September 28 Staying in Ixtapan

Crepe date with Hermana Vite

With Betty

 

 

Hey! I hope youre doing well and had a really good week!

I'm going to stay with Hermana Vite another cambio! I'm super excited for that!This week was pretty tranquila, nothing too crazy, just anticipating the cambios because I really didn't want to leave Ixtapan yet. so super grateful that were staying.

 update :

1. The Casa de Oracion(church) is finished! They were remodeling, and it turned out GORGEOUS. Now we just gotta fill it with people ;) but seriously I'm super excited for when this little Rama(branch) becomes a Barrio(Ward). and I'm glad we don't have to clean for hours the dusty floors in the casa every saturday now haha. YAY!  oh and they have a piano! so another plus, don't have to play the keyboard anymore.

2. We were a little disappointed with the family of Alexis, because they didn't go to church last week, but I've got faith that the spirit will somehow soften their hearts. we just gotta keep praying for a miracle.

3. last monday we had a fun zone activity, and played some serious volleyball. it was sweet.

4. been visiting Betty lots, hoping to have her baptism this next week, after general conference!!!

5. CONFERENCE!!!! I CANT WAIT!. I hope you will be able to see it all, and I would love love love to hear about what you liked and all that next week!

 

 

Sept. 21 VIVA MEXICO 16 de Septiembre

The Parade

The War reinactment

A birthday Wish to Mom

 

 

Okay so here's what went down this week.

VIVA MEXICO!!!!! Ixtapan goes nuts for 16 de Septiembre. 

So Martes (wednesday) it all started, the whole pueblo went down to the centro (where we work) and started drinking and there were dances and lots and lots and lots of people. But it didn't get too crazy and we got into the house at 9 fine. It was kinda frustrating because all day 15th and 16th we didn't have ANY appointments becuase everyone had plans to celebrate. 

So here in Ixtapan they have the Grito (cry) in the center at about midnight (which was when Miguel Hidalgo yelled Viva Mexico and all that to rally the people to fight against the Spainards) 

and then started the fireworks, all night they were going off.

But the 16th is when it got crazy. The streets are FILLED with people, they come from all over, all the little pueblos around Ixtapan, because Ixtapan is famous for their reinactment of the guerra (war).  

The parade started at about 11 and we couldn't cross the streets because of how many people there were. so we just contacted all the families we could find. and watched the parade a little bit, it's super cool. Tons of people dress up like indians or farmers or spainards and dance around in the street. But they light off these musketes, literally I thought I was going to go deaf. I might have a little bit.

And it's super dangerous because they just hold these things up with their hands and they could explode whenever, and if they put too much powder in they brake open. 

Bueno, then started the guerra. Here in Ixtapan they do a reinactment of the war, but with avacados and tomatoes and limes and whatever type of food you could throw. So they built a wood castle in the street and just go at it, the farmers and the indians against the españolas. It was ridiculous and super funny to watch. Because EVERYONE is completely drunk and just chucking avacados at each other,  it was quite an experience. 

But at night got a little dangerous, because everyones been drinking since el15 in the night, so there were lots of borrachos (drunks) trying to follow us. We called the elders and had them accompany us until finally got into the house at 9. 

So that was the experience. honestly it was hilarious but also kinda sad, because I don't like seeing young moms totally drunk holding their babies in one arm and a cerveza in the other. Because they grow up thinking its fine and totally normal. 

Okay also other sad news, Alexis didn't get baptized this week. His parents wouldn't sign the cedula. So we have to keep talking with them and try to convince them to let him get baptized. A little frustrating, He's awesome and has a really strong testimony, but his parents aren't giving him the agency to make this decision. :( we can only keep trying and pray.

We've been working lots with Josefina and her family, she's an awesome investigator, super excited to hear about the plan of salvation because her husband died less that a year ago. My favorite part of missionary work is helping people understand the plan that our Father has for us, and I love watching them start to really get the atonement, and what it means in our lives. 

Love you all TONS.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! seems like you had lots of fun in vegas :)

<3

Hermana Schneider

Sept. 14 Temple Rededication

Cristo Rey

La Lucha

Okay this week was great. I had an awesome experience at the Re-dedication of the Mexico City Temple!!!! I learned a ton, we got to go to two sessions, and both of the talks by Elder Jeffery R. Holland were amazing. I am so so grateful for temples, and for the restoration of the fullness of the gospel. 

We are so incredibly blessed to live in these days, when the priesthood is on the earth. and Elder Jeffery R. Holland gave an incredible talk where he spoke about the promises we made in the preexistence. 

"In our premortal state in the days of the great council of heaven, we made an agreement to the almighty. The Father presented the plan, and we accepted it. It was intended for ALL men. We, born in these days, with all the blessings of the priesthood, agreed then and there before God, to be in a sense, not only saviors for ourselves (by following the gospel of Jesus Christ) but measurably to be saviors for the entire human family. The plan became not merely the Father's work, or only the Savior's work. It´s our work. We promised our parents we would NOT forget them. "

I understand temple work in a whole new perspective. There is SO much to be done. and there is SO much missionary work to do! He talked about the missionaries too, and honestly Mexico is growing like crazy.  I know that I am solemnly obligated to work, to play my part, and to keep the promises I made. 

Mom I know its hard, but go to the temple with dad. And help the girls, so they can go too. There is so much work to be done.

In the first session, Elder Holland talked a lot about the sacrifice that the early saints made for each temple. I learned a ton that I didn't know before. but by the time they got to the Salt Lake Valley, after 4 days Brigham Young announced that they would build ANOTHER temple.  Elder Holland talked about how he would guess that many of the saints were wondering if this temple would ever get finished. Some might have been so exhausted with all the trials they'd been facing, and started to complain a little bit. Brigham Young said

"Some will inquire, do you suppose we will finish THIS temple Brother Brigham?  I Do not know, and I do not care. I've only every cared about one thing- Am I right before my Father in Heaven? If today I am right where my Father wants me to be, I don't care about tomorrow"

I loved that. 

Okay so that was Sunday. During the week we had some great lessons, had the interview with Alexis. 

Today we went to hike to the Cristo Rey, I'll send pics, it was a blast. 

I love Ixtapan. I love my crazy district. I love my companion. but mostly, I love this work. 

(and most of all I love my family.)

So Mason told me about getting stuck in the bathroom at the ward campout.  Sounds like the campout was fun, but yikes I would be freaking out if I got stuck in the bathroom, I'm glad you got out okay!!!!! and didn't get bit by the spider. 

I have to tell you about my spider bites, I think we have lots in our house, because every morning when I wake up I have new bites on my legs. at first we thought they were bedbugs but no, they're spider bites. and they swell up super big, but we are trying to get rid of them. but the other day I had a bad dream about all the spiders and couldn't sleep.

love

Hermana Schneider

Sept 7 Grutas de Cacahuamilpa

Can you find me?   (hint I am in the middle 4th row from the front)

I am playing the piano and it's actually super funny, because  I have to drag the keyboard back and forth from the chapel every day because they have me playing the piano in sacrament and in primary, and I have to practice at nights in the house. So its definitely a flashback to Cuernavaca. I am so grateful that I'm at least able to half play the hymns all because my parents made me practice. (thanks to you and mom). I'm also starting to teach piano classes to the YW in the rama, so they can have a pianist someday. It's worth all the years of lessons.

Grutas de Cacahuamilpa

Lurkin

 

We had a good week, working super hard, had an awesome experience with Alexis.  We were teaching about the Plan of Salvation, he was loving it. He understands everything super quick and it's just so fun to teach him. But at the end I asked him how he felt about his baptism date, if he felt that he has recieved a specific answer that he needs to be baptized or not. And he told me that he feels really good about his answer. He told us that he has epilepsy, which we didn't know before, and that usually he has attacks about every 2 weeks. but since he started listening to us, and reading, he hasn't had a single attack. He said that for him, it's his little miracle, his own little sign, because for the past month and 2 weeks he has been completely fine. I can't describe how grateful I felt in that moment. I know that the Lord works little miracles in our lives every day, and that this is HIS work. and I feel so priviledged to be a part of it.  

We found lots of new people last week, so we are excited. I really hope that I get to stay in Ixtapan for another change, but we will see. We started teaching Betty, a jovencita de 20 años, and she's super cool. I feel like we are pretty good friends already.  So that's the update of Ixtapan.

Today we had a really good pday. Went to the Grutas de Cacahuamilpa.  They're giant caves and it was AWESOME!

I hope you guys all have a great day!!!! I love you all

Hermana Schneider

August 31Meeting with Elder Christofferson and Baptism of Javier

My Arizona Hermanas

What an incredible week.

The best part was Saturday. We had the opportunity to have a mission conference with Elder Christofferson!! Listening to an apostle face to face is basically the best thing that can happen to a missionary. It was amazing, impossible to describe really.

We all got to shake his hand at the beginning, which of course was crazy. But honestly the things he talked about were meant for ME. I've been struggling with trying to feel the spirit all the time, and knowing when I'm just talking or when I'm truly being an instrument in the Lords hands. But he talked a LOT about how to recognize and receive revelation.  It was so incredible. and I LOVED the answers that he had to our questions. One elder asked how we can keep being missionaries after we get home or something and I'm like what the heck are you asking, lets just focus on what were doing here haha, but it was a question I needed. Elder Christofferson basically said that the best thing we can do is try every day to become more like Christ, to use EACH DAY to improve in one way or another, and I feel like I've been lacking in that aspect. I've been cruising through the days, counting them off, but haven't seen my progress in the past cambio. It was perfect, you can imagine the spirit that was just radiating in the room. Another thing that I loved, someone asked how we can love the people more, and it was funny because he hadn't even finished the question before Elder Christofferson immediately answered, "Serve them!" It hit me, he knows from experience how we can have the gift of charity, of the pure love of Christ, and it is simply through SERVICE!  We just have to lose ourselves in the service of others, and we will love the people around us, and we will have more love for our Heavenly Father. 

I have so many other things that I want to share, but don't have the time. 

      Most of all, I know the church is true. What a marvelous blessing it is to testify every day of that simple truth! I know that Elder Christofferson is an apostle of God, a special witness of Jesus Christ, just like I know that Joseph Smith was the prophet of the restoration, and that until Christ comes again, we will always have the guidance of Prophets in this church. The organization is perfect, because it is inspired, and we all have a part to play.  

   that was basically saturday,and Sunday we had the baptism of Javier! It was a little crazy, with lots of little details to figure out because of his fear of water. But the awesome part was that afterwards, he told us that right before he stepped in the water, he lost his fear. I'm grateful that our Heavenly Father loves his children, and will always bless us if we take the first step of faith. 

It was an incredible week, with a few awesome surprises! I got an awesome little package and letters from the Kastendick family! I am so grateful for the support that I have out here, and for my awesome family. Thank you for your prayers, for thinking of me. 

and a package from Alexander, letters and a new skirt and a letter from Mama Preul. so that was another little highlight :) 

I'm so happy, so thankful for your support mom, and for the blessing that I have to be out here. 

I love you!

Hermana schneider

My old Companion

our Ixtapan :)

 

 Cleaning the church every saturday night because they're remodeling the casa de oracion and the missionaries are the only ones who come clean. It's basically the worst, but makes me appreciate clean chapels :) 

My Companion