Dear Family,
First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEATHY SHEA! I love you, petite soeur. 13 years old. I showed your picture to my companion and she said she thought you were 15 or 16. I felt better saying, now, that you’re 13 and not 12.
There just isn’t enough time in my short hour of Internet usage to explain to you how much I love this mission of mine and how much I love the Gospel and how I wish only to live and breathe the Gospel all the days of my life here on earth. I, like Paul, am not ashamed of this glorious work.
General Conference was good. So good, so good! We watched it this past weekend at the Rivière Salée building, and thankfully they had a room set up for the missionaries to watch it in English. I am not sure I would have gotten as much out of it had I seen it in French as I did in English. I was just blown away by the inspiration that went into every talk given, and the Spirit was so strong throughout the four sessions. I loved Elder Scott’s talk on the Spirit, the talk on why we are given burden’s to bear, and Elder Holland’s talk was a powerhouse of Book of Mormon goodness! The Spirit was SO strong, and I felt even a little irreverent saying amen at the end because I didn’t want the feeling to end and the silence to break. How could anyone deny the testimony that he gave of the divinity of the Book of Mormon? I never saw it in that perspective before, and he was full of the Spirit of prophesy when he testified! One of the Rivière Salée sisters’ investigators said that he wanted to be baptized after watching the conferences (I was there with Sister Leavitt when he said that he wanted to be baptized), and I wished so much that our investigators would have and could have come and seen that. I only wished that Elder Holland could be another one of our companions and bear that testimony to all of our amis. Then there was President Monson’s touching talk about service and “warm fuzzies”. He remains so spry and humorous in his age. His talk reminded me of this one lady, Madame DeGrellon, who lives just two houses above us. She lives all alone and is lonely, and we are able to go by once a week and visit. We called her on Friday and asked if we could eat lunch with her. We prepared a salad and went over and she had made us soup, pasta and crepes! She seemed very happy to have the company even if all she could talk about was her sadness. I hope we were able to brighten her day a little, and I am thankful that Heavenly Father led us to her even if she wants nothing to do with religion. But we know, at least, that pure religion is taking care of her (James 1:27).
I also loved the songs. Oh, the chorale prayers that the Tabernacle offered! The veil becomes thin when the air is full of such praising chorus. I feel that I was truly sanctified by the Spirit in listening to conference, and like the people of King Benjamin after his address, I have no desire to do evil but good continually.
I hope you all enjoyed conference as well. If someone could send me an Ensign with the conference addresses in English next month that would be superb! We get the Liahona in the addresses in French, but I would like an English copy as well. Merci!
So, just a little recap on the week: On Thursday there was a tsunami warning due to some earthquakes in the Vanuatu islands. The weather was very foreshadowing that morning and had a weird charge to it – then we heard about the warning. We kept teaching though and later when we came home at lunch our district leader called and told us to stay in. Then 10 minutes later the warning was lifted and we were back on missionary schedule. These natural disasters have been prophesized already; we live in the last days.
I can’t write much more because I have been gabbing to you all about General Conference, but I want you all to know that I love you. I hope that doesn’t come as a surprise to you (like it did to that one family Elder Bednar talked about – oops! I would have hated to have been that Dad), and I hope I can show my love for you in the work I do here. I love the Lord. I am so grateful to be serving Him as I serve his children here. I think I am going to be transferred from this sector next week. I will tell you next week if my suspicions are fulfilled. I have loved serving in Paita. When I think of leaving Soeur Seiko I want to cry – she has been an amazing support and quiet, firm example to me. I love her so much. But, I am glad to serve where I am called, and change means progression and how I so desire to progress and become better. Thanks to Christ, I know that is possible for me.
I hope you all know that I have a testimony of the Gospel and of our Savior Jesus Christ. I want you to know that I love God, and I am trying to be obedient in all the things He has commanded of me. I hope you are striving to love Him as well through your obedience.
Be wise and have a good week.
Love you all,
Soeur Cummins
P.S. We are going fishing today for my first time– Soeur Seiko is teaching me.
First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEATHY SHEA! I love you, petite soeur. 13 years old. I showed your picture to my companion and she said she thought you were 15 or 16. I felt better saying, now, that you’re 13 and not 12.
There just isn’t enough time in my short hour of Internet usage to explain to you how much I love this mission of mine and how much I love the Gospel and how I wish only to live and breathe the Gospel all the days of my life here on earth. I, like Paul, am not ashamed of this glorious work.
General Conference was good. So good, so good! We watched it this past weekend at the Rivière Salée building, and thankfully they had a room set up for the missionaries to watch it in English. I am not sure I would have gotten as much out of it had I seen it in French as I did in English. I was just blown away by the inspiration that went into every talk given, and the Spirit was so strong throughout the four sessions. I loved Elder Scott’s talk on the Spirit, the talk on why we are given burden’s to bear, and Elder Holland’s talk was a powerhouse of Book of Mormon goodness! The Spirit was SO strong, and I felt even a little irreverent saying amen at the end because I didn’t want the feeling to end and the silence to break. How could anyone deny the testimony that he gave of the divinity of the Book of Mormon? I never saw it in that perspective before, and he was full of the Spirit of prophesy when he testified! One of the Rivière Salée sisters’ investigators said that he wanted to be baptized after watching the conferences (I was there with Sister Leavitt when he said that he wanted to be baptized), and I wished so much that our investigators would have and could have come and seen that. I only wished that Elder Holland could be another one of our companions and bear that testimony to all of our amis. Then there was President Monson’s touching talk about service and “warm fuzzies”. He remains so spry and humorous in his age. His talk reminded me of this one lady, Madame DeGrellon, who lives just two houses above us. She lives all alone and is lonely, and we are able to go by once a week and visit. We called her on Friday and asked if we could eat lunch with her. We prepared a salad and went over and she had made us soup, pasta and crepes! She seemed very happy to have the company even if all she could talk about was her sadness. I hope we were able to brighten her day a little, and I am thankful that Heavenly Father led us to her even if she wants nothing to do with religion. But we know, at least, that pure religion is taking care of her (James 1:27).
I also loved the songs. Oh, the chorale prayers that the Tabernacle offered! The veil becomes thin when the air is full of such praising chorus. I feel that I was truly sanctified by the Spirit in listening to conference, and like the people of King Benjamin after his address, I have no desire to do evil but good continually.
I hope you all enjoyed conference as well. If someone could send me an Ensign with the conference addresses in English next month that would be superb! We get the Liahona in the addresses in French, but I would like an English copy as well. Merci!
So, just a little recap on the week: On Thursday there was a tsunami warning due to some earthquakes in the Vanuatu islands. The weather was very foreshadowing that morning and had a weird charge to it – then we heard about the warning. We kept teaching though and later when we came home at lunch our district leader called and told us to stay in. Then 10 minutes later the warning was lifted and we were back on missionary schedule. These natural disasters have been prophesized already; we live in the last days.
I can’t write much more because I have been gabbing to you all about General Conference, but I want you all to know that I love you. I hope that doesn’t come as a surprise to you (like it did to that one family Elder Bednar talked about – oops! I would have hated to have been that Dad), and I hope I can show my love for you in the work I do here. I love the Lord. I am so grateful to be serving Him as I serve his children here. I think I am going to be transferred from this sector next week. I will tell you next week if my suspicions are fulfilled. I have loved serving in Paita. When I think of leaving Soeur Seiko I want to cry – she has been an amazing support and quiet, firm example to me. I love her so much. But, I am glad to serve where I am called, and change means progression and how I so desire to progress and become better. Thanks to Christ, I know that is possible for me.
I hope you all know that I have a testimony of the Gospel and of our Savior Jesus Christ. I want you to know that I love God, and I am trying to be obedient in all the things He has commanded of me. I hope you are striving to love Him as well through your obedience.
Be wise and have a good week.
Love you all,
Soeur Cummins
P.S. We are going fishing today for my first time– Soeur Seiko is teaching me.
