Monday, November 17, 2014

Zone Meeting, Food, Cold Weather, and a BAPTISM

* quick note: sorry this has taken forever to post an update. Michelle has spent a few weeks sending only personal emails to those who have written her. Here is her latest update from a group email she sent out today! thanks y'all! 
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Hello friends and family!!! I hope y'all are doing well and enjoying the (almost) holiday season. We've been listening to Christmas music for a while now, so it feels like the holidays! Also this past week has been "cold". So like in the 40s. Haha. Which is pretty cold for here in November. So we've been able to wear sweaters and coats and gloves and scarves and hats. Which is a dream come true for me! So that's been a lot of fun. Also, hot chocolate! 

This past week was so great. We taught some really good lessons, were asked some really challenging questions, and met some really great people! Also, the members of our ward completely spoiled us and took us out to eat like 50 million times and made us massive meals each night. We left each meal so beyond full. We're so blessed to have such great members here!

Thursday we had Zone Meeting, which is always a good time! President Slaughter spoke first and then did interviews. It's crazy how in my first transfer, I literally could not think of one thing to say to/ask President. This time was the complete opposite. Haha. But that was all great. I really wish y'all could meet the Slaughters. They are the most amazing family. Some day you'll see him speak at General Conference or something. Haha. 
     During the rest of the meeting, we receive some awesome trainings. When Elder Hamula was here, he talked a ton about being fully consecrated and paying the price to be successful and consecrated missionaries. So that's what the meeting was really focused on. We talked about how once we truly, truly understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ, then we can become truly consecrated because we will desire to share the gospel with everyone, our thoughts will be focused on Christ, and our actions will prove what our thoughts and desires are. 
     We also talked about having the faith to succeed. Elder Hamula told us that all of us had the faith to serve because we're here, but that many of us lacked the faith to succeed, and it's necessary to be a successful missionary. So we focused on that a lot too. All of the trainings were great and were a huge reminder of my purpose as a missionary, which is to boldly invite others to come unto Christ. So that's something I'm really trying hard to work on. 

So the very greatest thing about this week was that our sweet Ukrainian investigator(A) was finally baptized!!!! Best day ever. She has been taught since January, so I was so honored to be  here when she was baptized. She told me I was the special one. Haha.  The baptism was Friday night at 7, and the Castle Hills B sisters were having a baptism also. So we were supposed to meet her at the church at 6:30 to get her ready. Of course the traffic on the freeway was awful and there was an accident, but we made it by 6:45, she had got there at 5:50, and was all excited and ready to go! Haha. She took 1 million pictures, loved her white dress, and was so happy. It was so great. We had talks, we did a musical number of Nearer My God to Thee with the other sisters, then they were baptized!  It was such a great night.

       Then yesterday, she was confirmed in sacrament meeting, and it was amazing. She felt the Spirit so strongly and was so happy all throughout church. Everyone was talking to her and welcoming her. Sister Slaughter was at our sacrament meeting because her daughter was speaking, and A went up to her and they talked and now they're facebook friends. hahaha. Oh man. Too great. I wish y'all could meet her, then you would just know. She's too great. After church, we were some of the last to leave, and we saw A's car still in the parking lot. We went up to her and she rolled down her window and said that she couldn't drive. So we asked what was wrong and she said that she just needed to think and that she felt so "full". She said she just felt so good and different and that things had changed within the last few days since being baptized. It was so awesome and she was just so happy. It reminded me to never take for granted the gift of the Holy Ghost. It really is so special and unique and it's not something everyone has. The next goal with her is to go do baptisms at the temple in December. We're so excited!

Sorry this was long, it was just a great week! Thank you for the love and support y'all give me! Keep praying for missionary opportunities and don't be afraid to be bold. I love y'all so much and hope you have a great week!!! :)

Love, 
Sister Snyder









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