A Crazy Week/Day in Apucarana: December 24, 2012

A CRAZY WEEK/DAY IN APUCARANA

FHE the night before my new comp arrived at the house of President N. and his family with our LMA (ward mission leader) in back with us, and a family of investigators of the other elders. It was really fun. (I had 7 different companions that day and was in 3 different trios...)

I will Skype home at 3 Brasil time which is 9 your time (I will explain why here in a little bit!!)

So here we go...

 My new comp Elder R. fresh in from Foz de Iguasu!!!

It was a tough week with the new comp. His name is Elder R. and he is from Elko originally but lived the past two years in Montana. He is a cowboy and is a really good guy. But, like Elder W. warned me is that it was hard to adjust to anyone else who is different than my old companion, and it was a rough week because our teaching styles are so different and he had about a little 5 minute fight thingy and an hour of silence yesterday and now we are golden and ready to work well together. Also I opened my Christmas presents today a day early (will explain here in a little bit) and am wearing one of Grandpa’s ties right now! They are sooooooo DOPE!!! Thank you so much for everything!! It is perfect. (Speaking of packages, I got a package from the Bosens yesterday, so thank them a bunch for me!! And the tie that they gave me is really dope too! I got a lot of compliments from strangers on the street for that tie!! Thank them a lot from me!!!) And from my packages I gave Elder R. about half of the black socks that I got (I hope you don’t mind because all of his socks don’t have heals left in them. Also, I am glad I didn’t get the mission shoe, he has them and says that they are pretty much garbage, he is about half way done with his second pair already and has just over one year on the mission.) 

Apucarana at sunset from out new area here in Eldorado

But other than that, it was a normal week with introducing Elder R. to all the ward leaders and our investigators and exploring our next area even more here in Apucarana, the only thing was that we were not finding any new investigators and it was hard to teach. But, we had a lot of support from the ward and we worked A LOT with lots of less active members in the ward (we have about 400 people in our branch on the books but only between 60 to 80 come to church each week...).

So it was a pretty normal week, that is, until this morning...

So at 8 this morning I received a phone call from President T. in the flesh, and I was thinking “oh no, what did I do wrong??” (He was in Apucarana doing interviews with the leaders here yesterday, and I saw him at the Christmas conference two weeks ago, and he was at the district conference 2 weeks ago as well, so I had seen him an awful lot over this past month...I was a little scared.) He started off the story like this: Elder Cummings how’s it going, how are things in Apucarana? How is Elder R. doing? So we have a little problem here...one of our new elders decided to go home instead of going to his area. And now we have a missionary all by himself, and this is a problem. So we are going to have an emergency transfer to give him a new companion and I was praying a lot about who should be his new companion and I feel as though it should be you...

So I am being transferred to Bauru São Paulo in the area called President Geisel (which is supposedly if not the hardest area in the mission it is in the top five hardest area in the mission) and will be companions with Elder F. who is a Brasilian. I leave tomorrow around 6 in the evening and will travel to Londrina and most likely spend the night in Londrina and then travel the 5 more hours to Bauru the day after Christmas... so because of this I opened the presents early and why I need to Skype earlier in the day, so let Grandma and Grandpa know so they can go to bed early to make it there in time to Skype with me as well. Sorry it is so early but I can’t control it. I hope they can make it! I’ve already got plans made to Skype at a member’s house and everything and we are going over tonight to help him make sure that everything will work. J

I still don’t believe that I am being transferred...but I know that it is the right move for me. I know that because of this that I was not made to train because the Lord had a different plan for me. And I am ready for the challenge of going to a tough area! I am really excited to go but I still don’t believe it!!...

Crazy stuff!! 

Sorry it is a little short, but I´ve got lots to do today. Skype you guys tomorrow at 3 p.m. my time so about 9 a.m. your time so be ready by about 8:30 because maybe we will start a little early!!

Love you guys so much!!!

Até tomorrow!!! (until tomorrow!)

Love,

Elder Cummings

I got up early this morning (on my first day of break—talk about devotion) to be sure I could be online when Eldon wrote, in case I had any questions about the Skype plans.  Below is the exchange back and forth that we had via email.

Mom

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW.  We’ll talk tomorrow at 9 a.m. and get all the details.  Skype will be on early, and I will be sure Grandma & Grandpa are here on time. I HOPE you got your package from Paula, too!  WOW!!!

Love,

MOM

P.S.  This was so totally worth getting up at 6 a.m. on my first day off…

Eldon

HAHA!!! So I haven´t gotten my package from Paula yet but maybe I will get it in Londrina tomorrow or here soon once I’m in Bauru!!!

Merry Christmas Eve!!!

Love,

Elder Cummings

Mom

You laugh…but I wanted to be sure I had everything I needed to know for the Skype, and be able to ask any questions really quickly if I wasn’t clear.   And now I can’t go back to bed, I have to put your letter and pics up on the blog, and look up Bauru on a map, and everything.

Merry Christmas Eve!  SO proud of you!

Love

Mom

Eldon

Bauru is really, really hot... I’m going to melt there. Elder W. served in this same area a while back so that will help me out a lot!!  We are going to feast tonight on the 3 cakes we received from members and order a pizza and buy 4 liters of Fanta orange to celebrate!!

Talk with you tomorrow!!

Love,

Elder Cummings

p.s. Thanks for being proud of me!! :)

p.p.s. Bauru is in the north east part of the mission just to help you find it easier

Mom

J Thanks. 

Your cool water bottle should help in Bauru too.

And it is totally OK that you gave socks to Elder R.

We’d better stop now… J

Love love love love love,

Mom