March 21

March 21, 2016

It has been a pretty good week. Last Monday I got a ton of letters. Thank you!!! Also I would love to know where Rachel is on her mission. I didn't even know she had a mission call until I read it in mom's letter. I also got the wedding announcement from Troy and Melanie.

I've been thinking a lot lately about being put in the right place at the right time. I've been reading a lot of Liahonas this week. (My companion was sick Saturday so I spent pretty much the whole day reading Liahonas I found around the house) It really has hit me that every conversion story is a miracle. Every time someone accepts the gospel into their lives it is because God has prepared them and put people in their path to help them along the way. Something I noticed is that conversion stories always seem to focus on the one converted, not the missionary. Though the missionaries always seem to show up at the perfect time. It has made me think a lot about whether I'm following the spirit and trying to be in the right place at the right time. There is a MTC devotional by Elder Bednar where he talks about following the spirit and he tells us to not worry about it. All we have to do is be a good boy or a good girl, work hard and do our best. When we are being a good boy or good girl the Lord will put us in the right place at the right time. That has been a comfort to me this week.

This transfer has been a bit hard. We talk to a lot of people. Some we truly believe have felt the spirit, but none have truly been progressing to baptism. It's really hard for me when people don't seem to understand just how great the gospel is. To me it just makes sense!!! But one thing I've really been thinking about this week is testimony. I wish I could just give people testimonies, but it doesn't work that way. Testimonies can't be taught and no matter what I do I am not the ultimate reason someone gains a testimony. They have to want it and gain it themselves. There is a quote from President Ezra Taft Benson in Preach My Gospel. He teaches: "Our main task is to declare the gospel and do it effectively. We are not obligated to answer every objection. Every man eventually is backed up to the wall of faith and there he must make his stand." As much as I know how much living the gospel blesses people and their families, I can't force them to accept it. They have their agency. Agency is one of the greatest gifts from God. Without it we could not become like him or even be happy.

I had a few other cool experiences this week. On Wednesday our Branch President fed us dinner. (I'll be sending a picture of us when we first got there. We got caught in the rain and completely soaked. As soon as we walked in his wife asked for our camera so she could take a picture of us. (Getting soaked has become a regular thing for me.) After we ate we started talking about the temple. It is very hard for Malagasies to go to the temple. Most have to save up for years to buy their passport. The temple immigration fund will help cover the rest of the cost but only for their first trip. Most Malagasies only go once or twice in their life if they do go. However, our Branch President and his wife are a little different. They are both returned missionaries so they got to go when they went to the MTC. They also went and got sealed. She had the opportunity to serve in the Johannesburg Temple for three months. She helped all of the Malagasies as they went through. As we talked they couldn't understand how people could live so close to a temple and not go all the time. She said that when a temple comes here she will work in it everyday. I really miss the temple. It is the happiest place on earth. Whenever we meet a member who has been to the temple we get so excited! Though I can't imagine what it would be like to only go once or twice in my life. Up until a few years ago the ordinances weren't even in Malagasy-- a lot of people went through in French. When I get home I really hope to go to the temple a lot!! I can't tell you how much I miss it.

So yesterday was way cool. We had branch conference. Usually we have around 50-60 people at church, but yesterday we had over 90 thanks to all the people with stake callings from other wards who came. It was way neat, and the fullest I have ever seen our branch. I got to pass the sacrament and it was a very neat experience being able to help people renew their covenants. Before in my life I've always enjoyed blessing a lot more than passing. (Here though I usually pass because I'm kind of scared to say the prayers. My pronunciation is still pretty bad, though I am starting to get better at Malagasy) Yesterday however I realized what a privilege it was to be able to give the sacrament to people. (Fun fact-- when we take the sacrament we aren't only renewing our baptismal covenant but all of the covenants we have made. I learned that this week. I truly felt the sacredness of the sacrament.

It was also really neat to see the saints together. A few weeks ago we had stake conference and I really enjoyed that too. Seeing righteous saints gather together is very sweet to me. It gives me hope. Something that makes it even sweeter in Madagascar is the fact that everyone is a convert. I've shown a few people my ancestry chart and they are amazed. Especially when I tell them that I have ancestors seven generations back that were members. Family history here is kind of difficult, and most people haven't been able to trace their families back very far. One thing I really want to get into is family history when I get home!

So one last random story, we went up to this one house and yelled odio (thats what you do instead of knocking). After a few minutes an old guy came around the corner and started walking towards us. We called out to him but he didn't seem to hear us 'till he got way close. He then surprised us by saying elder... then looking at our name tags. Apparently he already new we went by elder. He then proceeded to pull out a Liahona from 2013. We were very shocked. Apparently he just carries it around with him. Unfortunately it turns out he is a little crazy, but it was fun talking to him!

Word of the week is mijoro ho vavolombelona which means to testify or more literally to stand as a witness. That word took some time to figure out how to say.

I love you all!! I'm way excited for conference coming up even though I won't get to see it until the end of April