Time Stops for No Elder

Hey everyone!

I was looking at the date today and all I can say is that time flies when you're having fun. It feels like it was yesterday when the transfer started and her we are heading into week #4! We had a lot of blessings come our way as we tried to be diligent as we could be. Our Mission President set a mission goal for each companionship to talk to 20 people a day. It was great when we heard this goal because we have been striving to find as many people as we can to teach. We were both committed in striving to reach this goal. 

It was such a good experience for both of us. We talked to all sorts of people, people who were very adamant about them not being interested, to people who seemed very interested. It was great to see both ends of the spectrum and really see the phrase "finding the elect" come to life for us. We didn't find anyone new to reach until we met with a man named Dennis. We talked to Dennis two weeks ago and set up an appointment for last Saturday at the church. It was pretty neat because we gave him a tour of the building and taught him the Restoration. He really appreciate the time we had together and wanted to meet again, in the middle of next month. It was really special for me because I saw firsthand the Lord blessing us, not on our time or the exact way we wanted him to, but his blessings are there. It would have been great to meet with him one more time before I left, but I certainly understand the Lord has a plan for Dennis and it's all on the Lord's time how it will work out.

We also had the privilege of meeting with Elder Kopeschke of the Seventy. It was 7 hours of training and learning by the Spirit and by the great leaders I have been blessed to work with on my mission. I also saw many old friends, Elder Harris (the first Elder I trained), Elder Maynard, and so many more. It was kinda weird because at the end of the meeting I said goodbye to a few Elders I will never see again in the mission. I'm not sure I'll see all of them later in life, but it really made me reflect and appreciate the missionaries I have the privilege to work with and learn from as I head on back to the desert in a few weeks. I can't even tell you how many lessons were learned just by being with other missionaries, but it means so much to me.

The last thing I want to touch on is just to express my love and gratitude to my Dad. Without a doubt, my Dad has to be one of the best people I have ever come to know and love. There was a brief moment in Sacrament Meeting where I just missed him and wish I could talk to him. He's really shown me the kind of person I want to be in my life. It can be from using clean language all the time, to really trying to understand others and not to make harsh judgements. I will always be grateful for my Dad, his example and love really gives me an idea on how Heavenly Father views me and loves me as His child.

Even though time won't stop, I'm putting my foot on the gas pedal and won't let up until I'm back in Arizona. I'm really looking forward to these next three weeks!

Elder Cortes

Doylestown, PA

PPM Forever

Hey everyone!

It's been such a blast this past week and 5/7's. Miracles have been wrought and the work continues to move forward in the Doylestown area. 

Last week, we found this girl in her mid 20's named Daisy. She's one of the most bubbly people I have ever met. She's very kind and willing to listen. We actually were knocking doors when we found her and she was so willing to hear us out. So we scheduled an appointment with her later in the week and took a member from the Souderton ward to come teaching with us. The reason being is that this member was Aaron Nelson, he left on his mission just this Tuesday and wanted to go out with the Elders so bad (Souderton only has Sisters). We had appointments schedule but then they would fall through, except for Daisy. It was a solid Restoration lesson where Aaron just bore a very tear filled testimony on the truthfulness of the Restoration through the prophet Joseph Smith. It was a tender moment for myself knowing I was in his shoes just almost 2 years ago. 

We have also been working with Skylar very well. We taught her family history and temple Work for her to be prepared as she does baptisms for the first time ever! We are so proud of her and the commitment she has to the Lord, really she is an inspiration.

Meanwhile, Elder Morton and I took our temple trip today. It was such a blessing to go and feel absolute peace and respite from the Lord. What was even more special was that my mtc companion Elder Maynard was also at that session with his companion so it was a blast to be able to enjoy the session together. At the end of the session we sat down together to talk briefly about the mission. We just can't believe how fast time has flown. It just felt so good to talk to someone else who knows where I'm at. It was a really tender time for the both of us in the Holy House of the Lord. We also had time to check out some sights since the city is now part of the Zone. From Reading Terminal Market to the Rocky Steps to Chinatown. We had a blast, we didn't see everything but there will be another opportunity soon enough!

I've really thought about the mission this past week. My buddy Michael finished yesterday and my former companion and dear friend Elder Neilson finishes next week. Then it'll be my turn soon enough. With this transfer coming to a close and my final one just around the corner, it really makes me appreciate how blessed I am to be a missionary of the Lord. Representing His Gospel and Mission here in Philadelphia. I'm grateful for the time I've had to serve and for this next 6 weeks coming up. No doubt I will push myself to the max, all the way until they out me on that plane home. I love this work, there's absolutely nothing like it. I'll be sure to keep you all posted!

Elder Cortes

Doylestown, PA

Another Transfer in the Books, and a new assignment in Jersey

Hey everyone!

It's been such a fantastic week working with a lot of Elders I love
and people who are progressing through the power of the Gospel. I
couldn't ask for anything better.

It all started on Tuesday night when we met up with Elders in Delaware
so Elder Yeates and another missionary going home can drive up to the
mission home to go to the temple the next day. So as a result, I got
to bring Elder Maynard to Woodstown for the whole day Wednesday! We
had such a blast.

We started the day out with going to a town called Salem, which is
probably the most ghetto part of our area. But we saw a countless
number of miracles just talking to people on the street.
The best part of the day is when Elder Yeates got home from the DC
temple because we had a great lesson with Jeremy and Stacey to end the
night because we committed Stacey to a date in August! We may have to
push it back because they still need to get married, but she's made so
much progress since I first met her. She has come to church the past 3
weeks in a row and she's reading the Book of Mormon 5 chapters a day.
It's such a blessing for sure.

Thursday we had our final district meeting by our great District
Leader Elder Nebeker. He's getting transferred, which is lame, because
he has been one of my favorite district leaders for sure. I also went
on an exchange right after with Elder Davenport, my Zone Leader! It
went so well because we taught 5 lessons. We got to see my favorite
member we are working with, Wayne Hoglund. We had such a powerful
lesson on how hardships and trials are a part of life. We testified of
the power of the Atonement which will strengthen us through our
hardships. It's also sad, but Elder Davenport is leaving the Zone as
well. But it's been such a blast working with such great Elders for
only 5 weeks.

Friday and Saturday were crazy with Elder Yeates wrapping up sending
stuff home, visiting a good number of members and investigators, and
who knows what else. However, Sunday we ended the transfer so strong
teaching 6 lessons. We ended the night at the Whitfields', and Deborah
is doing so well. She is reading the Book of Mormon and loves it! She
believes it to be the word of God. She's on track for baptism at the
end of next month, which I am so excited for.
I also found out that night I will be the District Leader for this
upcoming transfer, and it's going to be a 7 week transfer with
President Randall coming into the mission. I'm excited to see my new
District and to see the work just grow here in South Jersey. It truly
has become a special place to me. Lot of exciting stuff happening
tomorrow! I will meet my new companion and we are going to hit the
pavement for sure! May the Lord bless you in all that you do. I'm
seeing the blessings from serving and I just keep giving it my all.
This mission truly is changing my life. I hope all of you have a great
week in this heat!

Elder Cortes

Woodstown, NJ

Seeing Old Friends and Saying Goodbye to Great Leaders

Hey everybody!

It's been a very crazy week and it will be even crazier until the
transfer is over next week. But there have been a lot of blessings and
tender mercies that have come our way which is great!

Tuesday, we met this man named Jack Auwetter. He is 85 and lost touch
with the missionaries, but he gave us a call last week and invited us
for an appointment. He's a very kind man and really wanted to start to
continue discussions with the Elders, which we are hoping will really
turn into something very promising. He's very interested in the
Philadelphia temple so we are hoping the open house and our visits
will really help him reach the goal of baptism!

Wednesday had to be the most spiritual event of the week. We had Zone
Conference which was a lot of fun. It was great driving back to Cherry
Hill to the stake center where I used to go for District Meetings and
Zone Trainings when I was in Moorestown. I saw many good friends and
past companions like Elder Maughan and Elder Maynard! There was also a
part of the conference where missionaries were selected to speak on
converted missionaries and I happened to be one that was picked out of
the group. I don't know why, but I guess I felt nervous going up
there, even though I talk to people everyday. But I was going through
my notes and saying a prayer in my heart when the Assistant who I was
sitting next to, Elder Weisler, looked at me and gave me a fist bump.
Right then I was asked to speak and it was like the Spirit took over
and it felt so great to just testify of missionary work and
consecration. But the best part of the Zone Conference had to be
President and Sister Anderson's farewell testimonies. To say the room
was filled with the Spirit doesn't even begin to describe the
tenderness and love both of them expressed to each of us. President
Anderson closed his testimony by telling us he understood what the
Savior meant by saying "you are mine". Because we are their
missionaries as well as the Lord's. Needless to say, tears were shed
throughout the congregation of missionaries. I couldn't even keep it
together when we sang our mission song because President and Sister
Anderson just had tears through it all. That's when it really hit me
that they were both really going home in a few weeks... But it was
great, each missionary got a little time with each of them on the way
out. I was just so thankful for them throughout the rest of the day.
Definitely a day to remember in the field!

Thursday we met with this former investigator the Elders were teaching
before I came here. Howard is very religious but is still searching to
know if the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It was great because
Brother Coates, our main member missionary, set up the appointment
with him and everything and even invited him to church for this coming
Sunday! It was a great appointment and we also met with Wayne Hoglund,
who is such a sincere and loving guy. He reminds me a lot of my friend
in my first area, David Garduno. During one point in the lesson, he
asked if he could be forgiven or if there was a point that God would
stop forgiving. We testified to him that God will always forgive and
that He always loves him. We also testified of the power of the
Atonement and repentance which really gave him a lot of relief. It was
such a great lesson!

Friday was strange, but overall it went very well! We started the day
of by going to Philly to do a safety and emission testing at pep boys,
which took a good amount of the morning. But we were able to also meet
with Matt, who is doing very well in reading daily to know if the Book
of Mormon is true and if God truly does exist. We had a good talk
about personal application with the Book of Mormon which he really
thought was what he needed, so that was great to hear.

We also met with the Whitfields throughout the week and committed
Deborah Whitfield, Brother Whitfield's sister, to a date in late July.
So we are really going to make sure that we will be able to make that
happen. It's been a great transfer so far and there's so much to do
this final week. Elder Yeates goes to the temple, exchanges with the
district and zone leaders, and transfer calls! It'll be pretty
exciting to see what will happen this week! I hope all of you are
doing well and are enjoying the summer!

Elder Cortes

Woodstown, NJ

Back in New Jersey and Sending Another Companion Home

Hey everybody!

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

Old Friends and the Beginning of Spring

Hey everybody!

It's been a great week over here in Kutztown and hope all of you are
having or have had a great Spring Break over in the desert. But I'm
excited to talk about my week because it was a unique on for sure!

Monday, we taught a woman named Heather, who lives with Jenny and
Corbin. She was telling us how she really doesn't have a desire to
pray or read from the Book of Mormon because she has stopped being
religious. But as we testified of the power of prayer and that God
does answer prayers. The spirit was so strong in that lesson and you
could tell she was not doubting anything we were teaching her.

Wednesday was was so great because we had Zone Conference up in
Nazareth. We drove through Allentown, Whitehall, and Nazareth, it took
almost two hours, but the drive was worth it! I got to see Elder Froc
again and I saw Elder Maynard for the first time in 6 months. It was
so great to catch up with him and see how he is doing in Lehighton.
But the conference itself was great! President Anderson and the
Assistants gave great trainings and introduced a great Easter
Initiative that testifies of Christ and His resurrection. We also
taught a guy from Mexico named Eliud. He wants to help people more and
it was perfect we knocked on his door. After we said a prayer with
him, he told us he felt so good right after. He even gave us a snack,
baked ants! It wasn't my favorite, I'm just glad I only ate one. Elder
Thielen ate handfuls! It was crazy. But overall, a great day!

The next day, we drove to Reading for District Meeting and did some
service for an elderly woman named Eleanor. We were taking down some
old playground stuff she had for her grandkids and talked to her about
the Book of Mormon. She had been reading it which is a plus! Now we
just got to get her to church! For dinner, we had dinner at a older
couple named the Kirklands. Now, I don't know if I have ever talked
about brother Kirkland at all before, but he is my favorite member
hands down. He loves the Elders and has the best stories. We later
taught a woman named Michelle, who we haven't seen in like a month,
but it was a great visit! Brother Kirkland backed up everything we
were saying, which is the best to have a member like that. We taught
the Plan of Salvation, which she had never heard of before in the
terms we were talking to her about it. But she thought it was great!

The big thing on Friday was I was able to talk our Relief Society
President into sharing the Gospel with telemarketers during our dinner
appointment with her and her husband. It was so funny, the O's are the
best.

On Saturday, we dropped off some cookies for our old investigator
Katie, she texted us at the end of the night tells how grateful she
was for that because she just had surgery. Doing that kind of service,
something so small,made us feel so good! We also read with Jenny and
Corbin in the Book of Mormon and they are committing to reading every
night which we are really excited for!

To end the week, we had the Easter Initiative come out and we shared
the videos to everybody we talked to. One of the people we shared it
with became a new investigator! We also met with a guy who wanted to
just prove us wrong with the Bible. Those kind of experiences can be
annoying, and it was with this guy. But my testimony grew after that
experience. It really hasn't after those kind of experiences, but this
time it did. I was just so grateful with what I know, and what I'm
blessed with.

But to end, I just want to say how grateful I am to be on my mission.
I have always been grateful, but I really am seeing the growth in my
own life and with the lives of those I teach. I hope and pray all of
you get something out of what I write. This mission has become a part
of me, and I'm grateful for it everyday.

Have a great week everybody and enjoy the weather. It's starting to
feel like Spring over here!



Elder Cortes

Kutztown, PA