Week 51: Count Your Many Blessings

Denny's

A good week this week. Saw a lot of miracles and knocked a lot of doors. However, not one of the miracles we saw was waiting behind those doors. The Lord loves effort.

This week we tried our hardest to put forth every effort possible. Daily contacts, following up on invitations, grinding and sticking to plans and our word instead of taking the easy route, and very fervent prayer. My testimony grew a lot this week. 8 friends came to church this week and Yuk Shan is on date for baptism this week! Please please pray that she will be able to continue to resist the temptation to drink coffee so the baptism can happen!

Stuff:

---Got caught in a mega bug storm and it was horrible. They didn't bite but they crawled into every nook and corner possible.

---Had exchanges with Elder Alvarado who goes home this transfer and we laughed SO much. He will be very missed🫡

---Some mega thunderstorms passed through this week and it was lit to see our windows shake from thunder.

---Ate Denny's❤️‍🔥

---5 minutes before Sacrament Meeting, bishop asked me to speak and then President McClellan and his wife walked in so that was fun!

I had an experience this week that I want to share. Right as we were getting ready to leave the house to start working for the day we got a call from an unknown number. They asked us if we could go to the nearby hospital to give a blessing to a woman who was very sick. We unhesitatingly agreed to help, got down on our knees and prayed for guidance, requested an Über and we were off to the hospital. On the way, our driver took multiple wrong turns that caused us to arrive a few minutes later than expected. As we approached the door, the security guard stopped us and told us that visiting hours had stopped 2 minutes before we got there. We were not able to receive permission to enter and the family thanked us for being willing to help. Approximately 1 hour later, the woman passed away. When I heard the news, I sat reflecting on the situation. At first I put the blame on myself for paying the cheaper Uber that would take a couple minutes longer, then I thought to blame our Uber driver for not following the directions on the map, then I thought to blame the woman who called for not telling us how urgent the situation was, and then I thought how no one has the blame– how God has perfect timing and how there are so many things out of my control. I then thought about the love God has for us. He gives us covenants that bind us to him and give us reason to not fear. He gives us Priesthood power to receive help, counseling so we can honor our covenants, and literal healing power. Although sadly, for reasons out of our control, we were not able to help this woman, I learned a lifelong lesson from the faith of this woman. I learned that although there may not be much hope, the power of the Priesthood should never be discarded. I learned the importance of being worthy in all moments to act in the name of Jesus Christ. Which, in turn, is the importance of repenting in every personal prayer I say. My mom recently taught me that mortality is part of this life and God allows things such as this to happen because we are humans. We can't know everything but we can know what gives us hope and eternal life– covenants and faithful works to honor and wholeheartedly cherish them.

Another experience I want to remember happened this week. We are teaching a young man who is 22. He reached out to us through social media looking for peace and help from God to overcome his weaknesses. We had a video call lesson with him this week and I was a little worried if he still had the same interest in our message because we had not been able to meet with him for a long time before. However, the Lord quite literally told me “O ye of little faith” because our friend proved my thoughts completely wrong. He started reading the Book of Mormon and shared how he has seen a drastic change in his life, the lives of the people closest to him, and in his desires ever since he started talking with us and even more when he started reading the Book of Mormon. His testimony was one of the most sincere and humble testimonies I have ever heard.

I know this gospel is true and the Book of Mormon has power. I can't go one single day without reading it and I hope to become more like my Savior with every single page.

With so much love,

Élder Snyder

Jan Pedro

This is an actual human not a doll

Bug Storm

Food

My recent convert, Darwin, is gonna serve a mission!!

Teaching Yuk Shan

Week 50: Hope of Israel

In honor of Inside Out 2 coming out (I want to see it so badly), life decided to cause us to experience every emotion possible this week!

But for real, this week was incredible. 

We started out with Leadership Council and it was lit seeing a bunch of good friends (I miss you Elder Evanson) but also I learned so much from President McClellan. Basically, I received a lot of guidance and motivation to do a lot more to complete my responsibilities and just give more to the Lord. I have been a lot more tired and a little more stressed this week but wow I have seen an unreal change.

Had exchanges with the APs and I went with Elder Gailey to his area and it was so fun. Completely different terrain (hills and dirt roads) but such a fun energy and a bunch of youth from the ward walked around teaching with us. Almost every lesson fell through but we ended the night teaching a catholic family all about temples and they were so interested! I then witnessed Elder Perry capture a possum in front of the mission office as a mega storm started to POUND down on us. Proud son moment. 🥹✊️

We had interviews with President in his house which is always awesome and it was really cool just to analyze the zone and how we can work to help lift up everyone. 

Big sad news. We don't know the reason, but Sheyla texted us and told us that she no longer has the desire to be baptized now nor in the future and that she no longer will receive us. A very sad moment for someone who has had such powerful experiences with the Spirit and such a strong desire to be baptized and serve a mission, but I know that she will not forget what she has felt and that the Lord will continue to work with her. 

Yuk Shan, our friend with an upcoming baptismal date, is struggling so much to stop drinking coffee but she is doing it! She actually stopped drinking it BEFORE we taught the Word of Wisdom because she is just a baller like that. Please pray for her that she will continue to be strong and overcome each temptation!

Yesterday, we did an activity with some of the youth in the ward and these kids impressed me. We set up a table in front of the church with lemonade, cookies, teaching pamphlets, and copies of the Book of Mormon and we talked with every person that passed by. These kids fearlessly approached countless people and shared simple testimonies and the light of Christ and we were able to receive a lot of contacts from a lot of interested people! Being completely honest, this is something I could have never done at 14 years old and seeing these youth (all of which are converts to the church) do it with so much enthusiasm really showed me how important the gospel is in their lives. They truly are the Hope of Israel here in Honduras. It humbled me and opened my eyes to the importance of the work we are doing as missionaries. I am really excited to start teaching these people but a little scared where we will find the time to do it! (A problem every missionary secretly wants).

Stuff:

---Ran back to the house on multiple occasions to make it home in time.

---Had stake conference and President McClellan dropped absolute bars on missionary work and how the members need to use the topic of the temple to share the gospel.

---Played basketball which was lit

We had a lesson with a man that Elder Dávila and I contacted over a month ago that will be hard to forget. The man is 60 years old and veryyyy stubborn, however very faithful at the same time. Most of the lesson was him doubting what we were saying and a little bit contentious, but once we opened up the Book of Mormon and read a whole chapter together, everything changed. He felt the Spirit and he saw the goodness of the Gospel that is in that book of scripture. At the end of the lesson he said, “it is hard to believe the whole story of Joseph Smith, but denying it would be denying the expanse of the power of God. There is nothing wrong with this book. I will come to church to see if what you're teaching is true, and I will bring my son with me.” This was a very humbling moment for me. My words are not enough. The scriptures will ALWAYS have more power to change hearts– to convert hearts. Yours and mine included. Pray for Jamil that he will feel peace in church and allow his heart to be softened to be receptive to the Spirit.

What I learned this week is that I have grown to love being humbled by my God. It is the greatest evidence that He loves me.

With so much love,

Élder Snyder

Week 49: Storms and Explosions

Hola my people

This week was lit. Elder Dávila got snatched from me after one very fast transfer to become the next Assistant to President so I got shipped out to the area next door, Villas Mckay, for the first few days of the week. It was really fun being in a trio and fun to serve in a different area but I was ready to get back to work in Jardines.

On Thursday, I got my new companion! His name is Elder Mercado from Bolivia with 18 months in the mission and it has been awesome getting to learn from him.

Yuk Shan, one of our friends that has the best questions of curiosity ever, accepted to prepare herself to be baptized on the 28th of this month! She still has a long way to go so please pray for her so that her testimony can continue to grow!

Carlos got permission from his mom to be baptized! This kid is so mature and he has a brain that thinks. He is motivated to be ready and prepared for his baptism so please keep him in your prayers so he can come to church!

Sheyla is progressing little by little but still needs many prayers to be able to have the courage to tell her very catholic parents that she wants to be baptized. I know the day will come when she makes her first covenant with God!

Other things:

---It finally rained! Out of nowhere a super strong gust of COLD wind hit us and we were like “what😮” and within 5 seconds, MEGA rain drops started pelting us and we were immediately drenched. We sprinted to find refuge with a member that lived a few blocks away and then the power went out🥳

---The power was out in church which made for a last-minute, modified, and very hot Sacrament Meeting. One teenager we contacted and taught super briefly a couple weeks back showed up which was a miracle and he seemed to like it! We will see how things play out with him.

---Had one of the most spiritual lessons of my mission with some members in Villas Mckay.

---The studies were popping off this week.

---Saw (and heard) a telephone pole explode right next to us👌

This week, we visited the Bishop's house and he started talking about his mission. He ended up pulling out his photo album full of nostalgic film photos from his mission in the mountain pueblos of Guatemala. His mission was very rugged but in every picture I could see the most genuine smiles on every face. This got me thinking. The Gospel is the only true source of joy. When we simplify our lives, focus on our covenants, and live for Him, it is so easy to enjoy this life. Bad days are inevitable, but bad attitudes are a choice. Mosiah 4:11-12. Simplify, strive, and smile and you'll find Christ. 

Love you guys!

Élder Snyder

I know I send a lot of pictures of the temple but Heavenly Father put on a SHOW with the clouds the other day!

Week 48: Months of Miracles loading...

Darwin and Alejandro

 Hi,  I hope all is well. All is well out here in Honduras.

The dates for the open house and dedication of the temple were announced! September and October will be months of miracles here in San Pedro. It's a little sad to know I probably will no longer be so close to the temple in these months but I am so excited for all of the faithful members and converts here!

Food: we ate a lot of food this week. On Monday we had dinner with brother Richards who came back to tie up some loose ends on the temple and I almost ALMOST ate a literal mountain of ice cream. I couldn't think about ice cream for a few days after. Brother Richards had half of the ward over again on Thursday and I ate about 6 chicken burritos. Friday a member bought us pizza calzones. And yesterday we ate 2 monstrous plates of pasta with another member. We fasted this weekend as well and now I am realizing why I never really got hungry during our fast😅

This week, we did 2 exchanges and they were super fun. I loved being able to learn from each Elder and how I can continue to improve.

This week a lot of good friends of mine in the mission finish their missions and it is weird that now my generation will be old.

We have some friends who are really progressing well but we are still in need of miracles to help them grow their testimonies. Prayers for Sheyla, Yuk Shan, and Henry would be sooo appreciated.

Darwin prepared the Sacrament on Sunday and he was so excited to be participating in this sacred ordinances. This Sunday was really special for me because I saw Darwin and Alejandro preparing the Sacrament, Alan and Francis passing the Sacrament, and Mario blessing the Sacrament. Participating in the administration of this ordinance in my home ward as a youth helped my testimony grow so much, and being able to see these people who I watched find and accept the gospel do the same as me is incredible. I can't wait for the Gospel to bless their lives for eternity. 

One of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon is Jacob 6:5. It reads, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts.”

I love this image. God cleaves unto us continually, and although it may be hard to recognize it, these expressions of love are in plain sight– or “the light of day”. The love of God is relentless and we must try our best to reciprocate that love. As a missionary or child of God, love is the answer to almost every stress, problem, or speed bump we hit. Love for the people, love for the scriptures, love for peace, and love for the Lord give us the motivation to choose the right and see more blessings in the clear light of day. I love the recent invitation of President Nelson to find “the one” and express the Love of Christ that they are in need of. May we all try to do so today and every day.

I love my mission and I hope to cleave unto my God with this love and become more like my Savior.

Élder Snyder

War!

Ice Cream!

Paris

Gadiel

BIG Dinner

El Cadillo

BIG Dinner continued...