October 31

October 31, 2016

Sorry last weeks email was so short. Sometimes life on the mission feels like every week is the same. I have gotten your letters through 52 as of this week. I also got Avery's letter from Virginia which was great!! I love getting letters. Sorry I haven't written one in awhile. I do want Aunt Tana's oatmeal cookie recipe. I really like that one. I'm way excited to talk to you guys at Christmas! I would love it if we could all read our patriarchal blessings like we did when I got mine! Also I'd like help trying to figure out how to read our ancestor's patriarchal blessings. The only things I think I really want is smarties, mac and cheese, and life savers. Other than that I'm pretty satisfied with the food here.

So this past week Elder Jackson got way sick Thursday and Friday. So we didn't go out. He pretty much just slept.  I got to read my scriptures a lot. I'm now done with Helaman! Which means I get to read 3rd Nephi. Which is in my eyes probably the most important book in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is truly a testament of Christ.  Something I've been trying to focus on lately in my studies and actions is coming to know Chirst more. I'm embarking on a study of Christ's life based on the bible dictionary section entitled "Harmony of the Gospel". I've barely begun, and already I am learning a lot.

So even though Jackson was sick we had a really great end to our week. Saturday and Sunday we got to teach a lot of people who we really have a lot of hope for. Unfortunately, a plague of this week has been people leaving for Ambanivoatra (the countryside) where there is no church. There isn't really much we can do about it. We can't teach and baptize people who won't have the structure of the church to help them keep their covenants. I am very eager for the day when the church reaches every town and village here in Mada. I think the hardest thing I've ever had to tell someone is that they can't get baptized because they will be leaving the area where the church is.

Lastly, I've got some good news. I've gained 5 kilos!! I didn't know it was possible, but I have found a way to gain weight here in Mada! Granted I'm still like 10 kilos less than I was when I got here.

Well that's all I got for this week. I love you all. Word of the week is mandoa, which means to throw up or to pay. Not to be confused with mandoka which means to paint, (I've mixed those up before.)

October 24

October 24, 2016

Another week! Not much happened this week. It was a pretty good week though. I've hit my half way mark here in Madagascar, and it is kind of a weird feeling. I feel pretty new, yet Madagascar just seems so normal. I love you all! Sorry it's such a short email.

Word of the week is mampineso which means to give false hope.
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October 17

October 17, 2016

So in case you didn't know, in Madagascar there is a tradition of smashing eggs on people's heads and then dumping flour all over them on their birthday.  Wednesday morning we got a call from Sister Foote. She wanted to wish Elder Jordan a happy birthday. Luckily, he was in the shower. He hadn't told us it was his birthday. Needless to say we got him really good as he came out of the bathroom. He had to turn around and go right back in.

Fast forward to my birthday yesterday. Sister Atafita (one of the missionaries serving here in Ambohipo) cracked an egg on my head as we were leaving Sunday school. Luckily, carpet doesn't really exist here so it wasn't too hard to clean up. Then last night when Tambula and Jordan came home I was sitting on the couch and Tambula just cracked a couple eggs on my head and then proceeded with the flour. It is a fun tradition. It's weird to think I'm no longer a teenager. I'm a full two decades old.

So Saturday the sisters had three baptisms. We got to go. I was there when all three of them began taking the lessons. Two of them were kids of a less active member who we helped come back to church. Their grandpa was able to baptize them. It was way neat to see.

I realized on Saturday how much Heavenly Father is in charge. It has been neat being a tool in His hands, but I have absolutely nothing to boast of. I can only boast in my God, the one true and living God.

On Sunday, our bishop talked about tithing settlement. I am very grateful to have been able to go to the bishop every year, and see my whole family declare that they are full tithe payers. It is amazing the blessings that come when you pay a full tithe.

I learned how to make mofo gasy this week. It's really hard, but I love it so much.

Rainy season is on its way. Saturday it was pouring during the baptism. I also tried to make refried beans out of kidney beans, not the grossest thing I've eaten.

 

Word of the week is atody which means egg.

October 10

October 10, 2016

It has been another good week. We have been blessed with a lot of new investigators. Hopefully, they can now start progressing.

There is one couple we are really excited for named Charlin and Zarasoa. (Have I told you I love Malagasy names! I think my favorite is Mamy, pronounced as mommy, it can be used for a guy or girl and literally means sweet.) We have taught them a couple times at this point. They still have a lot of questions and still don't seem to understand some principles, but I know they are feeling the power of the Book of Mormon. Charlin (the husband) told us that when he is reading it he doesn't want to stop even to eat (sounded a lot like Parley P. Pratt). Unfortunately, he works on Sundays and his wife (Zarasoa) will be going out to the countryside in a few weeks for a month or two. Hopefully, they will still be able to find a way to progress.  So teaching them and sharing a few of the conference talks made me think about how much I love the Book of Mormon. It truly is the foundation of my testimony. Without it I would be so lost and confused. I am grateful that we read it everyday together as a family. If we hadn't I might not have the testimony of it that I do. It has become a source of comfort and strength for me during the trying times. Because of it I know that Christ lived and atoned for our sins. I wish everyone in the world, but especially here in Madagascar, would read it, ponder about it, and ask God if it's true!

I went on an exchange with an elder this week who is almost done with training. He is really starting to grasp a lot of things and will soon be ready to lead his area on his own. I'm excited to see Elder Jackson continue to progress toward that. He is already a lot better at Malagasy than when he first got here. It's amazing to look back and see progression occur since it is often hard to tell in the moment.

Conference was wonderful as expected. We got to watch all but the Sunday morning session in English which was nice. I felt like all they really talked about was missionary work, but that might just be because that is all I do all day everyday. It is exciting to be a part of a great cause.

Well word of the week is boky which means book, (A lot of Malagasy words are just French or English words with a Malagasy pronunciation--mostly french words).

October 3

October 3, 2016

It's been another pretty great week. Over the last 2 weeks we have found a total of 23 new investigators which has been cool.  Three of them came to church yesterday!! We also have been seeing some less active member progress, and some of them came to church yesterday!!! I have a very optimistic outlook right now. Elder Jackson is still new and sometimes hesitant to speak in Malagasy as new missionaries often are (myself very much included in that). He is trying and is continually doing better. He is great when it comes to finding people through English class! Which is something I've always struggled with. It is a good thing I got sent to Madagascar because white people scare me, and it's much easier for me to talk about the gospel in Malagasy than in English.

So, in case you didn't know there are 18 different dialects of Malagasy. Luckily the one spoken here in Tana is also considered the national dialect and most people understand it. However, this week we taught a few people who didn't, and I felt like I WAS BACK IN TAMATAVE. I understood hardly anything. Long story short, that lesson didn't go anywhere.

I'm excited for general conference!! Hopefully, I'll be able to watch it in English. At the very least I'll get to see it in Malagasy, though there is nothing like hearing the word of god in the language of your heart. I hope that all of you loved conference. I loved April's, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to read the talks from it again because we have only gotten the conference Ensign in Malagasy.

Today I learned how to play cricket!! It is similar to baseball but a bit different--pretty fun though. However, only the elders from South Africa had any idea how to play. The rest of us seemed to catch on pretty quick.

Fun fact of the week, Elder Jackson says I snore like a horse!!

I got the package, thanks!! And letters through 48!! Pretty much every other elder was jealous because I got 16 letters this week!!


So for my Christmas package, the 4 other elders I live with and I have been talking and I think I've decided that there are only two things I really want, Kraft mac and cheese and smarties,

Also, I was wondering if I could get Aunt Tana's chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe.

Finally, I was hoping, mom, you could help figure out how to get our ancestors patriarchal blessings. I think you can, and I think that would be really neat.

Word of the week is mapilendalenda. Elder Jackson actually taught me this word. It literally means to make drool!!!