Bread and water

Alright alright alright. You can probably figure out the struggle here. I don't want to exaggerate, so I pulled it up, we had 13 people who we were really given it all this last week, there was a lady who had given us her word that she would show up, on top of others who had some real prospects of coming. One of which we went to pick up. Not one of them came to church. Tough. Sometimes life is not the most exciting I'm not going to lie. The good news, life goes on. But I won't lie with that lady that we we went to pick up I seriously considered throwing rocks at her window, but the Spirit wasn't as passionate about that kinda thing so I didn't get the chance. Maybe next week.

After that experience the day kinda went by, we found some more people, we had some really great experiences with some members, good stuff, but the end of the night was good. We went with a member named Omar and his mom Lia. They are awesome and have been members for a while. Omar is in the branch presidency, very solid. We read Ether 12:27.

'And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.'

I learned and continually learn a lot from that. From the emblems that we take each Sunday we remember He that knows our weaknesses and can and will help us make them strengths, but we have to let Him work on our wounds, even if it hurts.

Maybe the success for these friends coming to church wasn't my greatest joy this week, but I am confident that wasn't what God wanted. It was GOOD for me to have gone through this experience. I don't believe my relatively small suffering compares with that of the early saints. But it was GOOD for the early saints to go through the trials and persecutions they did. God, the giver of all good gifts, wants to bless us. He knows our circumstances. He knows that we must go through some fire of some kind if we wish to gain an understanding of what it means to be saved, if we wish to be changed by this life and help others along the way. Experience doesn't come on the couch, it comes on the covenant path, carrying our cross, thorn in our side, moving forward with faith.

Miss yall,
Elder McOmber

New year same me

Yeah so. Yeah, I'm just gonna stick with that title, I'll explain it in a second haha. But life is good here, We've been kinda worried about our friend who just kinda fell off the face of the planet. That was a pretty worrisome but he just sent us a text today so we're all good. We hope, we'll visit him on Wednesday and see what's happening. But other than that it's still pretty cng  cold, I'm getting used to it but yeah. That's basically the wrap here is sunny days and cold nights, it's a blast.

But, I have learned much from this area, the people struggle as we all do but as a missionary it's interesting to be as close to those struggles as I am, I've really appreciated that, and also, I've loved to study talks, just whatever I feel like needs work I study, and hearing council from prophets is awesome, kinda crazy haha. But I really appreciate this mission. It's good.

Hope you're well,

Elder McOmber

Another... Banger

Yeah so some member just randomly sent us like a new year's clip with calm down by rema and Selena Gomez, an oldie but now that part is stuck in my head. It's tough. But yeah so we're in 2024 now. That's just unbelievable. 2023 is just basically my Costa Rica year now because that's the only place I spent it which just feels odd to have all 12 months in another country but yeah I'll prolly get over that soon. As far as everything else. I'm happy with this week and with how the transfer has been going. But oh man there are so many hills, I feel like I should be Spiderman to be climbing up one of them it's just mad steep but anyways.

They didn't really do much for Christmas and New Years here in Santa María, they like it and everything but it's just a little small town in a valley that some people just call the bowl so it wasn't to crazy. There's also a lot of people here that are a little on the older side, ummmmm, so. Yeah. But the catholic church had a party with their fake bell that goes off every hour, that was pretty interesting it was quite a long song and we live like right next to it, as well as living next to the Jehovah's witnesses but that's another story.

I really have appreciated this transfer, even being in the middle of just, nowhere (look up 'Santa María De Dota, Costa Rica' if you really wanna know😆) it has been good. I enjoy doing the work. Sometimes I enjoy just learning about doctrine that I have never heard and being like ok so thats kinda false and here's where and why. The people here are chill and it's good to talk and learn with them. Sometimes too chill, Pura Vida. This mission is unlike any other, wouldn't trade it for anything.

Elder McOmber