HOOOOOLAAAAAAAAAA!!!

Getting the laundry done

 How is everybody doing?! Surviving the freezing winter? Its as hot as ever here, but this week has went by really fast.
I think I'm getting used to the schedule and everything, but the hard thing for me right now is learning the streets and stuff of the city so I can actually know where I'm going. If you know anything about me, I'm terrible with directions and so especially in Mexico where there are hardly any street signs it´s definitely a challenge. I gotta get it down though so I will be able to survive when my comp leaves me next month.

Me and Elder Guty are doing awesome! We are teaching each other a ton and are growing as a companionship so we can teach by the Spirit in unity. Its awesome to see our ward grow every week as we get the members more involved with missionary work and helping us out with our lessons so our new converts aren't just future less actives like a lot of the people here

We are going to get our first baptisms this Saturday which is exciting especially for me because it will be the first one for me where I'm actually doing the baptizing. OH YA! Its definitely giving me motivation to keep working hard.

I know I said I would tell more about our investigators this week but if I'm going to upload pics this week I gotta do that instead, so next week I promise!

Shout out to SARAHENRETTY and Nat Cat because I got their Dear Elders a couple days ago! Ha. One of Sarah´s was from way back when I was first entering the MTC but it was fun to read. THANK YOU!

OH and if you haven't read the book, Our Search for Happiness by M. Russel Ballard, you should. Nuff Said!

LA IGLESIA ES VERDADERA! TENGA FE EN CRISTO!

Con Amor,
              Elder Adam Shurtliff

Hey everyone!

I'm doing awesome here in Tizimin and working hard everyday even so hard that it's even difficult to stay awake during that last lesson of the day. Ha. Hopefully that's just me getting used to all the walking and sun. It's funny to hear about the cold weather you having. Here we have had some rainy days with 75-80 degree weather and the people here are acting like their freezing all bundled up in jackets. Ha.

My comp is Elder Gutierrez from Mexico City. He is a really hard worker even though he is in his last weeks. I think he's excited to go home, but he doesn't like telling people how many more months he as left for some reason. Ya you don´t have to worry about us slacking. He's teaching me a ton that gets me out of my comfort zone like talking with everyone and being persistant.

Tizimin is small compared to cities in the US, but it's still big to me because we have to walk pretty much everywhere. Let's just say that I´m missing my bike right about now. The houses here range from alright looking one story houses to little shacks in a dirt lot. It's really incredible to see how little these people have, but they are still way loving and kind. The church is normal sized and pretty nice, but it's different because the chapel, offices, and classrooms are completely different buildings and the basketball court is out back. We only have one tiny ward meeting in it and we were happy to see a whole 40 people went last week haha. Me and my comp even had to give talks our first Sunday and werent asked til we got there that morning. Ha. It was definitely a memory. My goal is to make it into a 3 ward church filled up to the back with people. There's enough members for that, but there are just so many inactive members.

Well I hope everyone is avoiding freezing their butts off while I sweat mine off!
¡LA IGLESIA ES VERDADERA!

Hasta Luego!

Con Amor,
Elder Adam Shurtliff

No pictures this week. I'm a little sad because Adam didn't have time to write me this week either, and I'm hoping that it isn't the start of a trend. It's good to hear that he is doing well and loving the work though. Have a great week!
Monique

I Made It!

I'm finally in Mexico and I'm loving it even if my feet feel like they are going to fall off everyday and I'm always soaked in sweat. I'm in a little pueblito (city) called Tizimin which is right between Merida and Cancun. My new comp is a 22 month old Mexican who is going to die soon, but he's awesome and we get along really well because he's a weirdo. Hm I wonder why my last two comps have been weirdos and I have gotten along so well with them. Ha, coincidence I guess.

The Spanish of course is coming along really well since its pretty much all I speak now. I'm loving the hammock and the food is fantastico as if that was even a question. There are always people walking around on the streets and are all really nice and are open to everything I feel like no matter what we taught them. It's really easy to find new people to teach unlike in Chicago, but the problem here is it's hard to get them serious about their commitments and to have a real desire to learn more and to act on it. Me and my comp are opening our area from being closed for a transfer and it's hard, but totally worth it.

The ward is really small and there are a ton of less actives which is why we are told not to go out tracting and try to have a member present in our lessons as much as we can so that new converts have friends and stay strong. 

Well, I hope you all like the pictures! Oh if you're worrying about my safety, DON'T. President Salinas told me to tell everyone that this mission is the safest in Mexico so it's you all that I'm worried about. Ha. stay safe and read the Book of Mormon!

THE CHURCH IS TRUE

Con amor,

              Elder Shurtliff

In case you forgot where to write, here you go:

Elder Adam Shurtliff

Mexico Merida Mission
Calle 45 #527 Q y Calle 70
Col. Centro 97000
Merida, Yucatan
MEXICO

This is the address to the mission office and where he would like to receive mail and, of course, packages.

~Monique

'Bye Chicago!

 Hola Mexico!

Taco Tuesday, or Wednesday, or Saturday...not sure really

Boy, he is SWEATY! Good thing they have SpongeBob ice pops there!