Week 81: February 18-24, 2020 Surprises and Citas

 Hey Everyone,

We have been going pretty hard out here in Tulancingo! This week we were able to have about 20 lessons, which has been so nice since we had nothing when I first got here! 

On Thursday we had a super fun opportunity to go teach an official English class and I got to be the guest of Honor. They stuck me up at the front of the class and they asked me questions, my favorite one was: "are jew (you) single?" haha. They practiced introductions and found out really soon that my birthday was this next Tuesday. They finished off the class singing "Happy birthday," to me. It was super fun. 

Right before the class we received a phone call from one of our most progressing investigators, she told us she wouldn't be able to see us and better yet never again. We were taken aback, wondering what was going on. We finally had some time on Sunday so we passed by her work. She at 18 years old, had come home drunk and her parents blamed it on us. So they told her she couldn't meet with us. It was strange but we told her that Heavenly Father wanted her to be her best and act like his daughter. We hope to continue teaching her and helping her progress but because of this, we were finally able to meet her older sister, Ana, who has a strong desire to keep learning from us!

Earlier in the week a family from my old area, two hours away in Pachuca, called us with a reference of their family. saying that their family wanted us to come visit them this Saturday! I was super happy to be able to go teach the hermana's Sister. 

We were running a little late, so we called the future investigator who was coming to pick us up, it was a little strange but we jumped into their car and went to their house. When we got out of the car and went into the house all the lights went out! I was like oh no! I am going to be Kidnapped! The lights flickered back on and then off again and then back on and the family from Pachuca jumped up and started singing happy birthday! It was such a sweet surprise! I can't believe they came all the way up from Pachcua to come visit me! It was such an awesome surprise. They had brought cake, tomales, and of course jello! It was all super good, and brought to me exactly when I need it! I know Heavenly Father inspires people to go and do good, to strengthen and uplift people! If you are reading this go and serve the first person that comes to mind! It is from God! We were also able to teach the family a little bit too, In my last area I had invited this family to really dig deep and focus on the Book of Mormon. It was so sweet to hear their testimonies and how my invitation played a role in it! Read the Book of Mormon! it will bless you in so many ways. 

Love you all!

Elder Snow

Week 80: February 11-17, 2020 Christ and Chuckles

Hey Everyone

This week has been going super great! Now that me and my companion on the same page! We have gone from nothing to a fair sized pool of investigators and have two investigators with dates! We are super excited for Hermana Feliz  and Hermana Marcia! I know that the Lord is always with us and will always help us to continue forward through all trials and adversity. 

This past week and few cycles I have been really been digging into the Book of Mormon, in Spanish. This is my 10th time reading and it surprises me how much I can learn with each time I pass through.  It is such an amazing testament of our heavenly father's love which is Jesus Christ. On one of the pages I wrote Everything is about Jesus!! Truly everything we teach is based on him. That is why we promise to always remember him, that is why it is another testament of Jesus Christ, that is why we are called members of the  church of Jesus Christ, because of him, because of his sacrifice, love, and teachings, we have the potential to be better to become like God and return to the presence of our Heavenly Father as a family.

26 And we ^atalk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we ^bprophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our ^cchildren may know to what source they may look for a ^dremission of their sins. 29 And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and ^aworship him with all your ^bmight, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out.

 Truly if we trust in him, if we love him, and follow him, he will keep us, protect us and save us. I know that he loves us. Study the Book of Mormon gain a testimony of it and our savior. 

Funny story:

Yesterday while teaching an investigator who takes care of an elderly Hermana (94 years old), I was saying a prayer in my extra loud voice (because the hermana is half-deaf), and right as I said "Please bless the hermana with Health," she let out a huge burp. She is such a small lady and it was so powerful! jajaja We died of laughter but the hermana had no idea what was going on. She kept saying "why don't  you say Amen Louder?" This just made it even better hahaha. LOVE YOU ALL!

love, 

Elder Snow.

Week 79: February 4-10, 2020 Tulancingo Troubles

Hey Everyone

Wow! These past few weeks have been crazy!

 Honestly, since I came to my new area, I began to experience a lot of struggles with my companion and the work. In the area the entire last cycle with the past companionship they had found and had only one investigator. I soon came to know as well that my companion had no desire to be obedient. This became a rift in between our relationship. It grew worse and worse the way he began treating me because of my desire to be obedient. It was so frustrating because I truly wanted to work and have the area progress, but I felt like I had to drag my companion around everywhere. He became more and more bitter and I tried talking to him, several times, but he refused to respond. He even told me he was treating me badly because I didn't want to be disobedient. His last companion had allowed things that were not okay. Never before have I had a companion that resembled Laman and Lemuel so closely. I feel bad talking about him this way but I would like you to know the extent of the problems. Elder R. is currently waiting for his visa to go to the United States on his mission, thus this part of his mission does not "count." His attitude towards the work here in Mexico was honestly so sad. Things continued to escalate from last Monday. Apparently last Monday my companion told his family about the struggles that we have been having, and (lied) told them we had been getting in physical fights! This, as rightly should, alarmed his parents and they called an old-friend, who happens to be a counselor in our stake presidency. These false charges quickly reached our Mission president, and on Wednesday morning we received a phone call telling us to pack everything and come to the offices for emergency interviews. Ugh! I had literally just unpacked everything. haha  We got straight to packing everything and headed on a 2 hour bus ride to Pachuca! There we had to carry our luggage in the pouring rain and taxis splashed us with mud for about 1/2 a mile. It was not fun. 

When we got to the offices, president interviewed me and then my companion. I explained that we have not even that bad of discussions just how his poor attitude with the members and me caused problems. My companion continued to act in the same way through all the interviews and we told president it would be best to have changes. We finally left at 9pm to go to the assistants house and president told us that he would tell us his decision in the morning. It was so frustrating because I didn't really do anything mean or anything besides being obedient to deserve this behavior. After sitting and talking with Elder Millard for a while my companion came and talked to me, while I was washing their dishes. He surprisingly apologized to me for the way he had been acting. He told me he wanted to be better and that he had been a real jerk, but he wanted to keep helping the people here in Tulancingo we had found the past week. He didn't want his "stupid behavior," to come in the way of the Lords work. I cautiously accepted his apology and we set a goal, If president would let us, to continue together and work hard in Tulancingo. After a sweet prayer, and a spiritual witness of our Savior's love, we called our President and we told him of my companions change of heart and our desire to keep working together. He agreed it would be good to stay together and told us to head off to Tulancingo the next day. It has since been so much better.

Because we had left, the other Elders in our ward had come and ransacked our house! they thought we weren't coming back.  They broke in and stole our mattresses, bike and food. They stole my bread!! my bread! haha, we quickly went and reclaimed the stolen goods! As we did so when we unloaded everything from the van, my companion accidently left his bike outside and it got stolen! We have become a lot better of friends and truly seen Christ working through us and with us and have been able to visit several new investigators and we have received several great references this past weekend. Overall the past is in the past and I know that forgiveness is possible through Christ.

Awake, my child; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust.

The Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.

  I know that through Christ all things are possible and as we follow the Lord and trust in him, all things will be made right. No matter the difficulty we can feel his love and be encircled eternally in His Love.  

Love you all!

love,

Elder Snow