Hello, Salama, and Bonjour. Wow.....well you all know the news this week, I would guess. I don't even know where to start. I am beyond heart broken and saddened because of our evacuation this last week. I grew to love the Malagasy people more than I love myself and I truly mean that with all I have. I have never met such loving and a happier people than the Malagasy people. I strongly believe that God put his strongest children in that part of His vineyard. I felt so blessed to live with them, talk with them, laugh with them, cry with them, and learn from them. And most of all strive to follow Christ better with them. One thing that has gotten me through this, is knowing God loves the Malagasy people and He will take care of them. I will pray for them everyday. For those of you that may now know, I am on an island in the Indian Ocean called La Reunion. It is technically part of the Madagascar mission but it is all French speaking and it is considered a province of France, I think. Quite honestly, I know about as much of this island as most of you ha. So yes, I am learning French. It is very hard to be starting over learning a new language and not being able to teach people to the effectiveness as I could in Malagasy before we left. The gift of tongues is real and I know everything is gonna go well. But I am very happy as I will be able to keep up my Malagasy because there are Malagasy people that live here and even some that are members. I haven't found out where I will be serving yet but I will probably find that out
tomorrow when President Foote comes. There are so many things that are running through my mind. I don't even know what to say. A few things that has helped me with this new change is pondering what Christ-like love truly is. I had been studying that while I was in Fort Dauphin quite a bit and I think this whole situation is teaching me a little more about it that maybe I couldn't have learned any other way. I know God and Christ love the Malagasy people and I know They love the French people and the people on this island. My goal for my time here is to learn to love these people as much as those I left behind in Madagascar. I know the language and all of that does not matter as much as how much I love the people. It will be different and harder as these people may not be as open to the Gospel but the Savior had the Spirit to soften hearts of stone and that is what I will be searching for and striving to become in my new adventure here in La Reunion. Another thing that has got me through is realizing how blessed we are to have living Prophets and Apostles. I will be honest when I first heard the news that we were evacuating, I wasn't really wanting to follow the Prophet and Apostles' decision. I was angry, sad, disappointed, and most of all scared for what would happen to the church and the people there if we left, but I know they are men that are called of God. I know God wouldn't have let this happen if He wasn't ready to watch over the Malagasy people. What a blessing it is that we just need to follow the living Prophets and Apostles and things will always work out. To close, I will share my scriptures for this transfer. Each transfer I write a few scriptures on my daily planner that I want to strive to do better or focus on or something like that during the new transfer. This transfer they are Ether 14 verse 18, D&C 98 verses 1 through 3, and D&C 15 verse 6. The first one is kind of a joke that just explained my feelings on the flight over here ha. I hope you all have a great week. If you feel you have grown a love for the Malagasy people through my emails and stories of them I would like to invite you to keep them in your prayers. Even if you aren't sure you love them but you kinda like me or care about me please keep them in your prayers :). Fantatro fa marina ny Fiangonanan'i Jesoa Kristy ho an'ny Olomasin'ny Andro Farany. Tena sarotra be ity fiovana ity saingy raha manaraka Jesoa Kristy ary ny mpaminany velona isika tsy mety ho very isika. Tena te hiverina any Madagasikara izaho fa aloha izany tsy maintsy miasa mafy zah mba hanampy ny olona eto La Reunion. Mampalahelo be ny vaovao fa tsy mainsty mitraka zah, tsy handao ny olona any Madagasikara ny Tompo. Tsy hay soratana ny fitiavako ho an'ny olona any Madagasikara. Fantatro fa homba azy ireo Andriamanitra ary hiambina azy ireo izy. Ndao handroso hatrany hanao ny asan'ny Tompo. Mazotoa ary aza maditra. Veloma!
Some of my favorite people in the world.
Just a few of the many great people that I can now say I love.
Saying bye to President Danielson and Julie at the airport in Fort Dauphin.
All the letters I wrote to members the last night in Fort D. Hopefully they got them.
I had a hard time sleeping my last night in Fort D and got up at 4 and watched a beautiful last sunrise.
Last sunset at the mission office in Antananarivo.
Airport in La Reunion...everything is so nice here and it is crazy.
View out of the window in apartment in La Reunion.
Church Building in La Reunion.
View from the Branch President's house here.
Our group at the hike to a waterfall today on the Branch President's property here.
Part of our group at the waterfall today! The Elder in red is Cosper's cousin ha. The guy in white is family of a member and the others are Elders.
