Monday, November 9, 2015

11/9/15 - It is incredible to watch the hand of the Lord work here in Madagascar

Lety e!  Ho faty ny papako amin'ny herin androany...

Hey y'all!  Sorry that last weeks email just stunk with how short it was but I'll see if I can give you guys some good juice today!  Oui Oui!  Well, transfers are coming up in a couple of weeks and I'm sad that training is coming to an end.  Elder Tainter is ready to spread his wings and fly!  He'll do good leading the area and taking care of his mission mom.

Monday:  We have had an investigator named Valery for a long time.  One of our recent converts named Nadia wanted us to teach him and work to get him baptized.  Valery is her husband but he has never been interested.  He has a problem with alcohol and chewing tobacco so it's been hard to teach him sometimes.  But today when we got to their house we found that Nadia had finally given birth! Yay!  The baby's name is Revelson Gislain Franquie.  Valery was holding the baby just like a loving father and he was willing to learn.  We were able to teach him about the Plan of Salvation and Valery told us that he wants his son to get baptized when he is 8 years old and be strong in the gospel.  We told him, "We can see the love you have for your children and the life you want them to have but wouldn't it be better if you receieved the blessings of gospel first?  Will you be baptized?"  He told us that he knows he has a problem with the Word of Wisdom but he told us, "Elders - if you can help me get over alcohol and chewing tobacco then I will be ready for baptism." :)

Tuesday:  We taught a new investigator today.  His name is Fetra.  Here in Madagascar pretty much everyone believes in God and Jesus Christ.  This is the first investigator I found that believes in science and not in God.  I was way surprised.  We were tracting and his son ran out to us and wanted us to go teach his father.  He is a way nice guy but just has no faith.  Never had to deal with someone like this.  It was a little hard.  We told him our message and we invited him to pray to know that it is true but he totally denied it.  We hope to see progress soon... Eh, ho hitantsika. 

Wednesday:  We had a practice baptism interview with Mamyniaina and she is doing good!  She wants to get baptized and then make it to the temple with her husband who is already a member.  They will be married on the 19th and then baptized on 20th right before I leave.  Woo hoo!  We had a great lesson with Christoffe and Niry as well.  They are ready to be baptized.  They came to General Conference and loved it.  Our bishop was a little upset with the translation though. Hopefully the members still got everything they could out of it.
 
Thursday:  We taught Ermora again and he is starting to get strong again.  I love teaching him and his wonderful family.  I'm even more grateful for his wife and for the example that she shows.  The wife goes to church every single week and reads the Book of Mormon every morning.  Her husband has benefited from that example and now he's just solid.  He said the closing prayer and I thought it was a wonderful prayer. 

Friday:  We had another great lesson with one of my favorite families.  Samson is turning out the same as Ermora.  Samson has been less active for years and has had a hard time finding a desire to go back to church but he has the past month.  They want to do a family home evening with us and that will happen on the 20th.   

Saturday:  As a district leader I got to do baptism interviews for the district!  It was way fun.  The sisters have a couple investigators getting baptized and they are great.  Sr Alexandra and Sr Lydia.  I believe both want to go on a mission.  They will be strong and helpful for the church.  They asked me to do their baptisms this Saturday.  I am way excited for it!  
 
Sunday: (Don't hurt me mom, I already talked to Sister Rossiter :p)  Yah.  So I got sick again.  Haha! I couldn't make it to church so I called the bishop.  We had a good bunch of investigators come to church.  There was Christoffe, Niry, Mamyniaina, Haja, etc.  I love seeing investigators come to church.  Best feeling in the world.  We were with the trainees today so I had Elder Tainter go out in the wild with one of them and teach.  They were fine.  #besttrainerever
 
I love you guys so much.  It is incredible to watch the hand of the Lord work on the people here in Madagascar.  He really does love everyone across the globe from America to Madagascar. Byeee! Bisous bisous! 
 
-Elder Mack

 
Valery and his wonderful family

 
So this is the service project that we have been doing the past little while for Rene.
 
Mom - I kind of destroyed a house.  Haha!
 
Andry's job is repairing motos.  He just built this one for the kids.  It's funny watching him ride it because it looks like he enjoys it more than the kids.  Haha!


Love my area!  This is Anjanahary.
 
Sister Foote posted this on Instagram today.  She wrote, "Pday fun at the mission home with the missionaries and the locals.

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