Hey everyone! The MTC has been… well not too different!
This week I have finally been getting better and my throat doesn’t hurt really anymore! I have gotten kinda stuffy in my nose, but I’m not complaining because my throat was way worse! Everyone but one person has gotten sick now in my district! So ya I’m glad I’ll be fine by the time I got to Ecuador! I have been able to play basketball and volleyball again which I love! My district is getting good at volleyball and we are one of the best teams besides these big islander guys! But we will beat them before we get out of here! The warden only gives us an hour of yard time though! Haha!
What else… So on Thursday my companion and I got word that our visas were ready in Phoenix! Best news ever! I couldn’t survive another week waiting here! Haha! Then yesterday we all got our travel plans! On the 19th we check out at 2:30 in the morning. The first flight is to Phoenix where we will get our visas. Then we are going to Miami. After Miami we got to Quito! Our arrival time says around 10 pm! We will also have probably another couple hour drive after that! So that’s gonna be a long, long day! The nerves are definitely getting to me I think! In one week I will be in a foreign, third-world country speaking a different language! Hopefully in another week I will be fluent! (ya no haha). I am also really really excited too! I will finally be a real missionary!
Our teacher quoted something that I’ve been thinking a lot about. He said (paraphrasing) ,”There’s no growth in comfort, and there’c no comfort in growth.” I got comfortable with the Spanish then we got dropped a lot of new things! I think by now this week we have learned 7/8/9 different tenses and a lot of conjugations… I can read them and understand, but its been a real challenge trying to speak them. I don’t know that I will have them down by the time I leave, but I am trying my hardest and a lot of prayer is involved!
So this week I was also able to finish the Book of Mormon for my third time… I loved Ether and Mormon and Moroni! The chapters I’ve read here are crazy marked up! Anyway I wanna share a verse from the very last chapter of The Book of Mormon in Moroni 10:32 In this chapter Moroni shares the gifts of the Spirit that people can be blessed with and he gives council to us! “32 Yea,come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.” I have so many flaws and weaknesses that Christ has to pay for. I am far from perfect, and the MTC has been a very humbling experience for me so far. The only way for me to overcome my weaknesses is through Christ. We all can be perfected in him. I’m working hard on relying on the Atonement of Christ rather than trying to do everything by myself. Really I’m just trying to figure out how to do that! I have received so many blessings through my efforts, and I am so grateful for the chance I have to serve the people of Ecuador. I can’t remember what video we were watching about missionary work, but Elder Holland said that conversion isn’t cheap, and it won’t be for our investigators. I know it won’t be easy, but I have my goals, and I will achieve them with the help of my Savior. I am so grateful for Him. I challenge everyone to build that relationship with your Savior. Nothing will bring you more joy in this life. I love you all have a great week!
Elder Curtis
There is no doubt in my mind that you will be a great missionary in Ecuador. The language barrier will get better, don’t worry. In the beginning it will shock you but do not despair. You will be able to hear and understand the language and then you will be able to speak. Trust me. It happened to me too. People will be patient with your Spanish because they will feel your desire to communicate. Continue to trust in the assistance of the Holy Ghost and you will be an awesome missionary. We are so proud of you! We will continue to pray for you and we look forward to your letters every week. We love you!
Ps. I am hoping my spelling is good. I can’t see what I write in here for some reason. 😊❤️