Hola gente
This past week was a grind but we are still going strong. This week, I start my last transfer of my mission and it's hard to wrap my head around but we're just gonna give it everything and see what happens!
I learned a lot this week. A lot about patience, a lot about love, and A LOT about how the Lord still needs me to improve in these things. I learned a lot about patience from the example of my companion. We met with a very inactive, very old man. I was thinking of what we could share to try and get references or get him to church this Sunday but then Elder Rosales wanted to teach him about faith and prayer. Two simple things that this man had forgotten, two simple things that will change his life forever in the long term. I learned from my companion the importance of having patience for the long term needs and to have patience to start with the basics.
We then proceeded to visit a family that had just recently lost their 5 year-old child. We read Moroni 8 with them and I will never forget the face of the little boy’s uncle. Just a pure, content, and full smile, slightly tears eyes, and pure excitement as he said "We are going to see him again!” This gospel is beautiful and really is the answer.
We taught a super old lady the Word of Wisdom and she immediately stood up, went to the stove, and poured her huge pot of coffee right down the drain. She then proceeded to give us juice which was delicious. However, I saw her go make us more and used water from the tap (not safe) and we politely declined the next glass.
I learned many lessons on love through service. This week, we had the opportunity to do a lot of service and get a lot of blisters and it was just awesome. Being totally honest, I don't consider myself very service-oriented and I often think “we could be contacting new people right now or teaching one of our progressing friends a lesson”. This week, my mindset changed. We helped build a fence for the grandmother of a service missionary in our ward. Recently, burglars have been breaking into her house because her fence was broken. I will never forget the sincerity behind her words of thanks.
The ward that I am serving in currently has a lot of internal problems with drama and gossip and judging and it has been a little difficult at times. This week, I learned and hope to never forget that the best way to show that we really believe in the Atonement of Christ is by forgiving others, doing everything we can to love all and help all progress, and trusting that God will administer a perfect judgment to bless all those who have done their best to forgive and love others. 6 more weeks to try and improve in these things as a missionary. A lifetime more to keep learning and improving.
Hope everyone is doing great and your prayers for Heydi and Maria who will be getting baptized this week will be very much appreciated!!
With so much love,
Élder Snyder
Also, the mission exterminator sprayed down our house this week and "killed" me and Evanson ✊️😌
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