view from our apartment's balcony
Dearest Family,
Ahh! It has been SO hot this week! I shouldn't have told you a few weeks ago that it wasn't as bad as I thought it would become, because I must have then forgotten to knock on wood, because voilà it is hotter than dickens especially with the humidity factor. The other day we had to walk across Magenta at three in the afternoon for an appointment, and we arrived at our amie's house and I caught a glance of myself in the window and AHH! I have never been quite so sweaty. Never. But, I did find an SPF 70 sunscreen, so no worries, Mom. Oh, and thanks for the photos from home of the snow up to your hips and the scene by the lake. I just showed all the elders here at the internet place and they sighed. Elder Hu'uti has never seen snow in real life and Elder Morrill proclaimed that Lake Arrowhead must be the celestial kingdom.
This week has seen many changes and interesting situations. My companion, Soeur Swapp, had to go the doctor this week due to a strange rash that has climbed about her body. Lovely, right? She also had an allergic reaction (a mild one that incited her rash to dash in all directions) and had to visit the hospital. Really, the medical scene here is semi-primitive; they don't exactly send the most qualified doctors from France to little forgotten New Caledonia.
In other news, we did manage to have some very good lessons with our amis and some less actives this week.
A bit of a crazy situation occurred on Friday night. We received a telephone call from the APs telling us that the new sister (who arrived about three weeks ago) would be staying with us for the night, and the next day. I received another call, the next day, saying that she would stay and be trained by me in Magenta. It was a bit of an emergency transfer because the new sister (who knows next to no French) arrived three weeks ago and was put with a native speaker (who knows next to no English). They weren't able to communicate and there was a bit of a difficult situation that occurred, so the new sister was transferred to Magenta with me. I feel a little shocked, but at the same time I had the feeling that she would stay and that Soeur Swapp (who speaks pretty good French) would go back to Mont Dore with the native speaker. It's sad because Soeur Swapp and I have really been growing as a companionship lately and found a nice rhythm in unity. I feel bad that it took us a while to find it and now that we have found it that she is being transferred.
With each companion, as those of you who have or who will serve a mission know/ will know, you must be flexible because each has a different way of doing things. It is so important to focus on why Heavenly Father put you in that situation with that person and what you are to learn from one another.. I think you acquire certain Christian virtues with each companion and are refined as you go along. With Soeur Swapp, I have learned to have more charity and humility. I realized, in this past week, that I do have a deep love for her, and I know that this is because I followed the counsel in Moroni 7 and prayed to Heavenly Father that I would have charity for her. With Soeur Seiko I learned greater diligence, patience continuance in well-doing, and obedience, and with Soeur Spencer I believe I learned to develop a greater personal patience.
Every day is a learning experience, and I know that in my new responsibilities I will grow in great ways. I do feel very incapable and weak, but I know that Heavenly Father has blessed me with capacities both in the language and with teaching and that He will lead me along. I doubt it will be easy and there is quite a bit of pressure on me, but one thing that shows me that it is possible is an experience I have had with, of all things, the phone. I remember at the beginning of my stay here in New Caledonia that I honestly believed it impossible for me to have a real conversation or even have real communication with people on the phone in French. I was afraid of that phone and speaking imperfect French, but as I have learned to get over that and pray and make phone goals for myself I have come to a point where I can communicate easily over the telephone. I am amazed at the instrument that God is making out of me. I have faith in Him and His ability to make impossible things possible for me. The phone is just an example, and perhaps it is a bit silly, but it is just one small way that shows me that all is possible if we rely on the Lord and continue on.
Thanks for the support you are to me. I love this mission. This is a blessed time in my life. I love you all.
Love,
Soeur Cummins
Ahh! It has been SO hot this week! I shouldn't have told you a few weeks ago that it wasn't as bad as I thought it would become, because I must have then forgotten to knock on wood, because voilà it is hotter than dickens especially with the humidity factor. The other day we had to walk across Magenta at three in the afternoon for an appointment, and we arrived at our amie's house and I caught a glance of myself in the window and AHH! I have never been quite so sweaty. Never. But, I did find an SPF 70 sunscreen, so no worries, Mom. Oh, and thanks for the photos from home of the snow up to your hips and the scene by the lake. I just showed all the elders here at the internet place and they sighed. Elder Hu'uti has never seen snow in real life and Elder Morrill proclaimed that Lake Arrowhead must be the celestial kingdom.
This week has seen many changes and interesting situations. My companion, Soeur Swapp, had to go the doctor this week due to a strange rash that has climbed about her body. Lovely, right? She also had an allergic reaction (a mild one that incited her rash to dash in all directions) and had to visit the hospital. Really, the medical scene here is semi-primitive; they don't exactly send the most qualified doctors from France to little forgotten New Caledonia.
In other news, we did manage to have some very good lessons with our amis and some less actives this week.
A bit of a crazy situation occurred on Friday night. We received a telephone call from the APs telling us that the new sister (who arrived about three weeks ago) would be staying with us for the night, and the next day. I received another call, the next day, saying that she would stay and be trained by me in Magenta. It was a bit of an emergency transfer because the new sister (who knows next to no French) arrived three weeks ago and was put with a native speaker (who knows next to no English). They weren't able to communicate and there was a bit of a difficult situation that occurred, so the new sister was transferred to Magenta with me. I feel a little shocked, but at the same time I had the feeling that she would stay and that Soeur Swapp (who speaks pretty good French) would go back to Mont Dore with the native speaker. It's sad because Soeur Swapp and I have really been growing as a companionship lately and found a nice rhythm in unity. I feel bad that it took us a while to find it and now that we have found it that she is being transferred.
With each companion, as those of you who have or who will serve a mission know/ will know, you must be flexible because each has a different way of doing things. It is so important to focus on why Heavenly Father put you in that situation with that person and what you are to learn from one another.. I think you acquire certain Christian virtues with each companion and are refined as you go along. With Soeur Swapp, I have learned to have more charity and humility. I realized, in this past week, that I do have a deep love for her, and I know that this is because I followed the counsel in Moroni 7 and prayed to Heavenly Father that I would have charity for her. With Soeur Seiko I learned greater diligence, patience continuance in well-doing, and obedience, and with Soeur Spencer I believe I learned to develop a greater personal patience.
Every day is a learning experience, and I know that in my new responsibilities I will grow in great ways. I do feel very incapable and weak, but I know that Heavenly Father has blessed me with capacities both in the language and with teaching and that He will lead me along. I doubt it will be easy and there is quite a bit of pressure on me, but one thing that shows me that it is possible is an experience I have had with, of all things, the phone. I remember at the beginning of my stay here in New Caledonia that I honestly believed it impossible for me to have a real conversation or even have real communication with people on the phone in French. I was afraid of that phone and speaking imperfect French, but as I have learned to get over that and pray and make phone goals for myself I have come to a point where I can communicate easily over the telephone. I am amazed at the instrument that God is making out of me. I have faith in Him and His ability to make impossible things possible for me. The phone is just an example, and perhaps it is a bit silly, but it is just one small way that shows me that all is possible if we rely on the Lord and continue on.
Thanks for the support you are to me. I love this mission. This is a blessed time in my life. I love you all.
Love,
Soeur Cummins
