Week 29: One of the Hardest and Best weeks!

Balloons we got from a member for Valentine's Day! Yes, they celebrate it here in Chile too.

So this week was one of the hardest and best weeks of my whole mission.

Exactly a week ago we got a message from Karen that said, Hermanas after a lot of prayers and thought, I've decided not to get baptized but thank you for all your love and effort. We got that message riding back home on the bus and we both just felt our hearts sink to the floor. We sent her a message saying that we care a lot about her and want to visit with her the next day to find out what happened. She didn't respond to us for 2 WHOLE DAYS. I thought that she wanted nothing to do with the church and that she wanted to leave it altogether. That first night we got the message, I cried so much! I cried so much because I care so much about her. She is going through a hard time in her life right now and I know that the gospel is exactly what she needs right now! I know it will help her so much and it was so hard to see her reject it. We were finally able to see her on Thursday and she told us that she still doesn't feel 100 percent sure. She doesn't feel in her heart yet that this is the true church. She wants to keep trying though! She said she is going to keep reading the book of Mormon and keep praying and going to church! That was a HUGE relief! We had a really spiritual lesson with her and I know one day she is going to be baptized. It may not be this month or the next but we are going to do all we can to help her!

A miracle that happened this week is that we were able to find two families from Venezuela who are super receptive! There are a lot of immigrants from Venezuela here in Chile because things are so bad right now in that country. But Arreany and her mom (two people from one of the families) came to church yesterday! They both don't have jobs right now and are super worried, but the bishop talked to them about how he can help. I hope we can keep teaching them and help them spiritually while the bishop helps them financially. 

Another miracle is that Joel, the Haitiano that we are teaching, told us that he wants to get baptized and set an example for his wife and daughter! He said he knows he needs to fix a lot of things in his life and is willing to make changes to be a "man of God"!! He came to church yesterday all by himself with his little baby Joessie. She was in the cutest little white dress. He is so humble and so prepared by the Lord. I have a lot of faith in him!! 

This week started with a big disappointment, but ended with miracles and a lot of hope! Trust in the Lord's timing because everything is according to his will! We are teaching a lot of people here in Villa Dulce so please pray for them! 

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love Hermana Snyder

One night there was no one in the street so we took pictures on random exercise equipment. haha!

Week 28: Que Loco! More family phone calls! So exciting!

My district in Villa Dulce

Hola Familia!!

PARKER, THAT'S SO FREAKING AWESOME! ONE MORE COUGAR IN THE FAM! Seriously, I was actually getting nervous thinking about it right before I got online to write but I'm so happy he got into BYU!! He deserves it!!

And que loco the new announcement about communication with the family on the mission! I'm not sure though how it is going to work exactly. It's a little hard for me because the phone I have won't do video calls and I can't call internationally, but I want to call you guys next week through google hangouts! Here in my mission we can call 2 times per transfer.  This cyber doesn't have webcams but I think I can still call. So just be ready around this time next week! 

Here in Villa Dulce, we are working hard! We are teaching a couple from Haitian people named Mikerlande and Joel. Joel speaks Spanish but his wife Mikerlande only speaks French! She understands and speaks a little Spanish but it is hard for her. We have taught them the first few lessons and yesterday they came to church with their baby who is 2 months old! Her name is Joessie and she is so freaking cute! I really hope we can help them progress and want to be baptized cuz they are so awesome!

Also, Karen got back from Santiago but she hasn't answered any of our calls or messages so I'm a little worried especially because her baptism is supposed to be this Saturday. So please keep praying super hard for her. We still have a lot to teach her and when she left for Santiago she still wasn't sure about baptism. 

I just have to tell you guys that I love the ward here in Villa Dulce! All the members are so awesome and I just love the members of the church here in Chile! They are such great examples to me and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to meet so many amazing people here on my mission! The church is so true and even the though the mission is hard some days I am so happy to be out here spreading Christ's love! 

Hasta proximo lunes! LES AMO!

Hermana Snyder

Week 27: 6 months!

Hola Familia!!

It's crazy to think that I have been out on the mission for 6 months!! One-third of my mission down! Its so weird I feel like I just got here but at the same time, I feel like I've lived in Chile my whole life haha.

Villa Dulce is good. We have actually taught a ton of people and had a ton of lessons. The thing is there are a lot of people here that are really friendly and willing to listen but that's it. They just want to talk about God. they don't want to come to church, they don't want to read the book of Mormon or pray. That is the hard part. Finding the people that actually WANT to come to church and WANT  to improve their relationship with Heavenly Father. We are going to keep trying with all the faith we have to find "Gods elect" And dad to answer your question we haven't had the family home evening (Mexican Fiesta) with the less active family yet but hopefully it will happen this week. We planned it for this Thursday. 

Karen is still in Santiago but we have been texting her scriptures and calling her and making sure we stay in contact. She is doing good and I have sooooo much faith that she will get baptized this month! 

We had zone conference with Villa Alemana and it was so fun to see my old zone! Especially Hermana Sanchez my best friend in the mission!!! 

For p day today, we went to ConCon, a sector in Viña. We went to these huge sand dunes right by the ocean it was really cool! We took a bunch of pictures and just hung out. Honestly, my mission is so pretty! I'm gonna say it again you guys should really consider coming to visit! 

I can't wait to see what is in store this next year!! I love being a missionary and having the Lord at my side all the time! I have already seen so many miracles and I know so many more good things are coming!! 

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Snyder

I made pancakes! Yes, I know you're all surprised, but it's true, I actually did make pancakes. haha! 

Zone Conference

Hermana Del Valle decorated the fridge on the day I completed my 6 months!

Eating completos - Chilean Hot Dogs

Week 26: "Just keep swimming," or in our case...walking!

Hola Familia!!

I'm doing great here in Villa Dulce!! My companion is the best and such a hard worker! These past two weeks have been pretty slow with the work. We don't have a lot of people to teach so we have been doing a lot of contacting, walking, and calling random people in the area book. We still get lost a lot but I have gotten so good at reading maps! 

We have one person who is awesome! Her name is Karen. She is 32 and has a daughter who is the cutest! Karen has been to church 3 times, committed to keeping the commandments, and has a baptismal date for February 23. I have a lot of faith in her but she is going to Santiago for 2 whole weeks and I'm just worried something is going to happen (Satan is going to find his way in like he always does) So please please please pray for Karen. She is so sweet and just needs a little encouragement to go through with her baptism! 

Haha not much happened this week. Yesterday we were able to visit a less active family whose son got baptized in December and they are all so nice! We planned an FHE with them and my companion is going to make Mexican food and we´re going to have a fiesta!

Honestly this past week, I have never been so tired in my life. Missionary work is so exhausting. We walk and walk and walk all day long and try to talk to everyone we possibly can. Today, I took a 4-hour nap after our studies. haha! Hermana Del Valle thought I had died. 

I love my companion! She has the best attitude! This week was slow but we know there are people waiting to hear this gospel! We are going to keep going because we represent the Savior and there is no other name I would rather have on my name tag! 

Con mucho amor! 

Hermana Snyder

View of our Villa Dulce

Sunday morning at Church