Comfort Zones:/

Hey Yall!

So this week was crazy! so busy and never enough time! Spent a ton of time on the phone with members trying to get em to come out. Which worked in our favor because so many people came out with us this week! Love when members want to come hang out with missionaries:) So we went to see some investigators and less actives with em. Had some fun times. 

Also had zone conference this week...man oh man is my mission gonna change starting Feb 23rd! They have decided we no longer have to get 7 hours of tracting a week. Also tons of our other key indicator numbers we try to reach for are gone...because its turned into a number mission. All everyone wants is a number...so change the numbers to ZERO and you can actually go out and work because you love working and you love the people! Someone was thinking when they set this up!:) Hopefully we see some good progress come from all of us getting out of our comfort zones.

Not a whole lot happened this week other than that big news. Its been a good week and very busy! Next week is transfers and were excited to see what happens because we're in a trio and dont know whats gonna happen, but we'll find out Saturday:) My guess is Sister Elliott leaves because President said she might and I also might leave because President is wanting Sister Steadman to train...so guess yall will find out next week:)

One thing I learned this week is "when you are in a slum, unslummping yourself is not easily done"(dr. suess) BUT the Lord is there for you in those slums...LIFE is HARD! things just get in the way of the amazing dreams and aspirations you have. The thing that makes everything better tho is special moments that let you know the Lord and Heavenly Father really are watching out for you and want the best for you! It takes time...but you can see em! Mormon 9:17-21 and I challenge yall to write down a miracle a day that yall see for a week! The Lord is always there!

Love yall!

Sister Durtschi

Mission Miracle! (no Reese's on paper!)

Brayden Hargis:) Best 9 year old eva!

Before:)

After:)

 At the Hargis household yesterday Bro Hargis and I put the kitchen together. Cabinets and counter top (hand made counter top!) and sanded and stained it...did it all. Sister Hargis and my comps worked out!:) haha gotta love serving in a trio (we get stuff done!)

Quote:

"Yo, Bro H you need a hand?"-me

"If I was any other guy I'd say yes...but I'm married and I cant take your hand! But yes, get your butt over here and help!"-Bro Hargis

Mission Birthday!

Hey Yall,

So first off...THANKS for everything this week! Yall have all made my day with all the birthday wishes and that. Thanks for the packages, letters, text, phone calls, flowers, parties, and just everything yall have done! Really made the world so much better! 

My birthday consisted of church, weekly planning and members with lots of cakes! I just love the world lately! But sad day when I am no longer a teenager...cant get away with stupid stuff anymore.hehe

This week we had interviews with president that went great and then we had apartment inspections with the Blacks...greatest couple in the south:) Also ran into a guy tracting that after we explained the Book of Mormon he said "um how do I join yalls church?" so we are excited to see how things go with Cody and his family this week! The south is a rough place to serve a mission...BUT you see so many crazy amazing things everyday that make it totally worth going out and about:) 

Also for news this week...we have a kid with mental problems in our ward and he always does something crazy every week in church. well this week was great! His mom was telling him to stop doing something and he flipped and ran in front of the whole congregation and yells "BISHOP HELP ME!" haha it was so flippin funny because everyone is so use to him and so bishop was just like uhhh whatevs. 

Speaking of BISHOP's! I can finally let the beans out of the bag... CONGRATS to my great dad for being called as bishop! I know its a big calling, just as Uncle Ben says "with great power comes great responsibility" and I know you will do great things! The Lord is always in our lives and is always helping us through anything and everything! You are amazing and I know we are all praying for you! LOVE YOU!

Yall are just the best! I can not express enough how much love i have felt this past week from all of you! I know I have people that care about me. But someone that cares about all of us is our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ! They love us more than anyone and will always show us that love! Always remember that!

Love yall!

Sister Durtschi

Hargis's gave me a surprise bday party:)

White hair at 20!

Sister Race made me a cake:)

Brayden:) Share a birthday week:)

Chloe!

Smith and I had bdays this week:)

Flowers from Ms. H:)

Southern Style

Hey Yall,

What a week! Saw so many people this week! So Ill give yall a rough review of our week:)

Maralyn- the missionaries have been teaching her for a while and she is loving the lessons and everything. Just need her to come to church:)

PJ- Ran into her tracting. She was so awesome and then started talking about her prison time and all this jazz and we got a little sketched out...but then she said she found God through this experience and is willing to study with us:) 

Mary- the missionaries have been teaching her for a while as well. But we only had one lesson left with her and  it was the beloved Law of Chastity lesson:) I actually really like giving this lesson. But while we were giving it she completely agreed with it, cept for the fact that she's been married 3 times and thinks that since she's been married she can sleep with anyone now. hehe gotta clear that one up:) She's a great old lady!

Br'Maria- We were teaching her and her sister (35 years apart) and we were reading the into to the Book of Mormon. Instead of saying Moroni she said Macaroni  and just went on and then at the end she was suppose to say Messiah instead she said Maaaaaammmm:) She's a cute 10 year old:)

We also had the joy of going to Madison Mississippi so Sister Steadman and her trainor (one of my MTC comps) could go to a baptism in Petal. Sister Elliot decided to go with them as well. So i got to stay with the wonderful, amazing, hilarious SISTER FRANDSEN! yes, my last companion! We had such a blast! Like oh man! Never laughed so hard in my entire life! Spent the day tracting and catching up on life:) 

Now is the time for the southern list...are you ready? Well here we go...

Everyone says "scruggle", "screet", "scraight", "go pick your switch", "go get a buggy"

Mississippi is 50 years behind on everything! 

MJM ghetto is totally different from idaho/utah ghetto...its thug!

South is all about football... They would die for their teams! #BAMA

Cooking here is seasoned and fried! All about that beans and rice as well:)

There are trains everywhere in the south!

Everyone and their dog...because everyone has a dog!

All houses have porches that people sit on every night

Mississippi people drive crazier than people in Utah do!

Everyone has jacked up granny gangsta cars! 

Also LAST REMINDER!!! MY BIRTHDAY IS SUNDAY!!!! YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS! :) LOVE YA!

Remember to have fun this week and help someone randomly!

Love ya!

Sister Durtschi

Frandsen and I back together:)

Biggest leaf yall ever did see!

SNOW in MISSISSIPPI?

Hey Yall!

So man has this been a crazy week! The subject of this email is very true! Like to a T! It actually snowed here in mississippi! Its not like Idaho big fluffs of snow...it was just litte flurries! BUT it snowed for a whole day! 

This week we also got to listen to some apostles and such on missionary work, they had a worldwide broadcast about teaching repentance and baptizing converts! It was like a mini general conference for missionaries! LVOE IT! 

So ever since i got to the lovely Vicksburg Mississippi i have been sleeping on an air mattress! I wasnt complaining cuz its a lot better than the floor:) Plus it was a snazzy air mattress not a cheep one! hehe so we were helping a family move out this last week and all their kids are at BYUI so they were getting rid of a lot of stuff. They found out i was sleeping on air:) and decided they would just give us the mattress that the kids didnt need. It was a brand new mattress! I hadnt really cared about the situation but it would have been nice to have a regular bed. The Lord really does answer all prayers even if they arent even said. He knows the desires of our hearts! I was so blessed to have someone care and listen to the spirit! 

Our area is also really ritzy and has lots of amazing houses....tractings not very efficient but we make it work:) Also the Mississippi river is like super flooded so they have water everywhere!

Also just another reminder about writing me for my birthday (Feb 7th) :)  haha i know its obnoxious and all about me...but missionaries love mail, what else can i say;) 

Love Yall!

Sister Durtschi

Homes in Vicksburg:)

Best TRIO yall ever did see:)

Stores of the South!

TRIO

So just thought id update yall on everything that has happened since i email yesterday....lots of stuff has happened. Sooooo..........

I found out i will be going to Vicksburg with Sister Steadman and Sister Elliot...yup thats right I have two companions now! TRIO STATUS! its gonna be a blast! They are both sorta new to the mission stuff so its gonna be a blast to see all the fun explode! This week is gonna be awesome and I cant wait to email yall monday bout our amazing experiences! 

Love Yall!

Sister Durtschi:)

CLOSING Wake Village

Hey Yall!

Well I dont have a lot of time today, but this has been the craziest week of my life! (as a missionary) Let me explain...

Monday- pday and then we had 3 fhe's planned and the last one was with a part member family. The youngest Kayla (12) was totally on board for being baptized and having all the discussions. It totally made our day!

 Tuesday- Day full of members! Like Woah we had 5 members go out with us that day! We went and saw tons of less actives and ate a lot of food:) Also got to see Kayla again!

Wednesday- The day of meetings. We went out with a member that morning, and then had a zone meeting and talked about new changes. Then we had our ward correlation meeting with the members to talk about those we are teaching. 

Thursday- Day full of members again! Cram packed...BUT while we were with a member we get a phone call from the mission president. (UH OH) and he is asking about maybe closing our area. WHAT! they just dont have enough sisters to keep all the areas open as most sister are going home this transfer. Kayla is doing so well in reading and knowing this is true! Also saw Tony again! So happy he's taking this trip with missionaries again and looking at the gospel with "new eyes" as he says.

Friday- Sister Frandsen was so sick! She got a 24 hour stomach bug and man I thought she was gonna die! But she was better by 11:30 that night:)

Saturday- we were so antsy for our phone call the whole day! We didnt get called till 9:45 that night and man was it rough! We really didnt want to hear the word close! BUT we get the phone call and yes, WE ARE CLOSING WAKE VILLAGE! man, thats sad to hear. All of our work and investigators, and everything is gonna be gone. BUT it's ok, we will keep in touch with them.

Sunday- Lots of goodbyes, food, testimonies, Food, phone calls, and FOOD! I think we ate 7 times that day. MAN why couldnt we do this before we were closing!lol Goodbye's are always hard, but you will see them again!

Monday- Today consist of packing, cleaning, saying bye, more cleaning,more packing, and then driving 2 hours to Shreveport to be at tpoint tommorrow at 6am. Its gonna be a great day!

Well as you can see...it's been super hectic, BUT i love it! I love all yall and hope you have the best week in the world! Remember...read the scriptures!

Miss yall!
Sister Durtschi

AND blue bell is BACK!

This is what happens when you switch camera's with an elder for a day:)

Getting run over...typical elders!

2 Weeks Gone

Hey Yall!

Sorry I missed last week, we didnt have a pday so we werent able to email, so sorry:/

Since I missed two weeks, yall gets two weeks worth in one email! Yall are special! So much happend! First CHRISTMAS! was so great! Got to skype Alex on Christmas Eve and then my fam on Christmas as well:) We went over to many members houses and had nerf wars and just had so much fun! then that night we went caroling to a bunch of people and had most would let us in to eat more food...im gonna be in a food coma for weeks!

We also went on exchanges again! Got to go with the wonderful Sister Richards! She goes home next week, so it was bitter sweet to be on one of her last exchanges! We aslo had interviews with president and found out Sister Frandsen will be leaving next week. Oh btw we have transfers next week:)

We also started teaching this guy named Tony Hanning. The sisters taught him a lot before they dropped him. As in 5 teaching records worth, for those of you who don't know, that's a lot. He's much more ready now though, I would guess that it's mainly because he's on his meds now. It really gave me a confirmation that when we say things like, it just isn't their time. Those aren't empty words, their time will actually come.

We've had a lot of discouragement lately as we've had to drop almost all of our investigators, its hard when the only thing holding em back is coming to church. BUT just as in Tony's situation, it is all in timing!

Speaking of time its 2016! what! Time flies! But time can be used for a good thing. The church has put out this fun video about the future and looking at this new year. I encourage yall to watch it!
http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/new-years-look-not-behind-thee?cid=HP_MO_12-28-2015_dPFD_fMRMN_xLIDyL1-A_

I hope yall have a great week and enjoy the many miracles and blessings the Lord provides ya this week:)

Love Yall!
Sister Durtschi

Sisters are the best!

Frandsen and I...we da best in da west...and south:)