Week 4 August 22-30, 2018

Hey Everybody,

BOY! have I been needing a PDAY, (16 days since last one).

Right after I emailed you guys, I walked into the room next door and found my companion Elder Motta, I started talking to him and felt like I just made the worst decision of my entire life. I understood less than 10 percent of what he said. I then found out he is from Brazil and actually speaks Portuguese, not Spanish, and I repeat not Spanish. This made me feel a little bit better to know I actually know some Spanish not Portuguese, but then I honestly felt like they made a mistake. BUUT, they didn't. Elder Motta is a hilarious 5'6, Brazilian with an awesome personality. He is easy going and super fun to be around! I'm super glad he is in my district and is My companion. He is hilarious, if anyone wears a floral tie he goes up to them and yells GAIII (because in Brazil only gay men wear floral ties, but 90% of the CCM wears floral), but funny enough he wanted one himself, so I traded him one haha (see pics). We communicate only in Spanish, pointing, and a lot of charades, I've gotten pretty good at it. So, watch out when I get back home.

 The first week of Latino District was horrible (okay not that bad) because it was a complete repeat of week one, just in Spanish. My new teachers are Hermana Madrigal and Hermana Garcia, I kind of miss my old teachers a lot still though.

My new district is

Elder Motta from Alajoas Brazil

Elder Reyes (same one) Cali

Elder Medina Cuautitlan Izcalli Mexico

Elder Cruz Pachuca México

Elder Cirne Puebla México

Hermana García Guatemala

and Hermana García Dominican Republic

It is really cool to meet all of these awesome people, I never realized how blessed our lives are in America. It is really awesome to see how our religion still has the same power in blessing every one of heavenly father's children in every tongue. I got called to be district leader again haha. So Elder Bednar talked to the CCM last Friday it was really awesome and spoke on how we must ask in faith and act in faith. It was a really awesome devotional and he described the Church as still restoring not restored. Also, keep an eye out for the temples to be announced in the upcoming general conference.

On Monday this past week, I had the awesome opportunity to give a blessing of comfort to one of the Hermanas in my district. it was in Spanish and I was super nervous, but after the blessing, she seemed to look calmer and the spirit was definitely there. it was a really awesome experience. Last night I was also asked to give a blessing to one of the elders because he woke up in the middle of the night and started dry heaving and felt awful we actually had to go and get the doctor it got so bad, it was a short blessing, but before it he could not sleep, and after he fell asleep an seemed to sleep really well. He felt well enough to go to the temple today and is feeling great now. I know that this gospel is true and that Heavenly Father does care about and protect us.

 The temple was absolutely amazing, I didn't lose my camera or name this time. It was cool to learn so many new things as well.

If you guys haven't studied Ether 12, I would encourage you to all do so it is an amazing chapter of the book of Mormon.

Over the last weekend I was really feeling the lack of being able to relax on p/day, the strain of 24-7 Spanish, memorizing 5 scriptures a day (what we are supposed to do and not what ends up happening) and being district leader. I was feeling pretty down on Monday and didn't feel much better until Tuesday when I had to give a BOM lesson in Spanish. Relying on ALMA 26 again, I taught the lesson and through it I came to realize that I had forgotten something. In verse 12 it says “my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. 12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast-of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever”. I realized that I forgot that I’m not on my own, that I have, and we have the Lord by our side with his hand stretch out waiting for us to take it, for in Him there is strength. I know that this church is true and that God Love each and every one of his children. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen. ☺

That has basically been the last few days, I have loved my time here. One more week of training I can't believe I am on week five already.

Love You All,

Elder Snow

Week 2.5 August 9-17

Hey Everybody,

This week has been crazy as well, haha! I guess I`ll just have to get used to it. 

The Elder I talked about last week went home on Thursday, we`ll definitely miss him. Because this made a trio in our district, three elders had to move to a casa instead of the apartments. the apartment we were in felt really lonely, so Elder Baker and I decided to go ask if we could move rooms. The Brother we talked to said no, but luckily changed his mind on the conditions that we both 1) perfectly recite the missionary purpose in Spanish (pronunciation and all) 2) the apartment was already cleaned and checked by cleaning staff 3) move so that we don`t interrupt class and 4) TELL NO ONE. Luckily, I was able to do it and say arrepentimiento correctly. We had to wait till Saturday to move though because the cleaning staff kept forgetting to report it. 

Okay so if you are super sick and have to leave on a mission (first of all don`t get sick and second don`t come), call the travel office and let them know because literally a third of the CCM 200 plus kids have gotten sick including 5/7 of my district. there is a quarantine section in the comedor (cafeteria)!  It started with Elder Reyes then moved to my comp then to me and then the rest of the district. I stayed in the casa from Saturday to Tuesday. It sucked, it made it hard to stay focused on the purpose of a mission and made me homesick. I am doing a lot better now and not feeling homesick even 5% as bad. On Friday night I was lucky enough to go to the doctor, who I think really didn`t want to work anymore especially after having a 150 plus kids come in just that day. He asked me about my symptoms and then told me in broken English that he was going to give me an injection, little did I know that it would be in my BUTT.  It was so bad, my companion stared at me the entire time and it was literally the worst. Haha well that happened yes. During my time being sick I drew on a white board in our casa and also studied Jesus the Christ it was great to learn about the premortal existence and how symbolic stars are. 

Because everyone has been sick. I have been companions with everyone in my district minus the Hermana’s. 

So sad news, since everyone in my district is at an intermediate level of Spanish, we all are switching over to the Latino district. So, district 14b will die soon we are all so sad but excited to learn more Spanish. 

This past week has been awesome. I had a really special meeting reading chapter 26 of Alma. Coming on the mission is exactly what I need to do! Being a district leader has taught me so much of Christ`s love for each and every one of his children. I know God loves each and every one of his children, that He loves us so much he would have His Only Begotten Son suffer for each and every single one of our sins, in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen. 

FUNNY: Today we went to get visas, and a sister from my district totally got left behind for four hours hahahhahhah oops we all thought she was in the van. 

LOVE YOU ALL,

ELDER SNOW