I love my mission...

Dear Fambly!

I've been having the time of my life these past few days! I love my mission! In all honesty, I was feeling a bit discouraged recently, little to no program to work with because the previous elders were bedridden, little success with return times and some much-needed, conscious changes I've been making to be more obedient. Hoowoy, I can tell why it's important to be très obedient. I feel like my efforts in this area are finally being consecrated. The wife of the mechanic family (Dino and Rosie) spontaneously bore her testimony on the change her life on the way to church with us, and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. I'm also gonna make some changes for the good.

Samson:

I jokingly requested a quick piggyback over water from a man named Samson. Just jestin' a bit, I didn't expect him to squat and charge me through while splashing mud all over himself. When we landed, the conversation started Malagasy. But I noticed something was off--not many Malagasies are over 6 feet tall and a such an impressive set of nostrils. Then, he laughed, "Yo, I'm Nigerian, bro!" I laughed too hard out of excitement as I was ecstatic at the fact another foreigner spoke Malagasy. Samson is a man who is more interesting than I'll ever be, who decided to expedition here to Madagascar back when he was 19 after some family problems to start a precious stone company. We now are teaching him and his wife every Thursday and Sunday! We taught a very short lesson the first time because we were already late to another appointment. Samson's fluent at Malagasy, and they don't have a church right now, so it's perfect! I'm smelling Liahona story, heh.

German Mika:

There's a German lady who is doing her PhD on Malagasy poetry (of all subjects) here in Madagascar 'til September. She's staying with the fantastic Tina family. President Tina is a bear of a man who is the 1st counselor in stake; a baker by trade baking bread on the morn, then bearing a clear, strong testimony until the night. We still haven't taught her yet; but, her and I had a discussion about the importance of the scriptures during church, and she asked to receive a BoM! Seems like we're starting to take on a more "worldwide" vision of missionary work recently. Just kidding, but send your foreigners here for us to teach!

Exclusive Party: 

It was President Tina's wife's birthday yesterday, so she invited all the most high up members in the city, and picked out her favorite missionaries she wanted to attend her party. It was a bit awkward because the other elders in our house weren't invited; so we had to shut up like it was some weird secret combination or something. They would ask us, "Isn't there supposed to be a dinner appointment for all of us tonight?" and we had to respond (in a Steve Brule voice), "If I had the choice between kissing a beautiful girl on the mouth or the lips, and a jetpack, I would choose the jetpack. 'Cause then you can get all the good girls if you had a jetpack. Fly to them. It's simple. If you have enough fuel." That confused them enough.

Malagasy Morsel of the Week - Hoe:

'Hoe' doesn't exist in English. It's pronounced like whey. 'Hoe' marks and inserts quotations into a conversation. Anytime you're quoting someone, or referring to an abstract concept or idea, you just gotta add 'hoe!' Now it's separate. It's so ingrained into our minds as missionaries here in Madagascar that it always pops up in our English by a fluke. For example, while telling a story, I might say, "And I was like hoe, 'Whoa!'"

Stories for Next Week

-Cliff

I testify that repentance works. It is an initial, conscious change that leads to automatic improvements. It's when you realize you need to wear a helmet as a missionary for how did Christ feel as he wore his crown of thorns. It's when you put the extra Book of Mormon in your heavy pack knowing how heavy the cross was slammed on His back. It's when you dig out your scriptures and commit to read again even though you don't feel completely worthy. It's when you want to rationalize that there's no point, but you do it anyways because you know it's right. Though we are all unconditionally loved by God, receiving his love is conditional. Through conscious change and repentance, I know that blessings will come, and God's all-reaching love for us will be made apparent. I know these things to be true. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love you all!

Elder Soper