Week 32: Jank Bus

 

Entonces,

I hope everyone is doing well! This week was really good and I was able to get a lot of stress off my mind as we figured out how to work the two areas of Campana. 

This week had a lot of ups and downs but today I just want to talk about the good stuff because miracles are just the best.

We put two people on date for baptism and I have so much faith that they will happen! One of them is our friend Arlette. She wants to be baptized but just thinks she doesn't quite know enough but last night a recent convert and friend of hers bore her testimony in the lesson and it was one of the most heartfelt and genuine testimonies I have ever heard. The Spirit is so real. Our other friend is named Javier. He asked us when he could be baptized before we even got the chance to mention the word “baptism” in our lesson. He definitely needs to learn a little bit more before he is ready but he knows God can bless him and he knows baptism is the catalyst for that.

We were able to find so many people this week in both areas and hand out so many Books of Mormon and pamphlets to people who actually seem interested!

Went on exchanges with our zone leader and learned a ton. The gospel library app has a lot more to offer than I thought and I've never been more excited to study and just expand my gospel knowledge so much.

We were out teaching in a town pretty far from our house and the lesson went way longer than we wanted to and by the time we finished, the buses had already stopped for the night. We expected a nice hour-long walk in the dark to the house, but as we approached the highway the most jank bus possible pulled up. There were no lights, no music, worst engine I have ever heard, some drunk people, but, it was a bus. We asked no questions and hopped in and we were able to teach a few more lessons that night instead of walk the rest of the night. Twas a miracle.

I saw a difference in the joy I feel as a missionary based on how I teach a lesson. When we try to talk with people and help them understand the gospel with a perspective of love and a focus on the love of God, we are happier.

We had a multizone conference where we focused a lot on our attitudes, our thoughts, and our Sabbath Day observance and it was really really powerful. I love thinking positively and it was cool to learn about spiritual blessings that come from doing so because of the correlation our thoughts have with our faith.

I have been really trying to have more faith. More faith in the people we are teaching, more faith in the members, more faith in myself and my companion. It's sometimes really hard to have that faith! However, it is so much easier if you choose to love them as Christ does. 

I love the gospel. The Plan of Redemption is perfect. Talk to Him, repent daily, forgive yourself, and get to work. Patience gets easier the more we look for His tender mercies. 

I love you all!

Élder Snyder