Dear Family,
I am a dysletic typer today. I apologize.
Oh, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Mommers!
Let's see. We have been working hard this week and seeing small improvements in important areas. We have an ami named Nicaisse who we contacted on the street a few weeks ago. He actually lives two streets away and he knows Pako pretty well, so we invited Pako to come along for our lesson on Tuesday with him. It was probably one of the best member lessons I have ever had, although the lessons with Aurélie and Marie (the member) were truly the "meilleures." Pako started, without being prompted, by sharing his conversion story. He had been driving one day through Vallée des Colons when it began to rain. He noticed two young men in white shirts and pulled over and asked if they needed a ride somewhere. They got in and he drove on. The elders contacted him and invited him to a fireside that night at Rivière Salée. When he dropped off the elders he went to a party he had been invited to but he said that he didn't want to drink and that he was leaving to go to a fireside, where he thought a bunch of people would be gathered around a bon fire singing songs. He said he was disappointed that there was no fire, but he said that from the minute he walked into the chapel he felt peace. He told Nicaisse that from that day forward that he stopped drinking and was taught by the sisters. Really, when Pako shared his conversion story he had this wonderful light and peace about him. We talked about the Book of Mormon with Nicaisse, and at the end of the lesson we asked him, when he read and prayed about the Book of Mormon and received an answer pertaining to its truthfulness, if he would be baptized. He said yes. However, we came by the next time on Thursday around 5 in the afternoon and he had drunk a few glasses of alcohol. Pako was there to help him and talk to him about how he was able to overcome his drinking problem. We have some things to work with and I am just thankful that we know what his main problem is as of current so we can help him overcome that. He has the desire to do what is right, we just need to teach him principles that will help him come closer to the Lord if he chooses to follow them.
We had some little miracles occur on Wednesday went we went around doing follow-ups. We, well I, decided to climb up a hill as a shortcut instead of taking the long road to get to an apartment complex and my companions followed. That ended up being an adventure that lead to us seeing an amie that we haven't been able to make contact with for a long time. We set up an appointment with her for next week. Her name is Anysse and she wants to be baptized. She needs to be married first and there are some difficulties with the customs of her boyfriend's tribe. Don't even get me started on some of the "evil traditions of the fathers" here... On Saturday we had another English class and found ourselves before two ready learners: Pako and another member named Marie Dupery. Pako, after a myriad of failed attempts, finally was able to recite the entire alphabet without a flaw. That was a success for us.
On Sunday there was a special transmitted conference where Spencer Condie, Soeur Wixom of the Primary, Elder Ballard and Elder Eyring spoke to the Pacific island Saints. It was inspired.
I am not much in a recounting mood today. Sorry for the scatterbrained-ness.
Oh, before I forget, I had a wonderful personal study yesterday in Ether 6: 3 - 12. Just look at those verses and think about the voyage of life. How we all start out with a "light" within ourselves (our boats) which is the light of Christ. How even before this life we are prepared for the voyage of this earth life (verse 4, D&C 138:56), and how during this life the Lord is always sending wind our way (trials and difficulties) so that we might progress in our journey. Without the wind our boats cannot advance, so neither can we as humans and children of God advance in life without the winds of adversity and trial. Then, notice that even though the waters many surround us (waters being Satan and his temptaions - see D&C 61) we can still keep our light within burning bright and through prayer we will be brought to the top of the waters and have repose from Satan's destructiveness for a time. Then look at the fact that after having survived the voyage and enduring to the end we arrive at the promise land - what is that promise land? Eternal life. I am doing a horrible job summing up what I took from those verses but I invite you to read them as well and get even more out of it than I did.
I love you.
Love,
Soeur Cummins
I am a dysletic typer today. I apologize.
Oh, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Mommers!
Let's see. We have been working hard this week and seeing small improvements in important areas. We have an ami named Nicaisse who we contacted on the street a few weeks ago. He actually lives two streets away and he knows Pako pretty well, so we invited Pako to come along for our lesson on Tuesday with him. It was probably one of the best member lessons I have ever had, although the lessons with Aurélie and Marie (the member) were truly the "meilleures." Pako started, without being prompted, by sharing his conversion story. He had been driving one day through Vallée des Colons when it began to rain. He noticed two young men in white shirts and pulled over and asked if they needed a ride somewhere. They got in and he drove on. The elders contacted him and invited him to a fireside that night at Rivière Salée. When he dropped off the elders he went to a party he had been invited to but he said that he didn't want to drink and that he was leaving to go to a fireside, where he thought a bunch of people would be gathered around a bon fire singing songs. He said he was disappointed that there was no fire, but he said that from the minute he walked into the chapel he felt peace. He told Nicaisse that from that day forward that he stopped drinking and was taught by the sisters. Really, when Pako shared his conversion story he had this wonderful light and peace about him. We talked about the Book of Mormon with Nicaisse, and at the end of the lesson we asked him, when he read and prayed about the Book of Mormon and received an answer pertaining to its truthfulness, if he would be baptized. He said yes. However, we came by the next time on Thursday around 5 in the afternoon and he had drunk a few glasses of alcohol. Pako was there to help him and talk to him about how he was able to overcome his drinking problem. We have some things to work with and I am just thankful that we know what his main problem is as of current so we can help him overcome that. He has the desire to do what is right, we just need to teach him principles that will help him come closer to the Lord if he chooses to follow them.
We had some little miracles occur on Wednesday went we went around doing follow-ups. We, well I, decided to climb up a hill as a shortcut instead of taking the long road to get to an apartment complex and my companions followed. That ended up being an adventure that lead to us seeing an amie that we haven't been able to make contact with for a long time. We set up an appointment with her for next week. Her name is Anysse and she wants to be baptized. She needs to be married first and there are some difficulties with the customs of her boyfriend's tribe. Don't even get me started on some of the "evil traditions of the fathers" here... On Saturday we had another English class and found ourselves before two ready learners: Pako and another member named Marie Dupery. Pako, after a myriad of failed attempts, finally was able to recite the entire alphabet without a flaw. That was a success for us.
On Sunday there was a special transmitted conference where Spencer Condie, Soeur Wixom of the Primary, Elder Ballard and Elder Eyring spoke to the Pacific island Saints. It was inspired.
I am not much in a recounting mood today. Sorry for the scatterbrained-ness.
Oh, before I forget, I had a wonderful personal study yesterday in Ether 6: 3 - 12. Just look at those verses and think about the voyage of life. How we all start out with a "light" within ourselves (our boats) which is the light of Christ. How even before this life we are prepared for the voyage of this earth life (verse 4, D&C 138:56), and how during this life the Lord is always sending wind our way (trials and difficulties) so that we might progress in our journey. Without the wind our boats cannot advance, so neither can we as humans and children of God advance in life without the winds of adversity and trial. Then, notice that even though the waters many surround us (waters being Satan and his temptaions - see D&C 61) we can still keep our light within burning bright and through prayer we will be brought to the top of the waters and have repose from Satan's destructiveness for a time. Then look at the fact that after having survived the voyage and enduring to the end we arrive at the promise land - what is that promise land? Eternal life. I am doing a horrible job summing up what I took from those verses but I invite you to read them as well and get even more out of it than I did.
I love you.
Love,
Soeur Cummins
