Feb. 23, 2015

Well this week was awesome. On Tuesday we had our activity, all of the missionaries in Tuxtla got together for the day, we started the activity at the zoo. haha that was the 2nd time I got to go to the zoo, it was really fun to be able to see everything again. And very fun to see all the missionaries. After the zoo we went to a big park called Caña Hueca. We all played soccer and ate bolis (ice cream) and ya. After that we all went to to church building next to the temple and watched the movie called Meet the Mormons. Wow! That movie was really good, and I want to watch it again haha. 

    This week we had 5 interviews for baptism in 2 other areas. On Friday we traveled about 1 hour in bus outside of Tuxtla to a zone called Cintalapa where we interviewed a family of 3 for baptism. Wow! I LOVE interviewing people for baptism. They share their testimony and it just touches my heart. They talk how it has really changed their life! Wow! Also on Thursday we interviewed a couple for baptism here in Tuxtla. To be honest, we didn't get  a lot of time to work in our area because we are working a lot with our zone and helping them. We had 2 investigators that showed up at church.  We were very amazed because he is really exited to learn and to go to church.  He got up early and went to a member's house that is close to his house and asked them if he could go to church with them. I really feel blessed even though we don't have a lot of time to work in our area, God is blessing us with an amazing investigator. 

     I'm so happy to see that my family is doing good(: I love you all take care and peace out. Elder Portlock

Playing pool at the institute

At the zoo

such a great photo

woooooo

Cat

Elder Ibarra

Ant eater

Big cat!  Jaguar!

The zoo

With my son!  And my grandson!

Eating bolis

About to watch "Meet the Mormons"

Our district

This is Hermana Hansen.  We talked to each other because she told me that her parents have been reading my blog.  I told her that my parents are probably looking at your blog.  So this is our picture so that our parents can see us on the same blog.  Hahaha!

I love to see the temple.

We're painting.

We were on splits for a day.

We were at Mc. Jordan's  Haha!

I'm working hard.....

Feb. 16, 2015

This week in Tuxtla Mexico, Well this week was pretty good, things are normal and we're working hard. Its a little different being zone leader. We do a bit more work and are always on the phone, it seems like(: and because our stake and zone is the closest to the offices we do a lot of stuff for president. I love being zone leader(: This week in the capacitacion of the district leaders we talked a lot about the importance of contacts. We're working on teaching the restoration in 1 minute so we can make for efficient contacts. After the meeting we got to enter the temple with our zone and with President George. I love the temple and I am so grateful to be so close and have the opportunity to enter. Many of the missionaries that have more time in the mission have told me that with the old president he didn't let them enter the temple, maybe once a year! President George is awesome and full of love! He also loves the temple and tells us how important it is. In the temple there was a new convert of 1 year that had entered the temple 1 week ago and entered the session with us, it was his 2nd time.  He sat by me and asked me if I could help him cause he didn't remember anything. During this time Hermana Hickman, who also has a blog, got up and ran over to us to see the man, he was her convert 1 year ago when she was in his area, wow she was so happy to see him and he had such a bright spirit. After the session we were in the celestial room, he broke down crying in tears. Elder Ibarra went to talk to him and after they came over to me and we prayed for him. He feels so happy to have this knowledge and blessing of being a member and being able to enter the temple. He knows and feels that it is true and that he finally found it. He was crying because he really wants his daughter to know the truth and be there with him... he is great!  I also have been thinking a lot about the example of Adam. In the garden he didn't know why he needed to keep the commandments or why he needed to do things but he did it anyway because God commanded him to. What a great example when our leaders command us to do things or when God give us commandments that we DO them. Some times we don't know why but we DO them. This Saturday we got a phone call from a nervous member. She told us that her daughter has a baptism today and that she needs help. We told here OK we will be at the church in 10 minutes. At the church nobody was there so we cleaned the church and cleaned the font and filled the font. After the member came with her daughter and husband. They were ready for the baptism but nobody else came! But we had the baptism anyways. We had us the 2 witnesses and her father who baptized her and confirmed her. We gave short little talks and made it really special for her, she was so exited! Oh and she is 8 by the way ( so it isn't our baptism but it is service for them(: ) after she was baptized she was full of the spirit and told all of us that there are more people here. The room is full. She told us that angels are watching! Wow! Her parents started to cry and thanked us a ton for helping them. They told us that they will remember us for their whole life! And that we are very special to them. Wow! What a great day(: on Sunday they asked us in the morning if we could give talks, well we told them of course(: hahah the talks were great! I'm so grateful that I'm able to speak and give talks! This is my 2nd talk in the mission(:. Also we had a meeting with President George and the stake president and Elder Reys from the 70, we talked about how the missionaries are working with the bishops and talked about what we could do better. It was really awesome to be in a meeting with them! Elder Gonzalez and I are getting along really well haha I love being zone leader because I get a really good companion hahaha(: I love all of you family and friends(: take care for now and have a good week(: CON AMOR Elder Portlock

My zone

Eating at the mall

Elder Salines, we changed suits

Another cool banana!  There's so many different kins of bananas!!! I LOVE IT!!

Valentine's Breakfast  (:.....with my companion.......haha

Valentine's Day

Area Paraiso

Elder Ibarra, this Elder is very dedicated!

Baptism of the little girl

her family

Elder Gonzales sleeping

My house

The best house ever

My desk, where I receive revelation  :D

Where I make spaghetti.....pancakes.....and cereal.....

February 9, 2015

This week was amazing. I first want to start with the reunion that we had on Tuesday, it was the reunion with the zone, it was my first time to teach the zone, and it actually went pretty well. We talked a ton about obedience and the importance of it. We talked a lot about our love for God and that if we love him we will be obedient. I want to say more about it but there's not a lot of time. On Saturday we taught a investigator for the 3rd time. Her name is Ana. She is amazing! She broke down in tears to tell us her experience about her prayer, she told us that she got her answer and she feels that this church is true! She read the a chapter in Alma that we left her and she read it with the family! She said she felt the spirit really strong in her house! Wow! She accepted baptism! Wow! The only thing now is to help her get married because they are living together without marriage! Well I feel so happy that I'm changing peoples lives! Its literally the fruits of the mission! Wow! Another thing I learned this week is about the people who are prepared to receive this gospel. At the beginning of my mission I thought that only a few people are prepared. I would always contact and teach lessons but many people just don't want to hear anymore, with them I would always think to myself that they're not ready to hear the gospel. Well I learned a lot that EVERYONE is ready to hear the gospel, they just need to feel the spirit and feel that we have interest in them, then they can use their free agency to accept it! But they are all ready. There is a scripture in Alma 16: 16-17  PLEASE READ! God poured his spirit upon all the face of the earth to prepare the hearts of the people. I really have a testimony of this and hope that you all can be an example and share the light you have so that other people can find their inner light!. 

    Well this morning we got a call from President... he told us that he needs Elder Lemus in the offices as his secretary, we are all sad to see elder Lemus go! But Elder Gonzales and I are still together as zone leaders haha this just means that we need to work extra hard because we both don't know the area very well, but I'm really exited to work. Well family and friends I love you all. Oh and my Spanish is getting a lot better! I'm not perfect at all and I still have a really hard time explaining things because I'm not fluent yet, but I can teach and communicate with everyone so I'm good! I love this language SO much its so weird to be able to speak two languages hahaha! like really weird..... but its such and amazing blessing! once again I love you all. I miss ya all! is so weird to think I've been here for about 7 months and a half! wow! take care con amor! 

Elder Portlock (:

 

HaHa.  It's me!  And I have that same tie!

Elder Lemus gave me a Spain, Barcelona Jersey!  Dad, this is the best thing ever!  It makes me think about your mission every day.  I know it's from Barcelona and you served in Madrid, but it's SPAIN!!!!  Woooooo  :D

Lideres de distrito.  Mi zona.

Tuxtla en la noche

Painting more houses

Riding in the back of a ride.  The funny thing about Mexico is that there's not a lot of rules.... (:

The best ward council, every Sunday we all go out and teach people.

I saw Elder Jimenez again.  (:

Painting a house

Oh yeah!

Bridge we cross

Mis bros