Filoha Tongotra - 7/6/15

Haha What an amazing week this has been. We had splits, more splits, have a person getting Baptized AND had a surprise visit by President Foote. Holy Cow this man is AMAZING! Haha I love President Adams and am grateful for all he has done, but it was amazing to meet with him and just know that he has been called to be here at this time for The mission. We had a great talk and are going to continue talking about Manandona, and all the Jazz here.  I know that President Foote will receive revelation about what needs to happen here, and I am in full support of him.

Other then that, WE ARE HAVING A BAPTISM!! Haha I am SUPER EXCITED!! WHAAAAUGH!!! Haha, We also had President Foote pray with us in Manandona and it was super awesome! The way that I would describe him is just a huge lovable Bear. He is so awesome and it was amazing to see the members just fall in love with him right then. I think we are in good hands.

Oh! On Saturday we were with Frere Ony and his wife and their Bebe, who's birthday it was on said Saturday, and She was having me ROLLING!! I don't know if it would even translate well into English but I was just dying and I love bebes. They are so awesome! 

Things are going great in branch council, and we are setting things up for some change in the branch. Trying to get some heavy training in Handbook 2 and hopefully that will be able to be a Launch pad for some more progression.

Thanks so much for all your prayers this week. I have truly felt the hand of the Lord this week, and I know that most of it has come from prayers from on the other side of the world. Thank you so much.

Am-Pitiavana

Elder Lehr

Burned out in the last 100 meters - 6/29/15

Several weeks ago elder Coleman gave a wonderful lesson about the 400 meter race. He talked about how in the 400 meter sprint for track, it is one of the most horrible inventions ever made by man. You start in by sprinting for the 1st 100, by the 2nd and 3rd 100 meters you are holding it out just trying to not go all out, and then...At the last of the 100 meters...When literally you have nothing left. When Everything is literally drained... You dig down, and find something. An expert in the 400 meter race talked about different strategies to do for it, but all he said about the last 100 meters was "Pray. Just pray to whatever you can, whether it be God, Budah, or some other being. you have got to dig down where there is nothing left and try to grab on to something." 

This analogy of the 400 meter race is pretty much what i feel right now. I am in the last part of the 400 meter race.....and frankly i am burned out. I have thought these last couple days...if there really is anything left that i can dig deep down to....if there really is anything that i can grab on too....i have tried....i am trying, but only in a few precious moments have i been able to grab on to something, and then it leaves for me to continue digging. I love this branch. I love it with all my heart, and i would do anything for it....But i feel as if i have withered away to who knows what. Even though being filled with fear.....I know that the atonement is there. I have felt it before. I know its real, and i feel that maybe right now its just time to have faith that....Maybe thats all i can really try to do right now....is just know that he is there even though for the most part i cant feel it right now. 

The mission isnt easy. The mission is a fiery furnace where sometimes you feel more love then you feel you possess for people, and more weakness in yourself then you ever knew. A time when you feel more hope then you have ever had....and times when you feel more alone then you have ever felt.

Dont get me wrong. Things are going well right now missionary work wise, and in other areas, but i am just burned out. The antso is just way mavesitra be. But that is ok. 

On the bright side of things, we are having a baptism in 2 weeks! I am super excited for that. Eliane is such an amazing person. so incredible and just is on fire. I wish that every person could be like her. 

On saturday we had a really cool training about the sabbath day, and i learned something that was really cool for myself. Our 2nd councilor in the district presidency talked about how The sacrament is NOT a meeting for everyone, but is a meeting for "You" And the lord. A "Personal" Interview with him. If we think of the sacrament in that sense....it just made me think....How well am i using my time during that meeting? Am i preparing for that occasion throughout the week or am i just coming to church just because i know that is what i am supposed to do? I dont know, i thought it was really cool. And i am very grateful for that training we had. it was super awesome and has given me a greater appreciation for the sabbath day.

Well sorry for being long winded, and for being kind of on the down side. I really do thank you all for your support. And thank you sister moody for that scripture. It really really helped. Thank you so much.

Am-Pitiavana

Elder Lehr

P.S.   A quick note from Elder Lehr:

Hey mom and dad...

This is i guess part 2. from yesterday, But.... I found it.... last night, i found it....i dug deep, and felt it..... I felt the atonement. Thanks for your prayers.

But haha this has been the most interesting thing mom, and dad. I dont even know. I love it here, but i have received the strength to at least press on for a little bit more. 

But I FOUND IT! I dug deep and found it! 

Thanks again for everything. i love you both so much. I am just so grateful that i have so many people praying for me :)

Am-Pitiavana

Elder Lehr

What the land? - 6/22/15

Happy Fathers day and this Friday happy independence day for Madagascar! what a week!...not going to lie it was kind of a time to have a mental meltdown but I am doing a lot better today. Just feeling the weight of about 200 members on my shoulders but that's ok. Things are going a lot better.

On Friday I had the AWESOME opportunity to receive the experience of building a house, and feeling like I was in the Prince of Egypt. I became..... A pit dancer. I danced in the pits making mud for about 4 hours and boy oh boy do I feel for those Children of Israel. Haha we even put music in the background just to make it that much more real. All I needed was to have a staff and be like "LET MY PEOPLE GO!" Haha I tell you one of my new goals is to make a house in my backyard out of mud and then I can use that for my children when they get older, and the best part is that it is free! :) Time to become a master of the mud pits!

Eliane is doing awesome, and is learning really well. She is so ready to be baptized and I am super excited for her. SO AWESOME!

One of the exciting things this week is that Elder Coleman and Reynolds should be coming to move into our house. So that is going to be Incredible! I am way excited for that.

Other then that things are going great and I am still loving it here in the great land of Manandona. Haha good old Fort D.

Well I love you all. Thanks for all your prayers. They are really needed.

Love Elder Lehr

Howdy yall! - 6/15/15

You know, One of the things that I realized this week is that if we don't get baptized....We can not enter the kingdom of God. I mean we just can't!!! It's so obvious! (That was for you Elder Christiansen)

How is everyone doing!!? Things are just AWESOME Here in Manandona. I love it so so so so much! 

Recently we talked to a dadabe who lives WAY FAR AWAY! And was super diligent, but now has firmly decided that he is to old to continue and as such is going to stop coming to church and is joining a different church......We are still not giving up on him!!! :)

We have also been planning a couple of formations to teach teachers how to teach, and also to teach people about the wonderful principle known as BUDGETING! Seriously!! These last couple of weeks have been very interesting as I have seen the blessings that have come from doing a budget. 

On Friday we helped a sister who needs a house built, and we started the foundation. It's SUPER COOL how they do it. They start by just bringing BUCKETS of water to make mud, and you have people that are just focusing on making as much mud as possible, and then you had people doing measurements and digging areas for the Pillars to go, and the walls, and it literally looked like a miracle. I thought it was one of the coolest things ever.

Again.....I am SO SORRY! We just got a call that we need to head over to the house since there are some people there. I really do hope that there can come a time when I can just sit down and type an email, and actually have a p-day. haha fa TSY MANINONA! Izay ny fiainana!

Ok Love you all and hope you have a great week.

Am-Pitiavana

Elder Lehr

Aoka Lesy! - 6/8/15

ooo ahy!  Things are going great. We have been having fun as always, and have been having things happen in peoples lives which I think is good in a sense because they are realizing that that need to be more humble in order to get ready for the temple, so that is good.

Manandona is still the best place on earth, and gets me every time with its just pure beauty. Right now everyone is planting their potatoes and their green peas, and things are just going well. Its gotten a little cold here not going to lie, but I still love it here, and it's great to be with Elder Tsetra. 

On Thursday I went on a split with Elder Obioma Which was WAY AWESOME! We had a great time in Manandona and he is just chuck full of great ideas in how to improve an area. I was super grateful to have been able to go on the split with him and to just see his desire to be the best person that he can be, and to help others be that as well. It was super duper fun.

Saturday we had zone conference, and it was amazing but super sad at the same time since President Adams is going home July 2nd. Fun fun fun all the time :)

One of the things that I have been trying to work on recently is my speech. It's so easy to get caught in using regular words, but its very true that no matter how you dress, or how you walk or how you do a certain thing, the most dignifying part of a person is probably his speech and the kinds of words that he uses. So that is what I have been trying to work on recently and I have seen a difference as I have been striving to do this.

.....other then that.....Tsy dia haiko laotra.....hmmm.....Well things are still going great, and I am healthy right now so that is a blessing. Eliane is still going strong and it's been a great miracle to have her in the branch and striving to understand this gospel. I love this work.

Well Am-Manaraka.

Elder Lehr