El Fin

I don't think one can put into words just how much their mission means to them. When reflecting back on these 18 months, I can’t really think of anything terribly difficult that I faced. If anything I would say my biggest challenge was changing myself- changing my will to be the same as God’s will and do all that I could for Him. I haven’t gotten perfect at it- and I know that I still have a lot of to learn but I feel so very grateful that in this short time I have been able to more fully rely on Him. The moments that felt difficult at the time have passed, and I was able to pass them with Him by my side. This is one of the biggest things that I have learned that I know  I will value the rest of my life. That I have been able to rely more fully on him truly have Him in everything I do. I can’t put into words all that I’ve learned here. I have learned how to be more loving, how to have genuine charity for those who I’ve never even met and to do all that is in my power to help them. I have sadly learned that although we so badly want to help these people, we have to accept that we were all given agency, and that in our lives there are just things that we often can’t control. But with that agency, I have been blessed to see people choose to follow God and his commandments. There is nothing more satisfying then seeing someone obey the comments of God not becuase you have begged them to, but because they truly have a desire to be able to come closer to Him. I imagine that that is how our Heavenly Father feels when he sees us willingly obey Him. And it has been a pleasure to learn and see the blessings that one recieves when they are exactly obedient. I have learned to love each of the commandments (or in our case mission rules) and truly hope that I can continue having this same enthusiasm when I get home so I may be able to do all that I can to return to live with my Heavenly Father. I just hope that I can put into practice all that I have learned and taught. I learned early on that it wasn’t enough to just teach The Restoration- I had to live it. And by living these principles that we teach everyday I have changed and have seen many people change in the process. And it’s funny- I taught the same things the leaders of the church have been teaching me my entire life: read the scriptures, praying, going to church, they are truly all the ingredients that we need and our Heavenly Father has given us to be better people. So now I just want to continue doing everything I have done. I want to continue giving my all to God and dilligently help in saving the lives of others both temporally and spiritually. I want to continue repenting and changing daily so I can continue feeling the presence of the Holy Ghost in my life. My biggest goal when I was came here was to be the best missionary I possibly could and I think that in my visión of that I felt I had to be perfect. But I am so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ because I have learned that He doesn’t require us to be perfect but to just do all that we possibly can to be perfect. And like I’ve said, it has been a blessing to have this knowledge not only in my own life but to give that knowledge to others. I have become closer to my Heavenly Father in more ways than I could ever imagine and I feel so happy because I know that there is still so much to learn and do so I can become even closer to Him. I truly have enjoyed every single momento here- even the hot sweaty dirty ones because I have constantly had the queit reassurance that someone is there, constantly watching me and that this is all for my benefit and growth. 

 I know that this church is the true church of Jesus Christ. There is not one doubt in my heart. I have many questions- I’ve always been curious and I have a long list of books I want to study and read. But I have a firm testimony that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that testimony alone is all that I need to know that all that I have done in my life is not in vain. I love the temple and truly know that it is the house of the Lord. There is an unmistakeable precense when one walks in and I just hope that I can go as frequently as possible and do all I can to feel that spirit in my life. I know that Christ lives- I know because I have felt him and my Heavenly Father guiding me to return to them again. I know that my family can be together forever and look forward to the day that I can start one of my own. I knew all these things before I came here, but I have come here to learn what they mean, and now I must go home to help others know what I know.

 And it came to pass that Hermana Snelson went her way towards her own house, pondering upon the things which the Lord had shown unto her.  -Helaman 10:2

Love you all, 

Hermana Snelson

A lot of Awesome things!

I completed 18 months! We bought ice cream and made brownies to celebrate :)

 

 Hermana Briones constantly puts flowers and all sorts of things in my hair (last night it was a bunch of leaves that she threw up in the air and said, "It's snowing, merry christmas!) and she made me a flower chain this day.

In this house where we took a picture we had a Family Home evening. They're less actives who go to the evangelical church, and their 18 year old son has recently been coming to church. We gave them invites and told them to invite their friends. There were 25 people! We were so stoked! Their little house was full of people sitting on the bed, on the floor, or in hammocks to watch "Finding Faith in Christ" It was awesome :)

 This was my life for 3 days this week (well, some of the days we left and worked just at night). There's some crazy virus going around Honduras and I was lucky enough to get it. The cure? Bed rest, with my feet and knees elevated, lots of Tylenol and water. 

oooh and if you're companions with Hermana Briones, pedicures and watching Johnny Lingo 20 times is a good solution too :)

 

 

 

 

In case anyone was doubting it, Hermana Briones is THE BEST.

We went to a less actives house and when looking in the Book of Mormon she asked, "Where is it?" then promptly began singing the books of the Book of Mormon song. It was awesome :)

We seemed to find lots of people who just had questions of the soul. It was so wonderful! Karla, who recently had her 4th child asked, "What do I have to do to be saved? How can I be saved and live with God again?" Marisol, a less active we found because she yelled at me in English one day asked, "But why do we need to go to church? How can it help me in my life?" Or Katherine and Sol, 2 sisters (me and Bells age, actually) who asked, "But how can we find the truth?"

I get a lot of questions, questions I often don't have the answers too. I haven't study deeply in the life of Joseph Smith and don't understand all the specifics about polygamy or the different sects that sprang from the church. I'll be honest- I study the Bible to learn what I must do, not to look at the little things and interpret them in my own way and I feel like my knowledge of that scripture is definitely not as big as that of the Book of Mormon.

But, it was wonderful to be able to testify to these people wih the spirit, the truth of these things. To be able to share with them the things I know, that have helped and comforted me so much in my journey.

I just love love love it :)

And I love you!

-Hermana Snelson

p.s. I was going to send more pictures, but it's not loading them correctly, so

 

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!

Reality Check

"Well Hermana Snelson, you're going to be experiencing the "last" of things. Your last area. Your last companion. Last transfer. Pretty soon your last interview with me." 

I just sat there with my Snelson genes, crying. 

 

"You need to start planning, because this last transfer is going to whiz by. You're still going to Africa, right? How wonderful. That is just a unique wonderful experience, I hope you take advantage of it. But thank you. For all that you've done, and all you will be doing."

It was so weird at church, seeing this ward in Miraflores, where I feel like I'm at home, thinking that this would be the last time I'd see many of these people in this earthly life.

But I also felt so happy. So grateful! How privileged have I been to know every single person I've been able to meet.

I'll find out on Wednesday where I'm going, but I am so so excited. I'm just going to go, and work the very best I  can! I feel like everything I have done has been preparing me for this, my final moments, and I am so excited to just give it all to him.

At the beginning of this year, (interestingly enough in the exact same area where I am) I said my first prayer of the year. I promised that I was going to do all I could in my power to give all I could this year. This year, 2014, would be fully dedicated to him. And now I just have to finish with a bang! 

We are doing good. I love love love  finding new people. People like Carlos who just look at me completely exasperated and said, "I just need the answers to all these questions!" and being able to say with a huge smile that everything he has asked can be found in The Book of Mormon.

 Or having Hermano Rigoberto come to the ward activity we had and he being one of the few to show up on time! 

Or going to Indira and Keysi and just sitting on their floor and talking about why the heck I came here. They said that they like their church and don't see a reason to change. I felt so happy to look them in the eyes and say, "Look, all the churches are good. And all the good things that you find in the others you'll find here. AND MORE. There is more peace. More good. And more clear doctrine that we can learn and that I get to teach. I know it is true. I am absolutely certain, and we can help you know if these things are true."

I love love love it.  My testimony has grown in incredible ways. It's true- the more times you share it, the bigger it gets. So share it! With everyone you can :)

I love you!

-Hermana Snelson

 

And some pictures!

 

  Every time we ride the bus :)

Making decorations for the ward activity

 El Hogar- the neighborhood where we live