Week 2!

Well, another week has gone and passed.  It feels like it has been a month!  So much has been happening.  I've been learning so much.  Something that really impressed me this week was how much the gospel of Jesus Christ can change lives.  I heard some stories this week from missionaries who had really hard lives, such as being in jail or having a violent lifestyle.  And yet now here they are, completely different people and serving the Lord.  Hope is never lost.

My companion and I vacuumed all the stairs in a 5-story building for our service activity on Thursday.  One of our investigators has eaten dinner with us a couple times.  She really loves us.  Friday was a great day, there was pizza for dinner and when I went up for another slice, there was pumpkin pie!  I was so excited and Elder Ogden thought it was hilarious.  I also saw an old friend from the Nashua New Hampshire Stake, Elder Lanier!  He and his twin sister are awesome and they go to BYU-Idaho so I've seen them there.  I think I forgot to mention that Sister Jensen and Sister Josephson went to BYU-Idaho.  

We got our travel itineraries.  I leave the MTC at 3:30 am on Tuesday!  In one week I will be in Florida!  Elder Koontz will be our travel leader.  The other district in our zone left so now it's just us until tomorrow when we get TWO new districts and they both have 4 girls!  I can't wait for them to come!  Yesterday I saw my great-aunt (grandma's sister) Yvonne here at the MTC!  I didn't even know she worked here!  I got asked to be the music coordinator for Sunday which means I choose the hymns for the church meetings.  Last Tuesday, Sister Oscarson and her husband spoke at devotional.  She is the leader over the young women in the church. Her husband said, "When we decide to go the extra mile, the hosts of heaven acknowledge that and go the extra mile with you."  She told us to love our companions and to expect miracles.  

It was nice to call my parents on Mother's day.  I will be able to call them at the airport on Tuesday as well.

Sorry this is a really random email but there are just so many exciting things.

Well, I hope you all are doing well.  Missionary work can be pretty stressful, but the Lord helps us.  I would love to hear from you all.  There is a website called dearelder.com which you can write to me with while I am still at the MTC and I will get the letter the same day.

Much love,

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Sister Porter

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Pictures:

The first picture is a picture Sister Jensen drew because she thinks it's funny how much I don't like rain.  There was a hailstorm a few days ago and I didn't want to go out in it.  It hurt!

The second picture is us with the branch presidency wives.  Me, Sister Josephson, Sister Giles, Sister Jensen, Sister Thompson, Sister Gines, Sister Kramer

The third is us with the branch presidency AND their wives.  They are so awesome.

The fourth is my district at the temple this morning.   Me, Sister Josephson, Sister Jensen, Sister Giles, Elder Koontz, and Elder Peterson are in the back and Elder Ogden and Elder Holton are in the front.  I love these guys!

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Sister Porter