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

Transferring Out of Kutztown

Hey everybody!

I hope all is going well with you. It was a busy week over here in
Kutztown, and like the title says for the email, it was also my last
week in Kutztown. But it was a good week to close out my time here. I
will be honest when I say I will really miss this area. It's been
tough saying my goodbyes to the people and all the missionaries in the
District (who are all staying), but I'm excited for what the future
holds! But before I go into all that, I'll start with the week.

On Tuesday, we were part of this huge painting project this new family
(the Davies) did to there house. We all had a blast and actually
talked to a few nonmember friends that had moved up with them which
was really neat. We also had dinner with the O's, an older couple in
the ward. It was really great because we had this Mother's Day dinner
all set up for Sister O, which she appreciated so much. We bought her
flowers, a card, and had this neat message all prepared for her. She
was almost ready to cry, which was a really tender moment for all of
us. You could really feel the Spirit in the room. Brother O was so
grateful, you could just tell from his smile. We are actually having
dinner again there tonight, there may be some tears, but really, the
Opperisanos are some of my favorite people I have met on my mission
without question.

Thursday, I went to Reading for my last exchange of the transfer. I
was with Elder Bucheger again, which was a lot of fun! We did a good
amount of street contacting and we set up a good number of return
appointments. It was like I was in Philadelphia because the streets we
so busy. It was really cool because I got to drive their 2016 Ford
Escape, the newest car in the mission.

Friday we had District Meeting because a set of Elders could not come
down to Reading Thursday. But it went so well! We talked about pride
and how easily it can come into a companionship, even if it is subtle.
It was a real eye opener because it really helped me learn different
ways on how I can look within myself to improve and how we can improve
together as a companionship. It was pretty slow the rest of the day
because Elder Thielen got some stomach bug that pretty much had him
out for the rest of the day.

Saturday we found out transfer calls, and I was leaving Kutztown. It
was weird just to know I needed to pack and leave in the next three
days. But it was alright, we went to a member's home, Brother
Espinoza, for dinner. His mom is also a member but she goes to the
Allentown Spanish ward. It was great because it was her birthday, so
we sang to her and she started to cry which was so unexpected! But it
was really great that we were able to celebrate her birthday because
it meant so much to her.

Sunday was amazing. Of course I had to start saying my goodbyes to the
ward, but it was neat to see a lot of miracles happen at the same
time. We stopped by Jenny and Corbin, which they were promised if they
came to church they would find a house (they have been looking for a
place to live for 2 months). It was great because a few hours after
they came to church, they found a place to live in Bethlehem. It was
really cool to just see the Lord's hand work like that so quickly, it
was really a miracle. We also saw our investigator Mike, who we have
been teaching ever since I came to Kutztown. He has been progressing
so well from reading the scriptures, to continually praying. Last
night, we set him with a baptismal date in September, which we can
tell you, he did not even think about baptism when I met him in
January. Now, it's just incredible to see the change He has
experienced. It is just another testimony to me that the Gospel is
true, that this is the Lord's true church. Peoples' mindset and
disposition change so miraculously, there is no way it can't be true.
They are living Epistles as Paul describes it in 2 Corinthians. It was
really what I needed before I go into my next area. I'm excited and a
little anxious at the same time for this change, but I knows the Lord
has a plan for me and will sustain me in wherever I go. I know my new
companion and I will hit the ground running. I can't wait! I hope all
of you have a great week!

Elder Cortes

Kutztown, PA

Mother's Day!

Hey everyone!

How have all of you been doing? It's been a lot of fun here over in
Kutztown. We've had highs and lows, but that's not a problem. It keeps
everything exciting!

Tuesday, we had lunch with Sarah before she left for Souderton for the
summer. Brother Kirkland came with us and it was a fun lunch, but it
was bittersweet just because we probably won't see her again. But it
was great nonetheless.

In Wednesday, we had our final interviews with President and Sister
Anderson. It was really different. President Anderson shined shoes
after interviews which was so great. I'm really going to miss them.
They leave in about a month and a half, but I know they'll finish out
strong. We also saw Corbin and Christian later that night. They are
doing so well! They are progressing very well reading and praying
everyday. But the sad news is that they are moving out of the area
which is lame! But as long as they get baptized that is what matters.
They should be on track to get baptized at the end of the month.

Thursday we had Zone Training which was really great! After that, we
went on our last exchange for the transfer. I was with Elder Bucheger,
Elder Hunter's golden. We had a great time as we taught Tony, who is
set to go to the temple for the first time with his wife Laura! We are
really excited for them to go. They have been looking forward to this
all week. We also got a miracle dinner with some members we
accidentally tracted into a members house. It was crazy because they
had guacamole pudding (it's a lot better than it sounds).

Friday was a little rough just because Elder Tielen was having some
rough stomach problems. So we weren't able to go out after we
exchanged back.... But it's alright, that stuff happens in the
mission. Saturday went really well though! We taught Damarkus and
Porsche the end of the Restoration, and focused on the Book of Mormon.
Damarkus thought it was great being able to gain a personal testimony
that the Book of Mormon is true. They also came to church as a family
for the second week in a row yesterday! He's on his way to be baptized
in June.

Sunday was great because I got to talk to my family! It was so great
to wish my Mom a happy Mother's Day. It was neat being able to catch
up with everybody back home. Skyping with Elder Thielen's family was a
blast too. But it's the last week of the transfer, so we will see if
this is my last week in Kutztown! I hope you all had a great Mothers
Day with your moms. Mine was an absolute blast.




Elder Cortes

Kutztown, PA

Spring Rain Showers Bring May Flowers

Hey everybody!

It has been such a good week amidst some hardships we had to endure
this week. But as we continued to do the Lord's work, He always
prepared a way for us.

Throughout the week, Elder Thielen had a nasty stomach flu which
really prevented us from doing work in the morning. After taking
enough medicine and getting a lot of rest, we were able to go out and
do the Lord's work!

On Wednesday, we saw Gentry Lamartin and Cindy Sutjak, the couple that
just recently move from the Bethlehem area. Cindy made a great
lasagna! Which was lactose free to my surprise. After dinner, we
taught them and Gentry's son, Gentry Jr., about the Restoration. It
went really well and we gave Gentry Jr. his own personal copy of the
Book of Mormon. Cindy is still a hesitant about praying for the truth,
but we are taking baby steps with her. She listened very intently and
we are pretty sure she felt the Spirit as we taught.

Thursday was the highlight of our week without question. Taught
Porscha and Demarkus the Restoration and they loved everything that we
taught. We weren't able to finish the Restoration, but we felt moved
by the Spirit to invite Demarkus to be baptized which he gladly
accepted a date on June 12th! It was so great to hear him accept that
baptismal date. We are so excited to continue working with with him,
and ultimately, have their family be sealed for all time and eternity
in a year! We also helped a family (the Davey's) move in that came
from Tampa, Florida. It was really short notice, so it was only us and
another member help out. But between us and the Davey's we got it done
in under an hour. They were so grateful we were able to help them out
in such short notice, and it was great to be able to help them out.
Especially in the pouring rain!

Friday was Elder Thielen's birthday (The big 20)! He was feeling
better more than he did the rest of the week which was great because
we helped Sarah Horvath out with Brother Thompson on finding her
family names to take to the temple! She will be going next week which
is very exciting. However, she is leaving Kutztown for the Summer so
Tuesday will be our last visit with her before she goes home for the
Summer. We also had a great Birthday Dinner with the Bussiere's where
we had his favorite meal, breakfast. Then we had a really great lesson
on the Restoration! It was really powerful for Matt, one of the
Bussiere sons. He is coming out of less activity and preparing to go
on a mission. He was glued on everything we taught and testified.
Overall, it was a real fun birthday for Elder Thielen.

Sunday was really cool too! Demarkus came to church with his wife and
two kids. We talked to him after it was over and he told us he really
felt the Spirit and it felt natural to be there. Sarah also got to
bear her testimony for the first time since she was baptized! Jenny
and Corbin and the kids also were not able to make it to church
because they both got sick, but we went over there to teach them and
we found out they are doing daily family scripture study and prayer.
The family overall, is changing. They want better lives and are
letting go of the bad in their life. That's what the Gospel does, it
changes people for the better. It really is a testimony to me that
what I teach is true because I see it right before me eyes. I'm
confident Corbin and Christian will be prepared for baptism. I just
know it.

I hope all of you are doing great! New month means new opportunities!
I just want to take a sec to say how grateful I am for my Mom. She has
been such a great example to me and my siblings. She has been a loving
mother and wife and continues to do be everyday. She truly has shown
me the importance of living the Gospel and having it be a part of my
life. Like the Stripling Warriors in the Book of Mormon, I do not
doubt, for my Mother knows it. I love my Mom very much, I'm grateful
to be her son and be out here to learn how to be an even better son.
I'm grateful that families are eternal and that my family will live
for all of time and eternity. Mothers have a divine calling, and it is
imperative that we all recognize it and respect that sacred calling.
Personally, I can't wait to talk to her on Sunday for Mother's Day! I
hope all of you have a great Mother's Day!

Elder Cortes

Kutztown, PA

Working with Brother Kirkland

Hey everybody!

It was a pretty good week for us. We had a few miracles happen and
were able to learn a lot. Like what the title says this week, we had
Brother Kirkland's with a good number of lessons and we were able to
give him some service this week as well.

It all started with Tuesday when Brother Kirkland drove us to Kutztown
where we taught a college girl named Debbie. She was really quirky,
but she was willing to listen to us and our message. She seemed pretty
interested in what we taught and we were able to give her a Book of
Mormon. She told us she didn't know if we'd be able to meet again
because of finals, but it seemed like she had a lot of real intent.

On Wednesday, we taught Sarah and with her going home soon, we were
able to talk a lot about the temple. We are trying to help her go
before school is over, but if not, we will at least help her with
family names to take to the temple when she comes back to Kutztown in
August.

Thursday, we had exchanges with the Zone Leaders. Elder Jewkes came
with me to Kutztown which was a lot of fun. We taught a less active
named Porsha who is starting to come back to church after not going
for a year or so. Brother Kirkland came with us and he related to a
lot of experiences she's had in her life, which was great! We also
taught her husband, who is not a member and seems very interested! We
also did a good amount of finding and Elder Jewkes did so well just
talking to people. I learned so much from him. We have been in the
same zone for three transfers, and it's just so much fun to be around
Elders you have grown close with. Elder Jewkes and I had such a great
time.

Friday was a really special experience. For the first time in weeks,
we visited Corbin and Jenny and it was a really spiritual lesson.
Corbin still wants to be baptized and Jenny's son Christian, wants to
be baptized as well. So we are planning on both of them being baptized
at the end of May or the end of June! Jenny was in tears by the end of
it all. It was such a powerful moment in my mission just seeing Jenny,
Corbin, and the whole family just be happy.

On Saturday, we were able to repay Brother Kirkland and his
willingness to come out by doing some yard work for him for a few
hours. Like always, never a dull moment with Brother Kirkland. At the
end of the night, we saw Jenny and Corbin again and they had some new
neighbor over to introduce himself. When he saw that we were
missionaries, he grabbed his bible from his out to pretty much bash
about how The Book of Mormon is false and Joseph Smith was a false
prophet. Now, usually, when we find people like this, we back off from
the situation, simply bear testimony, and walk away. But with a recent
convert and an investigator with a date in the room, we needed to
address this guy and his arguments. After listening to numerous Bible
verses he tried to use to disprove the Book of Mormon, we shared with
him how the Bible does explain the Book of Mormon to be true and
explained the necessity of the Book of Mormon. After we asked him if
he ever read the Book of Mormon, he admitted that he had not. That's
where we both bore powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon and if he
reads and pray about it, God will reveal to him, the Book of Mormon is
true. You could tell he felt the sprit because he went quiet. It was
pretty neat. We just hoped, Jenny and Corbin weren't phased by the
conversation we had. But we talked about it at church the next day and
they apologized to us for their neighbor and wanted us over the next
day.

That's part of the reason Sunday went so well! Corbin and Jenny came
to church and we visited with them after church was over. We also
committed a few investigators to come to church next week. And a few
members are planning on inviting their friends to visit with us. We
are really excited for the week to come! It's been a great few weeks
and we are planning on good weeks to come! To close, I just want to
really reflect on how much firm I am on what I believe. At the
beginning of my mission, it was discouraging to have people just tell
you that you are wrong and the restoration of the gospel of Jesus
Christ is false. But now, as I have learned and gained strength from
the Lord, I know what I teach and testify is true. The Holy Spirit of
the Lord has confirmed for me personally that the Book of Mormon is
true and that this is the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth
today. I'm thankful for the Lord and I am grateful for what the Gospel
has taught and shown me. That is why I'm out here, so that others can
taste of the good fruit that I know to be pure and right. It is my
prayer that we will never be discouraged and that we will stand firm
in what we know to be true. I know we will as we rely on the Lord for
counsel and guidance. This I know independent of any other person. I
hope all of you are well and that you have a great week!

Elder Cortes

Kutztown, PA

The Road to Opportunities

Hey everybody!

We have had a lot of progress happen through the week and the time
went by so quickly! But hey, that's the life of the mission. As long
as work is getting done and people are converting unto the Lord, I'm
couldn't be happier.

On Tuesday, we stopped by this guy we met a few weeks ago named Mike.
We taught him the Restoration and it went so well! He is looking to
get back into church and have more of a relationship with God. He
seemed very interested when we gave him a Book of Mormon. It's always
a great experience to teach others how to build their relationship
with God. Having that kind of trust from the Lord means a lot to me,
especially when I might not be the most eloquent speaker. He still
supports me and allows the Spirit to touch the hearts of those I
teach. It truly is a heartfelt experience no matter how many times it
happens.

Wednesday, we had such a great dinner at the Kirklands! Sister
Kirkland is a Jewish convert, so she had us over for a Jewish Seder.
It was fun with all the different kind of food and wearing a yarmulke
(little white Jewish hat). Sara was also there so we were able to have
a great time with a lot of great people. After dinner, we went to a
family's house who is at the edge of our area. Their names are Gentry
Lamartin, Gentry Jr., and Cindy Sutjak. Gentry Sr. and Cindy are
engaged and they just moved from Bethlehem PA. Gentry Sr is the only
member in the family and it is so crazy because Cindy practically
knows everything about the church. She watches the Mormon channel,
reads from the Book of Mormon, watches general conference, and has
read most of the Relief Society manual. The only thing is is that she
is afraid to receive an answer if the Book of Mormon is true. Gentry
was a major support in helping us teach Cindy the importance of
receiving an answer to her prayers. It's going to be a little tough
because she's content where she is, but we will keep being persistent!
They are a great family, and we just found out the ward assigned us to
be their home teachers, which is pretty neat.

Thursday was a big day for us. We had Zone Training and I was able to
play the trumpet for the musical number. It was neat, there was a
family in the ward who had a trumpet they let me borrow on Monday. It
was a little funny because the third valve is stuck, so I had to find
a hymn I'd only have to use the first two valves which I was able to
find with "I'll go where you want me to go". It went so well and my
Zone Leader Elder Jewkes complimented me on Heavenly Father blessing
me with the talent to play, which really hit me with the Spirit. I
have a lot of great and supportive leaders and an amazing Heavenly
Father who made it a miracle for me to prepare something in such short
notice. After Zone Training, we went on an exchange and I came back to
Kutztown with Elder Hunter. It was great because Elder Hunter and I
taught a good number of lessons, including teaching Michelle. She has
read all of 1 Nephi! Which is so amazing! We answered questions she
had about it and we tried committing her to baptism, and she wants to,
but she's still a little hesitant, which we will be working on for
sure. But holy cow, Elder Hunter is such a great example! He has been
out for 22 months and he was teaching by the Spirit and is so diligent
in the work. I learned so much from him and he really helped me out on
a number of things I am working on as a missionary. What really
touched me though was that he was asking me for advice on things like
training (his companion is a golden). It really meant a lot to know my
leaders trust me enough for advice. I really am in a great District
and Zone.

Saturday, we taught Eleanor, and it was a drop lesson. She wasn't
keeping any commitments and wasn't really thinking about change. It
was a little hard though because we did service for her and she really
likes us around since she's elderly and lives by herself. But we
stated our purpose and explained it clearly and she understood
completely which was very nice. The Lord really knows how to make it
all work out.

On Sunday, Elder Thielen gave a talk on charity which went so well! He
taught with conviction and by the Spirit. Everyone in the ward loved
it. We also found out Sister Kirkland was going to be teaching Gospel
Principles which is really exciting because she will be working
closely with those we teach and she's a great fellowshipped. We also
taught a less active named Brother Benson. It was hard because we
hadn't seen brother Benson since I came to Kutztown. He's a return
missionary and he hasn't been to church in months. We came over and we
read scriptures with him. He wasn't totally into it, but he was
grateful we stopped by. It was heartbreaking to the both of us seeing
him struggle, especially with him being active when I first came into
the ward. It just goes to show Satan is relentless in tearing down our
faith, which is why we need to be relentless ourselves in finding
strength in the Gospel. The Lord wants us to succeed and find peace
and it will only come through obedience to the Lord. It is my hope we
can all find peace in the Gospel and through the Lord Jesus Christ. I
hope all of you have a great week this week! Spring is here to stay on
the East Coast and we love it here! May the Lord bless you all.

Elder Cortes

Kutztown, PA

Jewish Seder

The Spirit of a New Transfer

Hey everyone!

It's been a great week here in the PPM and a lot of miracles came our
way. Elder Thielen and I started the transfer strong as we worked as
hard as we could and relied on the Lord for strength.

On Tuesday, we had a whole day of finding ahead of us. It wasn't the
best when we started because it was a brisk 20 degrees, but we bushed
that off and kept trying to find people who were prepared by the Lord.
But it was great! We went to Kutztown to find and we were able to
teach 5 lessons just like that, and it wasn't until later in the
afternoon until we found those opportunities to teach. It just goes to
show, the Lord will bless us in the end as long as we keep working out
hardest. It happens every time, without question.

Wednesday was so great! We were able to have a great dinner with the
Thompsons, they got Dickey's, which is the best bbq I have ever had!
Later that night we were able to meet with Tony, and talk to him about
going to the temple for the first time with Laura. It went really well
because we found out they will be going to the temple for the first
time on May 14th! We were so excited when they set that date. They are
really looking forward to it.

Thursday was such a spiritual day. We had District Meeting, and we got
a new District Leader, who is Elder Hunter. Elder Hunter has only two
transfers left, so he's pretty seasoned. By the time District Meeting
was over, Elder Thielen and I both agreed that was one of the most
spiritual District Meetings we have ever been a part of. We later
taught a girl named Shelby. Shelby is a friend of Michael Bussiere, a
returned missionary who got home a month ago. It was a great first
lesson as we taught her the Restoration and bore powerful testimony of
the Book of Mormon. Michael was a great help too since she knew Shelby
since they were kids. She committed to reading the Book of Mormon

On Friday, we went to the O's for dinner. Who are my favorite members
of the ward, next to the Kirklands. We were able to have a few good
laughs and talk about spiritual things like General Conference. Right
after dinner, the O's took us to see Sister Sherman who we haven't
seen in over 6 weeks! It was such a miracle because she wasn't able to
hold a few appointments, but this one stuck which was such a blessing.
She was so grateful to have us over and she told us that she would be
going back to church next Sunday, which we were very glad to hear.

Saturday it snowed! We thought we were out of the clear, but
apparently not. We had a similar day like Tuesday where we went
finding, but we found some luck being able to teach a few people who
let us into their home. It was a blessing to be out of the cold and
teach the Gospel. We later went to a couple in the ward named the
Amorinos for dinner. It was such a spiritual experience. We asked them
if they knew anybody who may be struggling and Sister Amorino told us
of a few neighbors who were going through a tough time who she said
she would definitely try to share the gospel with. She had tears in
her eyes after we shared our message on prophets and when we asked her
who she knew that was struggling. The Spirit was so strong at that
dinner, which I was very grateful for.

We ended the week by teaching Shelby, who had been reading the Book of
Mormon, but hadn't prayed about it yet. We committed her to pray and
read the Book of Mormon daily, which she told us she would. It was
such a great lesson and Shelby was so open to everything we teach her.
She is definitely someone who is prepared to receive the Gospel. We
also had dinner with a family named Isoms and after dinner, Brother
Isom walked us down to a few neighbors he knew who looked so open with
hearing the Gospel! It was such a miracle that I was so grateful for.
Things are really looking up in Kutztown. I have to say the work truly
has progressed since I have been here. I'm thankful for the Lord,
guiding us towards progression. Within ourselves, as well as the area.
It is because of Him things are happening, I'm just a simple
instrument in His hand. I also would like to share a quick experience.
On Sunday, we don't have studies because we have meetings for church.
Throughout the day, I just had such a strong desire to read from the
Book of Mormon. It kept bugging me over and over throughout the day,
and finally when I read at the end of the night, such relief and peace
came over me. I was so grateful for that prompting, because reading
the Book of Mormon truly gave me peace in my heart. That's what is so
special about the Book of Mormon, it truly has power to enlighten us.
It changes lives, so many have grown to love the Lord Jesus Christ
through this book. I know it is the word of God. It my hope that all
of us can study and ponder what the Lord wants us to know through the
Book of Mormon. I hope all of you have a great week!

Elder Cortes

Kutztown, PA

General Conference Plus 6 More Weeks in Kutztown

Hey everybody!

It's been such a great week and we have had a lot of fun over here in
Kutztown. The weather is beautiful and we have talked to a lot of
great people.

On Tuesday, pretty much all of our appointments fell through and we
did a good amount of finding. It was worth it though because we were
able to find a great guy named Mike. He just so happened to get home
as we were knocking on his door. He told us he wanted to improve his
relationship with God and was very thankful we were able to stop by.
It just goes to show, the Lord truly does prepare people at the right
time to hear the Gospel.

Wednesday we had a good number of appointments. We first saw Eleanor
Brinker, the woman who we do service for. She has been reading the
Book of Mormon but refuses to come to church or act on any commitments
we give her. We felt like we needed a sit down lesson with her to
really talk about where she stood with what we were teaching her. She
pretty much told us that she knew the Book of Mormon was true and that
Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, but told us she would never join
the church because she doesn't think she needs to be baptized. That
Priesthood authority doesn't matter when it comes to baptism. We were
very bold with her on bearing pure testimony of Priesthood Authority
and its importance. The Spirit was very strong and she was very quiet
at the end of the lesson. She knew we cared about her, but knew our
distinct purpose as missionaries. She has met with missionaries for
years, but I think she understood why all of the missionaries came
over to teach her. We later saw Sister Donio who was very excited
about General Conference this past weekend as well as Sarah, who we
also saw at the end of the day. Overall, it was a really great day of
teaching!

Thursday we had the last District Meeting of the transfer which went
really well as well as the last exchange of the transfer. I went with
Elder Wilson to Reading and we saw so many miracles! We found 4 new
investigators, who all seemed really prepared to receive the Gospel.
They were all people we stopped on the street and really were
interested in what we had to say. Elder Jones and Elder Thielen were
also able to find 3 new investigators as well in Kutztown. Overall, it
was a great day for both of our areas.

Friday was a little tough because the Reading Elders had their car in
the shop, so instead of meeting halfway, they had to drive all the way
into Reading to switch back. We also had to take care of some car
registration with our Zone Leaders, which only left time for our
planning for the week. We weren't able to teach or talk to anyone
about the gospel, which is always lame. But days like that happen.

Saturday went really well though! It was the first day of General
Conference and we were able to have lunch with a family in the ward
named the Walmers, where they had a sandwich bar! It was a lot of fun,
and the first session was great seeing the new members of the Quorum
of the Twelve give powerful talks. We also watched the second session
of conference with the Thompsons and more powerful messages were
given. After the 2nd session, we received transfer calls and Elder
Thielen and I both found out we would be staying while pretty much the
rest of the district was leaving. It was pretty exciting to find out I
would be staying with Elder Thielen for another transfer, since I have
done one transfer with most of my companions. We also went to
Priesthood session at the church to end the night, which is always
inspirational. Powerful words were spoken by President Nelson and the
First Presidency.

On Sunday, we watched conference with only investigators! We went to
Eliud's home to have lunch before conference. He fed us pork empanadas
as well as beef tacos! It was so delicious and it was a great
experience watching conference with someone who has never watched it
before. He had many questions and was blown away by the attendance of
people and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It was a really good
experience. Also, hearing the Prophet was very insightful for him as
well. Later that day, we watched conference with a part member family
named the Monroes. The father is the only member in the family and
there's 5 kids along with his wife. It was a little crazy because most
of the kids are young, but overall, it was a really good experience
for the family. The children who are accountable are really thinking
about being baptized as well as the wife. It was a great last week of
the transfer. I'm glad we were able to watch and experience conference
on my mission. There were so many insights and I'm so thankful there
is a living Prophet on the earth, along with Apostles called of God to
guide and direct us in these latter days. I'm thankful for President
Monson, who is a true prophet. Although he didn't speak very long, he
spoke with conviction and power. He truly is a man of God, who I love
dearly. May we all follow his counsel as he is directed by the Lord.
Can't wait for the next 6 weeks in Kutztown!



Elder Cortes

Kutztown, PA

Travels in Reading and Easter in the Spring!

Hey everyone!

I hope you all had a great Easter! We had a great one doing this great
work. It was a really good week overall and we saw so many miracles.
I'm still a little exhausted after it all, but it goes to show you
know you're getting work done.

So to start the week, we had a great dinner with a member named
Brother Espinoza on Monday night. He was a little less active a few
months ago, but now he comes to church every week! He is such a funny
guy. He calls us dudes every time he sees us. But we had a great
dinner talking about his mission in Ecuador and he actually gave some
pretty good advice.

On Tuesday, we met with our investigator, Michelle. We brought Brother
Kirkland, our go to member. We bring him because he is really
persistent with people on keeping commitments, but he does it with a
lot of love, it's a real skill. With Michelle, she is really sweet,
but hasn't read from the Book of Mormon or has come to church. But we
got her to commit to reading from the Book of Mormon. We even
downloaded the app on her phone. So we will see what happens when we
visit with her again. But Brother Kirkland, he really pulled through
for us because he told about his wife's conversion story (Sister
Kirkland grew up Jewish) and that really touched Michelle. Members are
the best!

On Wednesday, I started my two day exchange in Reading! I was with my
District Leader, Elder Jones. It was a really productive day as we
shared the Easter Video the church put out to a number of people on
the street. We talked to a lot of Hispanics, which was really great! A
few of them laughed when I told them I am half Mexican, but it broke
the ice! Elder Jones and I have had a lot of fun working together the
past few months, he's probably going to leave Reading since he has
been there for 6 months but it was great to work with him again!

Thursday was a lot of fun too! We had District Meeting, so I was able
to reunite with Elder Thielen for a few hours. But after we got
Wendy's with the Zone Leaders, Elder Holden and I went to work on the
East part of Reading. Elder Holden is a lot of fun and we did a good
amount of walking up some steep streets, but it was so productive! We
taught 8 lessons in one day and we worked so well together. One of the
lessons we taught was a guy named John who was just sitting on the
street feeling pretty down. But after we taught him about Jesus Christ
and how he can find peace in his life, it seemed like he had a new
light in his eyes. It was really cool! Elder Holden even knew how to
respond to people who were telling us what we were doing was wrong and
not true. He always had an answer. Let me tell you, if there's any
missionary who has been a huge role model, it's gotta be Elder Holden.
At the end of the night we were playing catch with a tennis ball and I
got my head stuck in an empty package box they recently got. It was
fun no doubt.

After the exchange, Elder Holden and I drove up to Kutztown on a rainy
Friday morning. We had some good laughs when we met up with a Elder
Jewkes and Elder Thielen. But then we got right to work. Elder Thielen
set up 3 appointments while I was gone (what a great companion). We
taught Eleanor, who we are struggling with on being on the same page
as her. She really looks at scripture into great detail. Except there
are misconceptions she has about the scriptures (i.e. the 12 Apostles
weren't really apostles). We might have to drop her, but we are being
pretty persistent with her. We also saw Sister Donio, who we are
really working with to get her a temple recommend. She has been doing
so well! She has been keeping every commitment we have left her. At
the end of our lesson, she bore a very powerful testimony on how
excited and determined she is to go to the temple. She was even
telling us how much she appreciated us and what we were doing. The
spirit was so strong as we taught her. We ended the night when we
visited Corbin and Jenny. They are doing really well! We taught them
the end of the Plan of Salvation, which turned out pretty great! We
actually saw them Saturday, and Sunday too.

On Saturday, we did hours of finding in Kutztown. I was a little
frustrated because I just didn't feel well, so we sat on a curb for 10
minutes. But it's amazing how the Lord provides. We talked to 3 people
who walked by us for a good amount of time. By the time I got back up,
I was full of energy and I wanted to talk to more people. It was
really comforting to know the Lord was with me and visited me in my
time of weakness. That's what it's all about, as we submit ourselves
to the Master Healer, he can do so much with us than we could ever do
with ourselves. We also saw Jenny and Corbin, who weren't doing so
well. Jenny's daughter Atteah, was pretty sick. She was throwing up
pretty bad and was so exhausted. The worst thing was that her birthday
was on Easter. So we gave her a blessing and shared a message about
faith. It just seemed everyone was stressed out, but by the time we
ended our visit, you could really feel the mood change in the house.
The Holy Spirit really abided in that home. It was great.

On Easter Sunday, we had such a great day! We had 8 investigators come
to church which has been the most I have ever had on my mission. It
was great because all of church really focused on the Resurrection and
the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Later, we stopped at a member's house
named the Wills. A few other families were there as well and we had a
great Easter dinner. They wanted us to go for an egg hunt, but we ran
out of time because we wanted to see Jenny and Corbin. They actually
had a pre marital vow ceremony on Easter and Atteah was back to
perfect health. It was a great time to end the night. We were so
grateful for all the progress we have had since I have been here.
There's only one week left of the transfer, and it's possible Elder
Thielen or I might be leaving. But we will see! We are going to work
pretty hard to match the great week we had. We are also pretty excited
for general conference! It's going to be so great to hear from the
Prophet and Apostles again on my mission. Things are looking up here
in Kutztown. I hope it's the same for all of you back home! Just
remember, the Lord is with you if you let Him in. That is my sincere
testimony to you. As we are willing, just as the people in the Bible
and the Book of Mormon were, we will find unbreakable strength through
the everlasting Atonement. I hope and pray all of you may find
everlasting peace and comfort through the Lord.




Elder Cortes

Kutztown, PA