January 9

Well its been a good week. It ended with me getting to attend a baptism for two of the people that Elder Jackson and I found and taught together in Ambohipo. It was a really neat experience. They were Elder Jackson's first baptism and  he got to be there for their entire process - which doesn't happen a ton. 

Today I bought some pants because I was down to one pair. Clothes shopping here is a whole different experience than in America. I also tried looking for running shoes because another elder I live with and I are starting to run every (some) mornings, but I don't think shoes that big exist here. If they do it will take a lot of time and effort to find them.

Sunday night we were teaching a girl (who should hopefully be getting baptized in a few weeks) about tithing. Her cousin is a member and he was helping us. He shared an example from Elder Bednar. When we don't pay our tithing its not that God closes the windows of heaven and no longer lets out blessings, but in reality by not keeping commandments we put up umbrellas and refuse to let his blessings reach us. I really liked this example and yesterday I was reading in Mosiah ch 26 vs 26 which says:

"25 And it shall come to pass that when the second trump shall sound then shall they that never knew me come forth and shall stand before me.

 26 And then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, that I am their Redeemer; but they would not be redeemed."

Dad will love this picture!

The last part is what really struck me, "they would not be redeemed." Christ is waiting with open arms, he wants us to come unto him, he will never turn his back onus. However we turn our back on him, we do not let his atonement change us. The purpose of this life is to obtain Joy and we can only do that by changing. Wickedness never was happiness. In order to obtain eternal life or a fullness of joy then we must use Christs atonement to become perfect. That is our end goal, to become even as our Heavenly Father and our older brother Jesus Christ. However while this is our end goal we aren't expected to be perfect - we are expected to progress. If we aren't progressing we are digressing. Well that's just something I've learned this week. 

I love you all! I hope you have a great week and continue to come unto Christ and be perfected in him.

Word of the week is helo which means either umbrella or hell (not a bad word in Malagasy); Another way to say hell is afobe (also not a bad word) which literally translates to a lot of fire.