Hi Y'all!

This past week has been good and crazy and I'm in my new area now with a new companion! I am in the Garden Ridge area, which is is still in San Antonio, but I realize now how in the city Castle Hills was. Haha.  Garden Ridge has a small town feel, even though it's not terribly small. It's mostly neighborhoods, with like 3 apartment complexes, which blew me away because Castle Hills was like 1/2 apartment complexes. So wow that's different. Haha. But it's a really cool area and we're in a car share here, so we get to bike around and it's really pretty. 

My new companion is Sister Farmer from Layton, Utah. She is super awesome and has been in the area as long as I've been a missionary haha. She hits her year mark this week. Crazy. She knows the area and people well which is awesome. 

The ward here is pretty small. Apparently a really big ward split into 3 smaller ones, so that's why. I counted 15 people in Relief Society yesterday including us and the teacher. But it's really cool because in such a small ward everyone knows each other really well and they're so willing to help out. They give us rides places, and one member has made sure that we have meals clear until January. Haha. But I'm adjusting well and loving it here! And it feels really good to bike again!

Leaving Castle Hills was pretty sad because of how much I love the people there! The hardest thing was saying goodbye to our recent converts! Ripped my heart out. Mike who was just baptized was sad to see us go and thanked us over and over for what we had done for him. It's incredibly humbling and invaluable to hear people thank you for bringing them the gift of the gospel and it makes every hard thing so worth it. Que bendiciones. (forgive my gringo spelling)

Anyway, I love this new area and I'm happy to be here! On Wednesday we have our mission Christmas conference which I'm stoked for. It'll be awesome. And I'll send pictures next week when I find my camera cord! One last thing to leave y'all with, a quote President Slaughter included in his weekly email:

 President Spencer W. Kimball taught, “Though we make an effort to follow the pattern of gift giving, sometimes our program becomes an exchange–gift given for gift expected. Never did the Savior give in expectation. I know of no case in his life in which there was an exchange. He was always the giver, seldom the recipient. Never did he give shoes, hose, or a vehicle; never did he give perfume, a shirt, or a fur wrap. His gifts were of such a nature that the recipient could hardly exchange or return the value. His gifts were rare ones: eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, and legs to the lame; cleanliness to the unclean, wholeness to the infirm, and breath to the lifeless. His gifts were opportunity to the down–trodden, freedom to the oppressed, light in the darkness, forgiveness to the repentant, hope to the despairing. His friends gave him shelter, food, and love. He gave them of himself, his love, his service, his life. The wise men brought him gold and frankincense. He gave them and all their fellow mortals resurrection, salvation, and eternal life. We should strive to give as he gave. To give of oneself is a holy gift."

Merry Christmas and have a good week! 

Love, Sister Snyder