Goodbyes and Hellos

Well everybody I seem to have just landed myself in a little piece of paradise. It is so beautiful- I have been glued to the window all day. My first day here in Heidelberg we went running to a castle- that's right folks... A castle!!! Our apartment is in the old part of the city right on the banks of the Necker river. We are sitting among beautiful green hills dotted with classic German houses and ivy
terraces.

This week was full of saying goodbyes and then a lot of hellos. The hardest goodbye was probably on Wednesday. It was the funeral for Barbara Quada and her daughter. That was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Sister Davis and the the elders and I were asked to sing
the first song at the funeral. We decided to sing, "I know that my Redeemer lives" elder stout played a beautiful rendition of it on the piano while we sang. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. The chapel was full all the way to the back of the cultural hall- and the spirit that was there was so beautiful and special. I know that a lot of people were hurting and needed to feel the comfort of their Heavenly Father. As we sang I looked out and watched the eyes glistening with tears. And I know that they were feeling comforted.

This week I also said goodbye to Besmir and Familie Ciu Ciu- it was hard to say goodbye, but it was also fun to see how much they have grown. Besmir told me, "without you sister Shurts... I never would have found the church- or made any of these changes in my life" Saying goodbye to Herne was so hard. I can't even put it into words. I will remember these people for the rest of my life. They have made such an impact on me and changed me for the better.

On Thursday morning I said Goodbye to Sister Davis and headed down to Frankfurt- where we all gathered and then caught another train all the way to mannheim, where we caught another train all the way to Heidelberg were we took a strassen bahn and a bus to get home.... and all that with ALL my luggage.... my arms are soooo sore!!! Sister Wahlquist is my new companion! She is so sweet. I can tell that we are going to get along just fine. She is from Idaho, and has a German mother- so her German is great too. We both made a goal to ONLY speak German! It is a really hard goal. But completely doable. We already have a lot of goals and ideas planned for this next transfer. We had our Mission Leadership Council on Friday. Which was really inspirational amazing. I was impressed at the desire that each person there had to serve the Lord.

So far I love Heidelberg. I cannot wait to see what the Lord has in store for me here.

Sister Shurts

ps. I have an Ipad!

Bruder Riebe and Me

Bruder and Schwester Tewes and Me

Schwester Doering me and Tante Inge

Goodbye HERNE!!!

Thats a castle... right next to my apartment... yeah

Sister Wahlquist and me

Von Herne nach Heidelberg!

Well everybody after 7 months in one area I am being transferred this week to the other end of the mission. I am so torn- I am going to miss sister Davis and this ward so much. On Sunday I bore my testimony to our ward and as I was standing there it hit me just how much I love them all. yep I cried. All four of us missionaries sang "High on a Mountain Top" Looking out at the congregation as we sang- my heart was so full. Each of them has taken me in and loved me, and their testimonies have strengthened mine. After church most of the ward members came up to me to give me hugs and wish me well.

I am very humbled though as I prepare myself to go to Heidelberg- President has called me as a Sister Training Leader. So I will be helping and going on splits with sisters in both the Heidelberg zone and the K-Town zone. Honestly I know I will be learning the most from the sisters there- and that they will lift me up- every missionary is such an amazing example to me. Can't wait to experience this new place.

You all remember Sister Williams? haha my half mom (half trainer!) I get to go on splits with her! I am so excited to see her again. We had such a great time together here in Herne- she is an amazing missionary and a great friend! I also will be able to go on splits with Sister Helmick- (from our dear old Dairy Creek ward!) Basically this is a dream come true. :)

Oh this is a great story! Ok so this week on our way home from our split I was talking to a cute old couple on a Bahn (train). And I was asking them about where they were from and what their favorite part was about living in Germany. I then told them about the amazing work that I get to do here in Germany and how I get to work with people and bring them closer to Christ. I guess I was getting a little excited (which is of course completely out of character ;)  because all of a sudden at the next stop a lady stood up to get off and interrupted our conversation and in some not very nice German words told me to be quiet and that no one wants to hear about my religion! I just kind of stared at her a little shocked as did the couple I was talking to. When a man in front of her said, "may I ask you a question? are you afraid of something?" She shook her head mumbled something and hurried off the train. The young man then sat next to me- and started talking to me about our Church- and then the people across the isle from us joined in. What started as a small conversation became a large discussion! It was so cool to see how that lady's plan to stop us from talking about the gospel actually backfired and all of a sudden the people taking part in the conversation tripled. Heavenly Father has a way of blocking all of Satan's attacks! *mic drop*

I have thought a lot about Leadership and Service all week. We are all in essence servants of the Lord- In Doctrine and Covenants 50:26 it says, "He that is ordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the greatest not withstanding he is the least and the servant of all"

I feel pretty overwhelmed to have this calling but I know that the Lord will help me to know how to strengthen the sisters that I will be working with. A little later in the Doctrine and Covenants it says, "I called you servants for the world's sake, and ye are their servants for my sake" (D&C 93:46) The entire purpose of any calling is to serve- regardless of what we have been called to do. We are here to serve for our Savior Jesus Christ. For his sake. I bore testimony on Sunday that I believe the greatest fulfillment and joy comes from serving, when we turn away from ourselves to seek to lift others. As President Hinkley said, "The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired"

Goodbye Herne

Liebe Grüße

Sister Shurts

from the scribbled notes of a sister missionary

FYI: About Sister Training Leaders from Mormon Newroom:

The role of sister training leader has been created as more female missionaries serve in missions around the world. Sister training leaders will be responsible for the training and welfare of female missionaries assigned to them and will be members of and participate in, the new mission leadership council. Assistants to the president and zone leaders will also participate in the council, and those roles will remain unchanged. Missions will continue to be organized by zones and districts, with district leaders being responsible for baptismal interviews, but the mission leadership council will replace the zone leader council.

Sister training leaders will continue to proselytize and will also spend time each week training and evaluating the needs of female missionaries. They will report directly to the mission president on the needs of sister missionaries. Additionally, the wives of mission presidents are now being asked to play an enhanced role in training and caring for sister missionaries, subject to their individual and family circumstances.

Saying goodbye to Schwester Mitschke

This is a traveling bar outside our apartment... you're welcome

Wir Sind Zehn!

Wir sind Zehn!

That was my favorite quote of the week. Yesterday I got to skype my family. Oh my word... I thought it was hard waiting for christmas when I was little- this is nothing in comparison! I sat there and watched the clock tick by all day long. It was so fun to see everyone, and it reminded me once again why I am on a mission. As I saw all their faces and spoke with them- I thought about just how much I miss each and every one of them. In fact I talk about them all the time- when we are on subways or busses or trains, and usually the person asks, "well, don't you miss them" and I always answer. Well of course! But I see my family, and I see what has made us so close. And that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And it makes it so much easier to be away from home with the knowledge that I can give that joy to another family.

The rest of this week was also full of miracles. After a month of not being able to contact one of our investigators, Frau Hellhammer. We had the thought to try again. We had first wanted to drop off flowers by a lady who had a birthday today...but she wasn't home. So we decided to bring the flowers to Frau Hellhammer... and so we klingled... and the door buzzed open!!! OH MY GOODNESS!!!! I was so nervous and my heart was pounding so loud! We stood there for a second pretty awkward and then she let us in and we sat down and started talking to her. Pretty quickly we realized that she had just been really busy lately, and that her life has been crazy... (too busy for your baptism? haha oh well, I can't judge) We could have just sat down, given a thought and left. But I looked around and the Spirit prompted me that the best lesson we could teach today was one of service. So I rolled up my sleeves and asked here where I should start cleaning. She was SO grateful for the help! So we spent the next hour vacuming, cleaning, folding laundry and listening to black gospel music! haha I was so happy as we walked out that door, that I shed tears of joy. I know that God has heard the many prayers that I have prayed for her in the last 4 weeks! God cares about each and every one of his children.

At the end of my skype call I asked my family to sing "Wo die Liebe Wohnt" which is when there's love at home in English. Listening to them sing that brought tears of joy to my eyes. I am so grateful for a loving parents who have taught me by their example and testimony. When we choose to love those around us, we can have peace in our hearts and joy in our eyes! 

Split pic! Sister Haywood and me

pic of the Ruhrpott Geschichte night.

Us at our Family Home Evening at the Church- celebrating Sister Davis' birthday!

Me Elder Stout and Besmir

Second Pic has Bruder Gollnick and Schwester luczyk and Schwester Allsweh.

Our FHE group as well as the cakes.

Gemeinde Essen!

All is Well!

One more week till I get to see your faces!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I'm just a little bit excited. Like my planner has the 10th of May colored in neon pink and yellow and orange.... hehe It'll be awesome.

I had the coolest experience on Sunday. Sister Davis and I decided to go out and go by on people- but then I had the thought to do some Bahn Contacting… which doesn’t make any sense- because in Germany no one rides the bahns on Sunday. We walked down to the U-Bahn, and there was one lady with a stroller. So I was like ok, that limits my options. So we started talking to her- hopped the next bahn and I talked to her for the next 20 minutes. She started by asking us if we were Jehovahs witnesses and I said “Nope, we’re mormons!” and she just laughed and asked what a mormon was, so I was able to explain to her a little bit about what we believe. But I had the thought to start talking about the importance of family in our church. And how we believe that we can be with our families forever. She got really quiet as she was thinking about that, and then said that she had 6 children! Im sorry… BUT SIX KIDS IN GERMANY!!!????? That is insane!! Like soooo out of the ordinary. Here 3 kids is a lot. So we got her number and are planning on calling her in the morning. Cannot wait to baptize them! :)

This week was better than last week. Everyday has brought a little bit more peace into my heart. We were able to visit a lot of members this week and teach about the power of the atonement. On Monday we taught Family Home Evening with a little group at the church. We have done this every week for 7 months, and the group has always included Schwester Quada. This was the first time that we would be teaching knowing that she would never be there again. I stressed about it all day.

I wanted to share something that would really help, and I really wanted the spirit to be there. I was talking to Elder Stout about stuff and tried to talk my lesson through with him. He gave me some good ideas- but then said, "Sister Shurts, it's also important not to think too much about it, because if your are trying to remember all the little things to say, you might forget the spirit." That was an important lesson for me to learn, and it is actually how I started the lesson. And I was amazed at the spirit that was there. I don't think I taught any of that lesson even though I had prepared it. Each person shared such beautiful testimonies and thoughts about how they are comforted through Christ. We also read the words from the song "Come, Come Ye Saints" and then listened to the Tabernacle Choir sing it. That was so powerful it was absolutly beautiful. Just like the early day Pioneers we are like saints on our own journey west- though at times it will be hard, when we trust in our Heavenly Father we can sing "All is well"

I know that when we trust in our Heavenly Father that all will be well.

All my love

Sister Shurts
from the scribbled notes of a sister missionary

A beautiful "Schloss" in Gelsenkirchen

Our district- playing cards for P-Day

Chrom Away... Sister Davis always carries finger nail polish remover in her bag along with cotton pads- to wipe away graffitti! BAHAHA cleaning up herne one wipe at a time! 

Sister Davis and I, getting ready for church 

Us and the Ciu Ciu Family- Basically our favorite people

Pictures with of last weeks mission conference with Elder Bednar.

That's me on the second row in a white sweater standing out in a sea of dark suits.

"Sister Shurts, everything that God does is good and right"

"Sister Shurts, everything that God does is good and right"

We were able to spend 6 hours with an Apostle of the Lord on Friday. It was supposed to be in preparation for the IPads that we should have received, but Elder Bednar opened the meeting with a statement. He said "this meeting is not about IPads" He then asked us what we thought of that statement. The entire meeting went like that. We would ask questions and he would teach truths. The way that he answered our questions and prompted our thoughts and guided our revelations was masterful. It created the perfect atmosphere for the spirit

As Elder Bednar spoke he predicted an event that we might have with him in the future, but as he spoke I felt an assurance that it will happen to me someday. Someday I will speak with him again and I will tell him that I was one of the missionaries in the Frankfurt Germany mission in April of 2015, and I will look him in the eyes and tell him how much this day has changed and blessed my life. I cannot wait for that day- I want to be proud of the missionary that I have been and the person that I have become. I truly felt the spirit bear witness to me that Elder Bednar is an apostle of the Lord.

I was also able to meet up with old mission friends- it was so much fun to see my old companions and old district members! I can’t believe that I have already been a missionary for 7 months! The best part was, in the crowd of missionaries all of a sudden I spotted Kristyn Helmick, (a member from our good old small town, Dairy Creek Ward) and I squeezed through everybody and tapped her on the shoulder and she saw me and screamed and I screamed and I threw my arms around her! :D We ran outside and talked for like half an hour about everything. :) Oh it was so nice to see her. She loves her area and she loves missionary work, she is doing so great!

Our marathon day ended super late that night (it began at 3 o clock that morning) and we got home super late- but we were richly feed and spiritually uplifted. I don’t have a lot of time to write about the rest of the week- we were able to meet with a lot of people in our ward. We took Besmir to institute which he really enjoyed and I was able to go on a Split this week with the Sister Training leaders!

It seems to counter every great joy there is deep sorrow- On Sunday as we approached the church we encountered one member of our ward in tears. And found out that Schwester Quada, a young sister and her daughter had been killed while they were in Africa. You have to understand that I have been with this lady at least 2-3 days a week for 7 months. I loved her. She was the sunshine that entered the church each week and her bright testimony could be felt by everyone around her. In Relief Society, Schwester Tewes told all the ladies that she had been murdered in Africa, and that sound that followed was heart breaking.

Looking around at those women, as the tears fell from their loving eyes. Watching them hold hands in consolation and pray for each other and comfort one another taught me an important lesson about how we are truly hear to mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort. This ward is one big family, there is so much love here- and as a part of it, I have become a member of this family too. I was being comforted and hugged- sweet ladies wiped the tears from my eyes when they were truly the ones in deeper pain. My friendship with Schwester Quada had only been 7 months- not years and years.

These people are truly special sons and daughters of God. Schwester Emmerlich took me in her arms too and said, "Sister Shurts, everything that God does is good"

That has been my rock these last couple days. If we didn’t trust in God, then the whole world would become dark. The only way that there can be any hope in this life is through Christ. Once we internalize and understand the great plan that our father in heaven has created for us, no goodbye is forever, death losses its sting and light chases away the darkness. I have a testimony that death is not the end; that our purpose here on earth is so that we can live again- because Jesus Christ did. Everything that God does is good. 

Sister Williams and Elder Peatross and me, it is fun to get together with our old district. 

Sister Helmick and me!!! So fun to see my sweet friend!!

The most wonderful sound I’ve ever heard is the sound of water running in the church!

The most wonderful sound I’ve ever heard is the sound of water running in the church!

We had such a crazy week. But it has been the best week of my mission. Besmir Aliaj, a man we have been teaching was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints this weekend!! We arrived at the church early and filled the font you could hear the water running throughout the church. The bishop came in and shook our hands paused and said, “Sisters do you hear that?” I smiled really big and said, “it is the most wonderful sound that I have ever heard”

As we were setting everything up Elder Stout called out, “Besmir is here!”  Sister Davis and I ran to the front. Oh my goodness he looked so happy. He walked in with his cousin and he was glowing, I am not even kidding- he was positively radiating. Sister Tewes gave him his white clothes to get into. I walked by once he was all in white and I am pretty sure part of me died and went to heaven haha. He looked up and smiled at sister Davis and I, a little sheepish and a little scared, but so happy. The members started arriving and we began our meeting in the chapel. Right before I walked in Bruder Roth came up to me and said, “Besmir really makes a good impression today, you can see it in his eyes”  It was totaly true though. I gave a talk about baptism and focused on the fact that this is a step. It is not a destination. How Besmir will now be on his way to coming closer to Christ, but that each week, day, hour is there for us to learn and improve.

 Then we all walked into the Font Room and sat down,  Elder Stout and Besmir walked into the font. Once the witnesses were there Elder Stout said the baptismal prayer and Besmir was baptized! I was so nervous and excited I wanted everything to happen slow motion so that I wouldn’t miss a moment of it. After he was baptized we all went back into the chapel to wait for them to get dressed. When Elder Stout and Besmir came in the chapel it was as if a light went on in the room,  If I said that Besmir was glowing before it was nothing compared to right then. He was wearing a white shirt and tie… which didn’t quite match his jeans, but it wasn’t bad- but he had the biggest grin on his face ever!  The Bishop bore his testimony about the joy Besmirs choice will bring him. As he stood up he also said, “as I was looking into the congregation I saw that Sister Shurts was smiling the whole time, as if Sister Davis had told her a funny joke, But I believe that it is because she is filled with joy.” And that was the moment I knew this was all right- if this is the only baptism I see on my whole mission it would make all 18 months worth it! And I still have a year to go! Man, I cannot wait to see who else will come unto Christ. I cannot believe that the same guy we met on that train station in Febuary is the same man who was baptized today. He has become a new person through Christ.

The next day (Sunday) Besmir came to church in a white shirt and tie, and was just shining. In sacrament meeting Bishop Nabroztky invited him to come to the front of the Chapel where he sat down in a chair and then some Priesthood holders in the Gemeinde came around him and put their hands on his head- and then with the authority of the restored priesthood Bruder Tewes blessed him and he received the holy Ghost. That moment was powerful.  After the blessing he stood up and Bruder Tewes gave him a bro hug, and then in turn each other man in the circle embraced him. That was a holy moment for me, because I saw Besmir as a son of God, as a great strength to the Lord! :D Now we just gotta get him on a mission!

There were so many other things that happened this week, but this was truly the highlight! I know this gospel is true. I have truly experienced the indescribable joy that comes from bringing a soul unto Christ, In Doctrine and Covenants 18: 15-16 it says,

15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

 16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

I love you all so much!

Liebe Grüße

Sister Shurts

From the scribbled notes of a sister missionary

Besmir's Baptism day. Besmir surrounded by missionaries.

Me, Besmir and Sister Davis

This is the cake I made.... sister davis named it, The cake that got run over by a car that we ate anyways. 

Loridanna and Larissa at familie ciu ciu 

First Week of the New Transfer

Well, it has been another eventful week here in Herne!!

Sister Davis and I have been thinking a lot about what goals we want to make for this transfer, and I just get so excited when I think about all the things that could happen I can't pick one specific goal!! haha but i'll get back to you all next week about our goals!

Biggest news for this week is that our Albanian Investigator Besmir Aliaj recieved all the lessons and had his interview and IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!!!!!! :D People... I had no idea that someones elses decision could make me so happy!! This man has willingly made so many changes in his life to follow God. He grew up in Albania where he helped take care of his family. His mother is Catholic and his Father is Muslim, but at a very young age he decided that he wanted to follow christ and although Christians are only 10% of that country he decided to follow christ. He moved to Germany about 7 months ago in search of work, and as we met him in Febuary he said that he really wanted to learn more. Since that moment he has quit smoking and drinking, and committed to so much! It is such a miracle to see the changes that people make in their lives when they turn to Christ.

We are going to have to postpone the dates for several of our other Investigators, just because they are not quite ready yet. Familie Ciu Ciu, needs to go to the City Hall to figure out what papers they need in order to get married! (we are gonna hear church bells in Herne soon!) As soon as that happens though that family is going to get baptized. Now all we are waiting for is for her daughter to get her birth certificate and then travel to Germany! We are praying very hard for Frau Hellhammer, we have not been able to get in contact with her all week, and we are not sure why, which is why we had to postpone her date- keep her in your prayers!

This week Sister Davis and I got to go and visit an old mining museum! It was soo cool, the Ruhr Gebiet in Germany is known for its mining systems. We got to wander around underground and climb onto old mining tools... (not sure if that was allowed.. but nothing said we couldnt...) It was fun to spend a little bit of time just seeing everything. Both sister Davis and I are History nuts, so we were in heaven... but underground haha!

Earlier this week I had a really cool experience, I wanted to do better at contacting people, and so that morning I had made a promise to Heavenly Father before getting up and ready for the day that I would talk to a certain amount of people. We had been out an about all day, and I was tired and we were headed home, and I was one short of my goal. Which was still really good compared to what I had been doing before. But, as we were walking home I pictured myself saying my evening prayer and saying... well Heavenly Father, I almost did it. I really wanted to make the Lord proud and show him that I could live up to my goals. So I told sister Davis that I wanted to klingle one building. So we turned a corner and found a random house. We walked up to the steps and I reached up and pushed the bottom klingle. It buzzed open and so we walked up and there was a man standing at the door. He say us and at first shook his head and in broken English said "no! no interested" I immediately thought of a talk I had just read by Elder Ballard "A fireball missionary starts when an investigator says "No!" So instead of just walking out and counting my contact I asked if at least we could show him a cool video. He shrugged his shoulders so we pulled out our BecauseHeLives cards and he searched it on his phone. While we were waiting for his internet to work I started talking and explaining the video and our purpose here. It was so cool to watch his face- as he changed from being standoffish to more and more interested! And im just like "WOO-HOO GOO SPIRIT!! WORK THAT MAGIC!" haha turns out his internet was way to slow to watch the video right there... but he said that he wanted to learn more- so we got his number, name (Thomas) and gave him a book of mormon!!! :) That was just such a cool experience because it was like heavenly father was testing me to see if I would hold up my end of the deal- and because of that he blessed me with that experience.

Ich liebe euch alle!

sister Shurts

from the scribbled notes of a sister missionary

Here we find Sister Davis in her natural state...

Family!!! I found Zwieback!! just like off Sendung mit der Maus!! as you can tell... i was a little bit more than excited- and made sister davis take a picture in the middle of the store!!! 

And here we find Sister Davis with her little Stickies... haha she is almost as excited as I was about the double toasted bread!

Its a MINE!!! We got to see a little bit of the History of our area.. and as History nuts, sister Davis and I were more than pleased!

and more mine pics

I climbed into a yellow... thing... im sure there is some name for it.. but idk it- and touched the bright red button- sadly nothing happened. 

Needless to say... I have a problem of wanting to climb into things- 

A really cool old bike system they used to pull coal through the mines!

This is the view from the very top of the Zeche (mine)

View from the tower