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Hola y'all!

This last week I went to my first Zone Conference. It was awesome! President and Sister Woodbury both spoke along with our Stake President, President Porter (everyone thinks we're related somehow). The Assistants also gave a great training on the Atonement of Jesus Christ that really hit home.

We had 12 missionaries in our group, and after we watched the Mormon Message "Your Potential, Your Privileges" (http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages?lang=eng#your-potential-your-privileges ), they asked our District Leader, Elder Edwards, to do something for them. Each of us were given a donut one at a time, but in order for us to have the donut, Elder Edwards had to do 20 push-ups. Even if we didn't want the donut, he still had to do 20 push-ups. Hermana Lawrence and I were sitting at the very end, and I just hated watching it because he was struggling hard by the end, but he kept going. He didn't even say no or complain. He just did. I didn't want to make him keep going, but we had no choice. It was representative of the Savior and his Atonement. Even though it was more than He thought He could take, He kept moving forward and suffered everything for us, even if we didn't want it. The fact is, our Savior has atoned for our sins. Who are we not to partake of it? After He has done everything for us, how ungrateful are we not to respect it and humble ourselves before Him and do what He asks?

The rest of Conference was great. Funny story: we were trying to wipe down the inside of our car that morning before we had to go, but the cleaner was freezing to the inside of the door as we were spraying. So cleaning was an adventure! I really really really regret not listening to Bradon or Dad about car stuff before the mission. I mean, I know how to clean a car, but I am going to take much better care of my car after the mish. I am going to take care of it like Bradon does. haha. You can hold me to that Bradon.

This week has been pretty chilly. I am learning just how dramatic Easterners are about weather. We got like a million calls and texts from our members this morning about how it's going to snow or sleet tonight. Then yesterday the library closed again because it snowed a bit on Sunday. Meh. But now I'm here! :)

Oh, another funny story: the other night I woke up with a huge gasp and yelled, "IT'S 12:45!" And my companion just stared at me for a sec and rolled over, and a few minutes later she turned over again and I was staring at the clock just completely dumb-founded and confused. I guess I stared at it for like 10 minutes and just went back to sleep. I just remember feeling really really confused and baffled that it was 12:45.... Don't ask.

We had a great Work of Salvation broadcast from Knoxville, TN this last Saturday. Elder L. Tom Perry, Elder Zwick, and Elder Ronald A. Rasband were there. They broadcast it all over our mission and the Knoxville mission. It was just a leadership training, which I loved. I love hearing what we can do better and how we can move this work along together as missionaries and members. Members really are the driving force of this work. Without our members, this work will not go forward. People are more willing to listen to us if we have members involved. I will not be the same member after I get home. Get involved and help the missionaries!! Offer to have a lesson in your home, feed them, go out with them to lessons, do what you can to help move this work forward! Por favor :) Ok thanks!! Oh one other thing about that broadcast: The mission president and his wife of the Knoxville Mission got up at one point during the Q&A session, and it just took me off guard because his wife looks just like my mom. Not exactly, like she's blonde, but she just looks like my mom. I was tearing up for a sec! Threw me off guard!

Anywhoooo, the hermanas in Clarksville had a baptism on Saturday night, so we got to go with Josue and a bunch of our members. It was awesome. It wasn't a very reverent service, but we're glad Josue got to see how a baptismal service goes down. Baptismal services are SO important for investigators. 80% of investigators who attend a baptismal service get baptized themselves. Josue's got a good chance then! We moved his baptism date to March 1 because of some issues.... but here's another cool story!

We had a mission-wide fast this weekend, and something AWESOME happened at church. We teach the Gospel Principles class, and when we got there, William, Frankie (he had to leave after class because he got stabbed in the leg the night before and had to go to the hospital...) and Josue were there, then some other investigator (not ours) from Clarksville was there, and then after class we saw Emanuel! And then one of our 10-year-old "investigators" (his family is less-active) Steven was there too! We had a total of FIVE investigators there!! It was AWESOME! Good day at church :) I like our branch. We have almost 100% attendance every week by our members.

You remember that family I told you about a few weeks ago that we tracted into? I was feeling super sick that Sunday and didn't want to go, but we went anyway and a girl came out of her trailer and started talking to us? Well, the Elders here in Corydon have been teaching their family, and they have a baptism date for March 22! They've been coming to Church, and the dad said on Sunday that they are "definitely getting baptized". How great!!! I have a huge testimony of tracting when you feel like throwing up.

Anywho! That's my week! Learning and improving each day :) Sorry this email is so long. I just have a lot to say allllll the tiiiiiime. I can't wait to share all my stories with you all when I get home! Time is just flying. I'm almost 4 months old. I'm almost not a baby anymore! It's insane. My Spanish is getting better. I feel better about it now. It's just understanding it that I'm having a hard time with. I'll get there :)

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!

Hermana Porter