The Primary classes were learning about missionaries, so we got to go in and talk to them, and the Jazz promised the kids we were going to sing for them, without asking us, ha, so we got to sing "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission" for them, in English. I think I need to practice that song again, I didn't know like any words ha, luckily none of them knew English though. I kind of rambled random stuff most the time. But the kids loved it!
So Halloween, I definitely didn't know it was Halloween on Wednesday until that afternoon. I celebrated by drawing candy corn on my planner page Horray! Then we went and taught English. For some reason, like 30 people showed up, so we split the classes. I taught with Elder Quigley. All everyone wanted to talk about was the elections in America haha. Everyone wants to know who we're voting for, and likes to point out that Mitt Romney is Mormon. We were like "Yes, yes he is." I have no idea why everyone knows so much about America haha.
We had a new investigator family come to church this Sunday. We've only met with them twice, and they stayed for all 3 hours, and participated. So sick. I hate to sound cliche, but they are golden investigators. All of our lessons with them are way good. And yeah, to answer your question. We aren't supposed to focus on kids or just women alone, but we're supposed to teach the father, because in the end, he's pretty much the one who keeps the family active or not. So it's risky to just baptize kids or mothers. So even if the men are a little hard headed (is that a real term? hard headed? It works in Malagasy, but I can't really remember using it in English? Haha, weird), we still have to focus on them and try to get through to them.
Oh funny story. I love our ward missionaries, but they're still learning. Learning doctrine. Sometimes things are said in lessons that aren't really right. But they do good work. A few weeks ago, we were teaching Christophe's family (The dad of Hermin, 19, and Jean Claude, 14), and he asked a question, I don't remember what, but then our ward missionary decided to answer. Apparently, in Abraham's day, Abraham knew that Madagascar was a holy land, and he came here to carve messages for the people on the top of a mountain. He wrote his messages in Greek. Amazing story huh? I have no idea what question was asked that triggered that response, but we had to do some doctrine correction there. Ha, I love that, It's kind of hard not to laugh sometimes, I'm still trying to get into that whole "serious" mindset. It's hard.
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| Our Ward missionaries. The picture says it all. |
Yeah, it's not hot as far as weather goes, but we sweat like crazy and it feels like a million degrees because of how humid it is.
I still haven't heard much about how the Mada elections should go down, but we can expect a nice little riot or two. That'll be in May, so we still have some time before things get a little wild. Well, more wild than they already are anyway haha.
I still haven't heard much about how the Mada elections should go down, but we can expect a nice little riot or two. That'll be in May, so we still have some time before things get a little wild. Well, more wild than they already are anyway haha.
I'm so stoked that I still have a few OHS teachers who talk to you about me. I love those guys. Good to know when it all came down to it, Mr Brown kept that picture of me up haha. I wondered. I'll have to go back and visit them again soon when I get back.
With all the weird stuff that we see every day, it's still nothing like I expected out here. Definitely better. When I thought Mada, I can't even remember what I was thinking, but it wasn't like this. I don't think anyone can know how things are out here unless you see it first hand, I can't explain this place.
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A rock quarry out in Ambohimangakely
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The language is still coming along. Speech definitely comes faster than understanding. But people are used to it by now. A lot of times I have to have them repeat themselves, but every once in a while I can just sit down with someone and talk to them pretty well. The gift of tongues is definitely a slow process, it's way faster than if I was on my own, but it's not what people usually think of, that's for sure. Takes a lot of work. I read out loud in Malagasy every morning from the BOM and Preach my Gospel. Apparently John Taylor said that if you read the entire BOM in a language that you teach in, by the end, you'll be.. I wouldn't say fluent, but very good. I'm about 160 pages in now. But the BOM in 200 pages longer in Gasy.
Elder Hamm is really cool. He's a little shy, but he's starting to get more comfortable. We always sit around at night when we get home and talk for a while, and now he's starting to work his way in. I would love to go on splits with him. For the first time ever, I'd be the more experienced one, and get a chance to kind of lead things, that's one downside about being so young, people often times don't let you talk as much as you'd like.
Hey Dad, I'm glad the guys at work enjoy all the crap that goes down out here in Mada, haha!
Love you, Taylor
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