Super District

Hello Family and Friends.

     I don't have much time to write this week because we have district P-day but things are going great.  I am just going to go right ahead and get started with all of the awesome things that happened. 

My favorite Elders, Berry and Vargas

     I am really enjoying this transfer.  We have a bunch of awesome people that we are working with. I am really grateful for our district leader, Elder Berry and his companion Elder Vargas.  They are so awesome.  We had the best district meeting this week.  He makes it really fun and it is great because you can really see that he loves what he is doing and he wants to be able to help us in our areas.  He wrote on the board, "Super District" and said how we are all helping others and saving lives.  He mostly just wanted to do that because his mom sent him some super hero masks and he hasn't found a reason to use them yet.  It was so funny.  He also gave us these super awesome charts that we can use when we are out teaching.  It is a great visual to help others see the patterns that God works in.  It has been working great. 

     So one day this week Sister Noe and I were out knocking doors.  We went and we were talking to the sweetest old lady.  Then all of the sudden some girl came up in the middle of us talking to her and she was a Lutheran missionary from a local church.  What the heck.  She totally came up in the middle of us talking and introduced herself to the lady and then asked us if we would talk to her.... Okay.  So we did.  We walked around and we talked to each other about who we were and where we were from.  Her name is Sophia and she was born a Lutheran and knows that it is the true church.  She has lived all over the world doing many different kinds of missionary work with her family.  She is only 17 years old.  Holy cow, she acts like she is in her 30’s.  It was really cool though because after she told us a little bit about herself we were able to teach her the first lesson.  We told her all about Jesus Christ, the great apostasy and Joseph Smith.  She has a lot of things that she doesn't quite agree with but she wants to meet with us again and learn more.  Sweet!  I am just going to take a wild guess but I am pretty sure that when her dad finds out that she is meeting with us he won't be very happy. 

     This week we were were able to finish up Stacy's house.  We finished painting and it looks great.  She is super grateful for the help the ward was and I think it has been able to soften her heart a little.  She is more open to meeting with us and learning with us which is good because we are putting most of our focus on her instead of Sophia.  We really want Stacy to come back to church and to be there with her daughter.  We can't wait to see what will happen with this little family. 

Finally done painting!

     This week we were able to start teaching a Native American mom and her 7 kids, almost 8.  She has been investigating the church for about 3 months now.  The Elders were teaching them but now Sister Noe and I are going to try and teach them.  We are going to try and see if we will be able to help her open up more and help her so she will be able to meet more of the sisters from the Relief Society.  So far things are going great. We have been able to get some new sisters there that she hasn't met before and we have been able to really get the kids engaged.  The kids are amazing!  They love coming to church and they love the people who are their.  We are really excited for them.  They are heading down the right path.  I will tell you more about them next week. 

     Guess what!  Eva is going to get her Patriarchal blessing next week!  I am so excited for her!  She is so wonderful!!

Eva and Kim came to the Presidents Fireside

YSA reunion: Sister Pao, SIster Huang, Elder Hicken, 

Elder and Sister Soelberg, and Niay

I miss the YSA ward!

Elder Burts last transfer

     This week throughout my studies something I have been coming across a lot is the pure love of Christ.  In Moroni 7:48 is says, 

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen." 

And a couple verses before is says, 

"Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him." 

     I feel that charity or love is the most important Christlike attribute.  I feel that as we are able to love others and ourselves, then everything else almost comes naturally.  This is something that I continually pray for.  It is easy for me to love others who I haven't met before.  It is easy for me to see the good in them and to hope that one day they will have something more.  But I have realized that it can be a struggle for me to have that same love for others who I know a little better.  It is sometimes frustrating to watch those we love and care about make decisions or choices that we know won't do them any good. 

     I have been trying to be filled with Christ like love, in those moments of frustration, I try to pause for a moment, because if anyone knows me they know that I can get a little snappy and that tends to get me into trouble.  But I pause for a moment and I think to myself, How does the Savior feel about this person?  The answer is always the same.  He loves them.  The Saviors is so patience and loving to each of us.  The least we can do is show that some kindness to those we are around.  

     I hope that when others look at me they will be able to know that I am a true follower of Jesus Christ.  That I am some one who represents Him by what I do and say.  Someone who shows the same love that He would.  I know that I can't do it on my own but as I continually pray and ask for help and support that it can be given to me.  I am so grateful for Jesus Christ and for the hope that he brings to us.  I know that it is never to late and that there is always time for change!

Love, Sister Kendra Curtis

Dinner with the Stacey's 

Lake Harriet

These are the best doughnuts!

Early Birthday cake!  I made it myself!
(yes this girl does get pretty excited for her Birthday)