Manalangin

Hey Family!!

Hope all is well in the states I've been missing America as of lately :) but this was a great week full of lots of miracles. We got in so many lessons, were able to work and teach with the members and SO many people came to church. It was an exciting week after some kind of difficult ones.

This week we went back and taught Nanay Auora (the sister we found after we decided to leave the dinner appointment because there were no sisters there). I just feel more and more blessed by the Lord for finding her. She is amazing! First of all, not only did she read her assignment but she apologized for not reading it again so she could understand it better. She is seriously golden. We had a great lesson with the help of a recent RM who was working with us. But I favorite part was the end of the lesson. We taught her how to pray which is always one of my very favorite things to do as a missionary because often times I get to hear someone pray to their Heavenly Father for the very first time. Well Nanay was pretty nervous about it but as we talked to her she told us she would try. She gave a very sweet and sincere pray and got choked up a bit. After her prayer we asked her how she felt and I will never forget her answer. She is a women of great faith and truly has a relationship with God but she began to cry and told us that as a Catholic always reciting memorized prayers she has never before been able to speak to God and tell him the things of her heart. She has never been able to tell Him what she needs. To ask for help with her children and to talk to Him when there is no one else to turn to. That was incredible to me. I gained a new perspective one the gift of prayer I, we all, have been given and so often take for granted. This week I began studying prayer and how I could improve and better appreciate the gift I have been given and known about all my life. I LOVED what it says about prayer in the Bible Dictionary and I highly suggest reading it all :) but one part reads, "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God  is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive one our part. Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other." Ah I love that! So this week I am going to work on my prayers and effectively/actively striving to align my will with my Father and remember who I am as His daughter.

This work is the hardest most rewarding thing I have even done. I am so grateful for all of you and your love, support and prayers. I pray for you always!!

Love always,

Sister Porter

Filipino Fun Fact:

The people here are in love with Avriel Levine (I think I spelled that totally wrong but hopefully you still understand who that is). Her posters are ALL over the place haha it is the most random thing and I still haven't figured out why they chose her. I think it has to do with her being blonde.