Dear Mom and Dad,
That was funny that we were online at the same time last week. That’s a nice coincidence. So, Grandpa isn’t doing well? I will definitely keep him in my prayers. I know that everything will work out the way it is supposed to – I grow more and more thankful for the Plan of Salvation every day, and that our lives here are but only a tiny moment in eternity. Every day truly is a gift though, and we should live each to the best that we can.
I received your package this week, Dadders. Thanks for the memory card, although I have found that with the larger memory cards that, many times, I lose pictures. I wonder though if it is the card or the camera. It’s only happened twice that I lost a few photos I had taken, but it was still annoying. I hope it won’t happen with this new one. Oh, and thanks SO much for the pictures of the family! Heather is just beautiful and when I opened my letter (at the mission office in Nouméa on Thursday), some of the elders the pictures of the family they asked if she was 15 or 16, and I had to tell them that she was only 12. And, one of the elders saw that picture of you and Mom in Utah near some pioneer statues and he said that he could just tell that you were Californian because you looked nice and healthy. And, I love that one of Grandpa looking at that picture of our family at my MTC farewell. Very tender - I got two pictures in one. Thanks for that.
Where to start with this past week! First of all, I love my new companion Soeur Seiko. She is so sweet and funny, and although she has a quiet nature she is such a support to me, and she makes me want to be a more consecrated, more diligent, more bold. I was telling her this at our companionship inventory on Friday after our grande planification for the week and she said that she felt the same about me. I think it is a great thing when we want to be better because of the example someone sets only to find out that they feel the same about your example; it’s a continual upwards progression.
On Tuesday and Wednesday we did a LOT of contacting in the lotissements of Julisa, Bernard, and our own of Ondémia. We had a few lessons and found a new investigator, Michael Tuigana. We also talked with this one woman from Vanautu who could barely understand our French or our limited Bislama. She spoke jibberish back to us. We tried to read the Book of Mormon in Bislama (Buk Blong Mormon) the next time we visited and teach her a little but the understanding on both sides was VERY limited and I was having some trouble because her house did not smell pleasant. Oh, the odors I have smelled here are another tale in and of itself… On Wednesday night we ate at Michael and Helene’s (the same family that took us to Nouméa a few weeks ago) and taught English lessons to their two sweet daughters. I told Michael how you might come to pick me up after my mission and he insisted that they give you the grand tour of Nouméa if you do decide to come. They treat us so well, Mom and Dad. You have no idea. I am floored by the generosity of the people here and how kind they are to us. Clearly there are people who are not so kind and who perhaps are angry at us for simply knocking on their door, but the former are experiences that overshadow any meanness.
On Thursday we had our car wash, since the first Thursday of every month is our combined service activity. It was fun seeing the other missionaries and cleaning cars. I laugh way too much when I am with Soeur Leavitt and the other elders and sisters. I love the comradery between the missionaries.
Soeur Seiko became ill with the flu (la grippe!) on Thursday evening; I think the rainy, cold weather on Thursday at the car wash did a number on her immune system, and we stayed inside Friday morning so she could rest. On Saturday we had a few lessons before lunchtime and we attended a Catholic mass here in Paita village since one of our friends that we teach English to invited us to come and hear her sing during the mass. We made sure it was okay with our zone leaders, and then we went. It was some in French and mostly in Wallsian, so as you can suspect, I am not sure how much I got out of the spoken word. The music was old mixed with new: ancient latin text put to acoustic guitar. And the stained glass windows were something to amuse my eyes. It was the first time I had been to a mass. Later that afternoon, after a lesson, Soeur Seiko and I were walking back the car when suddenly Soeur Seiko said she wasn’t feeling well and nearly passed out. She was sicker than she had let on, so I drove us immediately back to the apartment, cancelled our lessons for the afternoon and called our zone leaders. The elders came by a little later and gave her a blessing and gave me a blessing as well. I was comforted by the blessing. I am very thankful for the Priesthood. Soeur Seiko slept from 4 that afternoon until the next morning before church! It was so good for her, although Saturday was a little lonely in our apartment as I did planning and study by myself. It is an inspired thing that we do missionary work two by two because it wouldn’t be very effective any other way.
One more experience from the week: We went to our investigator house, Katalina, for a lesson and she wasn’t there, but as we were walking back to the car this woman who is working for the census here in Caledonia came up to us and asked who we were. When we told her that we were LDS missionaries she immediately asked us to come to her house and talk with her and her husband. She then proceeded to give us all her contact information. We went to her house last night to teach her and her husband. The husband was skeptical and kept asking us questions to trap us and continued to insist how it was really a shame that we didn’t pray to Mary. Really, I wonder that some Catholics love Mary more than God, the Father. We weren’t able to teach much of a formal lesson with them, but the wife, Christine, walked us to our car afterwards and said that she felt something good about us. She wants to continue to meet with us and learn. She is a kind, humble woman and perhaps if we teach her she will be able to teach and help her husband.
I have to run, but know that I love you and think of you often. Not too often though – just at kneeling moments. When I see your faces in the pictures you send me I forget for a moment where I am and I feel that I am with you. Know that I am well, happy and that I continue to smile. The work here in Calédonie moves onward ever onward. Can you believe I am out here?
Love,
Soeur Cummins
