The Lord Wants to Forgive and Heal Us - 3/24/14

WOW! SO many things seem to have happened to you all. Don't worry, mom has been in my prayers every single day :)

GUESS WHAT!? Today is Elder Mitchell's birthday! What better way to wake up in the morning on your birthday, and start an epic tickle war with the other elders! Right? Right? Yep it was SO MUCH FUN! For his birthday we made a chocolate cake that tastes AMAZING! The reason is probably because we haven't eaten anything from America in a very long time, BUT IT STILL TASTED GOOD!

So, this week was a little interesting as I got some really really bad cramping in my bowels and was later informed that there was an existence of some very soft and acid stools coming my way. On Saturday the cramping was so bad that I couldn't do any missionary work, but just had to rest. It kind of sucked. BUT that is ok because we have plans and are going to do our best to have the Lord help us reach our goals :)

OH! I finally got the letters from Noelle! SO HILARIOUS! I do have to point out that in her letter she drew a turkey and had it say "dinner".....I don't know how she got the gift of prophecy but it leads into what I want to talk about. So yesterday we were going to a family home evening, but for some reason they couldn't do it. Now they told us that they want to give me the honor of killing the turkey. Hopefully they give me a very sharp blade because if they don't...then we will be having one very horrible sounding turkey as it gets its neck....progressively taken off.... :)

OK time for some...more spiritual stuff...So yesterday was really cool, as we went to Nichola and talked to him about the Book of Mormon. The spirit was so strong as we testified to him about how he can know that this Church is true and about how he can more fully know that Jesus is the Christ. I love being able to feel the spirit like that and KNOW that he understands what we are saying. And that now he can excercise his agency to the fullest. After that lesson we went to a person who is SUPER Mangatsika (cold or inactive) all because another sister's child stole a cookie from her child.

But as we talked to her she told us about how she doesn't feel God's love anymore. We opened up the scriptures to Alma 5 and talked to her about how she felt that before. And then it says "but can you feel so now?" I then had a thought to open to 3 Nephi 9:13 which says "Will you not now return unto me and repent THAT I MAY HEAL YOU" (emphasis is added). We then testified that the Lord WANTS TO FORGIVE and HEAL. He doesn't want us to feel sorrow and pain. The spirit was so strong, and the feeling of peace and love was almost palpable for this sweet woman. She wants to come back to church. And it's another testimony to me that Jesus died for each one of us, and loves each of us so much.

Madagascar is great and I still love it here. Have a wonderful week!

Am-pitiavana

Elder Lehr

PS.

Akory/ Talilio rkia Claudia! Besoa avao rkia! Izay fotsany :)