happy thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving my American friends!

I forgot it was until I read my families emails wishing me one too! Unfortunately the British don't celebrate their thanks by shoving mass amounts of food down their bodies....I am pretty sad about it. I do love some mashed potatoes. It will be a Thanksgiving party for one(Sister Bellersen wants no part of it!) Ha! 

This week has been CRAZY! It feels like I was just emailing you yesterday! This week we had a big zone meeting(where missionaries all over areas surrounding Preston gather together to be edified and learn! I got to give a training(lesson) on dignity! HA! I think it was more for me than for them because that is a weakness of mine, as I am sure you all know.(: It was SO good and I could really feel the Heavenly Father using me to teach His children. I could feel so strongly how inspired it was for each of us in our zone to hear the different subjects that we talked about! We learned about repentance as well as putting our selfish desires aside and helping others. It was incredible. I really find that as I lose myself in God's work,He changes me. I LOVE IT! I feel so blessed to be a representative of Jesus Christ at this time here in the Preston Area! We have been called by Him to declare His teachings to everyone we can! What a sacred opportunity! Sometimes it can be disheartening but we don't have to let it! It is like life. Sometimes our lives can feel so disheartening and upsetting but really we do not have to fear or feel overwhelmed because we are children of GOD! That is SO powerful!! 

IN Luke 6: 21-23 Christ tells His disciples, "Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

 22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets."

We should LEAP for JOY when others bring us down(as long as we are doing what is right) because God is so much stronger than any man! We have no need to fear!

This week I got to go to Lancaster to work with Sister Roeun and then to South Ribble to work with Sister Barlow(in fact I am with her RIGHT NOW!) We have found so many people who are interested in hearing more about the gospel. BECAUSE IT IS TRUE!!! These two have taught me that sacrifice is the only way to have true,lasting joy. Being able to go on exchanges and help the sisters in this zone is SUCH a privilege! It is teaching me to trust in the words that God brings to my mouth and to make love my first goal and focus. As we love, we can guide anyone. We can strengthen anyone. But we must love them! SO MY CHALLENGE TO YOU IS: Love those whom surround you. Pray for it. Exercise it. Do it. 

I am sorry I haven't sent pictures lately. I have a hard time getting everything done in just two hours! Please forgive me and I will repent soon! Hopefully next week? There is not much to see anyways...its pretty rainy and WONDERFUL here but I just don't think I could truly capture it's beauty(;. Its green here for a reason!

XOXO

Sister Cummins

PS: Eat some potatoes for me!

just pray

Alright people! It is a rainy November day here in good old Preston England! I just walked into a Jewlers shop that has been existing since 1580. That is pretty impressive if you ask me! There is so much history in this country! It is so rich here! I love it so much! England is just WONDERFUL! A fun piece of history I found out is that during the times when the first missionaries came to England one of the very first places they came was Liverpool. This was one of the only places at that time that had an "open mind" to different perspectives because it was a working class area and this is where the church really started in England. It really shows me that Heavenly Father really prepares the hearts and minds of the people in order for them to learn about how to come back to him! It is amazing the miracles that we get to see! 

This week I learned that life really is all about our perspective! It is about being willing to learn from our trials instead of having them break us. There is always hope. No matter how down we may feel, there is always more. This hope comes because heavenly Father has a plan for us. Every day I am surrounded by people who don't believe that god is real and who lack hope. I realised that it doesn't matter if you believe God is or isn't there because he is. Just like someone couldn't get rid of me because of their lack of belief in me, God will always be there. He is a constant. He is probably one of our only constants in this life and He will not just disappear because some refuse to believe in him. He is real. He does live and He does have a plan for us! I know it. I feel it so strongly. I can feel it through my prayers. I have been praying in a new light and manner this week. I have been really striving to align my will with God's and by doing so we have seen miracles. For so long we have had the attitude that no one hear truly wants to change or learn more about the teachings of Christ. This week i changed my attitude and prayed to see those people who were ready and so many times this week we met people who had been "looking for a religion" or who were "searching for more truth". Some of them "wanted a change" and now I get to share with them the teachings that bring my heart so much joy! My joy comes from my Heavenly Father. I know He is there. Sometimes we just have to change our perspectives in order to see truth. Instead of letting life get dim we can be a light in others lives. I urge you to change your perspective and try learning and trying new things! It will make you SO happy! I swear! You will have increased understanding and knowledge and you will be able to stand firm in truth with a clear conscious and peace in your heart. I know it because I feel it. 

I am typing and typing and typing but I just have so many thoughts. Sister Bellersen pointed that out this week. She said, "Sister Cummins! You take me from one thought to another and another and then another and then i look away for two seconds and you are running away from me trying to catch a bus. You have too many thoughts!" Ha! She also showed me the most delectable treat ever.....stollen and kaesekuchen...my life is forever changed by German food. She is feeling pretty chuffed because germany is the top country to live in right now. if it is anything like their sweets, I wouldn't be surprised!

This week we met an incredible woman named Becky(right after praying to find someone ready!) We stopped her and talked with her for a little bit. Most people in England keep walking so you have to start walking with them but she stopped and talked to us in the rain, with her child. We were baffled! After a little bit she then said we could come meet her at her home and when we went we could feel such a beautiful spirit as we were surrounded by her 3 little girls. We are excited to share the gospel with her and her family! They are a miracle! Please keep them in your prayers!!!

I got to go but I love you all!!!

YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL!! 

I have literally 60 seconds so I have to go!!

LOVE YOU!!

XOXO

Sister Cummins

pheasants and sheep and cows, oh my!

Alright! Alright! It is me here, Sister heather Shea Cummins reporting for duty to tell you all about the miraculous week we have had!

First and foremost, I am staying in PRESTON!!!!! I am SO SO SO happy! This place is becoming my home! I love it so much! Sister Bellersen and I have really decorated our flat and made it special to us which has made it so much more enjoyable to live in! I get to finish training Sister b which I am too thrilled about because in reality she is training me! She is always training me with her diligent, kind, and super hilarious example! I LOVE THIS GIRL! Oh boy! I don't even know what to say! This week on 5 November 2016 was Guy Fawkes Night. Basically it is the night when everyone blows things up and have lots of bonfires and fireworks! I have been seeing fireworks go off every night for the past week and it is incredible but it always sounds like someone is shooting a gun and it momentarily scares me...HA! I love this place! The people are crazy in the best way possible! So on Guy Fawkes Night we got to go to a recent convert's, Catherine's, house and meet her mum. The best part is....they live in the middle of no where!!! It took us 45 minutes on dirt road and cobblestones to get there and boy was it beautiful! We were surrounded by sheep and pheasants! We raced a jack wabbit with the car we were in(no we were not driving...otherwise we would've won(;) Boy did that thing MOVE! And I touched a COW! I touched a cow and then was so excited that I screamed, "I touched a cow!" and scared all the cows away. It was a pretty fulfilling night!

We got to have the Isle of Man(A little Isle off of England's west coast) come stay with us this week and boy oh boy it was so fun! They are so exuberant! Their names are Sister Keck(Switzerland) and Sister Libron(Phillipines)! We had so much fun together!!

Yesterday a lady almost ran me over with her car(Everyone drives on the sidewalks here and the roads are SO narrow) and then we got to teach her about the gospel and she was SO interested! We were in South Ribble helping the Sisters in that area find more friends to share the gospel with so I won't get to teach her but it was such a fun experience! We then met a very scientific man and we all learned that believing in science is no reason not to believe in religion. Science and religion in their pure forms works hand in hand to testify that God lives. I love the beauty all around me. I am so excited to be alive!! I love being a missionary and I hope each of you can feel my love for you!

We have a big read the Book of Mormon challenge before Christmas challenge out for all us missionaries and that is my challenge to YOU! Read the Book of Mormon as a present to your Saviour before the end of the year and watch your faith grow!

I know that Christ lived, died for us, and was everything he claimed to be. I know that as we follow His path w will find true happiness, ya know, the kind that endures trials. We all need Him, no matter what you say, we all do. I know this to be true and I say it in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Have a great week everybody!! I love you!!!!

XOXO

Sister Cummins