I am sending these emails to myself now (my gmail account) so I can delete them from this account, save room here, and set aside these emails. Just so you know. I am sorry that I only have about 40 minutes to type this before I am kicked off; I was attempting to do a little maintenance on my account. Anyway, I guess there is some sort of hold up on American mail as of the last two weeks because none of the American missionaries have received mail, so I hope your package gets here in a decent amount of time? And, Dad, yes I have put most of my pictures on that 8GB external hard drive, and I will put all of them on there before I send it home.
I am sorry to hear that it is so hot there! It is really pretty mild here and the mornings are a tad chilly, but I hear the summers here are just dreadfully warm so I hope you'll think of me in the middle of February when it is snowing there and I am melting here. Oh, and I hope things are going well with all your household projects - I expect the house to be in tip-top form once I return. No, it sounds like you are doing great things and working hard. Mom, be careful about not working too hard. Once again, I can see how very much like you I am. This week in fact I had a little bout with myself. I am far too impatient with myself and my growing capabilities, and it's hard not to see the other successes of the other missionaries and wonder what I personally am not doing to see such success. I had a difficult morning on Friday but I have a nice companion, and I spent a good personal study deciding how to be better in some aspects of my life. It's hard for me to see if I have made progression, and when I cannot see any progression it is frustrating. As a remedy, I am going to hold personal evaluations with myself at the end of every week and marked the things that I have progressed and done well in, and then mark the things I can work on during the following week. That way I will be able to see how I have become better and how I can become even better. Life is simply about progression and choices, and I desire to have mine be such that I move upwards and forward.
The work was slow this week, and we were occupied with some events happening in our district so that we couldn't spend every day working - this to my dismay. Thursday was spent down in Nouméa practicing for the fireside we gave last night. Friday is our grand planning day, and on Saturday we were given permission to go down into Nouméa with a Wallisian couple, the Teugaisiale family. We teach English to their two girls and they wanted to treat us to a day in ville (we switched our P-day with permission), especially since it is the end for Sr. Spencer. They have done it with other missionaries before, and the funny thing is that they are not even really investigators, although a member we saw at an outdoor market on Saturday greeted the wife, Helene, and asked if she was a member and she responded "not yet". Anyway, the couple (Mikael and Helene) are INCREDIBLY kind and gracious! They took us down into town to all the tourist sites - an American monument and canons in honor of the presence of America here in WWII, an amazing museum that had displays and artifacts from Melanesian and other island cultures. It was an remarkable place full of the tikis, fléches faitières, cases (the big huts the indigenous peoples lived in), etc. It was great to learn more in depth about the cultures of the peoples here. Greater knowledge and awareness = greater appreciation. Before my mission I didn't even have an INKLING of a desire to study or know about Pacific island culture . Now, I am blown away by the richness of it all and how their lives are family based and embedded with unique customs. Really, I can't describe the way it made me feel to finally understand.
After the museum we went to the aquarium (so cool!), then to the zoo where there were lots of birds, then to this cultural center called "Centre Tjiboau." It was neat there; art galleries full of island art, wooden structures and cases and people wearing authentic outfits from their native islands. I am excited because I think I am going to start teaching myself Wallisian soon - once I get better at French. The only problem is that there is little to no resources to learn the language. I could read the Book of Mormon in Tongan since that language is similar, but I can't even think of where I could find a Wallisian dictionary - if one even exists. Could someone look around for me? Or maybe a Tongan Book of Mormon?? Yes, yes, stopped rubbing your eyes out of unbelief for what you are reading - I really did just requested a Tongan Book of Mormon. Pigs are flying.
Sunday was a fine day. We had the missionary fireside last night where we sang songs about the Restoration, read a narration and there was a slide show of pictures and movie clips from the Joseph Smith story up going the entire time. It was a well-done production and the Spirit was strong. Sr. Spencer and I are staying down here in Nouméa until Tuesday evening because we have Zone Conference tomorrow and interviews with President Ostler today. We are staying with the PK7 (that's the sector) sisters - Sister Carter and Sister Leavitt. It's a sleepover, missioanry style. Or, as E. Johnston put it: “Pajama party.”
Other news from the week is that we teach English to this lovely Wallisienne woman who works for the airline here, AirCalin (you'll fly with them when /if you come out here in a year). We continue to teach Yori and Michael, although they weren't at church yesterday…
Tell Heather that I am thrilled that she is going t Girls Camp. I remember packing for girls camp a week before I even went every year - even when I was a YCL. I know she'll have a great time! And, wow, Alex. Way to go and rock those ACTs. But, still, go outside and enjoy summer. Television is a idol that gives nothing in return for your worship of it.
I have to run! I wish I could tell you everything that happened this week in DETAIL but I will just make sure to keep a decent journal and then I can tell you everything in 14 months.
Love you all.
Love,
Soeur Cummins
