Taking Upon Ourselves the Name of Christ

Fun week!  Some days we woke up with snow on the ground, but only to have it disappear before noon.

Tuesday we had Zone Conference. (AMAZING)  It is strange to think I only have one more Zone Conference in May.  President Bulloch is feeling kind of the same since he is going to be replaced at the beginning of July.

After Zone Conference, president had a chance to meet the Meacham family.  After they left, President said that he is impressed with them.  They are an awesome family!  They [the parents and the 2 eligible girls (they also have a 7 year old girl)] are going to be getting baptized on March 10th.  The ward is super excited.  So are we!

At Zone Conference we were given a card with our name on it that coordinates with TiWi (the black box they installed in our cars).  Now we log in with this card by holding the card to the box and then if we speed or don't have our seat belts on or 'drive aggressively' it creates a report on how safe of a driver we are.  It takes a little to get use to, having a box talk to you as you are driving.

We went on an exchange with the APs after Zone Conference.  Both Elder Christensen and Elder McCleve I have served with (MTC and 2nd companion), and was fun to work with them again. 

Yesterday we had a crazy (yet typical for New York) Sacrament Meeting.  We also got doubled stacked with dinners, and we were hurting as we were leaving.  The members sure love to feed us.

Lately I have been so grateful for the temple and the promises we make there.  There is so much power behind it.  I was reading in Mosiah 5 this week about taking upon ourselves the name of Christ.  It made me reflect upon how we do that at baptism, sacrament, but even more deeply in the temple.

Elder Shurtz

Happy President's Day!

Happy Presidents Day!  I love having a Family History Center, and a key to get in!  It makes e-mailing a lot easier on holidays that fall on Monday.

We had a lesson with Debbie on Monday.  Talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Great lady.  Very easy going, and likes what she is learning.  We talked about baptism, and said that is something she wants to do.  We are looking at sometime in March or April.

Tuesday we had dinner and met with the Meachams.  Such a great family.  I hope to build a good relationship with them so I can keep in contact when I get transferred.

Tuesday night we drove to Endicott and worked with them for most of the day.  They just opened the area about a week ago.  I worked with the awesome Elder Bergman.  He was in my last district, two transfers ago.  It is fun to see the growth in missionaries that occurs in such little time.  We went to dinner that night at a china buffet.  It was soooo good!  I had lots of crab meat, and spicy chicken of various assortments.  My stomach was not too happy afterwards.

Then we drove to Greene to work with a new missionary, Elder Lewis, for his second transfer training.  Elder Lewis is a great missionary, who is learning a lot from his trainer, and is a hard worker.

We drove back Thursday afternoon, completely drained (how do APs and President and Sister Bulloch do it?)  It was nice to be back in our own area to work the rest of the night.

Friday we had dinner with an awesome couple who invited a recent convert and her non-member husband over for dinner.  It was such a positive experience, I don't think Elder Duffin and I had to say more than a few words.  We have awesome people in this ward!

Tomorrow is Zone Conference!  We are so stoked!  It is going to be on chapter 10 of PMG, and Elder Duffin and I are trying to get our training clear and precise.  We will be talking about listening and helping people resolve concerns.

Tonight we are going to have our interviews with President and the APs are coming to spend the night, then they will be working with us after Zone conference.  We just found out that Brother Joseph B. Wirthlin Jr. [Son of the late Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles] and his wife Kathy W. Wirthlin have been called to serve as the President of the New York Utica Mission beginning July 1, 2012.  It will happen a few weeks after I go home, which makes my group the last one president sends home.

Time goes by fast!  Hope you have a great week!

Elder Shurtz

Another Busy Week...

It is  sometimes hard to remember all that has happened during the week.
Tuesday we went to Binghamton for district meeting, and presented our training there.  We talked about teaching principles and applying that teaching commandments and helping people keep commitments.  We also had another lesson with Yolanda.  The house was busy busy busy, with many grand kids around.  We weren't able to teach very well, but she had a lot of questions we helped her out with.  We also met with the awesome Meacham family.  The parents are getting ready to be baptized in March.  They are the 'golden' family, with three little girls (2 baptismal age), and they have been enjoying church for a few months now.  They are such an awesome family.

Wednesday we went to the Ithica district meeting, and taught the same stuff.  We ran out of time, so it wasn't as great.  We also found out that president is splitting that district, and now we are covering three districts.  Elder Becerrill (who is training a 2nd missionary in a row) was called to be the new DL.  He is a smart, hard worker, and will do good as a district leader.

Thursday we taught a sweet investigator named Debbie, who came to church for the 2nd time yesterday.  She has questions (good thing), and the ward is doing a great job in making her feel welcome.

Saturday morning we helped this non-denominational church clean up and setup their pews after they have done some extensive repair to the old church building.  We met them as we were meeting up with a potential.  We saw they were doing some work, and offered to come back and help out.  And after some persistence, they told us to come back Saturday.  It was an awesome service opportunity.  They offered to help with anything our church needed help with.  So we might be working with the ward to come up with a service activity we could invite that congregation to.

We also got 3 new tires for the van, two were balding and one had a screw in it, that made a slow leak, and it was too close to the rim of the tire for them to fix.

Church was awesome.  It was nice to be in a Ward Council with an agenda, and looking back at the last minutes and following up with assignments.  Especially after the World Wide Leadership Training broadcast, it was a very effective meeting.  As my last ward was very army oriented, this ward is very business oriented.  Church was great with Debbie and the Meachams there.

A member of the high council who is preparing a talk on temples, showed us a book that he said is the only other required read (besides the scriptures and temple handbooks) for temple presidents.  It is Temple Worship by Andrew C Skinner.  That is a book I want to get when I get back home.  Some good insights in there.

This next week is going to be busy.  With getting things started for a baptism, going on two blitzes with Elders Endicott and Greene, doing an interview for baptism in Ithica, plus getting our training ready for Zone Conference the following week (on the 21st).  I love staying busy.

I love you all, and hope you have a great week.

Elder Shurtz

Elmira

It has been crazy!  My suitcase and stuff are still sprawled all over the floor!

Wednesday I was picked up by Elder Nielson who was a past District Leader and was heading home.  Elder Buttler (another Zone Leader) worked with Elder Simmonds for the day.  Transfers were crazy.  We had a dozen new missionaries last transfer, and another dozen this transfer.  There wasn't even enough pizza to go around!  I was handed the keys to our 2010 Dodge Caravan (not my favorite year on mini-vans :), and drove to Ithica with Elder Cutler and Elder Gamble (both in my zone [Owego Zone]).  Then, I met Elder Duffin, and we drove to Elmira.  Elder Duffin is from Idaho.  He is actually a few transfers younger than me.  He loves football, basketball, and golf.  Tall (Katie!).  Great guy.

Thursday we tried to contact a few people, but spent a lot of time planning and preparing for the transfer.  That night we had dinner at a member's home, then drove to Auburn [Syracuse Zone Leaders] to spend the night (1.5 hr drive).  Then early Friday morning we headed to Utica for Zone Leader Council.  ZLC was amazing!  We have 10 zone leaders, so it was us and President and the Assistants to the President.  We talked about some of the challenges of the mission, what we want to train on for District Meetings and Zone Conference.  It was sweet to be in council with some awesome missionaries and president, working together to and receiving revelation on the correct path we should take.  Zone Leader Conference lasted from 9am to about 4pm.  At 5 pm we sat with the president in his office for a stake correlation meeting via phone conference.  The stake president and other leaders here are amazing!  Many are very successful business men, and know how to get things done in a timely fashion.  The ward is super missionary minded, and awesome at fellowshipping.

We are teaching an awesome family who are close to setting a baptismal date.  If you didn't know they were not members, you would assume they have been life-time!  Sweet family, with 3 kids.

Saturday we picked up a former investigator (Yolonda).  A great lady, who tries to do what is right.  We will be seeing her again on Tuesday.

We are also teaching some other people, but have not yet met them.

Today we have a huge to-do list (last of all is unpacking).  I'm going to get some more white shirts.  We have the nicest lady in the ward who washes and irons a few white shirts for us every week.  Yesterday she told me mine were brown not white :(.  lol.

Tomorrow and Wednesday we have to travel to our two districts (Owego East and West districts) to give training.  With the two districts, we have 4 areas each (8 in total, excluding us) and 20 missionaries (including us and senior couple in Ithica).

I think we have an exchange, training, blitz, zone conference, or something planned every week of the transfer.  Lots of time traveling (1800 miles or so a month).

I hope you all have a great week!

Love,
Elder Shurtz

February, Already?

We have not met with the Mennonites since our first meeting.  Maybe this week.  We are taking a break from Luke since his dad was not too happy about his baptism, and the family who is fellowshipping him will probably move in a few months.

Last Monday, President gave me a call.  Apparently there are 2 kids (over the age of 8) who want to be baptized in the Lowville area (which was closed this transfer) and 2-3 others who are 8 years old getting ready for baptism.  This Friday we will go down and meet with everyone, and see if we will work with them to help them get baptized.

Tuesday at district meeting I trained on using our time wisely.  It felt like there was a lot of silence, but it was a good discussion over all.  We also went tracting (in the middle of nowhere, on a street called Mylady Rd (Not to get confused with the adjacent street Milady Rd) and found an Emu!

Wednesday we had a lesson with Katrina (10 year old, with a date for the 18th).  It is going well.  We also met with them after church on Sunday.  She is a good reader, and can remember quite a bit.  The father is getting ready to baptize her.  YAY!

Thursday we picked up an old investigator named, Jack.  He is an older gentleman, who loves to think things through and figure it out.  We got him to pray for the first time with missionaries and read from the Book of Mormon.  We are excited to see him progress.

Saturday we saw Ginger and her family.  It is really hard for them to come to church because they work night shifts.  But they are coming along.  We took Timothy with us.  He did a great job in sharing his testimony.  I'm sad because his wife leaves tomorrow for basic training, and he leaves at the end of the week.  I saw him for the last time yesterday, and we both had to hold back tears.

Also something interesting that happened on Saturday, we had a lightning and thunder that shook the house as it was snowing!  The flash was super bright.  We were on base, and many of the army people freaked out a bit because it brought back memories of war. (Note to self: don't freak out army people!)

Our fifth Sunday Priesthood/Relief Society lesson was on the ward mission plan.  I think only a few people actually paid attention, and the rest fell asleep (I was leaning on the sleeping side).  Our ward mission leader is not a recruiting officer, that is for sure.  But hopefully as the leadership gets better, we will still be doing our job as missionaries.

Transfer calls were Saturday.  Elder Hale is coming up here to Carthage (it is his last transfer).  I am going down to Elmira (by the Pennsylvania border).  It is the farthest South I will have gone in the mission.  Syracuse was the 2nd farthest South, and it was in the central part of the mission.  I will be serving as a Zone Leader with Elder Duffin, who has been out one more transfer than I have (I have three left).

It will be sad leaving Carthage.  It is really a great area, with great people.

I love you all, and hope you have a great week!

Elder Shurtz

Brrrr!  It's cold in the sticks!

Emu!  How about you?

Mennonites Know Their Stuff!

Another Monday.  How fast the week goes!  Last Monday night we talked with three Mennonites at the church.  They know their scripture!  Answering several of their concerns, it turned out to be a good discussion,  with an emphasis on the importance of the Book of Mormon.  We had an appointment with them Saturday, but they canceled on us.  Hope to see them again this week.

Also went on a blitz with the Zone Leaders (both companionship working in the same area).  Elder Stanton (last companion) worked with Elder Simmonds, and I was with Elder Bowles.  I enjoyed learning and working with them.

Wednesday night we visited a less-active family and had a short lesson with them.  They said they would come to church, and they did! (except the mom - she was not feeling well).  That is always exciting.

We met with Luetta.  She had some questions about the temple, which is awesome.  We need to get a temple trip organized for the recent converts.  Lateasa has been having some great questions about it too, and is so excited.  She and some other recent converts are taking a how-to-teach-the-gospel course, and will be (hopefully) receiving a calling after that.
Saturday we had a lesson with an investigator, Carrie.  She has shown very little interest in the past, but is now a little more interested.  This Saturday we are going to have Timothy come with us.

We also taught a part-member family, specifically their 10 year-old daughter who wants to be baptized.  She has a date for February 18th.

Yesterday we met with Timothy and Michelle.  We talked about the Temple and how the home is the second most sacred place on earth, and how we have to make it that way (ways to invite the spirit, FHE, pray, scriptures, dinner, etc.).  It was awesome.  Michelle leaves on the 31st for basic training, and Timothy leaves on the 7th of February, for Fort Lee (Virginia).
We have a lot of new investigators we are working with, but it is hard to make and keep appointments with them.  But the weather has been good.  Today it is in the 30's.

Hope you all have a great week!

-Elder Shurtz

COLD!

The long-dreaded Winter has finally struck Carthage, New York.  It had rained a day or two, but Friday morning we woke up to rain that turned into a huge snow storm.  We had to cancel an awesome day up in the northern towns and work in Carthage.  We couldn't see as we walked around all day, but it was relatively warm despite the wind creating snow drifts that went up to our waist.  But, we found a young family to teach.  The husband's father is a southern Methodist minister, but is open to what we have to share, and is looking for a church in Carthage.

The next day was freezing, and Sunday was even colder.  Our car almost did not start Sunday morning in the -14 degree weather, and our odometer took a bit of time to work.  Luckily we had a good day planned.

Tuesday we had President Bulloch present the training.  Everyone was at the Carthage building (except the president and his wife).  With five minutes to go, I get a phone call from him saying they were in Watertown!  So we packed up and drove to them (25 minutes away) and started the district meeting a little late.  The focus this transfer is planning goal setting.  He talked about all of it.  Good stuff, hope to get it all down before I die. 

Wednesday we taught Luke (11 year-old).  Then we went to his house to talk to his father about baptism.  Was not too willing to talk about steps Luke could do so he could be baptized.  He wants Luke to be perfect, because he wants to be baptized.  So we don't know what to do other than to keep teaching him.

Thursday we met with Luetta.  She is doing awesome! She has lots of questions about the temple, and is curious about it, so we need to get our recent converts to the temple!  But, it seems to be little effort from ward leaders to get it organized.

Saturday we met with Mackenzie (9 year-old).  She is doing good.  Just need to get the family to church!  The mother normally has to work on Sundays, but tomorrow might be getting a promotion that will allow her to make her own schedule.

We also saw Ginger and her family (Olivia, Cody, & Sidney).  We watched the Restoration DVD, which I think helped them understand and visualize it better, and answer some questions.  Two of them work night-shifts, but we hope they will come to church this Sunday.
We had no one show up for church yesterday :( second week in a row.  But, we had the recently called Gospel Principles teacher teach on Sunday.  She was a little nervous, but did a great job.  I think she connected well with the women in the room (way better than I could ever do!)

We just learned that in March tons of people in the army are leaving for a month of training in Louisiana.  The whole bishopric, and many other ward leaders (almost all the priesthood) will be gone.  Can you imagine that?

There are some good potential investigators we will be seeing this week that we hope to start teaching.  Tonight we meet with a guy named Nathaniel at the church.  Good inquisitive guy, who is remodeling his house and seems to be just a good person.  We met him on Christmas Eve.

Things keep on going.  I am thankful for the opportunity to work.  Have a great week!  Love you all!

Elder Shurtz