Week 12: I'm in a Band!

Machete Gang

Yooooo we're back

Started off strong last Pday by getting burgers and tres leches cake to celebrate Elder Peterson completing one year in the mission. Twas fire to say the least. Also I bought myself a guitar because why not and I also missed playing my guitars a little too much. If you have any tabs for awesome church songs please send them my way. Evanson also bought a keyboard and Peterson and Perry both have harmonicas... so basically get ready world, the Copan Ruinas District is about to take over the music industry by storm.

Tuesday we had a family home evening with a bunch of boys who are a part of a foster home a member works at and it was awesome. Although none of them are really old enough to be baptized, it is still so important to teach the gospel to these kids who don't have parents to help them. It made me so much more grateful for my family and parents for raising me in the Gospel.

Thurday I went out and worked with Elder Peterson for the day and it was a really cool opportunity to see how another experienced missionary works and to just learn more about how to be an effective missionary. Also fun because we just talk about all the fun memories and mutual friends we have from BYU.

Friday we got served some sketch food by a member and it was fun to say a prayer asking that we would not be harmed by the food. God answered that prayer for me a couple hours later with a few heaves on the side of the road. Not gonna lie though, I think I developed some sort of lactose intolerance or something because lowkey every day my stomach goes through it. But it's so chill.

Spoke in church on Sunday about the Restoration of the Gospel and the Book of Mormon and I hope it went well. In other words, I hope Google Translate worked well. Nah I know what I was saying but translate helped a lot haha. For real though the Book of Mormon is true. I know that more than ever now. If you feel so inclined read President Nelson's talk "The Book of Mormon: What Would Your Life Be Like without It?" Fire. Also sooooo excited for General Conference this weekend. Watch it.

Got to use more machetes this week so that's lit.

Also right now we're on our way to go mess around at some member's farm with the whole zone so that should also be a jolly time.

So this week I went through some frustration and discouragement because of the common difficulties of missionary work (rejection, people not progressing, sickness, apathy of others, etc.). But hey, I can't control those things. What I can control is what I do about it. One scripture that helped me with this is Ether 12:6. (Yes another Ether 12 banger). "for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." We have to endure our trials with faith, even if we cannot see the end. Sometimes we may never see the end, but these are the trials that are most important to endure with faith because God will help us along the way in so many miracles if we do have faith. Our faith needs to be in Him. Nothing else. I have to work on eliminating my will from the equation of this whole mission thing and suplicate myself completely to His will for me and for the people here. Humility is the key to enduring all of our problems and God helps us with this if we remember Him!

For real though I love it here. It's hard work and there's a whole lot of "inconveniences" but I love it. The people are so kind (most of the time) and it is just such a priveledge to dedicate everything I have to the Lord and try to help gather God's children back into his open arms.

Anyways love you all! This church is true! Read the Book of Mormon!

Élder Snyder