I love when plans fall through

(Sister Slade)

Merry Christmas! I hope you all have been having a great season and that you can feel the spirit of Christ in your life.

This week was amazing. We focused on member visits for light the world. The whole week was very powerful to me because literally every lesson we taught was focused on the savior. When we got to the special sacrament meeting on Sunday that was also focused on Him, it was amazing.

Unfortunately every single one of our appointments for this week canceled and so we did even more tracting than we normally do! Have I ever told you how much I love tracting? It's my favorite.

The funny moment for the week was when we knocked on the wrong door. Bentonville is one of the fastest growing cities in the US so there are new roads and houses being built all the time. Our area book map doesn't update as fast as it should and sometimes takes us to the wrong address. We had dinner at with a new family that moved into our ward and because they were new, neither of us would recognize them. Long story short, the map took us to the wrong house and we totally talked to a random lady named Tanya like she was a member and had invited us over for dinner. It was really awkward, but also really funny.

I hope you have a fantastic Christmas tomorrow!

~Sister Slade

Pictures

1. A picture from when president strong went crazy

2. A lady had signed up to feed us tonight but had a meeting so she made us mac and cheese and ribs
3. When everyone cancels and you have to replan your day

4. Something we saw outside a house

Isaiah 9:2, JOhn 1:4-5

(Aldste Cummings)

God Jul!

Sorry, I don't have a lot of time today so I won't send a full email or pictures. I apologize as well for not having a scripture of the week last week, that's my bad. I'll compensate with two scriptures this week.

Jesus Christ is the light of the world. He lights the way before us and chases away the darkness that would otherwise surround us in His absence. Here in Boden at this time of year it's pretty easy to relate with the whole light in contrast to darkness metaphor. It's so beautiful how just a little light can make so much of a difference. Learn about Christ and let His light permeate your lives.

Merry Christmas!

Love,
Äldste Cummings

Update

(Aldste Cummings)

Hej på er!

This was quite the blast. Really fun time.

To start off, I drove the car! I hadn't driven since early July of 2017 so it's been nearly a year and a half. That enough would have made things a little sketchy but the sketchiness was compounded by the darkness, the snow-covered roads (they don't salt things here so there's snow and ice all over the roads), the non-reflective paint they use on the street, and a handful of weird traffic laws I had yet to familiarize myself with. Luckily, no accidents were caused and nothing was hurt except my pride.

Knocking doors in -24 degrees Celsius is quite the experience although Sunday morning was colder with the coldest temperature yet this season: -27 (that's -17 for all of you following along in Farenheit). Today and yesterday are a little warmer and honestly, -17°C (1°F) feels quite balmy after spending a couple days in the minus twenties.

This week, we were also able to go to a Santa Lucia concert which was a really cool experience. I was in Sweden last year too, but we didn't have an opportunity to go unfortunately. Basically, it's a Christmas concert in a church and the choir stands behind a young girl who has a ring of candles on her head. They sing some traditional songs but also assorted Christmas carols. Apparently the tradition dates back to one Saint Lucia who would bring food to Christians hiding in catacombs and she would light the way with a wreath of candles. I think she was martyred as a result. Really sad, but it's really quite heartwarming how much the Swedish Christmas season is so centered on light.

Christ really is the light of the world. He lights our lives like nothing else can when we let him in and learn to know Him. We were talking to a man at his door yesterday who wasn't religious. He spent a couple minutes--in which he unwittingly paraphrased the words of the Savior in the New Testament at least twice--talking about how he's a good person and how treats people kindly and how he doesn't steal or abuse his wife and kids or anything and asked us why it wasn't enough for him to be a good person.

Just because we have a couple candles throughout the room does not mean electric ceiling lights would not light it better. I was really thankful that I had the personal experience necessary to be able to stand at his door and testify that Jesus Christ adds far more to life than can be gained by simply being a good person. A personal relationship with the Savior fills every nook and cranny of an otherwise dark world.

Have a great week!

Love,

Äldste Cummings

1. Met this kid while volunteering at the Red Cross. Made my day.

2. When what you thought were the hymn numbers are actually the digits to their Venmo number for accepting donations.

3. "This girl is on fire" -Alicia Keys

4. My breath froze to my name-tag 

5. This is one angry icicle.

President has gone crazy!

(Sister Slade)

It's been a good week!

We had our zone conference/Christmas party on Thursday. The spiritual part of it was amazing! Sister Strong taught us about remembering and invited us to remember Christ. We then had a 2 hour testimony meeting on remembering Christ. It was the strongest I've felt the spirit while on my mission and I didn't want it to end.

For the party part of the day, we had a bunch of games going, one of which was a cup stacking competition. Sister Boyack took 2nd place with the fastest time in the mission of 13 seconds. I placed 4th. I bet you didn't know I was so talented at cup stacking. :) I also played Kites at the talent show that they had. The best part of the evening though was when President Strong dressed up like a fox and danced to "What does the fox say?" It was quite entertaining.

We had lessons with Jason and Nancy and both of them want us to read the Book of Mormon with them. In Nancy's lesson we also read the Christmas story. I was able to bear my testimony about what the "good news" of the Savior's birth meant to me.

I didn't have a chance to bear my testimony at zone conference, but I want to do it here. My favorite scripture on the atonement is 1 Nephi 3:7 in connection with 3 Nephi 12:48; "...the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." And  "therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect." It means so much to me that the Savior has provided the way and is the way that I can accomplish the commandment he has given to be perfect. I am painfully aware of how imperfect I am. On my own I could never be more than I am. It's only through the Savior that I can become as He is. There are so many things that Jesus Christ is to me. He is my friend. He is my brother. He is my example. He is my teacher. He is my healer. He is my leader. He is my protector. He is my Savior and my Redeemer. I love him. It's a privilege for me to serve Him to try to show Him how much I love Him.

Who is the Savior to you? What does the "good news" of the gospel mean to you?

I love you all! Thank you for your support and prayers! They are much needed.

Pictures!

1. President strong with his back up dancers

2. There's a pond in our area and I took this picture
3. Sister Boyack and I took a picture with a cow

4. We taught a 7 year old girl that wants to be baptized and her mom took a picture of us

5. The cup stacking competition (I'm trying to find the video from someone,but no luck so far. Believe me it was epic).

6. Me playing piano at zone conference

7. Zone conference lunch

Sister Yackity Yack

(Sister Slade)

The last couple days were crazy. Transfers were on Thursday and I had to say goodbye to Sister Mueller. I also met my new companion, Sister Boyack. She's crazy (in the best way possible)! She said that one of her nicknames on her mission is Sister Yackity yack. she says it's on account of both her name and her tendency to talk a lot. :) We get along pretty well, though it's definitely an adjustment to be with a complete stranger 24/7 when you're used to one way of life and missionary work.

We had several miracles this past weekend. Both Sister Boyack and I felt like we needed to fast on Sunday to be able to find someone to teach. We walked into church on Sunday afternoon and lo and behold, one of the members had brought a friend to church who brought one of her friends to church. We taught them the first lesson during second hour and they wanted to learn more! I can now say I've taught the restoration twice.

Also, while we were tracting on Friday, we had 5 people say we could come back to share a Christmas message. We're not sure how many of them will keep the appointment, but it was exciting! We also have been serving a lady named Nancy for a couple of months, and she told us she wants us to share a Christmas message with her after we finished helping her to put up her Christmas tree.

It was a pretty amazing couple of days!
Have a good week!

D&C 123:12

(Aldste Cummings)

Tjena!

I am officially moved into Boden. Pretty crazy. It's a whole new world up here. The only trees that grow up here--with a handful exceptions--are tall narrow pine trees that line the side of the highway and are just about everywhere. It's honestly gorgeous. The way the trees look half-covered in snow all over the rolling landscape is out of this world.

I've heard that real Sweden is from Sundsvall (approximately the middle of Sweden) and up and everything south of it is Denmark. I don't think I would go as far as to say that, but it truly is magical up here.

That being said, it's snowy, dark, and cold. There was already snow on the ground when I got here so I probably won't see the grass unless I'm still here in June because apparently the last snowfall usually comes in May. The sun is up for about 4 hours a day and Friday morning was -20 degrees Celsius which is -4 Fahrenheit. Apparently in the real winter months it gets down to at least -35°C (-31°F) so that's something to look forward to, I guess.

It was tough to say goodbye to Gothenburg. On Tuesday, we had the pleasure of having lunch with Leif Mattson--essentially the mafia boss of all members in Western Sweden, he has so many connections--and he took us on a little walk along the ocean and let me feast my eyes on what had become my home while the classic Gothenburg wind nearly picked us up off of the asphalt. I really will miss that place.

This week we had the opportunity to knock on some doors like we often have the opportunity to do and we got to meet some really nice people. Lately, I've been testifying to people of the joy that comes from a close relationship to Jesus Christ and inviting them to strengthen their faith in him by learning more about him by reading the Book of Mormon. This week were were able to have some really cool experiences as we saw the Spirit work in people to soften their hearts and accept our invitation. It was a testimony to me that people out there really are searching for the peace of heart and mind that comes from Jesus Christ, but "are kept from the truth because they know not where to find it."

Have a great week!
Love,
Äldste Cummings

1. "Det finns bara en stav i Sverige och det är Göteborg" -Leif
2. Big Boy Bouncing out to Boden.

3. Me and "Our Boy" Elder Jordan.

4. Standing on a frozen lake. During the deep winter, they allow cars to drive across it instead of using the ferry.

5. Sunrise at 10:15 on our way to the church for some meetings.
6. Sunset at 12:30 on our way back from the church.7.  Elder Cummings' Declassified Boden Survival Guide Tip 1: Leave as little skin as possible exposed.

8. My "son" Elder Burns got some new glasses! The meatball doesn't fall far from the dish.

I Prefer the Methodists

(Sister Slade)

Update on transfers! So transfers are tomorrow and Sister Mueller has been transferred to Idaho Falls. She has finished her mission and is headed home. My new companion is going to be Sister Boyack. All I know about her is that she is from Oregon and has been out for 9 months. I will meet her tomorrow and will tell you all the dirt on her on Monday. :)

Throughout my mission, it's really hard to find and baptize people. Everyone here in the bible belt is super religious and set in their beliefs. The good news is that they're super kind when they do reject us! :) "Have a blessed day," is a very common phrase here. In the last 3 months I have taught one of the main preach my gospel lessons 5 times, one of which was for gospel principles class on Sunday. The central park area hasn't had a baptism in 14 months. Despite all this, we work really hard every day and there is a lot of prayers and fasting that goes into finding someone to teach. Right now our teaching pool consists of one: Jerry.

Jerry is the best! He gives us 2 or 3 tubs of ice cream every week. Last week we had to give away a ton of ice cream because we really needed our freezer back. We read from the Book of Mormon when we see him and he has started to progress much faster since we started doing that. Because I look like I'm 12 years old, Jerry calls me kiddo. It's really endearing.

This weekend we helped the church put on a community event called Nativity and Noel. We helped to host the event. Now you have to understand that the wards in Bentonville are the most extra people I've ever seen. They went all out for this event. I'm talking about hand decorating 300 cupcakes each night with a Christmas theme and making a life size stable and creating a frame to hang lights and blue cloth to make the walls of the gym look like a starry night. They also had a concert performance from different community choirs. I'm not going to say anything against our own Tabernacle choir, but I prefer the Methodist choir. They blew the roof off. It was amazing.

What are you doing for #lighttheworld? Did you do anything for the world wide day of service? It's a great opportunity to share the gospel without going out of your comfort zone.

I love you!
      ~Sister Slade

1. All of the ice cream that was in our freezer

2. Sister Mueller's last Sunday

3. Sister Mueller's "funeral" picture

Phillipians 1:3

(Aldste Cummings)
Halloj!

Boom. What a week. I don't feel like writing this will actually do it justice, but here we go. Gonna give her the ol' college försök.

We got some churros this morning with the elders from Kungsbacka and we were in the middle of Gothenburg and this seagull just swoops in gives me a little love-tap on the back of the head and takes a bite out of Elder Gilson's churro. Birds that grow up in the city are really brazen buggers. They grow up on the streets and do whatever they need to survive. Way different than birds that live in more forgiving, natural environments. Interesting social commentary. Kendrick Lamar could probably rap about that.

This week we went on a couple trips through the city swinging by people we have in the phone. It was cool to explore other parts of the city that I had never been to before and meet and talk to them there. There is something about this city that just steals my heart. I'm gonna miss it.

A couple weeks ago we were witnesses to this really quite incredible miracle. We were knocking doors and we met this woman who said that she had lived with a member family in the United States in from 1980-81. We asked her where and she said Colorado to which I responded, "My mom lived in Littleton, Colorado" which, as it turns out, is where she lived! Turns out, she lived with Sergeant Packer, one of the members of our branch presidency in the MTC and a good friend to my mom's parents. Super crazy. The jury is still out on whether or not she met my mom or mom's family but the connection is still pretty insane anyway. The odds of me going on a mission to Sweden, being assigned to serve in Västra Frölunda and then knocking on her door in Åkered when she happened to be home to answer, are uncanny. What a coincidence. Just kidding, I definitely believe it was God.

Anyway, last night we had dinner with her and her family! It was sooo fun. It was so fun to just talk to them and answer all of their questions about the church--they had a lot--and get to know them better. It felt so good and warm and inviting. We even got our transfer calls from the zone leaders at their house. They thought it was so cool to get an inside scoop into how the mission works. I'm so thankful I was able to meet them and spend some time with them. Thank you, Eva-Liz for giving me a little taste of home out here.

Anyway, as I've mentioned, we received transfer calls yesterday. I will be leaving Gothenburg and will be transferring to Boden. The northernmost area in the mission. Literally like an hour south of the Arctic Circle. It'll be cold. It'll be dark. It'll be snowy. It will not be as far north as Tromsø, yes Dad I know. But it'll be a real, genuine, Swedish winter. I'm really excited to go and experience it.

I am absolutely heartbroken though that I will be leaving Gothenburg. It's such an incredible city and I've fallen in love with it. But more than that, the people that I've learned to love here will always be in my heart forever. The members and others I've met have changed my life and really are some of the best, most welcoming, most faithful, and most loving people I've ever met. I love them from the very bottom of my heart. Gothenburg will always be a very special place in my memory. My scripture of the week is directed to those of you who have made my stay here so rewarding and uplifting. Thank you so much for everything you have done for me while I have been here the past four months. You are wonderful disciples of Christ. Continue to share your love and light with the world. "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you" (Phillipians 1:3).

Have a great week!
Love,
Äldste Cummings


1. Gothenburg is so humid that when it gets cold e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g frosts over. This picture is just frost. No snow.
2. Just to give a little more perspective of just how far north Boden is.
3.Just to give a little more perspective of just how far north I will be traveling.
4.Just to give a little more perspective of just how much further north I will be than the rest of you.
5.Good Kid Maad City (ft. Streetgull).
6.A little kid in the ward wrote this to us. It's adorableness made nearly made me cry. Don't try typing it into google translate because half of the words are spelled wrong anyway.

7. This was a little sketchy.

Joseph Smith History 1:25

(Aldste Cummings)

Tjena tjena

I don't know if I've mentioned this, but I've lived in Sweden for over a year now and have yet to patronize an Ikea establishment. Huh.

This week was some good fun. On Tuesday was Zone Conference which is always fun. We always have a handful of other elders staying at our apartment the night before and it's a blast. The conference itself was really quite incredible. We talked a lot about the Book of Mormon as well as how we can improve how we talk to people. President is such an inspired man. He's leading this mission to Zion.

On Wednesday, the sister missionaries in our area said they had someone they were teaching that wanted us to come over with them to try on facemasks. Elder Nelson and I thought that a good, moisturizing and soothing facial while also discussing the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be quite a pleasant experience. Good for both body and soul. So we came. We show up to find that there was to be no facemask but rather we were going to try on Mary Kay's line of men's facial care products. One thing led to another and we left the apartment with foundation on our faces. We had no idea what it was, she just told us to put it on. Despite how marvelous our skin looked, neither Elder Nelson nor I felt personally comfortable with walking around with makeup on so we quickly boogied over to the church and wiped it off in the bathroom.

As you all are well aware, Thursday was Thanksgiving! Just about all Swedes were unfortunately rather unaware. It was a regular proselyting day for us except the fact that we were able to take an hour or two to do something Thanksgiving-y. Elder Nelson and I decided to bake Pumpkin Pie from scratch. We even had to make the evaporated milk. It was really fun and really tasty.

All the kids in the congregation went up and sang songs and gave talks during church yesterday. It was so awesome. The children in this ward are the most spirituay mature children I have ever met. l was simply blown away. That evening we were also able to hold a fireside with the youth in the ward which went so well. Those kids are so awesome.The parents in this ward do an amazing job of raising their children on a foundation of faith. For all the parents of whose children I speak: ni gör ett gott arbete.

I just want to end with saying that it's important for all of us to remember our spiritual experiences as we go through life. God blesses us with the witness of the Spirit to strengthen our faith and resolve to endure to the end. He expects us to stay true to the truths He has revealed to us. May we be able to say of our own communion with the Spirit of the Lord as Joseph Smith so boldy testified of his own experience, "I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it."

Have a great week!

Love,

Äldste Cummings

1. Your ring fingers are the weakest so apparently that makes them ideal for applying anti-aging eye cream. Huh. The more you know.

2. Pumpkin pie. We didn't have a pie tin, alright?

3. "Fin hund förresten."

4. Orkar inte förklara.

5. Swedish Christmas beverage (kinda like root beer) matured in oak barrels for six months with gingerbread. God Jul!