Some African Tales

 

Hello from Mada!

     Words I will now grace your knowledge with: mipipy and mirave. Those words sounds familiar? That would be because they are taken straight from the English words to pee and to rave, haha, and just Malagasyfied. They actually use them though which is the funniest part. So there you go, there is a little bit of America here in Madagascar after all.

     Okay, I have something funny to tell you. Picture this: two white boys straight from suburban America, sitting in a ghetto house in the middle of a crazy African island nation's capital. They are sitting on somewhat broken/sketchy chairs eating coconut bread and sardines with three of the straightest, most legit Comorians ever, speaking a broken mix of Malagasy, French, and English. That was how part of my Friday afternoon went as I was on a split with Elder Roush, my super good friend from my MTC group. We had lunch with these hilarious Comorians, who we know because one of them comes to our English class. They made us some true Comorian food, and while we were there I asked them to teach me some Comorian, so they did. Way awesome! Craziest language ever, but strangely enough, that entire situation was just plain funny, never thought I would ever be doing something like that before in my entire life. Making friends with Comorians! There are enough Comorians around in this area that who knows, knowing a little bit of their language might come in handy! It's cool to know anyway.

     So that was basically my Friday, another split with my good friend Elder Roush. On Wednesday I went on a split with a mini (I'm not sure if you guys know what a mini is, but it is a Malagasy young man member who steps in and serves as a missionary for a short time when there is a need or emergency transfer or something). It was super fun only speaking Malagasy all day with him and our investigators, I wish I had more days like that actually. He was baptized almost a year ago, so it was fun teaching with him because of how excited he is about the gospel and everything. It was also painfully frustrating because he had NO IDEA HOW TO TEACH. He is good at Malagasy obviously because he is Malagasy, but boy oh boy was it a feat trying to keep him from dropping all the doctrine in the BOM [Book of Mormon] at once on investigators. Sorry man, but it is not necessary to talk as fast as possible to try to fit in literally all the deepest doctrine about the plan of salvation in a one hour period! Nonetheless, it was still a good experience with him, haha. Made me realize how important teaching simply and clearly is.

     These last two weeks have been extremely good work of salvation-wise here. Full programs all day, catching most of our lessons, teaching great investigators who really could help the future of the church. Truly blessed! Straight dead exhausted at the end of everyday, but hey, tsy ampy miasa raha tsy reraka foana!(not working hard enough if you aren't tired all the time!)

     All these splits, which take up a lot of time traveling back and forth on slow buses crammed with little African people, have really helped me learn to appreciate study time. Too often our study time gets severely crippled, so I must say its definitely become more and more precious to me. Gotta improve yourself, and know the doctrine and stuff yourself, to be able to adequately teach! I am doing the majority of my study, both personal and other, in Malagasy. I have had it with this English language, nobody speaks it here so there is no reason for me to work on my English skills is the way I look at it. I'm surprised by how many missionaries don't do that... while I'm simply trying to forget the fact that I even speak English! hopefully I will remember at least a little bit when I get home...

       Language is still such a work in progress for me, but I have realized these last couple weeks that I can teach all of the lessons and get my point across while we are teaching almost 100 percent of the time, so that is a blessing. Understanding everything and speaking well I am still farrrrr from. Malagasies say everything in such a different way of thinking than Americans that even if you are able to translate everything in your head into Malagasy and then say it, maybe they will understand you but it won't be correct because they would say it an entirely different way.

      Jameson/Xiaomei and Dani, i finally got your letters, thank you! It was good to receive those even if it took a little longer than emails do haha. Much appreciated.

Mom:

    We drink bottled water a lot, as well as filtered (we have a filter in the house). I have been pretty good about that. I haven't gotten sick yet! My stomach basically feels a little weird some of the time, but beyond that nothing bad.

    Hmmm, is there anything I miss from the states? Besides people, family and friends obviously, not a whole lot that I think about! but first and foremost the temple, easy choice. Then music, both playing and listening to it. And then... I don't really know, but there are two for you! And maybe buses that are bigger than the size of Smartcars with thirty smelly people crammed into them sweating their derrieres off is something I miss too, although I have been growing to like them now that I think about it. Just a sort of special bonding experience with anyone sitting next to you...

Dad:

    Stake conference was always a great thing back in the day (we have ours here in the Manakabahiny stake next week). 

    Madagascar number 10 on the list of poorest countries [average annual income], wow... could be doing a little better here couldn't we? I guess we can just be glad that it is still one unified country and there is at least some food for people...

 

Scripture:

     Mosiah 4:19 (if that is correct...) the one about us all being beggars. Very true, we are all very in debt to our Heavenly Father. It is far too easy to compare people on this earth, but when we look at the big picture and how it really is, we are all equal in our indebtedness. Nothing to brag about there!

     The work of the Lord is pressing forward here in, and I'm doing my best to help it along, or at least not hinder it with my still-much-lacking skills. So that is that, hope all is well and healthy, with babies and adults alike!

 

Love
Elder Fox