Happy Walking Feet and Hard Work

An awesome family that I left in my last area (Naranjo Family)

I’m doing just awesome here in my new area! Elder Nevarez and I make a great team. He can talk for hours about the weather with somebody, always with a smile on his face and the face of the person he’s talking to. Ha. We have a couple of investigators that we had to go and pick up, but mostly we met with tons of members all week. 

This week has surprised me a ton. I have opened two areas before this one and the first weeks were super hard and full of walking and let downs. This first week here in Maya was full of walking for sure, but I still loved it! Sure it was hard, but I have lots of faith that this ward is going to grow a ton. The members are way unified and excited to work. I can’t believe how many active members there are that are newly baptized. 

This says it all

I’m still the senor companion and the district leader of my zone leaders and another area that’s a little village kinda far away. The funny thing is that Elder Hernandez is in that area, haha. So the ward is awesome because they have a little tiny church, but they fill it up. They are all way friendly and funny. After ward council yesterday the Relief Society president’s husband gave us sandwiches and brownies...BROWNIES! I miss them sooooo much haha it was soooo good! It’s just like home here!

Best Package Ever!

SUPER DUPER GINORMOUS SHOUT OUTs for the following: Kirk & Julie Phillips! The best parents ever! The best grandmas ever! Aunt Lyn and everyone else that loves and supports the work of Salvation! We have the best boss ever! He loves us so much! THANK YOU AMIGOS!!!!

Have an awesome week and do a good turn daily!

Love,    

       Elder Shurtliff

Making wishes.

Transfer Day!

Well here I am in my new area in Cancun! I stayed in the city but I'm in another stake called Kukucan in a ward called Maya. My new comp is Elder Nevarez who's from Durango, Mexico. He's 24 years old and awesome! Ha. He says he was less active for a while, but when his grandma died, his mom started taking him back to church and now here he is! He's way nice and I can already tell we are going to work awesome together. He was in another area last transfer too, and so we are opening the area again after only two weeks without missionaries. President told me that I have a special challenge to recover the ward's confidence in the missionaries after some bad experiences. I love a challenge! Here I go!

We got to the house and it took us forever to open the door. Ha. My time is up! I love you all! Shout outs to everyone!!!

Love,
       Elder Shurtliff

Feliz Dia de AMOR

Valentine's Day is this week! It was the first holiday I had here in Mexico!

 I feel really good about where Elder Brewer and I are heading. When we started together we did awesome, but then something happened that made us crash. Now that we have started over with the fundamentals we are more unified and we have better lessons with the Spirit. We still have a ton to work on, but I'm proud of the progress we have achieved. I'm seeing more and more blessings for the simple little things that we are doing to get better. We worked hard to get 40 contacts in the street and we got it pretty much at the last second ha.

Sharing the Joy- A Mexican's first bite of a grilled cheese

Makin milkshakes with black bananas

I have learned that it's so much more effective for people to listen if you give them quick and powerful parts of your testimony and how it can help them in their own lives. Once they start staring off into space you know you have talked too much. We are hoping that one couple can get married on Valentine's Day. It's going to be a miracle because the husband going to get divorced just two days before ha. Transfers are next week and I hope I stay here or train someone. There are like 12 sisters coming and only 4 elders. What's going on?!
This week an old inactive lady finally went to church after a long time. She has like 3 handicapped sons and daughters who are already old and that she has to take care of. We went to go see here a couple days after she went to church and I saw one of her handicapped daughters walking a little. I was like, "Oh I didn't know she could walk because she's always in a wheelchair." The inactive lady was like, "She just started walking this morning!" The miracle of the story, GO TO CHURCH. We also had a new family come to church yesterday and everyone was so nice to them that I didn't have to show them to their classes or anything. Awesome!

SHOUT OUTS for what I'm thinking are the last of my Christmas cards ha. Thank you sooooooo much Family Jolley and Sister Henretty for the inspiring letters! I love you all!

Have a good Valentine's Day this week everyone! If everything goes as planned Ill be giving the gift of love to a newly married couple. AND THEN off to their baptisms!

Love,

       Elder Shurtliff

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY!

Did you see his shadow?!

Hola Amigos! This week went by pretty quick, but it was full of trials. We keep planning awesome lessons with members but tons fall through. I always remember the highlights and blessings of the day though and I really have nothing to complain about. The Lord has blessed me every single day with way more than I deserve.

Elder Brewer and I are doing awesome. I'm just working on keeping my trap shut so I can let him in on the action. In this one lesson we were committing a family to keep the Sabbath Day holy and I was talking and talking trying to convince them with scripture. In the end, Elder Brewer said a few simple things about the blessings and the dad told him that what he said really made him think. Long story short, the Gospel is a lot stronger short and simple.

We are teaching English again! It's a lot easier in Cancun. The people closest to baptism have to get married so we are trying to get everyone to do it on Valentines Day because that means FREE WEDDINGS! I'm thinking me and Elder Brewer are going to stick together this transfer, but who knows.

SHOUT OUT to the best Father in the land! My dad, Vint Gary Shurtliff is another year older this Thursday! I love you papa!

I love this one. Luke 12:22-31

HAVE A GREAT WEEK

LOVE,

        Elder Shurtliff

I don't really have any new exciting pics so here's my comp and I eating today. YUM