Comments for Elder J. Alexander Curtis http://www.curtis-assoc.com/ElderCurtis Serving in the Belgium Brussels/Netherlands Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Tue, 19 May 2009 02:54:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 Comment on Well, I Guess there is News. by mjcurtis http://www.curtis-assoc.com/ElderCurtis/?p=424#comment-8 mjcurtis Tue, 19 May 2009 02:54:19 +0000 http://jacurtis.wordpress.com/2009/05/11/well-i-guess-there-is-news/#comment-8 Unfortunately Elder Curtis has very limited time each week for email and can't correspond directly with his blog readers. However if you wouldn't mind sending me your questions I will see if I can't answer them for you or get you an answer. I have visited Paris and the South of France many times so I should be of some assistance. I even spent time working in a kitchen of a restaurant near Avignon. Unfortunately Elder Curtis has very limited time each week for email and can’t correspond directly with his blog readers. However if you wouldn’t mind sending me your questions I will see if I can’t answer them for you or get you an answer. I have visited Paris and the South of France many times so I should be of some assistance. I even spent time working in a kitchen of a restaurant near Avignon.

]]> Comment on Well, I Guess there is News. by herculesforlife http://www.curtis-assoc.com/ElderCurtis/?p=424#comment-7 herculesforlife Sat, 16 May 2009 22:03:51 +0000 http://jacurtis.wordpress.com/2009/05/11/well-i-guess-there-is-news/#comment-7 Hi Elder Curtis, I was reading that article about the French hymn which is not in the English hymnbook and I just kept reading the rest of your letters! =) Anyways, I´m planning to go to Paris, France, and that´s gonna be in about 3 or 4 months. Well I´d love to ask you some stuff, so I´m gonna give you my email address: [...] write me an email. I wish you the best in your mission. Andy. Hi Elder Curtis, I was reading that article about the French hymn which is not in the English hymnbook and I just kept reading the rest of your letters! =) Anyways, I´m planning to go to Paris, France, and that´s gonna be in about 3 or 4 months. Well I´d love to ask you some stuff, so I´m gonna give you my email address: [...] write me an email. I wish you the best in your mission.
Andy.

]]> Comment on Souviens-toi by Jared Barker http://www.curtis-assoc.com/ElderCurtis/?p=229#comment-5 Jared Barker Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:33:52 +0000 http://jacurtis.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/souviens-toi/#comment-5 I imagine now that he's been out a while he could do a better job translating the song. This is a great letter. A true missionary letter. I hope the ones I wrote to my mother were this inspiring. I imagine now that he’s been out a while he could do a better job translating the song. This is a great letter. A true missionary letter. I hope the ones I wrote to my mother were this inspiring.

]]> Comment on Souviens-toi by Megan Gery http://www.curtis-assoc.com/ElderCurtis/?p=229#comment-4 Megan Gery Fri, 27 Feb 2009 04:25:12 +0000 http://jacurtis.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/souviens-toi/#comment-4 While the story shared about the French hymn “Souviens-toi” is beautiful and touching, it is incorrect. It is a rumor and is not doctrinal. While living in France I heard the same thing from a woman I attended Church with. And unfortunately, the translation provided by Elder Curtis is incorrect. “Souviens-toi” is the command form of the verb “to remember.” It is reflective, which is why the “toi” (which means “you”) is hyphenated. If you were saying “I remember” you would say “Je me souviens”. Sorry to seem nitpicky, but it changes the entire meaning of the hymn. The hymn is about a new mother holding her infant, but it is about the preexistence and the fact that the little baby has come fresh from Heavenly Father’s presence and was not that long ago in his Heavenly parents’ arms. The woman proceeds to wonder what the Premortal life was like, since the baby is so fresh from that experience and from the veil. The link provided at the end of the letter to the English lyrical translation is not literal either, but it does capture the message of the hymn and teach the doctrine intended. I am sorry to be critical, I’m sure Elder Curtis is a wonderful missionary and is great at French. I just want to make sure that this beautiful song is done justice. It is my favorite hymn. Enjoy Belgium, Elder Curtis. It is a wonderful area with very kind and interesting people. May God be with you as you do His work. While the story shared about the French hymn “Souviens-toi” is beautiful and touching, it is incorrect. It is a rumor and is not doctrinal. While living in France I heard the same thing from a woman I attended Church with.
And unfortunately, the translation provided by Elder Curtis is incorrect. “Souviens-toi” is the command form of the verb “to remember.” It is reflective, which is why the “toi” (which means “you”) is hyphenated. If you were saying “I remember” you would say “Je me souviens”. Sorry to seem nitpicky, but it changes the entire meaning of the hymn.
The hymn is about a new mother holding her infant, but it is about the preexistence and the fact that the little baby has come fresh from Heavenly Father’s presence and was not that long ago in his Heavenly parents’ arms. The woman proceeds to wonder what the Premortal life was like, since the baby is so fresh from that experience and from the veil.
The link provided at the end of the letter to the English lyrical translation is not literal either, but it does capture the message of the hymn and teach the doctrine intended.
I am sorry to be critical, I’m sure Elder Curtis is a wonderful missionary and is great at French. I just want to make sure that this beautiful song is done justice. It is my favorite hymn.
Enjoy Belgium, Elder Curtis. It is a wonderful area with very kind and interesting people. May God be with you as you do His work.

]]> Comment on Still in Alabama by mjcurtis http://www.curtis-assoc.com/ElderCurtis/?p=269#comment-6 mjcurtis Tue, 09 Dec 2008 23:11:47 +0000 http://jacurtis.wordpress.com/2008/12/06/still-in-alabama/#comment-6 <strong>Off to Belgium</strong> We received word today that Elder Curtis is finally off to Belgium. He will be flying out this evening and will spend a few days in the Mission home before receiving his first assignment. We will post more details as they become available. Off to Belgium

We received word today that Elder Curtis is finally off to Belgium. He will be flying out this evening and will spend a few days in the Mission home before receiving his first assignment. We will post more details as they become available.

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