FELIZ ANO NUEVO!

We had our P-day on Tuesday this week since we are going to have to be in our houses by 7 pm because of all the drunks and crazy kids with fireworks. And then we can't leave tomorrow until 4 in the afternoon haha crazy Mexico.

I loved talking to everyone on Christmas Day! There really isn't anything to do for New Years (for missionaries) ha we can't touch fireworks, but the kids in front of our house light off really loud bombs pretty much until 12 at night. 

I hope everyone had the best Christmas ever! The members fed us soooooo good ha and we did some caroling from house to house. The faces of our investigators and members were priceless haha I don't think they really do caroling here.

The sister that was going to get baptized this week has some personal problems to work out and says she needs time. We have tried so hard to help her know that if we just look for God's will, everything will work out. Pray hard for her! Her name is Abigail. Transfers are Monday! I don't really want Elder Hernandez to go but the odds say that he will probably be going since he has been here all of his mission (7 months). He knows the area so well and it's HUGE! 

Yesterday morning we had a special meeting where our mission President got us spiritually prepared to be able to meet the expectations that the Lord has for our mission. We have to now more than ever talk with EVERYONE, always finding more people to teach and never leave somebody without teaching them a gospel principle, and a bunch of other awesome stuff. It humbled me a ton because I have a whole lot to improve on but now I'm pumped! This week we found a huge awesome family and it was all thanks to talking to a couple youngsters on the street! Ha What are every ones New Years resolutions?! I'm going to be more careful not to talk or refer to movies or TV this year. It's so hard! The tradition here is to make a big doll made of clothes of your old self and then burn it on New Years. I might have to adopt that tradition haha.

I love you all!

Elder Shurtliff

I'LL BE IN MY MEXICAN HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

FELIZ NAVIDAD! This week I really learned a lesson about relying on the Spirit. I am in no way in control...of anything! Ha this week was so unpredictable because a lot of appointments went through strangely and we had to trust the Spirit to guide us. And he did! He took us to see references that have been on our list forever and they are all really awesome. I don't even know why I thought they would be duds before. DONT JUDGE.

Yesterday we had our huge multi-stake missionary Christmas devotional where all of the missionaries from 3 stakes prepared special musical numbers with cello and flutes and we all sang together so awesome that it gave me goose bumps the whole time. I LOVE MY SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. It made me want to have more love for everybody and especially my comp. Christmas is the best! Oh and President gave us our lines of Priesthood of Authority for Christmas!

I wish everyone a Merry, Merry Christmas! Spend it peacefully with your family!

You already know. Luke 2

Love,

       Elder Shurtliff

9 DAYS TIL CHRISTMAS!

Hola everybody! This week was super crazy because I did a bunch of emergency companion exchanges with my district partly because we had to go buy stuff to fix up the house and partly to clean the baptism font. Surprisingly it gets really dirty! Ha so here's the story of my fastest baptism ever. We got the referral last week for a 18 year old girl named Mileydi (me lady) who already had all the lessons from being taught already for a year or so. We found her, she went to church with us, and my comp and an elder in my district had a lesson with her that week and she told them she wanted to get baptized that Saturday because she's moving to another state haha. So we had the fastest planned baptism ever which was awesome and on Sunday she sent us a message to tell us she was locked in her house so she can't get to the confirmation. WHAT?! I called her and told her to say the most faithful prayer ever so that the landlord comes to let her out or she finds the key or something. We get to church and Elder Hernandez and I go to a empty classroom to pray for a miracle. We had the Sacrament and she still wasn't there. My comp and I went to the bathroom and another Elder calls us and told us she showed up! She was confirmed and right after I went to sit with her during the closing hymn and asked her how she did it. She said she did what I told her and said a prayer and 10 minutes later the landlord sent her a message saying that they were coming back. EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH FAITH.

SHOUT OUT to My Aunt Lyn! Her birthday is today!!! FELIZ CUMPLEANOS!!!

I hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas season! Hasta la proxima semana amigos!

Love,
       Elder Shurtliff

BUEN DIA!!!

This week has been amazingly awesome! We have been so blessed to find so many prepared people to receive the Gospel in their lives. One lady this week called us from her house, asked us if we were from the latter day saints church, and told us she has been looking for us because of the awesome example of her member friend who lives in Guadalajara. Good thing Elder Hernandez led us to a street we never go through! We also found a 20 year old who has received all the lessons but moved and lost contact with the church. MIRACLES! We are praying on getting at least 2 baptisms to give for a gift to our Saviour. 

Yesterday we went to the morning ward and our ward too because two of our investigators couldn't go at one so we went with them and then in between we taught two drunk guys the Restoration. Elder Hernandez with one and me with the other ha. We went to help one family get ready for church and found them breaking a pinata together ha and said they couldn't go today. Bummer! BUT when we passed by the houses of the two new investigators we saw some recent converts heading to church in their car and so we yelled like crazy trying to get their attention, put one of our investigators in their car and then went speed walking to the other investigators house who was waiting for us ready. We got there in a  taxi and were astonished to see all the members talking with the investigators and inviting them to family home evenings. 

FELIZ NAVIDAD! Our church is cool enough to have a real Christmas tree ha

We got the  news that we couldn't go to the Christmas Devotional unless we have an investigator family with us, but long story short, we only got one member of the family to go with us and we got there with 15 minutes left haha. It's alright though cause one member invited the investigator we brought to a NDH to watch it tonight! Sweet!

SHOUT OUTS to Kenzy who completed a year yesterday and SISTER HENRETTY who is now a legit Sister of Israel!

I love you all! Mosiah 5:7-8 read it!

Love,

       Elder Shurtliff

HOLA SANTAS LITTLE HELPERS!

My Thanksgiving week was pretty great! I love a good excuse for eating more! Elder Hernandez and I looked for turkey (that wasn't alive) and pumpkin pie but there wasn't any to be found so we ordered a pizza and some hamburgers and fries haha. The best part of the week was taking time to really think about all the blessings we receive from our Heavenly Father everyday. It always gets me pumped and ready to do some good!

On Thanksgiving we had our first district meeting me being leader and I talked about how gratitude is the source of the attributes of Christ and had everyone say what they are thankful for before I gave them a Quaker cookie haha. (Quakers are pilgrims right?!)

Then yesterday we had a huge meeting with all of the leaders of Cancun to listen to a Seventy of Mexico talk to us about the Work of Salvation and it really got everyone excited. We all split off in the stake center at the same time to have a mini ward council meeting listing off names of the people we can visit that same week. That's what I'm talking about!

My area is doing awesome because we are finding a lot more people to teach and these people are no doubt chosen and prepared! They love hearing that they could be baptized on New Years! Ha I hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving and survived Black Friday!

Shout OUT! Sarah Henretty sent me a Late Night with Jimmy Fallon sharpie, postcards from NYC and a letter!

John 8:31

Love,
       Elder Shurtliff