July 4th

Hello everyone!

This week has been a roller coaster of a week! My companion and I had
the opportunity to to pick up the new mission president (President
Hess) and drop off the departing one (President Taggart).

It was really hard to see President Taggart go. He has helped me grow
so much and has created a great culture here in this mission.  He will
for sure be missed.

President Hess is such a spiritual giant! It's only been a few days
but I can already tell he is very humble and he knows the scriptures
like none other! I am really looking forward to where this mission
goes under his stewardship!

4th of July

For those of you who don't know, The 4th of July is literally my
favorite holiday! Last year was amazing because I was in jersey city
so I could see the New York fireworks in New York for jersey. Now I am
a little farther a away so I will be watching local fireworks. Still
very excited.

I am truly grateful for all of the work the founding fathers put in to
make this country what it is. True it has a lot of issues here and
there, but when all the dust settles it still stands as a beacon of
freedom and liberty. That is always worth celebrating. It is on this
day in 1776 that this nation declared its independence, creating an
opportunity for freedom of religion, which of course provided the
perfect opportunity to restore The Church of Jesus Christ, in these
latter days! I have always loved these verses in the Book of Mormon,

2 Nephi 10

19 Wherefore, I will consecrate this land unto thy seed, and them who
shall be numbered among thy seed, forever, for the land of their
inheritance; for it is a choice land, saith God unto me, above all
other lands, wherefore I will have all men that dwell thereon that
they shall worship me, saith God.
20 And now, my beloved brethren, seeing that our merciful God has
given us so great knowledge concerning these things, let us remember
him, and lay aside our sins, and not hang down our heads, for we are
not cast off; nevertheless, we have been driven out of the land of our
inheritance; but we have been led to a better land, for the Lord has
made the sea our path, and we are upon an isle of the sea.

Let us all be grateful to be able to live in such a blessed land, and
strive to be worthy of such a blessing!

Love you all!

Elder McOmber