Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yup I'm serious. Canada celebrates their thanksgiving on the thirteenth of October this year. And how are we as missionaries celebrating? By hiking a million kilometres in the hills and vales of Quebec's countryside. I would send you pictures but I just realized I left my camera in the apartment. Just trust me that it was beautiful with amazing waterfalls and brilliantly colored leaves.

This week we traveled to Montreal twice and guess who drove in Montreal? Twice? THIS GIRL! Whoops I mean Sister... I think I might be able to take on New York City after my mission but right now that's still a big step. Anyways we had a wonderful time both days receiving training. Its strange to think that in only two weeks I will no longer be a greenie... and in only a week and a half that I would have completed 2/9ths of my mission. Yikes!! I don't want it to end! I want to forever be a missionary! Even with all the awkward moments it brings.

Speaking of awkward moments. Have you ever gone to a dance and been told you can't dance and have to speak another language? Not to mention that it is in fact a wedding... Here's the story, the bride is from this area and actually served her mission in Montreal. Its strange but that happens a lot here, probably having to do with how different a culture this is here than other places in the world. I mean it pretty much has its own language, anyways she was getting married and needed help decorating. Naturally us service-hungry missionaries stepped up to the plate and graciously helped decorate. We were then invited to the wedding where we awkwardly stood in the door for two seconds then ran to the kitchen to help put plates together for the dinner. We finish that and are pretty much herded into the hall. After about an hour of talking and fighting the urge to dance I get a tap on my shoulder. It is the father of the bride asking me if I could sing something for everyone. We had to leave in five minutes so I said no. And then magically our loving Mission President and his family walk into the hall, aka awkward moment got more awkward. Just as we were about to leave I get another tap on my shoulder, but this time its my mission president. He says "I understand you won't sing because you will be late. Well I give you permission to be late." Well shoot, that really translates to "you're singing." Luckily Sister Munive and I had been preparing to potentially sing in sacrament meeting so they rolled in the piano and I sang "C'est L'amour" which I forget how it translates to English but it is in the children's songbook just next to the song with a picture of the wheelchair. Our performance was yet again another spiritual moment. I love being a missionary in other ways than one. My voice was how I originally found my testimony and by sharing it with others it strengthens me so much in the realization of how much of a blessing God has given me to be able to sing and have others hear. I look forward to every opportunity I am given to sing.

A testimony isn't just a talk given at a pulpit every first Sunday of the month. A testimony can be shared in so many more ways than that. For me I have found it easiest through song, but I have seen others testimonies through poetry, through painting, and even just living their lives. Don't ever hold back a testimony. You may not know who but someone is always there to receive it.

I love you all with the wholeness of my heart,

Soeur Cummings