I was Praying for a Halloween Costume!

Hello Family and Friends!

     Happy Halloween!  I can't believe Halloween is in three days!  AND!  I can't believe my family isn't having a Halloween party... how sad but I understand.  Kids grow up and then think that they are too good for family parties.  Been there done that, but now I know that family is the best! 

Look at the Halloween Decorations

     Also, here is a little fun fact for all of you!  So guess what!  Guess where Trick-or-Treating was invented!?  Anoka, Minnesota!!!  How great is that!  I wish I could tell you more about it but honestly I don't know.  The only way that you really can find out anything in this world is via Google.  Look it up!  I bet its an awesome story!

Raking leaves!!! "Service Sticks"

     So Mission work!  Its still great as ever but this week we were kind of frustrated with our area!  Don't get me wrong I love Shingle Creek and I love all the people that we meet.  That is the hard thing, we meet so many awesome people and we have these amazing lessons with them where the spirit is so strong but then we are never able to get back in with them.  The African people are so busy.  They are always working and are hardly ever home so it is really hard to help them progress.  So this week Sister Ballif and I used a lot of our time trying to find all the amazing people who we have lost contact with and get back in touch with them.  Doing that has been great.  It reminds me of the parable of the lost sheep.  God loves all of his children and he rejoices when we help find those "lost sheep." 

http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/jesus-declares-the-parable-of-the-lost-sheep?lang=e ng

     Prince Charles: He is one of those lost sheep.  We had one of the most amazing lessons with him about a month ago.  He felt the spirit so strong and talked about how he had seen our church back in Liberia.  That is the most beautiful church, with a big white steeple.  Then he talked about how he loves the symbol of the white point going straight up to heaven.  We were so sad that we were never able to get a hold of him again.  BUT, we got to see him this week!  He is absolutely amazing!  But so busy.  He works a full time and a part time job, goes to school, has a wife and two children, one who is only 1 month old.  He truly has his hands full but he loves the gospel he wants to learn as much as he can but, honestly just doesn't have the time.  We were able to have a restoration lesson with him and set up another time to meet with him for only 15 minutes.  He wants to make time for this because he knows and can feel the importance.  It was a miracle that we were able to contact him again and that we got to have a lesson with him.  We are going to need another one to help him progress with the little time that he has.  But I know that the Lord will help if we ask!  He is already showing faith by using the only spare time that he has to meet with us I know that something amazing will happen with him.

Halloween Party with Tamara

     Tamara: Friday night was the ward Halloween party and we felt like we should go over to Tamara's house and invite her to come.  We then went and asked one of the young women, Megan, to come with us to pick her up. (She turned 16 in February...! Just like my Megan!)  When we drove over to Tamara's house and asked her to come, she was so excited.  Then at the Halloween party she had a good time and knew one of the other investigators.  After the party Megan went to take her home but Tamara was locked out of her house.  Megan then invited her over to another young women's house, Lidia, to hang out and watch a movie.  We were so excited because she is finally getting that fellowship that we have been praying for.  Megan then texted us after the movie told us that they all had a great time!  Friendship!  Then yesterday we had a lesson with Tamara and Megan in the chapel about the Book of Mormon.  The spirit was so strong and it was great to have Megan there and have her share her testimony of how the Book of Mormon has blessed her life.  Tamara has a baptismal date again for November 30! Yea!

Favorite Family Brother and Sister K dressed like the Hunger Games 

This is the cutest baby ever at the Ward Halloween Party

Samelle is in the pink

     Samelle: The sweetest little girl!  Her dad brought her and her friend to the ward Halloween party but they didn't have any costumes.  She is the happiest most positive girl you will every meet and she told everyone that she was a jogger because she only had sweats on.  Long story short.  Sister Ballif and I had 2 princess costumes for one of our investigators but they didn't end up coming so we gave the costumes to Samelle and her friend.  She was soooo excited and ran to the bathroom to put it on and it fit like a dream!  She then came up to us and said  "How did you guys know?  I wanted a costume so bad and I was praying for one for Halloween and you answered my prayers, Heavenly Father answered my prayers!  Thank you so much!!" That just about broke my heart!  I love that at such a young age she is able to recognize the power of prayer in her everyday life.  I wish we all could be like children.  They truly do have such strong faith! 

How did you know I wanted a costume so bad?

     Bishop: We had dinner at the Bishop's house and then we went through the ward list with him.  They have probably 300 people in ward and more than half of them are less active.  More Lost Sheep!  This made me start to think about my home ward.  I wonder how many less actives there are and what I could do to help them come into activity. You all know about Greg and Kristi B.  Kristi was a less active and came back into activity and then Greg later joined!  They always had visiting teachers and home teachers who would always come and check on them to see how they were doing. Those little acts of service always stuck with them.  We need to look for those little ways to serve because "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass." 

     The other day in personal study I came across a scripture Alma 26:12, 

     "Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." 

     I loved reading this scripture because it is exactly how I feel. I know that there is no way that I could do this work without the Lord's help.  When I turn to him I am blessed to witness "Many Mighty Miracles."  I am so grateful to be on a mission at this time it truly is a blessing and I am so blessed to be here in Minnesota!  I love the people here, especially in Shingle Creek, but I know that I need to make every second count!  I only have 16 months left! (Almost 15..)

I love you all thanks so much for everything! :):)

Love Sister Kendra Curtis

Look Mom another gnome!

P.S. Challenge

Who can mail me the best CD! :) haha

Rules. 1) Only hymns or primary songs 

           2) Can't have a "beat"

We only have one CD in our car and we have over played all the songs. 

We really need some new music. "Help a Sista' Out"