Dearest Family,
Merry Christmas!!! That sounds strange for me to write, because it feels like anything but Christmas here in Caledonia. I count it as a tender mercy because missing home and feeling homesick would be distracting, however I cannot wait to talk to you on Friday morning (Thursday afternoon/morning for you). My companion and I figured it out and if you could call me at 6am in the morning here (which is 11am on Thursday morning for you) that would be perfect! Our phone number is 26-93-08, the country code, I think, is 687, and I think you have to dial 00 for international calls. Thus, what I suspect you will do will be to dial: 00-687-269308. Got that? I would check all of that on Google if I were you, and I am going to check my email again later today so send me a confirmation. I can't wait to hear all your voices - I would like apologize right now for my struggles to express myself in English. Maybe you could open the present I sent you before calling me so we can talk about it. Oh, and Dad, I will sing my mission song to you. The real one.
It feels like it has been forever since I was in Paita, and yet it was only a week ago. Tuesday was our transfer day and I gave Soeur Seiko a nice big hug after our district meeting, and then I went off with Soeur Swapp and Soeur Carter. Later that evening Soeur Carter was taken to the airport and I was left with my new companion. Let me just say that every companion is different, and I had a bit of a difficult time this week adjusting to the new situation. New people, new secteur, new apartment, new companion, new ways of doing things, etc. I suppose this is a test of both my patience and flexibility. I really like Souer Swapp. She is very talkative, personable, and she has an amazing voice. She sings at many of our missionary gatherings and is a good missionary. I feel honored to work with her.
The weather here has actually been nice the past few days (knock on wood!) - not too hot! That makes walking around a little less oppressive. Our sector is huge and we spend a good hour to two hours walking every day. In the mornings we walk out of our apartment and the 200 meters down to Magenta beach to do our exercises. It is gorgeous in the mornings when the sun is rising over the water. How did I become so blessed? Our apartment is perhaps half the size of Paita's and, well, it is in need of a really good scrub down. The dust that accumulates in the city is ridiculous. Everyday there is another layer of filth on our floors, and there are coakroaches, despite our vigilant efforts. Don't worry though; I think it is another tender mercy of the Lord's that I am not afraid of smashing them or getting rid of them immediately. We had a funny experience last night when I brought the mop in from the balcony and a big fat lizard fell on me and then on Soeur Swapp. Screams ensued. We caused a bit of a commotion.
We already have some pretty good amis, though I am a little distressed because one of our amies, Malia, called this morning and said she doesn't want us coming over anymore. She said that we have been mean to her. Drama. Soeur Swapp said that she is a little unbalanced, but I still feel badly over the situation. She came to church with us yesterday and everything seemed to go well, so I am not sure where we erred. We are going to go over and talk to her. She has been an investigator for a while and she has some major problems, physically, mentally, spiritually - pretty much all the "-ally"s. Pray for her and for us, please.
Another amie who has great potential is Isabelle. She came to the ward activity with us on Friday (a big cultural activity where the Pacific island nations were represented in dance and food) and then she came to church on Sunday with us. I love it because the branch building is close to everyone in this sector. It's not like Paita where people have to drive for 30 mintues or more to get to the Tontouta building.
I saw Soeur Seiko on Friday night with Soeur Leavitt, who came to the activity with Pako, an investigator from Rivière Salee who is getting baptized on Christmas. It was comforting to see Soeur Seiko, since it had been an interesting first few days in Magenta and seeing her put me at ease.
The members here are kind to the missionaries, and I feel that the branch of Magenta will be a good place for me. I need to bloom where I am planted.
On Sunday night we went to the family Teuhiva for dinner with the elders of Vallée des Colons and the elders of Fauborg Blanchot, and we were treated so well by them. I haven't laughed quite so hard in quite some time. Brother Teuhiva is so funny and reminds me of Dad.
On Sunday night we watched the transmission of the Christmas massage by the First Presidency. I loved listening to the orchestra and the choir. I loved listening to the hornists, and, once again, I missed my French horn. Music is such an elevating medium! It was a bit of Gilead's balm to my soul.
On day this week we were walking from one end of our sector to another to get to an appointment at the chapel with one of our recent converts, and we decided that we really couldn't talk to anyone on the way because we had to get to the church immediately. So there we are walking/running and we get to this one shortcut behind the Catholic church (called: the Church of Hope …). On the shortcut there was this man just on the side with his daughter in their yard, and we were running by and he called after us. He asked us if we were missionaries and we said yes. He asked if we were missionaries at the Catholic church, and we said no and presented who we were and which church we represented. He said that his little daughter had been talking about Jesus Christ lately and he wanted to know if we taught about Jesus Christ. Soeur Swapp was so excited that she spurted out "of course!" in English and he laughed. Then we showed him our badges and showed him how the name Jesus Christ is the biggest name on there and how He is the center of the church. He asked if we could come over and teach him and his family next week. He asked if we had to go somewhere and we said yes, but that we would be back next week. He then presented his wife to us (who was there in the garden) and told us about himself, and then we had to run. We were a little late for our meeting at the chapel, but I was so glad that we had meet Franc. My question is though, how did he know that the two girls running by were missionaries? I am convinced that it was the Spirit, and I know there are people that the Lord has prepared for us in this sector. I am excited for this meeting we are going to have with him and his family. Please, pray that is will go well for us and for them.
Anyway, I will check my email later to see what you think about the Christmas situation. I hope all is well at home! I love you all so very much and I feel blessed to have the Gospel in my life. The Church is true. Jesus Christ is our Savior, and I am thankful for this season where we pay special attention to Him and his very divine and humble birth. May we try to emulate Him every day!
Love,
Soeur Cummins
Merry Christmas!!! That sounds strange for me to write, because it feels like anything but Christmas here in Caledonia. I count it as a tender mercy because missing home and feeling homesick would be distracting, however I cannot wait to talk to you on Friday morning (Thursday afternoon/morning for you). My companion and I figured it out and if you could call me at 6am in the morning here (which is 11am on Thursday morning for you) that would be perfect! Our phone number is 26-93-08, the country code, I think, is 687, and I think you have to dial 00 for international calls. Thus, what I suspect you will do will be to dial: 00-687-269308. Got that? I would check all of that on Google if I were you, and I am going to check my email again later today so send me a confirmation. I can't wait to hear all your voices - I would like apologize right now for my struggles to express myself in English. Maybe you could open the present I sent you before calling me so we can talk about it. Oh, and Dad, I will sing my mission song to you. The real one.
It feels like it has been forever since I was in Paita, and yet it was only a week ago. Tuesday was our transfer day and I gave Soeur Seiko a nice big hug after our district meeting, and then I went off with Soeur Swapp and Soeur Carter. Later that evening Soeur Carter was taken to the airport and I was left with my new companion. Let me just say that every companion is different, and I had a bit of a difficult time this week adjusting to the new situation. New people, new secteur, new apartment, new companion, new ways of doing things, etc. I suppose this is a test of both my patience and flexibility. I really like Souer Swapp. She is very talkative, personable, and she has an amazing voice. She sings at many of our missionary gatherings and is a good missionary. I feel honored to work with her.
The weather here has actually been nice the past few days (knock on wood!) - not too hot! That makes walking around a little less oppressive. Our sector is huge and we spend a good hour to two hours walking every day. In the mornings we walk out of our apartment and the 200 meters down to Magenta beach to do our exercises. It is gorgeous in the mornings when the sun is rising over the water. How did I become so blessed? Our apartment is perhaps half the size of Paita's and, well, it is in need of a really good scrub down. The dust that accumulates in the city is ridiculous. Everyday there is another layer of filth on our floors, and there are coakroaches, despite our vigilant efforts. Don't worry though; I think it is another tender mercy of the Lord's that I am not afraid of smashing them or getting rid of them immediately. We had a funny experience last night when I brought the mop in from the balcony and a big fat lizard fell on me and then on Soeur Swapp. Screams ensued. We caused a bit of a commotion.
We already have some pretty good amis, though I am a little distressed because one of our amies, Malia, called this morning and said she doesn't want us coming over anymore. She said that we have been mean to her. Drama. Soeur Swapp said that she is a little unbalanced, but I still feel badly over the situation. She came to church with us yesterday and everything seemed to go well, so I am not sure where we erred. We are going to go over and talk to her. She has been an investigator for a while and she has some major problems, physically, mentally, spiritually - pretty much all the "-ally"s. Pray for her and for us, please.
Another amie who has great potential is Isabelle. She came to the ward activity with us on Friday (a big cultural activity where the Pacific island nations were represented in dance and food) and then she came to church on Sunday with us. I love it because the branch building is close to everyone in this sector. It's not like Paita where people have to drive for 30 mintues or more to get to the Tontouta building.
I saw Soeur Seiko on Friday night with Soeur Leavitt, who came to the activity with Pako, an investigator from Rivière Salee who is getting baptized on Christmas. It was comforting to see Soeur Seiko, since it had been an interesting first few days in Magenta and seeing her put me at ease.
The members here are kind to the missionaries, and I feel that the branch of Magenta will be a good place for me. I need to bloom where I am planted.
On Sunday night we went to the family Teuhiva for dinner with the elders of Vallée des Colons and the elders of Fauborg Blanchot, and we were treated so well by them. I haven't laughed quite so hard in quite some time. Brother Teuhiva is so funny and reminds me of Dad.
On Sunday night we watched the transmission of the Christmas massage by the First Presidency. I loved listening to the orchestra and the choir. I loved listening to the hornists, and, once again, I missed my French horn. Music is such an elevating medium! It was a bit of Gilead's balm to my soul.
On day this week we were walking from one end of our sector to another to get to an appointment at the chapel with one of our recent converts, and we decided that we really couldn't talk to anyone on the way because we had to get to the church immediately. So there we are walking/running and we get to this one shortcut behind the Catholic church (called: the Church of Hope …). On the shortcut there was this man just on the side with his daughter in their yard, and we were running by and he called after us. He asked us if we were missionaries and we said yes. He asked if we were missionaries at the Catholic church, and we said no and presented who we were and which church we represented. He said that his little daughter had been talking about Jesus Christ lately and he wanted to know if we taught about Jesus Christ. Soeur Swapp was so excited that she spurted out "of course!" in English and he laughed. Then we showed him our badges and showed him how the name Jesus Christ is the biggest name on there and how He is the center of the church. He asked if we could come over and teach him and his family next week. He asked if we had to go somewhere and we said yes, but that we would be back next week. He then presented his wife to us (who was there in the garden) and told us about himself, and then we had to run. We were a little late for our meeting at the chapel, but I was so glad that we had meet Franc. My question is though, how did he know that the two girls running by were missionaries? I am convinced that it was the Spirit, and I know there are people that the Lord has prepared for us in this sector. I am excited for this meeting we are going to have with him and his family. Please, pray that is will go well for us and for them.
Anyway, I will check my email later to see what you think about the Christmas situation. I hope all is well at home! I love you all so very much and I feel blessed to have the Gospel in my life. The Church is true. Jesus Christ is our Savior, and I am thankful for this season where we pay special attention to Him and his very divine and humble birth. May we try to emulate Him every day!
Love,
Soeur Cummins
