Week 20: FELIZ NAVIDAD!

I think this is my favorite picture in the mission so far...Me and Javiera with the snow machine AND the random old guy who totally photobombed our picture!! haha!

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!

I love Christmas in Chile! All the houses are decorated and I've made Christmas cookies and sang lots of Christmas hymns! We spent the whole week inviting anyone and everyone to sacrament meeting for the special Christmas meeting. A bunch of menos activos went and a whole family that we invited went that has been inactive for about a year. A lot of members invited their friends and all my recent converts went too! It was a great Sunday!

Last night there was a Christmas concert in the stake and let me tell you, the stake of Villa Alemana is INSANELY talented!! It wasn't like the Christmas concerts in our stake. There was like a full on stage with lights, a snow machine (that was bubbles)  and live instruments! It was so so so good. A bunch of primary kids sang and then the youth choir sang. There was no adult choir just the youth. But seriously all the songs gave me chills. The youth here have literally some of the best voices I've ever heard! 

Also on tuesday, we had zone conference! It was way fun because we brought p-day clothes and played a bunch of games like relay races and human foosball. After we sang a bunch of hymns which was awesome because singing Christmas hymns is like my favorite way to feel the Christmas spirit. I got to see so many of my friends from the mission and it really gave me the encouragement I needed for this week.

As far as the work goes, it was pretty slow. We are struggling to find new people to teach. All of the appointments fell through and we spent everyday walking and contacting. But that's just how it goes on the mission! There are some good weeks and some slower weeks but I have faith we are going to find some awesome people!

I love you guys I can't wait to skype tomorrow!! I love you all with my whole heart!! talk to you tomorrow!

Hermana Snyder

Alejandro is moving and this was probably the last time I am ever going to see him and he gave me this box of chocolates. He's the best and he genuinely thanked me for teaching him the gospel. 

At our Christmas Zone Conference. So fun to see old friends.

Week 19: MARCELA SE BAUTIZÒ

Marcela's Baptism

Hola Familia!! Feliz Navidad!!

Wow so much happened this week!! We had cambios and I had to say goodbye to my little Brazilian trainer! I actually miss her a lot!! My new companion is very different. haha! Her name is Hermana Ash and she is a gringa!! We talk a little too much in English haha. She is from Kansas and plays lacrosse for BYU. She has a year in the mission and she is a super hard worker! Really diligent and SUPER strict. I'm still getting used to that cuz Hermana Wurdel was a little more relaxed. But she is super cute and I think we are going to have a great transfer together!! 

Ok, but Marcela was baptized!! We went to fill up the font and it was draining from a previous baptism so we had to fill it up again, but before we did that we had to clean it because there were literally dead spiders floating everywhere in the water. So I got in there and cleaned out the font with the water in it haha! The baptism was so cute and so many members came! Her daughters were really happy and so was she! 

Right after the baptism was the ward Christmas party and it was a concert on the soccer court outside! It was so fun and this ward is sooooo musically talented! I took videos so hopefully, they send. Two sisters asked me to play "Oh Holy Night" for them like right before they sang. I had about 5 minutes to practice a whole arrangement and then play it in front of the whole ward!!! It was so crazy but it turned out ok. I improvised and simplified the left hand a little bit. haha. After we ate a bunch of treats that the members made and it was so so fun. Marcela and her whole family were there and the ward has been so good with welcoming them!!

Also, the other day, a couple from the ward came to our house and weeded our whole yard while we were gone! Our yard is super ugly with all the weeds and we got home at 9:30 pm and they were just finishing up! I almost started crying, I was so grateful! The members here are literally so full of love and such good examples of Christlike service. They are truly an inspiration to me. 

I can't wait for Christmas and to skype with you guys, I miss you so much and hope you're all doing great!! The church is true and although its really hard, I love being out here in Chile on the mission! 

Love Hermana Snyder

Cleaning the spiders out of the font!! 

At the ward Christmas party right after the baptism!

Anggie and Camila...love these girls!

Camila smashed a cupcake in her mom's face and said "Happy Baptism!" haha!

Week 18: Graduation, Transfers and an Earthquake!!

Hola Familia!!! 

I FINISHED MY TRAINING!! 12 WEEKS!! For cambios, I'm staying in my sector and Hermana Wurdel is leaving. Its a little bittersweet. I'm gonna miss her but I'm excited to see who is my new companion!! Now I have to lead the sector, so let's see how that goes. 

So this week I got a call from Salt Lake inviting me and my companion and some other missionaries from our zone for an interview about the church and missionary work in Chile. We went with another pair of sisters and 4 other elders. We went to this fancy hotel in Viña where they served us a super fancy lunch and asked us questions about missionaries and what we think we can improve. The coolest part was that in the middle of the interview there was an earthquake and we were on the 13th floor of the building. It lasted for like 30 seconds and all the pictures on the walls were shaking and the glasses and it was actually super cool. 

This week we met a really interesting guy named Cristian. When we first met him, he said he didn't believe in God or anything that he can't see but he invited us to stop by the next day anyway. We taught him and gave him a book of Mormon and he said he would read the whole book to know if it was true! The next appointment he had read 5 chapters and told us he prayed every single day since the first visit. He told us he believes in God now and he seems to really be searching for the truth. He didn't come to church which was sad and later told us it was because he was just tired. Also, he smokes marijuana for "medical purposes." He's gonna take a lot of work, but I think he has some intention.

Marcela (Anggie andCamila's mom) accepted to be baptized!! Her boyfriend from Concepcion broke up with her and even though she is sad about that she told us she wants to be baptized for herself and not for him. We aren't sure when, but she is going to be baptized hopefully this week or next week!! 

We had a family home evening/ going away party for Hermana Wurdel with all of her converts! All of the kids in the picture are converts from this year and 5 of them are from Hermana Wurdel!! We decorated Christmas cookies and watched all the light the world videos it was so fun.

None of our investigators or recent converts came to church last Sunday and at first, I was so frustrated and discouraged but its fine because Anggie was confirmed that Sunday! There is always something good to look for in each day! 

The mission is so hard and so frustrating sometimes, but there are little miracles every single day! I love my ward and all the people I've met!

Things that are just things:

• The Christmas tree in the church here makes the tree in our chapel look like a twig. It is HUGE and so beautiful! 
• Chileans love love love Christmas (who doesn't) and its basically the same here as at home. The same decorations, same songs, everyone makes Christmas cookies.
• The shower in our house is either 23,439 degrees or frozen. there is no in between
• I can almost understand everything our ward mission leader says!!

I love you all so so so much and miss you guys a lot and a year and a half still seems like a really long time to me. It's so hard not to think about how much time I have left because I know that's not going to help me. But I'm going to keep going!!  I already have 4 months!

I'm so excited that Christmas is so close. I can't wait to Skype!!! 2 semanas!

Love,

Hermana Snyder

With Javiera...She joined the church a few months ago and she helps us so much. She is awesome!

At the fancy hotel in Viña del Mar

Going away party for Hermana Wurdel

Marcela made this empanada for me and Hermana Wurdel made the sign to celebrate my 4 months in the mission! 

Week 17: Camila and Anggie's Baptism

Anggie and Camila (middle) The sweetest girls ever!

Hola Familia!!

Anggie and Camila were baptized!! It was soooo sweet and they are both so cute. Earlier in the week Hermana Wurdel and I each gave them one of our dresses because they don't have any to wear, and we wanted them to have a new dress to wear to their baptism and when they go to church. They showed up in their dresses and they were so excited!

We had the baptism Saturday morning because that is the only time Anggie didn't have to work. We were stressed that no one would come because it is so hard to get members to wake up and come to a baptism Saturday morning. The day before we spent the whole day committing members to come and so many people showed up!! The night before we stayed up so late baking for the little party afterward. Hermana Wurdel made cake from Brazil and I made brownies from the box. haha! (But they were so good all the members were so impressed because Chileans never make brownies) A ton of the members also brought food. 

I played the piano and Hermana Wurdel and I sang "Peace in Christ" and Camila started crying after the song. It was so so sweet! Camila and Anggie are so special. They have so much faith and Camila actually said she is sad that church is only on Sunday because she wants to go more haha😁

Today we had a zone activity! We made tacos and then played the game where you tie balloons to your ankles and have to pop each other's balloons. What's more is the balloons were filled with flour and towards the end it was just a big balloon popping flour fight and now I'm covered in flour sitting writing in the cyber. haha. 

Christmas is really big in Chile. There are so many houses with a bunch of lights and decorations. I'll take some pictures and send them next week! In all the stores there is always Christmas music (in English) playing. They also make this bread called pan de pascua and it's like a fruitcake. It's pretty good and we've eaten it like 213,489 times already. 

That's about it this week! I'm so happy to be a member of the church! I can't imagine my life without this gospel and this sense of hope we have. I am seeing first hand more and more people come to the knowledge of the truth and I believe that even though the world seems to be becoming more and more wicked, the good is growing just as rapidly! Whenever we meet people in the street that have lost hope and just talk about all the bad in the world, I always tell them that there is so much good too. As missionaries we are here to spread the good and to bring hope and peace to the people that have lost their hope. 

I love you guys. I hope everything is good at home and I miss you so much! I can't wait until Christmas to talk to you all! I know this church is true and that life is full of miracles!

Con mucho amor

Hermana Snyder

Camila and Anggie and their family

Week 16: Happy Thanksgiving from Chile

Eating Chilean Sushi during exchanges

Hola Familia!!

Wow, I missed you guys so much! Thanksgiving doesn't exist in Chile and I really missed all the family! I love you guys so much! 

I was able to have Thanksgiving though! A member from Hermana Wurdel's old sector invited us to her house with a bunch of other missionaries in that zone. They were all gringos and I was able to speak English and it was fantastic! We ate so much food and it was such a nice break haha. The only thing that sucks is that on the way home the car of the member broke down and we got home really late to the pension. The zone leaders were really mad and kind of chewed out Hermana Wurdel because she is the trainer and has the responsibility.

We had intercambios (exchanges) this week and I tried Chilean sushi! haha! It is made with chicken and is hot so I actually like it way better than normal sushi. haha! I'm not a big fan of raw cold fish. 

Anggie and Camila are being baptized this week!! Marcela still has to work out some issues, so she is going to postpone her baptism. 😑 But Anggie and Camila still want to be baptized! It was so so sweet. Camila last Saturday after we set the date was still unsure and said she didn't want to be baptized. She is really really studious and is always studying. She was having problems with feeling like she is never good enough in school. We talked to her and decided to pray. She said the sweetest most sincere prayer ever, and I started crying a little bit because I have seen her progress so much! The next day when we asked her the questions for the baptismal interview she answered the last question that says if you are ready to make this covenant she said "OF COURSE" in English hahaha. If everything works out they will get baptized this weekend and with a miracle their mom Marcela too! 

We started this new way of contacting where we actually invite people to be baptized as we are talking to them in the street! At first, it was so weird and I thought people were going to think we're crazy. Well, it is a bit crazy, but guess what? People actually say yes!! We found some awesome new people who were like "yeah I'll be baptized" haha! we'll see if they still want to after they hear the word of wisdom and the law of chastity. haha!😆

It is so so so so hot here in Chile! I am starting to get some pretty sweet tan lines. Its so weird everyone is putting up their Christmas decorations with snowflakes and snowmen but its like 200 degrees outside. 

Anyways I love and miss you guys so so much! 4 weeks until we skype! Pray for Anggie, Camila, and Marcela!

Con amor

Hermana Snyder

p.s. Our Thanksgiving dinner...Sorry, these pictures are super blurry. 

Week 15: Lots of Empanadas and Stress!

Hola!

This week Hermana Wurdel was sick so we stayed home for Wednesday and Thursday and I was so so BORED! It sucks staying in and not being able to work even though it was just for 2 days. I was able to write some letters though! I sent you guys some letters as my Christmas presents but I don't know if they will get to you in time for Christmas. I sure hope so! 

Today we had a zone activity and we played volleyball in the morning! It was really fun! Also, it is like 1000 degrees here! So so hot! It's so weird that Christmas here is in the summer. I'm gonna be a sweaty mess when we Skype haha. 

Thanksgiving sort of exists here. Some of the members know about it. Hermana Wurdel and I are going to visit a member in one of her old areas who is having a big dinner for all the missionaries. We got permission from the president and it should be really fun!! 

But this week was so so so so so stressful because Marcela needs to work out some family matters with her previous husband. Its all very complicated, but we are hoping she can work things out and still be ready for her baptism in 2 weeks.  Camila still doesn't want to be baptized so soon. She wants to believe so bad but still doesn't feel like she is converted. I told her that conversion is a process and that I'm not yet 100% converted and that we don't need to be 100% converted to be baptized. Basically, pray for a miracle because only with God's help can we make the baptism happen with Marcela and her daughters, Angie and Camila on November 30. 

Basically, my stress level is at 500% You know me and how I handle stress. I have been a wreck this week. I'm trying to just relax and put more trust in the Lord but it's so hard! I like to have control of everything!  haha!  I'm such a hypocrite because I said in my last letter to put our trust in God and right now I'm having trouble with that. I have been praying really really hard this week and I know I won't see a miracle without faith!! Ether 12!

haha! Also, we have been eating a lot of empanadas because Marcela is selling them to earn money. We have bought a few and she also has some ready for us everytime we visit which is practically every day. It's really awesome because we have gotten a lot of the members to buy empanadas from her! The ward has totally welcomed this family and the leaders in the ward this past week have been working so hard to help us! 

But I hope you guys have the best time in Utah! I miss you guys! Have a great Thanksgiving and say hi to Oma and Katie and everyone! I love them all so much and wish I could be with you guys this Thanksgiving! 

Con muchisimo amor

Hermana Snyder

Week 14: With Jesus Christ, we can find peace anywhere!

My Sisters from the CCM

Hola!

First of all, I'm so sorry for everything that has been going on in our little Thousand Oaks! I am so so so grateful you all are safe and that our house is ok, but I am definitely praying for all the people who may have been affected by all this crazy stuff. The first thing that came to my mind when I read about everything was that the second coming is closer than we think. I'm not sure why all this bad stuff happens, but I do know that God is mindful of us. Everything has a purpose and if we put our trust in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ we don't have anything to fear! We have a lot to be thankful for and we can find peace anywhere! I definitely learned that the first few weeks of my mission!

This week we had a zone conference in Vina! It was with a few other zones and I got to see all my friends from the CCM. They are all doing great and it was so fun to catch up with them. 

This week Hermana Wurdel and I helped Marcela make empanadas! She doesn't have a job right now so she is selling empanadas to try to make some money. We helped her and her family make them and afterward, we ate some too haha. It was fun. I'll have to teach you guys when I get home. 

We have a lot of faith in this little family! The baptism date is in 2 weeks but Marcela and her two daughters still need a lot of preparation. Camila (one of the daughters) still doesn't think she has a testimony. She told us she wants so bad to believe in God but she doesn't think she does. We read Alma 32 with her that says all you need is a desire to believe and with that desire your faith will grow! She definitely has that desire. She is so sweet! Please pray for her that she will develop that testimony and be able to be baptized!

That is all! I love you guys so so much! I am thinking and praying for you and for my hometown, Thousand Oaks, at this really difficult time. Just remember all that we have to be thankful for! Even with all this horrible stuff going on in the world, we can find peace in Christ! 

Con amor

Hermana Snyder

A few things that are just things:

• Marcelas son Patricio always calls me the gringa 😂 and always wants to show me his progression on the hole he is digging in the backyard. He wants to reach "el centro de la tierra" (the center of the earth.) haha! He is so so funny

• Hermana Wurdel has absolutely no sense of time and if you know me you know I hate being late. There are times when I have to practice a lot of patience with her. (we are almost always late for everything because she is always doing her makeup and it drives me up the wall) But I still love her (most of the time. hehe)

• Dogs are the worst!!

• I had a dream the other night that I'm going to be a trainer next cambio and Hermana Wurdel thinks its gonna happen. That would probably be the worst thing ever... oh my gosh.

With two of Marcela's children making Empanadas

Week 13: An Awesome New Family and a Chilean Halloween

These sister missionaries in my zone are so amazing. I love them all!

Hola Familia!!!

This week was so awesome!! We got a reference from some elders about a woman and we went to visit her on Wednesday. Her name is Marcela and she has 4 daughters and one son. She has a boyfriend who lives in Concepcion and is a member. She has been looking into the church and wants to get baptized! What's more is that one of her daughters received a Book of Mormon from a friend a few years ago. She has been reading it and wants to get baptized too!! We are working with her other daughters and hopefully they will want to learn more about the church too! The mom is Marcela and her daughters are Leslie (26) (she has downs syndrome and is one of the sweetest people I've ever met) Denise (20), Angie (19), Camila (16), and her 7-year-old son Patricio. Patricio always screams MISIONERAS MISIONERAS whenever we come to the door and he is always sooooo excited to see us. haha! We wish everyone had the same reaction when they see us. haha! But the whole family came to church (except Denise) and the ward received them with soo much love! They loved church! Camila and Angie want to do personal progress together and Hermana Wurdel and I are praying we can help them all get baptized together on November 18th! So pray really hard for Marcela and her family!! 

Anyways that was our miracle! I absolutely love this family with my whole heart. Camila always asks when we are going to come back and visit and she is like our best friend! 

This week we had basically a water balloon fight for our zone activity at the stake center. It started off as the game where you launch water balloons from towels, but it was so freaking hot that we just started chucking them at each other. It was so so fun! ALSO IM NOT THE NEWEST MISSIONARY IN MY ZONE ANYMORE! haha!  A new hermana just arrived from the CCM  and I tried to talk to her in English and it was actually kind of hard to speak in English haha!! 

Also, Halloween was fun. We were out contacting and so many people saw us and were like "haha! they are dressed as missionaries" Lol! No, we aren't dressed as missionaries we ARE missionaries! haha! We didn't get much work done, but it was fun to see all the kids all dressed up and trick or treating. Halloween is the same in Chile, but the kids say dulce o truco (sweet or trick)  instead of trick or treat. haha! 

But that was my week! Super awesome! I hope you guys have a great week! I love this work and I love being a missionary!

Con amor, Hermana Snyder

p.s. Here's a few things that are just things:

• No, we don't have AC in our apartment.
• We did a lot of running this week. Trying to get everyone to come to church and trying to make it to our appointments on time.
• It is really really hot and I got a gnarly sunburn on my neck.
• There is a truck in front of our apartment that beeps so loud every morning at 5 a.m.!!

Zone Activity

Papa John's for lunch with the sisters in my Zone.

Sunset from Alejandro's apartment

Week 12: ALEJANDRO SE BAUTIZÓ

Alejandro and his family

Hola Familia!! 

This week was so awesome! Alejandro was baptized! I really didn't think it was going to happen this week but he gained the courage to be baptized! Last Tuesday he told us he wasn't ready but he would call us if he decided to be baptized on Saturday (his baptismal date we set a month ago.) We knew from the first lesson, he was ready for this date. On Tuesday, we tried so hard to tell him all the blessings that come from baptism and how ready he is. He still was just really scared to take that step. But on Wednesday, we called him and kept trying to encourage him and still, he said he wasn't sure. Twenty minutes after we called him, we were in a lesson with a recent convert and he called us! Hermana Wurdel answered the phone and Alejandro said "What time on Saturday?" We were so so so happy and we both got a little teary because we knew Heavenly Father had finally given Alejandro the courage he needed! We cried and bore our testimonies to him over the phone and he told us how grateful he was for us. Awwww. He had his interview and the district leader said it was the best interview he has ever had. Alejandro is literally a modern, Chilean, Joseph Smith haha. He has been searching. He was baptized on Saturday and his family came! Hermana Wurdel and I sang "I Need Thee Every Hour" in Portugues, English, and Spanish. It was really special! He is seriously so amazing and has such a strong testimony! It inspires me. The next day he came to the broadcast of the Temple dedication!

It was soo cool to be able to watch a Temple Dedication! It was broadcasted in the stake center. It was for the Concepcion temple and I really felt the Spirit listening to the prophet speak the dedicatory prayer. (Alejandro was a little thrown off by the Hosanna white handkerchief thing and honestly so was I. haha. It was the first dedication for both of us and for most of the people there) But anyways it was so so cool. I know the church is true and that the temple is the house of God.  

Also, transfers are happening this Wednesday but I am staying here in Villa Alemana with Hermana Wurdel! I'm so happy because I literally never want to leave my sector Pena Blanca. The members are the best and we have so many people to teach! Also, Hermana Wurdel and I have gotten to be really good friends. We still have really different personalities, but I think our personalities balance each other out perfectly haha. 

My Spanish is getting a lot better! Last night we were teaching a family and I understood about 95% of what they were saying! Gift of Tongues is real! 

I absolutely love the mission! Seeing a baptism of someone who has been prepared by Heavenly Father definitely showed me why I am here! I am here to help bring others to Christ and even though this is the hardest work ever, it is so worth it!

Con mucho amor

Hermana Snyder

With Hermana Duran and Alejandro

A crazy hill that we had to hike...this picture doesn't do it justice. It was so so steep!!!

Dinner at Hermana Duran's home...she is an angel to us!

In front of our house where we live