Hey everyone!! Kabarinareo?? It's been another pretty cool week in a pretty warm place. Let's see. I don't really know how I'm gonna organize this, but I'll just be kinda random today. Here it goes!
The work is still going pretty good out here. Much better than last week, a lot more people were at home and ready to take us in. One of the challenges here, well probably a missionary challenge in general, is that all the husbands are off to work in the day. We can still teach the wife and kids, but we always have to have a member coming and helping us. And if there's no member help, then we can't do a whole lot. But we've been doing a pretty good job at getting good times and also it always helps having a member to manamafy the things we teach. And when we have no set plan, we do the good ol' porte a porte. Which I actually don't mind really. It's been fun to get out to places we don't normally touch and meet some new people. Plus I use it as a chance to learn more teny mahajanga, so it's like hitting a bird with two stones! Wait that wasn't quite right. But you get it. We're also having some baptisms coming up on the 20th! 2 or 3 of them, arakaraka, but I'm pretty excited for that. Pictures to come for sure!
Kinda weird experiece I had! So we were eating some rice and loaka at a hotely. I had just gotten my henakisoa sy haricovert when this middle aged vazaha lady comes right up to where I'm sitting and asks me in her southern accent, "Y'all from the States?" And at first I was taken off guard by that, because this was the first time I'd talked to an american face to face outside of our missionaries. I kinda paused for a sec in shock and in the best Utah accent I could muster I replied, "Yes, I'm American". We talked a little back and forth and it turns out she's here on a mission for the Presbyterian church and has already been all over Mada as well as 5 other African countries, but she says this is her favorite place that she's been. We wished each other luck on our efforts and that was that. It was kindof a funky experience but also a way cool one. Even though there's different beliefs, it's still cool to think that there's people still gathered in one cause, to help people through living the gospel.
Another cool experience I had. We were teaching some investigators, Michel and Vaosolo were their names. They've already learned from missionaries for a while, but we've kinda been reviewing with them. I think the only thing standing in the way of baptism is that they're not legaly married yet. We had a good lesson with them about the Plan of Salvation and as we were leaving I noticed something interesting. They pulled out a tithing slip and asked the member help to help them fill it out. I was having a hard time believing what I was seeing and afterwards I asked Razaza if they were really investigators and he said yes. I just thought it was amazing. Not even members, not required to pay tithing, and yet they do it anyways to show their faith. Tithing here in Madagascar is kindof a tender subject. That's a big reason why there's not a temple here still, is because people struggle with it. If more people were like this couple, this country would be in a different place. I think it was Dallin H. Oaks or someone that said something like a tithe-paying people is what turns nations around. It was just a testimony builder to me of how important tithing is and how the Lord truly blesses those that put a little trust in him.
Let's see... I don't quite know what else to tell. So I guess the power company and Tana were having troubles getting along and there was some drama and the power company threatened to shut off the power. But then they had peace talks and things are hunky-dory again. So that's that. Hmm. For dinner nowadays we've been going to this vazaha place that I've come to like. It's called Marco Pizza. The burgers there are what get me coming back. Except the people that run it are french, so I always feel super awkward when I get a 'bonjour' or something. There's a waiter there that's malagasy, so there's a translator thank goodness. I've gotten pretty close with the members here already. Everyone is super nice. One thing I do remember is that when I was in Ampitatafika with Elder Hull, we would always joke that after I left he'd be training and I'd be off to Tolear or Mahajanga. He's not training now, but half of that's true!! I really do love it here. I don't think I've said that enough, have I? I do. I'm pretty dang sambatra to be here. Still loving life!
Well I can't really think of anything else, so I guess that'll do it. I love all of you! Enjoy the few pics on the bucket. Have a great week!
-Elder Mumf
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