Opening our mouths to people with open ears

(Elder Cummings)
We have done so much this week!  I don't even know where to start!  From a teaching standpoint, this week has been the busiest of my mission.  Elder Ostler and I shattered both of our personal "bests."  It has been an amazing adventure.  I have loved every second of it.

Our beloved farmers, sadly, have quite literally moved on to greener pastures this week.  In traditional Hmong fashion they up and moved without telling anyone.  They all work from sun up to sun down trying to support themselves and children, spouses, and sometimes extended family in Laos.  They went the way of the work--north to Sacramento.  I pray that they will soon come into contact, again, with missionaries.

Blessings have come from this as well!  We were able to open our mouths and share the gospel with some others in the neighborhood, and meet several others who were more than happy to meet the missionaries!

One of the highlights of the week was another miracle from opening our mouths!  Elder Ostler and I were walking through the biggest apartment complex I have ever seen, searching for a less active's home.  We have been trying to get in contact with this family for a few weeks now, and they finally got back to us and told us to come by.  That is exactly what we hoped to do, but as we kept walking deeper and deeper we started to doubt if the address was real.  We took a moment and talked about what we should do and we felt that we should go and share the gospel with the eight or nine African-American children playing by the volleyball court.  That is exactly what we did!

From that we received three referrals to hand off to whatever English missionaries cover the area.  Miracle number one!  It gets better though!  One of the boys, Isaiah, really wanted us to tell his mom about Joseph Smith as soon as possible, so he took us for a walk that led right past the address we had been looking for!  Had we not opened our mouths and shared the gospel with whoever the Lord put in our paths we would not have been able to reach out to the members who had temporarily lost their way.

Another day I was on an exchange and felt prompted to talk to a woman who had just passed by us.  Realizing that there wasn't any subtle way to approach the situation, I turned around and very loudly asked her back if she believed in Jesus.  This was met with a laugh, a polite no, a short conversation about families, and an accepted invitation to come and teach her and her boyfriend sometime.  Two days later the same woman was referred to us by an investigator.  God puts prepared people in the paths of the missionaries all the time.

He puts them in your paths as well, I am sure of it.  As Preach My Gospel puts it "You are surrounded by people.  You pass them on the street, visit them in their homes, and travel among them.  All of them are children of God, your brothers and sisters.  God loves them just as He loves you."

I am so grateful to be here in Fresno among such a wonderful people.  There is nothing that compares!

With love,

Elder A. Jared Cummings

A Baptism and the Flood

(Elder Cummings)

We have had a hard working week.  I love it!  We had a beautiful baptismal service for Johnny, Jay, and Lisa Her.  We have been working with them for a few months now.  The whole family moved down to Fresno and immediately sought out the Church.  The mother was less active for many years and is happy to have returned to activity in the Church, and is even more happy that her children are coming to the covenants!

Waiting for the font to fill Saturday afternoon, listening to Elder Ostler plunk out hymns on the piano, I spent some time reflecting on the story of the flood.  I had heard it said once that it symbolically relates to baptism, and I was pleased to find that to be true.

Noah was distinguished from the people of his time by his zeal in keeping the commandments of God. "Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God" (Genesis 6:9).  In describing his obedience, the scripture states that "according to all that God commanded him, so did he" (Genesis 6:22).  Noah is a type of the spiritual man that we all of the potential to be.

When the rain comes it is Noah who is carried by the waters to higher ground.  He ends up on the top of the mountains of Ararat, a place much higher in elevation than where he likely built the ark (Genesis 8:4).  His experience brought him closer to the Lord.  Through the flood "all flesh died" (Genesis 7:21), leaving the world "clean" and symbolic of the death of the sinful life and the beginning of one of discipleship that occurs at baptism.

To go even further, through modern revelation we understand that following the "baptism" of the flood Noah received many covenants from God, which God himself describes as those he "made unto your [Noah's] father Enoch, concerning your seed after you" (JST Genesis 9:15).  In the same way baptism is not the end of our commitment to God, in fact God has many blessings for us that follow baptism, conditional on obedience, and with the same far reaching effects as the covenant God made with Noah.  In these latter days these covenants are available in the Holy Temples.

Unfortunately my camera died and I couldn't find the charger until the day after the baptism, so no pictures from this one.

Yesterday we rode the bus to church with our beloved farmers.  A nine hour total round trip.  This instilled in me a much greater love for these Hmong people and for the sacrifices they are willing to make for God, truly inspiring.  God truly does love all of His children.  You are all included in that!

With love,

Elder Jared Cummings

"Be Thou an Example of the Believers"

(Anziano Wilkinson)

Anziano Green and I had a very successful week, full of miracles and also trials of patience. One of the miracles we saw was an encounter with a less active man who had lost contact with the church. He saw us and engaged a conversation, expressing a desire to come back to church. We met with him later on and brought him a Book of Mormon and had a great lesson with him about its importance. But on top of all this, in a great expression of concern and care for this man, the ward members worked diligently to find him a ride to church this Sunday because he lives too far to get himself there alone. Truly an amazing experience and a testimony builder of the love that God has for all of his children, even the wayward ones, and a great expression of the faith and charity of the members here. Their examples are truly inspiring.

I've been thinking a lot about examples this week and the impacts that they have. If there are two things that all of Christianity can agree on, it's that Christ was the perfect example and also the best teacher. I don't think these two qualities can be examined separately; teaching and examples are almost inseparable, especially when the subject matter is not a school of thought, but a way of life. Often times, the best way to teach a new concept (or even an old one) is by example.

When we live our lives focused around the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are examples of the joy and happiness that naturally comes from a Christ-centered life. That joy and happiness is visible and contagious. When we live good lives, we teach others about the joys of such a lifestyle. Our examples as Christians and as humans in general are extremely important; so many people see us when we don't know they are looking and our choices often influence them for better or for worse. We should be ever mindful of our examples everyday, for we truly do have the chance to teach and uplift by our good choices in every moment!

I invite you all this week to take a moment and examine what kind of example you are to others then find way to improve it! So many blessings come when we carry with us the light that Christ carried with Him and when we have it then others will want it too! There is no greater happiness than living a Christ-centered life and being a Christlike example. If our goal is happiness, then Christ is our best role model.

May you all have a fantastic week and be even more fantastic examples! Keep choosing the right!

-Anziano Wilkinson

"I was with you in weakness."

I have chosen for the title of my email a small section of 1 Corinthians 2:3.  In this chapter the apostle Paul is teaching the people of Corinth that the gospel must be preached by the Spirit, that no there is no mortal power that can bring about conversion.

That is exactly how Elder Ostler and I felt last night.  In our last teaching visit of the week we went to visit a few friends of ours, Tong Kou Thao, Maihoua Her, Kou Her, Vang Lor, Choua Lor, and Mai Vang, and share with them the Plan of Salvation.  All six of them are farmers living in relative poverty with no personal form of transportation and the faith of men and women who have endured many things.  The six of them are refugees from Thailand and Laos, and all of them fled as a result of their beliefs, Christian and Shaman.  We had been unable to find them a ride to church this week, and promised that we would visit them that day so that they still would have an opportunity to worship God with us on the Sabbath. 

The teaching situation was one of the most humbling I have ever been in.  We were welcomed very warmly and once the announcement that their "sons" were here was made, the six of them excitedly came out to join us in our discussion.  They told us to sit on the only cushioned seat and they sat on the floor in an arch in front of us.  We began with a prayer and began to teach.

 And we taught, "declaring unto [them] the testimony of God" (1 Corinthians 2:1).  It was beautiful.

It has become more apparent to me recently how much Hmong I actually know--not a lot.  I can communicate fairly effectively, but there is still a lot of improvement.  In almost every teaching situation there is some kind of communication breakdown that keeps the lesson from flowing as smoothly as it could.  Last night was different.  Completely different.  In flowery Hmong, with couplets and all, I taught them, using words I knew in ways I had never thought to use them.  I have never spoken so clearly nor so dignified.  I came in my weakness, and the Spirit was magnifying me.

We taught these six farmers "the truths of eternity reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for sons and daughters of God in the life to come," and most importantly, the essential role of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (The Living Christ).  At several points in the lesson those we were teaching shared beautiful testimonies about how they had seen the hand of God in their lives.  They all individually professed that they felt we were sent to them from God, and Elder Ostler and I professed to them that we felt we were led to them by God.  As we continued teaching both the Restoration and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them according to their concerns, all six of them agreed to be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  What more, all six of them agreed to ride to bus to church with us so that they could become self-sufficient in transportation.  We will be seeing them later this week.  They said they would invite all of their believing friends to listen to us teach.  God magnified Elder Ostler and I.  Through us He was able to bless His children even more.

I love sharing the gospel with these people, the Hmong.  I would say with confidence that they have specially been prepared for the message of the restoration. In 1 Nephi 1:6 we read the prophecy of the prophet Lehi that "there shall none come into this land save they be brought by the hand of the Lord."  The Hmong one example of a direct fulfillment of that prophecy.  I love them.  I love serving them.

I hope you all can find joy in righteous living!  No matter where you are, who you are, or what you are doing, the Lord desires to bless you if you are obedient.  I know that Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten of the Father.  I know that he is my Savior and Redeemer.  He lives!

With love,

Elder Jared Cummings

Salvation is Free!

(Anziano Wilkinson)

Anziano Green and I have been seeing some amazing things happen in Verona recently. With our ever-growing pool of people interested in our message and the kindness that our members here show us all the time, I couldn't be more content where I am! It is truly amazing to see so many people every day who have sincere desires to come closer to Christ.

               This week Anziano Green and I discovered an amazing way to find new people to teach. On P-days when we write emails on our iPads and on other occasions when we need to get wifi, we always go to a little park right in the middle of town which has free wifi. There is always a ton of people there, and us missionaries being so recognizable with our tags and white shirts and ties will often have people stop and talk to us and ask us about what we do. We call it reverse finding. Basically we sit on a bench and get wifi and have people find us! And the best part is that the people that find us are always the ones most interested in the message of the restoration! Now, obviously we don't just sit around in parks all day and call it work, but clearly we could if we wanted too haha.

               This past week I was reading in the Book of Mormon when I came across a scripture that I really love. It's 2 Nephi 26:24-25, in which Nephi says, speaking about Christ, "He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation. Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price." These verses speak the absolute truth! Christ never denies us the opportunity to come to him for help or healing or forgiveness. He denies salvation to no one, not even the vilest of sinners, for "he hath given it free[ly] for all men."

               No matter our circumstances, we have the capacity to repent. Christ has the capacity to clean away sins and is standing ready to help us. All we have to do to be forgiven is believe on him, repent, and be baptized by proper authority. Forgiveness of sins is the reward for our faithfulness to him, and peace and happiness are the natural results of being clean from sin. So have faith, repent, and follow the example of Jesus Christ. Happiness awaits those who pursue this course and I know that it is true, because I experience it everyday. It is so worth it!

               Have a fantastic week everyone and don't forget to follow the example of Jesus Christ!

-Anziano Jake Wilkinson

Week of Miracles

(Elder Cummings)

Elder Ostler and I have had one of our busiest weeks yet!  He has now been out in the field for a whole transfer, almost as long as he was in the MTC.  Time has flown by so fast!  One of the lessons we had was with a recent-convert name Song Vang (Xyooj Vaj).  We taught him about steps of repentance, and we had an almost a 50-50 split in the material conveyed.  Needless to say, his Hmong has improved A LOT.  He has been diligent in studying and the blessings are coming through.

Our "finding" is still on point!  We had a neat experience the other day when we were walking to our car after a lesson and felt inspired to shout over to the Hmong woman across the street and ask her if she would like to read scriptures with us.  She said yes and she and her husband loved the visit.  They have been in America for two years and have been "kept from the truth because they know not where to find it" (123:12).  Literally, they said that they have not been baptized into a church because no one had come to teach them about God.  They've wanted to learn about Christianity for some time, but have not, until now, had the opportunity.

In a somewhat ironic chain of events, we helped a Jehovah's Witness man get in touch with his local Hmong speaking congregation.  We were talking with him, learned that he had recently moved from Wisconsin, learned what his belief was, and immediately and unmistakably to prompting came to get him the information for the Jehovah's Witness worship services.  We were without doubt "led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which [we] should do."(1 Nephi 4:6).  We knew where the building was, got the address for him, and on the way back saw the person we had an appointment to visit sitting at a bus stop.  We pulled over, talked to him, learned that he wasn't going to be free at the previously decided time, rescheduled for later, and took off to go see our Jehovah's Witness friend.  As a result of all of this, we were able to use the time now empty because of the moved appointment to go see another investigator who was in need of a visit.  She had been praying and felt like she needed a church that taught "oneness" -- all of the truth in one place.  We taught her the message of the restoration again, more clearly than we had before, and as a result of all of this she did not drop us and committed to prepare herself to be baptized.

There was another woman, Nancy V., who we met after our entire Saturday fell through in an hour. We returned to the apartment after a VERY difficult afternoon, ate, prayed, pondered, and went to go contact some less-active members who we were impressed to go visit. Nancy's husband, Watou, is a less-active member. As we were talking to Watou, who almost volunteered to take the missionary lessons again, Nancy spoke up and asked what she needed to do to become a member of the church. The Spirit rushed into the room. We would not have met Nancy for who knows how long had our day not gone to the pot. Truly a miracle. I was moved that God would sacrifice our entire day, set appointments and backups all together, to lead us to one specific soul who was prepared. We were able to teach one lesson that day. Meeting Nancy was worth it.

In other news, Elder Bagley on Hmong West is getting transferred to Merced and Elder Gray will be coming down to Fresno.  Elder Ostler and I in Hmong East are unaffected.  We will miss Elder Bagley, but will be seeing him soon.

I love you all!  Have a fantastic week!

Elder Jared Cummings

General Conference & the week in review

(Elder Cummings)

Another week has flown by, capped off with General Conference.  It was wonderful to hear the words of living prophets teaching us God's word as it applies today.  Between sessions Elder Ostler and I were driving around Fresno confirming less-active addresses.  Overall an incredibly productive weekend for teaching and for hearing the good word of God.

The area is still burning hot.  We have six with a baptismal date for April, and we are hoping to set three for May tonight.  Despite all of the "success" that Elder Ostler and I are having, every day is still stretches us to do more and be more, and every nightly planning we plead with the Lord to show us how to use His time the next day.  No matter how hard we work there is still more we can do.  The Lord makes up the slack as we learn and grow.

Currently one of the people we are teaching is struggling with the Word of Wisdom.  As Elder Ostler and I have been praying and studying for how to help them, the direction we have been getting has been very real.  This is a prime opportunity to clearly teach the principle of repentance, and that is what the Lord would have us do.

This week we had an exchange with the assistants.  At a recent specialized training, Elder Ostler asked them if they could go on one with us so that we can improve our finding in our area.  We do pretty well finding together, but we are setting goals to become better in that area.  The exchange was a huge help.  I went into the assistants area, Shepard and Dry Creek wards, for a fun evening of talking with every person we saw!  I love opening my mouth to strangers who are no stranger to God.  The message of the restored gospel is universal.

We had an amazing lesson with a recent convert last night about the power of the priesthood.  He is making baby steps towards increased activity and more lasting conversion week-by-week.  It is so eyeopening to see just how many questions he has had since his baptism that have gone unasked.  We are working with him to get his own family-file names and take them to the temple.  The temple is a source of lasting conversion.

I hope you all have a wonderful Monday!  Thank you for the prayers and emails that you send my way!

With love,

Elder Cummings