5/2/16 - Bye Elder Anderson, a new companion, and feeling peace

Nahazo hafatra androany aho mikasika ny fandehanako mody... kay moa
 

Hey y'all! Way sorry about my pathetic excuses for emails.  Haha!  We'll make this one spiffy!  Sound good?  Boo yah!  How's everyone doing?  I am doing soo good!  I'm way excited for this next transfer with my new comp!  Yup, Elder Anderson left... but I got a way cool comp! ...drum roll... Elder Olsen!!  We lived together when I was in Anjanahary.  He kept me sane!  Haha!  He is probably my last comp before I go home... way crazy.  WE'RE GONNA OWN IT!!  MAHARITRA HATRAMINNY FARANY ARY TSY HO FATY MAFY!  Well, we had a good week. It was kind of just like a "get Elder Olsen used to his area" type of week but it's all good. We still had some great highlights from this past week.

- Ok, Felicia update!  She is fantastic.  She has started to read a little in the Book of Mormon.  She has asked some very good quesitons about it.  We read in the Book of Mormon with her in the last lesson and it was so special because afterwards we asked her, "What do you feel when you read the Book of Mormon?" and she said, "I feel this amazing peace." After she said that I also felt the strongest peaceful feeling as well.  The book is true.  It is.  She came to church on Sunday and we were sooo happy!  She's just gotta keep it up!  She is still battling cigarettes. We have been trying to call her every night encouraging her to keep trying and her burden will be lifted if she trusts.

- Jimmy is also way cool!  He came to church and has been doing his homework.  We invited him to be baptized but he hesitated and said he has been already baptized.  We had to explain a little bit about the priesthood but he still doesn't fully understand so for our next lesson we will be going through the first lesson again.  Hopefully things will click.  Him and his wife are not legally married as well and it might be tough to get their birth certificates.  They are from Fianarantsoa which is hecka out there.  Haha!

- Saholy came to church and is missing Elder Anderson a lot. She loves the missionaries and is really getting close to baptism.  Just waiting on that answer!  I feel she is showing faith, reading, etc.  It won't be too long before she feels it too.

- We did a lot of tracting this week. We tracted into this way cool couple. Both their names are Mindrana.  Mindrana and Mindrana.  Way funny.  The dad works for some Americans so he speaks pretty good English.  The wife likes us coming by.  They have two kids.  The boy reminds me of my bro Spence.  His name is Toki and he has seen us walk around before and gives us fist bumps.  Haha! Way funny kid!  They said they are Catholic but they were really willing to let us in.  I see them being really diligent in reading and trying to find the truth.  They are already legally married.  For his job he does advising for some kind of charitable organization.  He is the head of that in Madagascar.  Way cool.  He almost went to America a couple of times but it ended up not working out.

- Well, remember Juliette?  She was a less active member with her husband Justin.  We were at their house and were teaching them when her son Erik walked in.  He too had taken lessons from missionaries but never got baptized because he moved to a place where the church and missionaries are not in.  He's got two kids.  His wife left him so he takes care of them.  We asked him, "Are you ready to get baptized now?"  He said, "I'll learn again and if it's really true, yes!"  Boo yah!!

So stoked for Saturday to skype my family!  I love you guys!  Happy Mother's day to all the incredible mothers out there.  I love you mom.

Elder Mack

Saying goodbye to Elder Anderson

Hardy gave Elder Olsen a rock as a welcome gift.  Haha!

No matter where he goes the landlord carries his bunny.  The bunnies name is Petite, which is French for little.

This is the Jirima Electric guy.  He came and cut our power unexpectedly and left.  We had to find him and show him the receipt that shows we paid the electric bill so he sent his companion to turn it back on.  I waited with him and he asked me to help cut someone else's power.  Haha!  Then we selfied. 

Elder Olsen found the baobab tree.  Haha!

My new companion Elder Olsen!