Hey everyone! It's been a great week out here in Madagascar, in the blazing city of Tamatave, but things are going really really well. I don't have a whole lot of time today, because we were just given a little bit of time to do email this Tuesday morning due to no cybers being open yesterday because it's a Madagascar holiday.
First of all, I did not get my Easter package yet. I will probably get it when I go up to Tana this week though, as it is transfer week, and I will be getting moved.
That kind of already answers a bit of the second question, but yes, I'm getting transferred. I will be working in the Ambohimena area in Antsirabe, a city just south of Tana, and I will be working with Elder Emery Cyusa from Rwanda who is a recent convert of about three years. It should be a great opportunity and an awesome transfer, I am way excited for it. But sadly, it does mean that I will not be there to attend the six baptisms we will be having this Saturday... Our investigators Don, Domoina, their two kids, Sidonie, and Anastashie (a mother of a current missionary) will all be getting baptized this Saturday. To say that I'm sad and disappointed that I won't be able to see that would be an understatement, but that's life I guess. I will definitely get pictures of the baptisms from Elder Band and send them out in the next email (hopefully) but that's about it that we'll get.
Third question: the way they celebrate Easter here. They celebrate it one of two ways. First, they either go into the countryside and visit family or two--the more prevalent choice--they get drunk and go party on Monday after attending a Easter-centered church service the day before. As for us missionaries, we didn't do anything special, but just worked and did our best to spread the good news of the gospel.
Fourth question: things that happened this last week that I'd like to share. Small cool story is that I found someone here that Elder Gunnell taught when he was working in Manakambahiny in Tana. His name is Chrysostome, and seemed like a pretty cool guy. So that was fun. But then also, the biggest thing would probably be just the big outpouring of love I've seen from the investigators and members here as they've all found out that I'm leaving. They've all seemed so sad, and it really made me both sad and happy to know that they loved me that much, especially our member help Stephane who helped me for a straight month there while I had no companion. He almost started crying when I told him I was moving... It's such a bitter sweet experience out here on the mission, becoming closer to some people than you ever have to other people in your entire life, and then just as you start becoming way close, then you get transferred. It's hard. But I know that I'm going where God wants me to go. That's what's important.
Lastly, here is an Easter message that I would like to share: I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that He is our Savior. And I know that the angels message still rings true to this day and age: "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen." Despite the fact that Christ lived almost two millennia ago, He lives to this day, and loves us, and knows us. He is my Savior. He is yours. He is the Savior of all mankind, and He chose to sacrifice and give up His entire life for each and every one of us. That is the most wonderful message of all time, and according to President David O. McKay, "The message of the resurrection, therefore, is the most comforting, the most glorious ever given to man, for when death takes a loved one from us, our sorrowing hearts are assuaged by the hope and the divine assurance expressed in the words: “He is not here: he is risen.” [See Matthew 28:6.] Because our Redeemer lives so shall we.
I bear you witness that He does live. I know it, as I hope you know that divine truth."
His testimony is my testimony. Our Savior lives. And it is not only every Easter that we should remember that, but every single waking moment, for it is because of that resurrection that we can have eternal life extended to us, contingent upon our obedience to the principles of His gospel.
Thank you all for being so great, and I hope this last Easter was a memorable one for all of you. Make this next week great, and remember your Savior. He lives, and loves you. I love you too, and I'm not quite dead yet out here in Madagascar either. But in all seriousness and love and gratitude, "Remember Him."
Am-pitiavagna,
Elder Snell
Some pictures from a split in Morarano's area here in Tamatave.
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| Two pictures with a recent convert named Junot in Morarano who I did the baptismal interview for. |
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| Splits with Elder Francom! It was way fun to work with him last Wednesday. He is doing really well at the language, and is already a great, diligent, effective missionary. Kays Ward represent!! |
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| The difference between a used planner and a new one... :P |
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| Some investigators of ours: Romain and his brother, who frowned at the first picture, and me with them. Then, I said something funny and made them laugh so I could get them smiling. |
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| Talata and Noelline |
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| Our member help Stephane with the Ambolomadinika and Andranomadio missionaries. |
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| Our less-active Alain with his non-member wife Sarindra. Funny story: we took the first picture, and then he realized he had no shirt on. So he yelled, "Wait, I'm naked!" then ran and grabbed a shirt for the second picture. I sent you both so you can see. I laughed pretty hard at that. |
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| Our investigators Antoinette and her brother Geraldo. She's probably going to marry a returned missionary from Cote d'Ivoire, but she's very diligent on her own. |
Then some members who wanted pictures with me at church last Sunday.
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| Jucco |
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| Gaela |
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| Stephane, Gaela, and Lanto. |
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| Stephane |
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| Stephane and Gaela |
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| Stephane and Gaela |
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| Lanto |
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| Luciano and me in the first one, who is an investigator who I taught over a year and a half ago with Elder Christiansen. At that picture, I had just passed him on the interview for baptism. |
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| Julio, a less-active, with Sylvina, his non-member wife. |
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| Brother Christophe and his son, who are some of my favorite members here in Tamatave. |
