It's a beautiful day here in New Jersey and I can't tell you how crazy
this week has been. But overall, it's been very fun and exciting. It
all started when I went to Broomall for transfers on Tuesday.
So Tuesday, missionaries leaving the Scranton area picked me up to go
to Broomall and dropped of Elder Thielen's new companion in Kutztown.
It was pretty exciting because I saw so many old faces like my son
Elder Harris, Elder Maynard, and countless old Zone Leaders. But at
the end of it all, I found out I would be going to Woodstown, NJ with
my new companion, Elder Yeates. Now, what's pretty interesting is that
this is Elder Yeates last transfer. So he will be the third missionary
I send home. But it was really great to drive back through familiar
spots in New Jersey. We went to work right away finding two new people
to teach named Lester and Malikah! It was an absolute tender mercy the
Lord blessed us with such a great first day.
Wednesday, we met with a good number of less actives in the ward. One
of them was named Matt. It was a special experience for me because in
the middle of the lesson he asked me personally how I knew that God
really did exist. I don't know why, but it felt like time stopped
except for the three of us at that point, which was weird because I
have never really had that happen before in a lesson. But I bore my
testimony that I knew God was real and it just felt so right to do it,
like anything in missionary work. It was pretty great because by the
end of the lesson he was determined to know for himself if God did
exist. Later that night we met with this family named the Whitfields,
who are less active. They have this long time family friend that lives
with them named Tara Moses, who is investigating the church. Before
the lesson Elder Yeates and I decided to commit her to baptism for
next month, which we knew was attainable because we felt the Spirit
confirm to us that was the right date. So by the time we ended the
lesson, we invited her to be baptized on June 12th and she agreed to
it! It was really exciting to have that happen right from the get go
in a new area. She's already made goals to quit smoking and come to
church every week and prepare to be baptized! It's really neat because
Woodstown has not had a baptism in almost a year, so this will be a
really special experience for everyone, Tara, the Whitfields, the
ward, and us as well.
Thursday we went to District Meeting, which was a lot of fun. I met
our new District Leader, Elder Nebeker who is a transfer younger than
I am and is a real fun Elder. Also Elder Deland, who served with me in
the Cherry Hill North Zone is here as well as Sister Blake, who was in
my mtc District! So it was pretty nice to find familiar faces where
I'm serving. Also my Zone Leaders are both Spanish speaking and I will
be going up to their area next week so I will get a chance to practice
my Spanish again which will be pretty exciting. One thing that I
forgot about New Jersey is the amount of rain. Thursday through
Saturday, it was raining pretty hard, but we had a good time traveling
around the area and finding people to teach on Thursday.
Friday, we went back to the Whitfields to teach Tara again. We asked
Tara why she wanted to be baptized and she gave such a perfect answer
by telling us she wanted to come closer to God and be cleansed from
sin. What was really neat as well was that the Whitfields are all
going to try to quit smoking together and come to church as well. It's
just so cool, wherever you go, you see people just trying to change
and grow because they know the Gospel is true. It really is a
blessing.
Saturday I met the Bishop and his family. They are a really great
family and the Bishop is very missionary minded, which is such a
blessing. We got along very well and the Bishop even found us someone
to go teach! I was just floored and so excited for the coming weeks
ahead.
Sunday I got to meet the ward, which was really neat. There are a lot
of kind people who are willing to help out in the work which is very
exciting. Tara also came to church and loved it. After church, we
taught Lester and Malikah, who we found on Tuesday. They are a really
great couple and love when we come over. After we taught the
Restoration, Lester told us he felt so good after meeting with us. We
told him it was the Spirit and that what we taught was true because
the Spirit confirms what we teach is the truth. Lester wants to be
baptized in June but he and Malikah are not married, so we set a goal
for him to be baptized sometime in June. After that, our Elders Quorum
President took us out to visit a good number of families who were not
hometaught which was really neat.
It's exciting to be here in Woodstown, a lot of changes are happening
very soon. This is a five week transfer, so Elder Yeates has a month
left before he goes home and my Mission President goes home a week
after Elder Yeates. But I'm excited to see what this next month has in
store for us. I thank the Lord for sending me to such a special place
here in New Jersey, it feels like a homecoming which is so exciting! I
hope all of you are well and happy! Trust in the Savior, Jesus Christ,
who is mighty to save. He is just waiting for all of us to come into
Him. Like it says in Alma, "lay aside every sin, which easily doth
beset you". As we do, the enabling power of the Atonement will lift us
heavenward.
Elder Cortes
Woodstown, NJ
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