Week 3: Half Way Done with the CCM!

Mis Amores!

Can you believe that I am half way done with the CCM! Time is so strange out here, every day feels like a week and every week feels like a day, and before you know it I will be home! I tried really hard to respond to everyone´s emails today- I have a really hard time writing because I hold it all in during the week, but when I get online and see that I have 30 emails from sweet friends and family I am overcome with gratitude and, honestly, a little homesickness. I cannot thank you all enough for your love and support! IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME. Last week I ran into Hermana Jones (one of our leaders) and she was so sweet because she could see how tender it is for me to write you, so she gave me a "mom hug," chocolate, and the promise of extra time. haha 

Every week I am overwhelmed as I attempt to summarize seven sixteen-hour days and everything we pack into them. And now my Spanish is to the point that my English is suffering (and yes, that KILLS me). I keep misspelling things and I just laugh so hard at myself.

Last Tuesday night was a MTC devotional that was broadcast to us and I saw Becca McOmber singing in the choir! Such a sweet little miracle! She looked so happy! And then we watched a video in class about stress management and who should appear on the screen but Jordan Egbert! It was so nice to see people I recognized! And then the best part of this week was when Elder Blake Hansen walked into the comedor and found me! He is the sweetest kid and I was so excited to see him! He is doing so great! AND THEN Elder Burke Mccomb walked in and it was like the movies- we saw each other from across the comedor and literally ran to each other. haha He is one of my good friends from BYU and it was so hard not to hug each other! It was the best surprise ever! I am so much happier here having people I know! We also got a new district in our zone, and one of the girls reminds me so much of Aunt Dynah! Miss you!

There are ups and downs, and Thursday and Friday of this week were some pretty major downs. My system was seriously on overload and completely shut down. It was HARD. One of our lessons with our investigator went really poorly (the spirit was gone and suddenly the gift of tongues went with it and I COULDNT UNDERSTAND A SINGLE WORD. NOT A SINGLE WORD, and it was absolutely terrifying). And then I slipped in the comedor and fell (major ouch) and doused the nearest elder in the OJ that was in my hand (humiliating). But I was able to learn that there is "no use crying over spilled OJ" and pick myself back up.

The week started to get better when our other investigator said yes to our invitation to be baptized and it was hilarious because Hermana Jensen was so nervous she didn´t understand and kept asking him "Why are you feeling this way?" and "How can I help you understand the importance of baptism?" and questions like that. The investigator and I were trying so hard not to laugh as I said, "Hermana, he said yes." haha All we do here is learn, learn, learn, and then teach, teach, teach. 

Saturday was the best day I have had yet! Our teacher Hermano Trejo is the cutest little guy on earth and he could tell that every single one of us was burnt out so we just played games and laughed our heads off. It was so much fun! Then we played tennis for gym and my collarbone didn´t hurt at all and we got really tan! Then we had a friend (hint for new missionaries: MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE NATIVES) snuck Krispie Kreme doughnuts into the CCM for us so we had a doughnut party before bed. 

Sundays are my absolute favorite day, even more than PDay. You feel the spirit so strong and you are just recharged. We had leadership meeting before sacrement meeting and Presidente De Hoyos said something really powerful, "The three most important things to happen in this dispensation are 1) First Vision, 2) Book of Mormon, 3) Missionary Age Change." And then Sunday night we watched a rebroadcasted devotional from January 2013 with Elder Holland (we seriously cheered like it was the superbowl) and it was amazing to hear him speak on the same topic. 

"What a delightful time to be a missionary! You are who the prophets of the Book of Mormon wrote and prophecied of! Everything they did was for this last dispensation, was for you! This is the generation that will not fail! You will not fail! YOU HAVE TO BE THE BEST MISSIONARIES THIS CHURCH HAS EVER HAD! You must not let them down. You must not let us down. You must not let the Savior down. If the Lord was at the door 200 years ago when Joseph Smith was prophet, where do you think he is now? I command you to come home with at least one convert, YOU! Every single thing I have, I owe to my mission. EVERY SINGLE THING I HAVE. (weeping)"

It was so powerful. They told us they will be dedicating the CCM on February 9th! I am so grateful I will have the opportunity to still be here! Elder Oaks is coming and we are already getting ready for it. So excited!

Monday we taught two new investigators, right on the spot (they do that to you a lot). It went soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo well. We felt the spirit so strong and it boosted my confidence. I totally know how to meet new people and make new friends, I just have to do it in Spanish and bear my testimony!

Today we went to the Mexico City Temple Visitor Center. It was so beautiful! I loved driving through the city to get there! It is a completely different world down here. Wow. I love every second of it. Driving is so scary! haha You are going so fast and then suddenly there is a speed bump in the middle of the freeway. They honk like crazy at each other. There are no lines separating lanes and no one signals (their signals are really weird anyways). People are walking right down the middle of the freeway, motorcycles zip in and out of gaps, and you literally drive with maybe an inch between you and the other cars. I could see the freckles of the man on the bus next to us (everyone here rides the bus or drives really old beetles). The Visitor Center is brand new and is SO HIGH TECH. Technology I have never even seen before! Absolutely amazing.

Life is so good. I am working hard and loving it. I am happy and healthy. I love you all more than I can say and miss you so much!

Te amo mucho!

Hermana McOmber

Nacho Libre bike

I met Hermana Coe online before the MTC

Cousin Ryan hid a note in my scriptures ~ found it!

Donuts with the District

Presidente de Hoyos is a concert pianist

Sunday Movie Night

Part of zone that is leaving

Mexico City Temple - under reconstruction - 

going to the Visitor Center

Driving through Mexico City

Week 2!

¡Mis Amores!

Here I am, drowning my keyboard in tears again. I MISS YOU ALL SO MUCH! Thank you for your love and support, I really need it and am sincerely grateful that so many of you are taking the time to write me! I wish I could write back to you all but between no time, slow internet, and a Spanish keyboard it is a struggle!

I had such a good week! I feel so bad for the RM´s who described the Provo MTC as prison, because the Mexico CCM is paradise! It is absolutely stunning here, and everyone is so happy and kind! I love being surrounded by the sweet, teeny little natives! My teachers are so adorable. Hermano Trejo reminds me of a quiet little mouse, and he´s got this huge smile and hilarious personality. His classes are the best stress reliever! We gave him a gingerbread cookie (my companion´s mom sent her here with two dozen) and he was so excited- he had never had one before! So he took a million pictures of it and put it on facebook. haha! Our fake investigator Jorge is now our night teacher Hermano Cruz. He is really strict, but I love his structured teaching style and learn so much from him! I love that their English is as bad as our Spanish. The other day, Hermano Trejo was giving a lesson on connecting with investigators and he said "Open your hair and say your feels." (Open your heart and say your feelings) hahah! Hermano Oritz is the leader of another district, but he loves to hover and control everyone. He has a super gravelly voice and he always peeks his head into our classroom and asks "¿Tienes un plan?" (Are we being productive?) And so we say it all the time now, and the other teachers laugh so hard because they know exactly who we are talking about. I love them all so much!

Trey Madsen got here on Wednesday and is doing great! It´s so fun to have someone here that I know! And there´s a boy I recognize from BYU from my roommate´s group of friends - Ty something!

Some days here feel like I´m in the Hunger games:

-We are in this circular, enclosed "arena" with a "cornucopia" in the middle

-We hear these cannons go off everyday

-Katniss braids are everywhere

-We are in Districts

-There are birds here that sound like Mockingjays

-We "volunteered as tribute" to serve a mission

-Every Sunday is a "reaping"- they randomly call you up to give a talk

And some days are more like Nacho Libre:

-The accents

-My Branch President is literally the grown version of Chancho

-Those hilarious bikes are everywhere

-The food

I had totally wrong misconceptions about the CCM. I thought that you would have spanish classes, gospel classes, classes on teaching... nope! Your classes are gospel classes in spanish. And your teaching classes are throwing you into a room with a real or fake investigator and making you figure it out on your own. haha! The CCM is not a spanish school, it is a gospel school in spanish. So my recommendation would be to learn spanish before you get here. hahah

I have been so blessed! No anxiety when I have to wake up early anymore (MIRACLE), not as fatigued as I usually am when I am this busy (MIRACLE), my stomach is slowly adjusting to the food and I´m not sick as a dog every time I eat, it´s not humid enough to ruin my hair and makeup (WIN), my companion is fantastic, I love my district, I haven´t been really sick yet (flu and strep going around), and I am in paradise! I am the happiest I think I have ever been.

By the end of the first week I could bear my testimony and say a prayer in Spanish, and now I can do that even better as well as teach a lesson off the top of my head and give an impromptu talk, and I understand most of what is being said! Talk about exponential learning curve! The gift of tongues is most definitely real.

Hermana Zamora and I had the most epic game of ping pong during gym the other day. We were playing off the walls and ceiling and diving around to get it! The natives got a huge kick out of it.

I was picked to give a talk on Sunday! I didn´t think it went well because I was so nervous I didn´t pronounce everything totally right, but as I was walking back to my seat I could see that everyone had tears in their eyes, so I guess I did better than I thought!

I am so sad we can´t go to the temple here! Look up a picture of it! It looks like a huge, clean ancient ruin! They closed it for remodeling 3 days after we got here. But hopefully we get to visit the Visitor´s center!

We watched an amazing rebroadcasted MTC devotional by Elder Holland on Sunday!

He said to be the very best missionary you can be! "Don´t let those beehives down!" I definitely cried. I miss my young women!

It was so funny...

Elder Holland: "What happened when Lehi told people to repent or Jerusalem would be destroyed?"

Stupid Elder: "They didn´t like it."

Elder Holland: (laughing histerically) "That is the greatest scriptural understatement of all. I need to remember to use that in General Conference.      They wanted to kill him, kid."

I finished the BOM under the palm trees yesterday afternoon and I prayed for a reconfirmation of the truth so I could more effectively teach investigators of the truth of it. Right after I prayed, Elder Bradshaw said, "Read D&C 6." I said okay, and sat and tried to ponder and see if I felt an answer. He was like, "Seriously, right now!" So I read it...

14 "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done, for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldnst not have come to the place where thou art at this time.

15 Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten they mind, and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the spirit of truth.

16 yea, I tell thee that thou mayest know that there is none else, save God that knowest thy thoughts and intents of thy heart.

20 I have spoken unto thee because of thy desired, therefore treasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love

22Verily, verily I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart that you might know concerning the truth of these things.

23 Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?

36 Look unto me in every thought, Doubt not, Fear not."

Wow.

It was amazing!

Every day is a good day. Some days are longer than others, some days are harder than others, , but every day is a good day.

Funny of the week:

Indigo Montoya from the Princess Bride trying to explain the gospel to an investigator:

"Let me ´splain... no, there is too much. Let me sum up." *articles of faith*

I LOVE YOU!

Hermana McOmber

The Mexico MTC is paradise!

Mario was our first real investigator on our first day at the MTC

Guess which side of the desk is mine (yes I am obsessively clean)

I cried when they not only made normal food - but my favorite!

We were really happy to put pants on!

Personal "Estudy" time  

I love my companion, Hermana Jensen

Eating ice cream on P-day!

First Letter from the MTC

January 7, 2014 - First letter from the MTC

Mis amores!

Ahh, I am literally bawling reading all of the sweet emails from family and friends. You have no idea how much they mean to me! I miss you all so much! By the way, Tuesdays are my Pday!

Can you believe that in a few short hours I will have been here at the CCM (say say emmay) for an entire week!? ¡No es posible! Every day here feels like a week, and every week here feels like a day! It has been a hard week, but it has been the best week of my life! I am the happiest I have ever been!

Where do I even start? (I am short on time and trying to type with a spanish keyboard, so bear with me!)

The plane rides were great, the airports weren't as scary as they could have been, and I was able to travel in a really fun group! My luggage weighs as much as I do so it was really funny to try to walk down this huge ramp they had because I was basically chasing it all! The girl who sat next to me on both flights ended up being my companion! Her name is Hermana Jensen and I just adore her. We were made the Hermana Zone Training Leaders on our 4th day here! Ay, ay, ay. She is the senior companion for the first three weeks, and then we switch.

The CCM is paradise. It used to be a school called "Benamerito" so they have a big white "B" on one of the hillsides that surrounds us, and it helps me not be so homesick for BYU! The campus is huge and beautiful. We are in the middle of a valley and are surrounded by busy roads and hundreds of colorful houses crammed together. It is really smoggy, and actually freezing here before the sun comes up and after it goes down- you can see your breath as you walk! All those people who gripe about Utah having bipolar weather have clearly never been to Mexico City! The weather changes on a dime, and I am so glad I brought my winter coat because the classrooms are always colder than any weather outside (no such thing as heaters in Mexico)! We have started to bring our blankets around with us so we don't die of hypothermia. Most afternoons are really nice though, and we go outside and study in the sunshine! And when I say study, I mean watch colorful parrots flit from palm tree to palm tree. The food is always a "mystery meat with a mystery sauce," so although I try to be adventurous, most days I survive on cereal and salad. Spence and Nick would be so proud, I finish almost everything I eat... almost. I love my teacher Hermano Trejo! He is this tiny little hispanic and is just as bad at English as we are at Spanish! haha! It is funny to hear his broken English and realize that we sound the same in Spanish.

It is seriously the Hunger Games here! You starve between each meal time. You are pushed in every aspect: mentally, physically, emotionally, and especially spiritually. We hear a lot of cannons for some reason (no one knows why), so we always laugh and say that whenever it goes off that an investigator converts! And there is a tropical bird here that has this crazy whistle that reminds me of mockingjays. haha!

It it sink or swim the moment you step off the airplane. Everything is in Spanish at the CCM... everything! Luckily I am much better at "swimming" here than in an actual pool. haha! The gift of tongues is REAL. I understand about 75% of everything, and can respond to about 50%! Our first day here they put all twenty of us "greenies" in a room, and brought in a real investigator named Mario! We were so shocked and scared to mess up! It turned out to be the most spiritual experience of my life. I have NEVER felt the spirit so strong. The love and concern you feel for this absolute stranger is absolutely incredible. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! Now we have a teacher to pretends to be an investigator and it is so difficult! We have to prepare lessons and teach him every day. It is so humbling to see exactly how much I need to learn, and so strengthening to see improvement each time. 

No packages or letters while I'm here, they will be stolen.

Funny of the week:

The native Elders yell "Te amo" to me everyday and kind of swarm to take pictures with someone with blue eyes. haha!

I was trying to figure out why I wasn't really torn up about being away from my family for the first few days, and now I understand that Heavenly Father has blessed me with a temporary family, my district! Hermana Zamora, Hermana Zindel, Elder Blake, Elder Bradshaw, Elder Soelberg and Elder Andrus are the absolute best. We get along so well and help each other out so much.

I am so glad I brought my picture book! Everyone loves to see the people I love, especially Coco! Give her a big hug for me please!

"If you lose yourself in the service of others, you will find yourself."

Mi nombre es Hermana McOmber y yo quiero dar mi testimonio que este iglesia es verdadero. Yo se que el Libro de Mormon es verdadero y es la cosa mas importante en mi vida. Yo se que nosotros tenemos un Padre Celestial que nos amo mucho. Y yo se que yo soy un hija de Dios. En el nombre de Jesucristo, Amen.

I love you all more than I can say!

Hermana McOmber

Courtney's first email when she arrived 

at the Mexico MTC 

on January 1, 2014

Hi my loves!

I just made it to the CCM! I ended up in a group of about fifteen missionaries and we all get along so well! The airports were so much fun. I am going to be absolutely ripped from carrying my suitcases- or I'll end up keeling over and dying from back pain or my dislocated collar bone, either way. Luckily the Elders are so sweet to help me {let's be honest though, we were all struggling so much}! Runaway luggage is a real problem. haha We got to drive {80mph on the craziest "freeway" I've ever seen} through Mexico City to make it to the CCM and I have never had so much fun traveling! The city is really dilapidated, but everything is bright and colorful and there is graffiti on everything. The weather is absolutely beautiful! I am loving just soaking it all in! We just got our mission name tag, and I found out that the girl who sat by me on both flights is my first companion! I am the happiest I have been in a very, very long time. 

I love you all so much!

Hermana McOmber

Time to Go!

My Farewell Talk - December 15, 2013

Thanks to all my family and friends who came and visited.  Your love and support mean everything to me!

Christmas with My Family

Our family tradition is to go to Temple Square on Christmas Eve.  It was so beautiful and not too cold.

One last movie and night out with my family - going to miss my "little" brothers so much!

Had a wonderful experience being set apart by our Stake Presidency.  Now it is time to say goodbye to my family, my puppy and my life here in Orem.  I am ready to serve the Lord!  

January 1, 2014 ~ 5:00 a.m.

Saying goodbyes

Good-Bye for 18 months!