12/29/14 - Christmas, Skype, & New Years

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! :)

Hey y'all!  I hope this Christmas season has been a blast for everyone and that it was full of joy, love, and laughter!  I want to thank all those who sent me christmas wishes.  Thank you to my wardies for the ornament notes! :)  That was super nice of y'all.  Thank you for your support and love!  I had a wonderful Christmas.  Christmas morning we went down to the zone leaders house and made pancakes and crepes.  It was delicious.  Then we made burgers for lunch.  Tasted awesome!  We watched church movies and mormon messages all morning.  At 2 we went up to the church to do our Christmas service.  We moved everything in our "chapel" downstairs to a bigger room.  Then at 4 we got to Skype our beautiful families halfway across the world! :)  Skyping was so great!  It made me super happy and was definitely my Christmas highlight.  I miss my fam so much but I know this is where I need to be.  Dad - I promise that it didn't make me depressed.  That night was a little hard but the next day I picked myself right up!  Keep moving forward right?  I'm really having the time of my life here!

Okay.  Sorry for keeping y'all waiting for the word of the week. :p haha  So the word is "tratra" (cha-ch).  "Tr" in malagasy makes the "ch" sound.  It means 'caught'. "Merry Christmas" in Malagasy is "Tratra ny Christmas" or "caught the Christmas."  We also say "tratra" whenever we are chasing a kid and we catch them. haha 

So this week was great but a little tough on us.  Christmas was definitely the highlight.  Christmas Eve we went to the fancy restaurant President took us to after zone conference. We went in our regular clothes and it felt soo weird.  Friday and Saturday all the missionaries here in Fianarantsoa were feeling a little sick. Elder Hammer had it the worst.  We were unable to work for two days.  We think it was the burgers.  Well actually, Elder Kono wasn't feeling all that great halfway through the day on Saturday so he called us.  Me and Elder Coleman ended up doing splits.  It was great seeing the progress with me and Elder Coleman.  Remember the first time I talked about me and Elder Coleman together!?  It was rough!  We were both still so inexperienced.  But this time it was a whole lot better. We understood a lot more and taught a lot better.  Great day Saturday!  For church though, we had "0" investigators come.  It was really dissappointing but I guess that's motivation to work harder right!?  It could be because it was just Christmas. I dont know. 

Well things are going great over here.  Loving Mada!  Loving life!  Nothing but good things happening here.  Me and Elder Hammer are doing great.  I miss my dad Elder Lehr but I get to call him sometimes.  I have a good feeling about this week.  It's a new year!  I will set me some new goals.  It'll be awesome!  I hope everyone has a wonderful New Years!  Spend time with family, blow up some fireworks, set new goals, etc.

Love you all!
Elder Mack

Our new branch president

My mission mom and grandpa (Mom:  I think mission mom means that Elder Hammer is the second person training him.  Elder Lehr was his mission dad.  Then I think his mission grandpa means that Elder Rigby was Elder Hammer's mission dad.  Thanks Elder Lehr's mom for helping me decode that right.)

Last dinner with Elder Lehr.  L ro R:  Elder Connault, Elder Mack, Elder Lehr, and Elder Coleman (Mom:  Thank you to Elder Coleman's mom for the following four pictures)

Christmas Eve

Elder Hammer and Elder Mack playing in the rain