birthday week

Hello everyone!

First off I wanted to thank everyone who wished me a happy birthday, I
really appreciated it! My birthday was a busy day of missionary work
so I didn't get any time to slow down and celebrate but I wouldn't
have it any other way! I did however get a chance to go to Popeyes and
get some great chicken, I just wish my fried chicken would turn out
like theirs.

We had a pretty good week. Talked to a lot of people and found some
new people who want to know more about this gospel. Ibette is doing
really well, she is probably going to end up in the Spanish ward. She
is fluent in both but she prefers Spanish.

I'm out of time so I will have a more extensive email next week.

Love you!

Elder McOmber

Hello everyone!

This week was a pretty good week! I'm not sure if I talked about her already but we are teaching this young women named Ibette. She is the sister of someone who my companion baptized at the beginning of his mission. She is really cool. She reads the Book of Mormon and she comes to church, we are just waiting on an answer.

In my studies I came across a talk that I really like. It is titled, Stand Up inside and Be All In.

Da part of it reads, "Our son Justin passed away at age 19 after fighting a lifelong disease. In a sacrament meeting talk he gave not long before he left us, he shared a story that must have resonated with him about a father and his young son who went into a toy store where there was an inflatable punching bag in the shape of a man. The boy punched the inflatable man, who tipped over and immediately bounced back after every punch. The father asked his young son why the man kept bouncing back up. The boy thought for a minute and then said, I don't know. I guess it's because he's standing up on the inside. In order to be all in, we need to stand up inside, come what may.

We stand up inside when we wait patiently upon the Lord to remove or give us strength to endure our trials and hardships, Such trials may be disease, disability, mental illness, death of a loved one, and so many other issues. We stand up inside when we lift up the hands that hang down. We stand up inside when we defend the truth against a secular world that is becoming increasingly more uncomfortable with light, calling evil good and good evil and condemning the righteous because of their righteousness.

May we all stand up inside and say, come what may. May we all live with our shield, or upon it.

Elder McOmber

8/28/17

Hello everyone! This week we were out, talked to a ton of people and saw some fruits. We met this girl named Lakeisha , she is super cool. She has been through sooooo much in life and has such a good attitude and faith. After our second lesson with her she said followed us to the church to know where it was for Sunday, she didn't end up coming but progress haha President Hess issued a huge challenge to the whole mission 2 weeks ago. He gave us all a hard copy of the Book of Mormon and challenged us all to read it and underline or highlight every reference to Jesus Christ. Someone has officially gone through and found that there are 3,925 references to Jesus Christ in the 531 pages. That averages out to 1 reference ever 1.7 verses. One of my favorite references is 2 Nephi 25:26, it reads, "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." I love the Book of Mormon with all my heart! If you haven't already I hope you read it. That book (along with the Bible) brings so much joy peace and understanding, but most importantly, it brings me closer to Jesus Christ. And because I read it I know that much more to what source I can turn to receive a remission of my sins, and more importantly, HOW how can receive it. How I can receive peace, how I can receive joy, how I can be forgiven for the sins and mistakes of my past, and how I can BECOME someone so much more. I love you all! Elder McOmber

Hello everyone!

Nothing too big to report, just out here working in Elizabeth.

This week I came across a talk in my 9:30-10:30 studies that I love.
It is titled "Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ Into Our Life's"

Like the title suggests it talks about how to really bring gods power
more fully into our lives. Something ALL of us NEED. I would like to
invite you all to read it. In it he says,

"Do you remember the biblical story of the woman who suffered for 12
years with a debilitating problem? She exercised great faith in the
Savior, exclaiming, “If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be
whole.”

This faithful, focused woman needed to stretch as far as she could to
access His power. Her physical stretching was symbolic of her
spiritual stretching.

Many of us have cried out from the depths of our hearts a variation of
this woman’s words: “If I could spiritually stretch enough to draw the
Savior’s power into my life, I would know how to handle my
heart-wrenching situation. I would know what to do. And I would have
the power to do it.”

When you reach up for the Lord’s power in your life with the same
intensity that a drowning person has when grasping and gasping for
air, power from Jesus Christ will be yours. When the Savior knows you
truly want to reach up to Him--when He can feel that the greatest
desire of your heart is to draw His power into your life--you will be
led by the Holy Ghost to know exactly what you should do."

I love this quote because it is completely true. When most people read
this their minds immediately think of prayer, which is of course huge
in receiving  gods help and direction in our lives. But that is not
all, it comes through diligently living the gospel. Continuous
increasing of faith through diligent study and prayer, powerful
repentance through seeking to more fully fulfill gods commandments,
and consistently renewing our covenants we make with god with real
intent. If we truly do these simple but hard things we will become
more like him in every way, and that is what brings true power and
happiness.

I love you all so much,

Elder McOmber

July 31, 2017

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Hello everyone! Sorry I didn't update last week, I got my iPad Fixed! Do you all remember Imojean from Paterson? She got baptized! It was awesome to see her, and the baptism was very well put together. She is going to be solid the rest of her life. This week was fun, we have been working with this young man named Ezekiel he came to church for the first time this past week. He has been reading the Book of Mormon and is already in 2 Nephi! He is a stud and a pleasure to work with. I came across a great talk in my studies this week and I would like to share a piece of it with you all. Elder Jeffery R. Holland said: "My beloved brothers and sisters, I am not certain just what our experience will be on Judgment Day, but I will be very surprised if at some point in that conversation, God does not ask us exactly what Christ asked Peter: “Did you love me?” I think He will want to know if in our very mortal, very inadequate, and sometimes childish grasp of things, did we at least understand one commandment, the first and greatest commandment of them all--“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind.” And if at such a moment we can stammer out, “Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee,” then He may remind us that the crowning characteristic of love is always loyalty." I have read and listened to this talk many times but this time reading it my mind went back to a poem that my father recited to me on many occasions. It reads: "I love you, Mother," said little John. Then, forgetting his work, his cap went on, And he was off to the garden swing, And left her wood and water to bring. "I love you, Mother," said rosy Nell. "I love you more than tongue can tell." Then she teased and pouted half the day. Till her mother rejoiced when she went to play "I love you, Mother," said little Fan. "Today I'll help you all I can; How glad I am that school doesn't keep!" Then stepping softly, she fetched the broom, And swept the floor and tidied the room. Busy and happy all day was she, Helpful and happy as a child could be. I love you Mother again they said. Three little children going to bed. How do you think that Mother guessed, Which one of them loved her best. There have been many times where I feel like I have been either little John or rosy Nell. But I know that moving forward I can become a little fan. I know that if I work and serve god cheerfully throughout my life I can one day stand before my savior and say "yea Lord, thou kno west that I love thee." And have HIM know that I do. I would like to invite you all to look into your own lives and find something more you can do to serve god more fully

July 10, 2017

Hey everyone!

Elder McOmber here. This has been a good week! I'll fill you in on all
the fun non spiritual stuff first and then I will go to spiritual.

First off, today we had Popeyes with the elders that live with us. By
the way Popeyes is my new favorite restaurant! They are ALL over in
the hood. I probably get Popeyes once every 2 weeks. Anyways today I
asked for the 9 nuggets combo and the guy HOOKED...ME...UP! He gave me
9 tenders!! (Picture included)

Second, one of the elders here had a ping pong set sent to him so we
set it up in our middle island and play on pdays. Not gonna lie, I'm
pretty good... (video included)

Now to the real stuff!

Niegell got baptized! He is so awesome. You can tell he really wants
this in his life. Like I said before he walks 30 minutes to church
every Sunday in 90 degree, 60% Humidity weather. And comes ready to
learn. He has grown so much so fast. After the baptism I asked how he
felt, he said, "I feel like my heart is on fire" I am so proud of him.

I love you all, have a great week!

Elder Mcomber

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