look forward!

This week has been one of change! This week I have really learned that repenatnce really is like lifting weights. When we exercise, our muscles are being stretched and torn and then they are filled in with more muscle, resulting in your ability to become stronger. In relation, when we sin, big or small, I believe it tears at our spirits, faith, and relationship with God but as we utilise the Atonement and repent, Jesus Christ literally fills in the tears with his grace, mercy, and love which makes us spiritually stronger. It teaches us how to rely on the Saviour and why we should rely on the Saviour. As Christ fills in those missing pieces our faith increases, our patience grows, and we become more Christ-like men and women. I have really felt that this week. This week has been full of ups and downs. And I am so grateful for it! I have gone from feeling very inadequate to knowing that I am and trusting that God will help me to become what He needs me to be. This week, my relationship with my Father in Heaven grew immensely. I know that He loves me. I loved a quote by President Ulrich this week, he said, "Look forward, the moment you do you will be happier". I love that because as I strive to repent of my past mistakes whilst looking forward to what I can become I feel excited! I know that I will get through the trial at hand and I don't feel hopeless. Instead I feel empowered. Before my mission, I would feel so hopeless sometimes that I would just want to move on to the next thing and not think anymore about my struggles.This is something I think I've needed to realise my whole life. Stop concentrating on the past. Repent(AKA Change) and move forward believing that God will make you exactly what you want to become. This week I realised that, "Saints can be happy in every circumstance", prayer is powerful and it works...SERIOUSLY, and I need to have a clear vision of what I want to help others accomplish, what I want to become, and of who I am right now. 

I have learned that Heavenly Father loves me right now as I am. He loved me for who I was. He will love me for who I will be but the amount of trust He bestows upon me is up to me. 

This week I got to go on exchanges with a new missionary from Australia, Sister Setu. SHE IS A POWER HOUSE! Talk about diligent and hilarious! That girl stopped every single person that she could on the street and shared simple truths with them about Jesus Christ. She has a smile that shines almost brighter than her testimony(but I don't think anything could) and she really opened my eyes! She really taught me to just be calm and love! I have been able to see sisters really open up and share with me some of their biggest fears and hardest times and I am so grateful for that! Being able to lose myself and focus my efforts on serving them has been such a great privilege! It is amazing to me the things that we can accomplish when we just put our minds to it.

This week was Sister Bellersen's first 5 Weeks meeting! We got to go to Manchester and she got her iPad(she is pretty excited)! I feel like I have known her my entire life! She is so fun! She is a diligent missionary with a really big heart! I am really so grateful I get to be her companion at this time! I am grateful for her knowledge, opinions, honesty, and kindness for those we meet! I can't wait for you all to meet her some day! She is the craziest german lady ever! She is always trying to get me to eat more apples and take more vitamin C(I gotta love her!) 

There is so much amazing history here in Preston about the Church of Jesus Christ! This is the place where the very first missionaries came! Gordon B. Hinckley a prophet of Jesus Christ served his mission here! We are standing on the shoulders of spiritual giants but with that in mind the work of the Lord is not easy here. Satan works extra hard to stop his children from progressing in this blessed land. I just really wanted to thank you all for your prayers. Thank you for your desire to become the best you that you can. I am grateful for each of you and truly consider you my brothers and sisters! I want you to know that you can do anything! Don't let your current circumstances envelop you. You can overcome anything as you put your trust in Heavenly Father! Try new things! Never fear! God truly is near! he lives! he loves us! he hears our prayers and he will make your righteous desires a reality! All you need to do is ask!

I don't really know what else to say, all I know is that I know God lives! I know that He has a plan for us. I know this because just like in the past, He has called a prophet to teach us and guide us. He has shown us the way. We just need to jump out of ourselves and try new things! I know that He loves you. I truly do. Have a wonderful week! Don't be afraid to let miracles happen in your life! 

I LOVE YOU!!

XOXO

Sister Cummins

PS: Thank you each for reading my emails and writing me emails. It means everything to me! Adieu!

hi! hello!

Hi! Hi! Hello!

It is my! Your sister missionary from across the pond coming to you live at 15:31 pm!

I don't even know where to start! The weeks start to blur together and I feel like I've been on my mission for a cumulative for a few weeks....maybe...

Being a missionary is hard work, which makes it the best work. Being a missionary is all about striving to find balance. It is about putting your Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ first, your companion second, the friends you make on the street and in their homes third, and yourself as well as all of your personal affairs last. I really feel that a mission is a life training. I am learning to be obedient. I am learning t manage my time, money, and skills but most importantly I am learning how to love my Saviour and to make Him the keystone of my life. I have so much gratitude to me Father in Heaven for sending me here and then giving me trials and challenges. While I have different things that pull at my different capacities, I am really learning that I need to put others first. I need to forget myself. As I forget myself Heavenly Father promises in the scriptures that we will find more of ourselves and I believe that is because there will be more of us to find. Sometimes I feel like I want to just sit down and cry. Sometimes I do.(; But in reality this is the greatest process of my life. 

I got to have a new missionary from Cambodia, Sister Rouen, and her companion(my old companion from the MTC), Sister Du exchange with Sister Bellersen and myself! We learned so much and received so much motivation! It was an incredible exchange and we got to see miracles happen! I love that they have not ceased! God still lives and blesses our lives! 

We also had a Multi-Zone conference where half the mission comes together and learns more! I learned that it is better to stay far away from the edge of a rule the to be close to it. The Lord trusts those who are pre-cautious and safe more than those who are dare-devils. Stay safe. I got to give a training on nightly planning which was way good and lots of fun! I got to work with another Sister Training Leader from Chorley, Sister O'Riordan, on it and it was heaps of fun!

This week we got to meet many people and have some seriously amazing people placed in our path. We met some people that are truly ready to hear more of the gospel and we just need to hold onto that "fruit" that the Saviour has placed in our path. We were on the bus and I was talking to this one man who was not in particularly interested in hearing any of our message but as he got off the bus this man named Earl had been listening and asked us if we would come visit his friend Sally and Lewis on Tuesday! Then the other day Sister Bellersen and I had gone to get lunch at a place called Yo' Burrito. As we were in the queue the woman making our food said, "Can I come and meet with you sometime? I really want to learn more about mormonism. I love learning about religion" and then as we waited for someone to open the chapel this week a boy named Jamie walked by us. As we initiated a conversation he invited us to come back to his home to share more with his family! People everywhere are being prepared. They are all around us! Heavenly Father wants His children to know about His restored gospel. I feel so lucky to be able to be a part of His work. I get to be the Lord's hands whilst here on the earth! That in itself is a privilege. So yeah, it may be hard but He provides a way to do the things which he asks us to do. 

I know that my Saviour lives. I know that He loves you and me. I know we can get through even the hardest of times with His help. I love the teachings of Jesus Christ. They bring so much peace to my heart. I hope you each have a wonderful week!! I hope you do things that make you happy and I hope you share the love within you with all those who surround you! 

 XOXO

Sister Cummins

russel m. nelson

Hiya!!

It is the one and only...I think....Sister Cummins back for another week of incredible experiences!!

First off, thank you all so much for the extra love, prayers, and presents I received on my birthday! You are all too nice to me! I don't deserve it but I'm not going to say no!(; HA!

You all are so great and I am so grateful for each one of you! Thank you for the big and small ways you impact my life! I wouldn't be who I am without your influence in my life. I believe we are here to accumulate experience, learn, grow, and to become our best selves and each of you truly has impacted me and guided me to become my best! Thank you! I love you!

Anywho!

This week has been so wonderful! This week I have been praying harder and harder that more prepared people will be placed in our path! We are striving to speak with everyone that we can and to just love those whom we come into contact with! As we have done so we have met SO many incredible people who really needed us at a specific moment of time. As we have shown the lord that He can trust us, he has sent us to meet Susan, Joe, Jeane, Jane, and Joseph, and so many other genuine, kind people! 

This week we went to go teach a lesson to the Finches. We teach Brother Finch and his wife every single week on Tuesday and Thursday nights without fail but this week they never answered. They had been having some problems and we had tried knocking about five times. After the fifth we decided to leave it until Thursday and started walking on our way. I saw this hooded person with a violin, so me being me I go up to them with all the excitement in the world because I love violin and haven't seen one of those bad boys in about 4 months! As we approach them we realise that it is a young boy from our church. He had been walking home for an hour because his bus never came and he had another 2ish hours to walk. He wouldn't have been able to get home until probably about 10. He had no phone and he was just walking down the street with his violin crying. He was so sad. It was so sad. But it helped me understand an important principle. To the Finches they were having a hard time on the other side of their door making it so that we couldn't come in for that night but because that happened we were able to find this 11 year old a ride home, ring his parents(who were in tears and had called the police) and really help him. We were where we were needed. Sometimes there are a lot of different factors for why some things happen to us. It does not mean God does not love us. We all have to pass through pain, trial, and suffering at some point but what this showed me is that God loves all of his children. He loves the Finches and He loves this young boy. He is there to help everyone. IF we just ask for it with real intent. The Finches are fine, they overcame their issues and this young boy was able to feel safe and get home. 

This week as I partook of the sacrament(the bread and water that symbolise Christ's sacrifice for each of us) I prepared myself before hand and truly felt the healing, cleansing power that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has brought into my life. This is healing and cleansing. it is peaceful and it is free to everyone. Heavenly Father sent His son to help us and He will. He already has. All we have to do is ask to be able to truly feel it. he will provide. There is a path clearly marked for us. We can accomplish any good task with the help of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. I truly have felt that this week.

This week Russel M. Nelson( A modern day apostle of the Lord, Jesus Christ) came an spoke to us along with a member of the Quorum of the Seventy, Donald Hallstrom and a few other incredible men. As Russel M. Nelson walked in the room I had a very strong impression that he is an apostle of the lord. That Jesus Christ does guide us today through living prophets and apostles. He gives us the words of ancient prophets and apostles as well as modern day ones because he loves us. he wants to guide our paths. The words they spoke instilled in me a great understanding of God's love for me and each of you. This is our reality. The world tries to fool us but there is so much more to this life. We are truly spiritual beings that are just here for a short while so we can become more like our Father in Heaven. We are made to have JOY! So go do it! 

I love my Saviour. I love my father in heaven. Without them I truly would be a very different person and I am so glad that I am able to change!

I say all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I hope you all have a really wonderful week! Go do something crazy like bake your neighbour a cake! Tell someone random you love them! Don't put barriers in your way! Act on impressions! Just be-YOU-tiful...cheesy I know! I love you dearly!!

XOXO

Sister Cummins

"see you on wednesday"

Hiya, you alright?

it's been a while since I started an email like that...or even heard that phrase. They don't really say it up here in good old Preston, England! When I first got out in England I was SO perplexed about how people ask you how you're doing and don't even stop to listen and now it doesn't even fade me. It is weird how we get used to things or stop to notice little things as we become accustomed to them. That can be really good or it can be really bad. I have noticed that throughout my life I have become accustomed to hearing and saying sarcastic comments and being "jokingly" rude to those whom I love that surround me. President Ulrich recently invited us to fast with the purpose of being able to better notice what makes the companionship of the Holy Ghost go away(when we are baptised we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost to be a companion and to guide us or comfort us throughout our lives as we are living worthy of His companionship). So as I fasted and prayed I felt that sarcasm was a big thing that drew me further from heavenly father and as I have been striving to not be sarcastic within the past few weeks I have seen a big difference in my relationships with others and my effectiveness as a missionary, especially in patience! My whole life I had become this sarcastic woman and as I've stripped myself of it I see life and others in a whole new way. I am less easily irritated and more long-suffering and people enjoy being around me even more! HOW GREAT IS THAT! 

So that is my invitation to you this week! Pray and fast for a day to know what you could work on in order to bring your life into closer harmony with Heavenly Father and then ACT! I promise that you will be happier as you do so and you will feel and improved sense of self-control and love for those who surround you!

This week we had an incredible mission Leadership Council where we learned all about who we are! We are all divine, special children of a Father in Heaven. We are sons and daughters of God!! He sacrificed His only Begotten Son so that we all can live and overcome our sins as well as death! We are special! We are unique! We are needed! As we are obedient and follow the counsel our loving Father has provided for us to get through this life we will see so much joy! That's a promise! He created us so of course He knows just what we need!

This week we have seen a lot of miracles! We went to go see a friend, Joseph, but he didn't end up answering. We felt sad at first but we knew there was a reason we had come all this way to get too this area. Right when we were about to go knock on some doors, this woman opened the door next to his and she had met missionaries before! She had just moved in the day before and she was interested in hearing more so we got to talk to her for a little while!

Then I was on the bus and this woman was sitting across from me. I told her I liked her shoes and then ten minutes later we were making an appointment to meet again to talk about Jesus Christ!

Yesterday we were supposed to bring our friend, Jane, to a mission fireside where many recent converts speak about their experiences with learning more about the teachings of Jesus Christ but she cancelled so instead we knocked on some doors and we were led to this blue door. The woman's name was Jeane and she has a very devout Mormon uncle in Florida who she really admires and she said we could come back on Wednesday. Later, as we were walking down the street she drove up in her car saying, "SEE YOU ON WEDNESDAY!!" How amazing is that!?! Boy that was a great feeling!!

Heavenly Father promises His missionaries He will prepare the way before them but first He needs to see He can trust us! He makes some things not work out so that He can fulfill His purposes and help his children. I feel so privileged to be a part of this work! To be able to share with others the truths I have been lucky enough to know about my entire life! I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ! I love Him! He is my Saviour. I know that through Him we an overcome any weakness  or challenge we may face. I know God lives. I know He hears and answers our prayers. I know that the truths Christ shared thousands of years ago have been fully restored to the earth today! I relish in truth and knowledge! I love this life. I love my family and I say all these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

XOXO

Sister Cummins

stop worrying, just trust

Hello!! Hello!!!

I don't even know where to begin! This week...or past couple of weeks

has been a doozy("watch out for that first step, it's a

doozy!"-Groundhogs Day) sorry..I couldn't resist the temptation! :D

These past few weeks have been so wonderful!! I have been learning and

growing and life is just crazy!!

So, to start! I have my new companion! Her name is Sister Bellersen

and she is a power house! She is from Germany and she is teaching me

German....that is an interesting process(;  She is so kind, cute, yet

POWERFUL! She is focused, devoted, and I'm pretty sure she was a born

a missionary! It comes so naturally to her! This week as we have

worked together to simplify our teaching and have Christ on our lips

at all times and have Him be the center of our teaching we have seen

miracles happen! We have seen hearts softened on the spot. As we have

learned to rely upon our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we have seen curious

eyes wander and peoples lives changed.

To start we have two different friends named Ian and Jane. They are

both progressing and are overcoming many stumbling blocks in order to

learn more about Christ and as I get to work with them I am learning

hat love is the key. We must first observe and then serve and as we

let love be our motive and obedience be the means by which we do our

work we will see miracles occur! Miracles have not ceased. God still

lives. I am learning to stop focusing on what others believe to be

true and trust the eternal truths that Heavenly Father teaches. The

world strives to detract from Gods true, full love for us but we can

know the fullness of truth instead of the lies the world tries to

throw at us. This week the prophet and apostles of the Lord spoke to

us and gave us guidance and greater light and knowledge. They have

answered many of my questions and I know that they will answer many of

yours, if you open yourself for those answers.

We must be bold and trust in our Saviour for truth and understanding!

I know that if we pray with a sincere heart we will gain understanding

that we need. Heavenly Father knows us. He hears our prayers. He wants

to help us bear up our burdens and overcome our trials! He loves us.

He is our Father. Stop letting the world distract you from the fact

that you are loved. Rely on Him and you will overcome any barrier

placed in your path.

I have seen how as we increase in our faith things don't get easier,

but Satan works so much harder on us. We can win. God will win. There

is no doubt. I have a testimony that God lives. He is our Father. He

has provided a way for us to come back and to grow and become better

in the process.

These past few weeks have been so good! They have been ones of

stretching and growth! I love living in the growth zone. I love my

Saviour! I love that I can become more because He has made the way

possible!!

I can hardly remember my experiences this week, all I can remember at

this time is that I have a testimony. I have a testimony or my the

gospel of Jesus Christ and because that I feel strength, power, and

love. I know you can as well and that that comes through the words of

God and prayer. Speak to Him. Read His word.

I love you all and I have great desire for you to feel of Gods

redeeming love because it is what lights out path and sets us free!!

Have a great week! Go see miracles! Pray for strength, understanding,

and help. You will receive it.

Choose to trust.

XOXO

Sister Cummins