Warm Tingly Feelings

OCTOBER 22 2017


Hi my buddy!!!!

I'm sorry you have been so busy you have't had time to write. I guess that's what happens when you are a zone leader? Or is it because you have a companion that wants to do other things on your pday? Or maybe you want to do other things?

I guess I can see where writing a letter for everyone to read is probably hard to think of what to say. I just have to tell you how many people your letters have touched though. You can feel your testimony emanating out of your letters just by sharing your stories. So thank you for all you have done in the past 15 months. I'm sure you are exhausted. But don't under estimate the power of a simple letter and your testimony. 

My heart has been a little heavy for you the last month. I don't know why, but I fear you have a lot weighing on you. I have been fasting and praying for you and your companion, along with your zone. I have put your names on the temple roll. 

I ABSOLUTELY loved your videos. I just barely saw both of them. I didn't know you posted part 1 a while ago. But you did such a fantastic job on them. I especially like the Part 2 and so did so many people. It was so fun to see you just sharing and get robbed then just keep going like nothing happened. Ha Ha. REally, I loved it. I'm so proud of you and the light you have. Even if it's tough out there and hard to have motivation to keep going, just know we are here cheering you on. I have some conference talk quotes that I want to share, they are ones the YW leaders made for me to change out on my mirror. 

"Don't let life's distractions eclipse heavens light" - Elder Gary L Stevenson

"Faith ALWAYS defeats Fear" -Pres Henry B Eyring

"What may appear to be a random chance, is in fact overseen by a loving Father in Heaven...... The Lord is in the small details of our lives" -Elder Ronald A Rasband

(That's probably one of my very favorites from Conference, I have had SOOOO many recent confirmations of this specifically. It's Crazy!!! There are no Coincidences!)

"How Precious is the Book of Mormon to you?" -Pres Russell M Nelson

"It will not be easy. It will require the very BEST that you have....How grateful you will be that you remained STRONG...."  -Pres Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Hard can be good for those who will move forward with faith and trust the Lords plan." -Edler Ellis

"Unless you are fully engaged and living the gospel, living it with all your heart, might, mind and strength, you cannot generate enough spiritual light to push back the darkness. - Edler Hales (quoted by Elder Ellis)

Anyway, those were some of my favorites. I started my new calling today as Primary Chorister. It went really good. The kids are so cute and I shared with them how much they touched me through the Holy Ghost when they sang their primary program, especially "Gethsemane". We talked about warm feelings and goose bumps and all the ways you can feel the Holy ghost while you sing the songs. And the reason you feel those things is because you are singing "truths" and the Holy Ghost's job is to testify to you when you hear truth. I know why I was called to be the chorister, as much as it pains me to sing in front of people like that, I get the chance to testify to Heavenly Fathers precious children of His Love and His Truths. 

 I asked the kids to tell me each time they felt the Holy Ghost testify to them of a truth in the song, they raised their hands tons. It was so awesome. I could feel it.  I can't wait to hear if you felt any warm and tingly feelings this week ;)

Love you Buddy!!!! Is there  ANYTHING I can do or help you with???? We need to be starting to send our Christmas Packages so the Zone Leaders can get them distributed :) I want to send you something that won't be annoying, but I do want to something that will brighten your day. Let me know if you have any ideas or anything you need. 

I can't believe we will just be across the bridge from you soon. Looking at the exact same stars you are looking at, ha ha, I know we always do, but literally the same exact night sky. OH, BTW, did Dad tell you about his AWESOME WIN???? He won a CARIBBEAN CRUISE for 2 from the travel company that Davis is using to go to NY. We bought pins to put our name in and Dad WON!!!!! Everyone was so excited Dad won!!! They all came up to him and told him how much he deserved it. It was AWESOME!!! So ya, we have a year to use it. We'll have to see how it will all work out. You'll have to tell us what you are thinking you want to do when you come home. If you want to go back to NY or a cruise? or What. Not to get you thinking of that, but we should start planning what we are all going to do. 

LOVE YOU. SORRY I KEEP SAYING GOODBYE AND THEN KEEP TYPING but I LOVE YOU!!!

Love Mommy

P.S. Thank you for posing for the pic I got from another Missionary Mom from Utah!!!

Also, Look at the Pics!!! (I videoed it but apparently I turned it off when I thought I turned it on so sorry, no video of Lexie playing it. :(

ELDER SNELL: 

Hey Mom!! :)

Today, it is just Elder Bodily and I chilling at the church for preparation day, so I am going to take advantage of the shortage of people and try to write some good emails haha :) sorry I have been slacking in the emailing category of things lately... hopefully I will be able to get better at it again :)

Thank you for all your fasting and prayers! It’s definitely not been an easy few transfers. It’s really interesting how hard it has been in such a different way than I would have ever thought a mission would be hard. What has been difficult about these last few transfers hasn’t been the work load at all. Because, quite frankly, I absolutely love working super super hard all day for the Lord hahaha :) The challenge has been more along the lines of things causing me to have to rediscover who I am and what I believe personally. It’s really hard to explain over email hahaha, but what I do know is that God is leading me down and unfamiliar path to get me to where He needs me to be; to help me become who needs me to become. I say unfamiliar, because I haven’t ever experienced anything like this before, so I have no clue what the outcome will look like. I am learning to put complete trust in the Lord and have faith that in the end I am going to come out of this better than I was going in. I don’t know hahahaha it’s been really weird and really my only option has been to just trust Heavenly Father knows what He’s doing with me hahahaha :) :) most of the challenge I am currently facing is that my companion really hates doing missionary work... It has been very difficult to get him out talking to people, so I have had to run the entire pool and zone by myself... It has been taxing and hard, but I am definitely learning and growing from it :)

that all probably didn’t make much sense... but just know that I am super grateful for you and all your love and support :) I Love you!!

I am glad you like our videos hahahahaha the first one was really bad because we only had about 2 tries to get it right before we got kicked out of the room we were using :) The second one is a lot better! Haha so far the first one has around 1.7K views and the second is not too far behind it. Elder Lee actually has a non-member friend back home who saw our videos and is now investigating the church! A lot of the members here are also sharing them on Facebook, too! Lots of miracles have already come from making those little videos! Let me know if you have any ideas on what we can do for the next on or what I can do personally to better share the gospel online :) I don’t really know what to post on Facebook most of the time hahaha 

Thanks for the quotes, too!!!! Elder Rasband’s was definitely on my list of favorites as well! Something I have learned here on my mission more than ever before is that there is ALWAYS a reason for everything! Things don’t just happen in our lives by chance. Large advancements or trials happen in life due to divine orchestration by our Father. It’s been really neat to see how Heavenly Father prepares people to run into us or ever prepares me for certain positions or things that will happen later on in my life through the experiences I am having here! I love it!!! 

Mom, you sound like the greatest Primary Chorister known to the Church!! I am sure those kids love you and you are going to make a lasting impact on their lives forever! My primary chorister for all of my Kaysville primary life was Sister Lowry. I have so many wonderful memories feeling the Spirit as she taught us songs and helped us to increase our love for the Savior. I highly doubt she even understands the difference she has made in my life just by helping me grow my testimony through music and helping me be able to bear my testimony through music. Even though I was only in Primary and she was just the person who taught us songs, I will always look up to her as one of my spiritual role models. I know that you are shaping the lives of the little primary kids in the ward right now. You may not see it yet, but Heavenly Father needs YOU there for a specific reason :) I am honestly jealous that the little kids get to spend music time with you each week! I wish I could be there singing with you hahaha :) I love you so much, Mom! Thank you for being such an incredible example of trusting in the Lord and rolling with everything He throws your way!

It’s crazy that you are going to be here in NYC next month!! Hahahaha However, don’t get too excited about the starts at night, because there aren’t any ;) hahahaha the city lights drown them out :) What is crazy though, is that my area is right next to Manhattan! Maybe, I could get a giant flag or kite or something so I can wave it for you! Hahahaha I will go to Gantry park, and you can go to the United Nations headquarters and I can wave to you! ;) Hahahaha However, it is a possibility that I can get transferred right before Thanksgiving... We will have to see I guess.

About vacationy type things :) I would LOVE to come back to NY!!!! However, I don’t know if I want to come back immediately after I get home. Going on a cruise again would be super fun! Maybe we could come to NY and go on a cruise to Bermuda since I will probably not get to go there during my mission hahaha :) I honestly don’t really care! I will just want to go anywhere with you all, wherever that may be :) send me a list of options and I can pick from that hahahaha :) :) :)

Is that a giant Perplexus?!?!?!?!?!?!? THAT IS SO COOL!!!! It looks like it is the same model as the original one, just super super big! SO COOL!!

I love you Mom! Thanks for all you do for me :) :) :) :) 

Your buddy,

Elder Snell

P.S. I feel like I finally understand the purpose of the sacrament. I asked President Reynolds in my interview with him this week what I need to do in order to allow the Spirit to direct me in my life and to always have the Spirit with me. He told me to put all my attention for this week on the ordinance of the Sacrament. He told me that the moment they announce that the sacrament is starting, put ALL my focus and thoughts and attention on the Savior— to think about Him and what He has done for ME personally—and to keep my thoughts on solely Him until they moment they are done passing the sacrament. So, I did exactly that this last Sunday! Wow! Talk about “warm tingly feelings”! I couldn’t hold back my tears the entire time they were passing the sacrament. I can honestly say that I truly felt the Spirit and the love that the Savior has for me. I knew that I was forgiven of my sins and that I had the companionship of the Holy Ghost with me right then and there! Now, the goal is to not do anything to cause the Spirit to leave me throughout the rest of the week :) thank goodness repentance is a thing! Hahaha 

Oh! Also, how is Kennedy doing with investigating the church???? Did she come to church with you? What kind of questions did she ask? If she wants, you can have her email me! I would love to talk with her if she wants to :) If you haven’t already, can you put her name in the temple for me?? And Elaina’s? :) Love you!!! Oh! Also, Michaella Duapa, Marielle Duapa, and Jacob Duapa? :) Thanks! Love you!!!