HELLO MY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE

HELLO MY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE WHOM I LOVE SO MUCH!!

Oh what a glorious week full of insight and learning it has been! This week has been full of joy and excitement! From Sister Cannon's First 6 Weeks in the field to inviting many unto the waters of baptism! It has been a week to remember! 

This week we had a super fun activity at church were we showed Meet the Mormons(it's a movie and it's on Netflix and it is way good! The beginning is a little cheesy but if you power through the first ten minutes you'll be crying in no time...and laughing..and then crying a little more! Go check it out!!) We had a few people come but our friend Tina came and then this random girl I met when we did a street dispplay the other day came as well, named Toni! At first Toni didn't want to make a return appointment with us but after we watched Meet the Mormons and ate some cupcakes(which was a bad idea seeing as Im supposed to avoid dairy...but it was orange frosting on a chocolate cupcake and my little heart just couldn't resist...#uhhohh #getmeabathroom #soworthit) she was making a return appointment with us for the end of the week!! BOOM BABY! I am so stinckin excited!! 

OH! So this week we taught our friend Tina and she is greatly progressing. Emphasis on the greatly! She came to our Meet the Mormons movie night on Saturday and afterwards she said, "I'm in. That movie answered a lot of my questions and I know this is what I need to do." She has a few things she needs to do before she can but she is dated for the 18th of June and I know she will be baptised! She is rapidly progressing! We read from the Book of Mormon and chatted about the different parts of it and she is really able to see how this book is like her own wonderful personal journal! It applies to her in all aspects of her life and through these prophets from the ancient Americas she is able to better understand how to get through life's issues! ITS AMAZING! Our recent convert, Dannii, took us to go see her and Dannii comes with us every time we go! It really proves to me that as these people have a support system that they will be more inclined to get baptised and change their lives!! SO for all of you members out there why don't you offer to go out and help the missionaries teach! I know that they would be more than ecstatic to have you come along and I know that I could use some good karma in this area so please go help out any way that you can! :D 

We also taught a really incredible man named Lawrence. He really understands everything we teach. He asks incredible questions and he really grasps it. He tells us how everything makes sense! I cannot tell you how incredible it is to watch someone understand something so plain and precious to my heart! Seeing Lawrence just perfectly understand has built my testimony that this message we share is simple and true and that this is the plan that God has for everyone no matter their walk of life. It can bring everyone happiness and I know that because I can see it bringing all of these different people from all over this wonderful country so much JOY! Last night he prayed with us and afterwards he told us how he just felt really touched and how much he loved learning all of this! He is committed to come to church and our Book of Mormon class that starts next Thursday! AHHHH IM SO EXCITED!! :D

Then we taught our friend Tom Watts just yesterday! He really likes what we teach and we were chatting about when he first met us and how at that time his grandma had just passed about five hours prior(this was about a month ago) and he told us yesterday that at that time he didn't want to talk to anyone but that when we approached him something told him to let us speak with him! How amazing is that?!? We are so blessed here in Wrekin with a large teaching pool and many kind, interested people!! We dated Tom to be baptised on the 25th of June and he asked Brother Brownlow(the member who was there) to baptise him right then and there!! Boom!! Miracles!!

Oh my goodness! I hope you can feel my excitement behind this keyboard! Miracles are happening every single day!! EVERY DAY! Whether big or small they happen! And they happen to all of you as well! All you have to do is open yourself up to them and allow yourself to see them! God blesses us every single day because he LOVES each and every single one of us! How incredible is that!?! How did you all do on being charitable a couple weeks ago? I hope well because this week I want you to be a miracle for someone! Take a chance and compliment a random person! Look for an opportunity to do the Lord's work even if it is just simply by saying something nice to someone you see! How exciting His work is! As we continue to strive to be loving and kind I know the Lord will bless us immensely! Our lives will turn out better when we put His will for us first and we make His will our will! 

One last miracle I want to share with you before I go, yesterday we were supposed to meet with one of our friends but she didn't show up. After being bummed, we got over it, and called by a less active member, Catherine Edwards. At first she was very angry but then she really softened her heart as we continued to speak with her. We met her at just the right time and had we come later she would've been able to tell us about the things that were ailing her because her daughter came home as we lef and she didn't want her to hear about it. AND we would've missed the bus and then missed our other appointment with our friend Tom! It all worked out perfectly and I know that we were supposed to meet with Catherine at that time!

His work is glorious and worth it! It is exhilarating and trying and I am changing everyday and I love it!! I love and cherish each of you so very much!! Have a wonderful week full of miracles!!

Loads of love,

Sister Cummins

XOXO

the cannon is cummins

HELLO!!! My beautiful friends and family!!

I just first and foremost want to give a big shout out to my lovely mother who's birthday it wason Thursday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! YOU'RE MY IDOL!! (please don't kill me :D) and to another one to my beautiful newly married sister!! KRISTINA LORRAINE CUMMINS! I am so excited for you!  

ANYWHO!

How are you people!?!? 

I, over here in good ol' Wrekin(take two lefts jump over the Atlantic), am doing wonderfully! The sun is shining! The wind is blowing, making Sister Cannon and I feel like wind-blown models as we strut the good streets of Wrekin!  and I have four words for you: Life is GOOD! 

This week has been full of great events but even better it has been full of learning and growth(two of my favorite things)!

First of all, This week as a mission we got to go into Preston to have a tour of some of the amazing historical areas where many great men and women have walked before me! It was an absolute highlight of my life. I could feeling the Spirit so strong! We got to go down to the River Ribble where hundreds of people were baptized when missionaries first started coming to England in the 1800s!  We got to imagine all of those souls who were baptised on that day and it was just an incredible feeling all around there! We got to visit Gordon B Hinckley's(one of our modern day prophets) first flat he stayed in when he was a missionary here. It is amazing to me! We got to learn about the struggles and afflictions but also the great excitement and successes of the very first missionaries here in England! Those people have made history for me and have greatly affected millions of lives and I know that they too have felt the way that I do. They faced the same trials and struggles and the same success and it is weird to think that I may be helping make history for some of the people here in England! It is SUCH a privilege!!  I could feel the Spirit so strongly! It was just incredible! At the end of the day when we went back on our coach we got the opportunity to share our testimonies and President Ulrich asked me to share my mother's  conversion story. I feel so much gratitude for the history that my mother made for me and our future generations. She made an incredible decision and I am so blessed to be a member of this church! She was converted here within the boundaries of the England Manchester mission and I am beyond grateful to have such a direct tie to this mission, it makes my heart swell!! I know that this is where I am meant to be. I know that I need to serve here and experience this culture. I will not give up or let my days get darker because the Lord is my light and I will not fear! It is an incredible thing! I know that this gospel is true and if we just open ourselves up to it. If we just have the desire to have faith and we act upon that desire our lives will be changed. We will have immense joy and we will know our purpose in this life! We have such an incredible purpose and I love sharing that purpose and heavenly Father's love with each of His children here in England!

 We have one friend who has to overcome a few different things, her name is Tina, and she is really trying! She came to Stake Conference with her two young children yesterday and she has accepted to be baptised on June 18th! EVERYONE...SHES GOING TO BE BAPTISED! I am so excited! Seriously! My mind is blown! She is so prepared and everything we teach her makes sense to her! She grasps it and has the desire to learn more! She is continually striving to do her best! It is such an amazing process to watch! She is blessing my life immensely by her example and I just love her! I just love her so dearly! She is so strong and devoted and she struggles but that's what makes me respect her more. By living the principles we have taught her I have seen her demeanor change and she is being strengthened! You can see it in every aspect of her life! I am a witness that this gospel is true and that it changes lives! The church of Jesus Christ stands once again on the earth! Joseph Smith has restored it. I know this to be true. 

Yesterday, in Stake Conference, I loved what was said by Elder Charles(Of the Area Seventy) about how the Holy Ghost needs to be our best friend! As we make Him our best friend He will lead and guide our lives into a more perfect reality than we ever could've imagined! I know that in order to have my words become what Christ would have me say I must study and know the scriptures. I need to have an eye single to God and His glory. I need to build upon the gospel and be urgent to share it with others. I need to believe that I can be lead by Him and that my words can be His(AKA trust!). I must treasure up His words, have good desires, be focused, believe on His name, and THRUST IN MY SICKLE, AKA try with all my might!(All these great ideas were courtesy of D&C 11, go check it out!!)

I want you all to know that I truly truly love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I love my Saviour and I know He loves each and every single person who has ever walked or who will ever walk this earth!

This week I really learned that the key to this work and anything in this life is love. People always say, "no one will care how much you know until they know how much you care" and I really saw that come true this week! These people who we are serving are only letting us come back because they can feel God's love for them when we are in their homes. When we teach these messages they can feel of God's love for them because it is so apparent. He has no forsaken us and He never will! All He wants is to have a relationship with each of us! I know that by reading in the Book of Mormon and then kneeling down in humble prayer will give you answers to the questions that you so desire and He will listen. You can ask Him anything. I know this is true because I have experienced it in my own life! So this week show your love for heavenly Father and pray! Morning and night, every single day! it doesn't have to be crazy. There is no such thing as a bad prayer. Just share with Him the things of your heart. Say it like your speaking to you earthly father. As we address Him, tell Him the things we are grateful for and need help with, and close in the name of Jesus Christ I know that many mighty miracles can and will be wrought in your lives! It is my humble prayer that you will each be strengthened with every passing day!! I love you people! you bring light to my life and love to my heart! Keep trying and keep choosing to be happy! 

On a funny note everyday at some point of the day I'll start walking pigeon-toed and Sister Cannon will start laughing so hard that we have to stop walking or else she will pee her pants...so that's pretty exciting! Also, the whole church here knows that I am lactose intolerant....Oh maybe I didn't tell you...I'M LACTOSE FREE! Because I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to all things tasty. AKA: Chocolate, cheese, yoghurt and everything else Britain knows how to do right! But it's okay because at the beginning I prayed I wouldn't get fat so it's definitely just an answer to my prayers! HA! :D 

LOVE YOU ALL LOADS!!!

XOXO

LOADS OF LOVE!

 Sister Cummins

PS If you we were wondering about my caption this week our friend, Tina, couldn't remember our names so she would always say, "The Cannon is Cummins" in order to remind herself...I think that was probably funnier in the moment than it is on a screen...but I don't care!! LOVE YOU ALL! :D

surprise!

HELLO THE PEOPLE I LOVE SO DEARLY!!

I know I say his every week but how I'm he world is it possible that I am already returning to report about this crazy, spectacular week here in Wrekin?!? It blows my mind how fast the weeks go by!!

As for this week it has gone by swimmingly! We are still striving to be even better and better wi each and every passing day because let's be real...who doesn't love progression?!? We have been teaching a lot of friends this week! It has been quite crazy! Our schedules are planned for the week by the time we make it to Sunday...it literally is EXPLODING! People want to hear about the teachings of Jesus Christ because they fill our hearts with happiness and help us to know that we have a purpose! We have found a lot of people interested in the gospel and so we are trying to teach and find and keep it going smoothly..our planning expertise is getting stronger and stronger and I don't know how I lived without a daily planner before....definitely never going to be without one!! 

 I think some of the greatest parts about this week was just getting to visit and teach our different friends that we have been teaching for a while. We have our friend Ange who is a Jehovah's Witness but she has never gotten to be baptised because she can't commit to doing their ministry and so we chatted about baptism and what it would mean to her to be baptised. Her faith is so strong, she lives Jesus Christ so much and just wants to be just like Him! She is such a good example to me and she I feel like she is the one who edifices me when we go and visit her! It was incredible!!! Our friend Richard really opened up to us this week and told us about his life and how he has felt really neglected and unloved  throughout his life. He is trying to find his place in the world. We have met him a few times and he has the desire to be baptised we just need to keep working with him and helping feel the Spirit and the love that Heavenly Father has for him! I think my absolute favourite part of this week is that one of our members here in the beautiful land of Wrekin brought us to meet her nonmember daughter, her name is Emma, and she has really been struggling to feel like there is a God and that He is our LOVING Father. As we went in the lesson we felt really unsure about the plans we had originally made to teach her and she kept saying things that emphasised points of Heavenly Father's Plan of Happiness for us.. so we taught her about that and she was so happy!! She was so happy! At every instance and every point she had a smile on her face that went from ear to ear! Her genuine happiness was so evident and anyone could see that! It was amazing! It was just so fantastic to see how there's hinges of Jesus Christ made her so happy!! That's how it can make everyone feel! That's how it will make everyone feel!! I love teaching this gospel and helping people understand how much God loves them! It is so exciting and when they are interested and they accept it, it is the best feeling!!

So Sister Cannon is just the best thing since sliced bread!!! I LOVE HER!! I will never leave her...she is my baby!! My mission baby that is!! We are really growing closer and closer in unity! After lessons we stop and talk about how we think the lessons went and we are constantly saying how the other said exactly what the other was going to! It is amazing and it comes from us implementing praying for each other during lessons, I know it!!! I am also learning so much about how to not struggle when others do. At first when my companions would feel down, I would find something that I was down about as well and then harp on it but now I am learning to be strong and continue on and to stop searching for issues, and I definitely think that that has come from me really trying to choose to trust! I'm learning to just enjoy being human! I have flaws, I struggle, but Heavenly Father loves me and I don't think I fully understand that. I AM LOVED and in order for me to have charity to all people I need to have love for myself as well! 

I truly am learning and growing so much and I love every part of it! This week I really want all of you to think of three ways you can have more charity. For the first one try and think of how you can have more charity towards yourself, whether it be in the things you say to yourself or the things you say about yourself to others and strive to speak kindly and have positive thoughts in your head! The next one can be how you will have charity for one specific person, a spouse, friend, colleague, or stranger, make a plan and accomplish it! The last one I would like you to think of a way you can have charity towards everyone around you. What can you do different to uplift and inspire? I promise that as you do this you will feel more love for the people around you but you will also feel more of Heavenly Father's and Jesus Christ's love for you and in result you will feel more GENUINE happiness and be able to handle life's bumps easier and enjoy the smooth road more!! 

I love you all very much! You strengthen me! You help me to grow and I am grateful to know each of you! Don't be afraid to have courage and stand for what you know to be right! Press forward! You can do all things through Christ! I love you all and hope you have a rockin week!!!

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Make good choices! 

Loads of love,

Sister Cummins 

XOXO

PS: Sorry if my brain kind of exploded on the screen!! LOVE YOU!!️

PS: I got my hair cut!!

happy belated mother's day!

HAPPY BELATED MOTHER'S DAY to all of you wonderful mamas or soon to be mamas or just women who want to be moms or are moms in another way! HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! :D

 

It is your girl here, Sister Heather Shea Cummins, and I am back at this email grind yet again...how that is already possible I have no idea...BUT HERE I AM! :D

 

This week has been more than wonderful!! People! The weather here has been INSANE...LY wonderful! ha! Tricked ya!(; No but really it was so amazing! The sun was out! I used my sunshine shampoo and we soaked in some rays!!! Missionary work is already the most exciting and wonderful experience ever but when you add on top of that beautiful, warm weather you just cannot go wrong! When the sun is out there isn't just sunshine in my soul but it's abounding rays hit everyone! It's just the bomb.com! ...and yes I did just say bomb.com, forgive me :D

 

This week I think my main lesson came from a prophet of old! Also known as one of the first prophets in the Book of Mormon, Nephi(Go read about him and apply his experiences to your life! Get a free book at lds.org, Mormon.org or call up your local missionaries! You know what to do! :D)! As I have started over in the Book of Mormon I am understanding and reading in a way that I never have before! Everthing is SO applicable to me! I am pretty sure that Nephi's life motto was, "Go and do!" As I have read about him and I strive to continue to just go and do I have decided that I want my life and mission motto to be, "Choose to trust!" To choose to trust that whatever happens whether it is good, bad, exciting, or overwhelming that it will be for my benefit! To choose to trust Heavenly Father and know that I will get through anything that may come my way. That someday I will stand in front of him and actually get to hear His voice. I may not get answers to my prayers just by listening but I know that Heavenly Father answers me in other ways and that while I am here on Earth for the short 80-90 years of my life that  I just need to choose to trust!

 

This weeks main miracles were that our struggling members really opened up to us! One widow really let us in on the problems she faces and I feel like the Lord really helped us to be her guides and strengthen her! We have a lot of members who are just opening up to us and sharing their struggles which is something that they haven't done until just recently! Its amazing to see their trust in us grow and their desire to be better continue to develop! People on the street tell us the craziest things! Things that no one just says to just anyone. Things that tug at their heart strings, things that are too personal to share. Things that are jaw dropping and sometimes things that I really don't need to know! I think Wrekin really identifies us as servants of the Lord and feels a great amount of trust in us! It is an exciting time here in Wrekin! The work is exploding! I think that we will be able to see our friends Tina, Ann(who claimed she would never be baptized but recently said "if" she was baptized...so we have hope people!! We are breaking down barriers!), Abi(WHO JUST NEEDS TO PRAY! She loves the gospel and it's teachings! She loves it! She is so prepared and just so loving and she called me mature! HA! I busted up...and then pulled it together(; ), and hopefully Richard baptized by the end of this transfer(6 week period) if not the next! I love the people here! I feel so blessed to know them and to be able to associate with them!

 

So this weeks funniest moments were when we went to a Vegan members home. She made us, what I considered to be, a really tasty nut loaf( and no tasty and nut loaf are not an oxymoron). BUT you know me, I will eat anything as long as it doesn't make me throw up... and even then sometimes... but Sister Cannon was struggling with this nut loaf... she was trying to be polite and when our member asked her if she liked it she smiled and took some more bites but I could tell she was not doing well so right when the member left I just started chopping this nut loaf down and people....I never want nut loaf again.

 

Moment number two: we met a man named Nah-nah and the whole entire week we were struggling to not sing the song that goes something like, "Oh nah-nah, what's my name?" by Rihanna which is so not mission approved. We made jokes all week about how when he's baptized no one will forget his name....I know what you are thinking...don't worry.

 

I really love being a missionary! It truly is fulfilling! I love the ups and the downs! I am becoming who Heavenly Father NEEDS me to become and as I choose to trust everyday..HOW AMAZING IS THAT!?!? Anywho!! I love you all! Have a great week! Strive for miracles! Share experiences with one another! Edify each other! Love all who you come in contact with! We are brothers and sister and I know that Heaven is cheering all you wonderful people on! Work hard and pray harder!!

 

Loads of love,

Sister Heather Shea Cummins

tender mercies!

Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy!!

What a truly incredible week it has been! 

I feel like it was just yesterday I was writing to all of you wonderful people!!! How crazy is that!? Missions done right are a BLUR! I have been looking in past planners and have been baffled at how long ago some of these things occurred! Most of these experiences feel like they happened just yesterday!? I realized today I have almost been out for four months...and I started crying....I know four months is barely anything but it has just gone by so fast I cannot imagine how fast it will continue to go and I just really don't like it. 

So this week was brilliant! I learned SO much! This week we had a Multi-Zone Conference where missionaries from the south side of the mission convene and learn together! Being there literally answered every question I had about life whether I knew I had them or not! Going into Multi-Zone Sister Cannon and I were working hard and were trying to talk to lots of people but after Multi-Zone Conference let me tell you! We have reinstated stopping everyone we see and working our hardest possible! We started feeling clearer on what we should talk to people about and how we should speak to them! And it's obvious...just focus on what makes us different..THE BOOK OF MORMON, duh! From after conference to Sunday night we had shared 8 copies of the Book of Mormon! That's 8 more people with a book all about the tender mercies of God and how they can better see God's tender mercies in their lives as well! I have taken on a challenge to re-read the Book of Mormon and as I have done, this the same verses I have read hundreds of times now makes so much more sense and I can feel in a whole new light in my life! Even though Lehi was persecuted and hated he continued to preach the word of God, so why should I fear?! If I have Heavenly Father on my side, it honestly doesn't matter what other people think! How great shall be my joy when I die to tell Heavenly Father that I tried my very best and that I persevered even when people scourged me or ignored me! How blessed I am! I also realized that the Book of Mormon was created to better help people see the tender mercies of the Lord and when stopping people I want to more often share 1 Nephi 1:20(LOOK IT UP!!) and have them see that the reason we want to share this book is so that they can know if God is really there and to see the tender mercies He gives them for themselves! 

Okay! So on Friday I got on the bus and looked at this woman and I sat down next her. Right when I sat down I thought, "You were meant to sit by her" so we started chatting and she talked and talked and talked and we had an incredible conversation about her family of 12 and her 89 nieces and nephews! But I had to get off the bus and I didn't really talk to her about anything... but when I asked her for her phone number she gave me her address!(MIRACLE!) So we called by yesterday and well, to make a long story short, she is a person that I feel like I am specifically here for! She opened the door and she was so happy to see us! She couldn't meet with us right then but she asked us to come back on Thursday and after a little bit she asked me why we were so gentle! After being shocked at being called gentle I tried to explain to her that it was because of the book of Mormon but when I tried to answer her granddaughter came up and she had to go find a bandaid(AKA a plaster) for her bleeding thumb. So as we were walking away, I felt really strongly that I should share a Book of Mormon with her so BOOM we went back! She answered the door with a bit of confusion and when we told her that the answer to her question was the Book of Mormon. That this Book has changed our lives and helped us to see Heavenly Father and His great love for us more clearly she gladly took it! When we asked if we could talk more about it on Thursday she gladly accepted the book, asked if there was anything we wanted her to read and then when we asked her to read the introduction she told us she would take notes and write down her questions if that was okay with us! Our jaws dropped! Before we left she said that she was raised Catholic but that she didn't agree with a lot of their beliefs and she was excited to learn more! Her name is Madline and she is INCREDIBLE! Peple! The miracles that we see everyday is unreal! I love being in this super prepared town of Wrekin!!

Okay so funny story....so just to start this off...I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to dairy (and for those of you who know me well know I love me some cheese but I have had to give it up cold turkey...) ANYWHO, the other day we were knocking on people's doors and this man walks out and tells us that he is a Jehovah's Witness! So we get chatting and we are having a super spiritual moment and right when Sister Cannon drops this amazing and inspired question my body decides to let out some majorly unplanned gas, and people this isn't just your average toot...it was seriously loud. All three of us look at each other and just start busting up! It was horrible and fantastic all at the same time and the moral of the story is, dairy is bad.

I am grateful to know how much Heavenly Father and the Lord trust me! The other night, my district leader, Elder Searcy, told us that there are about 100,000 people in this area and the Lord has trusted the four of us(just the FOUR of us!!) to help them! HOW AMAZING and MOTIVATING is that!?! I feel so privileged! I love being stretched and changed! I know that the only way I can become the person Heavenly Father NEEDS me to be is by being here. By serving the Lord with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. By giving it my all for the short 18 months I have! By being obedient! By talking to everyone in eye sight, even if they are across the street! By standing firm in what I know to be true and how I should act! I have really learned that when our confidence is in the Lord and not in ourselves, He helps us to feel that confidence that is necessary to get His work done! 

I would like to invite each of you to read or re-read the Book of Mormon! It is a seriously incredible book! If you are a doubter just try it out! What do you really have to lose?(; If you happen to love it and grow closer to Heavenly Father how jovial will you be!?!!? I think it is definitely worth the risks! So give it a try! I can promise that if you really read it with an open mind and then pray to ask Heavenly Father if it is true that you will come closer to God! You will know who you are, which is a son or daughter of God(AKA ROYALTY!)! And you will be able to see how He greatly blesses your life on a continual basis! I love the teachings of Jesus Christ! I love getting to share then with all of the wonderful people around me!! I love you people so much!! I hope you know how blessed we truly are to be alive, to have bodies, and to be able to have one another in our lives! keep pushing forward! Keep believing! Keep being the best that you can be! I love you so dearly! I know that this church is Jesus Christ's restored church to the earth today! I know that we have the Priesthood(AKA the power of god) on the earth today and I know that God loves each of us DEARLY! he knows you, He loves you! Go unto Him and Allow yourself to feel of His unbridled love for you!

YOU ALL ROCK!! :D

Loads of LOVE!

Sister Cummins

PS: Sorry this is so long....missionary work is just so exciting! :D

there is sunshine in my soul everyday!

Hello my beautiful, wonderful, BRILLIANT family and friends! It has yet been another wonderful week in this beautiful land of England and there is sunshine in my soul today!! I cannot believe how much Heavenly Father loves and trusts me...it's kind of crazy but I LOVE IT!

So this week Sister Cannon and I wrecked Wrekin one house at a time! Okay..not actually but spiritually we brought the POWA! :D  Today as I sit in this warm library, staring out the window at the misty clouds I just feel so much sunshine in my soul!! I cannot lie...I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! But I especially love being Sister Cannon's companion! Unfortunately, Sister Cannon and I get along way too well...there is giggling at all times of the day and we both will be attending BYU-Idaho after our missions...so obviously we are best friends. She is an amazing woman! She is quickly acclimating to the tolls and joys of missionary life and it is an amazing experience to watch someone grow so quickly and I love getting to continue to grow and be stretched at the rate I was when I first arrived!I have learned a ton this week! I have an issue of getting over excited when people talk to us SO I have been putting an earnest effort forth to talk less and give Sister Cannon many opportunities and she is taking them! When she speaks, the spirit of God overflows the room! She is such a powerful and diligent missionary! She works hard and she continues to grow and become more loving and aware of others every day! She is patient and charitable and I just am so grateful to rain her and to be trained by her! She teaches with the light of Christ everywhere that we go and she is just a super powerful missionary! I love her!!! Oh and Dad, you'll love this!! Her dad works for NCIS! So she obviously has secret ninja skills and she has lived In Mexico, Dubai, Egypt, Ecuador, Florida, Maryland, and now Georgia!! What more could a woman ask for!?! 

 This week on the bus, someone told us that Telford is the highest ratio of atheists in England and then our bus driver stopped the bus in order to confirm that claim! Ha! Right away I thought, "Not for long, challenge accepted! MUAHAHAHA" I feel privileged to be trusted with such a high ratio of atheists! It makes me even more excited to share my love for Heavenly Father and more importantly His love for them!! What a lucky woman I am! 

This week we had an incredible lesson with two really stand out investigators, Abi and Richard! As we taught Abi the Spirit was the strongest I have ever felt it. Heavenly Father really tailored the lesson in order to fit what she needed and I am just grateful I got to be the vessel to shar that message and enjoy that experience. During the lesson, the Spirit was SO stron so we told her that she felt the Spirit right now and she really could! She said, "I have always wanted to be Mormon because I love your church!" and then followed with, "I really want Joseph Smith's story to be true...I just need to pray about it"! LIKE WHAT!?! How amazing is that! Can you say prepared because I sure can! As for Richard, he is just stellar! We met him on the side of the road about a week ago and then we had our first lesson the other day and to start off the conversation he said, "I don't understand why Christ would want His church to be scattered into a bunch of different churches, shouldn't there just be one true one?" Yes, jaws were dropped and answers were given! It was madness! As we answered his questions and then invited him to be baptized he said, "Most definitely!" but he didn't feel ready to set a date but don't worry, I have complete faith that he will be baptized! :D

Since being on my mission I have developed an intense love for exact obedience and I know that exact obedience is the way that we see miracles happen in our lives and especially in our missions! I pray for continued and stronger obedience! I challenge each of you this week to work on your obedience! Whether it be to our loving Heavenly Father, your spouse and other family, or to your coworkers/friends just try to humble yourselves, serve them, and be obedient to the things they ask. Im not saying be their slave and worship their feet, Im just asking you to try an be selfless! I promise that is you put the needs of others before your own you will see your problems or trials diminish and your life will get easier and as Heavenly Father sees your desire to help his other children He will provide a way for your trials and hardships to be taken care of! I know that is true because I have seen it happen in my life and in the lives of those whom I serve everyday!  

I have never learned so much in my life! It is absolute madness! I love this life!..and I secretly never want to go home! Good thing I have at least 15 more blessed months here in this beautiful country...who knows, maybe I'll extend(; Thank you all for all you do each and every single day! Thank you for helping me and encouraging me with all of your prayers and emails! I can feel the love people! Keep it coming! 

I love you LOADS!

Love,

Sister Cummins

miracles upon miracles

Oh my goodness GRACIOUS!
This week has been astounding and mind blowing and crazy and every
other wonderful word you can possibly throw in there!

Oh AND it snowed, rained, and hit 7 Celsius with the sun shining all
within the matter of a day.....soooo that was exciting and incredibly
confusing on what we should wear! We always think we are properly
dressed and then England is like, "HA NOT TODAY!" It likes to keep us
on our toes! 🌨🌧☀️

Anywho! So I don't remember what I said or if I really sent an email
last week but here is the scoop!

So this baby missionary who just finished being trained is now
training! Can you say madness because I sure can! This means that I am
supposed to know what to do, where to go, and what to say....LUCKILY
the Lord has asked me to do this task and He qualifies whoever He
asks, to do whatever He has asked, otherwise I'm pretty sure I
would've died! #grateful

OH and this week I have seen more miracles than ever before!

So Sister Cannon and I have jumped out of our comfort zones and right
into the growth zone in many situations and we are really striving to
be the best we can be! Our goal for this transfer is to see 5 people
enter the glorious waters of baptism and experience the greatest joy
they have ever known! On a personal level, I have never felt so much
humility in my life! I really feel like Heavenly Father is making up
for me where I lack in just about every single aspect of life right
now! I have a different, innate patience that has come out since being
with Sister Cannon and I'm pretty sure it's not me and its all
Heavenly Father....and I love it! I'm not going to question a good
thing!

This week we saw three really stand out miracles that I really want to share!

First, it was Sister Cannon's very first day in the field and my very
first day no longer being trained but training(even though let's be
honest, being trainer I feel like I'm more the one being trained) and
emotion was high in both of us. We were walking to our next friend to
call by and Sister Cannon goes up to this girl and says, "Hi! Would
you like a Book of Mormon?" and the girl kind of scoffs and says no.
We try to talk about religious belief but she has none, so we tell her
that the reason we ask if we can share this book with her is because
it has had an incredible impact on our lives. It has given us peace in
this life and taught us about how we are beloved children of Heavenly
Father and how He has a plan for us. She agreed to give it a look took
it and  then asked if we were the ones with the big white chapel in
Lawley and when we told her yes and that she could come and check out
the inside of it on Sunday at ten she still seemed fairly nonchalant
and then carried on her merry way. But this is where it gets good!! On
Saturday we called her but she didn't pick up and so we figured it was
a dead end BUT THEN about five minutes later she sent us a text
saying, "Hi! Sorry I missed your call! I have been reading the Book of
Mormon and I love it!!(LIKE WHAT?!? SHE LOVES IT!!!!) It is so
interesting! What time does church start tomorrow?" So we exchanged
information and got it all set up for her to come! The next day right
as we walked in the chapel we saw her coming in as well! She loved
church and we set up a day to come back this week! She wants to come
to church next week but best of all she told us that typically she
takes the bus home and that on that particular day she hadn't worn a
coat because it was warm. She had forgotten to take the money for her
bus pass out of her coat so she had to walk home and that she believed
it was not an accident that we her!! LIKE WHAT?!? How beyond crazy
amazing is that?!?

The other miracle is that we were walking along the side of the road
and we stopped to talk to this man with headphones in. As we talked we
found out that he recently lost his aunt and uncle and that his step
mom has just been diagnosed with cancer. He said he was feeling
suicidal and I just felt an overwhelming amount of love for him come
over me! His name is Mark and as we taught Mark about the Gods plan
for us he was calmed and reassured. He said that he had planned on
being baptised into our church at one point but the elders who were
teaching him left and he didn't follow through! So we now get the
miracle of knowing Mark!!

Then yesterday President Ulrich told us that he knew that we would
find two new friends by the end of the night! SO off we went! We
started knocking doors, asking people if they want to have the
greatest amount of peace and joy possible in their lives and after
about 3 hours of no success we decided it was time for a prayer! Right
as we finished the prayer we stopped these two young men, Joshua and
Mackenzie, on the street and asked them if they had ever heard of the
Book of Mormon and what their religious background was. One said he
was escaping Catholicism and the other said he was really confused
about the truth. As we related their feelings to that of Joseph
Smith's I got to watch an amazing change and their souls literally
seemed to fill with excitement!! When we asked what they thought about
the Book of Mormon they said that they would be stupid to not try it
and see what it said and how it worked. They then asked if we could
meet again and if they could bring friends with them. The craziest
part was that when we met them and we were praying as they were
walking towards us and I looked up to see who was coming and I
thought, "You have to talk to them", and I know that this was the
Spirit and I know that Heavenly Father had prepared them for that
specific moment in time!

People of America!! I know that this is the truth! It is so clear it
is so glorious! This gospel is miraculous and it changes lives for the
better! I know that Joseph Smith truly saw God, the Father, and Jesus
Christ. I know that he re-established Jesus Christ's true church to
the earth and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is
the Lord's kingdom here upon the earth! This gospel has brought me so
much happiness and I have seen it change and strengthen others lives
in the process!! I love this gospel! I love being a missionary and I
love the truth that makes me who I am!

I hope and pray that all of you get the opportunity to either learn
about or share the gospel with someone within this next week! I
promise that it will bless your life! I know that the Lord promises
that it will bless your life as well and that it will bring you more
happiness than you have ever experienced or thought to imagine!

I love you all more than you can possibly comprehend! You are in my
prayers and I know you are being watched over and taken care of! Carry
on with good cheer!!

Love you HEAPS upon LOADS upon TONS!!❤️

Love,
Sister Heather Shea Cummins