Monday, October 3, 2016

Birthday Week...Full of Miracles!

August 8, 2016

This week was amazing!  On Tuesday we had a great zone training meeting at the mission office.  Afterwards, the sisters in the zone sang happy birthday to me and then everyone knew it was my birthday coming up.  That night, Sister Anderson and I went out to dinner at the restaurant where we teach the owner.  It was really good!  We taught our investigator B who is really cool and our ward mission leader and his wife were able to join us.  We've been teaching him almost every night, but he still doesn't understand why he needs to come to church if he has a personal relationship with God.

Then on Wednesday, I woke up to my desk being heart attacked by Sister Anderson :)  I opened my package from my family.  I got some new shirts that I love and the card was awesome!  My parents recorded themselves saying, "Happy birthday" :)  Then we headed off to Tampa before 7am so Sister Anderson could be at metro with Sister Smith.  It was fun to be with the other sisters, but walking around campus is long and hard.  I broke out into hives for some reason, too...we still haven't figured it out.  Sister Anderson got some, too.  Anyway, then we went to the apartment for dinner and made pizza and ate cake :)  Sister Smith's companion, Sister Phillips, was with us, too.  When Sister Anderson and I got home, we heard a knock on the door and thought that was kind of weird.  I looked outside to a car driving away and when I opened the door, there was a plate of delicious cookies and our door was heart attacked by the young women in the ward :)  Sister J sent me a happy birthday text telling me to look outside :)  I also got a happy birthday text from President and Sister Cooper and K!  How did everyone know?  Haha :P

Thursday was awesome, too!  We decided to drop (stop teaching) a bunch of people because we haven't been able to get in contact with them.  It was sad.  But we met with this girl named A who we haven't been able to see in awhile and she is amazing!  She just graduated from high school and was the drama club president.  Since we last saw her, she had the opportunity to attend an AA meeting (even though she doesn't drink) and was really inspired by the faith in Jesus Christ she saw in the people there.  She really wanted to come to church and said she would find a ride.  The next time we saw her, she had a ride and was really excited to read the Book of Mormon.  We invited her to be baptized and she really wants to!  We decided on September 10 as the date, and her birthday is September 11!  How perfect is that?!  She will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost on her birthday :)  We also were able to see M, the owner of the restaurant, and he had read 1/3 of the Book of Mormon!  He asked us what the 10 commandments are and we taught them to him.  A lot of our set lessons that we had with people fell through this week, but we had so many miraculous unset appointments :)

On Friday, we stopped to use the bathroom at Publix and met a really nice lady.  She had a relative who served a mission and really wanted to buy us something.  We told her we were fine, but she ended up buying us candy bars and fruit salad bowls :)  On Saturday we met a lot of cool people who we were able to make return appointments with.  We also saw one of our investigators who said he would definitely be at church the next day and even bring a friend, but neither of them came.  A didn't come either because she slept in and her ride fell through :(  Next time we will contact her earlier so we can get her a ride with the Ts who live really close!

There were so many miracles this week, I can't even write them all!  I just know that there are people who are ready to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, we just need to find them!  For the members of the church, you are really key in being an example and a friend to people and teaching them through your everyday interactions.  Would K have wanted to join the church if her friend C hadn't invited her, shared her testimony, and been an example of Christlike love?  The members of the Lithia ward are so great and willing to help in missionary work and talk about the gospel with their friends.

Oh, the other crazy thing that happened this week.  This morning as I was washing a cup, it just broke in my hands and I have cuts on 3 of my fingers.  Not sure if I suddenly got Spiderman super strength or something?  So hives and bandaged fingers...that's my life.  

Tonight, I will yet again be on campus with the YSA sisters because Sister Anderson and Sister Harper are going to help Sister Cooper with the departing missionary dinner for the missionaries going home.  

We just got the transfer email.  Sister Anderson is staying and training a new sister...and I am transferring! :(  I don't know where or with who I will be yet.  But I guess it's where God wants me to be!
--
Sister Porter
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Pictures:

Birthday Preparations!
Picture 1: The pancakes Sister Anderson made for me on Sunday :)
Picture 2: At the restaurant...it's really cool and western-themed :)
Picture 3: My cake!




Birthday!!!

Picture 1: At birthday dinner - me, Sister Jensen, Sister Harper, Sister Swanson, and Sister Phillips
Picture 2: me with my cake :)
Picture 3: My desk!  It was so cute :)
Picture 4: Our door!




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