S13:E2 Mardi Gras

 (Elder Cummings)

Howdy y'all!

So sorry I missed last week, but so much has happened:

-Im currently living 30 minutes outside of my area cause our shower was broken and flooded the first floor of our apartment

-because of this our days consist of us driving into New Orleans, parking our car at the church and biking around the rest of the day. Exhausting, but so so good.

-oh and yes. Old Reliable(my bike) is back to business

 We fixed her seat. However her bike tire got a nasty nail straight through it. She still hasn't failed me though, the popped tire led to a great conversation with a friend of ours that needed to happen

-Mardi Gras is tomorrow. The Greater New Orleans area has had parades every day for the last two weeks. Not surprisingly, carjackings have gone up 2000% in the last month or so in uptown. The Good Time will be rolling, but we will be way out of the way

-I have had. So. Much. King Cake

I could go on and on but I'll just share one of the coolest experiences from this week. The ward here is pretty diverse. We have some French, Russian, Palestinian, Latino, German, and Ukrainian members here. It is awesome. I'm sure yall are aware of what is going on in Ukraine. Just imagine the feelings and Spirit I felt as I stand up after sacrament meeting to see two members of our ward, one Russian and one Ukrainian run up to each other, hug each other and start crying. That is the love of Christ right there. That is charity. I was filled with this amazing hope and happiness. Mormon is truly right when he teaches us " 45 charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

                46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

                47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."(Moroni 7:45-47). Let us have this love in our hearts!! For "there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people"(4 Nephi 1:15)

Have a blessed one, and pray for that charity,

Elder Cummings

Photos:

1. Big ol pop

2. Me and Elder Mast the legend on exchanges

3. Elder Smith and I biked to the end of our area. Literally like the Lorax. On the other side of the cement wall is bayou and swamp and trees