Hello all! :)
It has been a pretty good week! No complaints. It's been a
little crazy, as we had transfers and we had several missionaries coming
through Quebec City on their way to places like Alma and Rimouski (both several
hours north). But we've had some fun, that's for sure.
Elder Obering's companion left Ste-Foy Wednesday morning (he
was transferred to Ontario), and Elder Obering was receiving Elder Canovas
later Wednesday afternon, so Elder Blackwelder and I spent the day with Elder
Obering going to our appointments. We had a few great lessons; we also had a
pretty funny experience. We were in the middle of teaching one of our
investigators, a 19 year old kid. We had just read through a story in the Book
of Mormon with him and we asked him a deeper question about how what we'd read
applied to his life. He looked down and was thinking, then looked up at Elder
Blackwelder and started to respond; but then he stopped and looked past Elder
Blackwelder at Elder Obering, smiled, and pointed at him. Elder Blackwelder and
I turned to look at Elder Obering.
He was out cold.
The way he explained it afterward was that, "Elder
McOmber and Elder Blackwelder had the lesson under control, so I figured I
could just leave it to them." (He was joking :P) But we made fun of him
for the rest of the day. He'd really only dropped off for a few seconds, but it
was just too hilarious not to tell the whole district about the next day at
district meeting. One thing I've grown to understand on my mission is that, as
a missionary, you pretty much live in a constant state of exhaustion. If you're
not careful, it is SUPER easy to fall asleep if you're on a comfy couch in a
warm room and you lose focus for a little bit. It's a constant battle. :P Ah,
missionary life.
I listened to a song this week called, "Loneliest
Walk." The chorus goes,
With each step we take
There's another to follow
One more ache
One more tear to swallow
We've gotta keep moving
Forget about the bruising inside
Through the loneliest walks of our lives.
The chorus sounds pretty sad, but I honestly love this song.
Because the point made throughout the rest of the song is very important, and
it's the point I want to try and get across today.
There comes a point in each of our lives where there really
isn't another human being on the earth who can stand by us and understand us
and love us enough to get us through. Sometimes the weight of the world just
seems too much to bear. The distance our lives demand of us seems too much to
run. I have felt this way. When these moments come, it is very difficult not to
feel completely and utterly alone. Sometimes, no matter how many other climbers
surround us, we just don't feel like we can get to the top of that next rise.
However great their intentions, no one around us can take those steps for
us.
But there is ALWAYS One who has taken those steps before. I
wonder about the thoughts that must have gone through the Savior's mind as He
took His lonely walk through Gethsemane. It is little wonder He asked of Peter,
James and John to "watch with [Him]." But at one point, even they who
were so close to Him fell asleep. And even His beloved Father in Heaven, who
loved Him so very much, had to leave His Son alone, to bleed in a garden and on
a cross for sins He hadn't committed, for words He hadn't said. The Savior of
all mankind had to struggle through His greatest pains and sorrows completely
alone.
Understand this. There is only one Man in the
history of all mankind who has ever had to walk alone.
One of my favorite quotes is from a talk called, "None
were with Him" by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. The statement he makes is
this: "...because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we
do not have to do so."
Please know, in those moments of trial and hurt, that as we
each have to carry our own cross, we do NOT carry it alone. Our Older Brother
knows each footstep up that hill, for He has walked it Himself. He does not leave
us to walk alone. He carries us. He loves us. All He asks is that we let Him
help us, that we let Him share the load. Let Him help you; I know He will! He
has helped me, and continues to do so.
I love you all!
En avant!
Elder Bryan McOmber
Quebec City from the falls!
We got pretty wet climbing down there... but it was super
fun! :)
KRISPY KREME WITH THE ALMA ELDERS
District photo! :)
This man is from Washington. He moved up here for like 4
months to learn some French and he came teaching with us multiple times. He's a
stud!
This is what happens when you leave your proselyting bag
(with your camera in it) at the institute when the sisters haven't left yet...
