Mumford in Mada: Rats ate the pants, can't come to church

Howdy y'alls! How's it kicking?? Things here are still alive and well. It's hot. And getting hotter each and everyday. But that's not really news anymore. We did get some rain this week, but it always comes when we're sleeping otherwise I'd totally be out there dancing in it. And some of you might think the rain cools things down, but in reality it just makes it more humid and the paths are impossible to get through on bikes because it's so muddy. But with all that being said it's been a pretty fantastic week!

Elder Cartmill is still 19 years old but will be 20 in December. He's planning on going into medical engineering when he gets back from the mish and study at the U. There are 5 members in his family and he's the oldest and he has a dog named Gracie who is such a mutt that they can't tell what kind she is. He aspires to get into Jon Hopkins to further his pursuits in his field and he does a pretty dang good Boyd K. Packer impression. I'll have to get a video of that up soon. He enjoys long walks on the beach and he is single! So yeah. There's a little bit more about my companion. We've been having a pretty fun time out here. We both have the same vision and things we want to focus on in the branch, and we have so much fun which has had a big impact on the work too I think. So far it's been the change that I've needed. It's been way fun having an American again. We can just talk and understand 110% of the things we say to each other. Plus we're still in the same boat in Malagasy. Pretty good and can do everything we need to just fine, but still trying to master it in any way we can. So yeah, I've been having a pretty fun time here and still working hard. Our investigators for the most part are progressing. We've had a lot of clearing up confusions with people about why we're here and what we do and how baptism is the eventual goal. So that's helped a lot and we've had more people come to church. The work is still moving forward.

Random stuff. So this week we were looking for a less-active member but instead found her father with crazy straggly hair wearing just a cloth around his waist and was acting kinda weird. He told us to come in anyways and I had a little funny feeling about it, but we went in anyways. He then in a crazy dramatic way introduced himself as Papan' i Eva (Eve's father) and then without introducing ourselves he said we were all Adam and he was our papa. He proceeded to give us many fist bumps and it was pretty obvious he was on some stuff. Like. A LOT of stuff. So we got outta there as quickly and respectfully as we could and then right as we were leaving he started chasing us yelling at us to give him our names. Too bad we had bikes, hehe :) There wasn't really any danger, it was just funny. But I learned a valuable lesson, one that I already knew but had to be reminded of, if you have even the slightest bad feeling about something, just listen to the Holy Ghost and don't do it. Haha. Lesson relearned. Oh and there was one investigator who said he'd be at church last week but didn't come. When we came to teach him next we asked why he didn't come and he said it was because rats ate his pants! There you have it. Madagascar obstacles that keep them from church. But he did come yesterday, so I was happy :) Let's see... I asked someone where they thought I was from and they thought I was German. Which I guess is partially true? I know there's some Danish in my blood, just not sure about the German. Last P-day we went pants shopping for Elder Cartmill since one of his suitcases didn't make it. So! I ended up getting a pair too. I was deciding between two but then I finally told the old lady to just get the one. I paid for it, then I got back to the house to discover she still had put both in even though I had just paid for the one. So we went back and I explained what happened and I thought the old lady was gonna cry. She smiled at me, took my hand in hers and started calling me her child and was thanking Jesus. It was kinda weird, but kinda cool at the same time. Integrity, kids. Pass it on.

One other cool experience this week was we taught this younger guy named Richard. I'm not sure if I'd already mentioned him or not.. But we taught him for the second time this week and asked him if he had prayed about Joseph Smith. And with a smile he said yes and he said he felt something and that it was wonderful. We taught him about the Book of Mormon that day and he was excited to be able to read it and find out more. I love experiences like that where you can just see it in people's eyes that there's starting to be a change. And this is starting to come so soon! So, we'll have to see what happens, but looks like it's off to a pretty good start with him. So yeah, there's one story for ya.

Anyways, I better get going here, still lots to do! Ankafizo my pictures on the bucket! Love you all, have a week that is tena mahafinaritra be!

-eLdEr MuMfOrD :)