Week 75: Service and Santa Hats

Wow sounds like you all had a super fun time in Utah. It is going to be crazy to think that by the time that summer comes around, I will be heading back home. I loved all the pictures of the family. Everyone looks so big. I cannot believe it. 

This week was a pretty average week. Our investigators that have been progressing to be baptized did not go to church this week. :( It has been kind of hard to teach them because I can tell that their minds have been messed up from all the drugs that they used to do. So it is kind of difficult for them to understand some of the things that we teach. We had trouble teaching one who´s name is José about tithing. He understood what to do, but he was not able to understand why he should pay tithing. We tried explaining, but he kind of closed his mind to what we were saying. We are going to try to explain it again to him and hopefully he can have a little more faith as to why we should pay tithing. We recieve so many blessings when we pay our tithing. It is one of the few commandments that comes with a promise attached that says, "prove me now." The Lord invites us to test him with our faith and he promises us that the windows of heaven will be opened to us that we will not have room to receive the blessings. 

We are also planning on having quite a few baptisms with children whose parents are less active and we are working on reactivating them, and children whose baptisms never got registered so they have to be rebaptized to make a record of it. 

We as a mission are also planning on taking part in the worldwide church service day. On Thursday we are going to do a service project as a zone. I still dont know what it is that we will do, but I will be sure to take pictures. Oh and we have also made it a goal of ours to take pictures of all the families in the branch with Santa hats so that we can make a gift for the branch. 

But that is about it for this week. I will be sure to write more next week. 

I love you all so much. I hope that you all enjoy this last christmas without me haha. Sing lots of Chirstmas hymns for me.

Con mucho amor

Elder Snyder

p.s. Forgot to tell you that we gave service this week with a less active member. We helped him with his job where he makes little sculpture piggy banks. We just started getting him to church he has gone the past 2 sundays. woooh! So we had to shake the molds so the mixture would harden. I know that I didnt explain very well but I hope that the pictures can explain better than I can. 

Helping to make piggy banks

We helped put up the tree in Johan's house. Johan is the special needs boy who is obsessed with Jesus Christ. 

Johan and family

The view from my bike

Week 74: Happy Thanksgiving from Alameda!

My District

Hola 

Well it sounds like you all had a very great week. i am so glad that you all got to get together this week. It is so cool seeing pictures of all the family together. I cannot believe how much everyone has grown. It kind of scares me a little bit, but I am so excited for when I will see you all again this christmas. The BYU game sounds like it was a blast. I cannot believe that it is already thanksgiving time. I had almost forgotten because we do not have that holiday here. 

But anyways Alameda is super awesome. My companion is super cool too. The branch is a little more organized here and the members here are really great also. The attendance this sunday was 33. The branch still needs a lot of help with organization though. We still have to speak every sunday because the president has trouble assigning talks, but we have plans to help him with that. We also have a few people that we are teaching that have baptismal dates. We also have been helping the president with the member records and as a result we found that there are many kids that go to church, but have no records of their baptisms. We are searching for their records and if we cant find them they will probably have to be rebaptized. So we have a lot of technical problems here has well, haha. 

Besides that I love the area. We have half of the city of Guasave and all the little pueblos around it. But we have bikes so it is alot easier to travel around in the city. The only thing is that the cars scare me a little bit. I did not have to deal with cars in 4 milpas. One of the members here is this 16 year old kid who has a type of high functioning autism. But you know how like all autistic people have like a knack for something or that they are obsessed with one thing in particular. Well this kid Johan, is obsessed with Jesus Christ. It is the best. And he is always asking when is the second coming. But he always tells us how he loves Jesus Chirst because he is his Savior. Wouldnt it be great if we all had an obsession like his? But pretty much everytime he sees us he always asks us the one word question. when? 

My first week as a DL has been awesome as well. I love my district. My district has the zone leaders and the sister training leaders and us. So it is really easy. Everyone wants to work and everyone has a lot of experience in the mission. The sister missionaries are really funny as well. But we all had a pretty good first week. 

So this Pday the zone leaders and the sister missionaries invited us to their ward activity which was a sports activity. So we played basketball and volleyball with the other ward. And everyone was told that they had to bring their own food to the activity. So Elder Chavez and I decided to make pancakes for the missionaries in our district. So I made the pancakes and brought them to the activity in the little tuperware container that I had bought. Then the sisters brought juice and maple and we ate the pancakes. We also shared with all the other ward members there. But everyone said that that they like our pancakes. 

Then we went exploring in this park that is in guasave. It turns out that it has a mini zoo. So I took some pictures of all the animals that we saw. The racoons were especially funny because Elder chavez would hang his camera out in front of them and they would try to grab it with their little hands. There is also a miniskate park there. So we messed arround with the bikes their and took a district picture in the half pipe. But all in all it was a pretty good day. We also wash our clothes with our landlord on monday. It is kind of a hassle because we have to wait until our landlord is ready and we cannot wash whenever we want but it is much better than renting a washing machine so I am not complaining. 

But that was my week. 

I miss you all so much. I hope that you all have a happy thanksgiving. 

Love

Elder Snyder

Week 73: Transfers: Adiós 4 Milpas, Hola Alameda!

 

Hola!

 

It is great to hear from you. Wow I cant believe that our house has begun extreme home makeover. haha. I was also surprised that Trump won. I honestly know very little about their political stand points, but everyone here in Mexico is complaining about Donald Trump. They dont want him to be president. But I guess it happened, so it doesn't really matter. 

Well getting back to mission stuff, I have been transferred to alameda. It is a branch that is in the city of Guasave. It is south of los mochis. I am super excited. I have a lot of friends that have been in this area and they all say that it is really awesome. Our area is half of the city and the rest is all the pueblos that are on the outside of the city. I can't wait to get started. We also have bikes, so that is always fun. There are a few things that I have to fix on my new bike, but it should not be too much of a problem. Oh, I almost forgot to mention, but I am the new district leader here!! My district is small, it has one companionship of sisters and the zone leaders, but I am super excited for the opportunity that I have.

  

My new companion´s name is Elder Chavez. He is from mexico city and he has about 9 months in the mission. He has one brother and one sister and his Dad is not a member of the church. He also went to the church highschool that was in mexico city that is now the ccm. I have heard that he is super cool, so I am excited to have him as my companion. My old companion Elder Salazar is going to train in 4 mil pas.

So last week we got to hear from Elder Pieper. It was not what I thought it was going to be. When it was Elder Piepers turn to speak, he got down from the pulpit and then asked us what we wanted to talk about. So basically it was a Q&A type of meeting. We could ask whatever we wanted and Elder Pieper would respond. The thing that I like the most was when Elder Pieper talked about the sacrament. He explained what it really means to participate in the sacrament each week. He said that every time we take the sacrament we reaffirm the covenants that we have made. And these covenants that we have made are found in D&C 20:37. He said that everytime we take the sacrament we are committing to do these things. He also said that the sacrament renews all the covenants that we have made like baptism, being ordained to the priesthood, covenants in the temple, and the sealing ordinance. All of these things we renew when we partake of the sacrament. That is why it is so important that we partake of the sacrament every week. We need to renew our covenants and we need the promise to have the holy ghost with us. Someone asked what we should do to feel the influence of the holy ghost more in our lives and he said that we just need to do a better job of keeping our covenants. He said that the promise is already there that we can always have his spirit to be with us if we keep our covenants. I learned a lot of really cool things, but I heard that the conference that he had with the missionaries in Obregon was a little better because the missionaries were asking more of the right questions. 

Oh I also got my package just in time for transfers. So I got to open it, then pack it all up again last night. But thank you so much. I loved all the things that you sent. I was able to give out quite a few HLJ (CTR) rings before I left. I also love the BOM coloring books. I hope to make good use out of them here. 

Thank you so much for everything. Love hearing about your lives. Love you all so much

con amor

Elder Snyder

Week 72: Missionary work at the Coca-Cola Factory

A Tour at the Coca-Cola Factory

Hey

We had a pretty great week. We have had some pretty great lessons with our investigators. Elder Salazar and I could both feel the spirit in our lessons and we know that the people we were teaching could feel it too. Also it was día de los muertos this week and everyone went to the cemetery to visit the graves of their ancestors, so there were not too many people home.

We also went to a new pueblo that we have never visited this week. It is called Zapotillo. There is a member family that lives there that recently started attending in our branch and they offered to give us lunch on friday. So we got a ride with one of the members to go there because it is kind of far away. But we got to know their family a lot better. They took us out to eat which was really nice and then in the afternoon they took us to meet all of their nieghbors. So we met a bunch of new people. Then at night they bought us hot dogs and gave us a ride all the way back to our house. 

Then that same night President Myers wanted to interview us because the last time he came he didnt have time to interview us. So we were waiting in the casa de oración for him to arrive. Then after waiting for quite a while, we called him and it turned out that he got lost trying to find our little branch. So I explained to him where he needed to go and then he finally arrived. Then President Myers interviewed us and we both could tell that he was super tired. But it was really nice to talk with him. He is such a great president. I love him and his wife so much.

We also got some big news. Paul B. Pieper is going to speak to our mission. We have a conference this thursday, so I think I will get to use my new suit much sooner than I thought. Everyone is also super excited to hear him speak, and to see all the other missionaries together again is always super fun. 

Well today was one of the most fun Pdays of my mission. So there is a coca-cola factory here in los mochis and we have always wondered if the factory gave tours. So one day we saw one of the workers delivering soda to a store and we asked him if they gave tours. He said yes and gave us the phone number of the person that was in charge of all that. So we called about a month ago and we got scheduled to come visit today. So we got a tour of the entire facility and we actually learned a lot. I think it is the most educational thing that I have done in my mission. haha! They explained the entire processes of how they filter the water, clean the bottles, how they fill them, and then cap them. Then we got to see all the machines and engineers behind it all. We learned that fanta and other sodas have more sugar than coke and that coke is 90% water. And we asked why everyone says that coca-cola is better in Mexico than USA, and they told us that the recipe is the same in the whole world the only difference is the water that gets used. They said that the water sometimes does not get treated as well as it does in other areas and that is the largest factor in the taste. haha!

It was really funny because at the beginning of the tour when the woman introduced herself to us she told us that normally they only get visits from schools and that this was the first time that they had a "congregation" visit. hahaha we all got a really good laugh about that. Then after the tour they opened a fridge with a bunch of different beverages and said that we could choose whatever we wanted. So naturally everyone chose coca-cola. Then we went back to the presentation room and the woman in charge of the tour started to ask about our church. It was really funny because she said "I also thought that your church was the one that did not drink soda? But when I saw everyone grab a coca-cola I got really confused." It was pretty funny. We all started to laugh and then we got to explain what we believe and what we do. Who would have thought that our tour would have turned into a missionary opportunity. We ended up giving her a book of mormon and she said that she really wanted to read it because she always wanted to know what happened with the people that were here in america. 

I hope that I get my package this conference but if not I will get it really soon because we have transfers next week. I love you all so much. I hope that you all have an amazing week. 

te quiero mucho

Elder Snyder

Week 71: Happy Halloween!

Hola and Happy Halloween

First of all I loved the pictures of all of your costumes. But props to Dad on dressing up as a blind referee. That is one of the most clever costumes I have ever seen. It made me laugh all the way here in mexico! haha! 

Unfortunately, this past week did not really go that well. We set a goal to find a bunch of new people this week, but we did not have that much success. Also this was one of the first weeks where we did not have any investigators at church. Also the church attendance went down a lot. But we are not discouraged. We both have gotten used to the mission life and know that these weeks happen and that things will always get better. 

Also since we have not had too much luck finding people to teach we have decided to try something different.  We want to start a bible study class since alot of people here are religious. Also a lot of people say that they want to learn English so we are thinking of making an English class also. We want to start publicizing it this week so that we can start. But hopefully doing something different will bring us different results. 

Here in mexico they have el día de los muertos that starts tomorrow. It is where they remember their ancestors that have passed away. But I will be sure to tell you next week what happens. 

This week I read something in the book of mormon that really touched my heart. I read the story of all of the lamanites that were converted to the truth. And that they were so faithful to their covanants that they buried all their weapons of war and were willing to die before committing sin. And that when the enemy armies came to destroy them they all knelt down in prayer thanking God for everything. And as they were praying their enemies slayed 1000 of them. But then their enemies were so humbled that they were able to recognize the wrongness of their actions. They then repented and it says that more people were converted to the truth in that moment than those that had died. Then we read the explanation that Mormon gives us that says that the Lord works in many ways for the salvation of his children. I know that this passage of scripture is true and I hope that one day we can all be as faithful as those Anti-Nephi-Lehis. 

I love you so much. Have a happy Halloween!!!

Love

Elder Snyder

Week 70: A New Friend in the Gospel

Hola 

Well this week was a great week for us because Yussen got baptized. wooooooh!! It was so great. We thought that Yussen was going to be baptized into a ward in Mochis because he lives in the city. His girlfriend lives in Rosales, so Yussen always attends church with his girlfriend in the branch. But I called the bishop of the ward and asked him what he thought about keeping Yussen`s records in the ward in Mochis, and he told me that girlfriends have a lot of power over people. He said that it would be better to keep his records in the branch because he is going to keep attending in the branch. Then I called President Myers and he said that it would be fine to keep his records in the branch. 

So we planned an amazing baptismal service :) We made the program, assigned the speakers, organized a special musical number, and had someone make a cake. It was perfect. It was also great because Yussen`s mom who is not a member of the church attended his baptism and she cried pretty much the entire service, so I know that she felt something. We also had the Elders from los mochis attend/help with the baptism. And afterwards, Yussen introduced the Elders to his mom and they are going to begin teaching her. And things have started off well because his mom went to church yesterday. :) 

I also had the honor of baptizing Yussen. Right after I baptized him and they closed the curtains, he turned and gave me a big hug in the water then said to me in a very calm voice, "I am so happy." It was an amazing experience. Then the next day he told me a little more of his experience. He said that when we were in the font and I started to say the ordinance, that everything went quiet and that I was a different person, then when he went under the water that he could not hear anyone and that everything was silent and that he could feel the spirit really strongly. He said that he felt the spirit in such a way that it did not dominate him but calmed his entire being. 

Then on sunday my companion and I confirmed him a member of the church and gave him the gift of the Holy Ghost. Also this same day, he was given the Aaronic priesthood. So now we are excited to teach him the ordinance of the sacrament. He is such an awesome guy and I am so grateful that I had the privilege to teach him. I hope that we can remain friends after the mission. 

But that was the highlight of the entire week. Obviously.

Today we also had a great day today. We organized a basketball game with the same missionaries that played soccer with us the other week. So we played basketball pretty much all morning and then went to Macapule to change clothes and shower. Then we planned to go to this brazilian restaurant that is a buffet. So we got there and it was really fancy. They bring all of the cooked meats out on what looks like a sword and they put it on your plate and you just keep eating until you dont want to eat anymore and the people just keep walking by with their different meats the entire time. It was delicious and really fun. It was funny because we had a missionary that has only been in the field for about 3 weeks and everyone was telling him, "Elder Rogers dont get used to this, this only happens one time in the entire mission." It was a good day. 

Well that is all. I love you all so much I hope that you all have an amazing week. 

Con mucho amor

Elder Snyder

p.s. Something crazy that happened… I was riding my bike home last night and my companion was riding along beside me, when all of a sudden I saw him disappear as if something pulled him under the ground. I looked back and saw that he had fallen off his bike by the side of the trail. We were riding along the trail and his tire must have sunk into the loose dirt or something and that is what caused him to go down. At first I went to check to see if he was alright, but afterwards, I could not contain the laughter. It was really funny. 

Yussen's Baptism

The sword of meats!

Week 69: Standing Room Only at the Casa de Oración!!

Our Mexican Sunset

Hola 

Well to start things off, this week went well. Yussen passed his baptismal interview and is going to be baptized this saturday. So we are so happy for him. And it definitely helps to lift your spirits as a missionary to know that someone is getting baptized. :) Also Elder Salazar and I get along pretty well. He has the same amount of time as me and I already knew him pretty well because he has always been in Sinaloa like me. He is from Mexico City, and he speaks english really well. But for the most part we always speak in spanish. 

This week we also had our zone conference with President Myers and his wife. They made us do exercise in the morning. It was really funny because all the elders were complaining that they never do cardio. But we all ended up sweaty right before the conference. But the conference was really good. President Myers talked about obedience, but in a different way. Recently alot of people have been complaining that missionaries are not being obedient because they are not following the rules that president Munive established. (President Munive was really strict with alot of things) But president Myers explained that he didnt change any of the rules, that the only rules he has are in the white handbook. And he said that his goal is not to force everyone to be obedient, but he wants everyone to choose to be obedient. He said that his goal is that we can learn to be obedient in the mission so that after the mission we will continue to be obedient. I honestly feel so loved by president Myers and his wife. They are the best. Then after the meeting they made us all sandwiches. They know the best way to win the Elders' hearts. 

Also this sunday we had a branch conference. So we had to load everyone from 4 milpas up in the pick-up truck and bring them to Rosales. It was also really exciting because President Myers, his wife, and his son came to the branch conference. We filled the casa de oración!! We had 64 people that went! There were so many people there were not enough seats for everyone! Also I was really happy because someone who we have been reactivating came to church. She always works sundays...that is why she cant come to church. But we asked her to switch with someone at work so that she could come. She told us that she tried but her friend didnt want to switch. But then she said, "I know that something will work out before sunday." And she came! It was so great. 

Then we ate lunch with the branch president and his family, along with the Myers family and the district presidency. It was a full house. My companion and I were mainly talking with president Myers' son. He is learning spanish but he does not like to practice. So he always talks with us in english. Then afterwards Hermana myers brought us back to our area. Then we started working for a little bit and during one of the lessons that we were having, I started to feel sick. So we went back to the house and I started to feel worse. I had a fever and I felt really weak. So I had my companion give me a blessing and then I went to sleep. I had a long night and did not feel well. Then in the morning I felt a little better, but I still also felt really sick. So I have been laying down pretty much all day today. My back really hurts because I have been in my bed all day. I really hope that I feel good enough to work tomorrow. It really sucks being sick. But I am grateful that I dont get sick too often. 

But that was pretty much our week. Pretty normal… except I got sick. :(

But I miss you all so much. I can't wait till we get to skype. I cannot believe how quickly the time goes by. 

les amo mucho

Elder Snyder

p.s. Really quickly... I remembered something really cool that happened in the week. So one of the members in Rosales told us to go talk to a man at this seafood shop because he said that he has been reading the book of mormon. So we went to go find this guy and when we got there his wife said to me, "I know you." She said that I was the one that gave her the book of mormon about a year ago. I then started thinking and I remembered her. Elder Ochoa and I gave her the book of mormon in the street because she said that she wanted to read the scriptures but that she didnt have a bible. So we never heard from her again until now. It looks like her husband is actually the one reading it. Only it seems like he is not really reading the book for the right reasons. He says that he has been searching the internet for the cities in the Book of Mormon but that there is no evidence of them. He also says that the book only talks about war and bloodshed, but he says he wants to finish reading. We are going to come by another day and see if he is still interested. But I thought that was a really cool thing that happened this week. 

that is all 

Another picture from our soccer game last week