A Day In The Life

     So, we had zone training about a month or so ago and they showed a video on being a safe driver with the title being, A Day On The Life. Haha! It doesn't get more cheesy than that! All the cheese out aside, this title accurately describes how my week went. It was a very average week filled with all the normal stuff that we missionaries do! Haha! I just remembered what that video was all about.... Oh goodness... Anyways....

     Just as always, we start off our week with a sweet preparation day activity! The whole Zone went bowling! I didn't do half bad this time because I bowled a 133. That'so the best that I have done in a while. Haha! It took me three games to get it that way, but the bowling activity was a huge success. Later that night, we have a sweet lesson with Ms. Marope about the Book of Mormon. I absolutely love this book. The spirit testified to the truth of this book as I bore my testimony. I love when the spirit works through us to convert those you are talking to.

     Elder Grow come on an exchange with me. He started his mission here, so he had a whole bunch of people to go see that he hadn't seen for about a year. I met a bunch of people that we are now working with, so that was definitely a blessing.

     I'm tellin' you, this week was pretty average... We had our ward Easter party which was pretty great! Little kids running and screaming in the back as somebody is giving a spiritual thought -The mix. We had a bunch of non-members there. We talked to all of them, just as missionaries do. I was singing the "I hope they call me on a mission" song. I love it so much! Can I just tell you how much I love being a missionary!!? I can not imagine any other way of living our faith! Sharing the Gospel is the best! The Easter Sunday stuff was awesome too! I said the closing prayer for Sacrament meeting, AND I DIDN'T NEED ANY HELP! *fist-pump* Sorry Mommy, but I don't need you to whisper in my ear what to say anymore. I graduated to a big boy yesterday. XD 

Quick shout out to Brother Austin in the QC ward for dropping off a
letter to me in Virginia! Love him so much! It was a crazy awesome
surprise!

     So there you go! One more epic week of being a missionary! I love the church. I love the gospel, and I love my Savior. Thanks for reading this week!

Hobey Ho!

~ Elder Zac Snell :)

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Where Did My 3 Quarters Go?

Wow, has time flown by. I honestly can not believe that I am really that far along this two year endeavor. Everyone has told me that his will be the best and shortest 2 years of my life, and boy were they right! I have had SO many testimony building opportunities as i have served the Lord in the Washington D.C. South Mission. I love the people and places here. They will always have a part of my heart. Anyways, on to the exciting part of the letter!

     This week there was a huge emphasis on teaching simply and powerfully using the Book of Mormon. We had a special training on it that included not only our zone, but the Mt. Vernon zone as well. President Riggs and the Assistants both presented at this meeting and it was epic! I received much revelation as to how I can improve my teaching skills.

     

     Later in the week (the next day), I went on exchanges with Elder Fitzgerald (one of the district leaders). It felt amazing to be back on bike! Shirlington, his area, is known to have the biggest and hardest-to-climb hills in the entire mission! He took me up and down two of the biggest hills, Batman and Superman hill. Superman being the biggest. The reason the hill received its nickname is because of either one, two, or both reasons. 1. You have to have calves like Superman to climb it. 2. You go as fast as Superman going down it. I can attest that both are correct. hahah! That is one steep hill! After a successful night of riding and finding people to teach, we head back to the apartment where I celebrated my 18th month mark (pictures included)! I decided that I didn't want it to be the average burning of pants, so I rigged it up. I took floss and tied it up so it was hanging in mid air. When the fire gets to the floss it will cut it and will fall. Sounds fool proof, right? haha! well, i am happy to inform you that one of my crazy ideas finally worked in my favor!! It was a miracle! :P

     I continued throughout the week with a smile on as usual and continued to love being placed in the paths of those who are prepared. We came across this man the other night who had the following questions, "When will peace come? After this life or in this life?", "How can I best support my wife and kid?", and to wrap it all up, "What does your church believe about all this?" You might as well have wrapped him up with a bow and given him to us for Christmas. We have an appointment with him this week with him and his wife. I love how the Lord places prepared people in the paths of his prepared servants who want to share the gospel.

     Once again looking forward to another stellar week! Tune next time and be sure to check out the blog run by my Valiant Mom! 

elderzacsnelldcsouthmission.blogspot.com 

     ~ Elder Zac Snell :)

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OPERATATION: CONVERT THE PRESIDENT

To my valiant readers! 

     I am incredibly sorry for not sending out an email last week. It was one of the most confusing weeks that I have ever been through (and probably not the last). Due to a scheduled day in D.C. Changing from Thursday to Friday, I was unable to have time to email. We also had a couple lessons set up for Friday afternoon, so any time we had, we spent in DC. Here are some highlights of the past two weeks!

     We had Zone training, which was a success! This is where the entire zone meets together to learn all about what President Riggs had to tell the members of MLC ( assistants, zone leaders, and sister training leaders). So we presented for about two and a half hours. It was really fun to teach the zone. My favorite part was when we had everyone split up into two groups and take a tour around the church building. We stopped at the Atonement and first vision pictures to simply teach and then ponder about them. The spirit was super strong as I testified o the Atonement and Restoration. After the little tour, we sat together in the chapel to discuss what we all felt. The spirit was SO strong! We all left feeling motivated and driven to share the gospel and testify of these two important events. Success!

     We met a lady who sees visions (non-member). She was chilling in a car with her friend (member) in a parking lot and saw us walk by.she told he friend that she felt like she needed to talk to us, so she had her friend call out to us. We heard and went over to them. She then told us that we could interpret her visions. At first, I didn't believe it and was really skeptical, but she told us a couple visions she has had, one of which being her seeing a boy go and pray in the woods and then two bright beings appear to him. The next was of a big White Castle with long green grassways and paths going around the castle. She saw a girl dressed in white and a man holding hands walking away from the building. After telling us the visions, she explained to us that her father became a Mormon just before he died and he was really into family history. We told her that what she saw was The first Vision and the temple. She knew that the last one was the temple because she told her friend about the vision and they went to the temple grounds and she stood in awe because it was exactly like in her vision. Anyways, long story short, her father, now on the other side, is guiding her to the church and she is now investigation. Cool, huh?

     We took a sweet tour of the White House! Mrs. Culberson, wife of Congressmen Culberson, took us on a tour and it was spectacular! Now, I know what you all are thinking. Did you meet Obama? No... But if we had, we were prepared to give him a pass along card and a Book of Mormon. Many of you, prior to my leaving, gave me the challenge of teaching the President. That right there, was the closest we are ever going to get. He was upstairs talking with someone. Not sure who, but there were body guards blocking this staircase. Mrs. Culberson said that there aren't ever security guards there, so he must be up there. So close, yet so far away. OPERATION: CONVERT THE PRESIDENT was a failure..... Those lame secret service people......

     There are the Major highlights for this week! Missionary work over here is doing great! If you have any questions for me or suggestions, just shoot me an email. I will be happy to respond. Thanks for all of your support and love! I love you!

~ Elder Zac Snell :)

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OH I COULD JUST STARE AT HIM ALL DAY!!!! LOVE THIS BOY!!!!

The Book of Mormon: On Ice

STORMY:     Hello, once again! We are coming to you live from Alexandria, Virginia. This is Stormy Day reporting for our weather station, Whether Weather Happens. We are there whether weather happens or whether it doesn't. I am here at this icy scene with two adventurers who claim to be representatives of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Now, tell me Elder's, why are you out in this frigid weather?

E. NIELSON:     To share the good news of the Gospel! There are souls to save out there, Stormy.

STORMY:     So are you being paid to be out here?

E. SNELL:     No sir! Nobody in the church is paid to give their service. We love being out here sharing with others the message about The Book of Mormon. You know, it's funny that I bring that up, do you have a Book of Mormon?

STORMY: *uninterested* No. Thanks for letting us interview y-

**E. SNELL steals microphone and holds up a Book of Mormon**

E. SNELL:     (Speaking as fast as he can) You know, this book has really changed my life. It testifies of Jesus Christ and is physical evidence that there are modern day prophets. I know that this book can and will bless your life and tha---

**Stormy finally gets a hold of the mic, bops E. Snell on the head with it, then continues**

STORMY: Back to you, Jill

     This time it's really me talking. This week has been crazy with the cold and ice. Yesterday, we were literally skating around because all the sidewalks had a perfect coat of ice over it. So much fun!

     We had interviews this past week and we were with President Riggs the entire day! He came on an exchange with us and we experienced many miracles! We went to an investigator's house and talked to her about prophets and President Riggs made it so interesting that she literally can't wait till conference to hear from President Monson. After that, we went to a part member families house and got the non member there really interested in the church. We have an appointment with her tonight. She was doing family history and we explained to her hat family history is so important for those who weren't able to be baptized in this life. She is really interested in saving her ancestors.

     Last night, while slip-sliding around Alexandria, we ran into this man from Ghana. I spoke some Twi with him and talked to him about the church, then Elder Nielson asked if we could go inside to talk about it, and he let us in!!! That lesson with him was one of the best I have ever been in. At the end, he prayed that he will know by the end of this week if joining the church was right for him. Please pray for Kuaku (Kwakoo). He is awesome.

     That,s all for this week! Thanks for readin!

~ Elder Zac Snell :)

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When One Door Closes

Feb 23, 2015

So, I have some good news, and some less happy news... First, Gainesville was closed. That is the less happy news. The happy news is that there are so many new places in the mission that I get to go and discover! As of now, I have been transferred to the Alexandria 2nd ward. I am back in the Mt. Vernon stake! The last time I was in this stake was when I served in Ft. Belvoir clear back in the summer. Crazy cool, huh? Oh! So this was super odd. We walk into sacrament meeting (late from getting some sisters a GPS) and we sit down just before the Sacrament begins. We sing a hymn and they begin to bless. The first thing I noticed was that it wasn't the voice of a 16-18 year old. It was an older guys voice. The prayer ends and I look up and see six men stand up to pass the sacrament. Then it hit me; there is next to no youth in this ward! So weird. Anyways, I thought that was interesting.

     So the past couple of days have been pretty crazy. If we didn't have a car, I don't know how we would have managed. So as soon as transfers get over, we scramble people's luggage into cars and head off to our areas. It was really cold outside, so we didn't really stay back to mingle. Too cold for that. We get to our apartment, drop my suitcases and stuff in the room and head off to find other missionaries luggage. Some had half of theirs and half of others, so we had to mix and match them all. We drove a total of 84 miles that day figuring stuff out. Oh! Elder Rickertsen is in my zone! I am so excited for that! Anyways, we finally get home and it is time to plan for tomorrow then get to bed. Crazy stuff.

     On Saturday, the stake had a huge youth activity at all the missionaries had to be at to help with. The stake did a mini MTC where the youth came and learned how to be a missionary with the full time missionaries and practice teach with them. I think it was a HUGE success. One of e best parts of it was seeing some of the youth from he Ft. Belvoir ward and having them remember me! Huzzah! I have already run into a bunch of people that I met a while ago. Fun stuff. The whole time while the youth are learning and moving place to place, we were in charge of all the work behind the scenes with trying to figure out where each missionary was supposed to go and tell them what they are going to do. We had some missionaries teaching a "district meeting", some being investigators to practice teach, some to be people to street contact, and some to be the people the youth knock on their door. I thought it was a blast, but amazed that my brain kept up with if all. And such is life.

     Thanks for taking the time to read about my experienced as a missionary. I hope and pray that it can and will inspire and uplift. I  love this Gospel!

~ Elder Zac Snell :)

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