This week

Wellllll.....

 This is Hermano Salvador and Christofer- our favorite less actives. Lesther too, but he was sick and laying in the other hammock. There is never a dull moment when we visit, especially when Hermano Salvador yells "Esnelson!"

 Last time we went his daughter wasn't home, and it was raining so we couldn't be outside. So we just sat in the doorway to teach them :)

 Me and the "dream team". I love these girls so much

 My model companion :) Shout out to Hermana Briones who lent me this outfit for Zone Conference

 Me- approximately 4 hours ago. Eating banana pancakes, watching "The errand of Angels" and writing letters. Welcome to p-day in Nacaome :)

I think the biggest thing hermana Briones and I learned this week was how much the spirit is used. We were reflecting and sometimes leave lessons feeling like we did nothing- it was all the spirit communicating to these people what they  need to hear. It truly is so incredible just being an instrument in the Lord's hands :)

LOVE YOU!

-Hermana Snelson


 oh, quick Hermana Briones story-

sometimes she goes crazy. What I mean is she gets super hyperactive and excited for no reason and I Say, "hermana, what's  up?" and she just replies "I've got Snelsitis!" So it's our big joke now everywhere we go :)

that's all, love you bye!

Come Take You Place

There is a song that is currently my favorite called "Come Take Your Place" on the Especially for Missionaries disc. I just love it because it gives me this reminder that I am one of thousands of missionaries in the world, and that many are my beloved friends serving all over the world. I just feel such incredible power as we leave everyday knowing of all those who are praying for me to do this!

 On Tuesday because our companions had to go to Teguc I was in divisions with Hermana Garfield who has the same time with me and had to go to the doctors office. We were waiting to go inside when I leaned against an open door which was full of grease all over a brand new white blouse. 

As soon as I noticed, a woman came out of an office and asked, "do you want to come in and wash your blouse?" I go in and she brings over a bowl of water and I started trying to rinse off the grease on my arm. That proved to be ineffective, so for the next 5 minutes with dish soap this woman scrubbed my arm and my blouse. After she was satisfied, she then dried me off with a towel.

After she finished, I realized I didn't even know her name! I just wanted to cry at the kindness and charity of this woman to rush me inside and immediately care for me.

That is why I love being here so much. There is no one or any thing holding me back. I talk to EVERYONE in the street- whether they're shirtless, smoking a cigarette, or talking to their friends. I just felt such a desire to truly see everyone as a child of God this week and do all I could to bless and help their lives. :)

And last night, we were teaching a recent convert about the priesthood and I talked about how one night at college I called Justin to come over with John at like... 11:30 at night to give me a blessing. And how grateful I was that they were ready, and worthy. 

As we left, Hermana Briones commented to me that she couldn't ever remember receiving a blessing. Well, getting set apart and to come here, but her dad isn't a member, and her grandparents live far away.

I just hugged her- I can't count how many or how many people have given me priesthood blessings. I have had countless here in the mission and I just felt so happy and grateful that I have a testimony of this priesthood power and more importantly that I have had the opportunity to always be blessed wtih it in my life. So thanks to all that have 1) given me blessings and 2) who worthily exercise it ALWAYS!:)

I currently don't have my camera with me this week, so instead I'll paint pictures of what has happened.

-Hermana Snelson and Hermana Briones sitting on empty water jugs teaching about King Benjamin to Lillian who was sitting on a log and Samuel who was laying in his hammock, outside under a tree in front of their house made of dirt and sticks

-Just.... sweat :)

-going to the market today with my colorful basket I bought in Choluteca and bartering like a pro to get all the tomatoes, potatoes, and bananas we'll be eating this week (hermana Briones loves potatoes- I eat the bananas :) )

Love you so much!

-Hermana Snelson

Where do I start?‏

MONDAY- In a closing prayer with someone that we met on the street she said, "And please bless these young women that they may find the truth and resolve the doubts they may have of the truth."

Umm.... thank you?

 

 

 

TUESDAY- 

Beautiful, huh? Approximately 2 hours later it POURED rain and we were soaked the rest of the day

WEDNESDAY- We visited this guy, Jose and as we left we invited him to church. At least 10 times he said he'd go "Como invitado!" (as a visitor, some of these churches as soon as you walk into them they start declaring that you're saved and obligate you to do a bunch of stuff) and we still laugh about it and just look at one another and say, "como invitado!"

THURSDAY- We are trying to visit all of our area which involves going to the outskirts. We had a half an hour before we had to be in a meeting at the church, so we decided to go to a part we haven't been to before. We start asking around and everyone says its waaaay too far to walk there. We start debating if we should go, when Hermana Briones jokingly said referring to the guy that we were talking to, "well, if he pays for the moto taxi I guess we can go." And he did! The next half an hour was Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. But it all turned out in the end :)

 

 

 

 FRIDAY- We had a family home evening with several youth who are the only members of their families. It was beautiful- they are so strong and my heart just swells with pride to see the great hands that the future of the church is in

SATURDAY- While teaching The Restoration, we were explaining about the preisthood to Nahun (13). Hermana Briones begins explaining that Nahun couldn't just establish his own church, that we need the authority from God. Nahun, being sassy said, "I can too establish my own church!" "Oh really, God gave you permission?" To which Nahun looked up and said, "Va que si?" (Right?) We just laughed really hard but then he explained to us what you need to have a true church, and said that he felt something in his heart while we taught. Awesome.

SUNDAY- Hermana Snelson directed the hymns and spoke in sacrament meeting- I love being in a branch :) I was asked to speak about missionary work- easy enough huh? Well I started talking and shared my conference quotes and scriptures and started saying all the blessings I have seen and felt since I've been here.

I started talking about all of the blessings and I've seen not only in mine, but in others people's lives and just started crying. I began seeing faces in my mind and thinking of people- so many people- that I love so much. I just felt my heart swell with the love that I and our Heavenly Father has for them, and truly felt grateful to be an instrument in his hands.

I love Him, and I love you :)

-Hermana Snelson

Finally!

Things I have done so far this morning:

-woke up

-made baleadas for breakfast

-got ready to leave

-no water, decided I'll just shower when I get home in the afternoon

-left to go get money out

-couldn't. The entire weekend all the banks were closed because of a holiday and this morning the  ATM's didn't work, didn't have money, or the lines were an hour long

-we decided to go home and chill out for a bit

-left again, still the problem with the money so we went to write

-the lights were out

-we went to another internet cafe, lights were back, but this place was more expensive

-back to the first, the lights were back, so went to write president

-internet went down

-stopped for a quick bread and juice break

-finally at our third internet cafe

But that's how life is in Nacome!

Oh yeah, I'm in Nacaome!

Things I knew about Nacaome before I came here:

-It's the hottest city in my mission

-it is very beautiful!

Well, they were right!

And my new companion is.....

HERMANA BRIONES!

Things you should know about Hermana Briones (bree-own-ez)

-she is from Santo Domingo, Ecuador (shout out to Jason!) 

-she is 20

-she has 3 months to be serving the Lord

-that is definitely her naturally curly hair. I love it and tell her it looks like a doll and probably pull down on them to watch them jump back up at least 100 times a day

-she was studying to be A NURSE!

-she is ALWAYS ready to laugh with me

-...or make me laugh. The other day she started skipping and said, "la la la, I'm Hermana Snelson! I love to sing and dance! La la la!" it was probably the funniest thing I've ever seen.

And here we are! 

Things we have done this week:

There have been lots of people who have "stood in need of comfort" My first night I was here we went to a member's house who had recently died. Her daugher isn't a member and was histerical. I whipped out my hymn book and sang for her. Well, that pattern followed over the following days. There was one investigator, Lesly who was just bawling. Hermana Briones came in, and she told us that her husband was unfaithful and she was going to take her baby and go to Tegucigalpa. I just looked at her crying saying a silent prayer because I had absolulety nothing to say! I have never been married, had a baby, or lived in a situation like this. What advice could I offer? We just invited her to pray, and help the Lord make the best decision for her and her son.

We didn't see her after that until she showed up to church on Sunday! She's friends with a family who are members so she came with them. We were so excited!

And something funny.... A recent convert's grandfather died so we went to the "viewing" It seemed so funny to me, in the street in front of the house people were just there, sitting, doing nothing. We went in to find the recent convert, Edgar, who was just crying and tried our best to consol him, then said we were going to sing. I started following everyone and we went in the room where the casket was. Well, it was business as usual... everyone just sitting around. until.... this chick walks up and is laying over the casket (which is covered in glass) and she was bawling the entire time and banging her hands against the casket while we were singing. You know, the usual stuff :)

Love you so much!

-The sweaty and happy Hermana Snelson

My best friend, the goat. He tried to eat my skirt, but I gave him some of my bread and now we're best friends!