Never a Dull Moment!

I don't have too much time to write today, because the library is super busy.  So this is what happening in my life:

 

Hope, the night before her interview, called and canceled because her car broke down.  She also had a lot of stress and feeling scared so was not going to happen, even if we got her a ride.  She was not able to come to church ether.  But we met with her today.  Found that she is really concerned about family and what baptism will do.  So tomorrow, I hope to get her husband's cell number so I can talk to him about it.  It is never a dull moment.

 

Jaymie and Alicia are doing great!  Only Jaymie came to church because Alicia was sick.  Jaymie said that her husband would be interested lessening in!  So we have an appointment this Saturday.

 

Brian said he talked with his wife, and they are not interested in learning :(

 

But, we found two new investigators this week (Rick and Chuck).

 

Friday it was 60 degrees!  It was amazing!...  Then Saturday; cold, snow, high winds.  The road were closed, but we did not learn about that till we got back that night.  O well!  :)

 

I learned that I like electric ovens (Syracuse apartment) over gas ovens (Oneida apartment).  I made banana bread, and the outside is cooked, but the inside is gooey!

 

I finished reading the Book of Mormon again.  I also finished D&C.  I started both Dec 8th.  So now I am restarting the Book of Mormon, and rereading the New Testament.  I am so excited!  I love the New Testament and the Book of Mormon applies directly into our daily life.  Hope is reading now in Alma- she says that is her favorite book so far.

 

Jessi, a friend from BYU is taking a world religions class.  She reminded me of a scripture in Alma 29:8.  The Lord uses other faiths and religions for the benefit of the individuals.  We got to remember the Lords hand is in all, and he is going to help us as well as His other children come unto him.

 

Love you all,

 

Elder Shurtz

So much has happened!

It's so cold here!

It has been an exciting week!

 

We met with Jaymie and Alicia on Wednesday and Friday.  They are loving it all.  It is creating a little bit of contention in the home with the father.  But, he has come to church and a volley-ball activity.  So we will see what happens.  Jaymie is supper strong and Alicia is loving church and the youth activities.

 

We also met with Hope on Thursday to help her prepare for her interview tomorrow.  We are so excited for her.  Yesterday we got some of the branch members, including some youth, to help shovel off the snow on her roof.  with ten of us it took us a little over an hour, and she was just going to do it by herself!  She said: 'I have never had so much help before, ever in my life!'  It was so amazing to see the smile on her face.  The branch is trying to make a special effort to fellowship with her, despite the lack of numbers and the many responsibilities they already have.

Would you let these guys into your home?

 

We also found a new investigator, Brian. We are excited to meet with him again.  have an appointment with him tonight at the church.

 

We had dinner with Brother and Sister French (less-actives) and with Elder and Sister Rieldbeck who works at the mission home and comes to our branch.  It was a great opportunity to fellowship.  Sister French goes into surgery this week, for her leg/foot (she has diabetes) and the branch is going to provide meals (even Jaymie signed up to help!)

 

 

I sure miss those cats at home!

Saturday, our car (Shamoo) got stuck in a ditch [Elder Robinson was driving :)].  We spent three hours talking to farmers and even calling the branch president with his truck.  But we could not get it out.  So we had to call a tow truck.  Got it out around 6:30 at night.  So that was an exciting evening.  We did find someone who said we could come back and share our message with them; so who knows, maybe it was meant to be!  :) 

 

Hope, Jaymie, and Alicia (with Jaymie's little girl, Bella) came to church!  Hope had to leave after the first hour, but Jaymie, Alicia, and Bella stayed for all three.  Bella, is not quite use to church for three hours, so 5 minutes left of the 3rd hour she had a melt down and they left early.  But, they are strong and will keep trying to come.  It will get easier as they continue coming.

 

Well I hope you have a wonderful week!  Happy Valentines Day!

It's pretty funny - now!

Shamoo - hopelessly stuck!

 

 

 

By Small and Simple Things are Great Things Brought to Pass

Small little things all week:

 

We met with Jaymie and Alicia on Wednesday.  Talked about the Word of Wisdom.  They said they are willing to give up her coffee.  Nothing big for them.  They also came (with Chris [husband] and a friend of Alicia's) to a Volley-ball activity we had with another branch on Saturday.  It was a blast.  They really enjoyed it.  They did not come to church though.  Lots of 'stuff' going on.  But hopefully next week.

 

We also met with Heather again! (Lady who lost her Father two months ago).  She got sick on Sunday, so did not come to church.  Next week though!

 

Hope, we set a baptismal date!  the 26th of February.  She still needs her interview and needs some encouragement, but she said she is willing to shoot for that date.  She was a church Sunday, and stayed all three hours.

 

This week the handle to the driver side door broke.  We just got it fixed.  I'm so glad I don't have to jump through the back or the passenger side anymore in 'shamoo.'  It must have looked strange in a huge twelve passenger van.

 

Zone Conference was great.  Talked about obtaining the word and spirit.  A lot of focus on focusing on the ministry.

 

Monday we also helped this lady get out of a snow bank. (after somebody, who looked drunk, tried to push her out with a snow plow, getting stuck himself, and doing damage serious damage to the bumper and rear light).  Never know what you will be doing as a missionary. 

 

Had a lady answer a door we knocked on and after introducing ourselves she asked us why her grandchild had to die (sort of mad).  Always interesting circumstances, but we gave powerful testimony about our Savior's plan for us.  She said we could come back. 

 

Hope you have a great week!

 

Love,

Elder Shurtz

A Day in the Life

A day in the life as a missionary:
-wake up at 6:29; pray.
-throw on some sweats, and go running.  (This morning it at 8 degrees
and we had some twilight!)
-throw a note card with a scripture on it in ziplock and memorize it
while taking a shower
-listen to your companion sing hymns in the shower (slightly off tune
:) as your trying to decide which tie you will wear today (of course
it has to match your outfit)
-eat instant oatmeal and pop tarts as your reading from the Book of Mormon
-frantically try to study all your questions in an hour of personal study
-figure out how and practice teaching those we will be teaching that day
-rush out the door at 10:00 after prayer, throwing on coats, boots,
hats and gloves.
-stand behind our 12-passenger van as your companion is backing it up.
-travel around, dressed in black, in a big van all around town,
getting out an knocking on peoples doors .  (scary to some people;
unsure why...)
-walk, talk, and knock the majority of the day.
-teach an awesome lesson
-walk, talk and knock
-pray with people on the streets and on their doorsteps
-invited into random people's homes.
-get slobbered by the dogs (don't forget the dog hair)
-stand behind the van as your are turning around
-eat lunch and dinner sometime in there.
-find someone awesome to teach
-find someone
-get back to the apartment at 9
-plan for the next day
-crawl up the stairs
-brush teeth (with my new tooth brush:)
-write in journal
-pray and bed


Jaymie and Alicia (I guess I have been spelling it wrong) have been
doing great (or at least spiritually).  Alicia had her tonsils pulled
out on Tuesday, and there might be an infection so she is not feeling
too good at the moment.  They did not come to church because of it.
Jaymie told us on Friday though that when the people at the Hospital
asked her what her religion is she said 'Mormon!'  We did meet with
them Monday and Friday.  We talked about the Plan of Salvation and the
Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Jaymie is starting 2 Nephi and loves to read
from the Book of Mormon.

We met with Hope on Saturday, and she can to church on Sunday!  I have
never seen a person with more 'bad luck' than her.  But she is a
strong woman.  She is a blessing and example in my life.

We are in a need to find more people to teach!  We are only teaching 4
people at the moment (Jaymie, Alicia, Hope, and Heather).  But, we
have Zone Conference this Wednesday, so that might give us the extra
boost we need.

The church is coming out with a new campaign in advertisements: 'I am
Mormon'  It focuses a lot on people getting to know members, even by
the internet.  Members can put a profile on Mormon.org and talk about
their life as well as answer questions that frequently asked.  We have
new cards to hand out and everything.  As missionaries we are asked to
get on the computer for an hour during the week and study mormon.org
as well the advertisements the church are using.  We do this so we can
direct people we meet to certain profiles and movies which we are
inspired to give.  We can also use it so people can meet some of the
members in the area; especially when there are very few of us
relatively on the east coast.  Helps people to see we do not dress in
white shirt and ties all day, going around knocking on people's doors.
It allows us to address misconceptions, like Jen was talking about in
her email.

So the challenge for each of you is to go to Mormon.org and create a
profile (you too Katie) AND THEN TELL THE MISSIONARIES IN YOUR AREA!
Also check out some other profiles and movies, in addition checking out
some advertisements the church is using at: boncom.com/mormon

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

Brother/Son/Friend in Christ,
Elder Shurtz

Many are called, but few are FROZEN!

Wise words of the mission president:  'Many Are Called (sometimes cold), But Few Are FROZEN'

 

It has been a cold weekend!  Nostrils sticking together, scarf freezing, sneezing, sniffling, etc.  This morning the thermometer  was below 0.  Last night, with the wind chill, it was around -15.  What a fun time, isn't it?

 

Well, the highlight for the week is the lesson we had with Jaymie and Alesha last Monday which I talked about last Tuesday.  But, it was cool to hear that Alesha had an amazing time at both Mutual and the ice sculpting stake activity on Saturday in Rome.  She then went out with some of the women in the stake and went ice skating.

Then Sunday Jaymie, Chris (husband) and Alesha came to church!  We have another appointment with them tonight.

 

I was reviewing some of my Book of Mormon notes and came across this scripture in Alma 28:14 'And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord.'  We got to work.  And we got to work hard with diligence.  For there is a great need and a great calling.  Hopefully, we all don't have to be frozen.

 

Have a great week!

 

Elder Shurtz

 

Transfer Calls!

Elder Robinson and I are together for anther 6 week! Oneida has been the longest area so far. I was in Syracuse for 14 weeks, and I am something like 18 or 19 weeks so far in Oneida. We are excited, though we got a lot to work on!

Monday-Wednesday of last week was full of appointments falling through and tracting; But Thursday we taught Hope, Jaymie, and two less-actives (every lesson with a member too!). Friday we met with Craig, and Brother French. And Saturday-Sunday was more appointments falling through and tracting. All-in-all, it felt like a good week; especially Sunday at church! We had a good turn out at church. Even President and Sister Bulloch came to visit!

Hope came to church! (first time in 6 weeks) We hope to keep working with her. We meet with her almost every Thursday. She is ready and wants to be baptized, but she just have to wait a bit and work with the family a bit as well. But, I am sure things will work out.

We also had Jaymie come to church too! She also brought her 12 year-old daughter, Ashley. Jaymie could not stay all three hours, but Ashley did! Ashley went with Victoria, President Colbert's 12-year-old daughter who goes to the same school, to Sunday School and YW.

Yesterday, the day after church, we had a lesson with Jaymie, and Ashley joined us as well. We were trying to figure out what to teach them all week, and decided to review the restoration because it 'felt right.' Then, when making a lesson plan we felt silent prompting to focus a little more on the dispensation/apostasy cycle. It end up, that is exactly what Jaymie needed to hear! She said she was feeling uncomfortable about the whole Joseph Smith thing, but after realizing that there is this cycle and Joseph Smith is but one of the prophets God has called to restore truth, she became excited. It was amazing to see the 'light' in Jaymie's eyes and how happy her daughter was. The spirit works within us, sometimes when we don't even notice it! It was so awesome to feel like Jaymie had a stronger direction, peace, and joy, as from other past lessons. We had President Colbert and Victoria (12-year-old daughter) with us for the lesson. It was so awesome! We had both Jaymie and Ashley pray. The spirit was so strong. Ashley is going to YW this Wednesday night, and to Rome this Saturday for YM/YW ice sculpting with the stake. We just need to talk to the father more now, but I am confident in the arm of the Lord, what ever happens, he has a purpose.

After our lesson, we went out to a small town and started talking to the Amish and the Mennonites (sorry if I spelled it wrong!) for a few hours. They are so cool! Yesterday they say it dropped down to negative nine degrees where we were. It is cold out here! I hope everyone has a good week.
I love ya! Elder Shurtz

Treasure up the words of life!

It has been a good week.

 

Tuesday, I went on exchange with Elder Bamrick** (he is the one who kicked me out of Syracuse).  He is not allowed to go tracting because of his leg, so we had a whole list of people to see.  We tought two lessons with members (Jaymie and a new investigator Roger).  It was good to talk to him about Syracuse.  I miss the place!

 

Thursday, we met with Hope and talked about church since she has not come in awhile.  Said she might be able to now, since things are getting a bit better (court case, car accidents, ect.).  It is frustrating when they are ready, but trails happen.  I guess the Lord sees fit that she was have a trial of her faith before being baptized. 

 

We have also been seeing a lot of less actives (expecialy since are numbers are so small now and they are finding it difficult to find people who can fill callings).  But we only have 144 people on the branch list, and most have been visited or we can not find.

 

Yesterday (as we were shoveling the sidewalk at the church before the services), Branch President (President Colbert) asked me if I could speak becuase the one assigned was sick.  Nothing like that to get your heart pounding.  But it was amazing, because I got up there, and spoke about God's love through the Restoration of the Gospel and words came to my mind and scriptures came to my lips (ones that I do not have memorized).  It was a testimony to me of the power of God.  Tresure up the words of life!

 

We had Jaymie show up to church!  That was exciting.  She could only stayed for Sacrament.

 

It was SO cold yesterday.  I can stand snow and rain and sun, but wind... we don't get along to well.  Luckily it was in the 20's, but it was windy and snowing.  Nothing like walking door to door for a couple of hours in that.  I decided I like the summer, 90's and 80% humidity.

 

I hope you all have a good week.  I love you and miss you all.  

Transfer calls are this Saturday.  It will be intersting to see what happens!

 

Love,

 

Elder Shurtz