I am sorry to admit that I did have a good word planned for this week, one that would truly enlighten your minds and lift your souls, however that planner ran into some umm troubles the other day. It may or may not have had the ill fortune of being laying on the floor next to my bed when I threw up all over it, so needless to say it is currently out of action due to a failure to meet requirements for cleanliness. So instead the replacement word this week is marary, which means sick.
Madagascar got its revenge this week, yesterday and Saturday. My time those two days was spent in the house as I was either throwing up or sitting on the toilet or laying on a bed trying not to do either of those. Made for a pretty rough end to the week I'm not going to lie. I am feeling mostly better now, although I am still extremely weak and a little out of things. Plus it is now ridiculously hot and humid outside, so one's energy takes a beating fairly quickly when walking up and down hills. But I have gotten it all out of me and am on the up and up, so no worries! I took some medicine, both your oil stuff mom and diarrhea treatment.
That poor weekend, however, was just a bad end to a very good week. All the week days were busy programs teaching lots of investigators and working hard. At the crazy Antandroys from way south, we got to eat malagasy mangos for the first time while also learning some of their insane dialect. Elder Jensen was really into learning the dialects and things like that so he got me pretty interested in them as well, so whenever I have the chance I pick up a few words here and there! that way I can come home and sound as African as possible, because official malagasy isn't really too African sounding. The dialects, however, are.
Another investigator we have recently been able to reconnect with after over a month, is the guy I told you about a while ago who we thought was Muslim, but it ends up he must not be super Muslim because after talking to him even more we have found that he has a pretty good background of belief in Christianity... but then again, some of the simpler things that most Christians know he doesn't! So for now I'll just say he is a hybrid... but yeah, it has been good getting back in contact with him and going over the Restoration again.
As a bunch of newbies serving in the ward it has been awesome seeing members come to our aid (out of fear of our preaching false doctrine and ruining innocent civilian lives, or pity for our lack of language skill who knows!) and really be willing to help us out. Something we are trying to focus on more as a mission is getting investigators member friends, which we should obviously be doing all the time, to help them feel more at home in the church and have someone to go to sacrament meeting with, so it is good we are getting more help!
Oh, another thing, we had a straight amazing zone conference on Thursday. It took up a good portion of our day, with tons of different instruction on various important missionary skills and duties and attributes. We learned how to better use pamplets in our teaching (and I can surely attest that they are amazing! Speak better malagasy than I do at least); how to be more effective with our time; fill up gaps between lessons; be more aggressive in finding new investigators; using our area books and planners more effectively. Sheesh, they act as if we aren't already perfect at all of those, what is this?? A special bonus was getting to eat delicious sloppy joes that sister Adams cooked for all of us for lunch (which I got to do last week as well, so no complaint there!) Afterwards President Adams threw down a bomb of a great lesson about obedience, honesty, integrity. This mission needed, and still needs, to be kicked into better shape, and President Adams is the perfect man for the job! Wowzers were we pumped on missionary work after that conference. Still are obviously, but it really helps to be a part of conferences like that and know that you are a part of something much bigger than yourself or your area or the country even. The entire world!
All goes well in the training department with Elder Thia! Keep on keepin' on is what they say. I think. Everyday is a challenge that makes it feel like you actually did something by the end of it, and you go to bed well in need of the sleep (besides these last two days when all I did was sleep hahah) but yup, thats about that...Elder Thia and I get along well! nothing to complain about relationship-wise, he is a super nice elder. Helped me out tons my sick days.
Verse of the week: 2 Corinthians 9:7. God loves a cheerful giver! Wow, don't tell me attitude actually DOES matter after all?? Well I'll be, it looks like it does! Being cheerful is the key to many things I feel. So may we all do our best!
Sorry this is a pretty boring email, these last couple days took it outta me. But more great things to come!
Love
Elder Fox
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