WEEK 53 : ONE BAPTISM TURNED INTO FOUR

  Hello everyone.  I hope you all had a good week.  This week I am short on time so I will try to focus on the best parts of the week.

    So last Tuesday we were teaching and 3 people came out of the woodwork that are ready to be baptized next week.  We were planning on 1 but now 4 are ready, it was truly a miracle that we are thankful for.   We were leaving some investigators and it was dark and we were far away and were going to have to hike, but then a tricycle came at just the right moment.  The Lord provides.

    On Wednesday we were on fire, we taught a ton!   We had great lessons.   We had a cool experience of being guided to the right place.  We were looking for an investigators house and didn't know where it was and walked past this street then  all of a sudden I stopped and was like,” lets go down this street”  and it was right where he lived, so cool.   We found this great family but in simple words: sometimes you get punted just because the Lord needs to send you somewhere else.  Comparing that to regular life, sometimes things don't work out because the Lord has a bigger and better plan for you.  Endure to the end.

   On Thursday  we had this investigator start reading the Book of Mormon for the first time and it makes her fight less with her husband and is happier when those words are running through her  head.  The book of Mormon is powerful.

  Friday we met someone named Alma and found a ton of investigators.  It was a great day. 

  Saturday we worked in our kabahays area in the morning. Me and elder Forsberg taught this fire lesson to a less active about repentance and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I felt the spirit so strong and was so happy to be able to help her understand better.  Such a happy lesson.  We then had a baptism in the afternoon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was awesome.  She was the daughter of a member that we baptized in June.  So happy to see her follow her mom.  It’s been great teaching her and I can truly see the change in her.  The ocean was warm and the rain was pouring and it stopped when we went out to baptize.  The same thing happened at her mom’s baptism.   There were floods everywhere so I had to wear my crocs to work.  It was fun.

  On Sunday that less active we taught came to church!!!!! (less active in our kabahays area).   We were  so happy and she was welcomed by the members.  We need to look around and find the people we can bring back.  I confirmed the person that was baptized on Saturday,   it was very spiritual.  Confirming is just as cool as baptizing.   The spirit is so strong in Mamburao during sacrament, my favorite part.   It was a great week,  and looking forward to another great week.

Elder Snyder

ONE YEAR

Rainy Baptism

We are here to conquer 

WEEK 52 : ONE YEAR !! WHERE DID THE TIME GO ?

   Last Tuesday was my dad’s birthday so shout out to Brian Snyder for being awesome.  Last Tuesday we traveled back from Manila.  We had to wake up early to drive and catch the boat.  We were so tired but we saw a ton of dolphins jumping in and out of the water, it was pretty cool. 

   On Wednesday we taught and found people and also got punted from homes, it was pretty normal.  We have many good investigators and are always trying to find the ones that Heavenly Father has prepared.

   On Thursday we reviewd the baptismal interview questions with an investigator.  She’s so ready to be baptized, I'm excited for her.   We taught another investiagtor that will be baptized later this month, she is so smart. haha  She thought coffee was ok if it was white coffee,  but now she knows and wont drink it anymore. 

   On Friday we had zone conference. It was so spiritual. I learned so much, the spirit was so strong. I felt peaceful and happy. Heavenly Father gives us just what we need through the spirit. He answers our questions and helps us keep going.  I was wondering many things and I learned what I needed to at zone conference and had questions answered.  My advice to everyone is just to trust in the Lords timing and to always sustain leaders, they ARE called of God and are entitled to revelation. Trust in the Lord always.  There was also a 6.1 earthquake in a place called Batangas but we were in a place called San Jose and barely felt it.  Pretty sketchy.

   On Saturday I had exchanges with our Kabahays. I stayed in their area.  We were riding bikes and my companion I almost crashed into each other.  I was following behind and had to slam on the front brake and I went up almost vertical.  All of a sudden my agility(ninja skills) went up to a new level and I was able to control and jump off in the air and land still holding the bike right next to my crashed companion.  I would have ran him over and crashed into him.  He got the worse of it.  He hit the ground hard, bike rolled over him and he got beat up.  Nothing broken though,  he'll be fine.  I saw that he had landed on the side of the road but his bike was still in the road so I moved it and then like 5 seconds later a huge truck came flying by.  So many little things happened and we felt protected despite the crash.  it was a  cool experience.   Also in their area I saw a duck farm which was pretty cool.   Our investigator passed her interview with flying colors.  

   On Sunday we had a great day.  Some missionaries that served here in our mission came back and our misson president was still here.  Our sacrament in Mamburao was awesome.  The area is really progressing and the members are stepping up.  They’re coming in white shirts and ties now and they all look good.   Some recent converts spoke for the first time and they did a great job.   Members received callings and the recent converts are studs at the sacrament.  It’s like they grew up in a ward.  We had so many people, we ran out of cups and had to refill the trays.   The missionaries that came back cried becasue they remember when there was not a single member there.   I remember when only one or two would come to church but now there’s 36 attending not including missionaries,  it’s amazing.  So blessed and thankful to serve here.  I felt the spirit so strong during our rest hymn of “ I am a child of God,”  it was incredible.  We really are His children and He loves each one of us so much. 

  It was a great week.  I hope you all have a great week.  Please read 2 nephi 31.  Press forward feasting upon the words of Christ.  love you all.

Elder Snyder

WEEK 51: THEY OFFERED US DOG / HANGING BY HIND LEGS

     Hello everyone.  We had a good week.

  So on Monday we went on splits with our kabahays and I went with elder Forsberg to work.  We taught a Christian spiritualist by candlelight and he seemed like he had taken some type of drugs.  It was a weird lesson and very interesting.  He kept questioning us and we would testify and teach truths and he didn't want it. haha funny guy.   There was a van last week that was going so fast and it was raining that we actually drifted a little bit on a corner.  Reminded me of the movies , Fast and Furious, it was cool.

    Tuesday, it hit me that it’s August and the time is going so fast, it’s crazy.   My companion and I are assigned right in a bayan(town) that’s on the beach and there’s a ton of fishermen, they’re so chill.  We need to share Matthew 4:19 with them haha.  There’s so many good people there and we found many good people. Filipino’s are the best!

   Wednesday we dedicated a grave with the senior couple, the Hatches.   It was a cool experience and that we know the plan of salvation and how much God loves us.  This family that just had the death is so awesome, their testimonies are still strong.  The plan of salvation is awesome.  We had a great finding day.  We found many new people that we have really high hopes for.  The Lord prepares people.  Halimbawa, (example) last week we were walking and I saw this kid about 17 and felt we needed to talk to him.   His dad was there and talked and secured a return appointment.    Wednesday was the appointment and they actually remembered and the whole family was there.  It was so awesome!  We have high hopes for them.  The work can't be done without the Spirit.  We taught the Word of Wisdom to some investigators (a family) and then the 13 year old said the closing prayer and he basically said in his prayer, "please help us to live the word of wisdom even though we don't want to" haha it was so funny but they’re an awesome family.

  Thursday we taught this investigator that used to be shy but is now less shy and is starting to progress and we are excited for her.   We also have some investigators that are awesome and the lessons are always so spiritual.  They didn't accept the baptismal date which was sad but I can see the Lord preparing them and the Spirit is working on them.  There’s a right time for everyone.    We taught and shared 1 Nephi 7:16-18 and it was straight fire.  The spirit was there and I learned so much. Sometimes we feel bound, but if we act in faith, God will grant us the strength to burst the bands that bind us and they will be loosened. Nephi is awesome and I learn a lot from his words.  

   Friday was pretty normal.   We are always helping recent converts and investigators because the area is so new, but its really progressing.   We taught this lesson and then they offered us dog.  They had killed it earlier and it was hanging by its hind legs and being cooked.  They would have given it to us but it wasn't done cooking, haha.  It’s crazy here.   We found a man that was a member a long time ago and has made huge changes in his life.  Really cool to see how the Lord doesn't forget about people and He loves us all so much and has a perfect plan. 

   On  Saturday we had another FHE with some recent converts and it was a success.  It really helped investigators and recent converts.  There is power in FHE and I encourage all people that are not doing it to start doing it.  It is inspired and will really help solve so many problems the family faces.  It doesn't have to be fancy. FHE is so cool. 

   On Sunday we went to church and it was great and then 3 of us from my batch (batch means you went into the mtc at the same time) had to go to Manila to get our Filipino drivers license.  They have every missionary get it, but you have to get it in a certain amount of time from when you arrive so your foreign one is still valid.   So we rode up with the senior couple, caught a bus and got in at midnight and are now in Manila for P- day which is fun because we can eat Mickey D’s  and do stuff that’s not on Mindoro.  We're excited and even more excited to go back to our areas tomorrow morning.  It has been interesting the last couple of couple of days,  but we now have our licenses for the Philippines which is pretty cool.  It was a good week.  This is such a rough summary and we had so many miracles and tender mercies happen, there’s just not enough time to say it all. I'm so thankful to be here and hope you all have a great week.

Elder Snyder

WEEK 50 : GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS

 Hello everyone. This email will be short.  Will send a better one next week.  

  This week was good. We stayed in the "hotel" again and were able to get some really good work done. Found some really good people and worked hard.  We have many good investigators that we are helping and many potential investigators that we have high hopes for.  I'm so excited to still be in this area and all the tender mercies we see.  

   I really admire the new members here and their faith.  They are great examples.   We had a great lesson this week teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It was so spiritual and great to teach.  The Gospel is simple. We shouldn't try to complicate it or think we know more than God.  Read 2 Nephi 9:28-29.  God knows all and we should not doubt Him. Trust in Him and He will direct your paths and guide you. Do the small things and that will help you.  Remember that God answers all prayers, but sometimes He needs us to prove that we truly want the answer.  The witness doesn’t come until after the trial of our faith.  He will test us and prove us worthy and then the blessings of heaven will pour down upon us.  I’m grateful for the fullness of the gospel that has been restored.   Remember that if you have a problem, we can find the answers in the gospel,  turn to your Savior, He will help you, He loves us.  I know that our Savior directs this work and is personally leading His church through a prophet. I know Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet and that he holds all the keys of the priesthood. We should all go to the temple where sacred ordinances are done so we can help ourselves recieve answers and help others.  Going to the temple is one of the best ways to draw closer to God and recieve answers to our prayers.  Hope you all have a good week.   Love you all. 

Elder Snyder

P.S. right after the picture on the beach the water rushed up and went all in my shoes and soaked me haha