Highlights

 

Hello beautiful people!

It's pretty a good week here in the boot of Missouri.
I was finally able to meet another one of our investigators who previously disappeared for a while. His name is Donald Brandonburg. He's a pretty crazy guy with an odd sense of humor, but he seems great! He willingly lets us in and absorbs everything the missionaries teach him. He had a baptismal date for last Saturday but that obviously didn't happen. We will work with him to get the ball rolling again.
Our investigator Whoopie is doing alright. She wants to meet with us every day; she loves being taught. She's just not progressing very well. We found a ride for her to church but she cancelled last minute, saying she had to go to Arkansas for some reason. We will continue working with her to help her keep commitments.
I saw something really cool this week: We were helping a family rake leaves in their humongous yard when we heard a strange, distant noise. It grew louder, coming from above. We looked up and beheld the most birds I have ever seen in my entire life. There had to be literally thousands of them, flying at least half a mile high, towards us from the south. They all cawed and cooed and squawked, creating quite a majestic noise. Imagine 10 thousand Indians making a war cry. They flew right over us. No matter where you looked above, you saw birds. Scores of them! There were so many biiiiirds!!! It was quite remarkable.

But the highlight of this week is even cooler:
There's a member in this ward who loves to take us to dinner. He even makes us choose where to go. Well, one night we were driving to meet him at the church where he would then drive us to our dining place of choice, which this time was Hardees. Elder Julian and I both just wanted a good hamburger. However, as we were driving to meet the member at the church we passed a Pizza Hut. I saw it and instantly for some odd reason wanted that instead. I looked at Elder Julian, who was also looking at the Pizza Hut, and said, "Does Pizza Hut sound good to you too?"
He gave me a very affirmative "Yes." and just like that our decision, as well as our mutual craving, was changed. We rendezvoused with the member and soon arrived at pizza hut.
We were brought to our table and the waitress stood there for a moment without saying anything until she asked us, "You guys are Mormons, right?" We gave a smile and a resounding "Yes!"
She then explained to us that she and her husband had previously taken the discussions from missionaries in Utah, but due to certain circumstances they had to move into her mothers house and therefore were not allowed to invite the missionaries over anymore. Then they moved to Missouri. A couple years have passed but just two weeks ago they both had the feeling that they needed to find the Mormon missionaries again and bring them to their home.
Lo and behold, God led us to eachother. We got the information we needed and scheduled an appointment with them for this week! She wants to be baptized really badly, but she especially wants to be sealed in the temple with her family. What an honorable goal! I can't wait to work with them to get them there!
It is awesome to see how the Lord works to help us find people. It is no coincidence that both our craving were simultaneously changed in an instant. The Lord is definitely managing His work. How blessed I am to be in His employ! I love my job! :)

I hope all of you are doing well and recognizing the blessings in your life as I have been lately. I know if we just try and focus on the blessings, we will realized more and more.
I love you all so much and hope y'all have a good week.
THERE! I said it. Y'all!
-Elder Curtis :D

 Mike and Adrienne from Jefferson City

Posterity Photo: Left to right: Elder Vincent (my trainer), me, Elder Ivey (my trainee), and Elder Odom (Elder Iveys trainee)

New Address

 

Dear everyone:

The sister missionaries back in my first area would like me to remind you that missionaries move periodically and therefore do not keep the same address all the time. Please make sure you find out my current address before you send a letter; they are tired of receiving my mail. Haha!

Here is my current address:
1746 Spring st
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901

Of course you can always use the Mission address which is
1850 Craigshire dr. STE 205
Maryland Heights MO, 63146

It will just take longer for it to get to me with that one.

We had a better week down here! It didn't snow and we actually had a lesson with somebody!!!
We taught our investigator named Teresa Shrumpert, but she goes by Whoopie because she used to look a lot like Whoopie Goldberg until she cut off her dreadlocks. Her son passed away a couple weeks ago, so we thought it appropriate to teach her the plan of salvation. It felt so good teaching someone again, to see them feel the spirit and understand what we teaching. It was wonderful and she took it so well; she loved it. We will be seeing her again tomorrow!

Since I've been here I gave myself a haircut. It was the first time I had ever done it, but if you ask me, it didn't turn out too bad. Much shorter than I originally planned, but not bad.

We had exchanges this week so I went to a city called Dexter for a day where I served with a missionary named Elder Oskins. I came to find out that he has a sister serving a mission in Indiana, and guess where her area is?? Fishers!!! How neat is that! (For those of you who don't know, that was my home town before PG) That means she is most likely attending sacrament meeting at our old church building and it also means she sees Dericks tree on a regular basis. I'm hoping to get in contact with her via email to ask for pictures and any other information I can get. Family: let me know if there's anything you wish to ask her.

While I was still in Dexter we taught a lesson to a guy named Jordan. All we did with him was watch Joseph Smith: Prophet of the restoration, and bore testimony of him in hopes he would start gaining his own because it's the only thing really holding him back.
So we watched the movie, bore testimony, left a commitment, prayed and left. Well apparently the whole time we were there, Jordans sister was in the other room watching and listening to the movie without us even knowing she was in the house. Elder Oskins didn't even know Jordan had a sister. Nevertheless, she was there and she was feeling the spirit very strongly. The next day she supposedly got the our number from Jordan and called them (we had exchanged back by this time). She told them she watched the movie, and felt really strongly that it was true, so she prayed about it and that night she gained a testimony of Joseph Smith AND the Book of Mormon. She borrowed Jordans copy and read it all night long. While still on the phone with the missionaries she began telling them some of the scriptures she liked the most including Alma 32:21. She said she want's to be baptized in the church! It is a miracle! The only downside, for us at least, is she lives in Texas and was only visiting for another week. However, the Dexter Elders were able to refer her to the Texas Fort Worth Mission where she will continue being taught there. She told them that the moment she's back in Texas she's going to get baptized! How cool is that!

I love this work. It's the best! I am truly blessed to be serving our Father and King. I love the fact that I am out here doing exactly what He would be doing if He were here. Our Father has a family business, and He has a job for each of us. Let us all do our part and do Him proud. I am a witness of the divine love that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for us. I know they know us and love us each personally. They are always going to do what is best for us. Let us do what is best for us and help one another.
I love you guys so much. I thank my God for each of you. You have blessed me so much.
All of you have a wonderful week! May God bless you. :)
-Elder Curtis

I'm Alive!

 

Hi guys!!

It's been a while. I am alive and well. The reason I have not been able to email for nearly two weeks was because of Poplar Bluff, which is my new area, and snow. Poplar Bluff, as I have recently found out, does not function in snow at all. My first Sunday here it snowed a total of probably one and a half of an inch which sent the entire community into complete shut down. No one would leave and no one would work unless it was absolutely necessary. The snow melted off of the road by Monday morning, however, the town was not going to risk anything; libraries and most other places remained closed. It eventually thawed out near the end of the week but they remained close just in case. The next Sunday rolls by. No snow! Monday morning arrives. Two inches of snow. This place is so freaked out by snow. It's quite ridiculous. The only places open are places like Wal Mart, McDonalds, gas stations and places like that, but any city owned facility remained closed until it was above freezing. This includes schools even. People were out of school for over a week. When they finally opened them it started snowing during school hours and apparently there was a huge debate on whether they should keep the students at the school after hours and possibly over night just to be safe in case there is still any snow on the roads.
I am all for safety first, but this place is just silly. But yeah, that's why I have not been able to email for a while. I don't like winter.
On top of the bitter cold and my bitter feelings we have no progressing investigators. We have investigators though. At least that's what I hear. I still haven't been able to meet them despite all of our desperate attempts to contact them.
My companion get along well, but it will be a very big struggle serving with him and for him for the remainder of the transfer or more for multiple reasons which don't need to be mentioned.
The members here are very nice and many of them are missionary minded, so that's good. I still haven't even met our ward mission leader though, which is sad. Granted he has been out of town I guess.
The mission president prior to our current one described this part of the mission as the part of the field that isn't white, (referring to D&C 4:4).
This area has, and probably will continue to prove itself as a refiners fire for me. There is great opposition for me here. But I have hope in this area. I have faith in the people and the ward. I trust God. I know I am sent here for a purpose. I am grateful for this refining experience. I will be the first to testify that this is hard, but that's great! There must be opposition in all things. This is Gods work! It is a marvelous work. I know this area will bless me so much. I will remain optimistic and put myself in the hands of the Lord, doing His will the whole time, for that is the only logical thing to do.
I just ask for your prayers. I am so grateful for your prayers and I need now more than ever. Your prayers keep me strong. I have seen many merciful blessings from on high and knew they were from prayers of my loved ones.
I have the best family and the best friends in the world. I know it. I love you guys.
There's my spill for you. I really needed to get that out. I feel good now.
Hopefully I will talk to you guys on Monday. Everyone take care and serve lots!
Love, Elder Curtis :)

Transfers

Good morning everyone!


Just so we're clear on the last email I sent regarding me not telling anyone about everything going on out here until you take me to lunch when I get back, I was only being sarcastic. Silly people, it's like you don't even know me. :P


We got transfer calls this weekend. Now that I am done training Elder Ivey, the transfers actually have an effect on us. I am going to a town called Poplar Bluff, which is down near the boot of Missouri. I can't really say I'm particularly thrilled about that. Apparently it's the arm-pit of our mission and all they eat down there is road-kill possum. Not sure how true that is, but I guess we'll see; it should be fun. ;)
Elder Ivey is staying here in Jeff City and, guess what? He's training!!!!!!!!!!! My boy is following my footsteps and is going to train right after being trained! I'm going to be a grandpa!! That's pretty cool.
So as of Wednesday I will have a new address; I don't know it now but I will share it with you next Monday.


It seems like a regular thing when transfer draw near, the work goes slow. Although we did pick up two new investigators the work this week didn't quite bare as much fruit as we would have hoped. We lost an investigator as well. I do hope things here pick up for Elder Ivey and his new companion.


The highlight for this week was probably the lesson we had with Brother and Sister Bailey, (our recent converts). We had a lesson on eternal marriage and temples an family history work. I wish I could tell you everything that was said, but I don't remember. All I remember is how it felt. I wish you could have been there to feel the spirit teach us as we did. Amazing things were felt by all four of us. Mike and Adrienne had questions, and Elder Ivey and I were receiving inspiration like never before and they were receiving revelation that it was true like never before. It felt like something that would be written down in the journal of one of the early saints.


Mike was ordained to the office of a priest and given the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday. We are so proud of him and Adrienne!! They are such marvelous people and they are extremely excellent examples of faith. Their faith blows me away.


I love this gospel. I love having he knowledge that we have. I love having a prophet. I love having a loving Heavenly Father. I love having a perfect example to follow. I love my church! How truly blessed we are to have the gospel in our lives. I don't know where I would be without the truth we have. I love learning more and more about it every day. It is amazing to me.
Thank you to my magnificent family who taught me to love, especially my goodly parents. Thank you to my fantastic friends who inspire me so much. Thank you for my home ward who provided an environment for me to serve and learn in the ways of the Lord. I am so grateful for everyone who has played a part in my life. I love you all with all my heart. I pray that the spirit of the Lord will be with each of you and you will feel the love He has for you and increase in your knowledge of Him.
Until next week, farewell!
-Elder Curtis :D

Late Email

Hello everyone!


Yesterday all of the libraries were closed due to Martin Luther King day, so I get to write you a day late.


I am really confused with Missouri. When it comes to weather, it has some major, and I mean MAJOR bipolar issues. It is more bipolar than Utah, if you can imagine that. Yesterday was up in the 60's! The 60's in January?! I forgot it was winter; we didn't even have Jackets on it was so nice. But this morning it was -4 with the windchill and the high today is supposed to be 21. It's just so weird how the weather can change so much is so little time. So yeah. There's my spill on weather. Hope you enjoyed that.


Everything has pretty much crashed and burned this week. We struggled with the amount of lessons taught. We had 6 lessons cancel on us in a row. It was just horrible. I always psych myself up before a lesson and convince myself that it is going to be the best lesson ever and then to have the person not even show up really dampens my spirits. But oh well. We carry on.


I've found that it is dangerously easy to waste time on your mission. Even if you are tracting, or planning, or studying or even in a lesson you can still be wasting time. A missionary wastes time when they don't have their head in the work. I've found that if I'm not personally fully invested in what I am doing at any given time then that time is wasted. A mission is one of the greatest opportunities to grow and develop as a person and we only benefit personally from a mission if we are fully invested in it. I could spend all my time doing exactly what I should be doing while my head could be somewhere else; thinking about something else; not necessarily anything bad, just something else other than the task at hand.
That's something I've been trying to do lately, is focus on my purpose, full time. I've noticed that I have been much happier when I do this and I enjoy the work even more, even when facing rejection and disappointment.
I think this is a principle that applies to everything; especially living the gospel. The more we allow ourselves to be consumed by things other than the gospel the less happy we are. It's silly how often we don't do the things Christ expects of us or if we just do them less than fullheartedly and still we expect a great outcome. When will we learn that only following Christ will bring us complete and full happiness? When I think like this I can't help but imagine how frustrated Heavenly Father must get with us. This is a major thing I struggle with still and probably always will, but I sure will try to improve as time goes on because that's what the plan of salvation says this life is for right? I love Heavenly Fathers plan so much. :)


I feel like my emails are not really what they should be. I feel like instead of telling you about how I'm doing and what I'm doing and how I like it I give sermons. Maybe I'll work on that too, or maybe I'll just keep doing what I do and if you really want to know what's going on over here then you can write me a letter and hope that I have time to write you back, or you can hold your questions until the end of my mission and take me out to lunch and ask me all about it then. Yeah. That sounds good.


Until then I hope you all have a fantastic week and that you all recognize the Lords hand in your life. Always look for ways to serve everyone around you!
I love you all!


-Elder Curtis :D

Hello

Hi everybody!!! 

It's a beautiful day in Jeff City. It's clear and warm. A complete turnaround from last week where it was -7 by now. That was miserable. But yesterday it was in the 60's all day. This place is weirder than Utah.

It's been a great week. We picked up another new investigator: James. 

We are also in the process of setting three baptismal dates. By the end of this week we should have dates with Zainu, Diane, and Barbara. All three of them have declared that they know the Book of Mormon is true. The only problem they all face is coming  to church. So that's a little frustrating but we are working hard with all of our  investigators to help them keep their commitments. 

Zainu is awesome. He has never been a good reader and could never wrap his head around any book his whole life, therefore he hates reading. But he is reading the Book of Mormon and he's doing it very well. He understands what's going on and he is able to stay focus. He loves it. He told us that "Nobody could make this stuff up. This is the real deal." and that was without knowing Joseph Smith only  had a 3rd grade level education. He is awesome. :)

I can't believe I've almost been out six months. I can't believe Jen is half way done with her mission. That's crazy!!! Time is going by much too fast for me. But it motivates  me to work harder. 

I'm glad to hear that everyone is doing well. Tell Andrew and Mitch to work on their shots and maybe they'll win a game. ;) 

I hope everyone has a super week and stays warm and safe. Always remember how much Christ loves you! That's all for this week.

Love, Elder Curtis :)

Happy New Years!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


New years wasn't the same, that's for sure. I can't remember the last time I went to bed at 10:30 on New Years Eve. I probably never have before. But it was great. We had the evening off starting at 6. We had dinner with the Nelsons who are the same members who had us over for Thanksgiving and Christmas. That was awesome! I love that family. We had a air-hockey tournament and you may be pleased hear that I represented the Curtis family very well by going undefeated! I had to play a lot of rematches too but I held on victorious in every one.
That honestly seems like it was forever ago. It has been a loooong week. Ever single appointment we had cancelled except one. However, we were able to spend some time on finding efforts, and as a result we picked up three new investigators: Zainu, Christina, and Diane!!! They all are awesome. Zainu actually has a cousin who became LDS a couple years ago so that is what hooked him when we met him. Diane has a son who is in prison for murdering her father, so that's intense. But she's an awesome example of forgiveness and having a positive perspective on life even though she has had a lot more hard things to get through. Christina was actually a referral from our stake presidents wife who met her at the hospital. They were only able to talk for about two minutes but she got an address for us so we have been trying to contact her for about a month now. Whenever we tried to go see her there was never an answer. For some reason we didn't stop trying even though we've tried her probably 50 times or more. We thought she msut have given a false address or something. Well we decided to try her one more time. We went up to the door to find it already open. There were some men in there doing some work on the walls. The apartment was obviously vacant. We asked them if they knew if a Christina used to live there. One of them said "No, but there's a Christina in apartment D." All this time we were knocking on apartment E! So we knocked on D and lo and behold we found Christina! We told her who we were and what we do. She was very interested. Earlier that morning she had been earnestly praying to God for something to come her way to show her where to go with her life, to give her the help she needs spiritually. We were the answer to that prayer and she knew it. She automatically had a testimony that God is her loving Father and He loves her and knows her. She is excited to learn more about the restoration of the gospel and we are excited to see her come closer to Christ. Gods timing really is perfect. I love seeing the many miracles of missionary work every day. I love sharing the gospel.

That's all for this week. I hope you all have a great week and stay safe and warm. I love you!!!!!


-Elder Curtis