October 27, 2014

Hola mamita y papito y mi famila completo

I'm sorry but I wont be able to say much right now, I didn't have time to write today because of a lot of things, Today and tomorrow are cambios. I will write more and send pictures on Jueves. Well I do have the news of this cambiar. haha wow! i cant believe it! My president must have a lot of faith in me. Well Elder Muñoz is gone, I'm a bit sad. but the News is that I am the New Leader of the District! and I am now a trainer! haha woooooooo! my son is Elder de Jesus, I will pick him up tomorrow. Well I don't have anymore time! I'm sorry, But I just want to say I love you all so much! I pray for you all! Ill write more on Thursday!

Con Amor: Su hijito, Elder Portlock

Oct. 20, 2014

This week Elder Muñoz y yo vamos a templo!, this week were going to the temple for an endowment session on Friday morning! I can’t wait to do it is Spanish haha! but ya, elder Muñoz only has 1 week left! Wow he is really excited to go home.  Well things are doing well here. I just love hearing about the family!  Tell Melissa Happy Birthday on Tuesday, I will be thinking of her all day.  Oh and for Orson’s question about Halloween, I think they do here it’s called dia de muertos, or day of the dead. haha if they do I’ll let you know how it goes. This week there wasn’t anything too big, just a lot of lessons, and memories haha, oh! We also are getting a new building closer to our area so I’m pretty excited, It’s gonna be all new and awesome! With this were getting sister missionaries in our ward which means half my area is being cut in half and given to the hermanas, haha I’m sad because I’m losing a few investigators that are preparing for baptism haha but that’s fine it means that I’ll be working up closer to the mountain where it’s really poor and, like literally... it’s kinda sketchy but I’m exited.  This Sunday, we had someone from the 70 come and speak, I didn’t get the name but it was funny to see the people in the ward because they don’t usually have high position leaders to come speak. But it was really neat, also president George came down to watch as well, so I got to talk to him. Things are doing really well down here haha, I can’t remember if I said but the drinks down here are really good, when I get back from my mission I have tons of recipes for food y drinks! AND salsa! wow! haha with that there’s also some food and drinks that I will not be taking back haha! Some drinks I don’t even know what’s in it... I just drink it and hope I’ll be safe... same with the food hahaha, sometimes I’ll find ants in the food!!! hahaha. With the water, if you want just pure water you have to ask for agua puro, because just agua here means a thousand different drinks hahaaha! Oh! This week we came home and found a huge spider! i think it was a tarantula on the wall! Well, after a few minutes of war we finally killed it...(: its crazy man! I love it here so much! I have so much to say! But like I said before I always forget what to say haha! I love you all so much! Stay strong! one more thing! haha, well as the time passes I have gained a bit of weight.... sadly I’ve slowly grown out of my suit. not completely but it is very tight on me... haha with this I now officially weigh....145....... hahahahahaha its the Tortillas here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahaha ill will try extra hard to work out here and stay if fit. haha well that’s just some extra news(:haha my Spanish name is Elder Hyrum Anthony Portlock Dunn, haha cause here they use both the last names from their parents and also the moms last name is the official last name here not the dads haha so I guess I’m Elder Dunn haha just kidding, but I like my new name haha

Love ya stay cool(:  Love, Elder Portlock

What I look like in the morning

Elder Schmitlein and Elder Jimenez spent the night with us because they ran out of water in there house so we have alot of beds out! haha

Tuxtla on top of my roof

A lesson

My beard I grew overnight

October 13, 2014

Well as I end another week here in the mission I was just thinking about life. I have learned a lot about life here. Its very sad to see some of the people here.  A lot of them are really poor. And people are constantly in the streets trying to sell junk.... like literally haha but estabien. I'm very grateful for the opportunity to live here and learn how to live. and also learn how to be a missionary. I have learned so much and have grown my faith muchisimo! Well I want to first say Feliz Cumpliañon to me dear Brother Orson! he turned 14 on Sunday and I am very proud of him! I wish I could talk to him and give his something but I'm here in Mexico, But I just want him to know that I love him a ton! Thank you Orson for being my brother!

   Well I've done a lot this week and have been working hard! Unfortunately when I get to writing I never know what to say, but things are doing well. We have 3 people with baptisms dates. Hopefully 1 next sabado and 2 the next. Its amazing to see there lives change! I went on cambios with elder Blackner this week the zone leader and we were is this extremely poor area right up close to the mountain. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures because its very dangerous to be waving an expensive camera like mine in the area so I just kept it in my pocket, but estabien things are doing well. I met this one guy who got mad at me for being North American haha he was talking about how much he doesn't like the fact that he cant go to the u.s for a lot of reasons. I talked to him for a while that I'm not one of those Americans Norte that doesn't like Mexicans. I told him that I love the people here and that I don't agree with a lot of the border problems haha after we had a good discussion he asked me to bless his house and that he really respects me haha. oh! and another lady we contacted on the street I started talking about this Book called El Libro De Mormon! I talked a lot about the book and also who we were. WOW! she was amazed that I left my home to come to a foreign land and can barely speak the language, but that the fact that I knew that the book is true and that I'm here wanting to share it with others for 2 years was amazing to here! were gonna visit her next week and I'm exited. haha well my Language is getting better.  Not near perfect but I have noticed a lot of growth in it.  I do really well in lessons and I'm able to teach principles. My compañon Elder Muñoz only has 2 weeks left on his mission! I'm kinda sad haha! I'm gonna miss my mission papa!  Well not much is different. I've had a lot of spiritual experiences that I'm learning a lot from!  My testimony is growing because I'm seeing the fruits and blessings of the LDM flow into people's lives.  I've also seen my knowledge in the scriptures grow.  It's amazing and I know it's a book made for our day.  It is truly written by inspired prophets of old.  It's amazing to see the effects of it.  I'm so happy to be here.

     My Father asked my to give some thoughts on how scouting has helped prepare for my mission.    Ok for scouting! 1. The scout oath and law is the most important part of scouting! because It teaches one to become like Christ. Literaly. Christ is trustworthy, loyal,helpful, friendly , courteous, kind , obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave,  clean and reverent. Growing up as a scout I tried my best to be these things, and It has really helped me here on the mission because I already grew those attributes before i came here. 2. Scouting has given me a chance to try things (merit badges) and learn little things that are helpful in life. looking back at scouting I think of all the memories and I cherish them, I am so happy I learn with some brothers, scouting is a part of my childhood. 3. With scouting, little boys can get together and grow bonds, they can get together and not feel left behind. 4. With scouting I can watch my brothers grow as well, grow like I did. With scouting I can watch my brothers mature. which gives me a lot of joy. 5. scouting has helped me live here haha! living here is so much different than living in Utah but with the little things I learned as a scout, I can make things here possible. Also with first aid, knife safely. haha well I don't know what more to say, but what I like most about scouting is the scout law, if scouts would pay a lot of attention to these attributes they will learn how to walk like Jesus walked.

Con Amor Elder Portlock

 

In the center of the city

Eating columbiano pan and columbiano comida!

The mission board in the mission home.  Elder Munoz is the 2nd to last and I'm on the bottom the 2nd row to the right.

Eating pizza in the mission home

The mission home

A giant spider in our house!  haha

I love my area.

Cambios with lederes de zona

Teaching a lesson with the ninos!

 

October 6, 2014

Well another week has gone by, Its been a very good week full of memories(: As we prepared for this general conference this week, we contacted many people and invited them to come and hear our Prophet of God speak to the world! on Friday I spoke to many people! my Spanish is getting better, haha only in contacting and teaching lessons, but that's the important part right? (: I still have a very hard time understanding what people are saying and conversations outside of gospel words. Well anyways, one day as I was on my way home one night I bought two dozens of eggs from the store haha and as I was walking through the tall grass a dog jumped out and lunched his body towards me and bit me leg off! haha just kidding the dog didn't bite me or touch me haha but I got scared and tripped over a rock, and my eggs fell, as my eggs were falling to there death I held them tight but a few eggs fell out and I guess it scared the dog away haha, in the battle only 3 eggs died and non other damage was done haha that's my exiting story this week for fun(: anyways on Saturday morning I unfortunately wasn't able to understand the first session because it was in Spanish, but the rest of the sessions I was able to watch in the high priests room with Elder Schmitlein. It made me very happy! after to first session we went to a lesson and during the lesson there was a small earth quake that lasted 4 seconds haha but I felt it. It was very weird and we laughed after. Well back to general conference. I learned a lot and I will always remember the conference. It seems like now the conference goes by so fast! and when its over I get sad haha. Anyways  with the talk given by Tad R. Callister he talked about families had how the parents are the prime teachers in the home! The church is not the prime teacher the home is, to me the church is only a hospital where we learn together and partake of the sacrament. the home is a sacred place. Also he talked about teaching the power of prayer not the routine of prayer! As I was watching this talk I thought a lot about my family, they mean so much to me and I just want to say thank you for all the times I've spent with them. I've learned so much and have so many memories that are very sacred to me. In the talk of Joorg Klebinatt he talked a lot about spiritual confidence! This talk made me want to do better in my life. The first thing is to 1. take responsibility with your feelings and accept that you are free. 2. take responsibility with you physical well-being. take care of it and watch what you do to it and what you put into it. Your body is a Temple always remember that! 3. what I got from this one is that, embrace and acknowledge that you cannot love god and mammon. and 4. become really good at repenting regularly and even daily. 5. Forgive everyone all the time! and 6. accept trials, and surprises in this life. This life is A TEST. God is anxious for your confidence. with Eyring talked about personal revelations and also priesthood keys! very direct and I loved it. The session on Sunday morning was all about sustaining our prophet. Thomas S. Monson is truly a prophet of god! the talks were amazing! Robert D hales talked about how when  he first knew there was a god, It made me remember when I was in elementary school and I  was out in the field laying down looking into the blue sky, I marveled at how amazing it was and if there was someone looking at us like someone looking at a marble. I thought and knew right there that we are the offspring of a supreme creator.  Thomas S. Monson talked a lot about how we left out pre-mortal life to come here to mortal life to prove ourselves. We brought with us our agency. Also that walking where Jesus walked is less important than walking as Jesus walked. Each of us will walk the path of unhappiness and of pain. Or we can walk the path of prayer and service. Lets all ponder the path that we walk. One of my Favorite talks was M Russel Ballard, He talked about the boat Zion!  The 3 most important rules are 1. Stay in the boat! 2. Always wear a life jacket and 3. always hold on with both hands. The river is the river of life. The Boat is the church, the river guides are the leaders of the church, they have had lots of experience in this life and and have been tutored by other river guides, they will not lead us astray!. The church is the ship Zion!, let us stick to the old ship, it will take us home. When we fall off, they will always help us get back on. Unfortunately many people get to close to the end or want to leave, they fall off and drown.. Well there were other very great talks that I didn't write about but I just want to put some of the most important things. WOW the church is amazing and I'm so happy I have this opportunity to be here right now in Tuxtla. haha during the conference every time they mentioned the missionaries, Elder Schmitlein and I got really exited and said! ¨That's us!¨ And when I saw Brother O'Very in the choir I was jumping up and down with happiness and pointing to the screen, also I knew a few missionaries in the missionary choir!  That was pretty cool.  Well I'm glad to be here right now. I love you all and I bid you all farewell till next week. Hurrah For Israel! con amor- Elder Portlock  (next week I'll try to do better with descriptions on pictures, but I am out of time for now, so here are a bunch of pictures from this week.)