Juevos

Well.  I ran out of clever ways to tell y'all that I'm staying in Odessa for another transfer...so I'll just tell y'all normal this time.  I'm staying in Odessa for another 6 weeks with Elder Gillette!  Haha I was really really surprised, but so happy:)  I heart it here.  I'll have 10.5 months here by the end of the transfer, y'all might as well just send my records to this branch. 

Let me start out by telling you that Francisco's name is actually Frank.  He was born in Mexico and really bummed that his parents gave him an American name, real embarrassed. So when we met him 5 months ago he told us his name was Francisco to avoid further embarrassment hahaha.  Anyway.  Frank showed up in a suit yesterday.  He loves church and wants to look the part, so he bought a suit. He also got interviewed by President Muniz and then got the Aaronic Priesthood!!  The next set of missionaries (if I ever leave) wont even be able to tell that he's a recent convert. I am really grateful for the opportunity to have taught Frank. He's a real good guy and the Gospel has made a really positive change in his life.  I guess that's what the Gospel is for! 

We recently started working with 4 less active families.  They are all the same, ever less active I have ever taught is the same...they are all less active because they got offended.  Oh my heck, I feel bad, but I have no patience for that kind of crap!  80% of the time the offence was nothing grave, just a really senstitive person on the other end.  Just man up!!  Sorry if I offended anyone with that comment, haha.  There is this one family here who has been active for 15 years, they even did home/visiting teaching, but got offended last week and decided not to come back.  They know the Church is true, they know it's vital to come to church, but they are "surrounded by too many hypocrites". We just found out about it yesterday.  That makes me SO SAD!  I love love love this family, they've fed us a few times and I love them a lot!!  I don't understand how Satan can get into people's hearts so easily.  Offended is my least favorite adjective.  No one is perfect...but you know what is?  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is perfect.  Not the leaders, but the Gospel, OK?!?!

This week we had to drop a few investigators.  We've basically been teaching the same people for like 4 months and no one does anything.  It's so frustrating when someone is a real good person and wants to change their life but wont ever pick up the freaking Book of Mormon, haha.  ( Don't be fooled by this email.  I just realized it sounds like I'm all mad and had a terrible week.  I am happy and had a real good week, ok? haha)  So we just had a lesson that explained the importance of reading and coming to church and told them to call us when they had read one chapter....we still haven't got a single call haha.  NO worries, I'm sure one day they'll figure it out!  We got 2 new investigators as well, so that is good! 

Recently I have been studying a whole ton about humility.  One of my favorite verses in the whole scriptures in Alma 26:12.  Ammon is talking to his bro Aaron about how he (Ammon) is nothing and really weak, but how with the Lord's strength he had do anything.  It's nuts to me that I can put 100% of my effort into completing a task and still fail, but the second I put 100% of my effort into trusting and relying on the Lord I can fulfill that task and anything else.  How neat is that?!  One phrase that I learned from George Lopez (the TV show) is "I cant do nothing around here!"  I actually hear that exact phrase like 15 times a week here in Odessa haha.  It is a true principle, though. I really cant do nothing ( don't think about the grammar or else it will take away from the message!), nothing by myself at least.  I can't love the people, I cant develop patince with my companions, I cant walk around all day, I cant wake up at 6:30 each day, I cant memorize scriptures, I cant teach, I cant speak Spanish, I cant do nothing by myself.  God literally does it all for us.  I love that He loves me cause I'd be nothing without Him.

I love y'all a whole bunch!!  Have a real good week and be safe!  Don't forget to smile:)

Love,

Elder Caleb Porter

Bednar

This week was nasty sick (that means really really good)!  Wanna hear about it?  Well oooohh kay!

We had a big ol fireside on Sunday night for all three congregations of Odessa, the Spanish Branch and both English wards.  The purpose was to get people pumped for the missionary efforts of 2015.  It all honesty the fireside sucked mostly hahaha.  Only like 50 people total showed up, but it was still a good time.  Some guy from Midland, Brother Taylor, came and showed us slides from his mission 40 years ago in Mexico.  He served in the Yucatan Peninsula and has way cool stories.  They literally baptized 1000s.  His stories were ight...but the real neat stuff were the stories he told about his mission president.  Holy crap they were insane!  I wish I had more time to write some of them out...but I don't....so just read Alma 17 about Ammon's mission instead.  Right after his talk and stories everybody went into the gym where we, the missionaries, had set up 4 real neat booths about 4 basics of missionary work. Only like 15 people went to that part hahaha, but it was still really fun to set up and teach and stuff.  I was the Spanish missionary in charge of the scriptures booth.  I spent 2 personal studies making a list of comparison scriptures between the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  It was SUCH A FUN STUDY!!  For the booth I just showed people the list or I would ask them their favorite scripture then show them one very similar in the opposite book of scripture. It was a lot of fun!

We had interview on Wednesday with President Heap.  I love that man so much.  He calls me "son".  He calls all the elders son, actually, and we all love it. I can wait till I'm old enough to call 20 year olds son, that's gonna be neat haha.  He challenged me to read Preach My Gospel 20 minutes each day. He made some real real neat promises that would come if I did that, so I am really happy.  Already I've seen my personal testimony and knowledge of the lesson grow. That man truly is inspired from God!

Fracisco got baptized!!  It was real good.  I forgot my camera today, so I'll send y'all a picture next week.  He's just a real humble guy who does some real good stuff.  The branch loves him and things are going real well.  The water in the font was real cold this time, I don't know why.  I felt like I was in some third world country.  Hahaha just kidding.  I'm so spoiled to be here in Texas! Francisco even went and bought a white shirt and tie at Salvation Army! Now that is dedication haha.

Well, obviously the highlight of my week was on Friday when we got to drive up to Lubbock and be instructed by Elder Bednar all day!  IT was SO GOOD!  Holy crap, it was good. Incredible.  He's just a real life human being, who woulda thought?  He was funny and everything.  He taught us in a really interesting way in that he didn't really teach us.  He gave us homework to read before, just three talks, and then when we got there he asked us to tell him what we learned.  He then would ask a follow up question and testify and teach a little bit more on whatever the subject was.  He focused so hard on not having him teach us, but letting the spirit teach us.  He demanded that we took 0 notes on anything he said but took thorough notes on the things the spirit said to our hearts.  It blew my mind. I had so many questions answered by the spirit in that meeting, so many.  It's so nuts to me that we really don't need to hear an apostle or a Prophet speak to have these big questions answered, all we need is the spirit!  The same spirit can be there with President Monson as there can be with some random guy in the sacrament, it just depends on our personal preparations and our personal worthiness.  Neat. Another cool thing is that Elder Bednar has perfect hair. Not a single strand out of place.  It's like a lego guy's hair.  I love it.

ANyway.  I love y'all a whole bunch!  BE safe and warm this week:)  I'll email again in 6 days tehe.  Love you a million.

Love,
Elder Caleb Porter

10 of hearts

Well, this week was cold again! Nothing as bad as last week.  Texas weather is insane.  From real real cold and rainy one day, to hot and sunny the next day, then back to cold haha.  Gotta love it.

Do you remember the guy I told you about, Carlos?  He's the one we met the day after Christmas who was ashoein (i don't actually know what that phrase is or how to spell it) for baptism. Well, he's not quite as legit as we thought haha.  This has happened a lot in my mission where we'll teach someone and he seems way legit and then each following visit they get less and less good until we stop visiting them all together.  The more I talk to Carlos the more I'm convinced that he is insane haha.  We found out he has a smoking and coffee problem, then we found out he has a chastity problem, then we found out he has a potential gang violence problem....I'm scared to go see him again to find out what other problem he might have haha.  For real though, he is a really good guy with the best intentions, it's just gonna take a little bit longer to get he prepared for baptism.  That's the news with him. 

Fancisco, on the other hand, is still as legit as ever.  Even more so than before.  I think I told y'all about the Word of Wisdom lesson we had with him and when we asked him if he had any problems with any of it he told us he wants to stop drinking caffeinated soda but that he was already living all the real parts, haha, that was a real good lesson.  He came to church yesterday and payed tithing...he's not even a member yet AND he doesn't have a steady job, always looking for work and money, but he still payed.  When we were talking about his Baptismal service for this Saturday we asked him if he'd have work and he said if he did he'd just quite.  This guy is so cool.  He's got a rock solid testimony that if you put God first in your life He will bless you.  He's a really good example to me in all honesty.  I am excited to be part of teaching him, it's been a real blessing.  It's always feels so nice to bring a normal person who really does love God to the church.  Usually we just bring really weird people haha. He's already buddy buddy with a lot of the branch, too!!

On Tuesday we had a surprise trio for the day. Look up Van Horn, Texas.  It's this little itty baby town in our mission about 2 hours away from El Paso.  There are like 2100 people there and the missionaries live in a crappy trailer.  Those missionaries were getting a new car, so on Tuesday they spent the day in Odessa, we had Elder Hilton with us.  Elder Hilton is way cool.  He served 6 months in Paraguay but had to go home because of medical problems, he was at home for like another 6 months and then got sent out here!  It's so weird to hear him speak Spanish because its like the complete opposite of Tex-Mex.  I like Tex-Mex way better. He just told us way cool stories the whole day about the work they do in Van Horn.  It sounds like a different country.  I forgot how neat it is to serve in small towns.  They only talk to like 2 new people a week and spend most of their time doing service for the community.  They do practically every volunteer work there is to do. It sounds like half the town has adopted them as their own kids and they get so pampered by all the old women.  No one really takes any time to learn about the Gospel, but they sure do love those Mormon boys.  Can you blame them?  I mean, just look at us?

We talked to some guy who was part of some Hebrew migration church, or something like that.  He just lives the law of Moses basically.  As best they can at least.  He was a little upset because there was no Temple, Prophet, or Priesthood so they couldn't follow the law perfectly.  Huh.  Thats weird.  I coulda sworn we had all those things...Oh that's right WE do:)  He wasn't interested in it.  I did ask him if he believe in personal revelation though.  He said he sure does...they call it a "heavy reavy"  I think that is the funniest term ever.  I encourage all y'all to use it oft.  HAaha. 

I love y'all a whole bunch!!  Be safe and I'll talk to you later!

Love

Elder Porter

Wanton Eyes (Do you think Caleb just comes up with random things for a title?)

Well this week was a doozy!!!  Out of nowhere the weather turned into Godzilla and massacred the whole city of Odessa.  On Tuesday it was really cold in the morning, I bundled up in 2 pairs of thermal dundies, a sweater, and my giant coat with a hat and gloves, of course.  At like 3 or 4 oclock we were walking around and it was misting little drops of rain, but the rain would freeze like the second it hit things.  So by the end of that hour Elder Gillette and I had a 1/4 inch layer of ice on the outside of our coats!  We were all crusty, it was awesome.  If I had a beard it would have been full of ice.  On Wednesday it was SO icy.  Easily the worst roads I have ever driven on.  Last year when it was real icy we were told to stay inside, but not this year!  I never went above 12 MPH but even that was probably too fast.  The Chevy Cruz we drive has bad tires so I couldn't accelerate or brake without sliding all over the place.  It was nuts!  The news paper said there were over 250 accidents reported that day, how nuts is that?!?!?  Luckily #Godwaswithme and I didn't crash ni una vez. Thursday was slightly better.  On Friday it rained all day and was a little bit warmer.  There were HUGE puddles on ever street cause Odessa doesn't know how to irrigate.  The combination of the rain plus the melting roads made ever street a river.  I'm pretty sure our car floated a few times haha. On Saturday it was hot again and everything melted and today there is no evidence it even happened. I love it here.

The West Odessa elders live here in the city but their area to work is really far west, it's basically everything between Odessa and Monahans. They weren't allowed to go to their area because the roads were so bad out there so on Thursday they came and blitzed our area!  A "blitz"  is just like an exchange except both companionships work in the same area.  I spent the day with Elder Berta, he's a brand new greeny from New Jersey.  We got so lucky.  Usually on a blitz you just end up spending all day walking around outside because there isn't enough work for 2 companionships, but that's not what happened to us!  We were walking around and found a less active guy I've been looking f or for 8 months and taught a killer lesson to him AND his 2 friends, it was neat. Then we got to teach a killer lesson to Cody, Yocelin, and Jesus. We read Alma 17 with them about Ammon cutting off arms and connected it to missionary work.  I challenged them all to pray about a mission.  Jesus is going to serve, I know it.  I love that kid so much.  THEN at night we got to teach another LA family.  We taught them about tithing and challenged them to get to the temple this year.  IT was a good good day.

On Sunday morning we got a call from our Zone Leaders informing us that the Chapel in Odessa was broken!  IT couldn't handle the cold.  The heater broke and some of the pipes burst, so it was a real big mess.  They told us we could drive up to midland and go there.  There are 2 churches in midland and I only know where on of them is. Well, the Spanish branch meets at the other one.  I was given an Address and nothing more, we don't have a map of midland and I know almost nothing about the city.  I drove straight to it without a problem.  I don't know if that sounds as awesome to you as it does to me.  It was a miracle!!  God really wanted us to be on time to church, haha.  Elder Heaps, one of my old companions is serving in Midland Spanish, so I got to see him, I was real happy:)

Anyway. I  love y'all a whole ton!! Thanks for all your prayers and love!!

LOVE,

Elder Caleb

Puras Krizmas

Well.  Let me start off this email with the statement:   I'm an idiot.  Hahah.  Last week I wrote a zillion emails and letters and I realized on Christmas day that I spelled "Merry Christmas" wrong in all of them!  Hahaha I wrote "Marry".  At least I think I did.  Just know that I wasn't commanding you to marry Christmas, such an act would be dumb.  I was simply wishing you a merry, or happy, time haha.

Christmas was awesome.  It was so neat to be able to Skype with y'all!  I keep saying that time flies on the mission, and that is true, but no time flies faster than that hour of Skype.  It starts and ends all in the same instant.  I love y'all a whole lot!  After the call we played a really fun game with the Stromberg family called "The King of Tokyo". It was about being a monster and trying to be the first to kill Tokyo, sorry Betsy.  It reminded me of being home with y'all and playing games.  A good way to spend Christmas day.  At night we went over to our ward mission leader's house and ate some real good Carne Asada.  There was a HUGE crowed of people there.  It felt like the entire city of El Paso was crammed into that trailer.  Needless to say it was a blast.  I love Mexican culture haha.  They do Christmas a little weird, too.  They stay up on Christmas eve and then open presents at midnight.  I guess Santa must hit all the Mexican houses first cause my gifts never came until at least 5 AM.

Elder Gillette and I bought Brother Kelly a puzzle for Christmas.  It's 2000 pieces and has 2 giant kittens on it!  He loves it.  As soon as he gets back from his trip we're gonna put it together with him.  he's in Provo, actually, so keep an eye out for him!  I love that man.  He got us a whole ton of European candy and flavored popcorn for our present, he's a good guy.

The day after Christmmas we taught a guy named Carlos.  Carlos is legit.  He's been dating a member of the church for forever and finally on Christmas he woke up and decided he was ready for baptism.  They had just arrived in Odessa the week before so they figured out our number and gave us a call!  Thiers is a weird relationship..  He's from El Salvador and speaks pretty broken English, she's from Arizona and speaks no Spanish at all, but they still love each other I guess!  We teach him in 100% Spanglish.  The best, most fluent Spanglish that has ever left my lips. It's so fun.  I imagine I'll speak something like that when I get home.  He'll be baptized on the 10th of January.  Oh yeah, and for church they are gonna go to the last 2 hours of the second ward and then the first two hours of the Spanish branch.  That way they can both be nourished by the good word!

Wulp. It's new years time!  AKA time to set some real good resolutions and goals!!  There is a neat article about goals in this months Ensign that I studied yesterday. As far as I'm concerned the key to success in life and to accomplishing goals is to have the goal be a God Centered Goal. For example: if someone had the goal of graduating college in the top of the class, that is a really good goal, that shows what they believe they can achieve, but they don't have the very best perspective yet.  Why do they want to graduate at the top of the class? So they can get a better job.  Why do they want a better job?  So they can support their family, or have a flexible schedule, or whatever it may be.  Now if the person dedicates their goal to their future family, or dedicates that extra time to helping their family and God it becomes a God Centered Goal.  When you have a GCG you are fully entitled to have God's help in achieving the goal!  Neatk.  What are y'all's resolutions?

I love y'all so so much!  Have a really good week and stay warm and safe:)

Love,

Elder Caleb Porter

Amorim!

First off....I SAW A HAWAII LICENCE PLATE!!!  I have now seen all 50 states here in Odessa!  haha.

This week we had a ton of progress with one of our investigators named Francisco.  He's so cool.  He came to Church again this week, the only one this time, but that's still really good. AT church he met and talked to a lot of the members and he fits in like a charm!  The members already invited him to go play soccer with them and he's just a champ.  We set a baptismal date for the 3 of January.  Pack and I started teaching him about 4 months ago, but the only thing we had taught him was the Restoration and Plan of Salvation and the rest of the visits were just reading with him. He's going to California for this week so we thought it was important to teach him the Word of Wisdom.  We went over there, with Brother  Amorim, a member with a killer testimony on the WoW, and taught a real real good lesson.  At the end we asked him if he had any trouble with any of the stuff.  He told us that he probably should be eating healthier.  So we asked him if he had problems specifically about the 5 no-nos. He told us that he quit drinking beer right when we started meeting with him 4 months ago because it felt right, he stopped drinking Coffee and tea a few months ago after we said that we didn't drink coffee, and that the only think he thinks he'd like to change is to stop drinking caffeinated soda.  CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!?! Talk about prepared.  Gosh. Then he asked us if he could just give us his tithing...before he even talked about it...wow.  What a guy.  The church is true!  I know God prepares people to accept this message. 

On Friday (my 18 month mark) we had a branch Christmas party.  It was so so so much fun.  I love the branch so much!  The primary kids got together and acted out a nativity.  All the shepherds had marker beards and the star was just a tin-foil ball on a PVC pipe hahaha. Brother Celso FLorez, the big guy from the picture I sent home last week, dressed up like santa and came and talked to us all.  Even Santa knows Spanish.   We ate menudo, it was like m y4th or 5th time eating it and It's not even bad anymore.  I'm basically a Mexican.  I showed a lot of the members a picture of my mullet back home and they loved it.  There is a member here who has a better one than I did.  All in all it was a KILLER night.  So much fun.  

On Saturday we got to go to the Temple AGAIN for the Amorim's sealing.  Man.  It was the coolest experience ever.  Brother Amorim is my favorite person I have met out here on my mission.  He grew up less active in Brazil, then came to America, got some girl from Columbia pregnant, so he learned Spanish and married her.  They lived in Houston Texas and were dirt poor and she was really sick.  One day he drove past one of our Church Buildings and the Spirit hit him real strong and ever since that point that family has been blessed.  He got active, she got baptized, they moved to Odessa, got a real nice job, had a healthy baby boy, moved into a big house and finally this week they got sealed as a family for time and all eternity.  They know their purpose as members and help us out so much.  I love them to death and I was so happy to be there at the temple with them.   On Sunday their faces were so bright and happy.  The light of Christ illuminated them just like in 3 Nephi 19.  

Cody went and did Baptisms for the dead that day as well, so it was a success!

I'M excited to call home on Christmas!  I love y'all so so much. Be safe and happy and have a really good Christmas!

Love,

Elder CAleb 

17 Milagros

Ok.  I'm sure there actually were 17 miracles in my week, but I cant remember them so I'm only gonna talk about 3 or so. But I still wanted to title the email 17 miracles because of the neat movie haha.  

Miracle #1:  On Saturday we were extremly blessed to have been able to go to the Lubbock Temple to watch the Florez family get sealed for time and all eternity!  I love the Florez' so much.  They are just always so happy and a huge help to the work.  They have been trying for about 3 years to get worthy and active and all the paper work done to be able to go to the temple and it finally happened!  I felt the spirit really strong and I was so overjoyed to have been part of helping them get there.  Celso Florez, the father of the house, is so humble and was so happy to finally be there.  You could just see it in their eyes how much it meant for them to be a family!  I love that that is a principle of the Gospel. Families really can be together forever.  This Saturday we get to go AGAIN to watch my favorite member family, the Amorims, get sealed! How blessed am I?!

Miracle #2:  We had 4 investigators to church yesterday!!!  That is UNREAL!!  I think it's funny to read letters from missionaries in other missions cause they always talk about being sad they only had 10 investigators at church haha. 4 is a miracle and we were pum

ped!  Tania and Nadia, the daughters of a recent convert came for the first time.  I don't t think they enjoyed it very much haha, but it's alright.  We'll make it happen next time.  AN investigator named Caridad came for the first time, she is really really weird and I don't think she enjoyed it either. It was a disaster with her cause she told us she needed to be home by 12 but I thought she said 2, that dang Cuban accent kills me!!  She was pretty stressed about getting home, so I doubt the spirit touched here very much. THe best one though was that Fanscisco came.  He's an investigator that I've been teaching for like 5 months now.  WE had a killer lesson with him on Saturdayabout how Christ can heal him and he actually showed up the next day! He fits in perfectly with the members and they even got a job for him.  How neat is that!  He loved church and is planning on coming again.  Not too long from now and we'll get him a Bap Date. 4 investigators was really overwhelming, but way nice to end on that note.  Good good way to end a transfer. 

Miracle #3:  I'M STAYING IN ODESSA ANOTHER 6 WEEKS!!!  Can you believe it?!!?!  I am so happy.  That will make 9 months.  I know God answers prayers because He is letting me stay some more.  This is gonna  be a really good Christmas for me:)  I'll be staying here with Elder Gillette still as well.  I'm hoping to keep this progression happening and getting some good stuff to come.

One sad thing though, a non-miracle I guess, is that Tom is being transferred to Lubbock. It was such a blessing to have served around him for the past 7.5 months.  I love that kid so much.  He was easily the best district leader I've had, too.  He helped me out a lot in these last 2 transfers.  They were really hard ones, but he made it alright!!  He's also inspired me to change.  His example is killer.  I cant wait to see him again, all my friends a live Alma 17:2-3 for real.  It's neat to all be out here at the same time changing and growing so much.  It's gonna be cool to see how we all are in the end.

I love y'all so much!! Have a happy and safe week:)

Love,

Elder Caleb Porter 

The Florez family