May 25, 2015

Well this week had been a great week. Today I will be completing 11 months in the mission and I'm very happy, its weird to think that! Also today are the mission changes. Elder Gamboa and I will be staying the same here in Tuxtla Mexico area Paraiso as the zone leaders. We're really happy and exited for the next 6 weeks together. Also this Saturday was the best day ever! haha in the morning we had a service project with all the missionaries in Tuxtla, we collected plastic bottles for 2 hours and wow! There were sooooo much! We did the service close to my first area in Agulias. And so there I was collecting bottles! I was so happy because I knew the area and I also visited my converts! It was amazing because I could speak in Spanish!!!!! And they were all amazed! I love the mission so much because you make so many bonds with the people. Also in the afternoon Emmanuel was baptized and he is very happy! Words cannot explain how happy I am for him.(: yes things here are good(: I don't really have a lot to say but I  love you all! stay good(: Elder Portlock

wow

The wedding of Amparo.  Woooo su bautizmo sera 6 de Junio

We are cleaning the calles

Emmanuel's baptim

May 18, 2015
Well this week was amazing! haha I always do so many things in the week and I never know what to say, buuuut on monday we got a new companion named elder Garcia. He is awesome and will be zone leader with elder Gamboa and I. BUT the next day the assistants called us and told us that they need Elder Garcia in another area. haha so he left and I was really sad haha but its all fine! We are preparing Emanuel who is 12 years old for baptism this Saturday! He is so exited and is telling everyone at church that he is getting baptized! and we are very happy as well. His brother in on a mission but his parents never wanted to join the church, but the family was a reference of the son ( elder Vasquez) and so we started to teach the family. The father likes what we are teaching but never has a lot of time to hear us, but they have been attending church a lot. The mother also should be getting baptized soon, I don't know why she doesn't want to get baptized this week, but were hoping for the next week(: also! this week on Sunday we had the stake conference! wow! it was a really great conference! also! UVENZO GOT THE MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD! whooooohoooooo I'm SO happy! words cannot describe! Elder Gamboa and I were in the circle to help. wow! I feel so blessed! I literally changed a family(: also this week it started to rain haha and when it rains here, IT RAINS!!!!!! the streets literally turn into RIVERS! its so crazy but I love it! I love you all, say good and cant wait to write back the next week(: Elder PORTLOCK

Elder Garcia for one day...

Elder Lemus and I have the same bag and wath.  whohoo!

I don't know what these lizards are doing...but the truth is, I think he is eating him or her...

Uvenzo received the Priesthood!

May 11, 2015

Well family and freinds, This week has been such a great week. Well I first want to talk about mothers day! I was so happy to see and talk to my family through skype! I love them all and miss them so much!!! The truth is, I couldnt speak english very well, I kept speaking spanish because It was easier haha, I fet like I couldnt speak very well english hahaha. but I did get to talk spanish with my dad! wow! words can not explain! I felt closer to my dad more then ever and  had tears in my eyes. It is such a wonderful blessing to learn spanish and be able to talk to people. thank you dad. This week we will be getting another missionary that will work with us, we will be in a trio, his name is Elder Garcia, he was working in the altos but I think he had problems with his feets, so he will be working with us for a bit of time, im exited(: our family basques that we are teaching are exited and are learnign very well(: we should be having a bautims in a few weeks(: I love you all so very much! have a great week( Love Elder Portlock

The ruins of Chiapa de Corzo

A Mexican graveyard

The ruins of Chiap de Corzo

Ruins of Chiapa de Corzo

an old abandoned Catholic church

The old church

The colonies of chiapa de corzo

Chiapa de corzo

Chiapa de corzo

Whooooooo!  I reciveda package from my family!

Going to Cintalapa again.  I really like Cintalapa.  It's awesome.  It's one hour away from Tuxtla.

Digging a hole to help

My countdown chart at home

Talking to my family

My zone

May 4, 2015

I would like to share a bit of what I believe. I believe In God our Heavenly Father. We are his children. Before this earth we all lived together in a world called the spirit world. All of us lived together and loved one another. God our father spoke to us and asked us if we are happy, we all spoke at once in confusion. ¨ I think so?¨but we weren't sure, we didn't even know what happy meant. God said that he has a plan for us, we would all come to earth and obtain a body so that we could progress. He also gave us our free agency to choose right from wrong, left or right. God also said that he would give us a savior, someone who would pay the price for all of our sins and difficulties in life. 2 of our brothers spoke the first one said ¨send me, It is your will¨ the second one said ´´send me, I will make everyone choose the same thing and everyone will return to you. God said I will send the first. With that the first brother became our savior and was called the Christ. The second one got angry and took 1 third of our brothers with him and was thrown out and would not receive bodies, he was called Satan. God said to all of us that we would have difficulties but he knew we would all be able to find our way back to him. Here we are in this life, we are here to learn the principles and covenants that will help us get back to god, this is what the gospel is, a path that we can and need to take. We learn to have faith in things that we may  not see but we believe. We learn our to repent of things that may not have been very good to change us and to have a better knowledge of things. And we make sacred convents or promises with god to help us in this path. Being here on the mission I have had the opportunity to help other people remember and to know our plan here. I have literally seen people change their lives and find a lot of happiness through faith and true repentance. I have been able to see miracles as I speak with the gift of tongues and teach people in a new language. I have been able to find people who were just waiting to here the gospel and accept it the moment we opened up our mouths. I have a testimony of what I'm doing and I know that I was pre ordained to be here and preach the gospel. My invitation for you all is to pray and ask your father in heaven for guidance and what you need to change or do in your life. And then serve your fellow being. We are not here to be served but to serve. I am only 19 years and I'm still young, I am nothing without god, he is my strength  in all things. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen. 

for my mom

haha

We met one of the seventy!

I thought Melissa would like this

hahaha

A cool short parade

got to work with Elder Lemus for a day.

whooo