Monday, March 28, 2016

FINALLYYYYYY

FINALLYYYYYY

HEY GUESS WHAT? ANGÉLICA WAS BAPTIZED THIS WEEK, WOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to be super smooth and lead into this miraculous event with some finesse but honestly, I´m just too happy and too grateful that everything FINALLY worked out for her. It´s been a roller coaster with this moça, and have literally put our blood, sweat, and tears into helping her. After going to church with us last Sunday she basically dropped off the face of the Earth. We called and visited every single day, but she was never home and almost never answered the phone. We prayed so hard and fasted (for the 6th time) for her again this week, and still we felt like nothing was happening or making a difference.

By Friday we were getting a little heartbroken and almost gave up hope for her baptism the next day, but after rallying our forces, praying with all our might, and eating every ounce of chocolate that we had in our house (Sister Bennallack ate almost an entire cake by herself and it was incredible), we continued on. Saturday morning, guess who happened to be home for the first time all week???? And guess who told us, "I don't know if I wanna be baptized today"??? Yep, Angélica.

BUT after a little lunch, and a lot crying (on all parts), and a lot of testifying and praying together, she told us she really wanted to be baptized. It was such a struggle, literally until the moment she was baptized (she had to use a children´s jumpsuit because the rest had holes, the font overflowed, 0 members showed up, and she has a phobia of the water and was super scared to be submerged), but hey guess what, everything worked out. Everything worked out exactly how it was supposed to. I remember very vividly praying in desperation Saturday morning, with every ounce of love and soul and faith that I have, "Heavenly Father we have exhausted our every effort, we have literally done everything that we are capable of doing and then some. It´s time that we turn the rest over to Thee. Please help us and help Angélica." And He did.

"For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." (2 Nephi 25:23) I know that the Lord always always always answers our prayers, not always exactly how or when we want an answer, but when and in the way that we need most. I also know that when we really do everything that we can, we are entitled to extra help and that the Lord will more than make up for what we lack. I love you all so much and wish you all a great week!! :)

LooooOOoOvvveeEeee,

Sister Curtis


Monday, March 21, 2016

Sister Curtis & the Week Everything Went Right (mostly)

Sister Curtis & the Week Everything Went Right (mostly)

Bom Dia meus abençoados!!!

After several tough weeks of hard work, fasting, and prayers that didn't seem to be bringing forth much fruit, this week it all paid off! SO I'll start off with the biggest miracle. I've already written several times about Angelica because we've been teaching/working with her pretty much since we arrived here in Ribeirão Pires. Well apparently 3rd time´s the charm because she FINALLY had her baptismal interview with Elder Alvim, we answered all her questions and doubts and she´s going to be baptized this Saturday!!!!!!!!! It´s been incredible to see her growing happier and more open after every lesson/visit, and the change was literally physical after her interview. She walked out of the room glowing, with a huge smile on her face, and super excited to be baptized.

 I can´t even explain how happy I am for Angelica. I love her so much and have worked and prayed and done everything I can, and the Lord has more than made up for what we lack. We're not perfect teachers, we don´t speak perfect Portuguese, we don't have all the answers, but the Lord does. He is the Master Teacher; He speaks through the spirit in a language that every one of us can understand; He has all the answers because He IS the answer. I´m so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that He lived for me, He suffered for my sins, my heartaches, my weaknesses, and that He died for me, and that now He lives again!! I know that because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that because He lives, I too will live again! I know all of this for myself because I have seen the power of the Atonement work in my life, and in the lives of the people here in Brazil, and I  testify that it is a real power. The atonement of Jesus Christ has changed my life, I have seen it cleanse, heal, and succor, and I know that it is only through this merciful gift that we can have to strength we need to not just endure, but to enjoy until the end.

I love you all and hope you all have a wonderful Easter, and remember not just what it´s about, but the why as well.

Lots and lots of love,

Sister Curtis

Monday, March 14, 2016

It was a sick week, bro

"It was a sick week, bro"

This week I caught a bad cold and had to stay home for a day or two and it was the worst (staying home, not the cold). But, we had a conference with President Broadbent and the nearby zones, and he taught us how to shoot down and work around pretty much any excuse that people try to give us and it was awesome, because people are always trying to give us lame excuses as to why they cant meet with us or go to church or be baptized when they already committed to a date. Also, sometimes I´ll be talking with someone completely normally and as soon as I ask if we can share a message with them they magically lose the ability to understand me and are all, "what? what? sorry I cant understand your accent, I have to go now, bye",  which is kinda funny but also really annoying, but tudo bem.

Here are some other thoughts/occurrences by Sister Curtis from this week:
- Sometimes I´m like, "What the heck, why is it raining so much??" Then a still small voice whispers to me, "What are you stupid, you literally live in the rainforest."
- When it rains a lot in São Paulo the sewer systems cant handle it and rain/sewage water explodes out of the holes in the man hole covers and it fills the streets, and then cars drive by and splash us with it. It´s the best :-)
- We were walking through the middle of town the other day, and a guy riding a horse just casually passed us on the sidewalk like it was no big deal.
-We got locked out of our apartment the other day while I was sick and the light in the hallway works with a motion detector, so we sat on the ground, eating bologna sandwiches, waving my umbrella in the air every 3 minutes for 2 hours while my district leader read us talks from the Liahona over the phone.

Love you all and hope to have some more exciting news from Brazil for you next week!

-Sister Curtis