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