Stagecoach Competition

Hello everyone! 

I will have to admit, this week was a little more trial bringing than the others. We have had a lot going on and we have been working hard, but I can still definitely see the blessings and the fruits of our labors. Probably the biggest thing that happened this week happened yesterday during church. I saw that the Tanambao brach (which is the branch that I serve in) had its boundries moved for a reason that I don't know, and because of that we will be losing over 75% of our investigators and members, because they will now be going to the Ampaharihy branch from now on. Elder Randrianarison and I were seen with some tears alongside many other of the members there. I have had such an amazing time with all of these people and I haven't known them for an incredibly long amount of time, but I knkow that they have been such a great help to the church and to god's fold in the Tanambao branch. But I just want to express my gratitude for the lord and for this Stellar one in a blue moon quadrillion chance to serve here in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

This past week, we were able to get some baptismal interviews for Fr. Johnson and Sr. Oddette done, but we missed one for Fr. Parfait  since he wasn't at his house. Johnson is a really cool 11 year old boy that I will be baptising this saturday alongside the 70's aged lady Sr. Oddette. We will have to be doing a lot more tracting since our teaching pool literally got flushed out, but I count it a great honor to push the work of the lord to where no other missionary has gone before, and to trailblaze the way for those to come. I went on an exchange with Elder Brown, a zone leader, for the interviews, and that also went really well. He is a great guy and he started his Mission in the MTC with my trainer, Elder Keener. He will be going home here in a few weeks at the end of the transfer.

I'm sorry that this email is less exciting than the other ones you guys have been getting, and I have come to realize that carrying personal weapons probably isn't the best idea, so no more crazy Mesa (knives). I have found that the best way to find protection is not by looking for it outside of where it is provided, but rather where it can be. What I mean is that you can't look for safety on a cliff by jumping off the edge...well, I guess you could, but then you wouldn't really find what you were looking for. *Where did the safety goooooo!?" *splat* What I'm trying to say is that when you look for safety riding the highway on a cliff, you want to be as far away from the edge as possible. My father once told me an analogy that would help le get my grades up when I was still in highschool. He told me, "Son, getting certain grades in school is like stagecoaches and their riders in a competition. One said to the two, "I can get so close to the edge of a cliff that I can see the river at the bottom!" and the second said ,"Oh really? I can get one wheel off the edge of the cliff without falling off!" and the thrid said, "I stay away from the edge as far as possible"". He was referring to when we strive to get good grades it means staying away from the temptation of procrastination. Brothers and sisters, stay away from procrastination, and be like the third Stagecoach rider. I promise that as you work dilligently, blessings of your own work will come into play.

This morning I had the chance to go with my whole zone (8 elders) into the Taolagnaro Rainforest and handfeed ringed-tailed lemurs. I had a blast. Enjoy some pictures!

Homba anareo anie ny Fitiavana mandrakariva,

Elder Johnson

Elder Johnson loves the children in Mada. He talks a lot about how they remind him of Lucy.

Hello safety zone!  Elder Johnson is riding in a trunk on his way to a nature preserve, but his comps socks are so cool!  #sock goals

A grumpy investi-gator. 

Apparently Elder Johnson's companion is absolutely the best.  I mean he is from Mada, so he has to be awesome!

Elder Johnson said that he brought some bananas to feed to the lemurs, but he found out later he wasn't supposed to do that.  Oops!  I guess that's why they mobbed him.

Hello banana!

 

A llama in my pajamas in my library and it was true!

Joe captioned this one...another inside joke.

We affectionately call this guy, "fat daddy" because 1.) he looks so fat and 2.) It's an inside joke referring to a Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor that's really called "chubby hubby"

I have been waiting A LONG TIME to get a picture of these trees.  I've seen pictures of them online, but I was waiting for Mr. Daver to capture one on his own.