A week in Duluth!

Hello Family and Friends! 

     I have had a wonderful week in Duluth with Sister Simpson. It was everything we imagined! ha! But really I love that girl so much! We are such good friends it’s almost bad! Its really cool to see how much we have grown and changed from the time that we were in the MTC. The only thing that was kind of sad is that Sister Simpson has mono right now. She has had it for a couple of months now. It’s sad because she is such a hard worker and a really good missionary but she can’t do everything that she wants to because she is always sick and tired. She had to sleep quite a bit. Poor girl. But it was kind of a blessing for me because I got to have a lot of time to study. I am trying to finish the Book of Mormon before I go home and it’s has been going really good. So that has been a little blessing in disguise. But besides that Sister Simpson and I have had so much fun together! It’s fun that the Lord made it possible for us to be together. We have decided that we are official companions now because we have been with each other for 3 and a half weeks. We are going to change back with the other sisters on Wednesday because that is when our district meeting is. This week long exchange has been fun but also a little strange. As much as I love Sister Simpson, I can't wait to get back to my area and to be with Sister England again. I really do love Carlton and I love the people there. :)

     As for Carlton, I have only heard a little bit. Trevor is doing good. He opened up to the sisters about some word of wisdom problems and was able to get a priesthood blessing to help him stop. He is continuing to meet with the sisters 3 times a week and things are going good. They pushed back his baptism date to February 7th to better prepare himself. I am excited for him!

     David got the priesthood at church on Sunday and the Meet the Mormons showing is still going to be a big hit! The sisters were able to get the flyers mailed out to all the members. It’s going to be interesting to see just how many people actually end up coming. The Duluth ward is going to be having their own showing as well so we were able to talk to the bishop and tell them a little about how we are doing it. That will be good to have more people see it. The thing I really like about it is how we are turning it into a missionary opportunity. Not only are the members excited to see it for the first time but it helps them to branch out to others. I am really excited for Friday!

Dinner with a cute family!

Taco Bell with  a member!

     One thing that I have found that I think is super funny is every time I am told that I am getting transferred or that I have to leave an area, I get super bitter inside. I hate goodbyes. I really grow to love the people I serve and I don't want things to change. But then I get to the new area and I grow to love the people there just as much! That is exactly what happened here in Duluth. I was sad because my heart was is Carlton but then I got to meet the members and the investigators and I love them! I am really fortunate to have met all the people that I have here in Minnesota. 

Whitney - another amazing person I met in Minnesota!

     We were able to have a lesson with a girl named Libby. She is 11 years old and isn’t baptized with the rest of her family. She is just a little more stubborn and wants to make the decision to be baptized on her own in her own time which is great!. We were able to meet her and she is so funny! She says the funniest things and is super smart. In our first lesson we talked about repentance and baptism. We had her wear a backpack full of books and then showed her how repentance works. We took out one book at a time. Then we showed her how baptism works and we took the whole backpack away from her and told her about how baptism really is like a fresh start. She really liked the lesson. Then at the end we asked he if she would be baptized and she said yes. It was super neat. Her family was all very surprised. It was cool because she said it without hesitation, it’s like she had already made up the decision in her mind. She is preparing to be baptized on February 14th. 

     Then for our second lesson we had a super awesome lesson. We want to keep her lessons very entertaining because she gets bored really easy. So I had this great idea to use shaving cream and to draw out the plan of salvation on it. She loved it! She was paying attention the whole time and then at the end she was able to to draw it out herself. It was really fun and she is really excited for baptism. She told us that she wants to be in the sun forever with her family. She is so awesome! I love her! Hopefully I will be able to go to her baptism!

Libby drawing the Plan of Salvation with shaving cream.

     We got to meet a lot of awesome members here in Duluth. The Duluth ward is HUGE! We actually got to cross the boarder a couple times to go over to visit some members in Wisconsin. We went over to one members house and just helped them out with some things around the house. One of them included walking the dog. (#embark #no pun intended) It’s really strange walking a dog but hey we are here to help. No matter what it may be. Members really appreciate it since it is -20 outside. Someone has to do it!

Sister Simpson serving!

Service walking a dog #embark #nopunintended

     There is a lot of cool YSA people that are here in Duluth and it was fun to meet then and to teach them. There is also a really cool institute class that the YSA get to go to and we are invited as well. Something that would be really hard about being a YSA up here is there aren’t very many. It’s hard to stand up for your standards when you are the only one. I am so grateful for all of the great friends I have and the strength that they have been to me. Because a lot of people aren’t as blessed. It’s cool the effect that we have on others to be and to do good. Anyways the YSA are awesome here.  

     One thing that is super strange that they do up in this area is Facebook. The Duluth missionaries have Facebook to stay in contact with YSA and to find less actives in their ward because it is so big. Honestly, I don’t like it. But probably because I am so close to going home. It’s just to weird. I was using Sister Shumway’s account, but still. It is kind of cool though to see the success that the missionaries have been able to have here with it. It’s just one of those things I would really root on from a distance but not really do it myself. It makes it kind of hard to focus because you see a lot of random stuff. Whatever though. :)

     So here is my funny story for the week. One day, Sister Simpson and I were out getting ready to go stop by a less active. We looked at the house, confirmed the address was correct, and then we said a prayer. We said amen and got out of the car. All the sudden I said, "What the! Where did that polar bear come from?" He blended in so well, we couldn't even see him. He was in front of the very house that we needed to go to. We walked up and he seemed pretty friendly. But was barking like crazy!  The member wasn’t even home. 

Sister Simpson with the kitty!

     Then all the sudden this cat starts walking over to us. We didn’t quite understand why all the animals started flocking to us. The cat was so close, we realized that we needed to take advantage of the opportunity that was before us. **Side story: The Duluth zone has been doing this funny thing where you take "cat pictures". What you do is you take a picture with a cat and you hold it by the scruff of its neck. It doesn't count if you are just holding it. It has to be by the scruff. This challenge has been particularly hard for me because, number one, I hate cats, number two, I am allergic. But I am still willing to try.** We took Sister Simpson’s picture first and it was prime! We knew the elders would be impressed! Then it was my turn. I went to grab the little guy then all the sudden the polar bear started attacking me! Both paws up at whacked my shoulder! What the!? Totally uncalled for! Then the cat ran away and the moment was gone. The polar bear ruined it. 

     Well that’s all for this week! I am glad to be a missionary. I can’t believe how fast it goes by. Sister Simpson and I had a lot of pillow talk and it’s crazy all that happens in 18 months and how much we can change and grow. Well everyone. I love you have an awesome week! 

Peace and Blessings! :)

Sister Kendra Curtis

Warning.... 
Sister Simpson and I took way to many selfies... ha