Week 15: Birds!

¿Cómo estamos?

Pretty good week filled with a ton of work and some really spirit-filled lessons. But started with Pday with the Zone Leaders (ZLs) and it was so much fun. One of them is from Costa Rica and the other is from Utah and it was really good to practice my casual conversational spanish and also just make some more friends in the mission. We went to the Bird Park and got all up close and personal with the Guacamayas (the birds from the movie "Rio"). Twas lit.

So the daughter of the most absolutely goated member in the branch here came home from her mission this week and we ended up throwing a big surprise party for her with some other families in the branch and it was so awesome. It was so amazing to be a part of all of the emotions of the family seeing her for the first time in so long and also just to help make something so joyful happen for a family that has so little. I was a little scared it would make me baggy for home (want to go home) but it did the opposite. I'm so excited to continue this work and to one day return home after giving it my all. It's also super nice for us missionaries to have another member in the branch who is a legit member haha

Saw my first chameleon which was pretty freakin cool.

We're on our way to San Pedro for Multizone conference right now which will be fun. Might be more excited for lunch at Pizza Hut though… jokes multizona is super lit.

So now it's time for the moment you've all been expecting… got sick again this week🥳🫠 Woke up Saturday morning just throwing up for 5 hours straight and just felt like absolute garbage and could barely get out of bed all day. Thanks to technology my companion was able to still teach some lessons over the phone and I was able to watch a lot of church videos and start making some progress in the "Saints" books which are actually so good.

One video I watched really stuck out to me and I was able to have a huge realization/humbling experience. So far, my mission hasn't been the most comfortable for me. I get sick like this almost every week, we lose running water or power pretty regularly, it's very very hot, and so on. While I was hunched over the toilet instead of out in the street talking with people I found myself asking God, "Why is this happening so often, keeping me from working, when I'm only trying to do the work you have called me to do?" At that moment, I felt pretty justified. The situation seemed pretty unfair. Later that afternoon, this video helped me realize that life is unfair. But the most unfair life ever lived was that of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He was perfect, yet suffered every single pain, sadness, illness, and everything you and I and everyone else has felt and will feel in this mortal life. And it is only because of this extremely unfair sacrifice imperfect people like us can experience true joy through the Atonement and Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's only because of His sacrifice I am able to be on a mission today and help others experience the joy of the Gospel that I know to be true. Life is so hard but we need to remember there is someone who is right by our side who knows what it feels like to have something pretty unfair happen to them. In fact, he knows exactly what you feel like. So turn to Him. Run to Him. We can find perfect empathy, healing, and strength in Him.

I love you all so much and your time in reading these emails is very appreciated! Also please pray for the Garcia family if you can!

Élder Snyder