Guys its official. I'm a missionary. Come give me a
handshake. Coming into the MTC was uneventful thank goodness, not including a
rather treacherous sprint in a skirt in the O'hare airport that should have
really been recognized for "most graceful run for your life while your
plane has just landed and your connecting plane has two minutes left of
boarding." On the plane I sat next to a guy from Ottawa which is in my
mission! He filled me in on everything I needed to know about the area. AKA
Hockey. Oh he also told me the fifty dollar bills in Canada actually smell like
maple syrup. Which makes me really excited because that means that not only is
Canadian money really bright like monopoly money but its like a scratch and
sniff! CANADA IS AN AMUSEMENT PARK! At least in advertising ;D
Thank you all those family and friends who came to see me
off, I love you guys! After I was dropped off at the curb and I had gotten my
name tag, a Sister Smith (who is from, you guessed it, an hour outside
Montreal) helped me take my gear up to my room. I was of course the first one
into the apartment and as well as first into the classroom. Oh the classroom...
I walked in and my teacher was speaking French...someone once decribed the
first day, maybe even the first week, as trying to drink out of a firehose. You
try to get as much water as you can into your mouth, but only end up hurting
your face really badly. This is very very accurate, the teachers here are
supposed to be speaking French 24/7 which is good because I am picking up the
language quite well, or more likely remembering it well. It is only the sixth
day and I have already taught three lessons in French, can say a prayer in
French and have learned many useful phrases such as "Je peux pas
meme" (I just can't even) "Je conduis la bus de la lutte" (I
drive the struggle bus) and a particularly interesting Quebecois phrase
"Bien oui en dont" pronounced as "ben way un dawn" which
means You have got to be kidding me. THAT'S CRAZY! And yet at the same time I
feel like I have been prepared for this moment my entire life.
I am in a Trio with Sister Hill and Sister Jeter. Sister
Hill is from Las Vegas and has the most beautiful long hair you can think of,
and she is so talented she can do fancy braids with it, without a mirror. Elle
est un boss. Sister Jeter is from Texas although she doesn't sound like it, she
also has this insane ability to just throw anything at the garbage can and it
will go in. Which is ironic because her last name in French means "to
throw away in the trash." Elle est un boss aussi. Our first night we were
all so tired and our brains were in a condition that we have become to
understand as "French Fried." We all got ready for bed, read our
scriptures, wrote in our journals and then turned off the lights. It was only
then that we saw the most beautiful thing we have seen yet. Some Sisters before
us had put dozens and dozens of glow in the dark stars on the ceiling of our
room. This is a little known fact but at the MTC you don't get to see the night
sky. The buildings are too close together with covered walkways that blot out
the sky, missionaries are also not allowed to be outside before it gets really
dark. But every night since the first all three of us walk into the room do our
nightly routine, and then turn off the lights and sigh. Sleeping under the
stars has become a way to de-stress, a way to unwind, and a way to recognize
just how close we are to God. He has left little miracles like this that have
kept me up and running. Miracles such as seeing a friend everyday, we don't
talk much but just being able to see them calms me down so that I can focus
during the eleven hours of studying and classes I have daily.
Currently it feels like I am too busy to even worry about
being homesick. I miss you guys don't worry. But as my cousin put it "I
hope I miss you." There are moments when it hits me, moments of "Oh
my goodness I am a missionary" or "Oh my goodness I only get to wear
pants one day a week" or even "Oh my goodness I can't high five guys
for an entire 18 months." Strangely enough those moments are when I feel
most homesick. This is only remedied by receiving letters and even just
sleeping under the stars. I love it here and I can't wait until I am out in the
field. But for now I'm content with sleeping under the stars for five more
weeks.
Sincerely,
Sister Cummings
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