to door, I saw a lady across the street poke her head out and then go back in. I knew she was home, so we crossed the street to talk to her next. We knocked on her door and she answers, and we have a quick little chat with her. She's so prepared its NUTS. She goes to church because she knows she should, but she doesn't get anything out of the Catholic Church she's attending. We shared our testimonies with her, and she let us in to teach her right then and there. Once again, amazing lesson, and she committed to be baptized on MAY 1st!!! She came to church, and she's doing amazing. We had a member invite her to FHE tonight, so we're excited for that. She's excited for May 1st to come up as well. Another MIRACLE.
We are being SO BLESSED here. My testimony of faith, diligence, and obedience has grown lots and lots this past week. So actually see and feel results to your quest to be better is such a relief, and a blessing from Heavenly Father. I'm so grateful to be here in this AMAZING City and Zone, and have the privilege and blessing to serve my Master at this time.
I love you all! Thank you for your support and prayers.
Until next week
ELEVATE THE STANDARD
-E. PORTER
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