Good but tough week

Dear all, it's been a good, but tough week. We weren't able to meet
with 3 of our top investigators last week which was tough, but
hopefully things will be better this week. Things could be worse!
Elder Nitta is doing super well and has already gotten into the groove
of missionary work. It's fun working with him.

So, our investigator Yu, who was supposed to be baptized in a few
weeks, just told us that he's leaving tomorrow to Beijing for a month
for an internship that he just got. That was a pretty sad hit since we
have become such great friends and he's gotten so strong over the past
few months. It's really hard since there are no missionaries in China
but we're going to try and keep in touch via Skype. Let's pray that he
stays strong! But, right now Hirotsugu is doing great. We got I'm in
the homes of members twice last week for meal and lesson appointments.
Those are great opportunities for him to strengthen his relationship
with the members and hear their testimonies. Right now he's
progressing really well, but is also having some worries, which I
think is normal. But, we love him so much and working with him hard!

Lately I've been reading from President Hinkley's teachings of the
Presidents book in my free time and I've been learning a lot about
gaining and strengthening testimonies. One part in particular is about
gaining a testimony of the Book of Mormon. When Gordon B. Hinckley was
a young man, he established a pattern for scripture study. President
Hinkley said, “As a missionary, I read each evening before going to
bed a few chapters of the Book of Mormon,” he said, “and there came
into my heart a conviction which has never left: that this is the word
of God, restored to the earth by the power of the Almighty, translated
by the gift and power of God to the convincing of the Jew and the
Gentile that Jesus is the Christ.” The Book of Mormon has such a
simple promise, that will be fulfilled to all who truly have the
desire to know. I know the Book of Mormon is true! Continue to
strengthen your testimony and help others do so as well! Love you all!
Have a great week!

Elder Snyder and Elder Nitta
スナイダー長老と新田長老

Hirotsugu, me and Elder Nitta, my new comp.

Elder Nitta and me with the Naganos!

Best ramen ever!

This work is awesome!

Well today was transfer call day! Sad news is... Elder Broberg is
transferring. It was a great 2 transfers with him. It was fun to just
work super hard and our area improved so much. We have actually hit
the standards of excellence in lessons the past two weeks for the
first time on my mission. So, I will miss working with him, but I'm
staying here in Senzokuike/Tokyo 2nd so that's awesome!! I'm gonna be
a trainer again too! So actually the Tokyo west zone leader area is
moving to Shibuya, which is pretty much the center of Tokyo. There is
an 8 man apartment there and so they want to move the zone leaders
back into that apartment. It was fun being a zone leader for a while
but I am so ready to just work. Always in my area and with the faith
of a new missionary, I'm super excited.

As for our area right now, it's doing great. Yu: Our Chinese buddy.
He's still a genius, still the best. Progressing so well and should be
baptized within the next month! Hirotsugu: (Japanese) He has really
picked up recently. We have been teaching him regularly and he's
learning a lot. He's quite focused on learning everything and knowing
the answer to all of his questions, but we're working on helping him
feel the spirit to confirm the truthfulness of the gospel. Thamindu:
He's our Sri Lankan friend who loves the gospel already. He hasn't
been learning for very long but tells us he feels great when he reads
and prays. Doing great! Jorge: He's from Canada and he came walking
into the church a few weeks ago. He's seeking for the truth and so
it's really fun to teach him. He's really busy so we can only meet him
once or twice a week, but he's doing well. Takayuki: He is our awesome
Japanese friend who loves us and loves basketball. We've become great
friends but we want him to open his heart more to the gospel. We found
out that his mother passed away 3 years ago and so he has showed
interest in the Plan of Salvation. He's awesome, so I really want to
get him progressing!

So right now we have a good balance of finding and teaching time. The
weeks are flying by. Our wards are doing great as well. It's pretty
fun to be working between 2 wards. It's also interesting to notice the
difference between the Japanese ward and the English (mainly American)
ward. We had a delicious meal with an American family last night and
it felt like we were in America. We also had a meal with a Japanese
member family today with Hirotsugu and it was awesome. Things are
great!

This work is awesome! It's easy to say that when things are going so
well, but through the good and the bad, there's always something to be
learned. I'm grateful for all of the learning experiences that I've
had so far and I'm pumped to give everything for these last 4
transfers. I love you all, the church is true!
Elder Snyder and Elder Broberg
スナイダー長老とブローバーグ長老

A God of Miracles

Hey everyone!!! Last week was awesome! One of the better weeks I've
had. First off, I love working with Elder Broberg. Sorry, we've both
been really bad at taking pictures the past 2 transfers but I'll try
and take some more to send! But, it's great and we are seeing so many
cool miracles. Our area is really doing well right now, probably the
strongest any of my areas thus far on my mission. We have so many
great people to teach right now and it's fun! I've been talking a lot
about Yu lately, and he is still doing so well. He's one of the
smartest people I know, and has been so prepared to hear the gospel.
We're also working a lot with a guy named Hirotsugu. He has been
worked on by God for a while now too. He's the son of a member and
wants to change his life. The Lord is definitely in this work. No
doubt in my mind. There are also a few others that I don't have time
to talk about right now.. But I'll update you sometime!

Moroni 17:23 For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I
will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and
forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according
to their faith.

It's true. Our personal faith will bring forth miracles in our life.
God loves us as much as he loves those you read about in the
scriptures. Seek Him out!! Love you all, talk to you next week!
Elder Snyder and Elder Broberg
スナイダー長老とブローバーグ長老

Beautiful Tokyo!