The Power of Porter

A message for all, but particularly missionaries and those struggling to find happiness. During an English Chat session this week, I met an amazing woman. She lives in Kenya. She is a single mother of three, a student at BYU Idaho online, and she works full time to provide for her family. She cooks and cleans every meal. Her husband left the church and their little family. She stands alone as the only convert to the church in her family. She and her three children walk 2 miles both ways every week to attend their branch, where she teaches Sunday school. She is a worthy temple recommend holder who lives hours from the nearest temple, to which she’s never even been. She is so humble, kind, and happy.  During our conversation, I asked her this question. “If you could be anywhere in the world doing anything you wanted, where would you be and what would you be doing?” I imagined her saying that she would want to be on a beautiful tropical beach somewhere reading a good book and sippin a piñ

In the heat of the Civil War, a 19 year old Union soldier fell asleep during his guard duty. A whole flank of the army was killed on his watch. The just penalty for his mistake was death. The boy, having lost friends and many fellow soldiers, felt this was what he deserved. He was subject to the law of justice.   President Lincoln was ready to sign the warrant for his execution. The soldier’s sweet mother, having lost her husband and one by one all five of her other children to the war, pleaded for him to forgive the penalty. Her heart couldn’t bear to lose her last child. He was all she had left. President Lincoln, having compassion on the grief-stricken mother, pardoned the young soldier. Not for the soldiers sake, but for the mother’s sake.  I love this story. It is such a good example of how mercy outweighs justice. The atonement is crucial to God’s plan. It had to be Jehovah. He is the beloved Son. He loves and is loved by all things He created. Jesus Christ suffered and died that