From Moorestown to....?

Hey guys!

Well, we are in a new year which is really exciting! Of course, with

this being the last week of the transfer, it's always busy. Especially

when you're packing because I'm getting transferred!

But to talk about the week, on Wednesday we went to the Davis' house

to teach another lesson to the kids. What was so special about this

visit was that we committed one of the kids, Lilah, to baptism in

February! We weren't really expecting it, but she really want to and

she got permission from her parents to make it happen! Honestly, that

made my whole day. I figured if I was leaving Moorestown, I wanted to

leave it in pretty good shape.

New Year's Eve, we had District Meeting which was pretty great. The

Assistants were in my District Meeting, and one of them is a

pretty.... serious. Not in a bad way. But it went really well! They

both said I did a great job and I felt like it was one of the best

meetings we had as a District so I was really glad we ended the

transfer strong on District Meetings. At the end of the night, we came

home early because everyone was out doing something so no appointments

and tracting was pretty pointless at that time. It was really strange

because I always stay up for the New Year and I went to bed at 10:30

(mission rules). Then fireworks wake you up in the middle of the night

and you're just so confused..... But overall it was really great!

On New Years we had a pretty busy day lined up. I did a baptismal

interview for the Zone Leaders for a man named Tom. It was really

great because before he was atheist and now he has a strong testimony

the church is true. Really, I will never stopped being amazed at the

strong testimonies these men and women have right before they are

baptized. They are just so strong! Later that day we had dinner with a

couple in the ward named the Duns. They drove us to Cherry Hill to a

tai restaurant and there was so much good food there! The best part

was the bbq pork they made. I don't what it was, but it was the best

pork I ever had. At the end of the night, we got transfer calls and I

found out I was being transferred for the first time. At first I was

thinking "okay I figured this was going to happen. Not a huge deal".

Then I was lying in bed thinking "wait, I need to pack and say my

goodbyes and I don't even know where I'm going". I wasn't stressing

out, but a million thoughts were rushing into my head. But I knew the

Lord would be with me at this time and I know He will be with me

wherever I go.

Saturday, we had a few appointments drop... So we decided to stop by a

lot of our investigators and set up appointments for the coming week,

so Elder Harris and his new companion could start the week strong.

What a tender mercy this day was. So many different people were

setting up dinner appointments for next week and we're excited to see

us come back. There was one point Amy Knapp (a less active we are

seeing) told us her son Nick asked when can he be baptized. She also

told us he has done everything we have asked him to do so far(read

pamphlets, read Book of Mormon, etc.). Although I won't be here when

the great miracles happen, I know this area will be well taken care

of, which really made me feel good.

Sunday was the big day to say my goodbyes. It was really hard to say

goodbye to a lot of close friends I have made these past six months.

What was so special was that almost all of them said we will see you

again. Which meant a lot to me. It didn't even feel like I was serving

in the Moorestown ward, but that I was a part of it, which I really

appreciated. There are a lot of people here who have a heart of gold

which I'm so grateful for. After church, so many different members

wanted us over for dinner, dessert, and pictures. It was so much fun

being around all of them. I know without a doubt, if I came back to

Moorestown, which I know I will, it will feel like home to me.

Now we're here to today. I just finished a huge meal at Buffalo Wild

Wings. All that's left is to write emails, pack, and say a few more

goodbyes. Transfers are tomorrow morning at noon. To describe how I

feel right now is a little hard. It's bittersweet. I'm excited to see

a new part of the mission, but I'm a little down to leave an area I

worked so hard to build through the Lord. I'm excited and nervous at

the same time. I've never been transferred before, but I know I will

be okay. I can't wait to tell you all about the new area I will be in!

It will be an experience i will definitely remember. But I will be

okay. The Lord has my back. You all have my back. There's no way I'm

going to falter. There's a great work to do these next 18 months, and

it is my humble prayer I can do and learn all that the Lord wants me

to learn. I hope you all have a great start to 2016!

Elder Cortes