Sister Michelle Shurtz

Well,

This week has been SOO much better.  Want to know something cool? I got to shake Elder Bednars hand!!!! :) That was so neat. I'll have to tell you more about it in a letter. But basically I was the third row back in the chapel and in the very center. Best spot in there if you ask me! Well it was awesome, if you want to know what we talked about you can read The two talks by him "seek learning by faith" and "ask in faith" We were told to read those two talks and familiarize ourselves with them and study them like a month in advance. When we got there it was very informal. He asked us questions and we stood up and talked to him and told him what we got from the talk and the things that we learned. It was amazing. We even got a personal Q and A session with him! Awesome! That was a special experience. Well that's Apostle number 2 that I've come in close contact with! :) just 13 more to go! :D

We did a little better this week. Did I already tell you about our Miracle baptism? I think I might have but I'm too lazy to go back and look. So we actually met him this week. I am so excited for him! His name is Robert and he is so prepared! He is 16 years old and just really has a desire to be a member of this church. He and his twin sister were adopted. His parents are not members and his mom has said she's not that interested but his dad seems to be incouraging him to do this and he is so nice, so maybe he will want to learn more when Robert gets baptized. The Dads name is Peter, and he drives Robert to church and activities etc. Its great. Well Roberts scheduled baptism date is Oct 13th. So we told him that to get all the lessons in that we wanted to see him several times a week. His friend Sean that was at the lesson with us said "well that's going to be hard since we have basketball alot this week" and this is what Robert said back to Sean after that "well Sean, I kinda think this is more important than basketball!" YEah! I was so happy when I heard that!

Well we still don't have any other new ones but we are finding lots of prepared LA people to teach that want to come back. This week we had 5 LA families at church! :)

At church this week we had a talk on gratitude. I really felt the spirit during it and started writing down some thoughts and impressions that I was getting. Heavenly Father taught me during that time, that He was answering my prayers in helping me get better at doing certain things that I was really struggling with in missionary work. I have been asking for help in knowing how to do daily contact with my investigators like it says to do in PMG and how to work better with our Ward Leaders, Updating Area Books Diligently, and working through and getting to know the members. Heavenly Father has given me a clean slate to work with and a way to start over. In the next talk after Gratitude there was a talk that he talked about how we save people "one by one" I learned that this is how God is working with me right now. We have Robert that we are working on being really diligent and having daily contact with him, and updating his teaching record diligently. We can really work with the leadership of the ward because it is through them that we can get ideas for how to help the ward members be more missionary minded and because we have nobody to teach really then we have more time to visit members and do Member Family Mission Plans with them. I felt that If I am really diligent with Robert and really strive to improve in each of these areas that the Lord will give us more as we are ready and as he sees fit. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to repent and learn to be more diligent in my area and be a more exactly obedient and PMG missionary! I know that sacrifice, diligence and action brings forth MIRACLES! Yay! I love being a missionary. I am so grateful for the opportunity to take the sacrament each week. I need it so much. I have so much to repent of and change each week. I am such a weak missionary. I am grateful that the Lord has promised that as we are diligent that He will make weak things become strong as he talks about in D&C 1. I have been praying for the Lord to help me change my attitude and my heart and to be happy with what he has given me and to learn what He wants me to through this time. I know that this sunday at church He answered my prayer. It's amazing how that perspective and understanding has changed my heart. I am happy because I am grateful. Gratitude is amazing. Prayer Really works. I know it. I know it more than I have ever known. I love the gospel because we can always grow and learn more. We never stop learning or progressing or know enough. I know that God created all things Spiritual and Temporal- because of this He can and will help us with EVERYTHING if we let Him. Ah life is good. I love you all. THank you for you for your loves and support. I am so blessed! I hope all is well with everything!
MWAH!!!!
~Sister Shurtz