Happy Mother's Day!

So... although we get to email with our missionaries once a week, they are able to Skype home just twice a year - Christmas and Mother's Day. We were so excited and blessed to be able to talk to Kelsey yesterday! It turned out that the computer she was using did not have a microphone and they didn't have the greatest connection, so the call was a little spotty and we ended up having to make a phone call to Mexico. But, she looks beautiful and is so happy and that makes us happy!

Okay, first thing's first. How about that phone call yesterday? Super annoying! Ugh! But I'm already over it... It was so great so see you! I was really looking forward to seeing all of you on Skype but these things happen I guess. In all of the madness I totally forgot to say THANK YOU FOR BEING SO INCREDIBLE MOM!!! Happy Mothers' Day to my fabulous mamita and abuelitas. Love you all so much. President Egbert says thanks for having a missionary in this mission - must mean that you're an excellent mom. He's right! Literally the bayyyyst!

So many great things happened this week. First of all, 5 NEW BAPTISMAL DATES YESTERDAY! I don't know if it's the same in all the missions in the world or just here in Pachuca or what, but in our mission this is how it works: you can place all the baptismal dates you want but they don't count until they go to church. The standard of excellence is 2 new dates every week, but there are tons of weeks that pass that we don't have any at all, and it's a super achievement it you get the goal of 2. But yesterday, we had 5. And it was fabulous. So great. SO HAPPY! Also Juan and Valentia and Raul all went to church, so I couldn't have been happier. 

The sad part is... I'm being transferred. Yep, it's official. So hard right now with all of these great things happening! The only thing that gives me a little hope is the knowledge that President is so inspired in everything he does. Which means that I guess my time in Huauchinango is up. 

Some stories for the week:

In personal study the other day, something interesting happened. Right now in the mission, we are reading the BoM. So as mandate from President, we read for half an hour every day and for the rest of the time, I study for the investigators. This day, we had the day all planned out but all I could think about was Raul. The funny part is, Raul was not in the plan! We always have set appointments with Raul because he is very busy with work, but this day we didn't have an appointment. Nevertheless, I couldn't stop thinking about him! I ended up only studying for him. For half an hour, I searched the Bible for evidences of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, the Apostasy and Restoration, etc. It was a different study session! I always study for various investigators that we'll teach in the day, but this day in particular I only studied for Raul. So the day went on and turns out that ALL of our appointments fell through. All of them! And we couldn't find anyone to teach. It was 8pm and we had only taught one lesson - the meal with a member. We decided to call Raul and ask if we could teach him. He said he had just gotten home and to come on over! We had a lesson that I lovingly name "Proofs of the Gospel as Found in the Holy Bible." !!!!!!!! So fantastic. In the end of the lesson, he nodded his head slowly and said, "Looks like I have to study your book a little better." 

Second story. We went to eat with Hna. Caro, who has fed us every week for all 6 months of my time in Huauchi. Love her so much. In the meal, she told us a ton of things about her life and the life of her daughter. Incredibly difficult trials that they've had to overcome. I have even more respect for her now than never. At the end of the meal, we were going to share our little message; we had planned to teach of the Sabbath Day. So I opened my scriptures to one on the Sabbath Day and was about to read it when I felt "no." I thought for a second, and instead, The Beatitudes came to mind. So, I got out my Bible and flipped open to Mark. I asked her to read the Beatitudes out loud. She got about halfway through when she started to cry. With tears streaming down her face, she said, "I feel as though these were written for me." It was a beautiful moment of peace and comfort to a troubled heart.

Oh how grateful I am to be a missionary! I feel the Spirit more abundantly in my life than ever before. And I am becoming more and more aware that His promptings are ever so soft and subtle. If we are not ready or receptive, we could miss them in an instant. May we ever strive to be in settings physically and spiritually where we can always hear his quiet whispers.

I love this Gospel and I love you all! Have the best week ever! In a week I won't be in Huauchi any longer! Let's see what the Lord has in store for me next!

Loooooooooooooooooooooove,

Hna. Snyder