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| Dee's Baptism |
Lots of big things this week!
Last pday after I sent my email, our homie Dee got baptized! There legit were sooooo many people. The Samoan ward pulled UP! By the time Dee actually got baptized it was standing room only. When Dee's girlfriend's brother was baptizing him, he of course said Dee's full name, which is when we found out his name isn't actually Dee. It's Demetrius Lamar Barnes. Mine and Elder Barney's jaws dropped because that was like the coolest name we'd ever heard.
On Tuesday we had a member visit with a girl with the last name Eyring, so we of course inquired about if she potentially had a connection to the 2nd counselor in the 1st Presidency. He's her grandpa! I told her that I'd met another guy who was a grandchild of his earlier in my mission, and that his name was Henry C. Eyring (as some of you may remember), to which she replied, "That's my brother!!"
Wednesday morning we had to go to the mission home to film some videos. The social media page I help create content for, Utah Orem Member Missionaries, is doing a new video series similar to that of the #HearHim videos the 1st Presidency and Quorum of the 12 have done, but with all the missionaries that work on the page. I've got a lot of friends that work on the page too so it was fun to hang out at the mission home for a bit. I told a story from a camping trip I went on before the mission, and if you want to hear it you'll have to go follow the page and wait for my video to be posted! Just search "Utah Orem Member Missionaries" on Facebook or Instagram and give it a follow, even if you're not in the UOM! It's designed to give people ideas on how to do missionary work over social media, and provide uplifting content to share on social media.
As for food this week, we went to this place called Lomito's one day. It's a South American restaurant, and they have some excellent Chilean sandwiches. The bread is really what makes it, and it's soooo good. Go if you wanna try something new! We also went to TruReligion, which is a popular breakfast place in Orem at Midtown 360, which is a big apartment complex that lots of people call "the great and spacious building." I remember going there with my Grandpa Snyder before the mission. We also hit Culver's which is growing on me, and Leatherby's too.
As for Polynesian food this week, we meet with the Amodo family every week for dinner and a lesson for their son Jayden who is preparing for baptism. The dad made this really yummy Tongan dish, which was corned beef, onions, spinach, and coconut milk, baked for like 4 hours and served with rice. It was really good. Also a family in the Samoan ward had us for dinner on Saturday, and they had this absolutely legit BBQ with tons of people for their son's 9th birthday. Typical Poly BBQ foods are teriyaki chicken, mac salad, chop sui (clear noodles w/ veggies and more chicken), rice, and if they're Tongan then a chicken curry. They also had oysters on Saturday too! Sunday we dinner with a family in the Tongan ward: pork ribs, rice, chop sui, mac salad, egg rolls, and mango otai (a yummy drink with coconut in it).
We went on 2 exchanges this week as well. I got to go back on a bike for a gorgeous spring day and it was so much fun. That area is also in a part of Orem that's completely flat too haha. On another exchange I was with an Elder that now covers another YSA stake, but used to cover a family stake in Orem. He told me about a Polynesian family he was teaching when he was in that area, so we called the Elders that cover that stake now and said that they'd never been able to meet with them. That stake is in my area for the Polynesian wards, so we decided to drop by, and they were outside and they totally remembered the Elder I was with! And now we're teaching them but in the Polynesian ward! Still have to figure out if they're Samoan or Tongan though haha....
Sunday Elder Barney and I gave talks in the Samoan ward, did some member visits, and we got to watch the devotional with President and Sister Nelson! It was really good, and it was a nice break from the day haha. Then we came home and awaited transfer calls.........and.........I'm STAYING!! With Elder Barney!! This is the first time I've ever done more than 3 transfers in an area, and I'm so glad it's this one. YSA was fun, but YSA and Poly has been an absolute blast, for missionary work and for having fun too. I've also been comps with Elder Barney since February and it's been such a blessing, and we're both so pumped to stay in this area and stay comps. And unless President decides to transfer me for my last transfer in 6 weeks, I could finish here too which would be soooooo epic.
Love you all!
Elder Snyder
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| Biking |
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| Summer Sunsets |
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| Tongan Dinner |
