Friday, May 2, 2014

The Good News - 4/7/14



Wow, I really can't wait for General Conference to come out. It really seems as if the spirit was able to really touch people through the messages of the speakers. Yes mom, you were right. I have been thinking of Brian Plummer a lot. I had a dream where I was in the Conference Center and I was listening to the prelude and it was Brian playing his arrangement of "I Know That My Redeemer Lives." It was so swag! Then in the dream I was in the choir and the conductor had us stand to sing. BUT THEN she had us sit back down and stand back up about 10 times. I was like "You can't do this!! It's Conference!" That's when Elder Bednar came up on the stand and told the conductor, "You are not allowed do be the conductor anymore...Get out." I was like WHAAAOOP! Then I woke up.
REALLY!!!!????? Betty and Ashley are getting engaged!!!!!??? O my giddy aunt! That is so crazy!! I am SO SO Happy for them. If I could I would give them both the biggest hug.....but now as I think about it.....Since I have been on a mission... I would probably go up to them and start to give a hug to them but then I would be like "Whoa! Hugging girls is not ok!" Then it would turn into a really awkward moment......Would it still be worth it? YES!

Anywhos, so we have transfers this Sunday and I heard from the Zone Leaders that Elder Rasolofonirina will be transferred to a different area. That will be really crazy. So next week I WILL BE GETTING A NEW COMPY! That will be a really fun experience. I am definitely going to miss my "Dadako Malalako." He has been such a wonderful trainer. And I will ever be grateful for his help and his encouragement with me learning Malagasy.
Now onto the subject of Malagasy. I have been told by the members and also by others that I have really improved in my Malagasy. When I meet people for the first time and strike up a conversation, it's really fun to see their faces as they tell me, "Have you been to Madagascar many times? Your accent is so good!" Then I tell them that I arrived here in January of this year. Then they are like "WHOA!!!!! EFA MAHAY!" Then they turn to their friends and are like "WHOA! This Vaza is SO MAHAY!" It's really funny to see their faces :)
So a random surprise. I was looking at the songs on my ipod, and found 2 things that made me laugh really hard. When I thought I had cleaned my ipod of all worldy songs, I found the Album of "Frozen" on my ipod, and I was like "NO! THE TEMPTATION IS TOO GREAT!" So I listened for like 5 seconds, smiled, and then turned it off. The second surprise I found was the song by Train called "Marry Me" As I looked at this song I automatically was like "If I ever want to feel trunky or make my companions feel trunky and think of girls...I definitely know which song to play." I laughed so hard when I saw those songs..............I don't know if I mentioned that before in any of my previous emails...maybe I have.....Well who cares :)
So this week we had some of the most incredible food EVER! On Thursday we had a Soire with Gino. He made some of the greatest fried chicken I have ever tasted in my life. I can say with certainty that it was even better then KFC. So we had that with some fried rice, and then this amazing salad with ham, avocado, lettuce, and then a citrus vinegrette. I almost died and went to heaven. Then for dessert we had an AMAZING fruit salad of bananas, apples, and avocado.
Can I just say that if dad were to come here to Madagascar, then he would be in apple heaven and NEVER go back to the apples in America. One of my favorite apples here is a green apple that is like unto the green apple back home, but with almost 50% more sugar. They are SO SWAG GOOD! Yum yum yum in my tum tum tum.
OK, so quick update on the naminy fiangonana (Friends of the church or investigators) So Tahin and Dina are doing better....though they still aren't coming to church....We will work on that. William ( The man from La reunion) is way way busy and so we haven't been able to teach him...or understand him :) Jean Claude and his wife, Maria are so swag! We had a lesson on Saturday about baptism. Maria was confused by all the different types of baptisms that the other churches have. Like sprinkling and half baptisms, and whatnot. Then we went to Romans chapter 6 versus 3 and 4 . This scripture talks about baptism for the dead, and then they asked us about baptisms for the dead. This led to us talking about the temple, and how the gospel of Jesus Christ leads us to the temple. The change that happened in that room was amazing. As they realized that the Temple was the house of God, and how in the temples we can be sealed as families....They desired that for themselves. As we then returned to baptism, their understanding was opened and they began to understand the need for baptism. They now want to be baptized and do all the things necessary to get to the temple. As they understood the Doctrine of the temple. Then everything else became clear. As Elder Bednar has said before "The answer is ALWAYS THE DOCTRINE."
This Church is true. I know that with all my heart. The fullness of the gospel has been restored, and I am so grateful for that. The Lord continues to speak to his chosen servants the prophets. They receive revelation. I know that as we harken to their counsels then we will be able to "Come closer to the Savior."
Thanks for all of your prayers and heartfelt desires. I am so grateful for all the support I have. The mission really does go by fast. I cant believe I have already been on a mission for 4 months. Next transfer will be 4 and a half months in the country and 6 months on the mission. Things are going by so fast.
I will talk to you all next week.
Am-pitiavana
Elder Lehr

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