Elder Hyrum Portlock: Cambios

January 19, 2015

Well Family and friends its Monday again and I have the chance to write home and share the the news from this past week. First to start of is that my mom asked me if there have been any earthquakes. and yes there have haha, I have felt 2 earthquakes in the night, they weren't very big but it sure woke Elder De Jesus and I up! the windows were rattling pretty hard and the ground was shaking, the beds were rattling and we started saying, "elder! elder! whats happening! wow! its a earthquake! well if it gets any bigger we need to leave the house!" well it passed after about 10 to 15 seconds, i don't remember exactly but we went back to sleep! it was really neat because I have never felt a earthquake before! wow cant wait to feel more!

Well this week for exchanges wow! I'm literally paralyzed haha but very exited! My companion elder De Jesus finished his training and will now be district leader and is going to train. I will be leaving my area Aguilas and will be heading to the zone Tuxtla Mexico for 2 weeks to be zone leader. after the 2 weeks I will be going to the state of Oaxaca in the area of Chahuites to be zone leader! haha wow! words cannot explain! I'm a bit nervous but at the same time very exited! the language is coming pretty slow so ill be training and teaching mostly by example. I have a goal to be exactly obedient and do everything I can be worthy of the spirit. I cannot do it without God and it is true.

"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." Alma 26:12

To all my friends back home I love you all so much! I'm also very happy to see that many of you have decided to serve missions. That's so amazing! I cant believe that I have been here for so long! I still feel like I've only been here for a few months! wow its really crazy! well this week we had a conference with Elder Valenzuela of the 70, he is the president over Mexico, He gave such an amazing talk and I have learned a lot of things! He talked about the plan for Mexico, working with the ward a lot and how we can have a lot of progress, we made a lot of goals. Also this Friday we planned to go to the temple with a recent convert, we planned to have a lesson in the temple and after do baptisms. 30 minutes before we went we received a phone call, he told us that he doesn't feel prepared to go. we told him ok and hung up. Elder De Jesus and i immediately said we need to go with him right now!!! so we showed up to his house and taught him for one hour!!! we did EVERYTHING we could, we said EVERY possible words we could say to get him exited for the temple. and he still declined and said he doesn't feel prepared and that he will think about it in a few weeks, we left the hose very sad and disappointed, I literally gave it my all to teach him, said everything I could. And I learned a lot, We need to act and do EVERYthing we can for all the people to invite them to partake of the Gospel and the fruit of life. Sometimes they decline but we are missionaries and we are called to this people as disciples of Christ. I also learned that the Temple is very sacred. and some people just don't feel ready and we need to respect that because the temple is holy and no unclean thing can enter it. It's better if he goes when he feels ready because I don't know his thoughts and maybe he wants to repent of something before he goes. Wow! I learned a lot that day, well Elder De Jesus and I still went, De Jesus found two family names that he wanted to baptize so we did that, and after we entered another session in the temple, wow I love the temple so much! I can't explain the feelings I have for it and the things that I learn inside of it.

Haha I don't know what more to say so I will wrap this week up and write more the next week. thank you for your prayers I love you all!