IT FEELS GOOD TO BE BACK

Howdy folks! I just wanted everyone to know that I made it home and most definitely didn't die on the plane ride home. Im home and its SO weird! First I get mobbed by my family (being as awesome as i imagined it) then they take me home to talk and catch up, the next day I woke up super early to go to SUU with Robbie to get him to freshman orientation and so that I could see my apartment (Brotherly road trip!).

So ya Im back at SUU. I missed Cedar so much and its awesome to see all of my friends from freshman year that are all seniors now. Lots of people are getting married which is kindof weird. My friend Landon and his Kanab Spanish speaking RM friends live in my apartment complex which is pretty sweet. Im living with complete strangers which is cool because I just got 4 new investigators and less actives haha. Being back feels weird and I'm trying to adjust haha. Last week was a RM seminar at Institute and I was the only one that went with a suit. Haha I'm a greeny again!

As for my farewell. It was sooooo hard for me to speak English and everyone told me that I had a mexican accent. I wrote my talk so that I wouldn't slip into Spanish spontaneously. I tried not to just look down the whole time, but every time I would look up I would lose my place and it was kinda awkward haha. I thought it went pretty well, but the best part was bearing my testimony in half English half Spanish. 100 percent by the Spirit! Robbie talked before me and he did really good. My mom made a huge mexican feast which was like Mexican Thanksgiving. Ha there was so much food, but it was soooo good! Everyone was like, "this is better than Cafe Rio!" haha. Oh and I got to meet my niece! Shes not very trusting with strangers because she wouldn't respond when I tried to play with her ha Ill win her over one day!

Life is good and I'm really enjoying school and starting out my future. Being with my two oldest friends makes me feel like I never left. It was weird because we hung out just like the old days just talking, but I feel completely changed. I seriously think that every conversation I have my purpose is still to help them have more faith in Christ. It truly has become a part of me! I invite everyone who reads this to truly be converted to Christ and to follow Him in thought, word, and action. Doing this will inevitably make us instruments in the Lord's hands.

Before the mission I thought to myself that I don't want to change who I am, but I have learned that the Lord changes us to become better than before and without it we wouldn't go anywhere. I feel like the same goofy guy, but with an eternal perspective on everything. I feel so blessed and loved by my Heavenly Father for the opportunity to serve Him and His children for the last two years of my life. Now it's like everyone says. "Now it's time for your second mission!"

Love,

          Elder Shurtliff

OH HERMANOS ADIOS PUES ADIOS

El tiempo de ir vino ya!

I have no idea what that hymn is in English but it goes perfect with this email.

It's my time! I'm so excited to get back but I feel way weird; I'm going to go into shock! 

 SHOUT OUTS! I want to thank all of the family and friends that have written and supported me over these two best years of my life. I can't even begin giving enough thanks to everyone that helped me even get on my mission both financially and spiritually. LES AMO!!!

Love,

       Elder Shurtliff
PS. Homecoming Sacrament Meeting is Sunday, August 24 @ 11am. Te veré allí pronto!

ITS YOUR FAVORITE ELDER FROM MEXICO!

Ha I know I'm going to say it over and over again like every other missionary, but I felt like I was in the MTC just yesterday. Ha especially because my MTC companion is my district leader now and it reminds me of when we were comps. I'm trying not to count days but everyone keeps reminding me ha. I'm not going to lie, its hard to keep focused sometimes but it helps to see how awesome things are going here.

Elder Ramirez and I are doing really good. We have a golden family of four (minus the dad) who get to church by themselves on time, participate, and ask lots of questions. On Saturday I also got to cross off one of the biggest things on my mission Bucket List. Baptism on the Beach!!! Ha we were able to have a baptism for David on the beach because he's a Marine Biologist and is in charge of cleaning the beaches and stuff. It was so awesome and so special. We left the church with about 50 people in a bus to take us all there together. We passed some people on the way to our spot and I can only imagine what they were thinking when they say so many men with ties on the beach ha. My comp got to baptize him and I shared a message and was one of the witnesses so I got to get in the ocean too! First and only time on the mission!

 

I'll try to send pics today.

 

SHOUT OUT TO EVERYONE!!! 2 Nephi 26:24

HASTA LO PRONTO!

Love,

       Elder Shurtliff

I Love My Little Island!

La Isla!

This week the same thing happened here in Cozumel as it did in Maya. We dropped a ton of investigators that weren't progressing and found some new committed and excited ones. We met with a ton of the ward members, because they really weren't too united. I fasted for the ward and the same day I saw the amazing results. The members were coming together bringing people to church and teaching with us. Yesterday's Sacrament Meeting was so spiritual and just like in Maya our Gospel Principles class doubled its size. Amazing things are happening here! We are working so that there's a stake here when I come back to visit.

PIZZA! to celebrate Elder Salinas. He's going home on Wednesday!

I made breakfast omelettes for the district

In Sacrament meeting one of our new investigators that's 17 years old got up and bore his testimony! It was so awesome! His family is golden!

That's all the time I got. Sorry for my tiny update, but I love you all!
Read the scriptures and live them!

Love,
Elder Shurtliff

 

GREETINGS FROM THE ISLAND OF COZUMEL

Life is good here in Cozumel! Everything's pretty chill here. Its kind of like Tizimin (a small city) and Cancun mixed because of the touristy stuff. I got to see the beach and come in on a ferry, but we live probably an hour away walking distance. My plan is to find a new house close to the beach so we can run on it every morning. That would be sweet! My new comp Elder Ramirez was on an island called Isla Mujeresand that's what he did while there. I'm finding out that the special change wasn't just for one reason. President changed three of us and every single one of us and our companions needed it for their own special reason. Its kind of crazy to see how perfect God works to help us all learn from each other and have a special opportunities to serve. My reason has to do with strengthening the ward here so that the Seventy, Elder de Hoyo's prophecy can come true; meaning growing to three wards here instead of two in the next 5 months. It's going to be hard, but of course with faith and works everything is possible. So here we go!

Court Wedding

All of my mission I have been trying to get people married so that they could get baptized and it finally happened! Ha I wasn't here to help very much but Tenayri and Bryan (a young 19 year old couple with a baby) got married on Thursday! AND the wife, Tenayri, got baptized the same day! How cool is that?! I got to teach Tenayri her last lessons and she's way motivated to make it to the temple with her little family. In the process we met Bryan's inactive mom and she's now excited to get back to church too! This place is awesome. We have another baptism lined up for two weeks from now and there's a surprise which I'm keeping a secret until next week.

Baptism for Tenayri!

Have a good week everyone! Read your scriptures!

Love,

       Elder Shurtliff

DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS

Hola! This week was SWEET! Its kind of weird though because our numbers of lessons were so great, but I feel really accomplished because of all of the miracles we are seeing. Each day at church now the members are amazed to see how many people are in our Gospel Principles class. We had to switch rooms! Tons of less actives are coming back AND STAYING which is the best part.

Hopefully the last ingrown toenail of my mission.

Anyways, so ya Rocio´s baptism was AWESOME. The same day of her baptismal interview a less active member scared us half to death because she said that she saw Rocio smoking in the park a couple days before. I was like, "There;s no way!" So we explained to the zone leaders what we heard and told them to make sure that she is 100 percent ready to make that sacred covenant with God. During the interview I was so worried, but she came out clean! Hip hip hooray! We got to the church early to fill the baptismal font and we found Rocio there with the Relief Society making tamales for after the baptism haha. We crammed as many members as we could into the little room and had a real spiritual service. I got to share my testimony, the messages were perfect, and the young women sang a special number for her. Then afterwards she shared her own testimony and you could see and feel how much at peace she was. She keeps on saying that it doesn't even feel like she walks because it's like she's floating across the floor haha. The funny thing is that we just found another investigator just as prepared as Rocio to receive the Gospel who was there at the baptism for his first time at church. Next one up! Ha I love doing the Lord's work.

Rocio's baptism.

So the biggest news of the day is...President called us this morning and told me to pack my bags because I'm going to Cozumel! Its a small island close to Cancun which is awesome but I really didn't want to leave Maya. I guess the Lord still has a lot planned for me before I go. Let's see what my new companion, the spirit, and I can do!

SUPER SHOUT OUT to my mom! She was smart and sent me a package with a missionary that was heading to Cancun! AND it had my birthday package with it from Sister Sarah Henretty! Thank you so much everyone for all the awesome cards and treats. I loved it!

Have a good week fellow workers in Zion! I love you all!

Love,

       Elder Shurtliff

Surprise package from Sarah and mom!

HOLA AMIGOS

Homemade birthday card and Avenger headphones

Feliz cumpleanos para mi!!!

I'm so stoked to be here in Cancun because things are getting hard and awesome. That means all the hard work is worth the thousand blessings. Rocio was able to quit smoking after her blessing last week and now she's good to go for this Wednesday. Woot! When I asked her who she wanted to baptize her she literally couldn't decide so she did what President Kirkham's wife told her to do. Flip a coin. And not just any coin. A U.S. quarter haha. Elder Oliver won which is awesome because he deserves it. 

Here's part of my letter that I sent to President about our experience this week. I have no time to translate. Good luck!

Al final de la semana dificil entramos la capilla el Domingo y esperamos dar la bienvenida al barrio. Casi nadie llagaba hasta cinco antes de a las ocho. Poco a poco mas y mas investigadores y miembros menos activos llegaron bien contentos. Fue la perfecta semana tener a usted alla Presidente por se animaron mucho por representar a Cristo y invitar a sus conocidos a la iglesia para que nuestro pequeno barrio crezca. Cuando vino la segunda hora para la clase de principios del evangelio nos dimos cuenta que eramos demasiados cabernos en la chicita salon. Entonces nos fuimos a una salon mas grande y estaba llena. Sentimos el Espiritu muy fuerte al aprender del Dia de Reposo. Todos compartieron experiencias y participaron incluyendo los menos activos. Fue uno de los Domingos mas memorables de todoa mi mision.

Long story short- Elder Oliver and I are working hard and finding tons of new people to teach.

SHOUT OUTS! One of my best friends year anniversary in the mission is today. FELIZ ANO ELDER GILMORE! Also, Sister Henretty's birthday is tomorrow! FELIZ CUMPLEANOS!!! Muchas Gracias for all of the birthday wishes again! I love you all!

Have a good week everyone! Omni 1:26

Love,
Elder Shurtliff