Hey everybody!
It's been a great week here in Hazleton! Elder Neilson and I have been
busy going to meetings, conducting exchanges, and getting work done in
our area.
On Tuesday, we had a leadership meeting with three of the other Zones
(us, Scranton, Lehigh Valley, and Reading). So all the District
Leaders, Zone Leaders, and the Assistants all did a huge round table
discussion. It was such a great training on how to be a leader and
really know how to communicate with people in general. It was life
lessons pretty much on how to really strengthen people. Probably what
stuck the most was that President Randall gave his trainings with a
lot of emotion. You can really tell how much he loves every single
missionary and that he would do anything for us. I'm grateful for such
a fantastic Mission President.
Wednesday and Thursday, we did a two day exchange with Elders in
Stroudsburg as well as Lehighton. It was bittersweet because I was out
of Hazleton for two days, but I was with two really great Elders. I
went to Stroudburg first with Elder DeGarmo, who goes home next
transfer. It was a blast because everything to him is so simple. He's
from California (or as he says "Calibronia") but he taught me so much.
He really knows how to teach by the Spirit and the whole day we had a
blast. He covers two wards,an English and a Spanish. Probably the best
part of the exchange we taught a Spanish lady and in the middle of the
lesson he just stops talking and looks at me to keep going. I was a
little surprised but I winged it and Elder DeGarmo backed me up, which
I was pretty glad about. The next day I was with an Elder named Elder
Wilko in Lehighton, who came out with me. It was so much fun catching
up and just getting work done. We did some service and I got to chop
wood and drive one of those grass cutter things. It was pretty fun. I
know now, if I have to go backwoods, I'd maybe survive.
Friday, Elder Neilson and I found this family and taught the
Restoration right in front of their home. It was pretty cool because I
hadn't taught kids in a while, but it was a blast. Throughout the
whole weekend, Elder Neilson and I had so many great miracles happen
to us. Most of our appointments fell through throughout the week, but
the weekend just exploded with people to teach. It was so great to see
the Lord blessed us with so many people to teach even though we were
so busy with meetings and hours of driving. It was really good though.
The highlight of the week without question was that in Elder's Quorum,
we had a lesson on marriage and the teacher pretty much focused on us,
the only two single guys in the branch. It was funny because he just
made continual eye contact on how to find a wife and when anyone made
a comment, they would look at us when they spoke. I don't know what
the Lord is trying to tell us, but I should be all set when I get home
getting instruction from the greatest branch in the world!
Hazleton is a blast. I see the blessings everyday working here. Im
excited for the week to come. I will be taking over Hazleton for the
first time 3 times in a row for exchanges. One of them will be with
the Assistants which will be a blast for sure! I hope all of you are
doing well, it's been such a blessed month for me. It is my hope all
of you have had one as well. Keep trying even when things are
frustrating. The Lord will have it all work out in the end. I am a
firm witness of that. Love from the Golden City of Hazy!
Elder Cortes
Hazleton, PA
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