Hermana in Houston: Week 11: One month in Texas!

(See's Candies opened up in our local grocery store! - feels like home!)

Hi friends and family!

I love you all so much and hope you had a good week! I miss you all so much! Please know that I think of you and pray for you.

First order of business...

SPENCER IS GOING TO LONDON ENGLAND! AHH!

(my "little" brother has been called to serve in the England London mission)

So jealous! A foreign mission speaking English in one of the most incredible cities on earth? Doesn't get any better than that, ladies and gents! Except maybe Houston Texas. :)

Something I love about my mission is that we have missionaries here from France, Tonga, Chile, Guatemala, Peru, and many other countries! I loved seeing Polynesian missionaries at the CCM as well, how funny would it be to see a giant Poly in a suit knock on your door and talk to you about Jesus Christ in Spanish?? haha! I love our church.

One month in Texas! Loving it!

I finished the Bible this week! January 13th - March 13th! Now on to D&C! As a missionary you wish you could study all day long, you wish you could just learn it all!

I was having a really hard time Thursday, Friday, and Saturday remembering Nationals two years ago. I never could have imagined that I would be here on a mission in Houston Texas. NEVER. Now I can see how Heavenly Father prepared me for this, put me in a position where I could serve, and how perfect His timing is. What a blessing! It is absolutely indescribable to know that He loves me enough to be so involved in my life and give me experiences that "will be for my good." I have been able to meet people here that I connect with, who have seen missionaries for years, but listen to me specifically. I can see my testimony, strengthened immensely through the last two years, touch their hearts - physically see it in their eyes. What I say matters to them! And they are changing their lives according to it! To have been strengthened and brought to this place where I can be a conduit of God's love for these people, to bring them to their Savior, is so special. I will always be grateful that I was found worthy to serve a mission, that I was prepared by my loving Heavenly Father to serve, and that I was sent to these specific people.

In "Let Us Think Straight" by M. Russell Ballard he says, "No one can defend our Savior with any more persuasion or power than you, the daughters of God can, you who have such inner strength and conviction. The power of a converted woman's voice is immeasurable, and the Church needs your voices now more than ever."

That, and finding my New Year's Resolutions from last year, helped me get through this week. Seeing those resolutions and remembering how I felt like they were so unattainable, I laughed because they are things I do every single day as a missionary without even thinking about it. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY.

The work has been so slow and so hard, but with our new investigators and with continued faith and effort we are seeing so many miracles!

We spoke in Sacrament Meeting yesterday! I was so nervous! We all stood at the pulpit and took turns, and I went first speaking on the topic of faith. I worked so hard to prepare it and practice it, and I felt so good when I finished! The bishop got up after us and was so impressed with my Spanish he kept talking about it, like, "Can you believe she's only been here a month??" Everyone in the ward made an effort to come up and tell me I did a good job! The very best feeling though, was sitting on the stand and seeing three menos activo families, a recent convert, AND an investigator walk in! AHH! Miracle, miracle, miracle!

Some funnies from this week:

The fact that I feel like the Mentalist when I tract. Looking for bright houses, lawn ornaments, mops on the porch, "la voz" newspapers in bushes, virgin mary shrines, and everything else. And then when you are in their house, trying to see pictures and anything that will help you connect the gospel to their life. hahah It's so great.

"Tengo algo en mi ojo hoy!" -Hermana Hoj to the tune "There is Sunshine In My Soul Today" ("I have something in my eye today", instead of "I have joy in my soul today"). haha

"Why watch a novela when you can live one?" - one of our menos activos, ay ay ay

We took turns reading The Living Christ with one of our menos activos Jazmine, and her little boy grabbed it and said, "MY turn! Dice (it says), lkasjdfl;kasdflkja;lkdfj SPIDER MAN ;laksdjf;lieu r;liwuqoknwc,.xz PETER PARKERa;lskdj f;oaiweurlzksdf AMEN." We were dying. hahaha

I love you all SO MUCH! Thank you for your love and support!

Send me your addresses in an email so I can write you!

Para Siempre Dios Este Con Vos

Hermana McOmber