June 29, 2015

                This week was an amazing week! and yes, Viki and Edger got baptized this week, Elder Gamboa baptized Viki and I baptized Edger! It truly has  been a miracle from God to baptize Edger. He is great and has lots of potential. This week I completed one year in the mission! I feel great but the same, a little sad that I hit the half way mark and I'm just gonna start finishing my mission! bllaaa! haha, but also exited that soon I will be with my family(: this week we have also been traveling to Berriozavbal and Ocosocuatla a few times to help the other missionaries in the zone, we have been doing a lot of training with them(: I love seeing the other parts of Chiapas, I have one year  of being in Tuxtla(: I'm sure that the next week I'll be telling all of you where my next area will be! 

OH! and there is a missionary named Elder Lyons that returned home because of medical problems but is serving right now in West Jordan, mabey you can find him and say hi to him and he could also tell stories of tuxtla(: and of me(: talk care for now(: I love you all!

ya

Edger's baptism

Viki's baptism

hahaha Elder Gamboa

Viki's baptism

Mmmmm.

Visiting the other elders

Temple in Berriozabal

The governor's house

Edger's baptism

Visiting the other elders

cross

The cross of Tuxtla

Ya I ate that

June 22, 2015

Wow! Well this week has been a good week.haha Forgive me but every week I get to the computers and begin to write, my problem is that as I start to write I forget what happens. But I will do my best(: This Wednesday we had inter changes with Cintalapa for a day. Elder Gamboa went to Cintalapa and Elder Mota came and worked with me. The day was awesome and we worked very hard and taught tons of lessons. I also have been reading a lot about John the Baptist and other prophets of the old times. They all declare repentance and invite people to repent. So I've started to put it in practice and I've been inviting almost everyone to repent. I have been doing it by the spirit but in a good way. And it has built my testimony as a missionary. Also this Sunday during church someone showed up and started to talk to us, apparently he was a investigator about one year ago and was about to get baptized but moved to another state. He told us that he is back and wants to get baptized! haha Wow, so we told him that we need to see him every day to teach him a few things, have his interview and on Saturday we will have his baptism. Also Sister Viki told us that she is ready to be baptized! So we are really exited and will be helping her this week. Her baptism will be this Friday(: Yes things are doing well here in Tuxtla. I'm about ready to leave Tuxtla but I don't know where hahaha.I Love you all! have a great week(: Elder Portlock

With Elder Mota for the day

My friend Antony got his mission call!

Visiting my old ward

An investigator gave us lemons...We're making lots of lemonade and giving a lot to the members.

The district in Cintalapa

Wow!  It's coming!

Cintalapa

Eating a birthday cake for one of the sisters

Cintalapa

What a great day!

June 15, 2015

We're in the rainy season and it rains every day! But not very long! It pours like crazy for about 30 minutes and then it just stops, the roads turn into rivers for a bit haha, but there's always clouds so I've been happy because the sun doesn't show a lot haha(: also its been a bit cool, haha well Tuxtla cool.  We still sweat like crazy and its more humid because of the rain.(: This week we we were gonna have the baptism of Estrella, but it didn't go though, she couldn't attend so we will try again the next week. Other news is that sister Viki, the mom of Emmanuel wants to get baptized. She is amazing and her testimony is getting stronger and stronger. Also the dad! He is progressing and wants to stop drinking and change his life.  Yesterday he was expressing his love for us. Emmanuel will be attending the temple again this Tuesday! He has been really exited about being a new member and is great! Uvenso and Maria have been very happy! They have been serving in the church and the people a lot! And they always give us pozol to drink(: I hope everyone is doing well at home; I love you all(: Elder Portlock

We went to the temple.  Her name is Sister Lety, she went through for her first time.

Spiders

Iguanas

We're gonna make bread!

The one's dedicated to my dad!

This was the BEST hamburger that I have ever eaten!

June 8, 2015

Dear Family and Friends. Thank you so much for every thing. I always love to get on the computer every Monday to write you.  I love you so much. Its amazing to know that one year has almost passed by! on the 6th of June, I marked my one year of receiving my temple gift. Also I found out that I end my mission on June 6 of 2016. So I officially have one year left! haha I will keep you all updated on the exact date for when I end the mission, you never know it could always change. Also I would like to actually serve for 2 full years hahaha. Other things, Orson... stop growing!!! Melissa, your new puppy looks really cute, congratulations(: Emily, write me or something,haha I miss you. Heber, have you learned any new ninja flips?, have you started running? whats new with you?. This week here in the mission has been a great week. The family that we are teaching are doing great! We are taking them to the temple this Tuesday so they can see it, we will be having a lesson inside the  first visitors room.  We are teaching a little girl named Star (Estrella) She has 9 years and always attends church with her nanny. She will be getting baptized this Saturday and we are really exited for it. Also this past Saturday I returned to my first area in Agulas to attend the baptism of Amparo! Wow!  I was SO exited and happy to know that the family are all officially members and in one year they will all be able to be sealed together in the temple(: they were also very happy for the baptizm and also very surprised and happy to see me. WOW! I love the memories and family that I am making here(: I'm still here in Tuxtla in my second area haha, I'm very anxious to serve outside of Tuxtla and be able to see and experience more.(: we are the zone leaders and we are working hard.(: the weather has been fairly well, very hot and humid as usual but I have adapted to the heat and I'm chiapaneco(: haha but the nights have been fairly cool, I still only have to sleep with no covers and with a fan on my face every night! haha. I also love it because its like summer all year haha and we eat lots of ice cream!!! and lots of lemonade haha! And the fruit is amazing! I'm really gonna miss it! Well  Family and friends I love you all have a great week. Con Amor(: Elder Portlock

I got them to sing for us.  Gratis porque soy gringo haha!

The baptism of Amparo

Iguana

June 1, 2015
Well friends and family this week has been a great week! We reached our goal of 140 contacts with 141 contacts this week! woo! We are very exited and cant wait to work hard this week. Emmanuel is doing great as well and he feels good and blessed to be a member of the church.  He is getting enrolled in seminary and spending time with the other young men.  He should be receiving the Aaronic priesthood the next week. His dad and mom are also very happy to be assisting the ward. They all feel very accepted in the ward and are assisting the ward activities. But they still don't feel like getting baptized. I have been thinking a lot about this! I really want them to get baptized but I was thinning that its not just about the baptisms. Its about the people that I'm helping change! There is a scripture I really love in Alma 16: 16-17 that says "Lord did pour out his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which should be taught among them at the time of his coming
but that they might receive the word with joy."  She is being prepared right now and some day they will be baptized and be sealed in the temple. Just one step at a time(: also this week it has been raining a ton! But really hard, and its really cool and fun(: well family and friends take care for now and have a great day(:

My eara

A little girl in the ward that got baptized, and Elder Lemus came to visit

Eating Tlyudas with Uvenzo and his family  :)

Elder Gamboa and I