September 26, 2011...Dear Family,
Well, transfer calls came and I'm not going anywhere. That means I will be here for about six months. That's three areas I've had that are six months! I was pretty surprised to find out I'm staying. I was even more surprised to hear that Elder Jacobs is being transferred. He was only here for six weeks. He seemed really surprised too. We get along really well too. I will meet my new companion on Wednesday. As of right now I'm staying a zone leader.
The last week was the best week that Elder Jacobs and I had together. We had some great lessons and found some really fantastic new investigators. They are Mike and Josh. Both of them were able to make it to church yesterday too!
On Saturday we had an open house at our chapel. It went pretty well. The building has been there for almost two years now, but a lot of people still call it the "new church." A lot of them know about it so we figured we would have an open house. We have been planning it with the ward for about two months now. We had a good turn out and I really enjoyed it.
The rest of the week went well too. Nothing else really stands out right now.
While I was reading in the Book of Mormon last week and I read Mosiah chapter 14. Wow! That is an incredible chapter! It's talking about Christ and I especially like verses 5-7. It's powerful when it says, "...with his stripes we are healed." It's true! I felt so much love when I read that and I continue to feel it. I also like verse seven when it says, "...yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth." I thought about this more during the week. The thought came that He didn't complain even with all He went through. I've been working on being more positive and looking for the good. It's been really helpful. Mom said something to me once in a letter. She said, "Not everyday is good, but there is good in everyday."
When we look for the good in each day we can see how much the Lord has blessed us. Our days will go better and we will be able to share that joy with those around us. We can share that joy with our fellow children of God. Our Heavenly Father wants all of us to be able to return to be with Him someday, and I know that it's through simple things, like looking for the good in each day and the good in everyone, that we can make this happen.
Love Always, Elder Zachery Snow
Monday, September 26, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Quick week...
September 19, 2011... Dear Family,
The week went by really quick. I didn't say anything, but preparation day was on Tuesday because Elder Per G. Malm of the Second Quorum of the Seventy came and talked to us at a zone conference on Monday. It was really fantastic! I love seeing the General Authorities. They always have so much energy and joy. It's true that living the gospel brings true joy and happiness. Nothing else can even come close.
There isn't anything else really big to write about. Last week went much better than the previous week. I realized that was being too hard on myself. My inner perfectionist had surfaced and it wasn't doing me any good. It's all about balance. About pushing myself to grow and learn while not pushing too hard or expecting too much. It goes back to the scripture in 2NE 28:30 where it talks about how we grow and learn "line upon line, precept upon precept..." Also in Alma 37:6-7 which says, "..that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass..." It's about being patient with myself and with others. We all need to look at our mistakes and weaknesses and work on improving them, but also on being patient and trusting the Lord. Forgiving ourselves and remembering that we aren't prefect. Life is about change and growth. I am thankful for the experience. While it wasn't easy, many good things were brought to my remembrance. I know it's truly only through the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ that a true and lasting change can take place.
That's about all for now. Transfer calls come this Saturday. I'll let you know what is happening next week when I write.
Love Always, Elder Zachery Snow
The week went by really quick. I didn't say anything, but preparation day was on Tuesday because Elder Per G. Malm of the Second Quorum of the Seventy came and talked to us at a zone conference on Monday. It was really fantastic! I love seeing the General Authorities. They always have so much energy and joy. It's true that living the gospel brings true joy and happiness. Nothing else can even come close.
There isn't anything else really big to write about. Last week went much better than the previous week. I realized that was being too hard on myself. My inner perfectionist had surfaced and it wasn't doing me any good. It's all about balance. About pushing myself to grow and learn while not pushing too hard or expecting too much. It goes back to the scripture in 2NE 28:30 where it talks about how we grow and learn "line upon line, precept upon precept..." Also in Alma 37:6-7 which says, "..that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass..." It's about being patient with myself and with others. We all need to look at our mistakes and weaknesses and work on improving them, but also on being patient and trusting the Lord. Forgiving ourselves and remembering that we aren't prefect. Life is about change and growth. I am thankful for the experience. While it wasn't easy, many good things were brought to my remembrance. I know it's truly only through the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ that a true and lasting change can take place.
That's about all for now. Transfer calls come this Saturday. I'll let you know what is happening next week when I write.
Love Always, Elder Zachery Snow
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| LAKE CITY ZONE Back Row: Elder Baczuk, Elder Hinton, Elder Drake, Elder Thygerson, Elder Jacobs, Elder Tenney, Elder Wilcox, Elder Knudsen, Elder Lewis Middle Row: Elder Barnes, Elder Snow, Elder Cox, Sister Mathis, Sister Surtees, Elder Robinson, Elder Suttner Sitting: Sister and President Barry, Elder and Sister Malm Elder Malm’s observation about the missionaries of FJM: “ I have been to many other missions and I have to say from my heart, I am impressed. The missionaries have righteous desires. They are good.” http://floridajacksonvillemissionnews.blogspot.com/ |
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Sacrament...
September 13, 2011...Dear Family,
How is everyone doing? I hope all is going well out there. Things here are continuing to move along. Last week was on the rough side again. It was busy too!
On Tuesday Elder Jacobs and I held a zone meeting with the missionaries in the zone. It went pretty well. I feel like I did a good job in my training. I trained the missionaries on how to extend a commitment invitation and why we extend them. I really enjoyed it. I love studying for and giving trainings! It's an enjoyable experience. I always learn so much more than I can teach. It's really a fantastic experience. When preparing I always learn so many new things. The rest of Tuesday went well.
Wednesday was a good day. We went to a Leadership Training Meeting in Jacksonville. It was a really good meeting. I was able to see quite a few missionaries that I haven't seen in a long time. Elder Morris and Elder Failner were there. It was good to see them and catch up a little bit. Elder Morris is actually a district leader in the Ocala 1st Ward. Right where I started my mission. After the meeting I stayed in Jacksonville and went on a tradeoff with one of the assistants while Elder Jacobs went back to Lake City to work in our area with the other assistant. I stayed out there the rest of the night and came home Thursday afternoon. I really enjoyed it out there. It's definitely different than Lake City. It made me realize how small Lake City really is and how slow things are out here. Don't get me wrong though, I love it out here!
Thursday and Friday were relatively normal...so was Saturday.
Sunday was really good! At least church was really good. Like I said this last week was a little bit rough. We're still having a hard time to find people to teach and we weren't able to see those people we are teaching much at all. However, for the most part they are progressing. Anyway, President Barry had us study about obedience every day of the week last week, and had us be more obedient than ever before. Elder Jacobs and I are very obedient, but we found a few areas where we can do better. Whenever we try to get better, to be more obedient, more diligent, and have greater faith there are greater trials and challenges. Just in general we couldn't get things to go the way we wanted. On Friday we had three appointments scheduled with our investigators and all of them cancelled. We were shocked because the people have been doing so well and are so reliable. That among other things were making it more difficult. Now, the purpose of me telling you all this is not to complain. There is a good reason and I'm about to get to it.
So, Sunday morning came around and we were looking forward to having our investigators at church. Nobody came. We didn't hear from any of them either. It was disappointing that they didn't come. It was the icing on the cake of a rough week. We were in sacrament and while they were passing the sacrament I was reflecting on the last few weeks because they've all been more difficult. Something very comforting came to my mind. As I reflected I recognized that each Sunday had gone better than the other days of the week and that as I had come to church and partaken of the sacrament I was filled with peace and comfort. That peace and comfort had lasted with me throughout the day and that's why they had been better. The thing that really hit me is how lousy I would have felt if I hadn't come and taken the sacrament each week. All that weight and disappointment wouldn't have been relieved. It would have built up and compounded. I realized with greater assurance how much taking the sacrament blesses us if we really reflect and focus on it's meaning and importance. I felt so much love in that moment, and throughout the rest of church. Once again I had a greater determination to go out and do all that is required of me.
That determination has been with me throughout this week so far too. I know that as long as I give my total effort that all will be okay. Also that giving my total effort isn't as difficult as I sometimes make it out to be. The gospel is really simple and living it should be too. We only make it more difficult on ourselves. We worry and make things complicated. We need to remember that only the adversary loves complexity because it brings us to a halt.
Love Always, Elder Zachery Snow
How is everyone doing? I hope all is going well out there. Things here are continuing to move along. Last week was on the rough side again. It was busy too!
On Tuesday Elder Jacobs and I held a zone meeting with the missionaries in the zone. It went pretty well. I feel like I did a good job in my training. I trained the missionaries on how to extend a commitment invitation and why we extend them. I really enjoyed it. I love studying for and giving trainings! It's an enjoyable experience. I always learn so much more than I can teach. It's really a fantastic experience. When preparing I always learn so many new things. The rest of Tuesday went well.
Wednesday was a good day. We went to a Leadership Training Meeting in Jacksonville. It was a really good meeting. I was able to see quite a few missionaries that I haven't seen in a long time. Elder Morris and Elder Failner were there. It was good to see them and catch up a little bit. Elder Morris is actually a district leader in the Ocala 1st Ward. Right where I started my mission. After the meeting I stayed in Jacksonville and went on a tradeoff with one of the assistants while Elder Jacobs went back to Lake City to work in our area with the other assistant. I stayed out there the rest of the night and came home Thursday afternoon. I really enjoyed it out there. It's definitely different than Lake City. It made me realize how small Lake City really is and how slow things are out here. Don't get me wrong though, I love it out here!
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| Elder Lisman, Elder Craig, Elder Wadsworth, Elder Summers, Elder DiCristofano, Elder Jacobs, Elder Snow |
Thursday and Friday were relatively normal...so was Saturday.
Sunday was really good! At least church was really good. Like I said this last week was a little bit rough. We're still having a hard time to find people to teach and we weren't able to see those people we are teaching much at all. However, for the most part they are progressing. Anyway, President Barry had us study about obedience every day of the week last week, and had us be more obedient than ever before. Elder Jacobs and I are very obedient, but we found a few areas where we can do better. Whenever we try to get better, to be more obedient, more diligent, and have greater faith there are greater trials and challenges. Just in general we couldn't get things to go the way we wanted. On Friday we had three appointments scheduled with our investigators and all of them cancelled. We were shocked because the people have been doing so well and are so reliable. That among other things were making it more difficult. Now, the purpose of me telling you all this is not to complain. There is a good reason and I'm about to get to it.
So, Sunday morning came around and we were looking forward to having our investigators at church. Nobody came. We didn't hear from any of them either. It was disappointing that they didn't come. It was the icing on the cake of a rough week. We were in sacrament and while they were passing the sacrament I was reflecting on the last few weeks because they've all been more difficult. Something very comforting came to my mind. As I reflected I recognized that each Sunday had gone better than the other days of the week and that as I had come to church and partaken of the sacrament I was filled with peace and comfort. That peace and comfort had lasted with me throughout the day and that's why they had been better. The thing that really hit me is how lousy I would have felt if I hadn't come and taken the sacrament each week. All that weight and disappointment wouldn't have been relieved. It would have built up and compounded. I realized with greater assurance how much taking the sacrament blesses us if we really reflect and focus on it's meaning and importance. I felt so much love in that moment, and throughout the rest of church. Once again I had a greater determination to go out and do all that is required of me.
That determination has been with me throughout this week so far too. I know that as long as I give my total effort that all will be okay. Also that giving my total effort isn't as difficult as I sometimes make it out to be. The gospel is really simple and living it should be too. We only make it more difficult on ourselves. We worry and make things complicated. We need to remember that only the adversary loves complexity because it brings us to a halt.
Love Always, Elder Zachery Snow
Monday, September 5, 2011
...
September 5, 2011...Dear Family,
It was a very busy week! On Tuesday we went to Macclenny to do a tradeoff with the Elders out there. It went pretty well. I went with a new missionary and he did really well.
It's good to go out with new missionaries. It helps me see all the progress that I have actually made while on my mission. More importantly I get to help the new missionary progress. It's a great experience.
Wednesday was a busy day too. We went to Jacksonville for a Zone Leader Council. It went really well. We were there for most of the day. We got back to Lake City around 5:30 that night.
Our investigators are still doing well. On Wednesday night we got Verndale to the church and taught him a little of the Plan of Salvation. After the lesson we all went and played basketball with the members. That's something I haven't done in a long time. We got permission from President Barry to play basketball on Wednesday nights with the members if an investigator is there. We also have to play in our proselyting clothes. It was a lot of fun. I was so tired afterwards! Luis is doing really well too. He's probably progressing the most. We had two lessons at a member’s home and they both were great! The members were such a great help in the lessons. Their testimonies were powerful and really invited in the Spirit. We've talked about baptism a lot with Luis. He said he'll do it he just has to feel that it is the right choice. He wants to know this is the true church. We talked a lot about how he can find out through reading and sincerely praying. After we taught him on Friday he said he had a lot to go and think/pray about. Karen and her kids are doing well too. We had a couple of lessons with them last week. They were both really good. We've talked a lot about baptism with her too. The biggest hurdle is that she still hasn't gotten her car fixed. Actually she might have by now, but we haven't seen her since Thursday. She's really hard to get a hold of too. We were able to find a new investigator last week too. It was still really slow in this aspect though.
One thing that was a bit out of the ordinary is that we rode our bikes on Thursday. We had to take our car to get fixed from the small wreck we were in about a month ago. Thankfully the damage wasn't very bad. They said they might have to keep the car for the whole weekend. However, they got it fixed really quickly. I did like riding my bike for the the day I did it. It's a great way to get some exercise! Before my mission I didn't think I would like riding a bike so much.
The week overall went relatively well. While I was in Macclenny on the tradeoff I saw a quote that I really like. It says, "One of the great tragedies we witness almost daily is the tragedy of men of high aim and low achievement. Their motives are noble, their proclaimed ambition is praiseworthy, their capacity is great, but their discipline is weak. They succumb to indolence. Appetite robs them of will." -President Gordon B. Hinckley. I really love this quote! It's so true. I think this quote sums up why we often struggle. We may know what to do and how to do it, but we don't have the discipline to follow through. We let other things pull our focus away and don't use time to its fullest. I know I've had this problem. I have definitely felt like I have more self-control since I came on my mission. I also look forward to still improving in this area.
Yesterday church was really good. I love going to church. There is always something new to learn. It's such a great opportunity to reflect and change. I feel so much peace after church.
Got to go now.
Love Always, Elder Zachery Snow
It was a very busy week! On Tuesday we went to Macclenny to do a tradeoff with the Elders out there. It went pretty well. I went with a new missionary and he did really well.
It's good to go out with new missionaries. It helps me see all the progress that I have actually made while on my mission. More importantly I get to help the new missionary progress. It's a great experience.
Wednesday was a busy day too. We went to Jacksonville for a Zone Leader Council. It went really well. We were there for most of the day. We got back to Lake City around 5:30 that night.
 |
| Back: Pres. Barry, Elder Aiono, Elder Bass, Elder Johnson, Elder Summers, Elder Crosby, Elder Snow, Elder Jacobs, Elder Wadsworth, Elder Grant, Elder Kelley, Elder Allred, Elder Taft Kneeling: Elder Reid, Elder McArthur, Elder Todd, Elder Graham |
 |
| I like to take pictures during the candid part of gathering for pictures. It shows their personalities more. http://floridajacksonvillemissionnews.blogspot.com/ |
One thing that was a bit out of the ordinary is that we rode our bikes on Thursday. We had to take our car to get fixed from the small wreck we were in about a month ago. Thankfully the damage wasn't very bad. They said they might have to keep the car for the whole weekend. However, they got it fixed really quickly. I did like riding my bike for the the day I did it. It's a great way to get some exercise! Before my mission I didn't think I would like riding a bike so much.
The week overall went relatively well. While I was in Macclenny on the tradeoff I saw a quote that I really like. It says, "One of the great tragedies we witness almost daily is the tragedy of men of high aim and low achievement. Their motives are noble, their proclaimed ambition is praiseworthy, their capacity is great, but their discipline is weak. They succumb to indolence. Appetite robs them of will." -President Gordon B. Hinckley. I really love this quote! It's so true. I think this quote sums up why we often struggle. We may know what to do and how to do it, but we don't have the discipline to follow through. We let other things pull our focus away and don't use time to its fullest. I know I've had this problem. I have definitely felt like I have more self-control since I came on my mission. I also look forward to still improving in this area.
Yesterday church was really good. I love going to church. There is always something new to learn. It's such a great opportunity to reflect and change. I feel so much peace after church.
Got to go now.
Love Always, Elder Zachery Snow
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