July 19, 2010

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been a great one! Tuesday we had Zone Conference up in Liverpool. The theme was balance and being well rounded. Zone Conference is great just lift everyone spirits up. We also talked about self-mastery (based on Elder Russell M Nelson's talk entitled "Self Mastery") and how that's basically our goal here on earth.

Elder Call and I took much from Zone Conference and have continually been applying it into our teachings and lives. The picture in this email was taken at Zone Conference. It is my District! (the two sisters, Sister Stewart and Sister Livermore, District Leader: Elder Villagomez, and Elder Robinson, then Elder Call and I. I had my first exchange! Tuesday after zone conference my discrict leader and I switched and I went to Cortland with Elder Robinson. It was fun to work in a difference city for a bit, and with a new personality. Great people we met, but I am glad to be assigned to Syricuse.

On Wednesday, Elder Call and Elder Villagomez (Distric Leader) found a sweet new family to teach who I am excited to meet this week. Then that night, when I was back in Syracuse we found two more awesome people to teach. One of them (Yvonne) was driving by, flagged us down, and when we pulled up to her car on our bikes she proclaims 'Finnally! After two years I have found you guys!' Apparently, she moved from the Bronx about 2 years ago, and was meeting with the missionaries back there. We are going to see her tonight!

Thursday I finally met Jeff. Jeff is amazing, we had a hard time catching him at a good time since I got here. He is really smart, and verry logical. He loves to reason every point based upon the bible, which is good for Elder Call and I to work through and find those points. At some point though, it will have to come by faith, and I hope he find interest.

Saturday the sisters had a baptism! His name is Li Bo and he has a great personality, and always smiling. he is will be attending the singles branch. The sisters have found some great individuals from China to teach on campus. They seem so prepared and willing to learn. I guess since we can't go to China, God will send China to us!

Yesterday we found a great family who have been inactive and have a interest in comming back to church! Elder Call and I feel good about this family. They have even mentioned having us over for dinner and teaching to family (only the mother is a member)! Ryan is scheduled to get babtized this Saturday! We are so excited for Him! We will be talking with him tomorrow more about the service and who will do what.

The Lord really does show is love and miricles in everyone's lives. People know he is there. They have seen his hand in their lives. He loves all his children.

Thank you for all your support and love.

Love,

Elder Shurtz

PS - I guess I never really explained where I was living and some other details by the sounds of dad's email. I am living in an apartment (one of the nicer ones it sounds like). We are borrowing bikes from some members here, so luckily we did not have to by them. The members here are wonderful. They feed us probably 3-5 times a week, which is a lot considering the size of the ward, and considering we also have a set of sister missionaries.

Brent asked if you can send pictures by email: I believe you can so feel free to.

In the last email, I sent a picture of a group of us, but I never explained what it was about. It is a 4-generation family picture (me, my trainer, his trainer, and his trainer's thrainer) which is awsome because normally you cann't get that many togeather at the same place.