england to america

Well everybody....the day is come...I'm sorry to say it America but...IM COMING HOME! You can run, but you cant hide! ha! Sister Cummins(AKA...ME or Heather Cummins: ADD ME ON FACEBOOK MY ENGLISH/WORLDWIDE FRIENDS! :D) is coming home on Wednesday! How crazy is that?!? I cannot believe it has been 18 months...IT HAS FLOWN BY...it feels like I've been gone for maybe 5 months max...but I am wrong!

 

I will be speaking and sharing about the experiences I have had here in England on SUNDAY...THIS SUNDAY, the 16th and I would LOVE to see your bright and shining faces there! It starts at 10am! I don't know the address but I do know it is posted on my Facebook(thank you Laurel, she's the best.) I would love to see all of you beautiful human beings there! It has been a whirlwind of adventures and emotions and I am excited to share those things that have changed my life with you!

 

This week we got to welcome a new mission president, President and Sister McReynolds and they are INCREDIBLE! Wow. I wish I could stay another 18 months just so I could stay with them and learn from them. They are so kind and such natural leaders. It is a privilege to know them.

 

this week was a very special way to end a mission. My friend, Becca, was baptised on Friday and was confirmed a member and received the Holy Ghost on Sunday! What an incredible blessing and opportunity it was to teach her for my last transfer and to see her learn gospel principles and apply them into her life with JOY! She really had a lot of hardship come into her path but she pushed through with the basics: reading the Book of Mormon, praying sincerely, and come to church. Her whole family came and loved the service! her son is excited to come to church and be able to follow his mum's footsteps! I think he will be an incredible missionary someday too and what a story he will have to share with all of the people I hope he someday teaches! Maybe Im jumping the gun...he is only 11...but still!!

 

Our friend Amy is doing really well. I actually just got off of the phone with her. She is so so so funny. She is going to take me up to Manchester before I hop on my plane! She is like my best friend! We were just chatting about what she was reading in the Book of Mormon and she had highlighted some verses that really helped her and she felt she could relate to and I had felt the same way about those same things. It sounds like a little thing but the Book of Mormon has something special about it...like the fact that it is the word of God and that it was delivered to us by an angel. Some call me crazy but I know its true. I know I'm crazy but I'm not literally crazy! All I know is this book has changed my life for the better just as it has changed me! Okay...I am done now.(:

 

Sister Cannon is staying in this blessed land of Wrekin and getting my Australian best friend, Sister O'Riordan! They will be like fire together! She is SO incredible! I am excited to see what great things they do!!

 

What a blessing it has been to my life to serve God and to bring others unto him for the last 18 months of my life...and I have an eternity to go! How thankful I am for this! I love you all and cannot wait to give you a warm embrace! You all deserve a cuddle(that's how a lot of British refer to a hug...I swear I'm not being a creep.) Take care for now, know that you are loved.

 

Have a great day!!

 

XOXO

Sister Cummins

multi-temple blessings

Hello my friends and family from ALL OVER THE WORLD! That literally never gets old to say! I love that from being on my mission I have had the privilege to meet and serve with people from over 53 different countries! What a pleasure and a privilege! Knowing so many different kinds of people is such an absolute privilege and pleasure! How wonderful it is that we are connected together all over the world!

This week has been such an incredible week here in the cradle of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, otherwise known as....MANCHESTER ENGLAND! Okay....Im not in Manchester but I am in the Manchester Mission! That is pretty exciting!  In this mission there is SO much history! Ancient and modern prophets and apostles have walked the roads of Downham and Chatburn! I get to be here! I am so pleased to know that God loves us enough to restore simple truth that was lost over time. He loves us enough to guide us and direct us. That brings me so much peace! I cant even explain it. Happiness is available to everyone but there is something that changes within you when you come to understand who you truly are....A CHILD OF GOD! How fantastic is that! I would invite each of you to sincerely pray to you Father in Heaven in the name of Jesus Christ to ask if this is true if you are unsure of this truth. I'll tell you WHY that matters. That matters because if you are a child of God that means that you are of eternal value! That means that you have been sent here for a brief 80-90 odd years(give or take) for a PURPOSE and that part of that purpose is to gain a family, a body, and experience! How blessed we are for this! That means that we never have to feel defeated but we can choose to trust that it will all work out for our benefit as we trust in him and his commandments and he will direct our paths for good. It means so much! I hope each of you will be able to find out why it matters to you because there are individual reasons why it should matter to you that I'm oblivious to because I'm not you. But you can find out! I want you to really think about this:

Why are you here:

-on earth

-in the family you are in

-in the situation you are in

                                and really think about it. WHY? Will you do these things? Will you ponder on those questions and then pray and ask if you are a child of God? WILL YOU? I sure hope so! :D because I love you! Each of you mean so much to me. I want you to really know that and I invite you to do this because I really really love you and you matter in my life. Thank you for your friendship and support! It means everything to me!

As for the title of this email, it comes from such a crazy yet wonderful week! I got to go to the Chorley temple for the last time with my President and Sister Ulrich and the other missionaries who will be going home at the same time as me. We then had an incredible meeting where I received so many answers.

A week or so ago I was struggling with focus. Focus on this work. My mum can attest to that...I went crazy...I even bought a swimsuit! Haa! But I realized that there is no time for me to be distracted! I only have 18 months to be a missionary and I am here because Jesus Christ lives and He loves us all and wants us to have peace and understanding. HE LOVES US! And because of Him I am dedicated to this work and shall be forever.

My time has just run out or else I would say more but know this....I LOVE YOU! you are so special. You are worth so much. Thank you for being my friend! 

Have a sunshiny day and remember: You are worth it!!

XOXO

Sister Cummins

WOW!

EVERYBODY!! I am in England!!! Can you believe it! Take a minute to genuinely think about how far away I am in reality from each of you.....THAT IS REALLY REALLY FAR! ....I just remembered that there are friends from England and more specifically, Wrekin, on this email list....they are probably all laughing at me right now....I cannot say that I blame them. Im pretty funny(; (buh dum chhh) :D

Wow! That is all I have to say is WOW! I just feel so so so much gratitude to be serving in such a blessed and prosperous land! To be serving in the cradle of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Oh and don't even get me started on the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ! WOW! How blessed I am to be able to share and enlighten people on the fact that although a lot of changes were made by mankind to the teachings of Jesus Christ that they are back...IN THEIR FULNESS! We have his authorization to do his work on the earth again today and I am just SO filled with joy and exuberance for that fact! I feel so loved.

Coming to the end of your mission is hard because I keep thinking about all of your wonderful faces and that I will get to squeeze them in just a few weeks! It is kind of mind boggling to me....unless you're in England...then you better let me squeeze your face whilst I still have time!

Being a missionary is a thrilling experience! This week we really got to see a lot of miracles! A lot of members came to help us teach some of our really good friends! We have some really really great friends here! Right now we are teaching one of our friends named Rebecca! She is so sincere! She is just absolutely drinking from the pages of the Book of Mormon. She just loves it! She feels like it is filling a gap in her life and filling her faith up! She has such sincere desire. it is incredible to see someone so prepared have such sincere desires. I am very grateful to know her. She is such a tender mercy in my life. We are also teaching one of our best friends, Amy.  mentioned her a few weeks ago but she is really thriving! The both of them came to church with us yesterday! That was a fantastic feeling!! They got a lot out of it as well which was so good! Please keep them and their families in your prayers!

I had a huge surprise at church yesterday! My first companion, Sister Amilijo Reimert was there! She came back from Denmark for the weekend! My heart was SO filled to the brim with joy! I just know we are going to be eternal friends. She is such a tender mercy to my life! Luckily we were in the chapel when I saw her so I wasn't capable of being too loud but it was such a tender reunion when I saw her. She is me mission mum! Oh, how sweet that day was! She then went over to Amy's with us after church for some lunch. It was such a tender day.

This area is my home. These people are my family. I love being here so much. I am SO grateful for this tender opportunity to serve the people of my home. I LOVE ENGLAND! EEEEP.

I hope you all have a wonderful week. I know that heavenly Father knows the best timing for us. he has our best timing at heart. he has a broader perspective. he loves us SO much. I cannot emphasise that enough. I am sure of this truth. I am sure of this gospel. I relish in the joy it brings my soul. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Have a great week!!

XOXO

Sister Cummins

mission fireside!

Hello my beautiful friends and family!! It is so crazy to be writing to you! I am back with my beloved Sister Cannon! Wow...what an absolute treat! Heavenly Father has blessed me so much to serve here in the cradle of the restoration of the gospel. I really, really love this gospel. I don't think I can quite explain it. This gospel has just absolutely filled me to the brim with love for others and for my Saviour. The first and great commandment is to love our Heavenly Father. The second is like unto it, to love our fellow beings. I am so grateful for the opportunity to share a mission because in the process it has shaped and changed me. I am still learning how to keep those two vital commandments but I am a little closer today than I was yesterday and I am positive I will be even closer tomorrow than I am today. I am so grateful for this. I am so grateful for each day and each hour but I know the catastrophes that take over a day, a week, sometimes even months or years cannot disturb the grand plan of our heavenly father. I want each of you to know that I know that we have not been forgotten. England has received many bombings and a lot of pain but this is not God's fault. he has sent his son to be a perfect example for us to live after and strive to be like. unfortunately, not everyone decided to follow the commandments or example of Christ. I want each of you to know that I know with every ounce and fiber of my soul that we are loved. The souls who are lost are not actually lost because they are slain but they are with our heavenly Father. Their spirits are being ministered unto at this very moment of time. I know it. I wish I could give each of you the biggest hug of my life but my internet love will have to do. I love you. You are very important to me. Thank you for being a blessing to my life. Thank you for changing me. I love you. You are my very best friends. God is just a title. he really is our LOVING father. Please take the time to get to know him. Please. It will bless you forever if you do so with sincerity. It really will.

This week, we got to have SUCH an incredible miracle. In each mission we do something called a "mission Fireside" where people who are recently converted and have followed Jesus Christ's example share their conversion stories....its amazing. It is my last opportunity to go to one of these firesides so all the missionaries who go home at the end of this six week period was given permission to come. We live about a two hour drive from where it is held though. SO, we called everyone we could think of that would possibly be free or capable but no one was able to take us. BUT heavenly father is SO in charge of his work. So, we have this friend named Amy who has known the missionaries for about 6-7 years. She is our neighbor and she said she would take us. On the way up we talked to her about Jesus Christ and she told us that at this point of time he didn't mean much to her because she has gotten through life just fine without him. Okay, understandable. We went to the fireside and afterwards, she was asking us all of these questions. She had heard the stories of these people and could feel something. She told us every time she comes to one of our churches she feels a different kind of peace that she has never known before. She felt the people were really speaking to her. It was just incredible. her whole demeanor and desire changed in about 6 hours and on the journey home she said she would be baptised! We are SO EXCITED FOR HER! Please keep her in your prayers!

Miracles happen every day all around us.This is my belief, my testimony. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Have a phenomenal week! Talk to you soon!! XOXO

Sister Cummins

the cannon is cummins, part 2

HELLOOOOOO MY BEAUTIFUL FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!! Wow!! I am so excited
for life! We got our transfer calls and I have found out that I am
staying in my beloved land of Wrekin and my new companion is....SISTER
CANNON!! Sisters Cannon and Cummins part two coming live starting
tomorrow!! Like what?!?! How crazy crazy crazy is that?!?! My little
baby is coming back to be my companion until death does us part! I am
so astounded and excited! This transfer is one of application, focus,
and determination to serve God until the sweet sweet end. I cannot
believe that in 6 weeks I come home. It is very bitter sweet....and
that is all you are going to hear my say about it until you speak to
me in person!

I have learned so much this week! I have been able to reflect on this
past transfer(6 weeks) and see how important it is for me to always
have love in my heart. I read a talk that was focused on the power of
gratitude in essence and it changed my life, perspective and drive. It
helped me to see in what I lack and to recognise what I am doing well.

GRATITUDE IS KEY TO A HAPPY, ABUNDANT LIFE. Okay, many things are key
to that but gratitude is a major one of them. Gratitude is what brings
essence to life, it helps us to recognise our many blessings and to be
filled with HOPE. I LOVE IT! I love the lessons life brings. I think
the things I am most grateful for as I reflect are the good times but
the hard times especially. Hard times are momentary but hey teach us
so much and give us perspective. How grateful I am for the gospel in
my life, it has blessed me with hope for the future and peace! God is
literally so good. I am so grateful for life.

I really want to thank each of you for your friendship. Thank you.
Thank you so much. You are a blessing to my life. I will talk to you
each soon!! You are important! Always remember that.

Xoxo
Sister Cummins

1) I cut the locks! I haven't cut it since I was here last year! Emma
cut it for me again!! SHOUT OUT!!
2) LUNCH the British way: "beans on toast on a soggy day"-Emma

testa-testimony

GOOD AFTERNOON...actually it is probably still morning for you. Well,
it's five o'clock where I am!! It is nice to hear from all of you
wonderful people. I am sorry that I don't reply to you individually, I
really want to but missions are short and friendships are eternal. I
love you all so much!!

So the title of this weeks email is about testimonies! A testimony is
a simple declaration of belief. It is a feeling, an assurance, and a
conviction of truth. I LOVE MY TESTIMONY. It has become one of my
greatest friends. When life gets hard I reflect on what I actually
believe is true. It gives me comfort more than anything or anyone else
can. My testimony is my friend, possibly even my best friend. It is my
personal connection to Jesus Christ. As I reflect on what I believe it
brings memories of all the times Jesus Christ has helped me and I am
so grateful for him being willing to reach out to me and save me. I
suppose that is my greatest goal right now. I want to rely on his
ample arm. I want to put all of my trust in him. I want to give away
all of my sins to know him. He is mighty to save. He is my greatest
friend, my redeemer, my Saviour, my hero, my ally, my strength. He is
always there for me. I love him. I have realised yet again that if we
do not feed our testimonies with our much needed spiritual food that
our testimony(aka best friend who can get us through anything) will
die. How awful is that?! We would never let our friend just die
without taking all the precautions possible. So going to church,
reading our scriptures, and speaking openly with our Heavenly FATHER
is of utmost importance. I am so grateful for these things. Hard times
come. Hard times are fleeting as we rely on the Saviour.

This week we have had many wonderful experiences: first of all...I
think Heavenly Father is trying to make a point to me. I have met
about 3 vegans in the past 4 days and I ran into a vegan
convention.....I don't know but maybe I need to become a
vegan...interesting, huh? Also, my legs stopped working he other day!
I was getting off of a bus and I took one step off and *SPLAT* I was
on the curb. I don't know what happened, all I know is that it was
probably one of the funniest most shocking moments on my mission.

Even better than splatting on the ground is finding people who are
seriously searching for answers to their questions, questions that we
know the answers to because of the RESTORED gospel of Jesus Christ!
Our friend Sandra is really worried about where her parents are know.
s we shared gods plan of happiness for us she was amazed. She was not
believing at first but then she saw how it is spoken of even in he
bible and she had a much more open heart. The Book of Mormon and the
Bible seriously go hand in hand and testify of one another so
perfectly. It is seriously incredible. I am so grateful for them both
because they help me to avoid and detect false doctrine. The world is
so confused and it's standards are constantly changing but I know God
stays the same yesterday, today, and forever. ISNT THAT GREAT?! I feel
so excited about it!! It brings me so much joy to understand and
realise restored truth. I love those truths. I love finding people who
are searching for those truths.

I am not ashamed of the testimony that is in me. I love the gospel! I
love Jesus Christ and I know he is our Saviour and redeemer. I know
God is our LOVING father in Heaven! Pray, he is there!! You are SO
important to him and to me!! I love you! Thank you for your friendship
in my life. You can do anything! You are wonderful!!!

Over and out till next week
Xoxo
Sister Cummins

The following photos are not approved for parental eyes: sorry mum,
sorry dad. 😁

time to write

Wow! My lovely friends and family!! I love you! I am so sorry I
haven't written a proper email in so long! It is so good to get a
little time to actually write you about my week!

So, how do I even begin to express my utmost gratitude for this work?
Today someone told me that I was on a vacation and that made me laugh
a little because it's true. Although missionary work is hard, it is
also the most fulfilling experience. I am so grateful for it. I get to
take a break from school, grades, worry about money, work, and the
world in reality and I get to just focus on developing a relationship
between God and myself as well as between God and others. How lucky I
am to be a missionary.

As I reflect on my past week I can see that it truly has been so chalk
full of incredible moments!!!

This week we got to have he sisters staying in the Crewe area come on
exchanges with us. I got to be with a sister named Sister Turnbull
from Australia! She is my "granddaughter in the mission" because
Sister Cannon trained her about a year ago and now I got to be with
her!! What a privilege. She is so full of life and love! At one point
we felt like we should walk to our destination instead of take the
bus. So as we were walking, we stopped his lovely lady. We told her
about how Heavenly Father has given us commandments because he truly
loves us and wants us to have the happiest life possible. She started
crying and walked away so I asked if we could leave our phone number
with her. She texted us later asking if we could show her around the
chapel. It was so wonderful! She told us that, "she wanted to be a
part of our family" so we dated her for baptism for the 27th of May!
We are so excited! She came to church with us yesterday and it is
incredible!! Heavenly Father really places us in the path of those
prepared! That's who I am in the search of! I am dying to meet those
people who want change and hope and that is exactly what we are
finding!! Seriously! Heavenly Father will give us our righteous
desires!!

We got to hike the WREKIN last week again!! Pictures to come! 😊

What else, what else? Hmmmmm. I'm not sure.

Oh, I know!! POSITIVITY! Oh that is so so so key!! What is the point
in being sad or discouraged? We don't have time for that!! WE HAVE
WORK TO DO! I suppose what I really want to say is that I love
missionary work. I love going out and making plans each day to TEACH
the gospel of Jesus Christ! We make plans like: FOREVER FINDING OF
FOREVER FRIENDS! GO sister Go! Share the gospel with the 🌎 and FEAR
NO MAN! And it is just so fun! We evaluate the days and look back
knowing that we gave it everything and we account to the Lord. This
week instead of just telling Father what I did I want to ask him more
if what I did was pleasing and how can I improve? I know hat when I am
open for the answer he will give it to me. It just takes patience,
humility, and an open mind. I think I'm ranting here more than
anything else. Sorry about that! I am just learning SO much and I love
it!! My rant is over, here is some pictures. Stay happy. Choose joy.
Do things that feed your spirit...or it will die!! You are wonderful!!
Take care!

Xoxo
Sister Cummins