Hello all ya`ll in
warmer climates :)
It snowed again today.
Big snowflakes, too! I`m still in that stage of the winter where the wonder of
crystal snowflake formations is entertaining rather than infuriating. :) We`re
so Lucky that we get to stay in a warm apartment every night... there are so
many people who are out on the streets all day and night. Counting my
blessings. :)
It`s been a week of
learning. First off, I loved beginning the 25 days of Christmas for
#LIGHTtheWORLD! While there are certain things I couldn`t do as a missionary, I
found those things that I could do and I learned and felt a lot of great things
as I did. For example, day 3 talked about how Jesus helped others to see, and
so can we. So I studied the gospel accounts in the New Testament of when Christ
healed the blind. And something I learned is that He didn`t heal everybody in
the same way. Based on their situation and their faith, He used different
methods to help them see. I loved this, because I as a missionary am pretty
focused on trying to help people see, spiritually speaking. And I recognized
that I can`t just try the same method with everyone, because everybody is
different, and I have to adjust how I help them to what best works for them.
We had a lot of funny
expériences with food this week... for example, one night I had a taste for
some sugar cookies. Thanks to my family, I had a convenient mix for sugar
cookies that could be put together and baked in basically 30 minutes... or so I
thought. The problem is that things are more difficult if you don`t really have
anything to mix the dough with. So... after slightly longer than 30 minutes, I
was getting a bit frustrated and I just turned it into a Play-Dough face with a
creepy witch nose. Elder Colunga took a picture, which was our phone`s
screensaver for a few days. Pretty sure I`m gonna have nightmares. The next
day, I proceeded to burn all the garlic bread we were trying to make, as well
as accidentally spill out half the package of stir-fry veggies on the floor.
Elder Colunga found all of these hilarious and proceeded to take pictures of my
pitiful efforts at cleaning up all of the messes. By the end of the week, I
found myself eating frosting out of the can with a spoon. I just had a clumsy
week. :P
December 2nd in
#LIGHTtheWORLD was the subject "Jesus Honored His Parents, And So Can
You." I wanted to take some time today to honor my parents - and parents
everywhere. I think there are too many parents out there who think that they
are failing because of what their child says or how their child acts in the moment.
It`s like the sugar cookies I made... I put together the mix, and maybe I
didn`t do everything right, and at first, my beautiful sugar cookies looked
like a creepy goblin creation (this is a spiritual analogy; I`m not calling
anybody`s baby a goblin.... :P). But I kept working and I didn`t give up and I
did what I could, and after a while in the oven, they came out warm and sweet
in little round cookie shapes (and were even better when covered in
frosting... but I think I got lost in the metaphor). Anyways, what I`ve come to
realize is that there are lessons that my parents taught me throughout my life
that continue to come back to mind, even here, many years and many thousands of
miles later. Particularly in trials, in the furnace of affliction, I have come
to remember very specific phrases and lessons I was taught both vocally and by
example by my wonderful parents. And how silly it is to me that parents get
upset and self-critical because they aren`t perfect. How on earth would I have
learned to truly repent if I hadn`t watched my parents do it? How better for me
to learn humility than to watch my dad or my mom apologize for having done or
said something wrong?
I`m saying this to all
parents reading this. Look. You`re not perfect. Embrace it; you`re perfectly
imperfect! Our loving Heavenly Father decided to give you some of His precious
spirit children to raise here in mortality. God doesn`t make mistakes,
and He made you a parent. You are doing so wonderfully. Keep working.
Keep trying. I promise your children will thank you eternally simply for waking
up and giving it your best every day. I would NOT be here, I would NOT be who I
am today, if it weren`t for the incredible examples of my parents. Callings in
the Church or social position never took a part in how I viewed them; just the
effort they gave. I love you, Mom and Dad. You`re amazing and I am so grateful
for every moment you gave and are giving. You`re doing so well.
En avant!
Elder Bryan McOmber
Your average Montréal
metro platform.... :P
Welcome to the
Hochelaga district. :) Left to right: Sister Johnson, Sister Poulton, Sister
Davis, Sister Hoffman, Sister Christensen, Elder Christensen, Elder Sykes,
Elder Landetta, Elder Saunders, Elder Roubicek, Elder Colunga, et moi. :)
Driving the mission
van through downtown Montréal.... (We were helping with a move :) ) Don`t worry
Mom... Elder Colunga took the picture. I had both hands on the wheel, I
promise. ;)
More downtown
Montréal....
Last picture of downtown :) (btdubs, the buses are actually surprisingly comfortable here. Who knew?)
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