Ry Fianakaviana,
Awesome week! Elder Monson is starting to take over the program, so it's nice to kind of take a backseat during lessons. My brain isn't as tired anymore--however my brain is getting more sweaty 'cause it's hot. Great experiences this week! Here we go!
We took a little trip to Foulpointe again, and it was especially nooice this time...
New investigator--Tantely:
Personally, I'm way excited about this new investigator because first off, his name means 'honey;' second, he's a incredibly high-up bossman of a company that's based in Israel. Our lessons go so smooth with him because he asks just the right questions (pretty rare here in Madagascar), and he works so hard to finish the homework. He's an incredibly humble man. Having been raised in a previously impoverished family, it's an inspiring story how he read books constantly to teach himself, rose through the ranks in a business where he used to be an errand boy, and now he has a nice, calm family life in Madagascar. Plus, his name means 'honey.'
Spellbinding Miracles:
About 2 months ago, one of our members called us to request blessing for the sick for his wife. Usually, we try to get another member to do it, but he kept saying it needed to be us because our hands are holier than any other man's in Tamatave--not really how the priesthood works, but ya. So, we hobbled on over and gave a routine blessing; next day, we receive word that she was healed from a supposedly terminal disease that she contracted a few weeks before. The word spread like a bushfire that these 2 Mormon missionaries could do miracles similar to Jesus. Since that time, about 2 months ago, Elder Monson and I have done about 8 blessings for mostly members and members' friends. It's tough to try to delegate this work, partly due to our Branch 1st Counselor's encouragement for members to request blessings from us. We're trying to tell the active Melchizedek Priesthood holders that they can do the same things with their Priesthood, but they've been saying, "Oh, you're better at it."
Filoha Donne Soiree:
We had a dinner appointment with our Branch President's family. They own a successful aroma and massage therapy shop. He's a great Branch President because church always starts on time, instead of the usual 30 minutes late that happened in Antsirabe; hometeaching also actually happens, which is incredible, and he follows the church guidelines to the tee. During the soiree, I received an amazing / amazingly awkward massage from him. He kept telling me how tight and stressed I felt while I scowled, denying all his prying questions about the quality of the way I sleep. He said I should sleep on my back, never my side. Psh.
Anyways, I tried to convince their family that I am from a colony that lives under the ground with moles as pets. None of them believed me, of course, except for their 12 year-old, bucktoothed boy who had a priceless, jaw-dropped look on his face when I told him I didn't see the sun 'til I was 10. He laughed so hard when we said we were joking.
Malagasy Morsel of the Week - Mpampiesona:
This word means 'one who creates false hope.' I feel like this is the perfect word to describe the "prophets" that lead some of the churches down here in Mada. There's one church called 'Apokalipsy' that is literally "Just Dance"--according to Elder Monson; the prophet dances while the whole congregation follows. Then, he casts devils out of a few lucky people who have paid ample money to become worthy enough to stand near the prophet. The prophet has a fabulous, blue Rolls Royce-looking car. Man, this guy...
Stories for Next Week:
-Pillow Prayer
-Teaching Primary
Have a great week!
Elder Soper
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