Saratoga!

Hello Family,

It has been a fast week for me.  It is always quick when you are trying to get to know a new area.  Tuesday, after visiting with Jaymie, she sent us a text message sharing how we knows Joseph Smith was a prophet and this is his true church.  It truly made my mission so far!

Wednesday I went to Utica.  I had no idea how I was getting to Saratoga, but someone told me to jump into a van (almost had me driving) so I did.  Met up with Elder Potter (served with him in Oneida) and he took me to Saratoga from Schenectady.  It was fun to talk with him. He and Elder Christensen (MTC companion) are now my Zone Leaders.  So it will be fun to work with them.

Elder Stratton is an amazing missionary!  It is fun to work with him.  He knows how to talk to people and teach.  Saturday we had a baptism.  His name is Phil.  He is a big guy who has gone through a lot of big changes and have been touched by the spirit.  It will be exciting to continue watching his progress in the gospel.  It is interesting being the senior companion.  He knows how to work.  He has asked for a lot of advise, which I wish I could give, but I don't know the area that well yet.  Our teaching pool is about the turn over, and we will be looking to fill it up.

We live on the top floor of an apartment complex.  It is real nice.  I have been blessed with nice apartments.  But I am going to miss the washer and dryer we had in Oneida. 

The ward is huge!  I went from 25 people in Oneida to 150 people here.  They even have pews!  Lots of people here are from or lived in at one point the Seattle area.  One one so far knew about little Wenatchee Valley.  The people are supper awesome.  We get fed almost every night.  We rely heavy upon the members for rides.  I am so glad they are willing.  It makes it so much easier.  We cover a larger area than Syracuse, and the bus can not get us everywhere.  We are not on bikes, mainly because of the snow.

The weather is starting to get nicer.  But we got dumped on today by snow.

Thanks so much for the birthday wishes and letters!

Love you all,

Elder Shurtz

Me, Chris and Jaymie

Jaymie and Bella

PS ---> I will get pictures of the baptism next week.