Monday, November 10, 2014

11/10/14 - Zone, transfers, and musical number

(We did not hear from Elder Mack when we usually do.  Apparently mommy needs to learn some patience.  Finally at 6:30pm Madagascar time we got an email.  He said that they had some internet issues.  The connection was really bad today.  No pictures were included and I did not get the song that he mentions.  Hopefully we will get it next week.) 
 
Akoryabio!! Or in English - WAZZ UPP!!!
 
Hey y'all! This week has been AWESOME!!  I'm loving it here.  It is an incredible place. For starters - the word of the week is "Mahay" (Muh-hi).  This is commonly used word in Malagasy.  It means skilled or when talking about language, it means fluent.  So if a foreigner speaks malagasy to a native, they will usually say, "Efa mahay ianao" which means "you are already fluent".  I can't wait till I'm mahay.
 
OK, so guess what!?  It's the end of my first transfer in the field!  Soo crazy!  Where did the time go!?  This went by so fast!  We only have 5 weeks in this next transfer because of getting missionaries home in time for Christmas so I am over half way done being trained by Elder Lehr... :( So sad...  We also found out that Fianarantsoa is now a zone!  That's awesome!  We got an Elder coming in, Elder Rigby, who is going to be zone leader. Elder Lehr is pretty excited because all of his responsibiites go to Elder Rigby. haha  All Elder Lehr will still have to run district meetings and do stats Sunday nights.  Elder Glazier who I was with in the MTC is moving to the other house.  I don't want to see him go!  He is a stud and is getting the language.  Just one of those super talented fast learning guys. 
 
Well, this week was like I said, AWESOME!!  We got 5 baptism commitments for December 20 so me and Elder Lehr are pretty excited.  This week we are hoping for two more!  So awesome!  We have this one investigator named Pella who was just so ready to receive this gospel!  He is keeping all of his commitments, and he has been reading the Book of Mormon. Golden investigator right there!  There is also a little boy named Wilson that we are working with.  I gave him a Book of Mormon on Friday and he came with one of his member friends to church yesterday!  Such a stud.  He was holding onto that book like Elder Connault to his coke. haha.  Sorry, private joke between us elders. But this was a great proselyting week.  We know that this next week will be even better!  Me and Elder Lehr wrote down some goals that we are excited for!
 
Yesterday me and Elder Lehr sang the musical number in the sacrament meeting!  It was awesome!  We recorded it when we practiced so I'll try to send it to my mom if you so desire to listen to it.  We sang "I Know that my Redeemer Lives."  Awesome song!  Elder Lehr said he looked up a few times from the lyrics and said some of the members were jaw dropped!  Das wassup!  nah nah nah just kidding!  I love singing with Elder Lehr!  I thought it sounded great.  It was definitely a spiritual experience for us.  I made a goal that even though I couldn't speak the language very well in the beginning, that I would use music to try to touch the hearts of others.  I love music.  Music brings in the spirit like nothing else.  I hope I'm fullfilling that goal.  Elder Lehr is an amazing musician!  He plays the piano for sacrament meeting for both branches.  So fun! 
 
Well, I heard that my cousin Malia is back from the Philippines!  That's crazy!  It doesn't seem that long since she left.  And her brother Makoa comes back in January!  What??  Time flies!  Yikes!  To Mia and Koa:  I love you both and can't wait to see you both in a couple years and then we can talk mission experiences!
 
Well, that's the week! Hope everyone is doing great.  I'll talk to you all again next week!
 
-Elder Mack

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