How to be a champion

This week we taught Jonathan, our recent convert, the Plan of Salvation. And at the end of it all he was like "okay that's fine and good but like HOW CAN I be a CHAMPION??!" and I think he's gonna like the gospel of Jesus Christ. We keep sending him champion scriptures and he's loving it (see Jacob 3:1) 

     In other news, we continue to find new souls to teach. The other day we were knocking this huge bat (building) and doing our daily finding. Every door was open and all the people were just chilling completely naked. I didn't even know what to do, we just kept awkwardly leaving invitations at their doorsteps. Europe, man.  

        I actually shared a talk at zone conference this week. I talked on why we have trials, which was really hard because there's a lot of trials that have come to the zone this week. As they say "when it rains it pours." We've been praying and fasting for several missionary families. Of course we know we go through trials because they make us better people. But more importantly, I know our trials strengthen our relationship with The Savior. He is always there when we need somebody who understands. He has gone through every trial or heartache we could know and more

1 Nephi 19:9 And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.

I know life is really hard sometimes. Nobody is exempt from suffering. But I know through this learning period that Christ is always there for us and waiting to give us His hand. He can literally say "I have been there." I've felt His love as we've been praying for these sweet families and in my own life throughout my own trials. I'm so grateful for all my Savior has done for me 

If you would like to join in our prayers, please pray for the families of Elder Parada, Elder McDougal, Elder Vincenzi, and Elder Horchler  

Sœur McOmber 

We went to Luxembourg for district p-day and Sœur Rivas told us we had to try this thingy called a Gromperekichelcher. It's like a lil potato pancake and you dip it in apple sauce.

The district!! On p-day we played football, volleyball and went to a carnival. Elder Jensen refused to let us leave without buying us giant bags of popcorn HA. They gave him one for free and he was like "it's because I winked at her"  

The zone of Nancy. I saw the Bourroux again and about started crying. He kept giving me random shoutouts in his temple presentation it was so cute.

The temple is awesome!

Salut tout le monde! 

       This week I got to go back to the motherland of Paris!!! Me and S. Madsen were so happy to see the temple after being out in the boonies for many moons. Also I got to see my Sœurs again! It's a party there all the time, I miss it and it was really good to see them- I even got to say hi to S. Ilizarbe and S. Ethington (my ancient collegues going home this transfer).

       We've been working with less active members a lot this week. All the time that's cleared up after our baptisms has been spent finding and visiting less actives. We had a really good lesson the other day with a man named Fabien. He was so cute, he just showed up to the church in this big cowboy hat riding a bike all smiling HA. When he opened his Book of Mormon a bunch of pictures of the Paris temple fell out and we were talking about the temple and then Sœur Madsen straight to the point was like, "Hey so why don't you come to church?" And he talked about how his brother passed away 10 years ago and he hasn't been in the state to come back since. We talked to him about how church is something that can offer him peace and how one day he could do baptisms for his brother in the temple. He was really touched by that and I could really tell he needed to hear it. This gospel is a gospel of hope and I know true peace comes through Jesus Christ.

Anyway, bref, that's all I got time for today because we're off to Lux.  

Have a great week! Read your scriptures!

Sœur McOmber

I would not be a good companion if I didn't take Sœur Madsen to Panini. Crêpe. A panini. AND a crêpe. 5 euros

The château of my ville de naissance (my birth city) 

I would be lying if I said a small part of me did not want to be called to Asia. But we meet a lot of Asians at the Center and they have Asian stores everywhere so it's a close second. 

All the translating sets in Luxembourg HA their sacrament meeting is translated into English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Luxembourgish. I don't know how these people even communicate with each other.

Angsty burger

Hey everyone

       We just got back from the Chinese buffet (they have so many of them here it's like my dream come true) and now we are off to Paris because Sœur Madsen has some legality paperwork to do. 

      This week has gone by pretty fast. Every day is the same because our most progressing amis are baptized so now our days are filled with finding. Which is fine, I love it. Always an adventure to ask random strangers deep life questions and talk to them about Jesus. Our favorite finding spot of the week was IKEA. When we arrived it started pouring so we were just running through the parking lot yelling at French families but it's great they loved it. Sometimes people don't have time to talk to us so we just stealthily slip Jesus cards in their bags or shopping carts. You never know, maybe one day they will find that card hidden in their couch cushion and think it is a sign from above.

       This week I read an old Elder Uchtdorf talk called "Continue in Patience." (He's definitely my favorite, I feel like I share his talks in every lesson. Sometimes my companion tells me I need to calm down and talk about the prophet more HA. But I love his talks they speak to my soul) 

 

He said: "Patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well."

I feel this is something that has applied to me a lot recently. Sometimes I feel I am just waiting to make it through something or waiting for somebody to understand something but I'm not doing it with the right attitude. Making it through a trial may teach us endurance, but if we can do it with a smile then we are learning patience. I know patience takes deliberate effort, but when we are patient, our hearts are so much more open to feeling the Spirit. We have more peace in our lives and make better decisions 

Still out here learnin' things... 

Avec amour,

Sœur McOmber

Mirabelle. The fruit of my people

Exchanges!! This is Sœur McGillis. Love exchanges because you just have the whole day to tell each other your life story 

Sœur Newsom bought this burger to "match her angsty soul" 

The Scary Village

Hey everybody!

Soooo Aude got baptized last Saturday!! 

     It was actually incredible because we felt inspired to invite a specific sister in our ward who said she didn't know Aude. When they saw each other at the baptism they immediately recognized each other from working together 10 years before. The sister said she remembered sharing the gospel with Aude and it was a powerful testimony to us of how important it is to plant seeds. Sometimes we don't know how our invitations affect others, but thankfully these two got to meet again. Aude was smiling the whole time and it was a really beautiful baptism.

       Sometimes you just get these lil moments on the mission where every minute of the hard work and the struggle becomes so worth it and this baptism was definitely one of them. It felt like a little hug from God just to be able to be a part of all of it. 

That was the highlight of my week so please enjoy all of these unrelated pictures... 

Sœur McOmber 

First time I've actually been in a French ville where you can knock the houses. It was kind of scary we might hit the apartments next time. Got yelled at by a lot of white people that day HA! CLICK HERE to watch the video below...

Laurence took us to a garden to pick some Mirabelle which is ~the fruit~ of Metz. They're these little yellow fruits that taste like candy. HA she was like "here make it look like I'm holding this tomato"

 

Sometimes we're a bit broke at the end of the month so we take pics of when we eat good food so we can remember it. This was a good one... 

Us ft. pastries. I'm holding a Paris Brest and I have no idea what Sœur Madsen is holding... 

Aude!! Mon cœur 

'Splorin Metz some more...

Chess master 2.0

Voilà c'est moi

       This week was awesome. Aude, my favorite French woman, is getting baptized this weekend!!!! I'd just like to give a quick shoutout to the magic of technology as well because she actually found the church through the Sisters at the Salt Lake City Temple Visitor's Center. They do online work (like me when I was at the VC) and they can quickly find so many people who are willing to hear about the gospel. I can guarantee we would not have found a gem like Aude without them. Anyway, God keeps plopping these prepared people into my lap and I truly have nothing to do with it. Grateful though. 

        A bit about Aude - she is so so smart and one of the most genuine people I've ever met. She knows everything we teach before we even teach it- she practically studies the church website and she reads the Book of Mormon all the time. When we taught her about the Sabbath Day, she quit her job and found a new one that didn't make her work on Sunday (she's literally the manager). We would never ask somebody to do that and she took it entirely upon herself. Franchement, (honestly) She's amazing quoi.  

       I like writing these emails because it gives me a second to reflect on all the chaos and blessings and stress of one week of missionary work. This week, I finished the Book of Mormon again. While I felt like many of my companion studies with Sœur Madsen I've been talking about wars, I truly feel the truth and spirit of that book every time I read it. I adore the Book of Mormon and the lessons I've learned from it are priceless. I invite you all to read it!! If you're already reading it, read it harder!! I know you will feel the spirit and find more peace in your life. 

Que Dieu vous bénisse (God bless you),

Sœur McOmber

For p-day, we went to a botanical garden. It reminded me of every French woman's home and I loved it.

We played chess for a solid hour and a crowd actually started gathering (not sure why, neither of us was very skilled). I took literally every piece of Sœur Madsen's before the king and the French were judging my strategy so hard HA all I could hear was whispering every time I moved a piece. 

Les poissons 

"Act candid Sœur Madsen" lol