Every Member a Missionary

Monday is here once again and I find myself feeling like this last week has been really long and really short all at the same time. It seems long because once again all we did this week was tracting and visiting less-active members of the ward and still have not done a whole lot of teaching. But I know it will not be like this forever... just until we find the elect people to teach. Hopefully we will find them through the help of the members. I hope all of you were able to listen to the broadcast last night and can make an effort to be a little more missionary minded. The members are key to missionary work.
 

We did have a few really great visits with members this week though. The first was with a lady who we just saw she was in the neighborhood we were tracting that day and thought we would stop and ask for referrals. When we knocked on the door she let us in and told us that she was not feeling well and hadn't been feeling well for a week or so. We came in and said please sit down and put us to work. We helped clean the kitchen and do some other things while we visited with her and got to know about her kids and husband (who were all at work) and about her life. She is the nicest lady and when we left she told us that she was so happy we had come by and that she hadn't realized how lonely she was until she had someone to talk to. We felt so blessed to be able to help her and spend some time with her.
 

The other great visit was with a woman in the ward who works a LOT and it makes it hard for her to come to church. She works in the health care field and doesn't really get to choose her hours. Her husband (who was not there for most of our visit because he had to work) is not a member but is one of the nicest men I have ever met. This woman loves the lord and is trying to have her husband's heart be softened towards the church. He has always had good experiences with the missionaries before, but be still just isn't quite ready to accept the gospel. We are so excited to try and work with him and spend some more time with her.
 

I love the people here - all the people in the ward and all the people I see on the street. I love my companion so much and we still get along really well and I am learning so much from her. We are all children of our Heavenly Father who loves us. He loves us so much that He gave us the fullness of the gospel complete with prophets and apostles to help lead the way. He always has a plan, even if we can't see all of it at once. Trust in Him and you will never have any reason to doubt or fear. STOP AND THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE!!! When we trust in the Lord we have NO REASON TO DOUBT OR FEAR. What a blessing that is! I know this is true. I know that the Lord is looking out for us and will protect us always.

I love you so much my dear family and hope you have a great week. I love hearing all your stories and all the fun summer things you get to do.

Love,

Sister Shurtz

The Wenatchee Connection

 

Dear Family,
 

You know how we always joke that the world is so small (especially in the church)? Well yesterday I made yet another Wenatchee Connection with a family in the Green Level Ward here. The Youd family's daughter just got married to the Crawford's son! So they and the Burnettes were in town all week! I didn't get to see them though because they left right before church yesterday. "It's a small world after all" :)

 

Other than that it has been a crazy week! We have done a lot of contacting but still have not been able to get a hold of the investigators the elders left us and do not have anyone we are teaching. I love this area and had a lot of fun on Saturday walking around all day just talking to people who were outside doing yard work and knocking on some doors. I don't know why but I don't get scared when I knock on a door. I just know that if they are ready to listen that the Lord with provide a way and that if they are rude or don't want to talk to us that we are just another contact that they have had with the church that will help them to one day want to talk with missionaries who knock on their door.

 

We do have a Recent Convert (Karen) who is very excited to keep meeting with us and we will try to answer her questions. This week she wants us to tell her everything we know about Joseph Smith because she knows he was a prophet, but she doesn't really feel like she knows anything about his life and what he did. I am so excited for that because my testimony of Joseph Smith has been growing SO MUCH while I have been out.

 

Sorry I don't really have a lot of stories for you or anything, just know that I am doing well and that I get along with Sister Brown REALLY well. I am so happy that she is my companion and that we are white washing this area together. She is a great example to me and is always making me try and do new things.
 

I love you so much. Happy late Father's Day to all the dad's reading this.
 

Love,

Sister Shurtz

North Carolina = "Tropical Storms," Bugs, Blisters, and Blessings

I made it!  First Area with my companion, Sister Brown

 

 

Hey Family!!!

Sorry I didn't write you last week... but I haven't had a P-Day for a while. I made it safely to North Carolina and I am loving it! The rest of my MTC experience was just the like the beginning. We sat in class a lot, did a lot of role plays, taught some "investigators" (Aka our teachers / paid actors) and we also had fun. I loved it all so much and was sad when I had to say goodbye to most of my district because they are going to Colorado. I got really close to them and I look forward to keeping in touch and sharing fun stories and experiences.
 

After going to bed around 11 on Sunday night when we finished packing... Monday morning (June 3rd) we woke up at 3 A.M. (although I woke up at 2 and was wide awake and didn't really fall back asleep). We got on a bus at 4:30, and were at the airport around 5:45. Then we all went our different ways with our groups traveling to different areas of the world. My group had 17 Sisters and 11 Elders. After checking in we got to call home (or in my case... Denmark). I am still amazed by the amazing time in which we live that I could get a hold of Dad and Renae while they were so far away! After talking to them for a bit we had to go get on the plane that would take us to Atlanta and then from there on to Raleigh. When we got to Raleigh the Bernhisels, and 3 Assistants to the President were there to help us with our bags and get into the vans. (By the way, one of the AP's went to school with my cousin Daniel Shurtz in Centerville. His name is Elder Hewlett) We went to the Mission home where we got to have interviews with the president, eat dinner, sing a lot of hymns, and get taught by the AP's.

 

The next day we had to wake up at 6 in order to get ready in time to eat and find out where we were being assigned to. It was a really big deal! Not just because it was our first area and we were finding out who are companions were... but because 7 of the sisters and 4 of the elders were going to be assigned to areas that will become part of the new Virginia Chesapeake mission on July 1st. I have been assigned to Green Level Ward in the Apex stake. It is a REALLY strong ward with about 85-90% attendance EVERY WEEK! The members here are SO loving and willing to help with whatever we need whenever we need it. We also have people signed up to feed us EVERY NIGHT for the next month. We are SOOOOO BLESSED!

My trainer's name is Sister Brown. She is from Tarawa Island. Which is part of the Kiriboti or Gilbert Islands in the South Pacific by Fiji. She is the sweetest girl and the best trainer I could have asked for. I love her so much and we get along SO well. This is her 3rd area, I'm her 8th companion (3rd one she has trained), and she has been out for a year.

 

We are the first sisters to be in this area for about 6 years. We are also the first missionaries since then to be assigned only to their ward... so we are starting from scratch! Because of that we have no investigators and we are using a lot of time going through the area book looking for potentials.

Our first day spent outside trying to contact people was the day of the "Tropical Storm"... otherwise known as a hurricane. We were out for only an hour and half with our little umbrellas before the District Leaders called and told us that there was a flash flood warning and they were on their way to pick us up and take us home. This was rain like I have NEVER seen before... let alone walked a mile in. haha We were absolutely soaked. But it was so much fun and we were both just excited to be out and talking to people!

 

The next day there was no rain and we walked probably 8 miles. (We have a car... but the Elders have it for a little bit until some paperwork can be sorted out... We should have it back in a couple days) We walked and walked and walked and talked to a few people but not many people were home. I have a few bug bites... and as you know my bites swell up A LOT so that is fun to deal with as we are currently walking a lot, but it isn't too bad. I am just so happy to be here and to be able to serve in an area where the ward members are so willing to help us.

 

All is going well, no nerves for at all. I know I am here where I am supposed to be and there are people I need to help. I love you so much.
 

Love,

Sister Shurtz

 

 

 

Raleigh North Carolina Mission, Here I Am!

Sister Shurtz, ready to serve!

I have arrived!  I will be spending the next year and a half in this beautiful place!  I can't wait to share the gospel with those who are ready to hear it!  Here are a few pictures of people that will be important to me while I serve here:

My Mission President and his Wife, President Mark and Sister Julie Bernheisel

My First Companion and Trainer, Sister Brown.  I just know I'm going to love her!

I will be sure to keep you updated weekly as I write home.  I am so excited for my adventures and experiences I will have in North Carolina!

 

I'm Here in North Carolina!

My First Companion - Sister Brown

On Our Way to Our New Area