TICKLE our Investigators

Hello everyone! This week has been absolutely amazing! I don't really know how to fit everything that happened this week in an email, so I am just going to write stuff... here we go :)

We got our TRC investigatorson Saturday! YAY! Their names are Braulio and Qunjie. Braulio is from Lima, Peru. Qunjie is from somewhere in Asia haha. Not entirely sure what part of that part of the world haha. We finish teaching them today. Braulio committed to be baptized yesterday! He is so much fun to teach! He's really funny and likes to make little jokes :) We finished teaching Doug and set a baptism date with him. He is just an actor, but he still committed to be baptized! He was so fun to teach.

 Foursquare is probably one of the most intense things here! Some of the players are ridiculously good at it! It's crazy!

 Alright, cool story! For sacrament meetings, the branch president has everyone prepare a talk on the same subject and then announces who will be speaking right before they are about to speak. The topic for sacrament meeting was Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. I was studying and couldn't find anything I wanted to talk about. So, I prayed that I could find a story in the Book of Mormon on faith. I then stood my scriptures up on the spine and let go. I waited for about 10 seconds with my eyes closed and then placed my hand down on the page. The book opened to Ether 12, which is FULL of BofM stories and miracles that happened through faith! My mind was blown!!! I thanked Heavenly Father, and then prepared an AMAZING talk (slight bias) that I didn't even have to give haha.

On Sunday, The Nashville Tribute Band came and did a performance for everyone! Their music was like a spiritual fire hydrant to the face! Not a single dry eye. Go look them up :)

I have been able to play the piano a few times this week! Anytime I play Maple Leaf Rag, a bunch of people always stop and stare into the room! It's really funny actually haha. Elder Mullen, roommate, and I are preparing a piano duet to play in sacrament. I am so excited!!! So, fun story, starring me: I was asked to be the Sacrament Meeting pianist for our branch! I am pretty stoked about it :)

There is so much stuff that happens here, I wish I could just tell you all of it, but that would be a very long email...haha so I think that is all I have for this week. If you have any questions, or if you just get bored, feel free to email me! I love you all!!!!!

I almost forgot! TICKLE our investigators! Elder Conley made it up hahahaha Teach Invite Care Know Love Encourage our investigators, or your companion, or anyone really! hahaha just go TICKLE everyone!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Elder Snell :{D

Elder Ben Mullins (band friend), Elder Caden Snell and Elder Braden Geddes (Ward friend)

I also apologize for the lack of a subject to my email.......I just realized that......You can make one up ;P"

Elder McClery and Elder Snell

Not sure if this pic is to show us that they didn't make their beds? 

Packages on the 2nd day??? :)- Yummy Sweet Rolls to share for the Newbies!

Friday!!!! Friday is my Preparation Day here at the MTC :) I know I have only been here for about 2 days, but there has been SO much that has happened in that small amount of time. On Wednesday, we got to teach 3 investigators. They took about 60 of us new missionaries into a room, and we all took turns asking questions to and talking to the investigators. The purpose for that was to help us understand that we need to try to see the investigators and talk to them like Christ would. It was pretty cool!

The MTC puts a lot of trust in the missionaries to be where you should be when you should be there. Most of the time we don't have an instructor with us teaching, so we are expected to be doing personal or companion study. Yesterday, we had all ("all" being my district) finished our studies for the time period given to us, so we decided that we would memorized the Missionary Purpose together. Later that day, we were in a meeting where the teacher asked if anyone had the missionary purpose memorized, so my district raised our hands. We then had to stand as a district, and show everyone else (about 50 other missionaries) that we were not liars haha. 'Twas a party!

In one of our district lessons, we had the opportunity to teach Doug, a drinker who's wife passed away last year. Doug was really our teacher playing the part of an investigator, but it felt pretty real to me! Tomorrow we will be teaching Paul, a surfer who is getting divorced.

We got to meet our Branch Presidency last night. They are THE coolest people ever! I can feel the love they have for missionaries and the Lord's work. 

I believe that's all for this week! I guarantee that I missed some stuff, so I apologize for that haha. I love you all! Do cool things! 

Elder Snell

NEW YORK NEW YORK SOUTH MISSION

Welcome to Elder Caden Snell's Mission Blog. I am Caden's Mom, Wendi Snell. I'm not a writer so don't expect me to write anything amazing, ha ha. But I'm excited to share Caden and his journey serving our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (The Mormons).

Here is his first letter sent to us with in 30 minutes of dropping him off at the MTC (Missionary Training Center). The experience of just dropping him off at the curb is like none other, you literally pull in behind a line of cars just like the airport drop off. You get the luggage out, get a picture, give him a hug and then watch him pull his luggage away. Caden will serve the city of New York for 2 years. He is so excited for this opportunity! Here is his first letter.....

"I'm Alive!
Hey, guys!! Here I am at the MTC! whooot! Just in case you were wondering, I live in building 16M (not that that would make too much sense to you haha). This place is SO cool! My district is FULL of musically gifted people. There is an elder who is from Payson who was in marching band. There is also an Elder from Louisiana? I think...haha anyway, he plays the saxophone and did marching band as well! My companion is Elder Mason McClery! He also went to Davis High. I've been here for just about an hour, and already I am seeing the Lord's hand in everything that goes on here. I apologize for the shortness of this letter. I only had about 5 minutes. I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was also informed that the orange juice is "THE BEST!" I still don't know if there is even anything wrong with it yet.... oh well hahaha. Love you guys!"