Called Another Way

(Elder Cummings)

Last week I wrote about how I had been paired with Elder Sim, one of the new Hmong missionaries, but this week the Lord has "called [me] another way'" (Alma 22:4).  I leave tomorrow morning for the Fresno North stake to serve in the YSA ward there.  I said goodbye to Elder Sim on Friday and stayed with the zone leaders (Elder Gray and Elder Rogers) for the weekend.  It was a good way to leave Merced.  I got to say goodbye to all the members, investigators, and recent converts who I have taught and loved over the last many months.

At church on Sunday, Saint, one of the recent converts, an 11 year old baptized about a month ago, came up to me and told me that he repented this week. His sin? He hadn't been reading the scriptures every day. He prayed for forgiveness, spent two hours reading in the Book of Mormon, and then was excited to come to church to partake of the sacrament. Wow. The Spirit has been his instructor. His brother, Stephen, is equally spiritual. They are great young men. They both want to serve missions!

Last night I felt impressed to go contact a referral. We went and discovered that there was no such address. We opened our mouths. The very first person I talked to started to weep as I taught the doctrine of eternal families. She asked that we teach her and her husband and expressed a desire to have her four children (ages 2-10) sealed to them. It was beautiful. The Spirit had been preparing my mind since sacrament meeting in the McKee ward ten hours earlier to bear that heartfelt testimony.

In my prayer last night I kept having the feeling that my work in Merced had been accepted.  Returning to the McKee ward for one Sunday was another tender mercy. There are great priesthood men in that ward who have taught me volumes by their examples. That congregation has a place in my heart.

I am so happy right now!! I love the Lord. I have been trying to finish my first reading of "Jesus the Christ" over the past few days. This week I read about his passion. It was good.  It was impressed upon me that He did not fully comprehend what his messianic mission would be when he volunteered. Reflecting on that has helped me peacefully move through the last few days of transition.

I could write much, much more. It has been an incredible week, one of the best of my life.  I will miss Elder Sim.  I know that the Lord "called [him] another way" too.

Have a wonderful week!

Elder Cummings

"Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good..." (D&C 90:24).