Bring light to others!

Hello Family and Friends!

     Oh my goodness today is a crazy day! It isn't a normal P-day because we are going have P-day on Thanksgiving. Since it is a normal work day Sister McCullough and I went and did some service for a lady in our ward. But today is still transfer day. So instead of rushing over to go see who was going where we just asked the Elders to text us and let us know. We got a text from the Elders around 10:15 saying that both Sister McCullough and I were staying together. My first thought was... Hu! I guess that means that we are going to be eternal companions. (Eternal companions means you stay together for more then 3 transfers) I honestly just didn't feel right about it. Not that I don’t want to be with Sister McCullough or that I don’t love Apple Valley because I do. But I had been praying about what was going to be happening this transfer and I specifically prayed that I would feel right about where I would be sent and... I just didn’t feel it. But then I started thinking about it and Sister McCullough and I started talking about it and I was happy. We were going to be spending the holidays together everything would be awesome. So after we finished helping the member, around 1:15, we started heading over to come email. Right as we walked in the library doors, I looked at the phone and we had a missed call.. it was from President Forbes! I hurried and called him back. He answered and then he said, you probably looked at transfers and noticed that you aren't being transferred.. well I am going to change that. Sister Curtis you are going to be going up North, to the Duluth Zone, to a small town named Carlton and you will be opening the area with Sister England. And Sister McCullough, you are going to be training a brand new missionary. 

     WHOA!!! How crazy is that! So I am getting transferred and I am leaving Apple Valley. I am going to be going up North.. BUUURRR! Its really cold up there! But I am super excited because Sister Simpson is going to be my Sister Training Leader! How fun is that! I finally get to serve with her again! I am in shock right now. I did not expect that but I am so excited. I am excited to open another area. This is going to be the 4th area that I will have opened/white washed. But this area is going to be completely different. It is going to be a bunch of small towns and a branch who have been asking for missionaries. I have no idea what is in store but I can't wait to find out!

Our District!

Signs!

Elders doing chicken in the henhouse!

Sister Missionaries!

We got 12 people in
the photo booth!

     As for Apple Valley news, this week was such a great week. We started off with having an awesome Zone P-day. We played lots of games at the church, we even got them to play chicken in the hen house with the whole zone that was super fun. Then of course dodge ball, ultimate frisbee, and even ninja. Then after playing some games at the church we then went and played laser tag which was so much fun. We couldn't do the whole zone though because there were so many people but we split the group in two and we got to play with our whole district which was really fun.

Sister Tingy

Sister McCullough and Me!

Our Zone!

We had so much fun!

     Khalia got baptized this week! It was super exciting we had a bunch of awesome lessons with her this week. She bore her testimony a couple times and just told us how excited she is to be baptized. We then called her the night before her baptism and we had a little mini lesson over the phone. We just told her how happy we were for her and how we knew that she was making such an amazing decision. She was really glad that we called her and told us that we would see us at the baptism. 

Khalia at her baptism!

     The baptism was going to be at 3:00 so Sister McCullough and I went early so we could fill the font. When we got there we realized that there were some cars in the parking lot so we thought to ourselves.. oh no I hope they remembered to reserve the building. Then we went inside and there was a baby shower all of the food and stuff was right in front of where we go to watch the baptism. Oh no! We then went to tell the people in charge and they were like oh ya when it is time we will just scoot some of the stuff over.... Uhh okay. So we were kind of freaking out because that would be super weird and awkward if everyone just marched in during the baby shower and then went back. We were able to have our ward mission leader come help us and his wife went and talked to them and we were able to have them move everything to the other side of the gym. So other then that everything else went great. 

     It was a really good service and the talk that was given was awesome. Then afterwards Khalia was able to bear her testimony and share her feelings and it was also very powerful! Then the next day she received the Holy Ghost and that also was an amazing experience. The brother who gave her the blessing was truly a mouth piece for God. He said things about her that he would have never known but did because he was talking thought the spirit. I am so happy for her and I am so grateful that I was able to be here for her baptism. It is my most favorite thing about being a missionary. To watch the progress others make as they strengthen their relationship with Christ. We were able to give her a testimony journal full of the testimonies of members of the ward and from us congratulating her on her wonderful decision. It turned out really good and she loved it. It will hopefully be something that she will be able to look back on and it will remind her of that special day.

     This week we had a super awesome miracle. We were going to head home a little early so we could put together that book for Khalia but then all the sudden I felt that we needed to go knock somewhere but I had no idea where to go. It was totally one of those "should we go left or right"moments. We were able to stop and at the third door we knocked on they invited us in. It was a young family with 3 kids and they were Catholic. They were super nice and interested in what we had to say. After we taught them the restoration they had more questions it started leading into the plan of salvation. We asked them if we could come back some other time and share more with them about the plan. They said yes we are going to be seeing them Tuesday and they are going to feed us dinner. It was super awesome to see how the Lord knew that they were ready and prepared. If we wouldn’t have listened we wouldn’t have met them. I am grateful we followed the spirit. 

     We also were able to see the lady from last week, the one who had met with missionaries before. She is super nice but has a ton of questions. She has just read so much anti stuff,  but it is really cool because when we talk it isn't contentious and the spirit is there and it is a really good experience. The sisters will probably keep teaching her. One day... :) Great things are happening her in Apple Valley I am excited for Sister McCullough and her new companion.

     Yesterday, transfers were weighing heavy on my mind. I just can't believe that I only have 2 transfers left. I knew that the next place I would be going would probably be the place I would spend the rest of my mission. I was praying and fasting that as I received transfers I would feel right about it. It was funny because everyone was saying goodbye to me at church. They all assumed that I was going to be leaving because the ward still needs Sister McCullough to help sign for Brother Lyles. So there were some rumors going around that I would be leaving but it wasn’t for sure. After church we went to the Relief Society meeting so we could talk with the presidency about who we had been working with and who was on our mind. Then of course transfers got brought up, they started talking about how I would probably leave. A lot of them were sugar coating it saying that maybe the President wouldn’t move anyone because of the holidays, then all the sudden Sister Gretz, a member that I love and respect so much got teary eyed and said, “Most likely Sister Curtis will leave the other areas need good missionaries  also. We can't hog them all, and Sister Curtis, you really are a good missionary.” I started getting teary eyed. I don't know why I have moved around so much but I am so grateful that I have. I have met so many amazing people. People who I will never forget, who have strengthened my testimony and who have made an impact on my life forever. I love this gospel. I love that Heavenly Father has a specific plan for each and everyone of us. I know that as we trust him, we will be able to see what His plan has in store for us. :)

Chuck and Family

     Last night, we went and stopped by a less active family that loves missionaries we usually try to see them once a week but we haven't been able to see them for a while. We knocked on the door and Chuck opened up and said, Oh my goodness! Not even 5 minutes ago I just asked my wife what happened to our girls. And here you are. They are super awesome they are both from Utah and come from active families, they have colorful paths and later found Christ and now go to a different church. They are truly so welcoming. We love coming over and visiting them. They have such a strong faith in Christ and they know that he is real. It just goes to show that their is truth everywhere and their is amazing people. He is so wonderful and he loves us. He always sings us songs or reads us poems that he writes. They are all about Christ and they are so touching. He said one things to us last night that really hit me. Chuck said he has no doubt that he has talked to angels before. Angels come and angels go and they always have a message. It makes me wonder about the two of you. Then as we left their house last night he gave both of us a little angel of our own that we can have to always remember him by. 

     I was so grateful and that was exactly what I needed to hear. We are all angels in someones life. We are only there for short moments but the message we share can be life changing. Look for those moments in your life, especially with the Christmas season right around the corner. We all can make a difference. But the only way to bring light to others, is to glow yourself. 

I love you all so much!

 Happy Thanksgiving and 

almost Merry Christmas! :)

Wish me luck up NORTH!!

Love, Sister Kendra Curtis

Brother Lyles

Mallory

Saying goodbye is so hard!

Karen

Sister Ekanem

Sister Young and her "Brown Bag Fudge"

My best friend Nathan!