Feb 3, 2014

Hey Everyone!

So the most crazy thing on my mission so far happened this week.....

We were volunteering at the hospital (Misericordia) and it was down town. After, we got on the bus and the other elders came with us because they didn’t have enough k's to drive. So we got on the bus and there was this lady there who was screaming at the top of her lungs “I CANT FIND MY CUSSING KEYS! WHAT THE CUSS CUSS THIS CUSS THAT CUSS CUSS CUSS.......” she was obviously on drugs. Very intoxicated... and so I was just like okay, normal downtown. So I sat by her. She had a four year old girl with her and she was crying. She was obviously scared because normal people don’t act like this. So the lady started yelling at me to let her use my phone. Then I said “if you calm down, you can use it. I will help you figure things out.” I handed her the phone and she started yelling at this guy on the phone saying she has his daughter and stuff. He hung up. She called again.. he hung up. She handed me the phone back and I saw a whole bunch of marijuana in her sleeve. So at this point I called the guy, and he said “I don’t know this lady. Who are you....” So I was really mad at this lady for having a 4 year old child on the bus, the child was scared to death and crying.... this lady was not her mom! So Elder Barton was helping to calm the little girl down and I was about to get on the phone with the police. The lady ran off the bus with the child and left all her stuff, gloves, bag, purse, everything. So I ran off to follow her with the other elders and I took her stuff to her and she just ran and got on the same bus yelling at the driver asking where the bus was going. I was on the phone with the police describing her and I told them the bus number and everything so they pulled the bus over and got everything figured out. Crazy!!!

We have been teaching a less active guy named Scott. He is no longer less active! We have reactivated Scott Gerzanic. He is such a great guy. We teach him like 2X a week. Love the guy.

We served this less active lady named Sarah Russell. The snow plows left a bank like 4 feet tall in front of her walkway and we moved it all and left a little arch for them to all crawl through. She loved it and has come to church for the past 3 weeks after not coming for years and years. She’s really nice.

We stopped by a lot of formers and got yelled at a few times. I love it. I look forward to the rejection. Not really but I’m used to it now haha.

We had the best dinner appt with the Abbot family. They’re one of my favorite families on my mission. A lot of the kids are around my age so I can have an intelligent conversation with people my same age. It’s nice. We were at their house for dinner and I taught an object lesson on Hel. 5 12 about building our foundation upon Jesus Christ. I got a can of beans and said it represented Satan and his temptations. I went to the table and said it represented Jesus Christ and I place my finger on the table and said it represented us. I then proceeded to smash my finger with the middle of the bean can really hard and when your finger is on the table, it just dents the can and it doesn’t hurt your finger at all. It makes quite a noise though and everyone gasped and one of the abbott girls screamed. haha it was funny and definitely something they will remember.

We had an amazing ward game night on friday night! So many people showed up and had an amazing time! we got close to the members that way and since then I have definitely seen such a change in the members attitudes towards missionaries. We have way more dinner appt. that usual. like 2 or 3 a week! It’s great!

Elder Olguin and I got our workout/eating plan all figured out and it’s great. We got our shopping done today at Costco and we are eating healthier than ever. I’ve been dropping some weight this transfer and I’m gonna keep doing it haha. I’ve got my pushups to 95 straight and I got my strength back to normal. We run intervals in the snow at nights after proselyting time is over.

Elder Olguin got permission to go and see his old track coach at the University of Winnipeg on Friday. It was a bit awkward for me I’m not going to lie. Having so many athletic, beautiful women around me... how am I going to make it this whole 2 years.... hahahaha

We’ve been working hard and doing our best. I’m loving it. I’ve finally felt like I’ve seen some real progress with stuff since I’ve been here. We helped bring two inactive members back to the fold. It’s crazy hearing that in some of my friends missions, they baptize 2 people a week. This mission is just a different mission. Most missionaries here go home with 3 baptisms. The most a missionary has baptized in the last decade here was 15. Baptisms are not everything, and its not what a mission is all about. I just know that I am doing my best, working hard, and inviting others to come unto Christ. I’m doing what I’m here to do and I’m loving it!

I sure love you guys and all the support I get from you! Have a great week!

Elder Porter