Earthquakes and Ipads!

Lemonade stand in Vegas

It has been one crazy week! We had so many meetings and activities, that this week flew by. It wasn't a super successful week, but I am feeling so much happier. I realized that this is the Lord's work, and I am trying my best to help it progress. Heavenly Father knows this, so He will be with me every step of the way. All of the trials in my mission will just help me appreciate the amazing times more! I have already learned so much, and it is because I have had hard times. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to go through the refiner's fire. 

We had a mission-wide conference on Wednesday to talk about iPads!! We did not receive them, and we have no idea when we will actually get them. But, we learned a lot about how this is just another resource to help us be even better missionaries. Our purpose is not changing--only our tools are. One of our speakers was from the First Quorum of the 70, Elder Clarke. He said that if we let this, this will change our eternity and the eternities of our future families. It was amazing to me how that iPads were a revelation for our mission! 

Our district

We commited one of our investigators to baptism this week! He is amazing! He has so much faith. He has read the Bible, and loves it so much, so it amazes me that he has no issue with the Book of Mormon at all. He loves it as equally as the Bible. We set his baptism for the 20th of June, and have another one set for the 13th. So exciting!!!! Also, one of the kids of our investigator wants to get baptized when she turns 8. She has been reading the BOM all by herself! 

Another amazing experience! On Sunday, none of our investigators showed up for Sacrament Meeting. But, about 3/4 way through, one of our investigator comes walking in! I thought we were going to have to stop teaching him, but Heavenly Father knew we needed to keep trying with him! Then, just as he sits down, our member that came out to one of our lessons with him, gets up from where he is sitting with his family, and sits with him. I was about to cry I was so happy! The Lord KNOWS what we need in every moment!!!

In and Out Burger.  Yum!

So we did have an earthquake here! We were in district council when the building started to shake back and forth. It was scary, but besides a headache afterwards, we were good! 

Thank you for all of your prayers and support. I love and miss you all so much, but I know that the Lord wants and needs me here. The greatest joy comes from Missionary work, and I have felt that!! 

La Vida es Buena!

Doing Service!

This week has gone better! There was still the highs and lows, but we had an amazing Sunday that made everything worth it. The Lord knew what I needed and gave it to me yesterday. My energy for missionary work is back, thanks to the love that the Lord has for me and for His people.

So we had some fun experiences with our car this week. We had to get an oil change last Mon, and at Pep Boys they told us we had a coolant leak also. Since we are missionaries, we had to go through the Mission Office, and they told us to take it to the dealership the next day. It took about 2 1/2 hours to get that fixed on Tuesday. Around 5 pm that day, we heard a weird pop, and our car stopped accelerating. We pulled over to the side of the rode, and had to get our car towed back to the dealership. Apparently, someone didn't tighten the air intake valve. We luckily got our car back the next morning before all of our appointments.

We have an amazing investigator and we had an awesome lesson with him this week! He has been reading the Book of Mormon (BOM) by himself, and loves it! He thinks it is so interesting. Our lesson was about the BOM, and we were able to read a chapter with him. I am so excited that he is progressing so well. He has a very special spirit about him, and when he prayed to close the lesson, I could feel the power of the Spirit, and God's love for him.

So our amazing Sunday! We really wanted to go to this program called "Why I Believe", where recent converts share their testimonies. But for missionaries to go, they need a investigator with them. We obviously don't have any investigators in English, besides one investigator's kids. We asked them, but they couldn't come. But then, we got a text from a member, whose nonmember daughter (who speaks English) wanted to come. At that program, I heard exactly what I needed to, and I felt the Spirit so strong! Also, we got 3 new investigators!!! Its the parents and their daughter who are interested, and they are so nice. They had a lot of questions, but have strong desire to know more. The Lord is looking out for us!

Waiting for the car to get fixed.  Grrr!

I am SO grateful for all of your emails this week. I have been having a difficult time, but I am doing so much better now. I realized that this time is so short and so special, that I need to embrace it all. Heavenly Father has a plan for me and my mission. The only way it can go is up, and it already is. I love this gospel and the joy it brings! I love that I have the opportunity to share it with others!!

Trials and Blessings

Riding our bikes!

This week has been difficult. Almost all of our appointments cancelled on us. We tried to get members to come out with us, but they also would call us and cancel. Plus, no one was at their homes when we would go contacting, and there were hardly any people on the streets. The Lord was definitely testing us this week. I could feel the refiner's fire a bit.

I love to see the temple!

The lessons that we did have went pretty well. One of our investigators was supposed to get baptized on Saturday. He missed church the week before, and missed an appt of ours last week, so it wasn't possible. He also let us know that he has been having problems with the Word of Wisdom. But, we were able to set up a priesthood blessing for him, and since then he has been able to stay away from beer and coffee. During one of his lessons this week, I felt really prompted to say certain things. That is always a really neat experience because in those moments, my Spanish flows perfectly, and the words always come to me of what I need to say. One of the many reasons why I love being on a mission!

Another one of our investigators  has gone to church the required amount of times to get baptized so we just need to teach her the last two lessons. On Sunday, she was really sick and called to let us know that she wouldn't be coming. After she hung up the phone, she felt that she really needed to go. So she ended up coming to church. It was amazing! She has so much faith and I cannot wait for her to have the opportunity to be baptized!

Seeing an old friend at the temple

We had a small miracle on Saturday. After our awful week of no one being home, we knocked on the home of a man who usually doesn't have time to meet with the missionaries, but he had ten spare minutes to meet with us. We were able to teach a short lesson and set up a return appointment for Wednesday. He received our message really well, and I am so excited to teach him in a few days!

I was able to talk to my family this Sunday. It was so awesome to be able to see their faces and to hear their voices again! I am so happy for the knowledge that families can be together forever! My family has brought me so much happiness and is so supportive. Why would I not want to be with them forever?

Although this week has been difficult, it will all be worth it in the end. The Lord did bless us with small miracles here and there, and I know he will continue to bless our area if we keep working hard. Missionary work is amazing!

Second month, sick, and chivas

At the Temple

This week has been definitely interesting. My companion and I got sick last Saturday, and I felt better around Tuesday evening. But my compa did not feel well until the next Saturday. So we have been home bound for a whole week. I am definitely a little stir crazy at the moment. Yesterday we were finally able to do a full proselyting day, and it about killed us. We were exhausted!

President and Sister Snow

Today is my second month mark. It does not feel like it has been that long! Time is already flying by and I am just starting! It literally feels like I landed at the CCM a week ago. That is the sad things about the amazing parts of our lives--they always go fast!

Our investigators are progressing great! I love each of them so much, and it is amazing how the Lord has prepared them for this moment in their lives. Each of them is amazing, and I love that I get to know so many people so personally. I love being able to help them. The amazing thing about the gospel is that it has a solution for every problem in our lives. Every problem I have, I am able to turn to the Lord and ask for help. He always gives me the exact answer that I need. I love seeing that same principle in the lives of our investigators.

We got a new investigator yesterday. He is married and has two young sons. He wants to know as much as he can, and he wants his wife to be taught too! He is very receptive to the things we teach him, and I feel the Spirit so strong when I am around him. I believe that he and his family have been prepared by the Lord for us! It is such a crazy experience meeting someone who doesn't realize that what they have been looking for is the gospel!

Our less-active sister has been progressing super well. We give her a pamphlet, she reads it, and then tells us that she knows everything in it is true. We honestly do not have to teach her that much because she already has a super strong testimony of the church. Yes, she has questions, but she has no problem accepting the answers we give her. She is absolutely incredible!

Traveling with my compa

Crazy story of the week: We had dinner with a member on Wednesday. After dinner and our message, we got up to leave, but then she goes over to a pot on the stove and asks us a question. We didn't understand what she said, so she simply says "Corn?" and opens the pot to corn on the cob. We said of course, and then she proceeds to tell us that we need to put lime and chile on it. At first we both said no, but she kept pushing for the lime and chile. We gave in, and it was so delicious. As we are walking out with our corn, we pass by her gate and we hear some sort of animal. We both jump, and the Hermana says "Esta bien hermanas! Es solamente mi chiva! (It's ok Sisters, its only my goat!) We both felt like we had just stepped into Mexico!

Corn with chile & lime.... Yum!

I love this work, and I am so happy we are able to work again this week. I didn't realize how much I love missionary work until I wasn't able to do it. I love you all!