Ice Tracting!

Hello Family and Friends!

     Oh wow!  What a wonderful week this week has been!  I LOVE STILLWATER!  So I better get started.

     This week we started off by  having a lesson with Sharleen at a members home.  We were going to start of by helping Sharleen with more of her Family History.  But for some reason, the computer was not working we weren't able to do or look at anything so instead we felt like we should just read from the Book of Mormon.  We read about faith and how faith is like a seed and it is something that needs to constantly be growing. After our lesson Sister Pead and I realized that maybe the computer wasn’t working because at that moment Sharleen needed to hear about faith.  It’s amazing how the Lord works. 

     As we were getting ready to go I asked the member for a priesthood blessing.  For some reason, my arm was hurting really bad, it felt like I maybe pulled a muscle some how.  He pulled up a chair and was then able to give me a priesthood blessing right there.  One thing that I have really been missing on my mission is blessings from my dad.  I just love father's blessings.  There is truly nothing better then a blessing from your father.  But one thing that I have come to realize that no matter who is giving the blessing it is still from God, our Heavenly Father.  This past week a lot of things have been bothering me and been on my mind that the member didn't know about, but he was still able to tell me exactly what I needed to hear and the blessing was able to comfort me.  I am so grateful for the power of the priesthood and for the men who are worthy and able to give them.  In my blessing I was told that in a couple days my arm would heal on its own and two days later it was gone.  It was also really neat that Sharleen was able to be there and witness the blessing.  It was a really powerful and spiritual experience.

Blazing Challenge!

     The next day we had District Meeting, our very last one with all 8 of us there.  For District Lunch we went to Buffalo Wild Wings so they could do the "Blazing Challenge" It was super funny!  Everyone did it except for Elder Cryer and I, but don't worry I was laughing my head off the whole time taking a funny video.  The challenge is that you have to eat 12 of the hottest wings in 6 minutes, 3 of the Elders were able to do it and won the "Blazing Challenge" T-shirt. They are so great I am so grateful for them and all that I have learned from them. They are some of the best missionaries. 

Stillwater District

     Then we got to have another family home evening with the L family.  This week was extra special because we were able to bring Gabe with us.  Gabe is Delores and Byron's 20 year old grandson.  He use to meet with the missionaries in the fall but he stopped meeting with them because he kind of felt like he was file://localhost/Users/jonathann/Desktop/DSCN3606%5B1%5D.JPGgetting pushed.  He has been struggling in many different ways.  He has depression and a lot of bad influences in his life.  Since Sister Pead and I have been here we have never been able to meet with him but this week we were able to invite him to family home evening with us.  And he said he would come!  We were really excited.  We thought that family home evening would be a good idea because it is really simple and the L family was perfect for him.  As you know they are a younger family and the husband was baptized about a year and a half ago and is only a couple years older then Gabe.  The lesson was really fun and we talked about loving and serving others.  When we were finished Gabe and the husband started talking and were able to get to know each other a little better it was perfect!  We are excited because he is going to be coming to another one with us tomorrow.  It’s going to have to be a very slow process because he is very sensitive but we are excited that we got to introduce him to such an awesome family!

     We were able to meet with Phillip a couple times this week.  Each time we were able to bring a different member to his lessons which was really good. We were able to discuss the Mormon Message Your Potential, Your Privileges, then the next time we were able to read Alma 32 with him,  and we talked about the difference in being humble and being prideful.  Then as we were planning and getting ready for our next lesson with Phillip we got a text from our mission president that said, "Tell Phillip that the sprained shoulder is God's way of getting his attention!"  Whoa!  That is bold.  He must have just read our emails to him.  We were then really excited for our lesson with Phillip. We were going to be bold and we were going to tell him how it is.  Because that is exactly what he needs.  But like I said we brought a member with us and... honestly... that was our downfall.  It was our fault because we didn't prep her the best we could.  As we were asking him different questions and telling him that his sprained arm was a sign from God.  She started getting super defensive and nervous that we were being too bold.  She was talking... a lot.  We asked if if he would follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by the priesthood authority of God?  Then silence.  Because that is truly when the spirit is able to do its work.  That is were the spirit will touch his heart. But then guess who started talking... the member.  She didn't know the power of silence which again was our fault we should have told her.  He is sooo close!  He did promise us that he would continue reading the scriptures and coming to church.  And at the end of the lesson we asked him to pray right then and ask God if baptism is what he is suppose to do.  Wow!  The spirit was so strong.  I know that it is only a matter of time before Phillip will join his family and be baptized.

     We also had a lesson with the Delores and Byron.  As Sister Pead and I were planning and trying to decide what kind of lesson Byron needs at this time we realized that we needed to ask him if he was ready to be baptized.  We decided to ask him the baptismal interview questions and see where he is in his conversion.  So as always, our lessons with him turn into these great discussion.  We talk to them about what they have read and any questions that they have.  Then we moved on to what we had planned.  We started asking Byron different questions that you would be asked if you were to be baptized.  Do you believe that God is our Eternal Father?  Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world?  Do you believe the Church and gospel of Jesus Christ have been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith?  Do you believe that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God?  What does it mean to you to repent?  And then a couple other questions.  He answered yes to all of them.  The most powerful part of this whole lesson was the testimony that Delores shared with her husband.  Just those sweet and simple truths that she has come to know.  The main concern that it all came back to was coffee.  He just doesn't feel like it is necessary to give it up.  So I looked at him and I said, "Byron, if it wasn't for coffee would you be baptized?" 

     He paused for a long moment and then said, “I have been a Lutheran for 70 years there is no reason to change now”. .... ahh what a Stubborn man! :)  We were really grateful that we were finally able to hear this from him.  For now he is still reading the Book of Mormon, 6 pages a day.  He really likes it and is really getting into it.  I know that it will all come as he gains a testimony of what is in the Book of Mormon.  I love them!

     Sharleen is wonderful.  We have been able to keep doing service for her, helping her get her house back in order and after we were able to have a mini lesson with her and leave her different movies/videos that she could watch online.  We were able to leave her with the Joseph Smith video, and a couple Mormon Messages.  Each time we came back and asked her what she thought of each of the videos,  she would start to get emotional.  She said that she loves the feeling that she feels and the messages that they share.  Each time we were able to talk about them and what the Lord was trying to teach her through them.  It is always so powerful.  She then broke down in tears and told us that she thanks the Lord everyday for sending us to her.  Not only to help her with her house but to help her with her spiritually.  She even came to church with us yesterday! (She got a ride with Delores!)  Then we were able to have a lesson with her last night.  We talked about the feelings that she has felt in the church and the love she has felt from everyone.  Then we watched a Mormon Message with her and the spirit was so strong.  We were then prompted to ask her if she would be baptized.  She looked at us and said no.  She then told us that she made a promise to her husband (who is living somewhere up north right now) that she wouldn't be baptized as long as he is living.  She is a woman of her word but as soon as he dies she will become a Mormon!  Wow! ..Now you know what we will be praying for! .......That the Lord will change his heart! (What were you thinking??)  We are really excited for her.  What a wonderful lady!

     Now as you all know today we found out who is getting transferred!  I AM LEAVING STILLWATER!  Can you believe it?  I love this area so much and I love all the people here.  They will always be so close to my heart and I am so excited to come back and visit them!  Stillwater is an amazing place!  I look back with nothing but the best memories.  Sister Pead is going to be so good with her new companion.  I know that she will be guided by the spirit and help bring others unto Christ.  As for me.  I am being sent to....... the Young Single Adult ward in St. Paul at the University of Minnesota!  How awesome is that!  I will be serving with Sister Callister.  She was also in the MTC the same time as me and she was in Sister Pead's District.  We are both going to be new to the area so we will either be opening the area or white washing, we aren't sure yet. Wow!  I am so excited this is such a great opportunity.  Everyone talks about how great the YSA ward is and now I am going to be able to serve there.  Great things are to come.  I am excited to see what the future has in store!

Tracting on the St. Croix river!

     One last fun story before I go.  So Sister Pead and I knew that one of us was going to be leaving so we decided that we would do something crazy!  Something we have been talking about since the day it started getting cold.  And we did it!  We went tracting on the St. Croix river.  That's right ice tracting!  There is a little village of people down there trying to catch some fish.  What a great opportunity to talk to someone.  They can't go anywhere.  So Sister Pead and I put on our layers, bought some toe warmers and we were on our way!  

     We maybe drove the mission car on the ice... but don't worry we went back and parked it on solid land!  It was a super cool experience.  I suggest everyone tries it.  The line that really gets it all started is, "Hey!  How many fish did you catch?"  They will talk to you every time!

Loyd was really nice and let us take a picture with his fish. 

I love you all so much! Thanks for everything! 

Have a great week! Stay warm.

 And don't forget to pray and read your scriptures! :)

Love, Sister Kendra Curtis

"Full of Love"

Hello family and friends - 

Sister it's cold outside!

     It’s been another cold week here in Minnesota. Today we were lucky that we were able to come email. It is really cold.  They said the wind chill is going to be -40. BUURRR!  Tomorrow is going to be just as bad. Funny story.  We were talking to a 90 year old man this week who has lived here all his life, he said that this winter is by far the coldest winter that he has ever seen.......What?  What are the chances that I am able to be blessed with the coldest Minnesota winter.  Wow!   But aside from this freezing weather let’s move on to the good stuff.

Holding the Prayer Square!

     Once again we got to start off our week with another Family Home Evening with the L family.  We talked to them about being an example.  We taught them the song, "If the Savior Stood Beside Me" ... That one was a little more tricky to teach the kids, but they got an awesome duet from Sister Pead and I. Then we talked about different ways that they can be examples to others.  Once again they were cute as ever.  We then gave them some little pictures with Jesus and the Children, on the back of it is the 13 Articles of faith.  We told them to give them to some of their friends.  They said they would and they asked for some extra pictures so they could hand out even more.  I seriously love little kids so much.  They are so sweet and sincere.  I was actually reading in the scriptures this week and I love how we are taught to become as little children. (Mosiah 3:18-19)  Children really do have so many characteristics that we should all strive to have: "submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."  There are so many things I love about this scripture but my favorite is "full of love." What a wonderful thing.  Children have such big hearts and they are so loving.  This is something we should all work on.  I think that so many times we are hesitant to love others and we think that they need to work for our love.  But it all comes back to the Savior.  He loved everyone no matter what and that is exactly what we need to do.  "As I Have Loved You, Love One Another." There is no better way so show our love for the Savior then by loving each other.  Also before we left, the 6 year old TJ went and grabbed the paper I wrote on last time to sing the prayer song, they love that song and wanted to sing it again.  Tabitha, the 2 year old loved holding the sign while we sang.  They are so dang cute!

     We had a district meeting this week and it was really good.  We focused on giving church tours.  All of us went around the building and role played giving a church tour in the different rooms.  I have never done one on my mission but I have heard about them.  It was really neat because the spirit was so strong.  You could just feel it.  My favorite was when we went into the chapel.  Right as you walked in you could feel the difference.  It got us all excited to go and do church tours with our investigators.  Then after the District meeting we had a District Brunch.  We usually have a district lunch where we go out to eat somewhere as a District but I came up with the best idea that we make breakfast together, District Brunch!  It was so much fun!

District Brunch!

I am hoping they are all pulling silly faces!

     We were also able to go see Phillip I again.  We were so excited to see him and to talk about the fireside that we went to with him.  We got to his house and I turned the corner and he was sitting on the couch in a sling! 

     "Brother I. what happened!?" 

     Then he told us that after we dropped him off at his house after the fireside he slipped on the ice and sprained his arm!  How sad is that!  And that is a 6 foot drop!  Ouch!  We felt so bad for him.  We then had a lesson with him and we asked him what he liked about the fireside.  He said that he loved all the different speakers and he loved how they mentioned how they just needed to listen to their hearts.  That was exactly what we wanted to talk to him about.  We then told him that as missionaries, our purpose is to come help him come closer to Christ.  We then said that he is already close and we have already gone over most of the lessons, so what exactly is holding you back?  

     He then told us that he needs to get that answer for himself.  He wants to know for sure that this is what he wants to do and then to stay committed to it.  We told him that was understandable and one of the best ways to get that understanding is by reading the Book of Mormon.  The Book of Mormon is the word of God and it is a way that Heavenly Father is able to talk to us and answer our questions.  We have already started reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning with him, so we started readying where he was 1 Nephi 3, we were reading it and discussing it and answering his questions.  When we got to verse 25 we asked him what he thought was going to happen next.   He then said that he thought that Laban would trade them their riches for the brass plates and that they would return to the wilderness.  Instead of finishing the chapter with him we left him with the cliffhanger.   We told him that he would have to read while we were gone if he wanted to figure out what happened next. Ever since, he has been reading about a chapter a day. We are so excited and honestly we are starting to think that his injury is a little blessing from God.  Now since he is hurt he isn't able to work on his cars.  Now he has no excuse not read the Book of Mormon and he was even able to come to church yesterday.  The Lord works in mysterious ways. :)

     We were able to see Delores and Byron a couple times this week.  I really do love them so much they are basically my Minnesota Grandparents.  We were able to help Delores make a mormon.org account and we were able to get them started on their family history work.  It is so exciting to see her continue to progress, and the joy that this gospel is bringing her.  As for Byron, we have asked him to read at least 6 pages of the Book of Mormon a day, and he is.  He is so great we know that it is only a matter of time before he will decide to follow his wonderful wife and step into the waters of baptism himself.  He is just so stubborn. :)

     We also got to see Sharleen a couple times this week.  We were able to stop by one day and we were able to ask her what she thought of the Family History Center.  She told us that she loved it.  She stayed 3 extra hours.  She even told us that in the summer she wants to volunteer there so she can help other people do their family history.  How great is that!  I love the powerful spirit that Family History Work can bring and that even people who aren't members are able to feel it.  It truly is their loved ones on the other side reaching out to them.  All they need now is to get started on the second half of the wonderful work, Temple work.  Because it really is a 2 part things we wouldn't be able to do temple work if it weren't for all the family history work that is done before.  We also got to talk to Sharleen a little more about the restoration and we asked her if she would want to go to church with us.  She said not this week but next week.   We are excited that she is starting to have the lessons again.  It is all because of family history work or we would have lost contact with her.  What a blessing.

     This last week we had a lot of cold tracting days. But we were able to endure through it! (With a couple car breaks to warm up our toes!)  We were able to get a bunch of new investigators.  Some even invited us in because they felt so bad for us and they wanted us to warm up a little.  But last night we had an amazing experience.  It was one of the coldest nights and the wind was blowing so hard.  I was starting to give up.   I didn't want to be outside any longer but we kept moving.  Then at about 8:20 we knocked on a door no one answered so we moved on.  But then a man came running outside and invited us in.  Then we were able to teach this young family about the restoration.  He said that he was open to learn more.  We were so grateful that we continued to work and we were able to meet this new family.  We have been praying to find a young family and we were able to find one.  But we wouldn't have found them if we gave up and went in the car.  I know that as we work hard we are able to show the Lord that he can trust us with these people and then he is able to guide us to them.

     Also transfers are next week.  So we are pretty sure that one of us will be leaving.  I can't believe how fast time goes by!  It seems like just yesterday Sister Pead and I got here.  So what are you guesses?  Who is going to leave?  Me?? Or Sister Pead?

I love you all so much. 

Thanks for all the prayers and support. 

Stay warm! :)

Love, Sister Kendra Curtis

We are as the Armies of Helaman

Hello my favorite family and friends,

     Okay let me just start off by saying that Minnesota is a strange place.  The weather is so weird!  One day we had a heat wave of 40 degrees!  Then the other day it was back in the negatives.  Then one morning we woke up and there was 8 inches of snow.  What in the world!  It has truly been all over the place!  This is really the weirdest mission we have had so many late starts and snow days.  I would have never guessed that the weather would be this bad.  But this week was a great week!

     To start off we had our District P-day and it was super fun.  We have a great District.  It is probably my favorite one.  We all met at the church and we just had a big game day!  It was really fun.  We played Lighting (I was in the top 3), we played a really fun game called 7's (ask me about it when I get home), we played Egyptian Rat Screw "I Won! :)", and the funniest game I have ever played, the bag game (ask me about it in 13 months!) haha.  It was really fun.  Then after all of our games we went to Olive Garden, my favorite restaurant, we got to go because it is in our District leaders area!  I was so happy because I have been craving it for  5 months!

     Then we went and saw the L. Family and had another Family Home Evening.  I love going over there so much!  This week the lesson was about prayer again.  We sang the prayer song with them and they could do the whole thing all by themselves!  We were so proud! :)  Then we broke down the song and we asked them why each of the different parts were important.  They had the best answers.  Then at the end of our lesson Sister Pead and I gave the kids some "Prayer Mints" (mentos).  We told the kids that every time they said their morning prayers they would get a prayer mint.  They were so excited to say their prayers.  

     Right then the 4 year old Skyler said, “If I say a prayer right now can I have a prayer mint?” 

     We said yes.  Then he folded his arms and said the cutest little prayer and he didn't forget anything.  After he said Amen, he looked at all of us and said very happy, I did it!  Then he ran up and we gave him a mint.             

     His mom was once again so happy and said, “That was the first prayer that he has ever said.  He would never say them before.  Thanks so much!”

     It is such a good feeling to see that they are actually listening and learning the different things that we are teaching them.  We saw them yesterday at church and they came up and told us that they have been saying a lot of prayers!  What cute kids! :)

     This week we were finally able to see Sharleen again.  I don't remember if I wrote about this but a couple weeks ago we stopped by her house and she told us that she didn't want to meet with us anymore.  We think that she talked to some of her friends and she got Anti-ed.  We were so sad.  But we stopped by her house last week to see how she was doing and we saw that she finally got her carpet in her apartment and that she needed some help moving her furniture around.  We told her that we would love to come over and help her move things.  She was very grateful.  As we were helping her move we asked her if we could come by some other time to talk to her about Family History work.  She said that she would like that.  We were then able to set up another time to come and meet with her.  Then we talked about Family History work and the importance of it.  We helped her set up an account on Family Search and she loved it.  Then we invited her to a Family History class that was at the Stake Center on Saturday and she loved it.  It was lucky because we were able to go with her and it was awesome.  It was really cool to see how easy it is to do Family History work now and all the different things that you are able to with it.  Sharleen loved it.  She brought one of her binders and stayed a couple extra hours so the Family History workers could help her get started.  It was so great to watch her get so excited about doing her family history work.  We really think that this is what is going to change her mind.  I have such a testimony of Family History work and even while we were sitting in that class I felt the spirit so strong and I know that she will feel it also.

Phillip I. is an honest seeker 

     This week we were able to have a couple more lessons with Phillip I.  This week we have been focusing on his Book of Mormon testimony.  Last week we were able to address his concerns about the Godhead and we know that as he gains a testimony of the Book of Mormon everything else with follow.  So we started reading from the beginning with him.  We read 1 Nephi 2 with him.  As we have been doing this he has really been getting into the story of the Book of Mormon and we really feel like this is going to help him in his conversion.  At the end of his lesson he said a really awesome sincere prayer and talked about how he wants to understand for himself the truth.  He really is an honest seeker.  That is one of my favorite things about being a missionary.  Watching each of these wonderful people search for truth.  I love being able to share the truth with those that I meet. 

We had way to much fun dressing up in African clothes.
You all know how much I love to dress up.

     

     We also got to have some lessons with Byron.  Earlier in the week we were able to talk to Delores and ask her what it is that she thinks we can do to help Byron have the desire to give up coffee.  She told us that she thinks that we might need to ease up a little bit because he feels like everyone is bugging him about it, which is understandable.  But also a little frustrating, if I could use only one word for Brother Larson it is, Stinker!  He is such a little stinker.  It’s just so funny because he knows what it is that he needs to do but he is just so stubborn.  In our lesson with him we asked him how praying about coffee went.  He said that he didn't feel bad about it so he doesn't think that he needs to stop... Then he said to us, I just don't think that God would hold someone back just because they drink coffee.  I just looked at him, with a big smile on my face and said, Better safe then sorry! :) Haha I really do love him so much and I love that I can say things like that.  I truly know in my heart that one day he will join.  One day.  All we can really do at this point is pray.  Pray that he will have a life changing experience that will make him want to start this journey.  We gave him the challenge of reading at least 6 pages a day and he has been doing it.  Just like Phillip we feel like he needs to gain that testimony for himself.  What better way then reading.

     This week we had Zone Training.  It was really good. Like I say every time we have one of these I love the chance that I have to learn.  I love to just sit and take notes on how I can become a better missionary.  They talked a lot about gratitude, working with members, and sincere prayers.  All great things that we can improve on.  Then we got to have an interview with our Mission President.  It was really neat to talk with him. As he was talking to both Sister Pead and I he told us that "He needs good leaders like us."  Wow.  What a compliment.  It really made me realize that there is so much more that I can do to become a better leader.  There is so much I can always improve on.  

     Then he asked me how I feel like I have improved over these last five months.  I had to think for a little bit.  I then said that I feel like I have improved the most in my confidence.  I feel like I have always been really good at hiding behind my smile but as I have been on my mission I have realized that I know what I am sharing is true and I love sharing it. :)

     Yesterday we were able to go to Presidents Fireside with Phillip, Delores, and a member from our ward.  It was a really good fireside and it was perfect for each of them.  There were four awesome recent converts who shared amazing conversion stories.  There is nothing more powerful then a recent convert sharing their testimony.  I love whenever I am able to go to the Presidents Fireside.  I always feel the spirit so strong.    

     There was one thing that was really powerful that I wanted to share before I go.  The Mission Presidents wife Sister Clements got up and talked to us for a little and she was very emotional and was so grateful for everyone that was there.  Then she paused for a minute and said, I have never done this before but I am going to have all the missionaries come stand up front and have them sing to you what it is that our purpose is.  We all walked up and we sang, Armies of Heleman.   It was so powerful, there where about 100 missionaries and the spirit was so strong.  I honestly started tearing up a little bit.  I love this work so much.  I love the people that I am serving and I love the opportunity to share the most important thing with those who don't remember.  Truly that is what we are doing here.  We are just helping their spirits remember what they once knew.  I love this gospel.  It was really powerful for everyone there watching it.

I have to go but thanks for everything that you do.  

I love you all so much!  Have a great week! :)

Love, Sister Kendra Curtis

Sister Ida Donley and Sister Kendra Curtis 

You can never have too much faith.

Hello family and friends!

     Yes, I was on lockdown for about 2 days and it was horrible.  We were only allowed to go to church on Sunday if a member could give us a ride.  And of course we were going to go to church it was Delores L's confirmation!  It was amazing.  One of the things that was said in the blessing was,  "Your search is finally over."  How powerful is that statement?  Wow!  But then after church we went back home and that's where we stayed for the next 36 hours!  We studied our scriptures a lot and we made a lot of phone calls.  We also organized our room so that was nice.  Isn't that crazy -60!  Where am I?  We were lucky though because it was our P-day so we were able to write letters, take a nap, do our laundry and other stuff like that.  But yes we were very excited to get out of the house.  And this week was full of so many miracles!

     This week we got to have another Family Home Evening with my favorite family, the L family. (Too bad I can't say their names ha)  But they are so cute and they are always so excited to have the "michionaries" over!  This week we had a lesson with them about prayer and why it is that we pray.  It was a really funny lesson because every time we have had a lesson with them we were teaching them about Christmas.  So this time it was throwing them off because they couldn't use the same answers that they had been.  But it was so cute we taught them the song.... ahhhh. I don't know what it’s called  (Maybe your nearest primary chorister will Know. :)  We talked about the prayer square and how you can't leave the square open and there are 4 points that you need to do.  Then the song goes, 

“I begin by saying “Dear Heavenly Father”
I thank him for blessings he sends; 
Then humbly I ask him for things that I need, 
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen”

     It was so cute they could almost do the whole thing by themselves! (I hope this makes sense.)  Then after we talked about prayer and the importance of praying, we played a game with them.  It was really funny!  Sister Pead and I came up with it in the car.  It’s just like the game Duck Duck Goose.  So you go around in a circle whispering, "Quiet time, quiet time, quiet time, PRAYER TIME!"  Then they had to hurry and run around the circle then sit down in their spot, fold their arms and say AMEN!  It was so dang cute!  I love them.

Sister Breedlove

     This week I went on an exchange with our Sister Training Leader, Sister Breedlove.  She lives in Cottage Grove so I went and spent a day there with her.  It was an awesome exchange and I was able to learn so much.  One thing that I love about Sister Breedlove is that she has so much faith.  Like I have said before I think that faith is something that we can all be better at.  You can never have too much faith.  While we were in Cottage Grove I was able to see Ruby Mower!  She used to live in my ward back in South Jordan and now she is here in Minnesota.  Sister Breedlove has been in Cottage Grove for 10 months now and when the Mowers found out that I was coming to Minnesota they kept asking her if she knew a Sister Curtis.  Long story short I was finally able to come to Cottage Grove to come see them.  But they were only able to do a lunch so most of the family wasn't there but it was still so much fun to see Ruby and Brittney!  

Ruby Mower, Brittney and Sister Curtis 

     After the exchange both Sister Pead and I had an interview with Sister Breedlove just asking us how we were doing.  While Sister Pead was having her interview I got to hang out with Sister Haung!  She is so funny!  She has only been on her mission for 3 weeks and she is from Taiwan.  She is learning English and she is really good at it.  She was honestly making me laugh so hard.  She kept asking me if I would take a picture with her, of course I would.  I  love pictures! :)

     We were able to see Phillip I a couple of times this week.  But guess what!  We were finally able to get him to church this week.  We had a great lesson with him Saturday night about Obedience and Faith.  It was a great lesson and the spirit was so strong. We talked about how we need to trust in the Lord and everything else will be okay.  Then at the end of the lesson when we asked him if he was still planning on coming to church.

     He said, "I was going to tell you about that.  I have a lot of work that I have to do and I don't know if it would be wise for me to go tomorrow.”  He is a car mechanic and had a lot of cars that he needed to work on.  

     But we looked at him and said, "Well I guess it all comes down to what we talked about today, obedience and faith.  Brother Itoka, we can promise you we are representatives of Jesus Christ and that if you will come to church tomorrow you will be able to get everything done that you need to..." 

     Before we could say anymore he cut us off and said, "Alright I will go!"  And he came! We were so excited.  We were then able to have a lesson with him after church about the Godhead with the bishop and his wife as joint teachers.  Earlier in the week we were able to find the root of the problem and why it is that we won't get baptized.  It is because he believes in the trinity.  He doesn’t believe that God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three separate people.  The thing I love about Phillip is that he is a genuine seeker.  He just wants to know truth.  He has an amazing faith and he just wants to learn.  We had a wonderful lesson and we were able to address his concerns and we watched a talk by Elder Holland called, The Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom He Hath Sent.  It was perfect, it was very bold and exactly what Phillip needed to hear.  We told him to pray and ask God for himself, if the Godhead is real.  We are excited to talk to him this week and see how his prayer went.

     Our biggest miracle was with Byron L.  Delores L was baptized last week so now we are teaching him.  He is honestly ready to be baptized the only thing that is really holding him back is basically that he is really stubborn.  In the past he has told us and other missionaries that he won't give up coffee.  That he knows that he could give it up but he doesn't want to, he doesn't see the point.  A couple days ago we were able to have them to the Burton’s house for dinner and a lesson.  We wanted to prepare to talk about giving up coffee, but we weren’t going to bring up coffee until next time.  Our lesson was also about obedience and keeping Gods commandments.  We talked about how commandments are God’s loving instruction for us and how they protect us.  We then talked about how God is also able to protect us through the Holy Ghost which lead right into the video that we wanted to show them next, 

Wrong Roads

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-09-016-wrong-roads?lang=eng. 

     This video shows how God doesn’t answer our prayers exactly how we would have Him but he does answer them and there is a reason for everything.  I have seen this many times in my life.  I think the biggest thing that we can do is trust in the Lord with everything that we do.

     Then last night we were able to have a lesson with them again.  And this was THE LESSON!  This was when we were finally going to address the coffee problem.  We were able to bring a recent convert who used to drink 3 pots of coffee a day.  But we wanted to ease into talking about coffee we didn't want Byron to feel bombarded.  We started off talking about prophets and if he has a testimony of them.  He said he did. Then we ask if he believed that prophets are called of God.  He said yes.  Then we talked about how God gives us commandments to bless us.  Then we asked the member who we brought how keeping the commandments and changed his life.  Hehe We knew that he would start talking about coffee.  And what do you know he did.  We were so sneaky!  He bore a powerful testimony about his conversion and how giving up coffee truly did change his life.  The spirit was so strong everyone could feel it.  We didn’t quite know how we were going to address Byron but as the member was testifying I knew that we needed to be lovingly bold.  We then ask Byron if he would give up coffee.  He said no.  We ask him what would be holding him back?  He said that he doesn’t want to, he knows he could but he doesn’t feel like it’s important.  Then we started getting really bold with Byron because we love him so much and he needed to hear the truth.  We explained to him that those 5 cups of coffee truly is what was holding him back.  Long story short, we all bore testimony of how we know this will bless his life, even his wife did.  Then we left him with a commitment.  We asked him to pray to know if the Lord wants him to give up coffee.  He said he would.  Then we asked him what he would do if the answer was yes?  He said,  “well give it up of course!”  Yea!  He told us yes, kind of.  We are so excited for him.  So this week we will ask him what the answer was?  It truly was an amazing miracle!  He is going to get baptized soon we just know it.

     This week I have really been studying obedience and why it is important to be obedient.  We have been teaching this concept to a lot of our investigators lately and I know that this is something I can be better at.  Being exactly obedient in everything!  As I was studying I came up with the definition that being obedient means to submit to the Lords will and act in faith.  Faith is one of the biggest things in being obedient and as I study I realize that I need more faith.  I need to really trust in the Lord and know that there is a reason for everything.  Even when appointments fall through and we are unsure what we are doing.  I need to look around and think, "What does the Lord want me to do right now?  How can I be a tool for him?"  I have made a lot of goals this week, to have more faith and to be more obedient and I know that as I do this blessings will follow. 

I love you all so much thanks for everything! 
Have a great week! 

Love Sister Kendra Curtis

Shutting Down Minnesota!

Hello My Most Favorite Family and Friends.

     As you might have heard we have to email our families today because we won't be able to on Monday.   Now I'm not able to read the news or look at the weather but from what I have been able to understand the governor is basically SHUTTING DOWN Minnesota!  On Monday it is going to be -60 windchill!!!  So we are not allowed to go outside at all.  I am really grateful that we have the opportunity to email today!  What a blessing!

     So I only have a little bit of time but let me try and tell you about this week so far. 

     On Christmas Eve, as a mission, we started reading from the Book of Mormon at the very beginning.  We are supposed to read 6 pages a day.  I have really enjoyed reading from the beginning.  Today we are all supposed to be on page 72.  At first I didn't really want to start from the beginning because I liked where I was at in my reading and I didn't want to start all over.  But as I have been doing this I have seen many blessing from it.  I have been able to get different insights for different investigators that I wouldn't have if I stayed where I was.  I really do love those first stories where it talks about Nephi and his brothers going back to Jerluseum to get the plates.  It amazes me how much faith Nephi has.  How I can become as Nephi in both my faith and my obedience?  We also have a couple investigators who we have asked to start reading from the beginning and it has been good to be on the same page as them.  But as I have been reading it has been amazing to me to see how much I am able to get out of it every single time I read.  I know without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is true and I love being able to share this with everyone I can.  This book truly can change lives.  I have already seen this happen. 

     Well, as for New Year's Eve we were able to have an awesome dinner with some of the Elders at a members home.  The members actually live really far away.  They are about 45 minutes away from Stillwater.  To save our miles they were able to meet us at the church and then drive us there.  It was a really fun dinner.  They are from Norway and they both have very thick accents.  I just love all the amazing people that I am able to meet on my mission and they truly are from all over the world!

     As for New Year's Day Sister Pead and I spoiled ourselves with some sparkling cider.  Yum!

     We were also able to see Phillip I. a couple times this week.  I have probably said this before but I love him.  He is the happiest African you will ever meet.  He has every reason not to meet with us and he is so busy but he will stop everything to talk about God.  We were able to have a lesson about the Book of Mormon with him and we were able to read 1 Nephi chapter 17 with him.  It talks a lot about faith and obedience.  It was a really good lesson that we were able to apply to his life.  I really like in that chapter how it talks about the story with Moses when all the people were getting bitten by the snakes and to be healed all they had to do was to look to staff.  That was it.  But because of the simpleness and the easiness of it there were many people who didn't think it would work and who didn't have the faith.  That is something we all need to work on, faith.  It is something that we constantly need to be developing.  Like the muscle in your arm.  If you don't use it, it will become weak.  And the only way to strengthen it is to exercise it.  We are excited to finally get him to church this Sunday so he can feel of the spirit that is there.

     Today was Delores L's baptism!  It was such a wonderful experience and the spirit was so strong.  She is amazing and has been ready for this baptism for quite some time.  What a blessing to watch someone take this important step.  To be able to progress more in the gospel and begin this amazing journey.  And that is exactly what it is, a journey.  It isn't so much a destination, but it is a way of travel.  It isn't over once you are baptized but that is where it all starts.  We are so excited for Delores and we are hoping that Bryon won't be too far behind.  It was truly a wonderful day.

     I wanted to share one last experience with you.  In one of the lessons we had with Delores and Bryon L we were able to watch a fun Mormon Message with them.

 

Sister Pead, Delores, Byron, Sister Curtis

"Your Potential, Your Privileges." 

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-001-your-potential-your-privileges?lang=eng  This video has a cute little story about a little man who was living way below his privileges.  We have this amazing privilege, the gospel.  Yet so many people aren't using it.   We need to not limit ourselves to the "beans and crackers" in our lives but we need to live life to its fullest.  We are able to do that with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Share that Privilege with those who don't know what they are missing out on.  If only someone would have warned the little man what he was missing out on, he would have changed his ways a lot sooner!  But he didn't find out until the end, when it was too late.  So start today!  Tell someone what they are missing out on.  I know that it will not only bless their lives but it will bless yours as well. 

I hope you all have a great week and stay warm! 

That's what I'll be trying to do!!  

I love each and everyone of you.

Love,

Sister Kendra Curtis

Sister Pead, Delores, and Sister Curtis on Delores Baptism Day

A mission is the best years FOR your life!

Hello Dearest Family and Friends! 

     This week has been CRAZY!  Everything was going perfect all the way up until..... Christmas.  But let me tell you about all the good parts first.

     We were able to have a lesson with a 18 year old girl named Sophia. She was actually a Media Referral that we were finally able to get in contact with.  She went on a youth trip this summer and became really good friends with a Mormon girl from Provo.  She said that they have already talked a lot and that she noticed something different about her and she wants to learn more.  We were able to have a wonderful lesson with her and she had lots of great questions.  She doesn't have a very religious background but she told us how she prayed and was able to feel the love of God.  It was cool because one of her questions was just to basically bear our testimonies to her and tell her how we came to know for ourselves that this church is true.  It was such a powerful experience and it was so easy to just share what I know.  She was very happy for us coming over.  She is going to be out of town for a couple of weeks but we were able to leave her with a Book of Mormon and she said that she would start reading it while she is gone.  We are excited to see her again and answer more of her questions.

     We also had another Christmas Family Home Evening with the L family.  We talked more about the Christmas story.  We showed them the video "What Shall We Give?" And we talked about service and the meaning of Christmas again.  We then made ornaments for the tree that we made last time.  On the ornaments we wrote down different things that they can do to serve others around them.  Then we went over the Nativity again and we pointed to the different people and asked them who they were.  My favorite was when I asked the four year old Skyler why they had to go to a stable?  He answered really loud throwing his arms in the air "Because there was NO ROOM!"  Right at that moment his mom ran over and hugged him and said,"Yes...YES!  Good job!  You are learning!" Then he was so excited and ran around the room hugging each of us saying, "I'm learning!  I'm learning!"  It was so cute!  Sister L was so happy to see all of her kids learning the true meaning of Christmas and the different parts of the Nativity.  

     Then at the end, we gave them little stockings that had little finger puppets of the nativity and then a nativity puzzle!  They loved it so much and they knew who each of the different people were!  I love that family so much!  They are so cute and they really are the best little learners.  Sister L was so grateful for us coming over and truly we are the ones who are grateful.  What a cute family!

     Okay let me get to Christmas now!  So Christmas Eve was great.  We went to District Meeting and it was fun to be together as a district and talk about mission work.  Then after words, we went and had a District Lunch.  We went and ate Juicy Lucy’s!  Juicy Lucy is a Minnesota thing, it’s a hamburger with a big ball of melted cheese inside the patty.  It was pretty good.  All the Elders loved it!  The place that we went to is the place where Man vs. Food went.  It was really fun to spend Christmas Eve together eating Juicy Lucy's. Something we will probably never do again.  We then were able to have dinner with a really fun family and it was really yummy.  It was a yummy buffet style dinner.  

     Then we went on with the rest of our night.  When we got home we were so excited to open up our Christmas Jamies!  Mine were so cute they even had little door on them. (Very clever mom!)  Sister Pead got 2 Christmas Jamies some from my mom and some from her mom.

    

     Sister Pead was so funny in her big bunny footie jamies. They made me think of the Christmas story!  Then we went to bed and we were so excited for the day ahead of us!  We couldn't wait for all of the Christmas magic and we planned every second of it out, spending time with members, playing games, skyping our families, Christmas dinner and then all of the missionaries were going to go Christmas Caroling to some less actives and some other members in the ward.

     Then we woke up and it was CHRISTMAS!  We were so excited we hurried and got our last minute things together and we were getting ready to go set things up.  Now I forgot to mention.....Long story short. We are watching a dog for 10 days.  The members who we are living with are out of town for ten days and we have to watch it for them. Now to start off with I don't like dogs all that much so we always keep the gate up so the dog can't come down stairs.  So we were excited to go open our presents but when we ran into the living room guess what! The dog sneaked past the gate and found the chocolate coins that Sister Pead sprinkled around my stocking.  Number one dogs are allergic to chocolate, number 2 this dog is diabetic!  We had to stay home all Christmas taking care of a Sick, Dumb Dog.  We almost thought that we weren't going to be able to Skype our families, but we were able to work it out.  I was so happy to talk to my family!  I love them all so much and that was the fastest 45 minutes of my life!  But I didn't care it was so great to see everyone again and to hear their voices!  I really do have the best family ever!  After we got done Skyping our families we just stayed home.  The whole day.  We couldn't leave the dog alone because it was throwing up chocolate and we had to clean it up.  At dinner time one of our favorite families came over and brought us some food and we were able to talk to them for a while so that was fun but other then that it was a really rough day.  We didn't do anything.  But honestly I was just so grateful that I was able to talk to my family.  Even though I didn't get to do any of the other fun things that we had planned at least I was able to do the most important.  Talk to my family.  

Kendra took this picture.  You can see her in the left hand corner.

Kissy face picture!  (Oh boy do we love this girl!)

     As for all of you who are worried about the dumb dog.  It is completely fine.  I will never look at it the same.  It is the dog who ruined Christmas.  You know they always say that you will never forget the Christmases that you get to have on your mission.  And I promise you this is one Christmas that I will never forget!!

     Delores and Bryon L are doing great!  Delores's baptism is this week!  January 4th!  She has been ready for such a long time.  It was funny because yesterday at church everyone was coming up to her and telling her that they were going to be there on Saturday and she was starting to get a little embarrassed because of all the people.  But it is going to be so great to have all the support there.  I know that it is going to be such an amazing service and I am so excited!  She is really funny!  Yesterday she introduced Sister Pead and I as her granddaughters.  I love her so much.  I love how easy it is to love these people!  What a blessing that I am here in Stillwater!

     We were also able to have more lessons with Phillip I.  He is so great and has been taught every lesson.  The biggest problem that we are having at this time is trying to get him to church.  He always has different excuses.  This week we are going to really focus on the importance of coming to church.  When we went to teach him one time there were 2 other Africans there from Liberia and they have been there before but this time they wanted to sit in on a lesson.  We started by watching a Bible Video, Sermon on the Mount: 

Treasures in Heaven.  

http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/sermon-on-the-mount-treasures-in-heaven?lang=eng

This video was perfect for all of them and it was amazing that we decided to pick it because both Sister Pead and I have never seen it. But the Liberians have an amazing faith and have a great understanding of the Bible.  So it was perfect that we showed the teachings of Jesus Christ and then related it to our lives today.  Both of them want to keep learning more so we were able to set up another appointment with both of them.  We left them both with Books of Mormon and they can't wait to read and find out more for themselves. 

     I love this work so much.  I know without a doubt that this is the work of God. I see so many miracles each and everyday.  I am just so grateful that I am able to be part of it at this time.  I am just an instrument in the Lord's hands.  As I follow the spirit I am able to do as he would have me do and I am able to help share the joy that I have with those I meet.

"A mission is the best years FOR your life."  

I know that all the different experiences that I will have on my mission are things that I will be able to take with me forever.  Someone once said to me that the reason that they lowered the age for girls to go on a mission is because they need strong mothers to raise up a righteous army.  I have already seen in many different ways that this short 18 months is going to be one of my greatest tools for being a mother. What a wonderful blessing that I am able to be part of this wave of mission work.  It is not only blessing me but many others to come. 

I love you all thanks for the many prayers. 

I feel them everyday!

Love, Sister Kendra Curtis

This is the picture we took.  When ever I have the camera out and all four
of my kids are together I say, "squishy face picture"  
(they all do a quick pose, just so they can get it over with)  
Yea!!!   Family Christmas picture for 2013.
I have a feeling 2014 will be tricky with Jake serving in Jamaica.