"Fine I'll go to your Church!"

Hello Family and Friends!

     How are you all doing?  I am doing great!  I love Minnesota so much!  I am getting excited because it is almost fall.  I hear that fall is the most beautiful time of the year, but.... it's really short.  I am getting really nervous for the winters but, if I keep the spirit with me it will warm my soul! :)

Seeing Sister Simpson again

     This week was awesome, so much happened!  First... Sister Ballif and I sunk to a new low this week.... we went tracting in the Walmart parking lot!  It was mostly a fail.  Everyone we talked to was super freaked out as to why two girls were following them, after a lot of rejection we went and talked to a Walmart worker who was waiting for a ride home, his name was Alfred.  He was great and was really interested, but when we got his information we found out that he wasn't in our area.  So we had to refer him to other missionaries, but its okay!  At least he still gets to learn more.

     This week we also had New Missionary Training with the Mission President.  They used to have the meeting in the mission home but now there are so many missionaries that we have to do it in the chapel.  It was really fun because I got to see all the new missionaries from the MTC and the ones who were on the plane with me. 

Sister Curtis and Sister Mansfield

     This week I went on an exchange with the Sister Training Leader.  Her name was Sister Mansfield, she is serving in Eden Prairie.  Her area is Beautiful!  We also taught a ton of awesome people.  We taught a lady Sister Betty and her 18 year old daughter Trinity.  They are African-American women.  The mom is already baptized and the daughter is going to be baptized next week.  We read the For Strength of Youth pamphlet with them and let them choose the topics, it was an awesome lesson and it was cool to see them use the pamphlet.  Then after we said the closing prayer and were getting ready to leave Sister Betty came up to me and told me that I was beautiful and that I brought such a beautiful spirit to their home.  Then she asked if my hair was real and if she could feel it... ha how funny is that?  So hey I let her feel my hair.  Why not? :) 

     The next day we went tracting.  It was very different from Shingle Creek.  In my area everyone is so nice and is willing to listen to what we have to say, but in Eden Prairie, they are rude and slam the door on you.  Ha!  Now I can say that I have experienced that.  Anyway we were tracting and we didn't talk to a single person.  Everyone we met shut the door on us.  We also kind of got lost but just figured we would go knock on this one door because the garage was open so we figured that they would be home.  We knocked on the door and a lady came and answered it.  We introduced ourselves and asked her how she was doing today, she gave us two thumbs up and invited us in.  Then she insisted that she get us some water.  She was so nice we were really surprised!  This was the complete opposite of what we had all day.  Then she started telling us that our church has done so much for her nephew and that he and his wife just got baptized and that they are so happy.  Then she said she was sorry because she wasn't going to convert and that if we were going to try that we would just be waisting our time.  So of course, we decided to stay.  Without her even realizing it she was saying everything that we believe.  She was such a Christlike women. We even taught her most of the restoration and she didn't even realize it.  One thing she said that I really liked was "Rejection is the Lords Protection”.  
     Sister Mansfield then asked her a question, "If God told you that something was true and then put it right in front of you would you except it?" 

     Then she said,  “Well of course”,  and then started rambling.  Then all the sudden she realized what she said and then looked at us and then at our name tags and said, “Fine I'll go to your church!  You talked me into it.  Where is it?”

     Then we said whoa?  We didn't even ask you.  You invited yourself to come to church.

     Then she laughed and said,  "Well, the Lord must really want this for me."  It was such an amazing experience and the spirit was so strong in her house and in that moment I realized that no matter where I go I will always love the people.  I will always want to help them come closer to Christ.  She is now meeting with the Eden Prairie missionaries and I am so jealous, Sue Wonderlick is such an awesome lady.

     After that lesson Sister Mansfield told me that she was really impressed with my teaching and that was such a comfort to me because I wasn't sure if I would be able to teach well with another companion but this exchange really helped me get over that fear.

     While I was on the exchange Brother Brueshaber committed to being baptized on September 28th!  How exciting is that!  We get to meet with them tonight and I am so excited.  This is going to strengthen their family so much and really help them feel unified.
 

How funny that she took a picture?

     Okay now listen to this crazy story!  So I was back with Sister Ballif and we went to go to an appointment but it ended up falling through so as we were getting ready to leave I saw the cutest blue house.  It looked like something that should be on Pinterest.  So I said "Hey! Lets go try that house!" So we did and I was so excited to see who lived there and share the gospel with them. We knocked on the door and this skinny man probably in his 60's with strawberry blonde hair answered the door with a smile.  Then he looked down at our name tags and got so MAD!  It was a complete flip of a switch.  He told us that we were crazy and that we were spreading errant teachings.  We asked him what it was that he didn't agree with and he went on a rant!  A rant I tell you!  He does not like the Mormons.  He thinks that we are crazy because we think that we can all be Gods.  He says that he reads from the Bible.  Then he said that the spirit world is crazy.  As he was going off I was just staring at him with this, “You Have Got To Be Kidding Me Face”.  When all the sudden he stops, looks at me and says, "Sister Curtis I can see now that your are doubting your faith and..." 

     Whoa!  I cut him off real quick!  I said, "Not at all!  I am amazed at how angry you are at us when we haven't said anything to you." 

     Then Sister Ballif said, "She isn’t doubting anything. She is actually really new on her mission and is amazed at how rude you are because she has never seen anyone act like you are.  Let me ask you a question.  How did Christ act when he talked to others who didn't agree with Him?" 

     Then he said, "You’re right He wouldn't be mad at your flesh he would be mad at your spirits because, they are corrupted by Satan!" WHAT!  Who says that? 

     So I said, "You're mad at my spirit?!" Then he threw up his hands and tried to cast the Devil out of us!  (Now I can say that I have have had the  Devil cast out of me).  After he did that Sister Ballif asked if she could say a prayer.  She said the most powerful prayer and it was so kind. Then he didn't have anything to say... We gave him a momron.org card and left.  Wow!  What an experience.  Some people are so angry.

     Well that's all I have time for.  I want to leave you all with a scripture. 2 Nephi 2:5-6

5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a landof promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.

6 Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

Denise playing with my necklace

Blowing kisses!!!

Plan of Salvation FHE  

     This is a scripture that the Africans can really relate to.  It helps them to realize that God loves them and that He is helping them.  
     I know that being able to relate to the scriptures and seeing how it applies to you can help you gain a testimony.  I know that is how I gained my testimony.  I always had a hard time reading the scriptures because I felt like I was just reading a story.  When I was able to put myself in the different situations and ask myself what would I do? That was when I really started to understand the Book of Mormon and the power that it has.  I love this gospel and the happiness it brings me.  I know that it is true and I love helping others realize it for themselves.

I love you all so much!

Don't forget to pray and read your scriptures! :)

Love Sister Kendra Curtis

Mexico Independence  Day

I got the Nascar Shirt dad sent me!