The Happiest Time of My Life

September 29, 2012

I am in love with my life. I represent the Savior of all mankind. I have a special connection with the heavens because of the name that I bear over my heart day after day. My sacred and kept covenants endow me with power and revelation to know how to lift others out of the ruts of life and to lead towards being cleansed from all unrighteousness. I am grateful for His mercy and His love that I feel daily. I love Jesus Christ and know without a shaddow of a doubt that His glorious latter-day work is REAL.

This is the happiest time of my life. This past week has been stellar. Just yesterday we were able to go on our first Zone Leader exchanges of the transfer. I went back into my previous area, London YSA, and got to work with my previous companion and the Elder who is filling my posission there. They are the two youngest Zone Leaders in the mission and are moldable, teachable, and willing to stretch themselves to grow and become better. We had a great day full of street contacting at the University, teaching recent converts, and visiting with members prior to an activity. I love that branch and have formed lifelong friendships by sharing powerful spiritual experiences with them.

One new aspect of work that comes with my assignment is office work. Working on excell, figuring out travel plans for transfers, working with key indicator reports, sitting in long meetings with President Scott, ect. To be honest, I absolutely love this kind of missionary work also. I am totally happy in the office if I am focused and still working to help the work move forward. I'm learning and developing new talents and skills that I wouldn't be able to develop anywhere else. I spend 4-5 hours a week on the phone with Zone Leaders working with them to set goals and make plans to help other missionaries, help investigators, and helps sturggling areas pick things up. I love this role and can literally feel at times the Lord magnify my efforts to help me carry the mantle of my calling.

On top of the busy week that we had, we also have a few hours of proslyting that we fit in! We have been working as effectively as we know how, and we have been praying that despite our circumstances of not being able to focus on proslyting as much as we would like to, we would be able to see miracle baptisms and have those who are prepared to be baptized fall into our sphere of influence. Over the past week we have got two new investigators who both are commited to work towards Oct. 14 to be baptized. One is from India, and was introduced to the church by his friend who was baptized a number of months ago. This is his third friend who is working towards baptism. He has a strong desire to change bad habits and wants to experience the same sort of magnificant changes that he saw his friend go through before and after his baptism. The other is a former investigator who dated a member a while back. She has been feeling something inside prompting her to go back to church. She is already developing habits of scripture reading, daily prayer, consistant institute attendance, and is making lifestyle changes to get away from the party life. They both have humble and strong spirits about them and have received remarkable fellowshipping from the ward. They should both be baptized on Oct. 14! They are both complete gifts from God. My testimony is growing that if you do everything within your power to fulfill your responsibilities, the Lord will now allow you to be unsuccessful.

I love my companion and the chance to be around President so often. He is truly inspired. The Lord is truly at the head of this work. I'm grateful for the powerful influence of the spirit and the changes that it can bring if we heed its promptings. I hope time slows down a bit so I can soak up this incredible opportunity to develop into who Heavenly Father needs me to become.

-Elder Porter