"Tá bom. Tá ruim, mas tá bom."

As Sister Newell and I were passing an old man on the street recently we overheard him talking to his friends. One of them was asking how things were going for him and he responded, "It's okay. It's terrible, but it's okay." First I laughed a lot at that response because it reminded me of something my own grandpa would say, but then the more I thought about it, the more relatable and inspiring it became. Bear with me.

This week definitely wasn't the easiest of weeks, there was a lot of rain, a lot of doors  shut in our faces, and a lot of things that didn't work out exactly how we were hoping that they would. One afternoon as Sister Newell and I were talking about some of the most important things that we've learned on our missions, I told her how one of the things I'm most grateful for on my mission are the hard days and trials that we face.

 I also remembered a scripture that I recently read in Psalms 118:24 "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Every day that we have truly is a gift from the Lord and a new opportunity to rejoice and do something wonderful. It's our own responsibility to seek out the good and the beauty and the hope of a better tomorrow in the middle of our not so great todays.

I'm so grateful that I've learned to be able to not just say but to feel "It's great! Things are tough, but it's great!" I know that these blessings come from the understanding that true and lasting happiness is not derived from momentary, fleeting things. Lasting joy comes from the things of the eternities, it comes from obedience to eternal principals given to us for the SOLE purpose of making us happy, forever and ever. And guess what? NOW is a part of that great forever!!

Is life always easy? No. Is it always easy to find the light in moments of darkness? No. But is it there? Is it worth it to keep striving to find that pinpoint in the blackness? YES! ABSOLUTELY!!! "Men are that they might have joy" if they seek it out. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us beyond our grandest imaginings and that He is here to help us find the path to eternal life that we are seeking. He wants us to rejoice in THIS day that He has made for us and that He'll always help us to do so.

I love you all sooooo much and hope your week is fabulous!!!

LooOooOvvVEeeE,
Sister Curtis