Alma 5:7,9

(Aldste Cummings)
Hello everybody!

This week has probably been one of the more eventful weeks of my mission.

Why do you ask? Good question.

Wednesday evening, Elder Mathias and I got a call from President Youngberg. President Youngberg does not usually call in the middle of Week 4 of the transfer so we immediately knew something was up.

"Elder Cummings," says he, "are you ready to get your world rocked?"

To make a long story short, by 11.00 the next morning, I left Boden for good. Within 24 hours of the call, I was in Gothenburg waiting for a train to take me to my new area, Halmstad.

My world? Consider it rocked.

President decided that I me and the missionary that was serving here in Halmstad needed to switch places mid way through the transfer, so we did. My new companion had only been out 3 weeks when I got here so now I'm training again. This means, by missionary lingo, I have another son. Rather unexpected, but it's exciting. Especially because it was almost exactly a year ago that I met my first "son," Elder Burns.

Halmstad is a beach town on Sweden's southwestern coast. It's much warmer here. I left the 3 feet of snow in Boden behind me and said hello to above freezing temperatures in Halmstad. Spring came quickly for me.

The best part about the whole ordeal was that I got to pass through Gothenburg on my way down. It felt so amazing to be in that city. I love the huge rocky ridges and the mossy forests. I made so many fantastic memories in that city and I love it so much. Thank you again to the people who made those few months of my life so phenomenal. You know who you are.

It was tough to leave Boden, though. It was such a winter wonderland. Exactly what you would expect a winter in Sweden to be. The people could be both so grim and hearty just like you would expect the descendents of vikings to be. I've made some really good friends there that will impact me for life. Thank you for those of you have those months so memorable for me. You know who you are.

I just want to end quick with the two verses I cited in the subject bar. Alma characteristically figurative imagery creates a very poetic description of conversion and the witness of the Holy Ghost. His language here is the most accurate description of something that is so difficult to describe. It stirs one's ponder on how one has also been able to experience being awoken to God from a deep sleep and feeling one's soul being illuminated by the light of the everlasting word. Even in the moment one reads it, one feels their soul expand and desire to sing redeeming love.

Such a beautiful and powerful description of something so sacred and indescribable. It could only have been written by someone who was very familiar with the experience which clearly Alma was. I hope that each of us will read these verses and ponder how the Spirit has spoken to us in our own moments of darkness and deep sleep.

Have a great week!

Love,

Äldste Cummings

1. Last companionship pic 😥

2. Northern Sweden from the air (Hejdå Norbotten).

3. Gothenburg, it was good to be back.

4. That's right, I live here (pt 17).

5. Father and son picnic on the beach.

6. One of the most Swedish neighborhoods I've ever seen.