Hola hola hola mi familia! I don't even know where to start,
but I am here in Spain and I am a REAL MISSIONARY!!! There is so so much I
could tell but I just wanted to share some highlights of the week and what's
going on here in BARRIO 8. My companion/trainer/mom is Hermana Weaver and I
love her!! We are basically the same person, and it is so awesome. I was so so
nervous when we were getting them, but I am so blessed to have her. She is from
Arizona, she's been out almost 8 months and she is the only member in her
family which is so incredible!!
We live in a cute piso which is giant for only 2 of us. I'll
have to send a video soon.
Right from the get go, Tuesday night we were off and out to
people. We went straight from our meeting to a noche de hogar with some
members-- ahhh! It was awesome but so scary because immediately I was thrown
into the Spanish. Spanish is Spanish.... I actually understand a lot, and I
know words and how to say things, but it is SO hard for me to speak and get it
out. I know, poco a poco, but it feels like it's all just bottled in my head
and I know one day it will all explode and come out, but for now.... Trusting in
the lord, working hard and doing my part to learn, prepare, and pray for the
gift of tongues. One day we went to eat lunch with a cute member. She made us
lunch and while we were talking, it was really cool because I wasn't quite
getting what she was saying, but I could feel the spirit SO strong. Even though
I don't understand most things, I can understand the feelings and language of
the spirit.
So Hermana weaver and I are new sisters in the area so we
are starting all new, from scratch and trying to figure things out in this
ward. Literally 20 minutes in our first day, walking in the metro, my bag
broke... Me being a previous camp counselor, and creative Hermana Curtis that I
am, surprisingly didn't really care and I pulled out a metal clamp thing that
was holding all my flash cards together and I fixed, my bag. Haha I laugh about
it now because it's so awesome and I don't even care that it's broken because
it still works! I've only been out for 6 days but I've really learned to just
go with the flow and I've gotten pretty good at fixing things like that on the
fly.
Many things here in the mission, and in life in general we
can't control. Things happen, we need to be flexible, we need to turn to the
lord and call down his strength and help in those difficult times. These past
few days have been incredibly hard and I find myself so stressed, down, and
discouraged. This morning was really hard for me and while Hermana Weaver was
in the shower, I knelt down and just poured my heart out to my Heavenly Father.
I needed strength beyond my own and I needed help to push through. I don't know
why but I was feelings SO SO anxious for things and I didn't know why, but I
couldn't control it and I had never felt that kind of feeling before. In the
mission I just started the Book of Mormon over again and it is incredible. (If
you aren't reading it every day, YOU NEED TO!) Hermana Weaver and I are reading
it with humility in mind and how we can turn to the Savior in all things. I'm
only a few chapters in but so far it is incredible. This morning I also read Elder
Hollands recent talk from conference about how tomorrow the lord will provide.
(Tender mercy: I don't have that downloaded in my iPad yet, but I remembered
Taylor sent that to me, SO THANK YOU TAY!!) reading that, and looking over my
conference notes was perfect. Many times in life we may have a spiritual high
moment (CCM) and then "real life" (mission field) comes and it is so
hard. Elder Holland reminds us that the lord loves us through all, as long as
we're trying our best to follow the Savior and do the things we need to do, he
will provide. As a missionary, there is so much we have to do, so much in a
day, and there's no way we can do it all, and we NEED the Savior. I know that
life is hard, the mission is hard, but we are here on earth, and I am here in
Spain, to learn, grow, turn to the lord, and TRUST in him. We need to have faith
that he will provide, because HE WILL.
First lesson, was great and a miracle. I don't want to write
this whole story out, and this would be awesome for next week skype, so I'll
tell you about it them? But basically our first lesson, my first lesson in the
field-- we met with a cute lady cooked yummy lunch, taught the first lesson,
committed her to baptism and she said yes??!!? We were so so nervous because it
was our first real lesson together as a companionship and also my first real
lesson. (Of course we practice on a water bottle or Hermana Weavers friend
"Aloe Vera", ha, but now this is real life, real people.) Anyways, she
is so excited, the story is incredible and we also talked about the palabra de
sabaduria (word of wisdom) because she asked what she could do to be ready for
baptism. It's so exciting and so amazing!! We're so excited for her and I'm
excited to work with her, love her and help her have our Savior in her life. I
said the first vision and the spirit was beyond strong and she was like
repeating it back to make sure she was understanding correctly. It was amazing
and those moments like that truly make it all worth it.
Sunday was a good day and fun to meet people in our ward.
Since we're both new to the area, it was meeting a lot of people and getting to
know the members. We bore our testimonies (IN SPANISH) I was so scared, but the
spirit definitely put words in my mouth. I made people laugh, which was good--
I think I said something to the effect of my testimony was short because my
Spanish was short. Not exactly sure, but I did it, I’m still alive!
Anyways, this week was great, hard, but fun and it's coming.
The biggest thing I learned this week would have to be trust in the lord and do
all we can. We only have control over ourselves on this earth, and WE have free
agency to choose. We can talk, teach, help, love, and serve others, but we only
can control ourselves... So my main thoughts for the week- turn to the lord in
ALL. Do your best, work hard, be obedient, be diligent, be obedient, and he will
take over the rest. I love you all and I'm blessed for the prayers, love and
support.
Have a great week and I'll SEE you on Sunday!!!
Have faith have hope, live like his son, help others on
their way....
Con mucho mucho amor y Besitos,
Hermana Curtis
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