Sunshine and Answered Prayers

Hello Family and Friends!

I am wearing my light coat, because
it is 43 degrees! That is Hot!

     I hope you are having a wonderful week.  Are you staying warm?  This week has been so strange it started off cold then out of no where it was hot!  Positive 43 degrees!  Whoa! Sister Callister and I were sweating!  We walked around half the day not even wearing coats!  I promise you after living in the wonderful land of Minnesota you will never hear me complain about Utah Winters again, because I can promise you... it could be worse!  Now in the same week we had a "Snow Day."  Minnesota never has "Snow Days" but because it was so hot, everything was melting, then that turned to ice and then it snowed about 6 inches of snow on top of that.  So what did that leave us with?  HORRIBLE roads!  So once again our cars got grounded.  This is the strangest mission.  I never expected I would get grounded so much on my mission.  The good thing is we are so close to our proselyting area we are able to walk to campus and then still be able to teach people.  Another plus side about being on a campus, people still have to go to school so there are always people to talk with.  

This is the Snow Day!

     Before I get started on the good stuff I have a quick story for you!  Now picture this!  It is a wonderful day outside, about 30 degrees.  The sun is shining down melting all the snow.  It is looking like it is going to be a good day.  Sister Callister and I just finish our prayer and are ready to get started.  We then start strutting down the street and I am ready to talk to the world nothing can stop me, when all the sudden.... VRRROOOMMM! SPLASH!  A semi truck drives past and covers me in melty, slushy, snow!  I couldn’t  help but laugh!  What the heck!  I turn and look at Sister Callister she didn't even have a drop on her.  Luckily we were close enough to the institute and I was able to go dry off.  I couldn't believe it.  I have only seen that stuff in movies.  Who knew that could actually happen!  Sorry I should have taken a picture... Next time!  Ha

I<3 Sister Callister!
(this is not a typo it means I heart...)

Anyways Mission Life! :)

     The start of the week was wonderful.  The warm weather really lifted my spirits!  It’s amazing what a little vitamin D can do!  I was so happy and it was a lot more fun to share the gospel with others.  Lately, I feel like this cold weather has really been getting to me.  Almost like, I have been lacking faith.  I start to think to myself, "It is too cold.  No one wants to listen to us.  Everyone is in such a hurry.  I don't want to bother them."  

     All these crazy thoughts are getting in my head when this is never something that I would normally think.  This has been something that has really been bothering me the last couple of weeks.  I started making lots of goals to help me overcome it.  I wanted to know how I could be more effective and how I could be better and enjoy the work I am doing.  This week was amazing!  I had so many different experiences that were able to help me.  It made me realize how Heavenly Father really is aware of us and he is able to answer our prayers.  I was able to see my prayers answered all throughout the week.

     First I was able to receive a letter in the mail from my sweet mother.  First of all I love getting mail! Nothing lifts your spirits more then receiving postage in the mail!  Yes!  I got a letter from her and in it she printed off a copy of Sisar Elise Curtis' blog post, The Finnish Line.  I love whenever I am able to get these because it is cool to see my Sisar (cousin) experiencing the same thing as me.  So in this specific letter she talks about making "Friends"

(Mom will you copy that paragraph here?) :)  

This is an excerpt from Sisar Elise Curtis

AND THEN, this is the last thing about Mrs. Incredible, she asked us if we had any other FRIENDS like her that were learning about the church. That completely opened my eyes. Obviously, we always talk to members and other missionaries about our INVESTIGATORS. Were they in church? How did the lesson go? Etc etc. And then it hit me, investigators are our friends. Which changed my perspective on finding. It's not so much about FINDING INVESTIGATORS (which is hard and intimidating) but it's about MAKING FRIENDS. Which I can do. And I love doing. I don't know why this new perspective has helped me so much. And I don't know why I didn't realize it earlier. Anyway, last night was a reassurance that THIS is exactly where I am supposed to be. And I love it. I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT. And I love you. Have a happy week!!

          This was exactly what I needed to hear!  It amazing how Elise was able to answer my prayer, and then how my mom was also able to answer my prayer by sending this to me.  I know without a doubt that the Lord is aware of each and every one of us no matter what we are going through.  Reading Elise's letter made me realize that I have been taking things too seriously.  I have been way too formal.  I then got to thinking about myself when I was up at Utah State.  I would have never talked to someone if they stopped me and instantly started asking me a bunch of religious questions.  I would have got out of there really quick.  But if someone came up to me and asked me how my day was going, what I was studying or even complemented me on something I was wearing, I would definitely stop and talk to them.  It really is way easier to make "friends" then to find new investigators. (Wise words from one of my favorite people. :) 

Sister Training Leaders (STL's) Sister Fawcett and Sister Shurtz both when to Utah State!

     Then that very next day Sister Callister and I were able to go on exchanges with our Sister Training Leaders (STL's).  I was able to go with Sister Fawcett and Sister Callister was with Sister Shurtz.  The day they came over was one of the days that our cars were "grounded" Sister Fawcett and I were supposed to go to her area, New Brighton.  But because of the snow we were able to stay in Dinkytown and work on campus. 

Sister Fawcett and Sister Curtis

     Sister Fawcett is amazing!  She is from Riverton and she went to Utah State.  We have a lot in common and we are already planning on living in Logan together.  I really loved the opportunity that I had to work with her.  She was another answer to my prayers.  It was amazing to watch her talk to everyone on campus.  She was so friendly to everyone she met, she was super outgoing, easy to talk to, relatable and really down to earth.  She was exactly what I have been setting goals to become.  My favorite thing about working with her was that it was fun!  She got to know everyone that we met and then was able to share her testimony about our church and why it has blessed her life.  I couldn't help but just sit back and smile because in that moment I realized that I have been so caught up in the "job" that I haven't been enjoying all of the amazing people that I have been able to meet.  Ever since, I have truly seen a difference in myself.  I feel like I have been so stressed with the new area, my new companion and the new people that I forgot why I am even here.  I am here because I LOVE the gospel and I want to share it with others.  I truly am in the best area and I know and feel that I will be able to truly embrace it!  All I'm going to do is make "Friends".

Taco Time (we are making tacos)

Here is a quick investigator (Friends) update!

Eva: I absolutely love her.  She is the sweetest girl. This week we were able to have 3 lessons with her.  We have really been focusing on getting her fellowshipped and getting her friends in the ward.  It has been going wonderful.  Every lesson we have we are able to get members to.  She was even invited to a Birthday party Saturday night with most of the ward.  I feel like a proud parent!  I am so excited to see my baby fitting in and making friends AND she is getting baptized on March 8th!  Man Eva is amazing!  It is so awesome to see her testimony grow.  I know that this gospel is going to bless her life and I know that in this ward she is going to make friends that she will remember for the rest of her life.

Ashley: She is awesome.  We were able to have another lesson with her this week about the Plan of Salvation. She really liked it and she liked that fact that she actually knows why it is that we are here on earth. There is a purpose.  She won't commit to baptism yet. She wants to learn more which is completely understandable and we are glad that she is being honest.  She wasn't able to come to church this week because she had a fundraiser that she had to be a part of but she was able to come to the Linger Longer after church.  There she was able to meet a bunch of new people who invited her to FHE and some other activities that will be going on this week.  Friendships. Yes!

Rose: We got to have a lesson with Rose where we were able to go over the Restoration with her and we were able to answer questions that she had about church.  It went really well.  She got to meet some of the institute students and they are all so friendly and outgoing.  She was then able to come to one hour of church yesterday and she loved it.  She told us that she loved it so much she is going to try and get Sundays off work so she can come and learn even more. Wow. These people. :)

Joyi: She is so busy.  She is from Korea, she is taking 18 credits and she owns her own business which is basically run over Skype to people in Korea so because of the time difference she hardly has time to sleep. But she loves this gospel and she loves learning more. She was sick on Sunday but we stopped by her house and were able to share a mini lesson with her.  She is amazing.  We are praying that she will be able to have the time to progress and continue to learn more.

     You already got to hear a little bit in the friends update but this is the most amazing ward!  The people here are amazing!  They are always willing to help us with anything whether it is teaching, giving rides, sending text messages, inviting “friends” to different activities, anything!  They are wonderful!  It is really needed because most of them are recent converts themselves.  They know exactly what it is that the investigators are going through because they have been there before.  It makes me realize that I want to be a good member missionary when I go home!  Fellowship is so important.  Our mission president once said, "Social conversion is just as important as spiritual conversion." 

     I know that this is true.  If people don't feel loved and welcomed in the ward they won't have a reason to come back.  Friends are that extra support that we all need in our lives.  We need to constantly be looking for ways that we can be  better friends.  

     One comment that was made in Relief Society that I thought was interesting was, "Sometimes it is easy to look around at those who aren’t at church and give them a call to see how they are doing and ask what we can do to help. But sometimes those who are there, those who are coming to church, need that same help if not more." 

     I know that as we are more aware of those around us and have that prayer in our hearts to help those around us that the Lord will bless us.  We need to trust in him and know that he will put people in our paths who we can bless and who we can strengthen.

I love you all so much! 

You are all the best! 

Keep being wonderful! 

Stay warm. :)

Love, 

Sister Kendra Curtis

Trying out the campus buses!  Success!!!

What the Heck?

     This is the ward mission leader in her ward.  He came to Utah for his Sister's wedding and offered to take a package back to her.  Jonathan gave him this sweatshirt and told him to wear it the next time he saw her.  That look is just priceless.