Hey everyone!
It's been a pretty adventurous week full of improvised planning throughout the week as well blessings from being in the service of the Lord. All I can really say is that you won't get any special experience like this anywhere else.
Well, to start, we were snowed in all day Tuesday. It was tough because we couldn't go shovel until later because it was snowing pretty heavily until Tuesday night. So because of that, meetings had to get moved around left and right. For District Meeting, it was my call to determine if I wanted to do District Meeting over Skype or move it to a later time. Well, I thought it would be cool to think outside the box and have District Meeting in the evening. District Meeting usually is at 10:30 in the morning, but we had it at 6:30 that night. Turns out, I was the only District Leader who had their District Meeting later that evening. It was pretty cool, just because it was so different. It was such a great District Meeting, this transfer is turning out to be a pretty great one with such amazing missionaries all around. We have people from Nevada, to Nepal, to Ethiopia. Probably the best part for me this time around being a District Leader is to see how everyone works different, but how it all goes back to their purpose as missionaries to bring others closer to the Savior.
I also went on exchanges with my Zone Leader Elder Huber! It was such a blast to catch up from the Reading days. For a good amount of the day, we stopped by a few less actives from a list the bishop gave us. One of the people was a less active lady who was living with her active dad, brother Huber. Turns out, they're related, so we had a good conversation about that. Something Elder Huber is so good at is the ability to just relate to people and just be himself and tie it to the Gospel somehow. Whether it was knocking a few doors, or talking the people on the street, Elder Huber just went with it and played it very naturally. The Lord definitely blessed me to work with Elder Huber again, I have so much to learn from him!
It's been a bit slow trying to find this past week with the fact the streets were all covered in snow and everyone was staying inside and not even willing to open the door. But we did have a miracle happen in the weekend when we stopped by this older couple who the missionaries gave service to a few months ago and they were interested in having us back. It's pretty cool how the Lord always works by faith. Blessings never run out, they keep coming if we believe and expect something to happen eventually. Of course, tough times come to all of us, and it can be disappointing, but we can never let it lead to discouragement. Faith and doubt cannot coexist in the same person, at all times, we just have to fan the flame of faith. On Sunday, our investigator Eugene asked us if we could help shovel two of his neighbors out, one was sick and the other was older. Now, Eugene is a little bit old and has had back surgeries in the past, but he knows how to pack snow away like nobody's business. Not bad for being from California. But it was pretty neat to answer his questions about the church and the Gospel. It is one of the best feelings when you give service while teaching at the same time. You just know in your heart you are doing exactly what the Lord would want you to do. Well, later that day, he called us for like 2 minutes. This is how it went.
Eugene:"So hypothetically, if I got baptized in your church, would I have to wear a tie after I'm baptized ?"
Us: "No, you can dress however you want at church"
Eugene: "Okay, that's all I wanted to know. I'm not saying I'm getting baptized! I'm just saying if I did"
Us: "Okay Eugene, we gotcha"
The Lord is so good. I'm so thankful for all the people I have the privilege to work with. Really it seems I'm teaching investigators, but they also teach me. Just knowing the people I have helped work towards baptism or to the temple, whether they get there while I'm there or not, makes me want to be the best I can be. The Lord works through people all the time to help us along the path, I'm thankful for every single person that's done that for me. I love my Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. I know they love each one of us. No matter where we are at in the path of discipleship, the arm of mercy is extended to us at all times as it says in 3 Nephi 9:14. It really is true for me when I hear the phrase "Oh the joy this sentence gives, I know that my Redeemer lives". I will never let go of my relationship with Jesus Christ, it is my hope that none of us do, even when life is hard. He will pull us through sin and adversity and carry us home back to our Father in Heaven.
Marching onward here in D-Town!
Elder Cortes
Doylestown, PA
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