Preach My Gospel Members

For those of you who watched the Sunday Morning Session of General Conference, you might remember when Elder Ballard said this: 

"I invite all members, regardless of your current calling or level of activity in the Church, to obtain a copy of Preach My Gospel... Read it, study it, and then apply what you learn to help you understand how to bring souls to Christ through invitation and follow-up... Brothers and sisters, can you imagine the impact if family and friends included things they are learning from their personal study of Preach My Gospel in their letters and emails to their full-time missionaries? Can you picture the blessings that will come to families when they know and understand better what their sons and daughters will be studying and teaching on their missions? Can you even begin to fathom the extraordinary outpouring of atoning grace that will be ours, individually and collectively, according to the Savior’s promise to all who bear testimony in the process of inviting souls to come unto Him—and then following up on those invitations?"

I would like to follow up on what he said by asked all of you how your study of Preach My Gospel is going. I would love to hear about what you are learning. This is something I was studying about this week. In PMG chapter 10 it gives some suggestions of what we can do to invite the spirit. The List includes praying, using scriptures, bearing testimony and expressing love for the Lord and others. One that I want to focus on right now is sharing experiences. It invites the spirit in a powerful way. It helps them to see how the gospel relates to real life situations. I challenge you as you share the gospel in simple ways to share experiences and let the spirit testify to their hearts. 

This week as been an interesting one. On Tuesday I had to go to Manila to take care of some stuff for Manila. It was a long trip there and back, but it was fun because I got to spent it with Sis. Tupua and Sister Latimer, my roommates from the MTC. We have all changed so much in the last year and a half. Missions are amazing. 

My poor companion Sister Baraiti has had a rough week. She has a boil on her thigh that makes it hard to walk and uncomfortable to sit. We haven't been able to go teach as much as usual, but we still have been able to do missionary work. I just love her. 

Saturday was National Day of Service. Our ward had a service project where we went to go clean up a local cemetery. The best part was getting to wear the "Mormon Helping Hands" vest for the first time. Just kidding, that wasn't the best part. The best part was serving. And also the following story: I talked to a woman who was sitting near the grave of her son. He had committed suicide about 3 years ago. She keeps having dreams about him, and came to his grave all the way from Manila hoping to learn what she needs to do to help him find rest. I taught her about Temples and proxy baptisms for those who have already died. I bore my testimony to her. She was interested so I got her information and I will send it to the missionaries in Manila so they can help her help her son, and at the same time hopefully she will accept the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love being a missionary. True story.

Love,

Sister "Helping Hands" Curtis