RASTAAA MAN!!

Hi everyone!! Quoi de neuf 

        

       This week is hands-down one of the best weeks of my mission.

       For starters, Jonathan and Deborah got baptized! It was a bit stressful preparing because we got there about an hour before and when we turned on the spout it came out boiling. It was steaming so much the windows started dripping. So Sœur Madsen and I were just frantically filling tiny pitchers with slightly cold sink water and dumping it into the font for like 40 minutes but it turned out okay. Leo, the one who baptized them, stepped in and was like "Woah that's hot" he like jumped. But we asked Jonathan and Deborah if it was okay after, and Jonathan said it was great...he wanted to take a nap in the water. Lol.

       It was really great to see how happy they were too. After his confirmation Sunday, Jonathan said, "These days were the bomb. I'm so happy." And Deborah doesn't talk much but she was smiling throughout the whole two days. 

       To be honest, watching them get baptized and how happy they were made me realize how much more we need to appreciate the sacrament. We are so blessed to have the gift of the sacrament to purify us every week. It's a little baptism each Sunday! We can continue to start fresh. Through Christ, we have the opportunity every week to become new and align our lives more with the Savior. I invite you all to remember how awesome the sacrament is this week.

Hope you all have a fantastic week!! 

Ciao! 

Sœur McOmber

The beautiful country of Luxembourg...modernized and less populated Paris but way more green. 

This was a mini goodbye party for Sœur Madsen. She thought she'd for sure leave (she's been here my whole mission) but she's actually staying HA so we're going to go hard this transfer because THIS is probably her last one in Metz. 

Leo Dinge always says "sorry guys I didn't brush my hair today. I'm a RASTA MANNNNN" which are those cool guys with dreads from Jamaica and Bob Marley vibes (Leo literally has centimeter long hair lol). Anyway, so when we were contacting this week we tried to find a rasta man so we could tell Leo. We practically ran to catch this man and when we talked to him he's actually from Surinam which is where Leo is from!! And better he wants to take the lessons!! And when we were walking to Leo's house we saw him again!! They live in the same building!! They're gonna be best friends!! Anyway, we contacted one more rasta man after that but he said he worshipped Bob Marley and Bob Marley only. An exact quote

S. Ilizarbe sent me this picture this week and I was so so happy. Those of you who read all my emails might remember that lil flower crown from a few weeks ago. Anyway, I'm so happy for Christine's decision to be baptized. She was a great missionary even before she was a member and has such a strong love for Jesus Christ.

Croque Monsieur - a fried egg on a ham and cheese sandwich 

How most French people see Americans HA! Most French people love Americans though- despite what I was told before my mission. Even if they're not interested in the gospel, a lot of them love talking to us about America and sometimes invite us over simply because we're American.

Our ward has been so so supportive of Jonathan and Deborah, I'm so proud of all the members that have reached out to them and showed up to their baptism. Metz is amazing! 

Pepper soup!!! So I keep tellin ya'll about pigeon english and how all the Nigerians say "Everywhere Pepa Soup"...and they actually brought some to the baptism!!! Emeka brought it for our amis and they were so happy I thought they were gonna cry. And yes I tried it, I was peer pressured by my Nigerian homies. It's not as scary as it looks HA 

Jonathan and Deborah!! Yes the water is brown, we tried to clean it I promise. It's okay, the ordinance is what is important lol 

YOOO when are you getting baptized?

Bonjour à tous! 

       HA this week has been such an adventure. Last p-day I was alone in the city for the first time in my mission. We were buying tickets and the bus arrived and Sœur Madsen was like "QUICK hold the door!!" And so I get in and hold the button to keep the door to the bus open, and the tickets pop out over where Soeur Madsen is waiting, so she sprints over but the door closes even while I'm holding it and we're just laughing as I drive away in the bus. Everybody is looking at me because I'm all in distress (we're 1 hour late for our mangez-vous...pretty much everything went wrong that day). And THEN next stop, the guards get on to see if we have tickets. They have NEVER even gotten on the bus in the 5 weeks I've been here to check for tickets...but of course this is the one time they do. So they kick me off and I'm just looking all confused and lonely on the street corner for 30 minutes as my comp walks to the stop. Wild p-day but it's okay, we're at the Dinge's like every day so they forgave us for our lateness. 

       The other reason this week is an adventure is we've been hurrying to teach Deborah and Jonathan before their baptisms this weekend. It's crazy because I just invited Jonathan to be baptized like 4 weeks ago. He was chillin at church surrounded by all his friends and Sœur Madsen was telling me they've been inviting him for like months. So I was like okay this can't hurt anything. I just walk up to him (he hasn't met me) "Hi!! I'm Sister McOmber, are you baptized??" And he's like, "...no but I was thinking July 27th??" My companion's mouth dropped, meanwhile we're giving high-fives all the way around. It was crazy but he's definitely prepared. Everything we've taught him he's immediately started living: everything from reading the scriptures to word of wisdom. Even in these 4 weeks he's come a long way. I know God is really proud of him. 

        I learn something from each ami and Deborah has taught me a lot about humility. She is so quick to learn and really tries to understand what we teach her. When I first met her, she didn't talk much. She'd just nod and I thought she didn't understand what I was saying. But by the end she would practically recite everything I said back to me in MLA format. Sometimes our amis are like teenagers; you think they're not listening but then they bring up random things you say and it just makes you proud. 

        We've been teaching a lot of lessons about commandments lately and I think I'm really starting to get it (after 19 years of learning about them HA). Following the rules is truly the only way to everything that is good. We can think we know a better way, but God already made the best way. The pathway to happiness is so simple and God has already laid it out before us: just keep the commandments. I'm thankful for the guidance and direction we receive from commandments and know we're blessed for following them. 

Love you all!!! (especially if you have made it to this point, this was longer than my English essays ) Hope you're having a great summer 

Sœur McOmber 

Castle in Luxembourg. Oh yeah I went to another country - forgot to mention that!! Luxembourg is a tiny country north of France where they speak every language under the sun. It's beautiful, it's like France but a lot of the buildings are more modern if you go into the city. 

My favorite Tahitian Elder Hopuu. The whole district is talking and we're like "...where is Elder Hopuu?" So we look around and he's a little speck off in the middle of the field throwing a boomerang HA. He's also my favorite because he eats a lot of everything I make for district council and that makes me proud. 

Sœur Dinge cooking for us!!! Look at her is she not just the cutest little thing I absolutely adore her. She's like my mom on the mission and also a cooking goddess. Since she doesn't speak much French, we give her many many hugs so she knows how much we love her.

This is my dream I've been waiting my whole mission for this and I was not disappointed. It's a special French cheese called Raclette that you melt over potatoes and meat. French people smuggle this back into America (it's illegal to bring back cheese) because of how amazing it is!

~ weave-making class ~

Hey folks!

       Week 4 out in the boonies and it's been so good. Not too many changes, just teaching our amis the sweet message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

        This week, President sent us a cool article about understanding Islam (so good, 5 stars) and it's been really helping us when we're finding. Sometimes people open the doors and we're like, "Hi, do you believe in Jesus Christ?!?!?" And they're like, "No, I'm Muslim" or better "No I'm Catholic" (...?). And I love just talking to people about their religions and all the things we have in common. It's been really interesting and people are a lot more open when you understand what they believe. 

        Also! This week the Tour de France came through Nancy when we were on exchanges!!! No we did not see the bikers because we are consecrated missionaries BUT! we did see a bunch of the floats and it was a huge party all over town! In place of Tour de France I taught with Sœur Newsom in the government housing. We walked in and there were tons of African mamas all doing each other's weave with yarn. It was amazing. Even though their children were running all over the place and yarn was flying through the air, I felt the Spirit really strong during that lesson. It kind of follows you when you're testifying of Christ. I'm so grateful for the peace and joy that comes from the Spirit and for the people God sent me here to teach. 

 

Everywheh stew!!! (your pigeon for the week) 

Sœur McOmber 

Centre Pompidou. I don't really know what I expected from modern art but I'm pretty much an expert now...Sœur Madsen taught me some stuff... 

This gorilla symbolizes the inner turmoil we have when we don't keep the commandments 

These 4 squares represent the corners of the earth that will be gathered in the gathering of Israel 

This rock means we need to build our foundation upon Christ because He is our rock 

These chairs and violin represent the music and spirit that come into our lives when we befriend and show charity to others 

This sheet music symbolizes how we all play a part in the symphony of the gospel 

This one doesn't symbolize anything it's just a kaleidoscope 

This cathedral is so cool it looks like a lil fairytale castle 

My comp look at her go 

Exchanges with Sœur Newsom 

A float for Tour de France  

'splorin Metz

Hey what's this guy doin in France (definitely an environmental statement about Trump- I have no comment) 

What happens in Vegas

Salut! 

        I feel like my last p-day was forever ago so we took a much needed nap for pretty much the whole day today HA...that's pretty unusual for me. I go hard on p-days. But it's okay - we contacted like 10 Nigerians when we went to a boulangerie, so it's been productive.

      Hmmm who do I want to talk about this week...yesterday our ami Stephan came to church!!! We have many amis that come, but they usually are not found through door finding. Stephan, from Brazil, is an absolute miracle. We found him while batting a huge building and he wasn't even the one who answered. We were talkin' to somebody and he just poked his head out the door like "yo can I have that book" (The Book of Mormon) and he read all the testimonies of the witnesses and introduction before our first rendez-vous! Yesterday at church, we were in the lesson with the young adults and he was like "I just want to testify that God always reveals his gospel through prophets. That's why Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ." Me and my companion were just smiling at each other like yesss we taught him well. This is what it feels like to be a proud mother.

       Anyway, I still love being a missionary. Still love Metz. Love the gospel. I know Jesus lives and God is good. 

Have a great week!!!

Sœur McOmber

This is our ami Jonathan (see video below). Sometimes we teach him over the phone and his lessons are definitely a highlight of my week HA "the insects are not sharing the rent with me!!" He's getting baptized this month and he's so excited he invited all his Nigerian friends.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

This is Elizabeth!! She makes us tarts every time we visit it's so pure 

Mikayla!!!! She's a member in Metz (and our bestest friend) but she's leaving us to go back to America  Samedi sports will never be the same. 

Members of the Metz ward. Ornella, far right, is the funniest Italian ever. Justine (with the bangs) is so cute she always speaks cute English with us and helps us teach Nigerian men. Léo (blue shirt) HA he invites us over every monday and plays cards with us and feeds us. He always says "what happens in Vegas stays in my house." His kids are like "n'importe quoi dit pa" (dad is crazy) Then he blasts that American song "Celebrate good times cmon" (I don't know the name) on repeat as he drives us home HA

The walk to samedi sports 

The numbers don't lie Steve

Hi friends 

       This week God really tested our perseverance HA. We had a major heat wave where it hit 104 with 80% humidity and WAIT best part: the French don't believe in air conditioning (bad for the environment). Meanwhile people are dying left and right because it's so hot. But God blessed us this week because even though we were boiling in the sun, we found lots of new people to teach!!

         A fun experience: yesterday we were ringing bells and very last door this lil French lady invited us inside for juice so we're like...okay let's see where this goes. She then proceeds to show us her garden, give us crackers, chocolate, and juice, and talk to us about Jesus. She's like "you lil Americans I can just putcha in my pocket." HA anyway ya so she was super cute. I'm excited to go back and talk more about Jesus. 

       HA also ya'll should've SEEN samedi soccer after USA beat France. The French people were all bitter at the Americans like "there should have been a penalty!!!" We didn't even watch the game but we're just like "the numbers don't lie Steve." It was fun though- smack talk is better in French. 

       In spiritual news, there was a story President shared a few weeks ago that rocked my world:

Once there was a man fixing a roof. Unexpectedly, he lost his footing and started to slip. He knew it was a long drop and if he fell from the roof he would die so he said a quick prayer. "God please help me, I'll do anything you ask", and at that moment his belt buckle caught on a nail. "Nevermind," he said. 

I feel like we have all been this person. Often, I pray wholeheartedly for doors to open, then walk through them without even realizing God opened them for me. He answers all of our prayers, whether or not we choose to recognize them. This week, I invite you all to thank God for the doors He has opened for you - because He is the source of all of our blessings.

I love you all, have a great week! Keep sending me soccer updates. 

Sœur McOmber  

Town Square in Nancy 

*comes to France* 

*orders burgers at every opportunity*

Went to a French record store!! I'm so excited about these. Okay...so the top two are classical because the French are constantly playing it. The bottom three are French artists - Edith Piaf is pretty iconic. *cue S. Ethington "nooooo je ne regrette rieeeeen"* HA

Library where we did our studies after zone conference  

We're teaching pretty much solely Nigerian men, so a member named Lisa always helps us with our lessons. Last lesson, she brought us all these which was so so sweet and saved us from dying of heat stroke. 

It's true!!!! They do have ping pong tables in some church buildings here!!! I thought everybody was lying to me. 

The Dinge family!!! Most iconic in the mission. The mom (back left) is such an angel. She doesn't speak much French or English but she shows her love by literally always smiling and handing us more food.

When I first flew into France, all I saw from the plane were huge fields and villages with red roofs. And I thought, "Someday God wants me to teach some people in a little red-roofed village", and then I went to Chesnay and there were no red roofs. And then I went to St. Ouen and there were no red roofs. But now I am in Metz and I know I am supposed to be here, because look how many red roofs!!!

Non-alcoholic beer is big amongst the members here