The WEDDING!

Dear Family and Friends,

So this week the one thing that I have always dreamed to experience on my mission is a wedding and thanks to Kira we were able to make this a very special day for sister Ely and her husband.  Ah!! so it was a little bit of a crazy day but we were able to get sister looking so beautiful and brother looked so stunning in his suit and then we went to the church.  we took pictures and they all looked so beautiful+guapo.  Then as the wedding commenced they were so happy and she was just glowing. it was more amazing to watch the look on her husband face as he watched his wife and son enter the waters of baptism and become clean.  I really enjoyed the feeling of seeing this family come together and since then I have seen the wife and the husband come together and the light come into their life.  Ah so worth it.  after we went and ate at their house and just had a great time.

then yesterday we had a some problems with our BGD's.  Reldon had some problems with his past that we need to fix and it was heart breaking to see him get so depressed to hear that he might not be baptized this coming week but I have not lost hope.  I know that he is ready and I know that he has repented.  I really feel like this is a test for him to test his faith in this church because it will be the best gift when it is hard to get.  then we went to our other baptismal goal date martin and we caught him smoking just a little and the minute he saw us he knew that he had done wrong.  so that was two blows in one night and I was tired.  my heart hurt and I didn't know what to do with myself to help these people.  I love this gospel and I know that it is true and i want everyone to feel the love of our savior like I feel it and to feel the way my family does and that their family can be that way too.  

I watch a movie the other day about President Monsons life and I got this overwhelming feeling of my Grandma Williams in our apartment and at that time I was really struggling trying to find my purpose again on the mission. we have been having problems with the area and with other things going on that I have kind of gotten lost.  well the moment I finished the movie I felt my saviors love again telling me it was ok that I knew that this is the way to true eternal happiness and then I got this overwhelming desire to go out and tell the whole world about this wonderful message.  I got this overwhelming desire to just take the blows and go forth with a smile on my face knowing that the lord would help us.  even though we didn't get a lot of lessons or this or that I came home happy that night knowing I did my best and gave my whole soul to the lord.  he has shown me great things in my life and I have seen my spirit grow by studying his word and trying to become like him.  I love my spare time studies in the new testament and I see the lords side on all the situations that he encounters and it is interesting to in some way be in his shoes without doing it in actual life.  

Well that is all I got for this week I want to thank Kira again for sending me those cloths they have gone to good use and to my family and friends that support me through all of this.  I love you all and will talk to you next week.

Love,

Sister Snow

Rough Week and Waiting

Dear Family and Friends

Well it has been a rough week but it has also been one of great discovery. on Tuesday we had Zone conference and this was the last zone conference we would have with president Querido, man I will miss him. he has been a great example and a has had a huge effect in my life.  we learned a lot about making our lesson 1 really effective so people understand and cannot deny the truth but there is still that agency factor in all of this.  we could give the best lesson one and have it perfect, but if their hearts are not in it then it will not happen.  the only thing we can do sometimes is give all we can to people and then know that we did our best and it is up to them.  like Jesus did for Judas, he gave him so many chances to choose the right path even up to the point when he went to kiss Jesus.  It was up to Judas to  change his mind and chose which way to go. it is sad to see and kind of feel how the savior feels for him as he goes throughout this process and it just shows that no matter who we are our heavenly father and Jesus Christ will give up as many chances as it takes to learn even up to the end.  

Well on that note, Reldon our investigator has been doing good.  he has found a stronger faith in the church and loves it.  I am so proud of him for choosing to become stronger because his situation could have easily become one to take him away from the church.  for those who don't know we came upon a problem and are waiting for a letter from the 1st presidency to let us know he is good to go on the baptism.  I have seen miracles that I never thought were possible but nothing is impossible with god.

last night we had a neat experience as well.  Martin Llamado also passed his interview and we went to teach him last night and had the opportunity to teach his little brother.  he is such an interesting 20 year old martin.  he really thinks about his family and is trying really hard to help them come to the gospel.  he sent us a text last night how grateful he was that we took the time to teach his little brother and his mom was touched by his prayer that he wants them all to be baptized.  Lino, the dad is working and has started again into cigarettes really strong and his anger level has gone up again.  martin was a little frustrated to see the opposite change happen but I know that his prayer will be answered one of these days.

that is it as far as missionary work goes here in Orion, trying our best to help the branch be strong and it is struggling a little but I know that the lord has plans.  I love this mission and I love this area.  I have learned so much and I know I have much more to learn.  Well I hope you all have a great week and I will talk to you next week.

Love Sister Snow

Awe the amazing Conversions

Dear Family and Friends,

So we had another baptism this week and I think that this is one of the first baptisms that I really feel like the people are converted to the gospel.  Rueben who is the one who did drugs was struggling at first but then you saw his countenance shine a little after he was confirmed and I know he still has a long road to go but he will stay strong and be a great member.  Then there is my all time favorite Rudy.  This guy is 71 and he was so excited to be baptized he did a fist pump as he walked out the door and just smiled all during church. Ah I just love that man.  

So I am not so great finding I really need to work on it but something amazing happened the other day.  We were going to one of our investigators in a tricycle and sister Pati-on started to talk to the driver.  We were then invited to come to his house and teach his son.  The next day we didn't have anyone to teach and his name came to mind so we decided to go teach him. he was a really nice guy and listened intently.  He seemed really interested and searching for the truth and we gave him a book of Mormon straight off.  Then when we went back he had read the assignment and prayed and was still searching for an answer.  We showed him the restoration video and it really seem to help him understand Joseph Smiths story.  Then the next time we went back (knowing that he had a word of wisdom problem and wanting to BGD him) we started off with teaching the plan of salvation.  that went well and then we asked him about being baptized and he said he wanted to.  so then sister Pati-on goals him for may 31.  WHAT!? we both knew he has a word of wisdom problem and she is goaling him for a month later when he needs to get rid of his kape and tea.  well I went with it and having faith knowing he wanted this we goaled him for it and then taught word of wisdom.  he was a little shocked but then we asked him "when are you going to start" he said tomorrow.  WOW! so then he came to church and just loved it.  he sent us a text later and said thank you I know now that the fruits of the spirit are love, hope, charity and a bunch of other stuff and said that he know that his heavenly father will help him with is problem.  the best part is we shared to him on Friday and he had not had a cup of kape or tea since or smoked.  I was so excited to see the conversion happen so fast.  it is amazing what you can do with the lords help.

Another investigator with a word of wisdom problem that we have been teaching for a while is finally down to 1-2 sticks and we wanted to goal him too for may 31 but then he came back and said that is too late can we do earlier.  so he wanted may 17 and if he has the motivation I know he can do it so we are looking forward to that in the next coming weeks. 

So that is all for this week nothing much happened but it was a great week and I am looking forward to improving some of my finding so we can help this area be more progressing.  that is one thing I have started to have a love for is changing because I know that that is when the lord helps us learn and become better.  I know that this work is important and more importantly is doing it with the spirit FOR the people and not anything else.   I love this work and I know there is nowhere else in the world I would rather be.  Thank you for your support and love until next week.

Sister Snow