Everywhere pepa soup

Allô mes amis!

So here I am in Metz and a lot of things are different, but not quite as different as I expected.

I already had full days in the field every week so it's really not a big change there...but this ville is super cool because it's so slow moving and people actually take the time to talk to us. The closer you get to Paris, the more quick moving the people are. I'm not used to it...my companion tells me I need to slow down my "Paris walk" HA.

Also, since I've left the Visitor's Center, I think I've talked to other missionaries once (besides my comp). It's so weird because in the Center you're surrounded by Sœurs and other missionaries that bring their friends to the temple. I also better understand how important the spirit of the temple is because I miss it way out here. I was definitely called to the Center for a reason and my heart is still in Paris, but I do love so many things about Metz.

One thing I love so much is Nigerians!!!! They are absolutely the funniest most warmest humans and we're teaching their whole country I think. I have not even spoken a lesson in French since I got here (President gives me a Francophone, then sends me to Nigeria...what do you want from me ). They're teaching me a bunch of pigeon english too. Tip: If you want to impress a Nigerian say "Everywhere pepa soup." It means everything's good HA. 

We had to memorize D&C 4 this week and my favorite is the part that says "O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength." In the beginning of my mission, I felt a responsibility to serve God. Do I want to wake up at 6:30am? No. But am I going to do it? Yes. I definitely was working with my might and strength. But sometimes my heart got a little lost and I was focusing on the motions more than I should've been. Now, I feel less motivated by responsibility and a lot more motivated by love. I've grown to enjoy the work a lot more, and that's when the real blessings come. I invite you all to serve a little less out of responsibility, and a little more out of love this week 

I love you all, hope you're all having a great summer (rip az)!!

Sœur McOmber 

Had to say my goodbyes to Paris (for 3 months) 

Escargots (snails). Honestly they're pretty good but put enough garlic and butter on anything and it's gonna be good. 

MES SOEURS AHH we're missing a few that are on their outbounds but I will miss these ones so much.

Metz Gare

This is my new companion Sœur Madsen! She's from Utah and she is such a sweet little butterfly. I love her already. 

German flags everywhere here because this ville used to be Germany...or occupied by German soldiers not sure on the story. But what I know is that we're gonna toe-tap in Germany because we have member friends that live there. 

Cemeteries: the best place for finding (HA no but really the last sisters found many amis there it's crazy). This one is cool because they build them tiny Notre Dames just for their tombstones.

Soccer with Nigerians is the best way to play (I don't know why I'm saying that I literally don't play soccer?) But no we have sports every Saturday and this was a highlight for sure. Everybody just yelling in pigeon english.

This is Laurence Dinge and her family is ~the family~ of the Metz ward HA they have been having the missionaries over every Monday for 20 years. She's super cool and actually served with Bryan in Montreal. Le monde est petit (small world). 

Off to Metz!

Hi everyone!

        SO the news: I am leaving the Visitor's Center for a little while and going to a ville called Metz. President sent me as far north as possible pretty much and half my district isn't in France - they're in the country of Luxembourg. But it's crazy, I never know what to expect from President anymore. He's been really keeping me on my toes lately HA! So it's going to be a very new experience not being in Paris zone for the first time but I'm excited. 

        Here's what I'm learning. Gratitude is so important. At the beginning of this transfer, I did not want to be in St. Ouen. I was sad to leave all of my amis and go live in a building all alone in a place I didn't know. But I tried to find the good, and just like that, 6 weeks later I'm crying again because of all the amazing people I've met here. It seems like, wherever I go, whatever happens, there is always good to be found. It's so easy to see the negative, no matter who you are. But I promise if you look for good in your life, you will find it. And you will be so much happier for it. 

Til next time!! (I'll be comin' at you from Metz  ) 

Sœur McOmber

Rising up from the ashes...

 

Took a lil promenade (walk). We were definitely lost when we took this.

Confit de Canard (duck) 

Bubble tea!! It's basically just flavored milk but the best part is there's these little bubbles with flavors in them. It's like bubble wrap for your mouth.

This is Christopher. The missionaries brought him to the temple (what good missionaries do) and asked us to give him a tour. Reason #945 I love the Center: I love teaching people about eternal families. When we taught him about baptisms for our ancestors, he started crying and told us he really wanted to go and do them for his grandpa. The next day, the elders informed us that the tour inspired him to start reading the Book of Mormon and he'd already read all 1 Nephi! The temple is a game-changer ya'll.

Myriam and her family!! They're getting baptized in August...so happy I had the chance to teach this sweet family.

Every Saturday in the summer, the Versailles Castle throws a huge party, sets off fireworks, and fills all the fountains with perfume. It's the most Gatsby thing ever. 

The other day we tried something called "The Book of Mormon Experiment", which means we hand somebody a random page from the Book of Mormon and have them highlight where they find God on the page. President is brilliant for this because the Book of Mormon really does speak for itself. We had so many people ask for the book and our number because of this. But anyway, Herani brought our ami, Christine (flower crown), and we all helped with the experiment. 

Monet has the good stuff

Bonjour mes chers frères et soeurs en Christ!

        This week was a good one. Every single night I said "I'm going to go to bed on time tonight", and it just became an ongoing joke with the Sœurs because we're so busy we can hardly even get home before 10 HA! 

       I'll keep it short but I would like to share one experience I had with a woman named Myriam. We've been teaching her family for a while and last week we invited her and her children to be baptized. She said that she wanted to find an answer for herself because it's a big decision. Our companionship goal this week was to have more faith so we told her, "Okay, well we know you're going to receive your response. We know that God is by your side and he answers all of our prayers." It was hard for me to just end it there and not keep trying to convince her - because of course we know why those blessings are so important. But she needed to find that for herself, and I had the faith that God would answer her - as he does for all of us. The next lesson, we sat down and the very first thing she said is, "I received my response. I want to be baptized with my children." I was so so happy and especially glad that we didn't try to push our own agenda when really God is the one that knows what's best for His children. I know He has a plan for all of us and we just need to have faith in Him. It's all part of the grand design.

Remember God loves you and I also love you.  Have a great week!

Sœur McOmber

Gardens of Claude Monet 

His kitchen 

The Water Lilies...Sœur Ilizarbe was very excited to discover that flowers can grow ~on~the water

Just a pretty river in the Mantes sector 

He has the good tobacco guys...I think he needs the Word of Wisdom 

I don't know how Claude Monet finds the time for these. I can't even put together a solid painting when I'm watching Bob Ross tutorials 

I know there's butts, but I want this one in my future house 

Galeries Lafayette!! The other day, Sœur Ilizarbe and I needed to buy some new skirts and let me tell you this is not the place for it HA it's 6 straight stories of luxury brands. I was afraid to even touch anything. I think the Gucci workers were afraid too because they were eyeing me pretty closely.

When you're companions with a Québécois you have to take a family picture with your poutine (Bryan would be so proud of me). 

The cutest baby you've ever seen. 

Only break rules if it's important (Matthew 30:24)

Salut à tous!

       Bahh this week I am having a hard time even starting this email because I feel like I am forgetting English. Soeur Lizarbe is even teaching me French slang phrases so I can ~truly express myself~ so yeah it's been fun. It's also been really hard to transition when Americans walk into the Center and I'm like "Alors, so...voici la maquette...uh temple model." Every time I forget the English words I look at Soeur Lizarbe who just nods politely because she doesn't know them either HA!

       Lately, we've been getting to know the members better because that's the key to missionary work. Last night we were at the Stake President's house and we shared a lesson and I thought that was it, but then President Loisel said "Alright son, you wanna order a pizza real quick?" And his son, Nicolas, was like "Ya it'll be here in an hour." And Soeur Ilizarbe looks at me like "What do we do we're gonna be home late?" and I'm like "Idk dude but this is the Stake President." But sometimes it's okay to break rules if it's for a good reason (that's in the Bible somewhere probably). Anyway, it was a good time. I love love love the members here. His son actually got called to Mesa so I got to scare his mom a little with all of my scorpion stories hehe (don't worry she's doing fine, she's more worried about the snakes- which is also a valid concern, but I didn't tell her that). 

       Okay ya'll wanna hear something so cute? Sunday we were chilling in testimony meeting and our ami, Christine, just walks up to the podium. She's all smilin' with her little Tahitian flower crown and she says "I know Jesus is here with us right now. I'm thankful for my sister missionaries who help me come closer to Jesus every day." And the Elders look back at us smiling and meanwhile I'm almost in tears I'm so proud and happy that our ami just shared her testimony. So that definitely made my week. 

        Something I also discovered this week is that making cookies for your friends is very American. A member invited us over and said she'd been waiting months to have an ~American~ missionary in the ward so they could teach her to make cookies HA! Apparently her neighbors were American and she wanted to bring them cookies. So turns out it wasn't as hard as she thought. She was like, "So Americans just make cookies for people for Christmas and stuff??? Wild." (I mean why would French people make cookies when they have patisseries on every corner, it makes sense)

        To leave you with a spiritual thought, this week we had to memorize a French scripture and I chose this one. 

2 Nephi 28:30: "For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have."

Sometimes, things in the gospel don't make sense. But like chemistry, just because it isn't easy to understand doesn't mean it's not true. When we have questions, it's important to remember that God gives us knowledge little by little when we act in faith. I invite all of you to act in faith...especially when you have questions. I know God answers all of our prayers and questions - even if it's just little by little.

Love you all! Have a good week! 

Sœur McOmber 

Bienvenue chez moi ("welcome to my place")

I just like this picture because I feel it shows the character of our elders. They're like my little freres HA (look over my shoulder)

Just a good lookin' brioche 

The Panthéon 

We're walking through the Panthéon and Elder Parkinson is like "...this place is pretty cool but they don't have cool pictures of Jesus on horses like we do." And we're all like "...?" So he proceeds to send us this picture. Just thought I'd include it here...

There's this sweet old lady in St. Ouen that invites the missionaries to lunch basically every weekend. She's pretty iconic in the mission because every missionary that's served in St. Ouen has one of these little guys. She has a whole collection. 

We teach English lessons to this Vietnamese family and they are at very different levels so we basically just play iSpy for an hour HA! Definitely one of my favorite parts of the week. 

This is India. She's a member from England so we got to show her around the temple for the first time. We're going to help her get a recommend soon so we can all go together. 

Summer in Paris

Driving through Cergy for district council. Most of France is super green in the summer