It has been another week that has gone by far too fast! As I
leave Heritage tomorrow morning I leave it set up to baptize every week in May.
I feel that I accomplished what I needed to. I am looking forward to my last
and first area now, Pioneer Park West. I was trained there, I trained there,
and now I am returning to end my mission there. The woman I wrote about last
week, Nou with her three little kids, live in that area's boundaries. I am
excited and feel exceedingly blessed to go and teach them again.
This transfer has also come with some other news: I have
been released of all formal leadership responsibilities. Over the last year I
have learned more than I knew there was to know about leadership in Christ's
church. I would like to share one of those things with you all.
After nearly two years of contemplating leadership, and one
year of serving in a leadership position, I see callings in a new light, at
least a least a new light to me. Church callings are all extensions of our
baptismal covenant to stand as a witness of Christ "at all times and in
all things, and in all places that [we] may be in" (Mosiah 18:9). For
almost a year now I have been asked to witness of Christ as a zone leader. It
is now my commission to stand as a witness of Christ as a missionary without
formal leadership responsibilities. This ties right back into the talk given by
Elder Bednar in priesthood session: the call is what is important (I am a
witness of Christ), where the assignment sends me is not something to harbor
guilt over or to be concerned or anxious about. It makes sense! All callings
are the same in the eyes of God because the call, to be a witness of Christ, is
universal and given by covenant. The field of labor varies and "mattereth
not"(D&C 80:3), which meaning is expanded by Elder Bednar, teaching
that "because the work of preaching the gospel is the Lord’s work, He
inspires, guides, and directs His authorized servants. As missionaries strive
to be ever more worthy and capable instruments in His hands and do their best
to fulfill faithfully their duties, then with His help they 'cannot go
amiss'—wherever they serve. Perhaps one of the lessons the Savior is teaching
us in this revelation is that an assignment to labor in a specific place is
essential and important but secondary to a call to the work."
("Called to the Work" David A. Bednar). My understanding has been
significantly expanded. I see a night and day contrast between where I am now
and where I was a year ago in how I view leadership in Christ's church. I cannot
adequately express how grateful I am for this growth. It has not come to me
because of any worthiness of myself, but because God is a loving Father.
It is hard to imagine where I would be without Christ. He
has done more for us than we are even capable of realizing. One Bible story
that I love is the story of the woman with an issue of blood. It was shared
often at the last general conference, and since then I have pondered on it
regularly. I find it worth noting that even after being completely healed
through faith on Christ, the woman, when pressed to confess her act of faith,
did so "fearing and trembling" (Mark 5:33). The woman felt as if she
had in some way taken advantage of Christ, or taken a gift for which she was
unworthy. That fear is unneeded. When we are purified and healed by the Savior,
we need not fear or tremble. He loves us. He wants to heal us. He wants to
forgive us of our sins and raise us to overcome all about us that is wicked,
worldly, or simply falls short of absolute perfection. His desire is to heal us
of our plagues.
I know my Savior, and I know that he lives. I knows you. He
has carried your sorrows and he will carry you.
I love being a missionary.
-Elder Cummings
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