such a good week!

Hello sweet family and friends!!

This last week was incredible. There's really no better way to say it. I learned SO much and felt such a lift as we truly worked our hardest. 

On Wednesday we had district meeting and then went on exchanges. I stayed in Garden Ridge and Sister Whittier came here. Garden Ridge was actually her first area so it was so fun for her to be back. I learned a lot from her and her example of diligence. 

After exchanges, Sister Reece and I started talking about how we know we can be better missionaries, and we came up with different goals to get there. We talked about being more united in teaching and giving every ounce of energy to the Lord every single day. And then we went out and put it into practice. On Friday and Saturday, the weather was sooo perfect, and we were on bikes. We spent the whole day talking to literally every single person we saw, even if they were busy or back in their garages. And it was trickier because Sister Reece and I have decided to let go of the phrase "We're sharing a message about...". Haha. But can I just tell y'all that we met some of the kindest people, we got to help one woman with yard work, and it just made us feel good? We shared restored truths with people. We testified to them that families are eternal, that the priesthood has been brought back, and that we have a living prophet on the earth. We gave everything we had, and the Lord blessed us so much! Saturday night we stopped to talk to a woman who was smoking on her porch. We were going to share a 60 second video with her, but that turned into a 40 minute discussion about the Restoration. She invited us back and we're so excited!

Our other miracle this weekend was when we were riding down a street right next to our apartment. There are two people that live on that street that we've met before, but have never been able to catch at home again. We've tried one man, George for about a month now. As we rode by, THEY WERE BOTH OUTSIDE. And we set return appointments with both!! We went back to George's last night, and it was one of the most incredible lessons I've had on my mission. We taught George, his wife, and his mom and they were so accepting of what we shared and their desire to know truth was evident. They asked us about coming to church, and we're meeting with them again this week. They are incredible people. We came out of that lesson SO happy and jumping around because we felt the Lord bless us. When we truly do our part, the Lord will make up the rest and take care of us. 

In the Bible Dictionary under "Miracles", the very last paragraph says, "Miracles are a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If miracles cease it is because faith has ceased." And that is absolutely true. When God knows our intentions and our desires, and as we truly put in all we have, the reward will be there. 

I've been reading some chapter President Slaughter assigned us, and this morning I was reading in Alma 5, and a scripture hit me hard. Like waaaay hard. Alma 5:15 talks about standing before the judgement of God, and verse 16 says: "I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?"

Imagine how that is going to feel. Hearing the voice of the Lord calling us to Him because of how we have lived and our righteous works. This isn't a blessing for some, it's one for all who do those righteous works and sincerely try, and it's amazing.

I love y'all so very much and hope you have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Snyder