What a week, what a week. We were able to teach a couple good times in our own area this week. One day we taught N and V. N has been doing well, which is way good to see because in the past she was always extremely diligent, more than most members, but went through a super rough time of being disappointed and sad recently, and now has bounced out of it and is continuing to be amazingly awesome. V is not doing so hot... he sometimes shows good signs of understanding and desire, like he really truly wants to quit drinking and wants to change his life etc etc, but other times he's just blah. So anyways, we had quite the battle trying to get him to pray during our lesson on Thurs. We talked all about faith, connected that to prayer, tied it back to our last lesson about our relationship with God and His love for us, and did all we could to have him say the closing prayer of the lesson. He just wouldnt. So, in an interesting minute or two of silence (trying to let the Spirit work a little bit) with N patiently reading in her Book of Mormon, there was only one thing I could think to do. I just frankly said "Well alright then, it looks like we just aren't going to have a closing prayer for our lesson today." Elder Weber and I packed up our stuff, shook their hands, thanked them, expressed the hope that for the next lesson we might be able to have a closing prayer, and then left. It was the weirdest feeling in the entire world! You don't realize how important that closing prayer is until you don't have it, the entire car ride back I just felt awkward, like something was missing. So I'm hoping it helped him understand just how important prayer is, which I guess we will find out tonight as we go to teach them. You really dont realize how important something is until you don't have it
We also taught A, which has been a while. Great lesson as always, he is being his normal stud self. We just got to get him married and then he will be good to go! (and I totally know who he should marry, now I just need to be sneaky to get them to meet each other... maybe I invite both of them to a soiree or something.... hahah probably outside of my missionary purpose, but absolutely crucial for the growth of the church here in Mada haha)
So on Friday I was in the Ambohimena area of Antsirabe, back with good ole Elder Rice, the man of the legends. Quality time. Saw plenty of cows and rice paddies and old ladies chewing tobacco. Gotta love it. The next day I was out with the zone leaders in the actual Antsirabe area, which ended up being a day mostly contacting because of how often we got dogged, which is what life is all about right? its just amazing to be doing actual missionary work, whether or not you have to go street contacting and knocking on doors. Then on Sunday my split was back in Andranomanelatra, where i went the last time I was in Antsirabe. such a great day, having church in a big tent outside of their run down little rented house/church office thing with amazingly humble and kind members, followed by biking through dirt paths that quickly turned into a death trap of mud as the heavens opened and poured down an epic monsoon upon us. I now call Andranomanelatra "befotaka", or Lots of Mud. My pants and shoes got destroyed haha and it is still caked on there to this moment as I am writing this email. It's the style these days, or maybe I subconsciously think of it as a badge of honor or something, I dunno.
Sooo, in responses to dad's question, it is true that Christmas and skyping are close at hand. However, I'm not too positive about my schedule.... because I'm not going to be here at that point in time... hehe its transfer time! It is way weird, because I now know where I am going to be spending the rest of my mission, scaryyyyy. But anyhow, how do you want to do it? I kinda forgot how we did it last year... because I can call whenever you desire (at least I think I will be able to, cause that will probably depend upon the cyber).
Mom, the second package arrived! Thanks betsaka be. It shall be well enjoyed
So lesson from the week-- always close with prayer. We often don't realize how important prayer is in our life until we don't do it. We often take such a blessing and help for granted. We often lack sincerity when we pray, slipping into a routine habit that lacks what truly counts when we pray. But with sincerity and faith, prayer turns into the most wonderful tool in the entire world. I see that everyday as a missionary. I see lives changed as investigators, members, and missionaries alike learn how to truly pray and rely on that heavenly help. So if you have let your communication with your Heavenly Father turn into a boring, lame routine then come on, snap out of it. Pray right, pray always, and make sure to close with a prayer.
Love
Elder Fox
No comments:
Post a Comment