Full Time FINDERS

Yohooooo FAMILIA Y AMIGOS! How's it going?? Thank you for the wedding pictures and updates, looked so fun and T and E looked amazing! Congrats to the happy couple!

This week was a spiritual roller coaster like non other. We got to hear from the amazing Elder BEDNAR as a mission and it was incredible! Before we had the reunion, we were asked to prepare by reading 4 of his talks and really study them. I studied like CRAZY because I wanted to be ready and I wanted to get everything out of the experience that I could. Saturday the anticipation and spirit was SO strong as we waited for the meeting the start. The 3 hour meeting was us missionaries asking questions to him, learning together, letting the spirit speak to us and hearing the things we needed to through not only Him, but the spirit.

In one of the talks, "Ask in Faith" something really stood out to me and I want to share it. Elder BEDNAR said, "We properly pray for the safety and success of the full-time missionaries throughout the world. And a common element in many of our prayers is a request that the missionaries will be led to individuals and families who are prepared to receive the message of the Restoration. But ultimately it is my responsibility and your responsibility to find people for the missionaries to teach. Missionaries are full-time teachers; you and I are full-time finders. And you and I as lifelong missionaries should not be praying for the full-time missionaries to do our work! If you and I would truly pray and ask in faith, as did Joseph Smith—if we would pray with the expectation to act and not just to express—then the work of proclaiming the gospel would move forward in a remarkable way." I am a full-time missionary, but YOU are a full-time Finder. Thank you so much for your prayers for missionaries, for me here in Spain. I can definitely feel them, we can feel of the love and support which is incredible, BUT As members of our church, as followers of Jesus Christ, every Sunday we partake of the sacrament and renew our baptismal covenants. By partaking of the sacrament, we are covenanting and promising our father in heaven that we will 1) take the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, 2) always remember Him and 3) keep His commandments- and if we do these things, are are promised to always have His Spirit with us. (Sacrament prayers- Moroni 4:3)

So my invitation and request to you... BE A FULL TIME FINDER. Help the missionaries out, be a disciple of Christ and share this happy message with your friends, family, and loved ones! (Also, all you really have to do is call the missionaries, we are here to help and teach, that's our calling!!) I'm not saying you have to go shove the Book of Mormon in their face, I'm not saying you have to get all "churchy" on them, but as members, we are missionaries. We are examples. We are children of God. Share the gospel of Christ by your actions, the things you say, the way you think, and the way you treat others. Be kind to everyone, serve, and one of the and biggest thing, INVITE. Invite your friends to activities, invite your friends to FHE, invite your friends to church. Let them make the decision what they want to do, but be the example to them and do your part by inviting and loving them!

To finish up I just want to share something else I learned from Bednar's talk and has really helped me and changed my thinking/prayers this week. When Joseph Smith went to the grove of trees to ask which church to join, he went to the grove to ask in faith, and he was determined to act. He focused on what he needed to know, but also what needed to be done! This is SO important because many times when we pray, we think that we can just ask God for things and he'll give it to us... Many times we are blessed and we see those tender mercies and sometimes really soon, but we have to WORK for those things and we have to earn the things we want or may desire. Pray to Heavenly Father and after you say "Amen.", get up get excited to get to work, live life, and get going! We can do this! Walking the streets of Spain, speaking to people in a language I barely know is tough and frustrating. With my whole heart I want to be able to share this message of Our Savior with them. I'm learning patience, humility, but also I'm learning to have a lot of faith. Faith that when in act according to Gods will, and I do what I'm asked, I'm obedient, I prepare, and study, He will fill my mouth.

Have faith in your life, turn to God in all things, and rely on our saviors strength when you need it.

Have a great week, love you all!

Have faith, have hope, live like His Son, help others on their way....

Much love and Besitos, 

Hermana Curtis