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| Elder Walker and Elder Snell |
Manahoana e, ry namako sy fianakaviako malalako! Ary koa, tratran'ny Fetin'ny Ray aminareo, fa nitranga tamin'ny omaly izany. Fankasitrahana ho an'ireo ray tena mahafinaritra, indrindra indrindra ny Papako. Ry Papako, mba fantaro fa tena tiako ianao, ary fenom-pisaorana izaho noho ny zava-drehetra nataonao tamiko mba hanampy ahy mivoatra mandrapahatonga ity fotoana ity fony mandeha irery, mifanalavitra anareo. Noho ny nataonao, dia vonona aho mba hanakitra izany fitsapana izany, ary maharesy azy. (Hello my beloved friends and family! Also, happy Father's Day, because that was yesterday for me. Thanks to all those amazing fathers, especially my own father.
Dear Dad, please know that I truly love you and am so full of thanks because of everything you did in order to help me progress up until this time where I go alone, far away from you all. Because of what you did, I was and am ready to face that trial, and overcome it.)
But anyway, I will get right into the meat of the email, as my mom asked wonderful questions, as always. First off, about who our most mazoto (diligent) investigators are and how their church attendance. As far as that goes, our most diligent investigators are definitely Tina and Noro and their family, as they are very converted, and come to church pretty much every single week. They are the ones who have already bought a bunch of books from the church's Distribution Center here in Tana. Next off, we've got Samuel, who is an older man, but is very diligent as well, and comes to church almost every single week. He reads the Book of Mormon and one of the Teachings of the Prophets of the Church books (called Enseignements de le Presidents des l'Eglise in the French copy used here). Other than that, we have another couple that we teach, named Hery and Isabell, who are very diligent at reading and learning from us, but have yet to really come to church, as well as they won't accept a goal for a baptismal date. If there could be some prayers sent their way as far as softening their hearts with regards to the baptismal date is concerned, that would be much appreciated.
Secondly, how the church goes here now that I'm working in a ward compared with a branch. And I am SO happy to say that the only real thing I have had to do since coming here is bear my testimony as (ny misionera vaovao or the new missionary) on the first Sunday, and that has been AWESOME. The ward members who come every week are quite diligent and are willing to step up and take callings and everything. It's been such a relief.
Thirdly, my mom asked about our selection of places to eat. And the answer to that is that there are MANY more places to eat here in Tanjombato than there were in Ambositra. It is very nice. Also, there are several really nice, high-class restaurants all over Tana that we can go to for P-Day or Zone Meetings and such. But, one problem is that we don't get a whole lot of money for allotment, so we usually eat at this one place called Snack Tigro, which has really good rice and laoka for just three thousand ariary, with a cup of juice included. So we can't really eat at all the way nice places all the time, because we would run out of money. For instance, we get about $140 each month, which comes down to a little over five dollars a day, and that's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and other expenses like toiletries and the like. But don't worry (Mom, I'm talking to you), because we aren't starving out here. I'm eating just fine. ;)
And now lastly, my mom asked about what blessings I've seen this past week, large or small. As far as that goes, it's not really anything big or grand that I've felt, but it's just the small fahita-pitia (tender mercies) that I see interspersed throughout my life here, especially with regards to myself. For instance, just yesterday on our way to church, there were some things that really made me quite mad. The moment I stepped outside our house, there were several people who immediately began ridiculing me, just because I'm white, and--according to their thoughts--I don't belong here. So here I am, just going to church to worship my God, and giving up my life to serve the Malagasy people by bringing them closer to their Father in Heaven, and here are a multiple of people just ridiculing me openly on the street, because they think I don't understand what they say. But I do. And it hurts. And it's hard. And yesterday isn't anything special. It's a daily occurrence. I'm lucky if an hour goes by without someone making fun of me, just for being white. But what does this have to do with the tender mercies of God? Through all of the ridiculing, the annoyances, the shaming, the rejection, I still somehow am able to find peace. Yes, I will get mad in the moment, but a few moments later I realize that the anger does not stay. I never stay mad, and I somehow find a way to see these people as God sees them: with love. It has been the most amazing thing I have ever experienced, and yet it is so small. I've never had an incredible investigator just come up to me and ask for us to help him and teach him (it's only drunks that ever do that). I've never had a massive, life-changing spiritual experience here on my mission. Yes, I've felt the Spirit very strongly, but it has very rarely been from a single powerful experience that I have seen God's hand in my life. Because I've been willing to accept God's will (remember last week's email?) then he has been able to even change my traits and my characteristics. I've become more loving, more caring, and less angry, stressed, or easily hurt by the comments and ridicule I receive from others on a daily basis. I have seen missionaries here in Madagascar who have become cold, jaded, and bitter because of the ridicule they receive from the Malagasy people. But I don't want that, and neither does God. And so I let His will guide mine, and I have seen incredible blessings because of it. God has changed the way i look at people, and given me a more loving, caring perspective. God has made me into a more loving person, and maybe that is my answer to my mom's question. The biggest blessing I've seen both this last week and my entire mission has been the change in myself that God has made. He's made me a better person. And I am forever grateful to Him for that.
Well, I'm out of time here, but I'm so grateful for the support you all send me each and every week. It really means a lot to me, and I truly feel your prayers in my behalf. I cannot express my gratitude for all of you and everything you do. It means the world to me. You all mean the world to me. So thank you.
Have a great week, and enjoy the summer! Make the most of the time you have, as it is all a precious gift from God.
Amim-pitiavana,
Elder Snell
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| A Madagascar sunset |
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| A picture of the collection of Lindt chocolate at the Jumbo Score that made me really happy to see. :) |
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| Me with our investigator's kids. |
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| This is a picture of the "toilet" I just used. And sadly, no, it was not just pee. In order to use this toilet, one must squat over the hole, with one foot on each of the little pieces of wood on the sides. I have not yet perfected the art of squatting, so I may or may not have just sat down... Hopefully no infections or tapeworms come from this... ;) |
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