Well hey ya'll!
In
case any of you were wondering? Yes. It is getting colder. I've had to
wear my jacket pretty much every day for the last couple weeks. It's
snowed twice in the last week, but only a little bit that didn't stay on
the ground after noon. Kinda sad. Oh well. I'm sure I'll be sick of snow in a few months.
My
companion is the BEST. Elder Gutierrez is from Gilbert like me, but
only lived there for three years. Before that, he lived in Oaxaca!
(SUPER fun to say that. Hahaha. It's not said "oh-axe-ick-ah." I figured
that out quickly.) Quick note: he did not actually go to Gilbert High,
as I previously thought. He actually went to Campo Verde. (Shout out to
those of you I know from there :)) But he's super cool! He cooks really
well and teaches even better! We've already had some seriously great
miracles with our investigators within days of his arrival. He's also
very obedient, and thank goodness. :) Some of the Lord's best blessings
are saved for those who obey every command with exactness!
The
president of the branch here in Victoriaville, President Furlano, is
super cool! He's taught two lessons with us this week. At one of our
meetings, he and his wife came with us, and when they got out of their
car (we were waiting outside) his wife said, "You know who you look
like, Elder McOmber? Tom Cruise. When he was younger."
Great. So my mission has already been branded impossible. ;)
I apologize for that pun. It hurt to type it. I feel your pain; but I refuse to remove it from my letter. :)
Then,
yesterday, we had another meeting at the Furlano's house. And Sister
Furlano asked me why I unzipped the bottom of my jacket a ways (which I
do so it's easier to sit down. It's difficult to explain. Shush.) and
then she said, "Are you a pregnant mother?"
Yes.
Yes, Sister Furlano. I'm a pregnant mother, masquerading as an 18 year
old Elder in one of the coldest places on the planet. I've been hiding
it from everyone. How did you know?
She definitely loves to tease me. :P
I
want to talk a little bit in this letter about the importance of
obedience. I've found myself thinking about this topic for a while, and I
feel it's more important than I've ever realized. The first thing to
understand about obedience is that we are given commandments so we can
a) grow and progress and b) be blessed for keeping them. In Doctrine and
Covenants 130:20-21, we learn that all blessings are based on laws, and
we receive no blessings except by obedience to the law on which that
blessing is predicated. So, as we obey laws, we receive blessings equal
(or greater) in magnitude to our level of obedience. Therefore, as we
are exactly obedient, there are blessings held in store that we can
scarcely imagine.
So does that mean we lose blessings when we sin?
Well,
yes. Until we repent, at which point our Heavenly Father forgets our
sin and restores to us the blessings He desires so much to give us for
keeping our covenants.
So can I give an
invitation to those of you who, like me, make excuses for being slightly
disobedient? Who, like me, pretend that "advice" given from the mouths
of prophets and apostles is not really "necessary" to obey perfectly?
(Yeah. I know the excuses. I've most certainly tried them. And I still
do.)
Stop it! :) Quit refusing to let your
Heavenly Father bless you! He wants SO badly to bless us for our
obedience, but because He is perfectly just, He CAN'T unless we keep His
commandments! So.... be obedient! It's SO important!
I
love you all and LOVE getting your emails and letters! Keep working
hard to be like Him and I'll be writing you next week! Never ever give
up! :)
En avant!
Elder Bryan McOmber
FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE IN VICTORIAVILLE
SEEN BY THE EYES OF ELDER MCOMBER. This is an incredible event. I don't know;
one night, I just noticed there's Christmas trees EVERYWHERE now! As we drove
through town I kept freaking out at every Christmas tree! Which would have been
weird enough had we not been on the phone with a member at the same time... oh
well. You only serve once. YOSO.
I asked Elder Gutierrez to bring me a
glass of water. He brought me a huge yogurt container full of water instead
with a big grin on his face. Well, what was there to do but drink it? :P (I
know I'm not wearing my tag. It was still on my giant coat. I promise I'm not
apostate.)
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