Hello all,
This week has been so crazy. I have been working nonstop
from 6:30am to 10:30pm every day. I'm constantly studying or working and just
doing something productive until I go to bed, it's pretty exhausting.
So before I got here, I thought that I would have separate
classes for learning Swedish and learning how to be a missionary. WRONG. I had
a rude awakening when I discovered that I have one class for multiple hours a
day in which I learn how to be a missionary IN SWEDISH. I The teacher, Syster
Adamsson, has only spoken Swedish since the minute we've gotten here. I haven't
heard her say more than 6 words consecutively in English. I honestly think I
know more Swedish now than I did French after my first year of taking it in
school. My brain has never felt more stretched. The life here is just so
demanding.
My companion, Äldste Bird, is great. He's a certified
crossfit coach so we've been going to the gym and working out pretty
consistently which is something I need to be doing more of so it’s really
helpful. He's so funny and we've just clicked so well.
So much has been has been going on. It's so hard to try to
say everything. But the funny experience of the week was that in one of the
lessons that we taught, my companion accidentally invited the lady we were
teaching to "follow the example of Jesus Christ and get high" in
Swedish, of course. As it turns out, the word for "to be baptized"
is"döpas" (pronounced duh-pas) which is not to be confused with
"dopas" (pronounced doh-pas) which means "to get high."
Luckily the lady laughed it off and she understood what he was trying to say.
On a more serious note, the Spirit is so strong here. I have
never been around so many people who are so ready and willing to drop
everything and help you. Every second, I'm surrounded by 3,000 young men and
women who are continuously trying to be more like Jesus Christ. Personally,
just thinking about the daunting task ahead of me humbles me so much. As a
representative of Jesus Christ, I am a very poor substitute for Him. I have
never been more aware of my own faults and shortcomings. That sounds very
depressing, but it's really not. I promise. In fact, it's very comforting. The
knowledge that I need help is a comforting reminder from the Lord that I will
receive it. I end every day praying to the Lord, asking him to bless me with
that I may be more like His Son and every day I feel that I get a little
closer. I'm still miles away, but a little closer makes a huge difference.
I find comfort in the scripture that I referenced in the
subject bar (that's probably going to be a thing, by the way. I would greatly
appreciate it if you took the time to read it). I have given up everything to
come out here and serve Him. I have put school on hold, I can't do anything
that I used to do, I can only communicated with the outside world once a week,
not to mention waking up at 6:30 every day. For two whole years. I have given
up everything for these next two years.
Well, God, I have lost my life; show me the way.
With love,
Äldste Cummings
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