This week was pretty good. It was mostly the end that made it all worth it. So basically Monday through Friday was just normal. I'm not down playing the importance of teaching but just saying that it wasn't any different than the normal amazingness that it usually is. Actually, now that I think about it, there was these people that we were going to teach but when we got there they weren't home. So we asked the women sitting down in front of her house and the grandma if they would like to learn. They politely denied (which was expected) and I started to walk away. But at the time we had a member with us. And just some background info, this member was a pastor in his old church so he is pretty good at "preaching". So he kept talking to these two women and he said that who ever receives Christ's servants you receive Him. And then said that if you don't receive them, then you don't receive Him. And then he says a phrase that roughly but pretty much directly translates to "so what now?". He has used it multiple times now and it has not failed once! So yes, we taught them and when we got done teaching them we asked when we could come back and a man working on his house just spoke up and said that they couldn't learn from us anymore. And then the member with us said that everyone has their own agency. But then the man said that he was the spokesperson for them and said that they aren't allowed to change church's. So that was that, we just left a little surprised how straight forward he was but at least we didn't waist our time teaching them and then them rejecting us later. Oh well, I just wanted to share the part with the member's preaching tactic. I wonder if it would work in America.
Then on Saturday we went to a new place of our area. We took a bus about 5 Kilometers out (3 miles I think) that cost 20 cents a person. Really cheap, even for Malagasys. And visited a member out there who had a referral for us to teach. And the place that we went to was B E A utiful!!! It was like a little valley that had some rice fields and a little town with a river. It was just so beautiful. I'll take a picture next week or you guys but remember that pictures wont do it justice. Anyway, we got some good new investigators but that's not what this story is about. It is about the member that gave them to us. He is about 60 or so and he is crippled. So he can't move his left arm and he can kind of move his left leg. He has been baptized for a little over a year now. He doesn't have the most money so he actually still goes around looking for work. But when he comes to church he sometimes doesn't have the money to go by bus so he walks!!! Isn't that crazy?! Also, he is always there on time! He is the one that always comes to the baptisms and all the activities. He is just an amazing man! He came up in our ward council meeting and everyone said that if you have any money that you should give it to him because he really and truly needs it. It was amazing to see because Malagasys are usually skimpy on money but they were really serious. It just showed some true love that is in our church. Brother Francois is the man of the year. He is my idol and he is definitely going to get his place in the celestial kingdom.
Then Sunday just topped off the whole week. We were waiting behind the gate that went into the church. Just some info before. We have been teaching some less actives for a long time and no success in them coming to church. I guess that kind of ruined the story but a lot of those less actives came to church today! But it was like three less active people of different families and one of them even brought her husband! It was super cool! And then two men we baptized got the priesthood also. Also, a ton of the kids came back from vacation so church was packed! It was just an awesome Sunday! I loved it! It put a smile on my face the whole day.
Well that was my week, pretty dang good! Thanks for the debit card, I'll be sure to spend as much as I can now. And yes, I loved the pictures that you sent me!
Love,
Bradford
2. Are you still taking vitamins? Are they gone? Do you need more? No I'm good on vitamins thanks though.
3. I hear there isn't a grocery store nearby you. What are you eating during the week? I had no grocery store anywhere for five months in Toliara, I can get by a couple days. And we go to the grocery store every Monday if it is something you can't buy at the little mini stores across the street. I take a picture for you guys next week to let you know what I mean.
4. Do you have any ideas of what you'd like for Christmas? Candy is always wanted. Spice things up this time and send me something else than peanut M&Ms. I don't need any clothes or shoes or socks like that. Send me funny pictures. I honestly have no idea. Just surprise me!
5. Do you get to hear General Conference in English again since you are so close to the mission home? Yeah; Two weeks after you guys watch it, we get it over hear in English. The people outside of Tana watch all five sessions in Malagasy with their ward. Just like I did in Toliara.
6. Dad was wondering how I find so much to write about. Are my emails too long for you? Am I taking too much of your cyber time? Nope; I love them when they are long.
7. We had 40 original pencil sketches of Norman Rockwell on display. Please tell me you've heard of him?! Nope, never heard of him. Good thing I'm half way around the world so you can't hit me on the arm. :)
8. How fun for you to be able to teach with Brother O'Day again! Was he surprised at your progress since the last time? So is he located near where you are now or does he travel all over to build houses? Is he married yet? How often does he go out with the missionaries? He didn't say anything about my language skills but he didn't say I was bad either so that was good. He lives close but he works far away. He has bought some land to build. He is actually building a whole housing complex so right now he's working in one place. Not married yet. He went with the missionaries a lot before but works a lot now.
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