Happy Thanksgiving!

What a wonderful time of the year!  I love serving the Lord.  It is
hard trying to be exactly obedient in both law and spirit, but I truly
believe that is what a companion is for; to help uplift one another.
This is why the Lord has given us our weaknesses, our strengths, and
our spiritual gifts, so that we can come and rely on each other.  In
similar fashion, we all need to rely on the Savior.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to recognize our blessings and give
thanks to God for what we have.

President Bulloch included this in his email:
On October 3, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln, recognizing God as the
source of all blessings, and the need for all people to do the same,
sent a “Proclamation Establishing Thanksgiving Day.” President Lincoln
said in part, “The year that is drawing towards its close, has been
filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies.  To
these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to
forget the source from which they come…[as] the ever watchful
providence of Almighty God… [Therefore], It has seemed to me fit and
proper that [these blessing] should be solemnly, reverently and
gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole
American people.  I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every
part of the United States… to set apart and observe the last Thursday
of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our
beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.“  Thus, Thanksgiving
Day was born.  It was not a day about pilgrims, Indians and turkeys,
but a day about recognizing God’s hand in our life, and giving thanks
to Him.

President Monson commented on this beautiful principle of an attitude
of gratitude.  As we show thanks to the Lord for our blessings,
letting him know that we truly care for his sacrifice and love for us,
he is willing to bless us even more with greater joy.  Ingratitude in
not in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is not a part of the plan.  It
is a device Satan use to trap us within selfish, prideful thoughts.
If we are constantly thinking of what we do not have or what I lack,
or the misfortunes of life, we will miss the beauty and blessings
around us.

I am so thankful for my ability to serve the Lord.  For my family and
friends that support me and have helped me come to this point in my
life.  For our church leaders.  For President Bulloch, his wife, and
other missionary leaders.  But most of all, I am thankful to my
Heavenly Father who loves me.  Who sent his Only Begotten so that I
may be forgiven of my sins as I strive to follow His example.

Hope is going great!  She has been going through a ruff time right now
with family and her kids, yet she is still comes to at least
Sacrament, when many would not do such under the same conditions.
Elder Potter and I have realized on how she is understanding things
better, feels the spirit more since she has stopped drinking coffee
and has been living the Word of Wisdom.  What a great witness of
blessings that the Lord has promised us as we obey this commandment!
We taught her about tithing this week, and she is readily willing to
obey this commandment as well, despite the financial difficulties she
has.  What a great woman of faith!  She is still scheduled for baptism
on December 11th, the Saturday right after transfers.  Elder Potter
and I are hopping that both of us will be here for it!

We were not able to meet with Amy this last week.  But last Sunday
(14th), her daughter was blessed at church.  It was a beautiful
experience.  The electricity went out right before church so we all
crammed into the Relief Society room, and has one of the most
spiritual sacrament meetings I have been to in awhile.

We have not been able to meet with many of our other investigators
this week, for some reason or another, but we where able to see many
more less-actives.  Yesterday at church we had Hope come.  Also we had
2 less-actives who we saw this week come.  They had not come in
awhile, so it was great to see them, and the branch was so excited
too!

I went on exchange with Elder Call on Friday.  It was strange working
with him again.  He has changed so much since I worked with him last
time.  He asked me a question: If a lot of people got baptized in
Oneida right now, would the unit be able to handle it?  He talked
about the Jacob 5:73, where the root of the tree and the top grew
equal, and how this is how it works in our branches and wards.
Straighten the roots, and new growth will happen.

Love you all,

Elder Shurtz

Tract (n): a continuous expanse of land [Webster]

Tract (n): a continuous expanse of land [Webster] - Tracting (verb): two guys in white shirts and ties going door to door which seems like a continuous expanse of land [Elder Shurtz]

 

This week has been amazing!  We had Zone Conference of Thursday.  It was my second one so far (we only have it every other transfer now, and we had a all-mission conference last transfer).  The Lord truly does work by revelation. 

Brent mentioned in his letter to me that the high council has been talking about the Handbooks, and how they are suppose to be more condensed and gives more opportunity (or agency) for revelation on the local level.  It seems like this is what the whole church is gearing towards!

President Bulloch keeps sharing when he got set apart as a Mission President, Elder Scott told him to 'trust his missionaries.'  It seems like every time we receive guidance from him, this is was he mentions.  He has also been pondering on how we as a mission can keep the work progressing, and of course he came back to the advice to trust his missionaries.  He and Sister Bulloch just got back from a yearly Mission President seminar.  The general authorities mentioned to 'rip up' any rules in the mission that are added upon the white handbook (except for those made to adapt to the culture).  It seems like every mission has the written and the unwritten rules (like only MOTAB or Hymns).  The President and the general authorities are guiding the church to a new level it seems like.

 

As we have greater 'agency' of choice, we can gain greater faith through the righteous acts of that agency.  Through greater faith, greater things happen, for Faith is Power. 

 

Thus the added rules are officially 'ripped up.'  The church has also authorized mission presidents to allow all missionaries the ability to TXT on cellphone now for missionary purposes.  This will help so much!  So many people we have trouble contacting, are so much easier to keep in contact through TXTing.

We are excited to use are new found 'agency' in faith to see a marvelous work and a wonder take place in the New York Utica Mission.

 

We had a huge discussion on Faith.  Often Elder Potter and I ask each other 'why do we doubt?'  President led us into the gym where he had a string tide to the basketball hoop with a weight at the bottom (creating a pendulum type thing).  We talked about the 'laws of physics' and how they are true principles, that both gravity and friction will not allow the weight to reach the same height as the release point of it is just dropped, with no other acting forces.  We all agreed it was true.  Then he had some of us (I was one) stand with the weight to our chin, and let the weight drop without moving our chin.  Do we still have that 'faith' in laws are true when that weight is coming back at you?  It was so sweet!  (I did not move :)

 

 

Faith is Power

Love is the motive

Obedience is the price

 

The Spirit is the key

The Restoration is the message

The Members are the means

 

Christ is the reason

Baptism is the way

Joy is the reward

 

 

Love,

Elder Shurtz

 

PS - Elder Potter's cousin said a fun little thing in his email:

The Church is True; The Book is Blue; and Jesus is a Mormon

 

Busy week, sweet investigators!

Hey Family!

 

Elder Potter and I have been so blessed the last couple of weeks with people to teach.  We have about 7 people we are teaching, and they are all sweet.  We met with most of them this past week!

 

Hope, we have been teaching since I got here, and she is so sweet.  She has come to church 4 or 5 times, and she loves it.  We are helping her overcome drinking coffee, but we are excited for her.

 

Amy is so sweet!  She is nice to everyone.  She has 2 kids, both under the age of 2.  We give her a scripture to read, and we don't even have to explain anything.  She is like, 'o, ok! This is how this scripture applies in my life.'  Her husband is a member, but is not active.  Their life is busy, but they realize that this will bring greater happiness and joy to them and their family.

 

Sorry, for the short email this week.  Love you all.

 

Love,

 

Elder Shurtz

No Sweat!

Things are going wonderful here!  The Lord has really blessed us.  We have found one new investigator, and today we should be meeting with the family I talked about last week.  It has been weird working in a twosome again.  We went tracting after we dropped Elder Jensen off, and we both felt like we were alone.  But, now we are back to normal (as normal as missionaries are) and have been working hard. 

Thursday we had a lesson with Amy and her less-active husband.  They are the sweetest and most awsomest people ever.  They know the gospel is true, and everything.  But they run a crazy life: getting up at 3:30 in the morning to go to work with 2 kids and getting to bed around 9:30.  We had planned to go over the Word of Wisdom, but she wanted to go over prayer, so we had this AMAZING lesson on prayer.  She can pull out of scriptures things that are so deep, and on so many layers.  Then at the end of the lesson, she gave the most beautiful and sincere prayer I have heard in a long time.  Both her and I were crying by the end of it!

Friday night we had a branch dinner, where we had a open fire outside of the church and we cooked tin-foil dinners.  It was sweet stuff!  but what was even sweeter, was the fact that we had an investigator there!  Kazim, a 17-year-old kid.  He is real sweet, and he is very outgoing in talking with people.  We had a meeting with him an hour before the event, we told him about it then and there, and he said he wanted to come.  (he did not have a phone number, so we would not invite him earlier).  We called someone up, and got a ride for him, and he had a great time.  He has been reading this history about Mormons from an LDS author, and he is so intrigued.

Sunday we had two investigators at church; Hope and Amy (and her husband and two kids)!  You have no idea how stressful Sunday mornings are for missionaries; Seeing who will come out of those you invited.  We both also gave 15-20 minute talks on missionary work, which we talked about how members can be missionaries.  It is funny how I don't sweat as much about talks anymore.

Well I hope everyone had a great week!

Love,
Elder Shurtz

The Power of Faith

It is transfer week!  Little different though, P-day is still today,
and tomorrow is the day.  Elder Jensen is being transferred to
Liverpool, right above Syracuse, boarding the Sisters in Syracuse
East.  Then, Elder Potter and I are going to be staying here is Oneida
for another transfer.


We got a little snow of Friday.  A few flake here or there.  But I
hear tomorrow it is suppose to jump to the 70’s.


What a wonderful week! The Lord has truly been blessing us.  With the
stark difference of last week with only one lesson (an inactive
member), we have found 3 SOLID investigators (2 former investigators,
and one 17-year-old from tracting), and a GOLDEN family with 5
children we are going to be picking up in the next week or so.  As we
met with the mother, father, and 16 year-old daughter, they relayed to
us of the role of Religion in there life.  My companions and I just
sat there with our mouths wide open (figuratively).  They understand
about commitment to the Lord and how putting Him first in their life.
The wife expressed how she felt that we had a message for them that
they must learn.  The daughter says she prays 4 times a day and have
been praying that her family could find the right church and she
believes that we also have a message for them.  We are calling them
today to see when we could try and sit down with the whole family and
share with the wonderful message of the Restoration of the Gospel.


At the All-mission conference, Elder Grow from the Seventy talked
about planning with faith.  As we plan, we plan 4 weeks (or so) out in
advance for how many people the Lord wants to be baptized, and then
make plans accordingly.  Although we did not meet our weekly goal so
as to be able to meet our 4 week goal, we were still greatly blessed,
with the effort and faith we put into it.


Faith… What a wonderful thing.  “If God had commanded me to do all
things I could do them.  If he should command me that I should say
unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should
say it, it would be done.  And now, if the Lord has such great power,
and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it
that he cannot instruct me how to find those whom He has prepared to
receive the gospel?” (a slight misquote of 1 Nephi 17:50-51)


I have been reading about the Anti-Nephi-Lehi ‘s and how they were so
converted to the Lord, that they would not even raise their weapons to
defend their own lives because of the many murders and violence of
their wicked past.  Are we than converted to the Lord? Are we stung
with the bitterness of our past transgressions that we will do all
that we can be cleansed and our weapons made clean though the blood of
the Lamb?


Another cool scripture is Alma 26:21-22.


Have a great week everyone!  The Lord will bless us when we not only
do what he asks of us, but we do it all not only in repetition or
habit, but in FAITH!


Love,


Elder Shurtz

Let it Fall, Let it Fall, Let it Fall!

 I guess it has just been one of those weeks.  We 'hit pavement' it seems all week, with even our most reliable investigator falling though due to her daughter being sent to the hospital.  But despite last week, I am excited for this one!  We are out to find!  I love finding!  With our efforts last week, we found some sweet potentials and received 2 referrals that we are excited to follow-up on.

 

It has been cold out here!  (40-50's)  It rained for about 2 days (I think Thursday and Friday).  On the second day I was driving the car (shamoo) and got it stuck on the side of the road!  It was a soft patch of grass with a little slope from off the road, and the wheels started spinning!  What joy that was.  We tried to push it out (a whatever ton 12-passenger van) with little success, only digging it deeper into the ground.  We walked a little while till we got to a farmer's place, where the lady was quite nice and called her husband to get his explorer and a chain.  We hooked it up and it came out.  The damage to the grass was not bad, after fixing it up a bit, and the owner of the property (though not sure if it was technically part of their land) was fine with it.

 

Saturday we met a Farmer when out tracting.  We were surprised on how well he knew his own religion (Catholic) and how he tried to convince us to join.  Though some of is interpretations of the scriptures are off-base, he spent 20 minutes explaining to us how the water and bread 'really does' turn into the body and blood of Christ in Communion.  It was interesting to understand a little deeper the reasoning behind it.  He just wanted to argue the whole time so we left soon after.  Friendly guy though.

 

Yesterday we had Stake Conference in Utica, and President Bulloch spoke.  He talked about a study about other's perceptions of Mormons in America.  86% 'don't know beans' about Mormons.  He talked about fear, and how that is one factors that stop the spread of the gospel.  Also how fear is based off of not knowing.  How many fear us because they simply don't know anything about us but a name or a misconception.  So he has urged members to speak about the church to others, even if it is to simply tell them about our unique message: that God, just like times of past, has called and appointed a prophet to reveal His gospel and saving ordinances.  And we can know the truth of this as we read ponder and pray about the Book of Mormon.

 

Have a great week!

 

Love,

Elder Shurtz

It's so pretty here!

I looked out the window and what did I see? Leaves are falling off the New York trees!

 It is so beautiful here!  The trees are changing colors and the weather is perfect/chilly.  I haven't been liking waking up when it is still dark outside, but at least I am excited to dig into the Scriptures and learn something new that morning.

We had an all-mission conference this last Friday!  It was so amazing.  We had Elder C. Scott Grow from the seventy come and speak to us.  

The main point we hit on was faith.  Faith is was brings power and everything is accomplished.  It is an amazing principle; so simplistic, yet so vast and deep.  I often thing about Alma, how he and the church had enough faith that an angel would come down to his son (Alma the younger) and convince in of the errors of his ways.  Do I have enough faith to find those that are prepared for the Lord?  Do I have the faith that is convaied to those we meet, and allow them to feel the spirit?  Faith is kendled by the sharing of testimony; so do I share my testimony with all those I meet?

It was an awsome experience, expecially to see all the missionaires from the past.

I have included some pictures from around here as well as pictures of Elder Potter and Elder Jensen.

I hope everything is going great.  Thank you for your letters and emails.

-Love,

Elder Shurtz

Elder Potter

Elder Jensen

Elder Rickords and I