Elder Hyrum Snell~ Called to Serve in Madagascar: 02/15/16- Charity-Ask, Work, and Ye Shall Receive

Dia ahoana pasy e! Tsy raha am-tanana! Hatrety ihany e! Hey, it was good to hear from everyone and see how everyone was doing. Also, just wishing everyone a happy late Valentine's Day. Hope it was great. This last week was pretty great, and we got a lot of work done. So I'll just do what I always do and both answer my mom's questions and talk about the week.

First off, they do celebrate Valentine's Day here (called ny fetim-pitiavagna here in Tamatave; they add a g in the word fitiavana with their accent and it sounds way cool). The way they celebrate is just being with people and having parties. That's about it. So, needless to say, not a whole lot of people were accepting yesterday, due to the fety. But on the bright side, yes Mom, I got the package you sent. Thank you so much!

Second: transfer news. I am going to be getting Elder Band and staying here in Ambolomadinika. I'm way happy because there is a lot of progression happening here and I want to be able to help it really get going. Also, the missionaries in my house aren't changing a whole lot, as only Elder Randrianavalona is going, but is going to Fianarantsoa to be in my old area! Sambatra be izy le ty e... But Elder Glazier, our zone leader, has gone to Tana to be the new AP, and Elder Rasmussen, also our zone leader, will be getting Elder Johnson to be the new zone leader with him. And Elder Nolan will be getting Elder Brown. It should be a very great house to be in.

Anyway, this last week was really great, and we saw some awesome progression in our investigators, especially Emmanuel and Sidonie, a husband and wife that we teach. Sidonie has always been very diligent and has come to church and baptismal services multiple times, but her husband has never been with her because he's "always working." But as we taught them last Friday, he said that he was going to ask his boss to let him have Sunday off so he could come to church with his wife. And then guess who shows up at church yesterday. Those two, a cute little couple, going to church together on Valentine's day. And they also have both expressed a desire to get baptized, so that is WAY awesome. Super excited about them and what their future progression will bring for their lives.

And now lastly, my mom asked me how we can learn to love others like the Savior does, which is unconditionally. And I know that my answer is going to be really un-inventive, but it really is the way to get that love. And that is just to try, and pray. Those two steps will get you far in life. First off, pray every day to receive what you seek. Then secondly, try your best to do it on your own. There's a quote I remember, but I'm not sure whose it is, but it goes something like this, "Pray like it all depends on Him, then work like it all depends on you." That's what I have tried to do here on the mission; pray like I can't do anything, then work like it's all I can do. I'm not perfect, but I have definitely seen an improvement in my capacity to love others unconditionally. Those who really try to apply the teachings of Christ and follow His example and guidelines, as well as ask God for that gift of charity, will gain that spiritual gift. Those who don't, won't. The gospel is honestly quite simple. Nothing too complicated. If we do our part and ask God for all the help we can, and we work with a conviction to follow whatever God's will is for us, then we will be blessed and accomplish what we are meant to do here on earth as well as in the future.

Anyway, that's about it for this week. Really great, enjoyed the week, and had a lot of fun teaching people about the gospel. I hope you all have an awesome week!

Am-pitiavagna,
Elder Snell

The other day, before Elder Glazier left for Tana, we went to the beach and watched the sunrise. Prepare for lots of pictures, because I took a ton... And they are all GORGEOUS.