June 11, 2012

Hello All you peoples!

I am learning alot here. My companion teaches me so much. She helps me realize how much more obedient I can be than I was even being before. It's interesting to see that even when you are already following all the rules, there is always more you can do to be better.

My companion is really struggling with the heat. She says that in Pakistan it is not hot like it is here. She says that it is nice and cool like Utah. She said there are places in Pakistan that are hot like in Mesa, but not in her city. She gets really faint and weak in the sun, she won't say anything but I can tell. She will start swaying every now and then and If I don't catch her in time and tell her to sit down and drink water she will faint. So crazy. I think I am just extra blessed to not have this heat bother me like it does some people. 

We are teaching lots of part member families. I feel like all the people we  are teaching already know that the message we are teaching is true, they just don't have a strong enough testimony to make and keep commitments and change. Seriously. We have like 10 investigators. We call and go over to their homes before church and even provide rides for them to get to church, and still none of them will come! AHH! I just sometimes want to take away their agency and make them come so that they can see the blessings that will come to them as they do! But I know that is a bad wish. That is Satans plan to take away our agency, so I don't REALLY want that, but boy, I can see why one third of the host of heaven followed Satan. I of course am being phesicious. I believe in and love Gods Plan and support it whole heartedly!!

Well something neat that happened at the Visitors Center was that Sister Javed and I got asked to do a tour for a lady that is from Iran. She was Muslim. She flagged down the Elders and in broken English told them she wanted to read our book. They got her a persian book of mormon and a translator and have been teaching her. Well they have only been teaching her a couple weeks but she is so prepared! She has read the persian book of mormon 5 times already! They haven't really taught her any of the discussions yet because they have just been answering her questions, which she has MANY! She is like a sponge. She soaks it up. When we gave them the tour. I felt impressed to tell the Elders to invite her to baptism, she is ready! They said well she doesn't want to yet because she doesn't know everything yet etc. But I persisted. I also talked to them about staying on track with preach my gospel and instead of answering all of her questions immediately, to teach her the lessons outlined and then and most of her questions will be answered as they follow this pattern. I explained this to her (via her translator) and she said okay. Also the elders let me set a baptismal date with her for July 21st! I explained to her about how I was baptized when i was 8 and didn't know everything but I knew enough to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized. I told her that baptism was just the gate and that once we promise God that we will follow him we can learn much more and much better because of the Holy Ghost. I asked her if she wanted to follow Jesus Christ. She said yes and then commited to be baptized! It was a really really neat and spiritual experience. The elders have invited us to teach her at the Visitors Center with them for their other lessons too! :)

well I better Go!

Thank you for your emails and letters and prayers and love! I love you all and miss you all so much!!!!

~ Sis Shurtz

Sister Shurtz and Sister Lewis

New Transfer

HeY FaMiLy!!
I we got transfer news on Sunday! ................... Drumroll please?
Yep I'm finally leaving my Greenie area! After 5 transfers there I am finally gettin kicked out! Aw it's weird. I really honestly dont want to leave. I think that it'll be good and I am super excited for what's next but wow. I didn't think it'd be so hard to leave. I really got attached to all these lovely people here! But hey I at least got to see Beth get baptized! Wow that was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She was glowing. She took out all her piercings, was wearing a dress and everything! She was just so happy! Also, her husband and 3 daughters were there! That was a miracle all in itself. If you remember last time Brian was threatening not to go to the baptism and saying that the girls couldn't go either. But he was there with the girls and they all sat together and smiled the whole time. Guess what else? Brian came to CHURCH! Ah! Yeah Beth said that would never happen in a million years. I told her to not underestimate Gods power and his awesomeness and to pray really hard that he would be there, and that we would too! Well He was there with the girls once again! She still had her earrings out and was wearing a dress again! She looked so nice. It was such a wonderful thing seeing them all there in the back row as a family. Brian was so great. He thanked us over and over for what we had done for Beth. He said that he knew that we had made her happier and that this was good for her and what she wanted and needed. He said "Well, i'm sure the girls'll be next!" Whoo! I am so happy! He's already thinking about letting the girls be baptized! That's another miracle in and of itself! I am sad I won't be there to get the girls baptized, but it's okay. they'll get there. Sis Lewis will take good care of this area. It's crazy because we now have 15 investigators in this area and a lot of potentials! We have just found and found like crazy these last couple weeks and now there are a lot of solid investigators that will be on their way to baptism. If all goes according to plan there will be 10 baptisms in my greenie area this next transfer! Of course things tend to fall through.. but still there should be at least several solid baptisms this next transfer. I am not going to lie- I am so sad to leave after our area has blossomed so much! But I know it's time. It'll be good. I am going to Mountain View in East Mesa. My new companion will be ............... dun dun dun... Sister Javed from pakistan!! I am so excited to be her companion! She is an incredible missionary and is such a hard worker! She has beautiful looong dark hair and she is the must humble and sweet and obedient missionary I know.

 We are going to tear it up there! I am excited. Also, I will be in a car! Haha first time in my whole mission. It's weird to think that I spent almost half my mission in one area and on bikes, and in an apt and trained after two transfers and went fullfield while training. All things that don't generally happen to anyone in the mission. I have had an awesome and unique mission so far! I love it. It will be interesting living with members. And driving.... we all know how much I hate driving- and how terrible I am at it. I'm terrified! Ha especially after having not driven for 9 months! Plus I have to be the driver the whole time since sister Javed doesn't have a drivers license.. Oh boy.. Please pray for me- even harder than when I was on bikes! Ha I know that this is silly- most people would be the opposite. They would be more worried about everything if they were going to be on bikes. But I am worried for my safety and Sister Javeds saftey and everyone who drives near us safety.. hahaha. It'll be fun.
Well I am excited for all this newness! It'll be great. Sister Hansen, my trainer just left yesterday. She's home now. Weird. I'm taking over her area. She was with sister Javed. She knew I was coming to her area. She told everyone that she trained me- no pressure right? Haha oh well, it'll be great! I don't know much about my area or anything yet. Today I will be packing like a mad woman to get it all done in time for transfer mtg eeeaaarly tomorrow morning. I won't get a chance to say good bye to anyone really. Oh boy oh boy! Herrre I GO!!!! :) :) Love you all. Sorry I didn't read Emails yet. I love you all though! 
~ SiSteR ShUrtZ

Missionaries and Family at Beth's Baptism

Hello! 
AHHHH! It was so good to see ALLLLLL of you! Gosh it's weird, I talk to other missionaries and they said they feel all homesick and trunky after skyping with their families- Weird since I feel the opposite. I just want to be out here working harder to make my family proud of me. I can't tell you all how much it means to me to have all of your love prayers and support! That just makes me want to work harder and be more obedient and diligent. Elder Beckstrand talked with all of us VC sister missionaries the other day and he said that we need to strive to BE the kind of missionaries that our families think that we are. It's so true. After talking with ya'll - you just think I am so much better than I am. But it's okay- it gives me something to strive for! I want to be that missionary that you think I am! Thank you each and every one of you for taking the time to sit in front of the computer and talk with me for a minute.  You are my world. I hope you all know that. 
Family has come to mean everything to me. I hope all is going well back home. Looks like you all are doing well. I am so excited for all of you with your new adventures coming up!!! What an exciting time this is in all of our lives! LIVE it UP!!! Our time is so short! Can you believe I've already been out for over 7 months? Wow. I look at my area and say i've been here the whole time- what do I have to show for it?? I better get moving. I still don't know half of the members and I feel like we all of the sudden have NO investigators- well none that are progressing. boy oh boy. We just gonna start from the ground up again. Satan can't get me down- nope nope! 
Well Beth Berela is still on for her baptismal date on may 28th She wants to be baptized really bad- she believes the Book of Mormon and that Joseph Smith is a prophet. She said she knows she needs to come to church and take out her million earrings and some other little things. 
We also set a date with a man named Ernie Miller. I think I mentioned him before. He is the Eternal Investigator that is black that we were teaching before and then dropped because he doesn't keep commitments. It's so frustrating though because he comes to church almost every week and he is always outside and comes over and talks to us. He always ends up being taught again, and then just dropped. He finally kept a commitment though. We asked him to read Alma 5 and he did! He read the whole thing 66 verses. Then we asked him to read 2 Nephi 2 and he is started on that. So then I was like okay good you're ready to start keeping commitments then huh? Will you prepare yourself to be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God on June 9th? and he said I'll think about it. We said will you pray about it and we'll call you tomorrow and get the answer. He said yes! Well i'm not letting myself get too excited because he is always just messing around with the missionaries and never takes anything seriously. But at the same time if he says he's going to do something than he will do it. So I'm really hoping! :) Ernie is such a character. There are so many issues with his home life though that I don't know what will happen!
Harmony Ward is as frustrating as ever. I honestly just don't know what to do to help it. We simply cannot find anyone to teach there! Even most of the less actives are not open to letting us come by and teach them. So frustrating. 
Well our mission is pushing for this huge miracle in July. We are trying to get 160 baptisms in the month of July by doubling our faith and finding now. It's never been done before. Our average as a mission per month is usually 70 baptisms per month. President Ellsworth has said that he has received from the Lord that we can do it if we will all work together to double our finding. That means we need to be find more people weekly to teach. Uh.. no bueno. I need more faith. These last two weeks have been awful. We received no new investigators. yuck. We should be getting at least 3 a week. blech. Well we're working on it. Like I said- I need your prayers!
P.s. my companion was really touched by your comment about her being a good companion to me. She doesn't get a lot of encouragement and love from home. Aw I just love her, and I know this companionship is being so good for her, and for me too. 
Well I love you all! 
MWAH!
~Sister Chelle Shurtz

HEYYY! 
ALright first off, I have to say that this week has been amazing! People are so kind and so wonderful- including my amazing family! So many have been kind and thoughtful to reach out to me at this time, here on the mission ( those who know) and also from friends and ward members back home! I feel so loved and comforted! Please pass the word along. 
Guess WHAT??? Beth Barela is getting baptized on Saturday May 26th! Wow! I can't believe it. I am finally SO excited for this to happen. Before I was worried sick about baptizing her in to inactivity because she still doesn't where a dress to church and won't take all her earrings out yet and some other small things. I was just freaking out because Beth has been so set on being baptized and she bears a strong testimony of the gospel and the things we teach. She loves and reads the Book of Mormon daily and reads lots! She loves to do indexing and wants to help out at the cannery and humanitarian aid center etc. Anyway I was still worried though. But I got the feeling to call the bishop and that he would be able to help us make the decision as to whether or not we should let her be baptized or not yet. When we called him and told him our concerns he said that he agreed with us and that he had been worried about those things too but then after praying realized that the gospel of Jesus Christ requires Faith Repentance Baptism and Enduring to the end after baptism- the rest is just mormon culture and if the ward members do their job- the rest will come with time. Wow, when he said that I felt a wave of calm and peace wash over me. I felt that he was right. I felt that Beth was ready and that she would be okay. Yesterday Beth had her baptismal interview. She passed and then we had the most amazing lesson with her that just wiped away any previous concerns that i still might have had. Beth is so strong is so ready. This is going to be a blessing for her and her families life and she is going to be the perfect example for them! It's interesting that the day after her baptismal interview she started facing tons of opposition. We warned her she would. She got home and her husband said he wasn't going to her baptism anymore and that the girls couldn't go either. Then her mom who has been supportive this whole time emailed her and said she changed her mind. It's really being hard on her. It never ceases to amaze me- the opposition that comes to people right before a baptism. When Beth told us that we dropped right down on our knees and told her we were going to say a prayer for her and that she should say a prayer at her home at the same time too. She is being so strong through this and she knows its just satan not wanting this to happen. She'll make it!- These are her words: "The devil is angry.. He is trying to make my choice as hard as possible, but I will win."Wahoo she'll be okay. I just feel sad for her that she has to go through this. I firmly believe that things will start looking up again soon after she is baptized and confirmed though.
Well Another woman I taught is getting baptized on the 26th of may as welll!!! It's Awesome! i am not sure if i told you about her. Her name is Rachel Palacio. She was GOLDEN! She worked for Jay Mackinlay at a law office in our area. She said that she couldn't be taught at home at the time, so Jay arranged for Sister Lewis and I to teach her at their work place in the conference room right when she got off work. Rachel lives in the Tempe mission in Chandler so it was a miracle that we were able to teach her. I know that she needed us first though. So amazing how God works. He puts certain people in certain places just exactly for those who need them at that time. God works miracles! Anyway Sis Lewis and I taught Rachel and we immediately felt an amazing connection with her. She opened up to us an told her all about her past and her worries and concerns. She has had an awful and miserable childhood and past life. Poor woman- yet Rachel is probably one of the most charitable women I have ever met besides Mom. She is amazing. Anyway. She said she didn't know if she believed in Christ or not. She said she wanted to but just wasn't sure if she should. Then she laughed and said "I don't know if I believe in Him- yet I have a picture of Him on my nightstand.." haha she was so prepared. We taught her several lessons and then we needed to transfer her to her Elders in Tempe :( Elder nix and milne. They are great and we knew from the moment that we met them that they would take good care of Rachel, but it was still hard to hand her over. We were going to invite Rachel to baptism but felt that we should let the Elders do that. They did the next week! I am so happy for her! I am so sad I can't be at her baptism, but she told sis Lewis and i that she loves us and is so thankful for us and that she doesn't know if she would have opened up and listened had we not been the ones to teach her! We gave her a journal filled with pictures of Christ and quotes going along with the pictures to strengthen her testimony of him. We then wrote her our testimonies of Chirst in it. She carries it in her bag with her every where and said she treasures it. She wants to stay in contact! i love her!
I'm tellin you what there is more!..
The miracles have been just pouring out over us this week!
I'll have to tell you about my phone call miracles and about our 6 new investigators that we found this week later! But I have to tell you that the Lord is merciful and faithful. When we push through the trial and show our faith even when it gets so hard! That is when the Lord pours out blessings upon us even so much that we cannot number them! I am now aware more than ever that angels are bearing me up and lifting me before I fall. Angels guard and ARE here often. I am so grateful for the miracles the Lord is pouring out upon me at this time. 
I know that what I am teaching everyone out here is so true. God is great. This work is truly miraculous and inspiring. It changes lives eternally. There is no greater thing I could be doing right now, The Lord has told me that. Wow. I just love being a missionary! 
Thanks to you all for your loves and computer hugs and prayers!!!!
Loves Always!
Sister Shurtz

May 7, 2010

Dear Family,
Wow. I don't know what to write. This week has been weird. I thought I was going to be just great and just be able to cry a little and then get to work, but it hit me a little harder than expected. I think it's just the whole trying to regulate and control my emotions.  I know Lacy is happier and I have such a strong testimony of Gods plan and the resurrection and the spirit world. My testimony hasn't shaken at all, so I don't know why it's been so hard. I am so glad I am here. I wouldn't come home. I know that is not what lacy would want me to do. I know I need to be here. My work is just beginning! I am doing so much better now. And I am happy. I have really been able to smile and work and focus better. I just need to be patient with myself. my companion has been such a sweetheart during all this and has really been there for me and has been so loving and patient. The sisters and senior couples are wonderful. I know I was put back in the Visitor Center this transfer when I was originally supposed to be full field for this very reason. Well I am guessing the funeral went well..
Don't worry though. Seriously I am fine! I am doing so good now and I know my sweet Lacy is so happy now. I know God lives and that Jesus is the Living Christ. What a blessing it was to have memorized 'The Living Christ' previous to all this. God knows what we need ahead of time and He prepares us if we will listen to and heed the spirits whisperings. 
I had a pretty neat experience at the Visitors Center on wednesday. A family came in and they had just had their 4 year old son pass away that morning. They had four children under the age of 12. I was on shift when they came in and I took them through Gods Plan for His the family. At the end I bore my testimony of the plan of salvation and eternal families. What a wonderful experience that was. We all sat and talked and cried together and smiled through our tears at the wonderful knowledge that we have. I know that I was on shift for a reason that day. My prayers are with that family as well, but i know they will be okay. They came right to the Visitors Center after it happened. What a great place to come and receive hope and comfort in your time of heartache. I feel like everyone is dying though. On sunday everyone was bearing their testimonies about the funeral they just had for a women that died in the ward. They all went up and talked about their deaths that they've been through and expressed love and sympathy. I kinda felt like it was for me, since I missed Lacy's, only lucky me, I didn't have to deal with everyone coming up to me and expressing their apologies and sympathies. So glad nobody in the wards know. I get enough sympathies at the VC haha. 
Well our investigators are dwindling down. We don't have very many progressing now.. it's like 2... yuck it drives me nuts. I want to find these people that i know are there! Dad who are the Elders or Sisters that you are working with? Have you gotten started yet? How are things going? We just got another new WML this week too. Lots of changes this week.
Something cool, one of the investigators that we had dropped called us and asked us to eat dinner with her and teach a lesson to her before! I couldn't believe it. She had broken her foot and had a lot of down time to think. i guess she is a little more ready now! That was yesterday, and it went well. Her name is Ida Wynde. Beth is still doing pretty good, but she didn't come to church because delia her 9yr old was sick. She needs friends in the ward.. we're working on it. we met some cook people through street contacting this week and are going to try go by and have lessons with them and turn them into investigators. Hopefully we can get some more. 
Our members are taking such good care of us. One member is always bringing fruit over and random foods over that she knows we like. Her name is Rachel Tyler, that's the one thats like 28 and single that was coming to lessons for Jim. That didn't work out with them by the way haha. any way she is always doing stuff for us- she's awesome! Then a lady named dianne ethington had us over for dinner and we had steak. it was yummy and then she brought us into her panty and handed us a big box and said Go shopping!! We felt bad and didn't want to take her food (she has a huge family and isn't super well off) so she said "oh dear- here let me help you"  and she started filling bags and the box for us! Haha she is so sweet. She gave us like 10 boxes of cereal and milk and lean pockets and cheese and eggs and left over steak and soup and refried beans etc. oh man she is a doll! ha i don't know how we're going to eat all the food we have! 
well i love you all! i really hope things are going well. I worry and pray for all of you all the time! I know it will be weird being home and not having Lacy there all the time. please let me know if there is anything i can do for all of you! I love you all SOOOOOOOOOOOOO Much! You are everything to me. My family is my greatest treasure. 3rd Nephi 13:21 
 Loves! MWAH!
~ sister shurtz