Preparing to Lecture on College Campus

March 26, 2012

I've been in London for 5 weeks already! I can't believe it. YSA work is crazy different than the previous work I've done. It’s taught me how to be more real and it’s come to help define the testimony I've had through my mission.

Elder Hancock and I are having a great and really unique opportunity on Wednesday! We are going to be managing a presentation at a Catholic College about the basic beliefs of our church! A few weeks ago we emailed all the religious Professors at the University of Western Ontario and the surrounding religious colleges. The head Priest for the college had us over for a chat, and he is providing a venue for us to give a presentation. We've made flyers and distributed many hundreds of them. We're presenting in a lecture hall this week. We're very, very excited. It is such a unique opportunity. We'll be pulling most of our presentation from Mormon.org and the Restoration lesson from Preach My Gospel. We're praying and having faith that someone with a desire and intent to search for truth will be able to make their way to hear our message. We're a little anxious, but mostly excited to share what we know to be true in such a unique place.

Yesterday at church we had 7 nonmembers. We're doing some serious work and experiencing some great and heavy blessings from the Lord. We're currently teaching 2 Chinese girls who are here for another semester. They are so close to accepting a baptismal date! They are in the stage of trying to recognize that their prayers have been answered and that all these things really have helped them out in life. They are slow coming, but coming nonetheless. We found a great girl from Sri Lanka in the same building as the Chinese girls. She's accepted to work towards baptism in April and came to a Christian church for the first time yesterday! She's beginning to feel the spirit as we're teaching her about who Jesus Christ is and why he's so important. Also, we're teaching a roommate of a less active who is doing great! He's a really down to earth business student working for his Masters Degree right now. He's gaining spiritual insights from the Book of Mormon as his belief in God is sprouting and growing.

I know in a real way we receive revelation as to what these people need to hear and learn about in order to have their faith grow. I love this work and will miss it forever when my time in Canada is done. I revere my mission as a sacred part of my life. I know the gospel brings more happiness than anything else. I know prayers are heard. I know baptism is what Father wants for us. We are all involved in this work in different ways. Doing what we should brings blessings regardless of what assignment we have. Keep doing what you should and the Lord's promised blessings will come eventually.

Elder Porter