Elder Hyrum Snell~ Called to Serve in Madagascar: 04/05/15- True Happiness...Think of Others...Serve!

Manakory aby!! Tratran'ny fetin'ny Paka ary ny Lundi de Paques koa! TENA samy-hafa ny fankalazan'ny Paka aty' Madagasikara noho ny fankalazan'ny olona Amerikana any Etazonia, ary hohitanareo izany. Fa mbola tsara ny fanaovana, ary tena tiako ilay izy. :) I'll let my mom figure out the translation of that, and see if any of it makes sense. ;) Just kidding, the Google Translate Malagasy is terrible, so here you go, quote: Hello all! Happy Easter and Monday of Easter (a holiday in Madagascar as well)! The way Easter is celebrated here in Madagascar is extremely different than the way Americans in the U.S. celebrate it, and you all will see that. But the celebration is still good, and I really like it. End quote. And don't worry, there are pictures of the real way that Easter and the Monday of Easter is celebrated here in Madagascar. FYI people faint of heart should not watch the videos that will be thus attached.

Anyway, the questions this week are quite good (kudos to you, Mom!) so I will go right in to answer them, but begin with the second and less spiritual one, then move consecutively on to the first and third questions respectively. So, the second question asks about Easter and what we did here in Ambositra. Well, we worked like it was a normal day. As it is with all holidays. :P But then we made some homemade pizza for dinner, so that was nice! And then, today for P-Day, we went and attended a savika in a small town just outside of Ambositra. You will all soon see what a savika is, so keep reading. ;)

Now, for the first question: the time when I felt the Spirit most powerfully this week. As far as that goes, it depends on what type of spirit we are talking about. As far as a spiritual confirmation of truth, I got an incredibly strong feeling of truthfulness when we watched The Restoration video with our investigators Nahary and Mirina. When the part of the video came on that shows the First Vision, where Christ and God the Father appeared to Joseph Smith, the Spirit was so strong in the room that you could cut it with a knife (I know that's a cop-out, but bear with me; it's a good line). In all seriousness, I felt the Spirit so strongly that there was no doubt in my mind that the story is true, and that Joseph Smith truly saw God and Christ. Please watch that video sometime. It is absolutely incredible, and brings a very strong Spirit.

And now, lastly, the third and final question. My mom asked me about the true happiness that I have gained while here on the mission, because I always seem to be happy. My mom asked me to explain what I've learned about the relation between service and true happiness. And honestly, the answer is quite simple. We, as human beings, are in a natural fallen state because of the Fall of Adam and Eve. They fell from a perfect state of being to a state of imperfection, sin, and pain. We know that the Fall was needed, as if our first parents here on earth had never had children, then there would have been no mankind. If that was the case, we would not exist. And so we all are naturally sinful, narcissistic, and lust-driven. That is the man ara-nofo (according to the flesh).

Our job here on earth is to master those lusts and temptations and exercise the power of our spirit to overcome the flesh. So, being naturally narcissistic, we tend to focus on ourselves: our wants, our desires, our lusts, and--most especially--the things that we don't have but desire to attain. So, when we spend our times and efforts on pursuing our own lusts and desires (worldly fame, fortune, etc.), then we continue to turn more and more narcissistic, because that is the our natural tendency due to the Fall. However, that is where service comes in. When we turn away from our natural tendencies, lusts, and desires--such as when we perform service to others--then we begin to counteract the natural man. The natural man begins to miharesy (gradually be defeated/give in) and the spirit grows stronger. Rather than having our minds focused on our natural wants and desires, and everything that we don't have, it instead turns to focus on others and what we can all personally to do help others in their lives. I have seen that every single day that I have been here in Madagascar, that when I focus on the service of others rather than my own needs, I become happier. I become less focused on myself and the many things that I wish were better in my life, and instead my focus turns to those who are in need of my help, both spiritually and physically.

In the past I've had thoughts along the lines of "Wow, I am sick and tired of being called "vazaha" time and time again, stared at constantly (sometimes glared at), and having people thinking that I am a rich foreigner here to steal their women." but I have been working, praying, and fasting that I will change. And I've begun to see the change. Instead of having thoughts like the example previously written, I will have thoughts along the lines of "That was an incredible lesson just barely. But, the investigator we are going to now really needs help understanding that he is loved by his Father in Heaven, and that he really can return to Him and have an eternal family. We should focus on that during the lesson." It's been a very incredible change to see occur in my own mind, but that's the truth. I've also seen that with other people as well. When people spend time thinking about others, whether that is through service or some other form of selflessness, then they turn the spotlight of their thoughts away from themselves and towards the other people.

And so, in the spirit of selflessness that accompanies our celebration of Christ's Resurrection every Easter, I invite all of you to focus on someone else ankoatra ny tenanareo (besides yourselves). And I promise that you will see the change in your mind and heart, and that you will be happier because of it. Now, you can't just serve someone and expect it to change you, but you have to truly focus your thoughts, your time, and your energy on the other person. That is when the change will take place, and you will be so much happier because of it. And I can promise you all that that is the truth, as I have seen that in myself. So please, try it out. Serve someone. Love someone. Think of them before yourself. And be happier because of it.

That's all for this week. I hope that all of you have an incredible week over the next seven days, and we will talk again next week!

Am-pitiavana,
Elder Snell
Ambositra, Madagasikara, izao tontolo izao

Tracting in Anjoma. Literally, talking to whoever you see. When you actually see people, that is...

Tracting in Anjoma.

This is a picture of me at the savika.

You probably realize now that a savika is a bull fight (more like a rodeo) where the Malagasies try to wrestle the bull to the ground by grabbing onto the hump on the bull's back. Don't worry, we got permission from President Adams to go to this, so we weren't being naughty missionaries. :)