Missionary or Secret Agent?

Sister Hurst sure is having some wild adventures! Here is her latest story. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

So we parked the other day in a semi-ghetto neighborhood. The S.L.C. Sisters had just called us so we were sitting in out car talking with them. We had quite a long conversation because we needed some information. It was about two o-clock in the afternoon. I was focusing on the phone conversation, when Sister Beckstrand looked at me and said, "Open your door." I looked at her confused and then again she said with more urgency, "Open your Door." Then a third time she said that I reacted and did what she told me. I opened my door.

At the same time that Sister Beckstrand was telling me to open my door, I looked out the car window and saw a young black man, in a dead sprint toward our car. He had in his hand a black purse. Behind him were two other black guys running as fast as they could. The second I opened the car door, it clicked in my mind what was happening. The first man had stolen the purse and he was making his get away. The other two men were chasing him to get it back. So...this is the best part of the story. Because I opened my door I nailed the thief pretty hard. I opened it at the exact second the I should have. He his the door, rolled off and kept running. I slowed him down a lot! The men that were running after him caught up to him and by the time they were out of our sight they were withing 10 feet of the thief. It was a crazy thing. I have replayed that moment in my head over and over again and I can't believe that it actually happened. I have never been involved in crime fighting before. It feels pretty good.

The whole time this is going on the SLC Sisters just kept talking and Sister Beckstrand calmly responded. My heart was pounding of course. We told the Sisters the story and they were wowed by it. One of the Sister said, "Oh how entertaining tracting is." We finished our phone conversation then we drove around the corner to try to locate the family that had been the victims. We found them pretty easily. They were all outside cleaning up the glass. The purse had been in the car, and the car window got bashed out. The family was in the front room of their house so they heard it. That is why they had ran out so quickly and chased down the thief. We found out that the thief had finally thrown the purse in the ditch and kept running. Yea!!!! We told the people about the missionary work we were doing. They said that we could come back, on a better day:) Then they told us to go visit an old lady in the neighborhood, which was a good referral.

Update!

We haven't been very good at updating Sister Hurst's blog while she's been gone but she hasn't been forgotten! She is doing great. We talked to her on Christmas and she was sounding like a southern woman with lots of y'alls and a little bit of an accent. She's currently serving in the Hattiesburg, MS area and says she loves it. She just got a brand new companion so she is training her. We also found out she comes home April 21st! We are so excited! Here are a couple of parts from her letter this week.

I wish it was Christmas again so I could talk to you and tell you of the great things that are happening here. I have so much to write and not very much time because I was reading all the e-mails. Things are going great and I feel like I am starting my mission fresh. I have felt a greeny fire this week that I am so excited about.

My new comp is wonderful. She is freakily like me. Her name is Sister Beckstrand and she is from Centerville, UT. She played softball at Snow College and Rugby at BYU. She has a family of six. She is the second and her older sister served a mission as well. She is a hard worker like me. Very similar family life. Loves sports and people. Happy, here for the right reasons. We are going to have a wonderful time I can already tell. It just meshes.

We just picked up a new branch to work in too. We have a lot of work to do! We are going to go to the Collins branch in a few weeks and see what we can do. We went to a church building in the Jackson area. We sat in meetings with the new missionaries and got to meet the new sisters. Then we took them out tracting. I went with Sister Beckstrand. We knocked on one door and it was an old Baptist woman that let us right in and talked our ear off. She wouldn't even let us get through the first lesson. She was content with her church, just loved having visitors. After we got out of there Sister Beckstrand asked, "What do we do if they are content and happy where they are?" I answered we can't do anything unless they are searching. As I answered her and listened to her MTC experiences it hit me! Oh how much I have learned since I have been here. I am so changed and so different from that little girl that came out a year ago.

We have some good things going here and really have seen miracles in the past week or so. We are hitting the ground running tomorrow! I'll let you know how it goes.

Here she is talking to her fam on Christmas Day!

She's alive!

Sister Hurst sent us an update to post for all those who have been anxiously waiting!

Hey Family and Friends, Just a quick update on me. I can't believe how fast time has gone. I have been in Mississippi for about seven months now. Things are going good. I was in Meridian, MS for 4 1/2 months and now in Richland, MS. Serving God everyday has really changed my life and I have recieved so many blessings. Mississippi is a different kind of place, I'm not going to lie. But it has been super entertaining. I haven't eaten too many crazy things yet, but the basics all the time...Anything BBQ, butterbeans, mac and cheese, corn bread, greens, mashed potatoes, baked beans, ect...

I have had the opportunity to cook a little. Missionary work via the stomache works pretty good. I have taught a few cooking classes at church on Wed. night. I've made a few birthday cakes, and lots of whole wheat bread. Things are going good and I am super happy being here. I find Blanding connections everywhere I go. It is pretty fun. I love you all! Take care. Sister Hurst

Jody and Brandon 10.24.08

This cake was my most intense yet. All the pearl are white chocolate truffles, hand rolled. I recruted my sisters and friends to come and help. I would only do this for my sister! (Love ya Jody!) The wedding turned out fantastic! I was so happy that I got to go. At the reception in Blanding I created a big cake buffet. My sisters were so helpful serving cake all night. We had so much fun! I'm glad that me and my family could share this big event before I head out on my next adventure.

Cami's Creation...literally

This cake has been a work in progress for months now. If you know me, it has my name written all over it. I've been too busy to finish, but finally got the job done. It helps when you have a deadline. I can't believe I'll be leaving on my mission in a week.

Halloween...and Volleyball

This past weekend my high school volleyball team came to Provo for state volleyball. Me, my mom and my sister Erin made dinner for them. It was Halloween so I made some fun halloween cakes. They played so good and ended up taking third at state. It was a fun weekend!

Milia 10.18.08

I can't take all the credit on this cake. It was designed by Snookie Perkins...Milia's mom.

Erin 10.01.08

Cassie 09.13.08

Heidi 07.05.08

This cupcake stand was for my friends Preston and Heidi Hurst! It was for their second reception in Blanding.

Karoline 08.09.08

I did my first big catering job on August 9th. I fed 70 people and made the wedding cake too. Thanks to my family the event was amazing. The bride and groom were very happy. I felt very accomplished when I was through. The bride wanted a low fat, simple cake. I made an angel food cake with a fresh raspberry filling. It was topped off with a layer of chocolate and fresh raspberries. To make it even more exciting it was the groom's 52nd birthday, so it was a birthday/wedding cake. Fun!

I just wanted you all to know that I am going to retire from cake decorating for a eighteen months. I received a mission call on Saturday! I am going to the Mississippi, Jackson Mission, and speaking English. I go into the MTC November 12. I am super excited! I'm going to keep doing cakes until November so keep posted!

Diana 08.07.08

This cake was made at Flour Girls and Dough Boys Bakery. I also work for them decorating cakes. The other cake decorator, Jessie, piped all details. I did the fondant and the some of the other decorating. So I can't take all of the credit. I just wanted to put it on my blog to show you all because it is such an interesting, amazing cake.

Kaylee 07.17.08

Emily 07.17.08

Cami's Cake! 06.20.08

Okay Everyone! Get ready...this is going to be fun! I decided to design a cake myself. This is the result of my first day's work.

Because this cake is my toy I am going to keep adding details and playing around with it. Stay updated for future updates on this wild cake!

Whitney 04.28.08

Leah 05.31.08

Kelly 06.12.08

Made at Flour Girls and Dough Boys Bakery

Katie 05.03.08