Boy oh boy do I finally have stuff to write about in an email! It's good to know I won't be boring us anymore.
So the last few days being in the office were a little weird, though we had a nice dinner with Pres and Sis Adams at a unique little restaurant place. Way fun time, I love just getting to chat with them about life and school and work and random things. What incredible people. I have learned more from them than I could ever possibly realize at this point I am sure.
Tues night was epic! And why was it epic do you ask? Because the seeds have been planted for A future marriage! (wouldn't it be awkward if they read this email/blog right? haha) I was on a split with Elder Christiansen that night as I went to say goodbye to people, so we set up a soiree with Sr M, a way good friend in the ward, and Sr V, her sister (we think) and so we brought A. Sr V is his future wife, I guarantee it. Had a nice spiritual thought/lesson, played some games, ate food, and then said goodbye. Now, we wait. I'll send you the wedding invitation when it comes here soon, haha. (Funny thing is, I talked to Pres and Sis Adams about how I wanted to set A up with Sr V and they were totally supportive hahah they offered to help too. Pres was even like 'you know what, I need to come have a lesson with him about eternal marriage'. With back up support like that this scheme of mine cannot fail.)
And then Wed afternoon I rode my first ever long distance taxibe bus. It was a good time, just chillin with Christiansen and the few other missionaries that came down here with us. Oh yeah, forgot to mention, Elder Christiansen got transferred down here too. Just inseparable or something weird like that haha. We got in pretty late, so the real work began Thurs.
And oh did the work begin! We are essentially whitewashing the area, as there was almost zero program or anything going on. I have never done anything like this before... so we just hit the ground running and are going hard, and are basically contacting the crud out of everything we see so we can get to the fun part of missionary work, actually teaching! haha but its hard stuff. Rewarding, but hard. Sometimes you just run into interesting people, like one guy who thinks he is Jesus, but truly we have seen so many miracles already though, in just finding incredible investigators who seem to be well prepared to accept the Gospel. There is one story I have got to share--
So there we were on Saturday, had just finished a time and now have an open program. We need to find someone to teach. The area we were in had already been pretty thoroughly destroyed tracting-wise by us though. I see a group of houses a little off in the distance. We decide to go there. As we are going we come around and see that there is a pretty big valley separating us and the place we had designed to go, a valley that didn't look like it had any real paths coming up from the rice patties at the bottom. That would have been a smart time for us to decide not to go there, as it just looked ridiculous and practically pointless to put in all that work to probably teach nobody. For some reason we went anyway, down one side and then up a hard, no trail battle up the other side. We finally find a path. We follow it. the first house we come by, one I had seen from the other side, didn't look too promising that anyone was home. We almost go by it but for some reason we stop and knock it. A guy comes to the gate. Already a good sign, because we need males in the house to be able to teach. We talk. He lets us in, and then we go into his house. We go inside and he sits us down. And then walks in his wife. And then come in his four kids. All six sit down to learn. A full, perfect family. We proceed to have a great spiritual first lesson about Joseph Smith. They pay attention intently and ask questions the entire time. Lesson ends. We ask for a specific return appointment. They say they can't give one, as they need time to think about what we just taught them, because of the gravity of the existence of prophets and apostles again. They already understand a first better than most members, and even though they didn't give a specific date I have 100% faith we will be able to teach them again. They were perfect. It was no accident we found that one specific family in such a ridiculous way that day. At the end of the lesson the wife asks to take a peek at the gospel picture book I use, and then went through looking at some pictures with the rest of the family, talking about different Bible stories and things. All I could do was picture them in the white of temple clothes.
Miracles just abound here. A guy named M we found just on Thurs already soaked up the first pamphlet and is in love with the BiM. Another couple we just randomly gave a plan of salvation pamphlet outside their house read the entire thing, had questions, and essentially show all the signs of being prepared for the good word. Plus many more. It's incredible.
I feel I am basically having to relearn a lot of Malagasy and get confidence back in speaking and things now. Which is rough, cause I feel like I already had to do that over a year and a half ago, but I think I'll be back in the zone here shortly... I hope haha but there really isn't another option, so we press forward! Gotta do what you gotta do.
Anyway, getting sent here to Antsirabe with Elder Galbreath is an answer to prayer, no other way to put it. All day everyday is true, blue, pure missionary work. It is a place and branch that needs lots of help and hard work, which is exatly what I have desired to do for a long time. So yes, its way hard, but I am absolutely loving it. How lucky I am to take part in God's work.
A final thing-- One of the pioneers, true converts and leaders of the early chruch here in Madagascar, Eveka Lala from the Ambohipo ward, passed away last week. He was ward mission leader when I was there. An absolutely incredible man. His entire life and conversion was full of miracles on top of miracles. His desires to do God's work and build up Zion here in Mada is more than anyone I have ever met. He will be missed.
I will be talking to you soon, I'll get on as close to 8:30 as possible the morning of the 26th! We will cross our fingers power is not out or anything stupid like that. If it is... things will work out somehow! They always do. But there should be no problem, the power is normally good here in Antsirabe.
Love
Elder Fox
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