ELDER BRYAN MCOMBER Canada Montreal Mission: Awkward wedding invitation. Humbled by ice. When we get knocked to our knees, remember the sparrow. More Pics!

Hello people of Earth!

Canada is, in fact, still north of the United States. I know. Surprised me, too.

I don't know. It's been a weird week. To start the week off, we were talking with Claire Jeremie, a young woman who's preparing to serve a mission, and she asked Elder Gutierrez when he was planning to get married.

Elder Gutierrez: "I don't know. Probably not for a long time."

Claire: "No, you'll be married within a few months after you get home."

Elder Gutierrez: "No way. Probably not until Elder McOmber gets home."

Me: "Yes! That means I can crash your wedding!"

Elder Gutierrez: "Absolutely not. You're not invited."

Claire: "Well, can I come?"

Elder Gutierrez: "Yes."

Claire: "Perfect. Then I'll just bring Elder McOmber with me. Nobody goes to a wedding alone."

Me: "........"

Elder Gutierrez: "........."

So. I've been invited to a wedding. It was awkward. That happened.

Also. I may or may not have slipped on some ice and nearly killed myself.

Here's what happened. I was already having a really bad day. (Yes. Missionaries can have those, too. :P) It was late. All of our appointments had fallen through all day. We were walking up to a building to see if we could set up an appointment with some former investigators. And I took a step and then the world flipped upside down. Elder Gutierrez said I did like a 360. I basically just did a back flop on the ice. And there wasn't really any snow to cushion my fall. So... it hurt. Like... a lot. I basically just laid on the ground and focused REALLY hard on not exploding. It was one of those moments where you have to just sing the song "I'm Trying To Be Like Jesus" in your head over and over and over and over again. Because if you don't, some less fun words will come to your mind. I think I sang it in my head probably 15 times before I had calmed down enough to not be angry at everything ever. Then I got up. Elder Gutierrez is a good companion... he didn't laugh at me at all. Until I'd calmed down. Then he laughed. And I did too. So ca va.

To end this letter... I want to talk about burdens.

I'll be one of the first to tell you that missions are hard. Like, really hard. It's supposed to be like that, if you're working hard. And we're working really hard. It just gets... really difficult sometimes. So I want to talk to everyone who feels like they're working as hard as they can, but feels like they're seeing no results, like they're having no effect.

I know the feeling. My dad once told me that my mission would knock me to my knees. Well, that's true and then some. I've hit my knees so hard so many times that I couldn't count them if I tried. It's seemed to be like the more I worked, the more exhausted I've been, and the less effect I've seemed to have. And I've found myself asking the Lord, multiple times, "Why? Why is this so difficult? I have nowhere else to turn. I'm giving everything I've got. I'm trying so hard to be faithful and to be selfless and to be patient and to be loving and to be a Christlike servant. So why do I feel so useless? Why do I feel so discouraged?"

I have a very short piece of advice from the scriptures.

Matthew 10:29-31

"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore,ye are of more value than many sparrows."

He who cares about the fall of a sparrow will not forget us when we are knocked to our knees.

We are His children. He loves us. He gave His Only Begotten Son to save us.

So when the road seems too long, and the mountain too high, and the sea too rough;

Fear ye not.

En avant!

Elder Bryan McOmber

Icicle Lightsaber Fight