June 22, new area, 4 missionaries, much to do!

The name of my city is Penedo. It is gorgeous!! We just have a Ramo (Branch) here, it is waiting to become a ward (means bigger building) We just have us, Elder Maia, Elder Redd, Elder Garrett and me for the whole city!! It is a big area, but it is a blast, all of my companions are powerful missionaries and we all work together to help the will of the Loard come to pass. We have a ton of young men in our city that are way excited about missionary work, we have been working with them a ton in order to go everywhere we need to. I feel like I should share a story, 2 days ago I was with a kid named Ezmar, he was baptised by one of the teachers that I knew in the MTC in Provo. We were walking along and I felt really strongly to talk to this man on the side of the street, he told us he was going home but was waiting for his family, I asked if we could go with him, we walked over to a part of the city called Cidade do povo (city of the people) When we got near his house his wife and their extended family were waiting inside this cottage, we entered and there must have been about 20 people there, Ezmar, and I saw the opportunity and we took it, we gathered everyone together and taught them about Jesus Christ and how the church has been restored to the earth. The spirit was so strong, and I told them that we would return the following night. The next day one of the teenagers that we marked with for a divisao the next day couldn't go, and we were running around like crazy trying to teach everyone on our doubled schedule, it was a long day, and we encountered a lot of disappointment, and we were having a really hard time. And when it was time to return to that big family it was too dangerous because it was already dark, but as we were returning someone called for us to enter their house, when we went there, everyone in the family that was receptive was there in the house, my companion and I testified to them of the importance of following Jesus Christ, and 2 of them accepted to be baptised. One woman, named Tais who was already baptised agreed to return to church. The second house we went to was a completely different house, if everything did not happen the way it did we would not have encountered the people that want to follow Jesus Christ. I want to testify that Heavenly Father loves His children, and always knows where to place His servants in order to help them. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Happy transfer! Work in the PAINT!

I am so proud of everyone, that is awesome that Justin´s Eagle project got approved, I have no doubt Justin has some good stuff up his sleeve, right after this email I am going to check out his website. Give a shout out to Rich Whitehill when you see him, Ele é o carra haha. And Heather, way to go on your 4th Grade project! I can´t wait to see the video someday! I am so proud of all of you, I cannot imagine a better family to have prepared me for my mission.

1. My living conditions right now are awesome, I am living in an apartment with 4 other missionaries, we have quite a bit of space, running water, water to drink that we can buy nearby, plenty of sun to dry clothes, a washing machine, a bed, a place in the apaartment to study, we have got it made.

2. My testimony doesn´t really grow or shrink, I am willing to bet 2 years of my life that this church is the true church. I don´t just believe, I know that I am doing the work of the Lord, I know that my purpose as a missionary is to invite the whole world to follow Jesus Christ, and I know that the only place that they can recieve what they need to follow him is in His church. I do not believe this because I was born into this religion, I know for myself that I am following Jesus Christ. In John chapter 14 Jesus´apostolos are afraid because they don´t know where they can find the truth after Jesus leaves and he says "I will leave you a comforter that will help and guide you and teach you what you need to know" As I do this work I feel this counselor, and I can´t explain it, but when I pray I feel the presence of someone listening, and I know that my Heavenly Father is listening. I feel this comforter, and so I know that I am following him, and I feel that comforter strongest when I invite others to follow Jesus Christ.

But this past week was my hardest week yet, but yesterday we had transfers, I was transfered and I have recieved a new companion, his name is Elder Garrett. He is way cool, we are opening an area along with Elder Maia, and Elder Redd. It is pretty awesome, the missionaries that worked here before were way awesome, and last night I met someone that Elder Sheffer (A teacher in the MTC of Provo) baptised, tonight us 4 are going to talk to a leader of the branch, draw up boundaries and get to work, It is way awesome, it is just me and 4 other missionaries for miles and miles. Yesterday we rode on a bus all day and arrived in our area during the night. As my companion and I rode on the bus I watched as we passed by fields and fields of beautiful green crops flashing by in the wind. I thought of everything I had experienced until now and I prayed in my heart to my Heavenly Father and thanked him of this gift. As I rode on that bus I had this strong feeling like I was going to freedom, now we have arrived, and let me tell you, I believe I have made it to paradise, or at least, I hope paradise looks this good. I am excited to help this branch to grow and become strong, my companion is finishing his mission, but he wants to leave his mission knowing that he did everything he could, I am excited to work with him. The other companionship has a real chill trainer and a super excited filhão, I honestly believe that my Heavenly Father has miracles in store, we just have to go all out. But honestly, I feel so free and so excited, 4 missionaries that are all new in this area, it is about time to do some work in the paint.

-Elder McOmber

dedicating this month to Grandma and Grandpa

If you wish to write to Christian, this is how to do it...

Elder Christian McOmber

Av. Dom Avenio Branoao 333 sala 402
Ed. Work Center-Farol
Maceio-AL
57001-190

Christian got sick to his stomach, but he continued to work, these were in personal details to us, but he is strong, and very dedicated.

Here is the rest of his public letter:

This week was real awesome, my companion and I met this 15-year-old girl and her aunt while we were looking for the house of someone else that we taught on the street. She said that she would go to church if she didn´t arrive there by herself, when we returned to teach her mom said that she was baptised years ago but she hadstopped going to church, she asked us if we could tell her daughter the story of Joseph Smith. Well, Thamires (the 15-year-old) prayed about Joseph Smith and she recieved an answer in her heart that these things are true, we were so excited to bring her whole family to church, but adversity stuck.

Her sister took one of their family´s cars and ran away the night before, just she went to church, but this week Thamires will be baptised and we are hoping and praying that everything will be able to work out, we are trying to invite a lot of her friends and family to the baptism. Meeting Thamires was honestly a miracle and if it was not me and my companion we would not have ran into her, I know that Heavenly Father honestly wants the best for His children and when we as missionaries showHim that we want to help He gives us the oppurtunity to play a part in this great and marvelous work. I also have a testimony in transfers and that our companions were chosen for certain reasons that we do not know.

That is so cool to hear about your lives, I wish I had more time, I love you Ma, and Dad, and the whole family. I hope Elder Wirrick is ok, I know exactly how that feels!!! I have decided that while I am here I will drink water while I am fasting. But I am glad that everything is going well and that you guys are walking on sunshine! much love

sweet woman baptized

That was so wonderful to get to hear about all of those things, even though we are on different sides of the world I feel like we are fighting the same battles. I hope Grandad and Grandy are doing alright, I know that they will fight through anything that comes their way, and Ma, I know how you feel. I was having a real hard time this past week, I dedicated this month to Grandy and Grandad and I felt like I would have 0 baptisms in my new area in the mont that I dedicated to Grandy and Grandad, but then we had a miracle. I don´t have time or the permission to write the story, but on the very last sunday of the month we baptised a very sweet woman, it was a battle to get there, but it was amazing to see how without my companion and I working together we would not have succeeded. Sometimes we really do feel like we have the whole world on our shoulders, but it all worked out in the end, and I am real excited to move on into the future!

This past week I had an amazing experience, I don´t know if I already said this but I started a class of English in my new area, it has been really successful, this saturday will be the 4th week. It has been a blast, my first week I taught everyone how to pray in English and I testified to everyone that the best person to talk to in English is Heavenly Father, because he always understands. This past week as a part of the class I taught them how to bear testimony. The spirit was really strong, my favorite part was seeing 3 girls who are not members stand up and tell me in English that they know that Heavenly Father is there and that Jesus loves them. I testified to everyone in English and then expounded in Portugues that I know that these things are true. In that moment I thought of how much Jesus really does love these young women and that gave me courage.