Can't say it was the most exciting of weeks, but the work here in Fort Dauphin keeps pushing forward despite all attempts at sickness, exhaustion, and other bothersome things to slow it down. But of course, how can I say it wasn't an exciting week? It was, we had the baptism on Saturday! And boy oh boy did that sure end up being an event of extended proportions. We decided to have the baptism for F, A, O, Od, and J at the T church because that is the branch that they are in, which involved moving the portable font from the A building to the T one. That was no big deal because we just put our ward missionaries in charge of it, except for the fact that none of them filled the font... so needless to say, when we got there about a half hour before the service was supposed to begin to print programs and get things like that ready was when the font started to get filled. Therefore, keeping true with Malagasy standard time, the baptismal service began a full two and a half hours after it was supposed to... but I think that is basically what one is to expect with activities run by Malagasies haha so it wasn't too big of a deal for all those who had to wait.
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| Waiting two hours for the font to fill. |
And that waiting did absolutely nothing to ruin the awesomeness of the baptism of one of our favorite families! Elder Mitchell performed the baptism for A and O, and I had the opportunity to baptize F, O, and J. It is always an honor to be asked to do the baptism for someone, which is only made that much better by the fact that it is someone you love and have spent so many hours teaching and preparing.
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| The T church baptism |
On that note, Friday was also a great day because I got to do all the baptismal interviews for them! Which is an opportunity to get to know the investigator that I always take advantage of. I have found that it doesn't matter how much you know your investigator or have taught them or interacted with them, you always learn many wonderful things that are new about them once you sit down to give them the interview. Before coming down here to Ft D I was a little scared, knowing that I'd have to be the one doing interviews since there is no possible way of getting a district or zone leader down here, but I quickly learned that that it is the exact opposite of how it truly is--- they are super fun. Especially when they are truly ready for baptism, then it ends up being a celebration of their testimony and conversion and the huge changes that have taken place in their life.
Lets see, earlier in the week.... we had a couple lessons where our investigator came a little drunk, so that was not very good. Especially since one of them was a man who recently became diligent in coming to church (which that part is good) but refuses to accept the fact that he drinks. We can't force anybody to do anything, but it sure is frustrating when you kindly but directly tell someone that he needs to stop drinking and he refuses to even accept the fact that he drinks. But I guess that was a lesson to me on the steps of repentance and how we first need to accept the fact that we are sinning before we will ever actually repent. Its impossible to change a bad habit you don't think is bad!
On a happy note I got to see two recently reactivated men, E and K receive the Aaronic priesthood on Sunday and become priests! Aww so much joy. Melchezidek priesthood holders is what this place needs, so it was very good to see two men on their way to getting it. Reactivating is an endeavor that brings about as much joy as a baptism, because it is equally important, and for me personally it is a very sad thing to see someone breaking a sacred covenant that they made so helping them honor that is massively important.
Later that day, on Sunday, we had dinner at F and A's in celebration and ate tons of pasta and rice. I don't know what it is with people here in Ft D, but they do love their pasta. So much so in fact, that they put it on rice.... which I thought was illegal until I first saw it here. And now I love it. Also had a big tie-tying lesson with F, J, and Od before the dinner, and learned lots and lots of Antandroy. So what isn't to love about that?
On saturday there was a party at the A church, and tons of members came to our house to grab a big table that we have to play ping pong on. But it is no ordinary table, it is probably the most massive and heavy table known to man. Yet somehow, with Malagasy willpower and carrying capabilities, they got it from our house to the church. It was hilarious watching them trying to get it out of the house, so much so that I took a picture and put it up for all of your enjoyment (along with other pictures too)
Mom and Dad:
Keep up the good work! Interfaith connections is a very important thing, so that maybe, just maybe, people will begin to realize that we don't actually pray naked... (That is one of the popular things that goes around here in Madagascar)
Reading in D and C, sections like 93 etc, has made me realized I am going to have so many questions when I get to the other side that Im going to need an eternal life to be able to ask them all. Something to be shared though is this-- D and C 93:36 The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth. That can be taken to have many different meanings, but when you look at it in the light of education it makes so much sense why this church puts in so much effort to promote education. There is much good that comes from it, but not just that, it is literally the glory of God. There is nothing that will depart this life with us that is physical, but that which is spiritual and mental will. It makes me so grateful for the opportunities at education that I have had. People just don't have that opportunity here in Mada, so it is something to be taken advantage of and to be extremely grateful for.
Dia veloma aby, misaotra betsaka noho ny vavaka ataonareo ho anay (bye bye all, thanks for the prayers)
Love
Elder Fox
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