What the ness??? - 5/25/15

HOLY WOW! In the words of my beloved friend Jean Louis "Elder Lehr, you are great, and your companion...he is AWESOME! Do you know what happens when you put Great and Awesome together? WOW!! W. O. W WOW!!" Haha that's how I feel about this week. WOW!

To begin with, we have been going hard in the paint like no ones business! Just going going going going, and if we can take a 2 minute nap we do because we are about to drop, but hey! That is the great work of the Lord :)

A surprising thing happened this week and we were able to have Nirina and Claudine from Besoa come back! They are done with their work and are planning on staying. You can put a girl from the Dona in the city...BUT YOU JUST CAN'T TAKE THE DONA OUT OF THE GIRL. WHAUUP!!! Haha "Once a farmer....Always a farmer" :) That right there shows of good workmanship :)

It's been pretty cold these last couple of Sundays and then because of Pentecost people are visiting family in other churches so we are kind of hitting a low right now in church attendance.....but that's normal :) And then we also have these 2 people in our branch who are learning piano, but are still not good at it, and they are willing though to play the......Middle hymn.........Interlude?........Question mark?........Tsa Fantako! But they have been doing a way awesome job.

Investigators: Eliane is one of the most awesome people ever. I love that girl. I hope she goes on a mission, because she can change lives. She is going great and we are trying to teach her family who is passing by this week in Manandona, and we shall see how that goes. Then we have Solo who is progressing now.

Things are going great, and I love this place. Fighting apostasy on every turn is fun, and I love being here. 

Thanks for all your prayers.

Am-Pitiavana

Elder Lehr

Its the most wonderful time of the year :) - 5/18/15

Elder Lehr, Frere Richard, Elder Razindrasetra, Sister & Pres. Adams

Why Lety e!? This week has been pretty great. We have been going 100 miles an hour for the last couple of weeks but we are doing good. :) It's fun going home and just crashing onto the bed without any other thoughts then "Bed, I am coming onto you like a fat kid on a cupcake!" It's been a wonderful week of splits and preparing for getting people ready to go to the temple.

On Sunday we started a temple prep class to show people that we really want to help them prepare to go to the temple, and that we mean business. So we had 3 families and some other people who are going on missions come to the class, and it was a wonderful experience to see them so attentive and yearning to go. So many people in the Dona are scared to go to the temple because of previous people that have gone, and then came back and did some things that weren't ok. BUT! We are here to fix that :) NO more being scared of going to the greatest place on earth! YES! :p

Haha Also on Sunday my companion went on a split with Max and then I went on a split with Jean Louis, but he ended up having to go to Antsirabe, and so I am thinking "Maybe someone from Antsirabe can be my companion for a little bit" But when we got to the church, I found that they were still having class, and had to wait for member help to come....Then all of a sudden Jean Louis flees and...I am left alone.....I was like "What the ish just happened???" So I went in with the elders quorum and waited for them to be done, but basically got stranded in Antsirabe until about 6:00 and then was able to get someone to go with me back to the dona... "Well at least my companion was doing work while I was drowning like a fish out of water." Fun fun fun :)

Lets see.....Other then that...my companion is one of the coolest people on this earth. I love him so much and it makes being here in the Dona just a wonderful experience. We work way hard and he helps keep me on my feet :) He has also been teaching me how to cook malagasy food. So BONUS!!! Haha we have been making Trondro maina (Really really dry fish) and pork, and cow and other really great malagasy dishes :) 

Things really are improving though in Manandona and I feel that things are going to start to go on fire as we focus on the temple and try to get people pumped for it. That is at least my hope. 

Today we are planning on hanging out with Elder Snell and Anderson since they came up from Ambositra again. I love it when those 2 come down and hang out with us. We get to talk about the life and just drink the sweet sweet nectar of Ft D.

Well I love you all and thank you for Your Prayers for us. 

Am-Pitiavana 

Elder Lehr

Very short - 5/11/15

Mothers day. SO AWESOME! I loved being able to talk with my family and to not get American humor anymore, and to feel like a fool talking, but it was awesome! (Elder Lehr had a hard time remembering what the words were in English that he was trying to say)

Saturday and Sunday we had district conference which was super awesome! President Adams is so amazing....I just wish that President Jaquot actually translated some of the words that he said correctly because it made the message incomplete, but tsy maninona.

I am glad that President Mampionona is not as stressed any more with all the garglemesh of dealing with these conferences. It's been good, but also kind of crappy :)

Hmmm......Well....Other than that....things are going well in Fort Dona and I love it with all my heart. If my companion wasn't here I would be SO LOST! Holy cow. I have never been so tired just thinking and thinking and pondering about what to do, but it's also been a great blessing and it was really good to have a nice long talk with President Adams yesterday. We were laughing and having a good time. He is da best :)

Well I gotta go but I love you all

Elder Lehr

(Elder Lehr knew his current companion when he served in Fianarantsoa for 7 months. Elder "Alex," as Elder Lehr calls him, was the branch mission leader there before he began serving a mission. They are very good friends and Elder Lehr is so happy to serve as his missionary companion.)

One of the most awesome African Companions - 5/4/15

What a week this has been. It's been a rush of feelings. Holy cow! Haha So Elder Christiansen left on Tuesday. And then I went with some branch missionaries and taught some times in Besoa which was way fun. Then on Wednesday I got my companion from the bus station, and it was a awesome reunion since I already worked with him before he was a missionary. I love this mission so much :)

Once Elder Razafindretsetra came here to Antsirabe we began to teach some families and it was way cool as he just fit right in with their crazy farmer accent since he is from Fianarantsoa and it's pretty similar. It's just us 2 in a mansion house but we are getting along way well. 

Other then that....we got to meet with the district president on Friday and planned out a conference, and then had a wonderful time talking and teaching our new member. 

There isn't really much else to ambara right now....;Except that I had no time to even think of a Farming Fact this week which makes me pretty sad, BUT! On the bright side we had some great lessons where we were able to testify of the wonderful power of the atonement, and about conversion to some members and it seemed to have helped them a lot.

Our Investigator Soure Eliena is just as amazing as ever and hopefully will be able to be baptized in July or August. SUPER EXCITING! 

Well some people are having to get on to MLS Right now to do some stuff, but I love you and thank you for your prayers.

Am-Pitiavana

Elder Lehr