First off, no mom, I have not gotten my Valentine's day package yet. And why did you send one? I told you I don't need lots of packages! :P But, if it makes you feel better, (NOTE FROM MOM: It DOES make me feel better!) then i guess I'll be okay with it.
Second; yes, I am still flying solo. No companion, nothing. Just me and the area along with my member help, who I will tell you all more about later. The transfer is the end of this week though, so I'm sure we will all be sitting on the edge of our seats waiting to see where I'm going, since that is obviously the most important thing in all of your lives. But in all seriousness, I will be interested to see where I go. Whether you all are interested or not is your choice, so yeah. Enough on that.
Thirdly; my adventures this week. I feel like my ability at the Betsimisaraka dialect is getting better, because that's all I ever speak with my member help. So that's been an adventure, especially when someone from Tana has a hard time understanding me and my member help just stands there laughing because he understands me perfectly well. Also, we had a baptism this last Saturday, which was way awesome. Our investigators Richard and Sharline, who up until this point had not been legally married finally got married together this last Friday and then were baptized on Saturday, being confirmed as members yesterday. So that was definitely an awesome experience. It was great to see them so happy. They've been waiting a while to get baptized and it finally happened.
Anyway, fourth: the personal story I would like to share is not that of an investigator, but of my member help Stephane, who is a recent convert in our branch. Before he met the missionaries, he started out being Catholic, and went to church every week. But then, he felt like there were no changes or improvements being made in his life due to the church, so he left and joined the Madagascar only Apokalypsy church, which is an Adventist sect. There he felt like it was a change and helped him make some sort of improvement. But then he started seeing all sorts of corruption in the church, with members trying to get higher positions in the church in order to get money. So he left, feeling very disenchanted with the idea of church and religion in general. So he just stopped praying and going to church. Then the missionaries started teaching his family. But, being still very unattracted by the idea of religion, he would always duck out before the lesson started. But then one day, they caught him there because his entire family was all together and he didn't want to be the weird kid that leaves in the middle of the lesson. So he sat and listened. They taught the first lesson and invited him to pray about it, rather than trying to convince him of its truth. And so he did. And he felt like this church would help him change. So he started praying more, going to church, and learning more consistently with the missionaries. To make a long story short, he became converted, got baptized, and is now a VERY diligent member and is preparing to serve a mission. He helps me every single day (except for P-Days). So I am very grateful for his conviction and conversion to the gospel.
Lastly, my mom asked about my perspective on adversity. And honestly, that has changed for me over the course of my mission. If I could simplify it, I would say that adversity is what we make it. If we have trials, troubles, and afflictions, it is our choice on how to take it. We can say to ourselves that it is too hard, and then just give up. Or we can face the trial, and rely upon God for our strength. God may not remove the trial, but if we ask Him, then He will give us the strength that we require to overcome the challenges that we face. And we will become stronger, more capable children of God because of it. So the question is: what really is a trial? a trouble? or suffering? Because if we take those opportunities that God gives us to grow, and we rely upon Him, then we become stronger because of it. For instance, what person in their right mind would say that leaving their family, friends, schooling, opportunities, and entire life in general to go to the other side of the world and try to serve people that will reject them time and time again is a blessing? And yet that is exactly what I say my mission is to me. A blessing, a tender mercy from God, and exactly what I needed in my life, in order for me to improve and become better. It's exactly why Adam and Eve fell: if there is no opposition, then there is no improvement. If there is no conflict, then there is no progression. When we are tried, then we become strong. When we feel beaten down, denied, and forgotten, then it is in that moment of weakness that God will make us stronger. God can't teach someone who "already knows everything." Adversity makes us stronger, when we choose to let it do so. It's that simple. I know that I am stronger because of the trials and adversity I have faced here in Madagascar and on my mission. That's what adversity does. When we have trials and challenges, that's how we know God loves us. He wants us to grow and to improve. That's why we have trials.
Anyway, thanks to all of you for everything you all do. For Valentine's Day, I just wanted to say thank you to all of you that are supporting me. I love you all and thank you for your help.
Am-pitiavana,
Elder Snell
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| A member family that helps us out a lot! |
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| Elder Nolan and Elder Randriananvalona and me in a posiposy. |
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| The marriage of our investigators Richard and Sharline. |
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| This is the place where the marriage was held. |
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| The baptism! |
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| Stephane and me at a restaurant |
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| At the District President's house for dinner. |
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| District President |
