Fianarantsoa

Howdy.

My new area - Fianarantsoa

My butt and crotch area are having some problems...let me explain.

So Fianarantsoa is BEAUTIFUL. Very similar to Ambositra. We work all up on the moutains. And we are on bikes….havent ridden a bike on my mission yet....lets just say, I'm having some problems below the belt haha. Hopefully by next week everything will be used to the bike saddle! Climbing these moutains on bikes though is a challenge!! It is helping me get back in shape. So Im happy!

The ride down here was long. Way long. Left Wednesday morning with two other Elders and took off down south. We actually had pretty good seats on the bus so we got to put our feet up. Way nice. We got to drive through Antsirabe and Ambositra( I slept right through it, unfortunately) than finally made our way to Fianarantsoa. It took like 11 hours. Stopped a few times so it wasnt that bad of a trip. Elder Fisher and the other Elders picked us up at the bus stop pretty late and we seperated!

My new area - Fianarantsoa

Elder Fisher is awesome. One of the nicest human beings I have ever met. So patient and loving. His Malagasy is just about perfect. His trunky-ness level is rising, but it doesn't distract him from the work. Thats a good thing, because we got a lot to do here!! BUT, Elder Fisher has some medical problems that he needs to get checked in Tana so he left me Saturday morning and I am now in a trio with Elder Covey and his trainee Elder Wiscombe. Covey's dad works in the Draper Temple with Grandpa Hein!! Way cool coincidence. He loves soccer. Played club and high school. Way good player and wants to get on BYU when he gets home. So we are working hard together in the mornings and its good for both of us. Elder Wiscombe is straight off the plane from the MTC and is from Orem. Way cool guy. Needless to say, I am enjoying the trio right now.

The Zone is the coolest in the mission. All Utah guys except for Elder Davis(from Scotland) and me. We won't hold it against them though haha. But everyone here is an athlete and we are all way close already . Way excited for the next couple of transfers here.

The Branch is STRUGGLING. We have a Malagasy couple-missionaries working here. They are great but a little power hungry haha. Elder Rakotoarisoa is the Branch President now with no counselors. Sister Rakotoarisoa doesnt have a calling but runs the whole brach anyway haha. BUT they are way cool and Fianarantsoa needs their leadership right now. I just feel as if this branch is super lathargic. The branch is just not excited about anything and we dont have any solid leaders. So I just wanna go around and get PEOPLE PUMPED UP!! Gotta be excited about the work. Gotta be excited about your membership in the church. We have some pretty solid investigators though that are on track for baptism. We just havent been able to really teach them yet because Im working with Covey/Wiscombe in their area. Im hoping Fisher can come back soon or I get a replacement. We will have to see what happens.

I am so grateful and excited for the chance to work out here. Its gunna be a great 3 months.

This is THE true church.

"Doubt your doubts, before you doubt your faith." - Dieter F Uchtdorf

God bless.

Elder Hein

Goodbyes in my last area!

Goodbyes!

My new area - Fianarantsoa

My new area Church Building - Fianarantsoa

My new area - Fianarantsoa

Elder Fisher

Study Session in my new area

My new area - Fianarantsoa

Large Crown of Thorns in my new area

My new area - Fianarantsoa

My new area - Fianarantsoa

Big Mother Mary with Jesus

Cool Church in my new area