Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof! or is it?

Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof... this is a well known idiom in German that translates into "Life is not a Pony Farm" or as Americans would say, "Life ain't a bed of roses" basically it isn't easy- This week I would beg to differ- well at least after a lot of hard work- it can be very rewarding.

2 weeks left in this transfer aaaand we just set another Baptismal Date!!! :) That’s right folks... remember that last family we started meeting with- the ones with the epic last name? Familie Hellhammer? yep! this week we met with them aaand SET ANOTHER BAPTISMAL DATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D Oh people! AHHHHH this is seriously so awesome and amazing and I can't handle my life! like at all... like really. :) We sat down and taught the first lesson with her- and she was all over it. She had read everything that we had given her. She had questions and wants to learn more and just ate everything up. I invited her to be baptized on April 18th and she said yes! :) She has been through soo much in her life she just needs the comfort the gospel brings. We were giving her a tour of the church building and another member was there as we were showing her around. The member asked us- Sisters, when is the next baptism in our ward? and Frau Hellhammer raised her hand and announced "I am! on the 18th of April!" haha as you can tell she is kind of excited

One day this week as we were waiting for our bus, we talked to this old lady, she was all dressed up and ready to go "wandern" (hiking) and she eventually sat down next to us and just talked about her life. At one point she was about to leave and realized that she had just talked about a lot of personal things with us. She started to apologize and didn't want us to think that she was just chatting. But that everything she said was honest and precious. I grabbed her hand, looked her in the eye and told her that I treasured every word that she spoke, and that every story that I hear has an impact on me. I was surprised by how much I really meant it.  I've thought about all the people that I have come in contact with here in Herne and how so often they each seem to offer a story of gold, a pearl of their faith,- so willingly and so readily. And I now have this treasure that doesn't even belong to me! A collection of emotions, a woman’s sorrow for a wayward son, a man’s passion of Jesus Christ, a child’s laugh looking up at me, a wrinkled old ladies weary smile as she told me, "Es gibt immer etwas dass Freude bringt" (there is always something that brings joy) I've prayed with students on a train as they nervously prepare for exams, I've hugged complete strangers, I've befriended those who had no one. And they have given me so much more in return. I used to think it was something about me that made people share their stories… but the more I have thought about it the more I have realized that it is because I am a representative of Jesus Christ. There is nothing special about me, on the contrary- it is the message of hope that we bring that catches people’s attention.  If this is not the greatest treasure I don't know what is.

Liebe Grüße

Sister Shurts

From the scribbled notes of a sister missionary

some important advice from the land of Germany... translation: "life is not a pony farm" 

Sister Davis and I meet the Essen Sisters at Zone Conference

Sister Davis and I at a bus stop- and my cute new scarf (thanks mom!)

Cicero (our Brazilian investigator) and I after a lesson

That moment your investigator beats you to the punch line and asks to get baptized…

Dear Friends and Family,

This week was a roller coaster ride.  We met with Familie Ciu Ciu a couple times this week and during one of our lessons with them we felt impressed to talk about covenants instead of what we had planned. We started talking about the importance of families and how through promises or covenants with God we can be sealed together as a family forever. We were leading the conversation to the point where we were going to ask them if they would prepare to be baptized and then Schwester Ciu Ciu interrupted us and said, (translating for her husband) “So my husband wants to get baptized but he wants to know what he still needs to do to prepare himself” … And sister Davis and I are just sitting there like… uhhh haha ok!  I just felt so happy, as I looked at the family- each little brunette and their bright brown eyes looking up at us- I felt such an overwhelming love for each of them. Little Adrian (8) was sitting right next to me and I had my arm around him and was showing him the pictures in the book of mormon. Loridanna (11) was asking questions about the Holy Ghost,  little Larissa (6) was playing with my scarf, and Vanessa (3) was snoring on the couch behind me. Our ward doesn’t have any primary kids… so it has been over 5 months since I have been able to be around little people. And if anyone knows me even a little bit- they know just how much I love being around my siblings- and it was just so special for me to be able to sit and teach them the most important thing that they can learn in this life. What they need to do to be a family forever. We set the date for April 18^th- we are hoping that their other daughter, Fernanda (9) will be able to make it to Germany before then. She is in Romania right now with her Grandmother. But I have a lot of faith that God will cause miracles to happen to help this family enter into his fold.

On top of that miracle Sister Davis and I started teaching ANOTHER FAMILY!!! This is Familie Hellhammer- a mother with three young kids. She is so amazing and just wants to feel like she belongs somewhere. We sat down and taught her about the restoration… but then all of a sudden in the middle of the lesson I got the feeling to talk about baptism- which wasn’t in our plan at all… I still don’t really know how that happened, but before I knew it I had asked her if she would be baptized and she said that she can defiantly see herself doing that. She is just so hungry for knowledge about God and Jesus and her purpose here on the Earth. It taught me a lot about how precious what we know truly is; and that we should never take it for granted.

This week was full of canceled appointments and missed buses! Oh my word! Thursday was the worst! Haha We missed so many trains and busses and ended up going the complete wrong direction and talked to creepy people and then missed another train, which left us waiting in the cold for an hour which made us get home soo late we had to call the mission president… haha but- it also involved me teaching sister davis how to waltz at a bus stop! (I knew all those years of dance would be helpful for something!)

I was talking to a young man in our ward. His name in Lucas and he was baptized just over a year ago. He always comes up to me and says, “Sister Shurts! Sister Shurts! I have an important question!!” So naturally I sat down next to him, and this time he asked me- why I came on a mission… wow—haha what a question. I told him that I had always wanted to serve a mission- but I only realized why once I got out here. Because of the Joy. I told him at home I was a happy person, I was social and loved to be around people and smiled and laughed. But I also said, that I have never been as happy as I have been out here. It is a different kind of joy; an overflowing sensation that comes when your happiness stems from your love for other people. It is deeper and more real. That’s why Lucas- because I can see the joy I have for this Gospel reflecting in the eyes of those I teach.

I love you all

Liebe Grüße

Sister Shurts

From the scribbled notes of a sister missionary

My split with Sister Parker- under some awkward statue on D-Berg

Kandra's birthday cakes in Germany

Happy Birthday Kandra! Sister Davis and I had a party for you!! :)

Familie Ciu Ciu - Oh my Goodness I love these people so much!!! 

Sister Davis with Familie Ciu Ciu

Rosie from the Lebens Hilfe

Hanne Laura from the Lebens Hilfe... this little lady is my absolute most favorite person ever..

check out that adorable smile! 

A whole family plus cousins and friends at church? Don't mind if I do!

Quote of the week:

"Sister! I am just so darn happy right now that if I were a marshmellow cloud in the sky I would eat myself!" ... yes... what you say when it is super late and you just had the most wonderful day. :) To be more specific this sunday was one of the happiest days of my life. I was able to see so many miracles happen. The week started off a little bit rough-  Sister Davis was sick and a little bit down emotionaly as well. But even with those hurdles we were able to see miracles happen this week.

We went early Sunday Morning to pick up Laura Ciu Ciu and her daughter for church- she had told us before that her husband was not interested. But when we got there her husband and 3 more of her kids and some cousins had decided to come as well!! We walked into church and everyone was sooo warm and welcoming and perfect. (on top of that Besmir our other investigator came as well!) During Fast and Testimony meeting the Bishop got up and bore his testimony and said that he had been fervently praying for over a year that we would have a new family in the ward (because everyone is much older) and he looked right at Familie Ciu Ciu and with tears in his eyes told them over the pulpit that they were an answer to his prayer and he said that he hopes they will come often and always feel welcome. I heard Laura Ciu Ciu whisper "Ja, dass machen wir gerne" as you can imagine my heart just exploded. Then the most beautiful moment came when another brother got up to bear his testimony. He said he remembered being in England as Laura Ciu Ciu was baptized and how he was the Elders Quorum President there, how he knew her mother and father and how all the children would come in their old van and pile out dark eyes shining. He bore testimony of how the Lord cares so much for each of his children that he sent the missionaries to England and then to Romania and then to her here in Germany. He then said that hopefully now that she is here she will want to give her children and family the opportunity to be baptized as well, and sitting behind Laura I heard her say once again "Ja, bestimmt". I was so happy I want to laugh and cry at the same time! Then after Sacrament our Bishop asked the family to come into his office with us. I sat there and watched the presiding priesthood holder of this ward work miracles. He sat there and his eyes sparkling asked the mother and father if they needed anything; and then proceeded to arrange for a job, food, and travel. Walking home Laura told me that one of her daughters is still in Romania but that once she gets here in April she would like all her children to be baptized. I wanted to fall to my knees right there and praise God with thanksgiving. What a blessing, what a family, what a miracle! I will forever remember this family- and the way that they have touched my heart.

So you could say I'm a happy camper. This week I was studying a lot about faith and I came across a scripture that carried me through the week,
Mormon 9:21 "Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth"

God loves us all so much and cares so much about each of us. If we will but ask him in faith- doubting nothing. Trusting that God will fulfill the promises that he has made then nothing is impossible. I've decided that when it comes to doing the Lords work here in Germany- the only thing that is impossible is the idea of impossibilty as long as we put our faith in Jesus Christ.

Liebe Grüße

Sister Shurts

from the scribbled notes of a sister missionary

Count Your Many Blessings

Dear wonderful everybody! :) My week has been crazy! It has been a roller coaster of ups and downs that is for sure. As I have thought back on this week and actually on the whole last 2 or 3 transfers I have noticed how almost every time we have a set- whether it is someone canceling an appointment or saying they don’t want to meet anymore, Heavenly Father waits for us to keep going and to show our faith… it’s almost as if he is just waiting for us to come to him and say, “Alright God, I don’t know what to do anymore, and I need your help” and then he sends down blessings that outweigh the disappointments by miles. This week we meet a family… let me rephrase.. THIS WEEK WE MET A FAMILY THAT LET US IN AND WANTS TO KNOW MORE AND THEN ASKED US IF WE COULD COME OVER TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK TO TEACH THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  AHHHHHHHHHHH :D If any of you know my excited face- please picture it now… because it is pretty dang happy.

On top of that we found another new investigator- an Albanian man named Besmir who has already met with us 3 times this week! And he came to stake conference! It was supposed to start at 19:00 and at exactly 19 we got a call from him and he was all like, I am here! and we're like WHAT? WHERE? So we sprinted all the way back to the train station, and met him and then ran all the way back, and got there just barely in time to run up for the choir that we were in. haha I just remember laughing and turning around as we were running and thinking- wow, I love being a missionary- here in am in Dortmund, meeting a strange Albanian man at a train station and running down the street to get to a fire side that we are singing in so that he can feel the spirit and then get baptized... what a life.

I am praying and hoping that I will be able to teach them in a way that will touch their hearts; that they will come to recognize the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior. I just can’t express in words how much happiness this work gives me. It truly is the greatest work anyone can be involved in. Whether you are a missionary with a name tag or not- bringing people closer to Christ brings so much joy it is beyond comprehension.

Side note: This week I talked to a pirate. At least he looked like a pirate- I shall name him Captain Hook for convenience.

Anyways- I love you all and am so grateful for your prayers and support

Liebe Grüße

Sister Shurts

From the scribbled notes of a sister missionary

Such an awesome postcard

District all eating sushi together on our last P-day. All I had was some juice.

So, apparently, I need to start my own church in Jamaica...

So apparently I need to start my own church in Jamaica…

This week we got a call from an old Investigator by the name of JJ Prince, (a Jamaican, Pastor, Gospel Singer) that we had taught a little bit, and he was trying to convince me to come and preach in his church after my mission and spread the word of God- and then go to Jamaica. Because I “have the spirit and the power of a woman of faith” BAHAHA just thought I’d share that gem with you all.

That experience actually made me think a lot about how God established his church here on the earth; and how we are able to act in his name because we have that Priesthood authority.

We were able to teach that to a less active member in our ward this week. Schwester Zeshcky is an amazing lady who in her heart wants to come back to church but doesn’t have the courage to come alone. We went and met with her and started right away with a prayer which brought the spirit in immediately. We talked for a little bit about her desires to come to church and what is holding her back. And then we watched the Restoration DVD, which is an instant punch in the face from the spirit- at least for me. After watching that we sat in silence for a moment... and then we spoke a little bit about the restoration. Then all of a sudden I felt like I should say something... but I didn't know what to say- so I just looked at Schwester Zeschky and opened my mouth... and the words came. I told her that I have this feeling that I needed to tell her… about her family; and immediately after I said that I got all choked up. But with the power of my calling and with the spirit I promised her that if she would take the first step and go to church and be that example, that her family would follow, even her husband. I testified that all things are possible through the Lord and that the example of a mother makes all the difference in a home. I looked at Schwester Zeschky and she had tears in her eyes. And she told us that, that was what she really wanted- to have her family together. We only stayed for an hour but that was all we needed. We gave her a chapter to read and she said she would really try to come to church on Sunday. We walked out of that appointment and I was on cloud nine. As we turned the corner I asked Sister Davis to say a prayer of gratitude to God.

 Families are so important to Gods great plan for us. Schwester Zescky understood that she wanted to have her family together forever. The path that leads to eternal life can sometimes be difficult but I know that it will be so worth it.

That experience this week made it a little bit easier bear a phone call that we received from Frau Kirch. She told us that she didn’t want to meet with us anymore. I don’t really know why. But I was devastated- I never thought that I could feel so much for someone I had known less than two weeks. I am gaining a testimony that every child of God has their own free agency, and sometimes all we can do is pray for them and do our best to help them remember their divine destiny. In the end it is the decision that each soul makes personally in their hearts that leads to true and lasting conversion. 

Doing fitness with all the old ladies in our ward

Tante Inge and me

Sister Davis and her Spaghetti ice cream

A pretty old church in Herne

The Rameumptom (or the only castle in the Ruhr Pott. Funny Germany.

Elders climbing on the Rameumptom

Carnival on Rosen Montag

Carnival on Rosen Montag- We went to Gelsen Kirchen to see the parade

Our District Elders: Elders Stout, Cassell, Heil, Summerhays, Tilley, and Grow

The CASTLE!!...don't worry, it wasn't as high as it looks.

The First Glimpse of Spring

SUUUNNN!!!

Today we hiked as a district to the top of a large hill that overlooked the Ruhr Gebiet, it was a beautiful view and reminded me a lot about why I am here. Sometimes I still can’t believe that I’m a missionary in Germany! Once we reached the top we all sat down and had a little spiritual thought about our purpose as missionaries. What stood out to me was that I choose to come here. It was my decision and I volunteered. This mission in a small sense is an analogy of our life on earth. We all chose to come down to earth to be tested and tried. Are we living up to the potential God sees in us? What great things does our heavenly father have in store for us if we live up to become who we were meant to be?

This has been quite a full week. I really hope that I don't get transferred out of Herne because I feel like there is so much potential here right now. Early this week we meet once again with Frau Kirch. This was our first actual appointment with her in her home. We sat and talked with her for a little bit and then began to teach her about the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I don’t know who was being taught more in that lesson, her or me. J But whenever I learn something in a lesson we teach it tells me that the lesson went well because that means we had the spirit with us. As we were speaking to here I was once again amazed at the circumstances that had brought us together. Heavenly Father must really have something great in mind for her and for us.

This week we did a LOT of contacting… because that’s what you do when all your appointments fall out. It wasn’t bad though- it was a lot of fun, you know that feeling you get when you have this message about the coolest thing that has happened to humanity in the last 200 years that means that God has spoken to us and that we have new scripture and light and knowledge and basically the path to eternal life and you just have to tell everyone? Yeah… my week. Haha But as a result we got the information for some students from Albania and a couple ladies who live in Bochum! Seriously there is so much potential here right now!  

I love you all so much and I am so excited to be here in Germany at this time! 

Liebe Grüße

Sister Shurts

from the scribbled notes of a sister missionary

Pictures from our split this week, sister Heywood and me riding bikes in the morning for morgen sport!! love her!! 

The Lord Fulfills His Promises---A week of faith!

So much happened this week I really don't even know where to begin! We still have not been able to get in contact with our Brazilian investigator. Sister Davis and I are actually at a loss as to what we need to do. That has been a big struggle for us this week- because our hopes were so high for him. But the Lord tests us and if we do our part he will always fulfill his promises.

The beginning of this week did not go that well at all, but we both decided that we were going to keep going and do our best, because on Monday we had decided to have a week of faith- to do everything in our part to increase our faith and to be obedient.

 On Wednesday As we were walking we passed a Laundromat, I saw some people inside, there was an old lady with a walker reading something- but I didn't think anything of it. We walked by and then all of a sudden Sister Davis started walking slower and slower until she stopped. She then looked at me and said, "I thiiink... we should..." I finished her sentence and said, "go talk to that woman in the Laundromat?" because right as I said that I had the feeling that it was what we needed to do. Sister Davis was scared and grabbed me and asked what on earth are we doing? What do we say? This is not normal. But... I felt very calm, and I told her that we will go in there and tell her the truth- that we walked by and had the feeling to come and talk to her, and then ask her if we could sit down. And that is exactly what we did.

Her name is Frau Kirch- and never in my life have I loved a complete stranger so much. She had a stroke a couple years ago and so her whole left side doesn't work- she was angry at God, at church and just bitter towards the world. I looked into her eyes and noticed how sad they were, it was like looking at an overcast sky, full of clouds ready to break out in a storm. As we spoke her countenance began to change- it was something I could literally see. Heavenly Father does bless us, he puts words into our mouths, and brings scriptures to our remembrance. Frau Kirch was sitting there and told me that she had spoken with countless people of faith and had gotten in arguments and hated speaking with them.

 As she said that I had one clear question come to my mind, I asked her, "So then why are you still listening to us?"
She stared right at me, almost into me and said, "Because I can see a light in your eyes, and it shines." then the spirit put another quiet question in my mind, and I waited a moment and then softly asked, "Do you want to find out where that light comes from?"
The woman looked at me and began to weep. I went right next to her and put my arm around her as the tears rolled down her face. When she was able to speak again she told me that she didn't have enough faith. I shared with her Alma 32, and told her that even when she only had the smallest desire that God will let it grow. As we were talking, the spirit once again prompted me to speak... how do I describe this? I don't know, but I know that the words did not come from me. I looked at her and said that I could also see into her eyes, I told her I knew that she had felt lost and forgotten by God, that she felt that he had abandoned her. That she had suffered many losses in her life that made it hard for her to believe- as the tears fell down her face on that beautiful day in a rundown Laundromat in Herne I bore testimony to her that God had not forgotten her, that she had a heavenly Father who loved her more than she could even know- and I knew it. I could feel his love, it pressed on my heart and on my soul. Heavenly Father sent us to her- of that I know. We sat there and talked with her for two hours, and helped her fold and gather her laundry. We spoke about the plan of salvation, about family, about the Holy Ghost and even baptism. We walked her home and got her number and set up an appointment to meet her.
We had our week of faith and God fulfilled his end of the deal. God is there. He is aware of us, and He loves us.

Liebe Grüße

Sister Shurts

from the scribbled notes of a sister missionary