(Elder S.) Another quick note!

Hey another week already come and gone! They go so fast out here. We had another crazy day today and so I'm just sending a last minute email. I promise I'll send you a nice update email next week! But I'm doing great, loving Koga, Elder Ogata and being a zone leader is fun. Hope everyone is doing well and love you guys!

 Love, Elder Snyder

For exercise today we had a snowball fight!

(Hermana S.) First Leadership Council!

This week flew by. Does anyone else feel that way? Seriously, it's crazy. This week was packed full of fun and unexpected things. First of all, I went to my first Leadership Council! I learned lots and was able to understand better the power and authority of this calling. I now enjoy "exhorting" people "by way of commandment of the Lord." !!!! Yeah! I only have a little more time to do crazy things like that so I am taking advantage. :)

Second, we found a house for the new missionaries and on Friday we went to clean it and fill it up with missionary stuff and get it all ready with President. That man is just so great. Seriously, I know that the new mission President that will get here in July will probably be great but I know I was called to spend my 18 months with Pres. Egbert. His spirit and his love is contagious. For example, today he is going to go cut the grass of the new house. Could he easily pay someone to do that job? Of course. But he is a living example of self sufficiency and a "get the job done and get it done good!" attitude.

Today Hna. Egbert took my comp and I out to lunch, so that was fun. Love her so much. She has such a sweet spirit. She also told me today that her 3 grandkids are named Tucker, Taytum (they call him Tate), and Emry so I was like WHAT?! Haha all the names of the cutest nieces and nephews on the block. I told her that she needs one more name Addy and she loved it! Haha.

Here in this part of the vineyard, we have a special program to work with the ward council. Every organization presidency prayerfully chooses 5 members (less-actives or recent converts) of their organization to work with in collaboration with the missionaries. This week something wonderful happened. When I arrived here in Villas, the ward wasn't really utilizing this program. We started to encourage and train the council to choose their 5 names and start working with them. This week we went with the president of the Relief Society to visit one of the sisters and her family. This sister has a daughter in the mission but when she left, her family became inactive. We went and met them and they began to cry. They said that several members had gone to visit them in that time but a visit from the missionaries (to remind them of their beloved sister missionary) is what they needed. The day after they invited us to eat with them, and yesterday they went to church. Also, we began to teach the son's girlfriend who's not a member. I have a testimony of the 5-name program. When training and encouraging ward councils to work with this system, I have often said that obedience brings blessings but exact obedience brings miracles. I know we must obey exactly what has been asked of us and we will be greatly blessed to be able to bring the children of our Heavenly Father to His kingdom.

Our investigators are doing good... We're having some problems with them not going to church but we'll keep working hard! 

President sent us a letter last week inviting us to reread the Book of Mormon. Last week, every missionary in the Mission Mexico Pachuca began reading the BoM, 8 pages every day, to be able to finish in 3 months. I am PUMPED! I love the Book of Mormon. It has changed my life. I know that it is important to read every day from this sacred book. It has a special power in our lives and is a daily renovation of our testimony of the restored gospel. My invitation today is: if you haven't read the Book of Mormon, to read it. If you have read the Book of Mormon, set a goal to read it again. If you are reading the Book of Mormon, study and cherish it with all of your heart, pondering on ways to apply it in your life every time you read. I'm in 1 Nephi 17 and reading 8 pages every day. If you want to join me, go for it! 

Love you so much! Have a great week!

Hna. Snyder

Service with the district on Christmas day!

Leadership council (I'm so pale among all the Latin Sisters

(Elder S.) Quick note..

Heyy everyone!! I am alive and well! So we had temple P-day today and then it was super busy when we got home. We had to teach a kids' English class and then we also had tutoring with the youth! 

Well, Koga is fun! And we live in a house with 4 elders. The big thing is... Our house is a 40 minute bike ride from the church and 20 minutes from the train station... It's long. Haha. That should be good for a few transfers! I also got to go my first mission leadership council which was awesome! It's pretty cool being involved in the business! Oh, I also have to retract what I said about the Eyring prophecy.. It's a little different so I'll let you know when I find out exactly what it is. But, I don't have much time, so I love you!! Have a great week!!

 Elder Snyder & 緒方長老

(Hermana S.) Happy New Year!

Hellllllo family! 

It's been a very good week. We set a goal to work more with the members and were able to accomplish it! So we were very happy with that. This week we fasted and are focused on finding families. Since the fast we've found two... individuals. But hey! We'll keep looking! I realized that I haven't been really good with keeping you updated on the investigators, so here's the scoop:

Hernán: He's 52 and lives alone. Divorced. He's had a crazyyyyy life. Seriously, crazy. It includes a few years in jail and getting kicked out of the family business, but he's in the repentence process. He loves us a lot and we love him. He's seriously one of the most expressive people I have ever met, always saying hi and smiling to everyone. He has gone to church 3 times but his big challenge is that he smokes. We fasted yesterday so that he can stop. #PRAYERS

Violeta: I sent you a pic last week of Violeta and her little girls and her mom. She is 27 and is a lawyer. She's a single mom and she's awesome. So smart and willing to learn. She went to church once and also to the ward Christmas activity but she's having a few doubts right now that are making her worry a lot. #PRAYERS

Cecilio: He's the cute old guy! 80 years old and still kicking it. He lives alone so we teach him always with members. He's so cute; he always says, "Hermanitas, I need you to prepare me for my baptism!" So that's what we're doing. He also went to church one time but for some odd reason he didn't go yesterday. That has a little worried. #PRAYERS

Estela: She's 56 and she is a cute little lady. She has studied with lots of other religions but hasn't found the truth. Her big problem is that she doesn't see well enough to read, so she can't read the BoM. It's a challenge. But we're working and reading with her. She has 3 Sundays in church and had a baptismal date for the 16th but she got super sick this week and couldn't go... Ugh, lots of trials, but we'll get through it. She still has lots of doubts and is searching for answers. #PRAYERS

And there are many more... we are teaching a few families with a lots of potential but they haven't gone to church yet, so it's still up in the air. But... Sister Egbert called us this week and told us to look for a house to rent because it's very likely that they open an area here in Villas in 2 weeks. That means they're dividing the ward in 2 and we'll most likely have to give the new missionaries the majority of our investigators because they're on the other side....... This will be a grand trial for me, giving up these investigators. I love them so much and I know their needs and their potential. But, I must accept the will of God. #PRAYERS

In other news, we passed the new year, well, mas o menos. I got sick and threw up. Eww! I hadn't thrown up in such a long time! It was overdue. But I got it all out of my system and we're back to business. :)

That's about it for the week! I can't believe we're starting 2016. I remember when I arrived to the mission in 2014 and 2016 seems lightyears away. So crazy. I've been thinking about my goals for this year and they're a lot different from last year's goals. But I know we must look forward with faith! Remember the story of Lot in Genesis? The Lord helped him and his wife escape from the city that was being destroyed. He gave them one command: don't look back. When they were on the way out, I imagine that Lot's wife heard all the craziness and destruction going on behind them and out of sheer curiosity made the mistake of glancing behind. In that moment, she was turned into a beam of salt. Oops! Let's not look back but look forward with faith and hope towards the future. (This is really more for me than for ayone else..) #2016 #ANIMO!

Love you!!!!!!!!

Hna. Snyder

(Elder S.) Perfect love casteth out fear...

Hellllloooo! Well, it's been a good end to another transfer. Elder Hugo
and I finished the transfer out strong, especially with our
members. We had a lot of meals with members around the holidays and we
have started making family mission plans with them. Hopefully these
will get members way more interested in sharing the gospel with their
friends. So, actually the number of active members in the church in
Japan is decreasing right now. But, President Eyring prophesied a few
years ago that the church in Japan will flourish once the members
start doing missionary work. So, we are trying to make that happen. It
needs to change! Sometimes the church in Japan reminds me of
Pennsylvania.. Get to work with the missionaries and help change the
culture of the church and missionary work in PA, starting from
Somerset!

So I'm getting transferred out of Yachiyo.. And I'm going to a place
called Koga. Kind of sad to leave this place and the people here but
I'm excited to start somewhere new. I'm leaving Elder Hugo and
I'm getting my first Japanese companion, Elder Ogata! I actually came
to Japan with him the first time so I'm very excited to work with him.
And I'm becoming a zone leader with him, too, so I'm excited for that!
I'm also looking forward to learning lots of Japanese, haha!

Lately, my focus as a missionary has been to do more because I love
these people.  More charity! I read Mosiah 28:3 the other day... "Now
they were desirous that salvation should be declared to every
creature, for they could not bear that any human soul should perish;
yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless
torment did cause them to quake and tremble." This verse made me
analyze myself and ask myself what my driving force is. I want to have
this mindset, like the sons of Mosiah did. That isn't only for
missionaries but for everyone. Think about how much the gospel blesses
us, and how much others need it too. Don't be scared! Remember Moroni
8:16 "...for perfect love casteth out all fear." Love you all, have a
great week!

Love, Elder Snyder

(Hermana S.) Helping with the work

Hello beautiful familia! 

What a pleasure being able to talk to you on Christmas day. :) I love you all so very much! It was a surprise also being able to talk to Jake... that was fun. On Christmas, we had our district meeting and then we went to do a service project. We painted an elderly lady's house. We finished a little late so afterwards we just ate and then went to call you guys. It was pretty normal. And on the 24th we had a pretty normal day too. No one invited us to eat dinner so we just at the usual meal at 2pm and worked until the end of the day. 

But your packages were so cute and I loved them. :) Thank you so much. I had a great Christmas!

Today my companion and I had interviews with President and, wow, I learned so much. I had been pondering a lot about what we would talk about and I came up with a few questions. He answered them and helped me to understand a lot of things, like how to increase my faith, be humble of heart, and be a better disciple of Christ. As I gain more and more time in the mission I become more aware that Heavenly Father really could just do this work all by Himself if He wanted. Gratefully, He lets us help. This work is a lot more for ourselves that we know. I can understand a little better that I am here not just to be the best missionary I can be, but I am here to prepare to be the best wife, mother, and disciple of Christ that I can be. 

President Egbert is one of the most incredible people I have ever met. The more time I spend around him, the more I come to understand that he is a special witness of Jesus Christ, very similar to the prophets and apostles of old and of our day. I really believe that. I've felt the Spirit's witness that it's true. 

I don't know what else to write... it's been a great week. I love you all!

(Elder S.) Love this work!

Hey family! Well it was great talking to y'all on Christmas. Seems
like things are going well and you're all happy! On Christmas we just
had district meeting, did some normal proselyting, had some Christmas
KFC and then went to Bishop Fukawa's for Christmas cake and some
Christmas festivities! It was pretty fun. Thanks for the Christmas
packages!

We had Temple p-day today. It was awesome as usual. The temple is so
great, we're lucky to be able to go so often. Next p-day is already
transfer calls again! This transfer has gone so fast.. I feel like I
just went to the mission home to pick up Elder Hugo. I've been in
Yachiyo for 4 transfers so I'm thinking I might get shipped out. Never
know, though!

So we had a baptism of 2 young girls that the sisters here have been
teaching named Miyu and Rina. Elder Hugo and I got to baptize them
which was a cool experience. That was a pretty sweet Christmas
present! You can definitely feel God's love when you help bring His
children back home.

Well that's about all for this week. I love you all! Have a great week
and a happy new year. I hope you all are searching and praying for
missionary opportunities! God will bless and guide you as you seek to
fulfill His work!

Love Elder Snyder