Salama aby! Mbola tsara? I hope that all 10 of the people that still read these emails are still doing good! Haha. Life is great. Can't say much more than that. Being a missionary is the best. Everyday I go out and help people change their lives for the better. What is there to complain about?! I am feeling very blessed today! This last week was awesome. Solofo and Vivian came to church again with their kids and they brought Vivian's younger brother, who's name is also Solofo, and his wife to church! #ballers. Also, Nirina is progressing very well and will be baptized in July. He is a 20 year old guy that's had a hard life and doesn't live with his family anymore but was taken in by another family. He went to talk to his mom about his baptism. Love that guy. He's a stud. This week was great! I am taking in every second of being in my favorite place in the world and serving and helping my favorite people in the world. We have so many awesome families we teach and I found myself talking a lot about faith this week. In Ether 12:6 it reads,"And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." I love this scripture. Sometimes in life we have a lot of unanswered why's. We have to do hard things and follow God even when we don't see how things are gonna work out. We have to trust Him. "Dispute not because ye see not." One thing I found myself saying a lot this week is that it is a 100% guarantee that things will work out if we follow God. We have a family that is so awesome. A mom and two kids. The mother is worried she will not be able to go to the temple and be sealed with her family because she is not sure if her husband will accept it when he gets back from working out of town. He accepted her baptism but he himself isn't getting baptized. That's a hard situation for this mom...I asked, well do you believe this is true? They reply, yeah we believe. And I asked, do you REALLY believe this is true? They said yes. So I said ok then you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Following God will bring you nothing besides absolute happiness in the end. Man the Gospel is so simple. Keep my commandments and you will prosper. Keep my commandments and you will be happy. There's no you shoulda, coulda, woulda. It's a 100% guarantee of pure and everlasting happiness. It doesn't matter whatever else happens. Follow God and things will work out! Trust Him. Its hard to have faith sometimes. It really is. But if we know we have received an answer from God and we follow that, then we have nothing to worry about. I love that family so much and I know they will be baptized one day. I can't wait to see the blessings they will receive. I know Heavenly Father will bless them immensely as that is a hard situation. Another lady I taught and was baptized over a year ago is a perfect example of this kind of faith. She would call me every week and tell me how hard it is that her family won't accept the gospel and be baptized. I could tell she was crying on the other end. But before I ever said anything she would say, but I know it will all work out. Her daughter was baptized two weeks ago finally. She was so happy. She talked to me again about how the father didn't want the daughter to be baptized but my friend, Rachel, went ahead and let her be baptized because she is the mother also and its the daugther's decision at that point. She told me with tears in her eyes how her husband was mad but its ok she said. It will all work out. Man, here I am supposed to strengthen these Malagasy people's faith yet their faith is strengthening mine. Its funny how the people I've been called to serve and invite to come unto Christ usually show me how to do my job better than anything else. I love these people. I love my Heavenly Father. Trust Him. It will all be ok. Even better than ok. Everlasting happiness. I hope you all have a great week! Mazotoa!
Sunset.
Me with Nathaniel a kid in our ward.
Pics of me with Elder Shai and Lebereko from South Africa before they went home.
Me with Elder and Sister Boyle before they left. Love those guys.
A hotel, Malagasy restaurant, where we eat lunch often. Get a meal of rice and meat and beans for like 75 cents. Its lit.
View of our area.
A 91 year old grandpa of a member.
Ronaldin got baptized in Fort Dauphin a long with other people I taught! Ronaldin and his wife and oldest son are now all baptized! They have a daughter that is really little also and gave birth to a baby boy this last week! Love that family so much! He is the tour guide I talked about often.
