Alma 29:6

(Aldste Cummings)

Hey all,

This week has been so great. I've been working just as hard as last week--if not harder--but it's beginning to feel normal and fun. There's a saying around here that the days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. Boy is that true.

 I'm getting so much out of this experience and it's only been two weeks. I can't imagine how much I will have grown by the end of these two years.

I'm learning so much. If I'm not in class or if I'm not working out, then I'm studying. I've been reading the Book of Mormon pretty intensely every day and I always get something new out of it. It's incredible and I love it so much.

All the time and energy that I would have spent reading a math textbook or doing math problems or something at home, I've redirected to studying Swedish. I spend hours reading grammar books or memorizing vocabulary. Ask me about the 4 different conjugation classes of Swedish verbs (5 if you split up the second class into two subclasses and 6 if you move irregular verbs out of the 4th class and into their own class), the 5 noun declension class, subject inversion with a preceding dependent clause, how the supine differs from the part participle and why, archaic plural conjugations of verbs, you name it. I've even begun to memorize the spelling, definitions, and conjugation patterns of the verbs in my "201 Swedish Verbs" book (I've got the first 160 memorized, I'll probably have the rest of them down by the end of the week).

I was reflecting on all that and was feeling awfully proud of myself when I did my scripture study one night and read the verse in the subject bar (it's from the Book of Mormon so those of you who aren't Mormon can find it by just typing "Alma 29" into google and clicking on the first hit from lds.org). The context is that the prophet Alma is expressing his desire to preach the gospel with the power of an angel (see verse 1) but chastises himself and comes to the conclusion in verse 6 that God has asked him to serve in his current capacity with his mortal abilities and that he should desire no more than to fulfill that calling.

That really hit me. I have been called as a missionary to serve the Lord and to preach His gospel. My goal is not to become fluent in Swedish. I did not come out here on a mission so I could come back speaking Swedish. I have been called to bring others unto Christ and as I try to fulfill that purpose, the language and other abilities will come. I am an official representative of Jesus Christ, I goal must be to become as He is and invite others to do so as well.

Love,

Äldste Cummings