Crazy in Hazy!

Hey everybody! 

It's been some week that's for sure, there were a lot of monumental events that happened this week and I still can't get over it. The Temple Dedication was wonderful, and we also got transfer calls as well. We found out they are closing our Zone due to logistical stuff regarding stake boundaries. So Elder Neilson and I are doubling out of Hazleton! We head out tomorrow to our new areas, but the cool thing is that we already know where we are going since President told us our zone was closing. I found out I will be in Reading Zone serving in the Exeter Ward (but really it's Reading). It's exciting because I will be able to go back to Kutztown since it is a part of the Reading Zone. I never really thought this would happen to me on my mission, to be in an area for one transfer, but it's the Lord's will!

Since I have to pack and get everything ready for the new Elders to come in, this entry will be pretty short. But I do want to talk about the special experience I had with the Temple Dedication. It was incredible to see some of my favorite examples in the Gospel, Elder Christofferson and President Eyring, clothed in pure white in the Celestial Room. They both gave amazing talks, along with the Temple President and the Temple Matron. It was like watching a mini General Conference. Elder Christofferson testified that it isn't enough to just be in the Temple just like it isn't enough to be in a chapel for church. Like it says in 3 Nephi 9:19, Christ desires no more of animal sacrifices, but of us. When we go to the Temple we are the sacrifice to the Lord, who we are right now. Because all of us are flawed and imperfect, we should be willing to sacrifice those parts of ourselves and be willing to be instructed by the Lord in His Holy House. What touched me so much is that he bore witness that the sins that are alluring, attractive, and that so easily beset us will be come less desirable, and eventually, abhorrent. It's just so true, because as we go to the Temple, we become the celestial men and women God plans for us to be, little by little. He testified that Jesus Christ is the master builder of these men and women, that He is the Cornerstone of everything we do. President Eyring gave an exceptional talk as well explaining that instruction in the Temple is so individual and personal that God does know exactly where we are and what we need to do to progress. He humble spoke of our very natures being changed as we observe Temple covenants on a daily basis. Being a part of the Dedication was without a doubt, one of my favorite highlights of my mission. The music, the Cornerstone Ceremony, and the Hosannah Shout were incredible. The Dedicatory Prayer President Eyring offered was solemn and powerful. He blessed the surrounding area, the freedoms we have, the sealings and endowments that will take place, the city of Philadelphia, and so much more. I know for myself, that Temples truly are essential for our salvation. I remember when I went for my endowment and I left the Temple with a sense of enduring peace. I was with many of those I love, and I was especially with my Father in Heaven. It felt as though I was out of the world for the rest of the day. That's truly what the Temple is for, it is for us to change and become better men and women. It is to redeem the dead who did not get an opportunity to accept the Gospel but who would do anything for it, just like the Founding Fathers of our country, who created the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. They humbly asked a prophet of God to be redeemed, and they were, along with their loved ones. I'm grateful for my family and the covenant we are sealed under. As President Eyring prayed for the families to be sealed, I just thought of how great God's plan is for us as families. 

Well, I have to get going on my packing, I hope all of you have a wonderful week!

Elder Cortes

Hazleton, PA

Living a Dangerous Life in the PPM

Hola a Todos!

It's been a crazy week full of blessings and miracles. There was a lot
of driving involved, not a ton of proselyting happened, but all of our
time was filled with cherished memories.

Tuesday was probably the only normal day of the week. We found a part
member family named Gregory and Ashley. It was great because Gregory's
parents were visiting and his whole family are members. They are
Dominican so they spoke some English but they helped out so much. We
taught on the Book of Mormon and everyone testified to Ashley the
truthfulness of it which made her interested to set up a return
appointment. It was a miracle because if Gregory's parents weren't
there, we felt like we would not have made it inside the house. It was
definitely a blessing from the Lord being at the right place at the
right time.

On Wednesday we went to the Temple Open House with a part member
family named the Kuhns. We meet with them once a month because they
live almost 40 minutes away and Sister Kuhn is going through chemo
battling cancer. But it was a really great experience for both of them
and for us. What's really neat is you learn something new or feel
something special every time you go. The Philadelphia Temple is
incredible! Words can't describe the beauty and the majestic glory of
the House of the Lord.

Thursday was my first Zone Training I conducted. We planned for it the
free time we had the few days before but I was a little nervous. It
all went so well when the Lord gave me comfort as I prayed for
strength to be a strong leader for the missionaries in the Zone. It
went so well, the trainings Elder Neilson and I did together were
great and the Zone responded very well to it! After Zone Training, I
went to Lehighton on exchanges with a missionary named Elder Thompson.
It was cool being in one of my old companion's old areas and meet the
people he worked with.

Friday we swapped back and we headed down to the temple one last time
with a less active we are working with named Fabio. It was a struggle
because he had 4 opportunities to go with the branch and he always
dodged it. He always wanted to go with us, so we set it up for the
final day of the Open House! It was crazy because we left at 2:30, and
it took us 4 hours to get there because of traffic. We didn't leave
until 8:30 and got home by 11, which is past our curfew
unfortunately... But we did repent and we hope the Lord understood our
circumstances! But it was so special to go to the open house one more
time. Especially at night. To see the Temple and the city of
Philadelphia was incredible. I'd never seen the city at night, I just
loved it all. I was so grateful to go to the open house four times
with people I cared about. I was so grateful the senior couple, the
DeSpains drove us each times. It was crazy they drove to the temple
almost everyday last week. It was so great to see their dedication and
love for the people here in Hazleton.

Saturday was full of taking care of administration stuff for the next
transfer (talking to District Leaders, the Assistants, etc.). But it
was cool because we saw Ashley and Gregory later that night and taught
the whole Restoration which went so well!

Sunday was a great way to close the week! We had two baptisms with Bob
and Alice. We don't have a font in Hazleton and all the fonts around
the zone weren't working, so we had to ask permission from President
Randall to go out of the mission. Ultimately we had to get permission
from Salt Lake to go to the Pittsburg Mission to use the font in the
Berwick. So I guess you can say I was living life to the extreme at
that point. It was such a great service, I actually got to conduct
which was pretty neat. Bob and Alice enjoyed it all and we were just
so glad with all the progress they made. Baptisms are without a doubt,
one of the favorite parts of my mission. Not because I got a baptism,
but because people are changing and are committing to follow God. I'm
just so glad Elder Neilson and I were able to see a few baptisms
together. Next week is transfers and we don't know if he will leave or
stay, but he's been one of my favorite companions to work with. It's
such a blessing to work with such a great Elder.

I'm so blessed with the temple open house and these baptisms. The Lord
truly is blessing us with special experiences here. This Sunday is the
Philadelphia Temple Dedication which we are all excited about. It's my
first one, which will be pretty special. I'm grateful for the Lord
blessing me with such a great mission. I can't wait for this Sunday!
Hope you all have a great week!

Elder Cortes

Hazleton, PA

Reggaetone in the Streets of Hazy

Hey everyone!

It's been such a great week in the promised land of the PPM. Too many
fun times and emotional spiritual experiences to really count but I'll
certainly do my best to remember!

So Tuesday, we went to a specialized training up in Clarks Summit
which is near Scranton. It was neat to be trained by President and
Sister Randall as well as the Assistants on using Facebook and talk a
lot about different Christlike attributes like Virtue and digging deep
into Alma 5. It was incredible all the inspiration we received. Elder
Neilson and I gave a training too on planning which went pretty well.
It was funny because the Assistants were running a little late so
President asked if Elder Neilson could conduct the meeting until they
got there (Next Assistant apparently, just kidding). Later that day,
we went on exchanges and I was with Elder Dennis, a Spanish Elder here
in Hazleton. It was awesome because Elder Dennis was a fireball
committing and teaching in unity to all of our investigators. We ended
up getting two baptismal commitments and a couple of church
invitations for the coming weeks.

Wednesday was another exchange day as I travelled down south to
Pottsville. It was great because I was with Elder Shumway, who is from
Gilbert and we found so many miracles for their area. We contacted 3
referrals and they all set up return appointments which was
incredible. They're all now being actively taught and hopefully being
committed to baptism in the near future!

Thursday, we swapped back at District Meeting and it was lame to see
almost half the District was sick. Even my amazing, diligent companion
caught the bug that was flying around. I was blessed since I didn't
catch it at all, the Lord knew I had my fight with being sick last
month so I'm grateful he didn't give me that trial again. It was fun
though, at around 6 we got picked up by the Scranton Zone Leaders to
go to a meeting for Friday at Broomall (mission HQ). The Scranton Zone
Leaders were so much fun the whole 3 hour drive down. Then we got to
spend the night at the Assistants' apartment which was a blast.

Friday was incredible. At the beginning of the month, we have a
meeting called MLC where all the Zone Leaders, Sister Training
Leaders, the Assistants, and President and Sister Randall all come
together. The Spirit was so strong as we were trained on how we can
better lead the mission. We spent an entire hour having a discussion
on the first few verses of 2nd Nephi 2! To come together as leaders,
where everyone is so spiritually mature and strong was amazing. At the
end we had a testimony meeting and I bore my testimony on the Savior
and how much I loved the MLC. It's so true because I got to see so
many of my old Zone Leaders, District Leaders, and missionaries I have
worked around. I said it was like a family to me, which it is.
Probably the most unexpected experience I have had and will continue
to have is the love I have for the missionaries. I just didn't think
I'd come out here and make so many friends, not just for the mission,
but for eternity. Friends in the mission are true to the end, I felt
that during the whole meeting. Probably the most powerful moment of
that meeting was the Assistant Elder Weisler bearing his testimony at
the end. It was his final MLC as a missionary (he's been to MLC for 16
months on his mission) and he just poured out the love he had for each
and every one of us. He also bore such a powerful testimony on the
Savior and how we make a difference. He mentioned we talk and discuss
things that 19 and 20 year olds don't ever talk about in the world. He
said a mission is the time and the place for that. Through it all, I
was just overloaded on the Spirit. We sang the mission song and
everybody was bawling. I couldn't keep it together during the closing
prayer, it's safe to say that was a defining day in my mission.

Saturday and Sunday we walked all over Hazleton and found a lot of
cool people. We heard so much reggaetone music in so many cars (the
Dominican Music that makes the speakers blare super loud). But we saw
a few miracles, we found a woman named Fuquannah who is pretty solid
and cries every time we come over. Bob and Alice also did not get
baptized because Bob took a few puffs of cigarettes. But the baptism
should be happening this week! I love my mission so much, there are
testimony builders left and right everyday it seems. I am so grateful
for this time in my life, to really know how I can be a better
Disciple of Jesus Christ. It is my hope all of us have these sacred
and special experiences as well. I know they will come as we seek for
them. I hope all of you are well and have a great Labor Day!

Love from The Golden City of Hazleton

Elder Cortes

Hazleton, PA