SAVED BY A SMOKING ANGEL

FAMIlLY!!!!
So if you didn't realize that yesterday was Presidents day and all the libraries were closed, this is why I am emailing you today! I can't believe I've been a missionary for a whole month. This is crazy! This week was very interesting. Its taken awhile for me to adjust. My trainer is amazing. Sister W has been helping me out so much and really cares about making sure I am feeling okay and not completely lost! Since we are shot gunning this area, we really don't have any investigators yet. We have been focusing on finding, and on the many less actives of the ward. This last Wednesday we were walking to try to contact some former investigators. We were walking down this sketchy street, and this man standing on his porch smoking told us that we needed to get out of this area. We kinda smiled at him and said thanks and kept on our way. Then he told us again that this area really wasn't a safe place for three girls to be walking around in. We said thanks that we will be alright and kept walking to the apartment. Then for the THIRD (bible repetition ya??) time, he told us he would really hate it if something happened to us. As we approached the door we were heading to, Sister W reminded us of the joke in the pursuit of happiness when the man is sent a helicopter and 2 planes to rescue him but he turns them down saying no thanks, God will save me. When he dies he asks God why he didn't save him and God responds, I sent 2 planes and a helicopter you dummy! This kinda got us thinking for a second. I decided to read the teaching record, and we all got this dark feeling that we shouldn't knock on the door. Apparently the sisters stopped meeting with this woman because her hubby was dangerous and they got the impression he was abusing her. So we called the number when we got back to the car and as I was talking to him on the phone he was super nice... until I told him I was a missionary from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and we wanted to see how K was doing. His voice changed and he told us very rudely and suspiciously that she was "out of town for a few years" and she was currently "indisposed." creeeeeepy. So we were saved by a smoking angel :) We met a lot of potential investigators this week. This week will be a great one, i can feel it! I don't have time to go over all the individuals we met, but the people here in Norfolk are amazing! This week we have a zone conference so I will see the mission president this week! sooo exciting!  Every morning I seem to feel more tired, but the Lord gives me strength to push through! I love being a missionary!
To answer some of your questions mother dearest, sundays we go to church at 1. We finish studying every morning at 11. But on Sundays we have meetings at 11, then we study or eat lunch till church, then we visit potentials/investigators/tract, then dinner with family, then visit more people then we go home! We have been calling people after dinner instead of visiting right now because we dont know the area and its dangerous at night! But we are being blessed with safety. I feel it every single day.
We didn't used to get fed, but our mission leader is very diligent. We get fed almost every night. What my comps forgot to tell me before dinner was that it is southern law to eat everything on your plate as a missionary. We were served steak and potatoes and I seriously COULDN'T fit any more down... I was literally trying to conspicuously do the "Samoan shuffle" between bites. But sadly, I broke this commandment. I only ate about 3/4 of my dinner and dessert. After dinner my companions told me I have to eat everything on my plate no matter how dry your meat is and how full you feel. I was full for the next day... We have had some very interesting experiences here. Being in a ward where everyone is in the military has really opened my eyes to the sacrifices that they make and the impact it has on their families. I have seen such love and respect in the homes we have visited.
Today we have a lesson with PG. She is known as the cat lady. She has over 10 cats and her house smells like death. Wish us luck! Its so cool being a missionary and seeing people the way Christ would. I can't explain the love I have for these people and for Norfolk.

Thank you Gibbons family for the vday package! It made my day!! love you!

And Grandad, I will have to talk to my mission president or members of the ward to find out where those places are, but thank you for the history info!! Richmond,  Virginia is a beautiful place!

On Sunday we got to go on the largest naval base in the world for dinner. The guard let us on base even though we weren't supposed to because he had a "bad karma feeling" if he didn't let us on. Missionaries are blessed!
Mom, you spiritual giant! It sounds like your lesson was one amazing one. thanks for the tips on the Holy Ghost. we all feel the spirit differently but it is so amazing to know that no matter what trial is in our lives we are never alone, we can have that comfort from the Holy Ghost if we live worthy of it.
Chan and dad, love you kids. Tell Megan Bertha congrats on the mission call! And Nick Gruen.... love you. good luck with your papers.

Love you all so much! Have a blessed day y'all :)
Love, Sister Snow

Alma 37:6-7

 6 Now ye may suppose that this is ^afoolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by ^bsmall and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

 7 And the Lord God doth work by ^ameans to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very ^bsmall means the Lord doth ^cconfound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.