Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Christmas Week




View from the Church
Howdy!! Hope everyone had a safe Christmas holiday!! 

Another week in the books and my last Christmas in Mada. I remember my first Christmas here like it was just yesterday. Whew. 

Tuesday was a great day of work. We taught a few good lessons. One that stood out to me was a lesson we taught to Tanjona, the roof guy. First off, he took us up on the top of the roof to the real house. The thing was a MANSION. Still not done but that house was incredible. We just taught him in the house. We gave him a Book of Mormon a couple weeks ago but couldnt catch him to teach him about it. Well, we got there and he basically just taught us about it hahah. He had already started reading and is loving it. He is an awesome investigator. Everything just clicks and he is so dang smart. Ive done about a million Book of Mormon lessons on my mission, but I have never felt The Spirit like that testifying of the truth of Moroni's promise at the end of the book. I felt it and I know he felt it. 

Wednesday was just another one of those days in Mada. Haha. The day started out great. Had an awesome Zone Meeting. Babb and I along with the other ZLs tried to get people PUMPED UP. Its sad how people take the Work of Salvation so lightly. Hopefully it hit someone because it hit me!! Then we had a great White Elephant. Out of 40 missionaries we only had three not bring gifts!! There always has to be a couple party poopers haha. It went well but I couldnt stop laughing. NO ONE WOULD STEAL. haha we were about 25 missionaries in and we had our first steal. I guess everyone is in their missionary mode and feel bad to break one of the Ten Commandments. People then finally started stealing a little more and the classic White Elephant banter was present. My present was 2 kilos of rice and 1 kilo of beans. The receiver was not happy hahahah. I got some toffees. They tasted beautifully. Had to rush home to Skype, and then the Cyber was closed....and then the other Cyber was closed.....and then we found one, but no Skype.....tried to email the fam and then the power went out......plus it was raining hahaha. Just one thing after another. Went to the Church where they were having a Branch Party. Went well. The Elders Quorum actually bucked up and sang a couple of numbers!! Hahah it was good to see!

CHRISTMAS DAY. Just dead here in Mada. Nothing really opened at all. Went and chilled by a lake in our area in the morning and threw the football around that Babb got for Christmas. Then we went to go find a cyber....nothing.....got a hold of a computer but no skype....man it was a tough weak on the technology side of things haha. No members had invited us over and no one was gunna let us in so we decided to go to the US Embassy and see if we could get in. Got to this security checkpoint and called the front desk to see how we could get in if we wanted to. The guy was not nice. Told us we had no business there and shouldnt be trying to get in....Yeah he was a democrat. Hahahahaha. Basically impossible to get into that building. Kinda defeats the purpose of an Embbassy haha. Made it home that evening and watched a couple church movies. It was good to just chill with the guys around the house and focus on the real reason for the Season. 

Finally got to Skype on Friday morning!! Man that was great. Good to see the fam, and I didnt get too homesick hahah. Rest of the day went awesome. Tracted into the nicest house I have been in country. People let us in and told their daughters in English to "Get your Bibles." Babb and I looked at eachother like, "What did she just say??" haha. Turns out the guy is the owner of the company that paints all our church buildings here in Madagascar. He knows all the guys that work at the office. He is also a Deacon at the Protestant church in Downtown Tana. THAT IS A BIG DEAL. They graciuosly listened to our lesson and asked us to come back...this could be one of those legendary families. Babb and I were stoked. 

A couple disappointing setbacks, church keys have still not been given to the church for some reason or another. We will probably not meet there Sunday:( Yanta, Flavien's baptism has been pushed back a couple weeks due to marriage papers having a problem again....and last but not least, Norbert and his family we will be baptized in a couple weeks. Very disappointing but the reasoning is pretty good. The Prime Minister could probably not make it this Saturday but he is free at the end of the month. Yeah you read that right, the PRIME MINISTER. Norbert is also inviting the President of Madagascar and all main officials. He is not just sending them an invitation, he is handing those out in person. This could be a big day for the Church in Mada!! 

Have a safe and Happy New Year!!

God bless. 


Elder Hein

My Christmas Tree - the instrument I bought awhile back.

The lake we played football at on Christmas Day.
Elder Stringfellow,  Elder Hein,  Elder Gaul
My new companion….Elder Babb
Elder Koplin.  He lived in our house for 12 weeks.  He was transferred.  Gunna miss this guy.
Somebody need to go to the bathroom?
Christmas Pancakes!






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