Sister Michelle Shurtz

Aw! So fun to get all the Halloween pictures!!! I loooove it! You are all so cute and spoooky! I am so happy you all are having so much fun! Thank you for showing me the costumes and smiles! 
I dressed up yesterday as Sister Hamstead and she was Sister Anderson and Sister Anderson was me.. Not really- we just switched name tags- so clever right hahaha not really, but it's all we could do! We have been going to all the ward Halloween Parties and hoping that all the La and NM that we invited would come! We had a marvelous turn out at most of them. We still have two more wards to go. They will be on Halloween day. We had tons of NM at church this week because of the primary programs. What a wonderful tool it is to have the sweet primary children sing!! There were so many that came and were able to feel of their spirit. What a blessing.
We are working still on building up our teaching pool and we saw lots of miracles this week despite our lack of time in the area. We are really working hard to be effective with the small amount of time that we do have. 
We have a new Investigator named Jesus (Hay-soos) He is hispanic, but speaks perfect English. He is 22 and wants to attend the YSA ward. He is such a good kid. He has gages and tats and all that, but he moved out of his cousins house because they aren't living the kind of lifestyle that he wants to be around. He is really wanting to be around good people with good standards. Wahoo- we can help with that!
We were able to contact Robert again finally. He is out of the hospital and doing well. We found out that he was in the psych ward.. he has some disabilities that way I guess. You wouldn't know it though. He is such a good kid, he does lead a normal life, but I think all kinds of problems come when you go through things such as abuse etc. He finished the BOM again. He loves to read and he reads quickly. But he reads it too quickly and doesn't really retain. We talked to him yesterday about the difference between reading the scriptures and studying. We challenged him to read it slowly and mark it and use a study journal. 
Our LA Gregg, Virginia, Jerry, and the Hassell family are all doing well. We have started to reactivate another girl her name is Ludmilla Wilcox. She is from Russia. She is 22 now but she was adopted as a child with 10 other russian children. She is the only one of her siblings that still considers herself Mormon and wants to change and come back to church. She was at our YSA activity. 
There are so many people that are non members that we know about but can't teach yet because the ward members are working with them or preparing them etc. We have been doing this awesome family mission plan with lots of members and I really feel like the members are starting to trust us and want to share the gospel.
We had interviews with the mission president this week and he gave lots of advice and encouragement. It was so helpful. Pres Ellsworth is such an incredible man. I am so grateful for him and sister Ellsworth. 
Funny Story: So we went to the YSA Halloween party this week and Our new investigator Jesus was suppossed to come but we were going to be able to be there to greet him because we had to leave. So we sent a text to one of the YSA members that said "it was fun seeing you here tonight, we have to go, look out for our friend Jesus!" it was so funny because we had talked to the YSA member about Jesus before but they didn't remember that was his name. They thought we were telling them to be better and remember Jesus as they were at the dance and not do anything that he wouldn't want them to do. HAHA we laughed so hard. We were like "yes that too" haha we do want them to remember that as well. ha anyway.. it is weird having an investigator named that. I don't really like it to be honest. But they can't help it! 
Thanks again for the pics:
Janae wins the prize for best costume award!! hahhahha I laughed out loud on that one! - you two either need to email/write me and clue me in on your life or something- I need more details on the newly weds- I'm missin out!
I HAVE THE CUTEST NIECES AND NEPHEWS EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE THEM! can't wait to play with them!
Tonya: I will do my best to write you back today! But just know that you are so stinkin gorgeous- your mission pics will be absolutely stunning! And I am SO EXCITED for you to serve a mission!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it's going to be the best thing you will ever do FOR your life! I LOVE you! and PS your costume= ridiculously great! I love it!
Mom and Dad love you! I still love your costume dad- I tell everyone about it!
Mom you are such a pretty elf! I love it!- the teeth go great with it haha ;)
Lisa you look too good to have just had a baby! Jeff... you too! haha. and I did get your pearls email- sorry. I had just printed it off so I didn't get to read it yet. Thank you so much for sharing.. it really truly helped and means a lot. I love you!
Jordan and Charissa: you have a darling fairy nakiya! Loved her costume! and that BIG TOY ROCKS jordan! I didn't get to see your costumes though! Send me pics!
Felicia and Jake! Where are you and your costumes? I need pics- please send! PS you two make cute babies! Just sayin ;)
Moroni, thank you for your email and comments- it  means a lot!
Pat and David I loved the Halloween poem you sent! Love you GUYS! and just fyi I have heard twice now since being on my mission from two different people how great you two were as missionaries! I love you! Thank you for your example!
~GOTTA GO!
Sure love ya'll! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
~Love 
Sister Shurtz