Gettin ready Gettin ready Gettin ready - 9/15/14

This week was an awesome week of splits, baptisms for the other branch, and some just good stuff :)

Tuesday was an awesome opportunity to go with Elder Garcia , and WE TOOK BIKES! yeye yeye.....The only problem is that hiking mountains every day doesn't prepare you for riding up really really really steep hills. In the first couple minutes of riding up one mountain, I called out to Elder Garcia and was just like "ELDER GARCIA! I'M DYING HERE!" He then excercised compassion on me, and we began to walk up the hill. I felt like such a wimp, but hey! I kept trying, and trying and by the end of the day....Well I slept really well :)

Wednesday was splits with Elder Morley, and that was super fun! We got some baptism interviews done, taught some lessons, and "hired" one of the branch missionaries in my area (Aka Francois) to come with us. It was a blast, and it was  fun to teach their branch mission leader's family.

Thursday was super duper cool. We went to Rosy, and Elder Miller began to teach and I was super impressed! His way of speaking had already gotten way better, and a lot of our investigators were actually commenting on it. They were just like "Wow! He is already learning super fast!" It was pretty gosh darn cool to hear that :)

Friday was super awesome as we taught Tefy and Andry about the law of chastity and reviewed the ten commandments. Ok, first I guess it has to be understood that we teach Andry at around 2:00 and then come back to Atambomandrevo at 6:00 to teach Tefy, and then Tefy's dad comes over to help out. Also Tefy has been in on the lessons with Andry, and as such has basically been getting a double helping of lessons. So when we taught Tefy with his father, Mario (The father) was completely blown away as his son listed all of the 10 commandments, law of chastity, and the word of wisdom. It was a way cool experience to see that as we have been teaching these kids, that their understanding has grown and they have been blessed both physically and spiritually.

Saturday was an interesting day. We taught English at 10:00, and then attended the baptism of the other branch. IT was WAY SWAG! The spirit was strong, and it was awesome to have people from both branches there. It brings a spirit of unity that is really awesome. Because the baptism ended at 3:00ish, we started late in teaching. We taught Rosy, and then went all the way to Ambalataratasy to teach Olga. When we arrived....She couldn't be taught. Thus we returned and got ready for Elder Rakotoarisoa's birthday party. (Elder Rakotoarisoa turned 65 years old that day) We had an awesome time with them, and ate some amazing food. Probably the best was this fruit salad of Ananas,  Papaya, and......STRAWBERRIES! SO GOOD! It was probably one of the happiest times of my life. Never had something tasted so divine. Wow! They also had a barbaque of these things called Miskita, or Brouchette in french. They were SO Tasty! yeye :)

Sunday was a good day of teaching Clement, and Hoby. We taught Clement, about tithing and committed him to pay tithing and to fast. And Hoby learned the 10 commandments......Very well :) We did a game with him and some of his cousins, and they got almost too into it. It was super fun :)

Well, really quickly... things are going well. I am healthy, still going and happy. Things are going well and I can definitely promise to anyone that if they will spend an hour every morning or try to spend a good study in the scriptures to begin the day, everything will go better. For me, studying the scriptures has become a true joy, and has become a pearl of great price. It is a time of quiet contemplation, and brings about a yearning to speak with the Almighty. Prayer and scripture study are inseparable. To kneel down, and open up your heart, and talk to a person that you know loves you...brings a quiet and peace that can't be reached anywhere else. During those quiet moments are the times in which we can practice hearing....a still....penetrating...Quiet voice. A voice which if we heed and abide, will guide us, bring us protection, and will help us see how much the windows of heaven are already opened for us, pouring forth blessing like the rushing ocean. When we can see such things...It is easier to be grateful, humble and meek.Tena fantako marina izany!

Amin'ny manaraka!

Elder Lehr

Splits, committments, and a whole lot of avy erika - 9/8/14

Akory Abio!

Another week going by, and some pretty swag things have happened.

1st. I forgot to mention one thing that happened last week. Last Wednesday, we were invited to teach an English class, and to a lesson. We entered the room and were greeted by about 100-150 students and the "National President of the English club." They had several people filming what we were saying and many people were taking pictures of us as if we were some sort of celebrities. It was SO WEIRD! We didn't really think much of it except that it was a cool opportunity to teach the gospel to a big group of people. Then Sunday came and a bunch of members came up to me and were like "We saw you teaching English class!" I was like "What the garglemesh!?" Then they told me that they had broadcasted our lesson on a national level, and that a lot of people all over Madagacar saw the 4 missionaries teaching English.

That was an interesting experience to say the least....

SO! On Wednesday we did splits. I went with Elder Garcia in Fianarantsoa Atsimo, and then Elder Morley went in my area. We had a lot of fun. We taught a lot of times, and it was just a good day in which we talked about things that could be improved and we talked about cool things. It was a way cool day. I learned a lot from him and hoped he learned from me as well.

On Thursday we taught a guy named Allen. He is very spiritually thirsty, and seems to be very promising. He trusted us enough on the first time to tell us about the problems that are in his life and how he can get help. It was cool to testify to him that Heavenly Father knew of his situation and that as he learned from us, he would be able to feel more peace, and to have more understanding about what Heavenly Father has planned for him. We also taught Richard and committed him to leave tobacco, and drinking and to come to church (Which he did come {Yes!}).

On Friday we  were able to teach Ludovik, and it was way cool that as we met with him that he wanted to come back to church and to get baptized. He is a way cool guy. He is trying to fix his schedule so that he can.

On Sunday we went to Cleimont's house at 7:30 in the morning to bring him to church. He was waiting for us, and it was way fun to bring him to church. Richard, Cleimont, Hoby and about 9 others came to church. It was SO COOL!

This week I have really learned the power of extending commitments. When we extend a commitment we are inviting them to change, and to repent. If someone keeps their commitments, then they will build upon their faith line upon line and precept upon precept. If we just expect them to follow commandments without ever having the foundation of reading from the scriptures every day, or praying every day, Then their foundation will crumble, and we will have to start at the beginning anyway. Or we baptize them and they fall away and wander on different paths. Commitments are awesome. They make missionary work...Well...Work :)

I am glad things are going well in the states. I love being here in Madagascar and I have loved serving in this area. It's been so much fun.

See ya next time

Elder Lehr

P.S For my brother Josh, DMB is the french acronym for Ward or Branch Mission Leader, and then the BACC is a test king of like the ACT or SAT, but if you fail it then you don't pass high school and you have to take another year again.

Sick, and rumors of water and electricity..Shutdown - 9/1/14

Elder Lehr and Elder Lee

Fianarantsoa

Francois, branch missionary

Hey o!

So first off Mom, if you look into my account you will see that i pulled out....a sum of money that i don't really know anymore what it is in US Dollars. The reason for this was because of a call that we received from the AP's on Wednesday, telling us that the company was going to go on strike and shut off all of the water and electricity in Madagascar starting on Sunday due to some political issues. Thus they told us to prepare and get a weeks worth of food, and to fill up all the pots and pans with clean water. So that is the reason why I took out some money from the bank. So that I could get food and have some emergency vola.

Also on Wednesday I got pretty sick. After climbing the mountain to teach Menza and Eddie, I just felt super super sick. So we went home and we ended up not working for the rest of the day, and Thursday. I felt SO bad! It's the worst being sick as a missionary. It's the time in which you want to work the hardest that you can, but you know in your heart of hearts, that it's better for you to stay in and sleep. SO poopy. But it's ok! Because now I am better :)

Our DMB just finished the BACC on Thursday, and has set up a program with us every single Monday-Friday. I am pretty excited for that. I am hoping that maybe next week we can do some splits with Francois and Our DMB. Get some more people taught, and I think it will be a really good experience for Elder Miller to have. Splits are always good for the soul :)

One more quick thing and then I will talk about investigators. So on Friday the AP's called me and told me that they talked about some things and decided that I am the new district leader. So that will be fun.

OK! Our investigators are doing pretty good. We haven't taught a lot just because I was sick this week, but Hiandry is doing really well. He and Tefy are 2 kids that just understand things super well. We saw Richard in passing this week, and think that in one sense he might be a little bit crazy, and is a little wishy washy which makes me sad, and I hope that things can work out with him. Marellie and her 3 daughters are learning with someone in the ward since they live so far away, and it seems to be going really really well. We will try to see how they are doing in everything within the next week or so. Menza and Eddie are just a stud of a couple. They are just waiting for their copies to get married, and then they should be able to be baptized within the next couple of weeks :)

Sorry this is a little long. Love you all and hope you have a great week :)

Elder Lehr

Zone conference - 8/25/14

What a week!

We had some normal days on Monday, Tuesday, and then Wednesday, but on Thursday we left at 7:30 ish in the morning to go to Antsirabe for zone conference. We arrived at about 3:00ish in Antsirabe and then just hung out with Elder Lee (Who had typhoid fever at the time). We had a blast as we got to talk to the other elders and prepare for the conference.

On Friday morning we got up, and went to a training for the zone leaders, district leaders, and trainers which was pretty swag. Then Elder Hamilton from the seventy talked to us about the problems that we were facing in missionary work, and it led to us talking about people feeling entitled in the church, and how they expect to be given things. Elder Hamilton basically gave the best discussion on Self reliance, tithing, and fast offerings that I have ever heard in my life. One of the things that I will forever remember him saying is "Paying a hospital bill won't change a life, but paying Tithing is life changing." He talked about how President Uchtdorf had said "A few people paying tithing, can lift up an entire nation. Just like a little bit of yeast will raise an entire loaf of bread, so to will tithing to a nation." I know that those principles are true. I have seen the difference in people that have been given the things in order to be baptized, and those that have worked for it without relying on the church. It makes all the difference in a person who is truly committed to the gospel and someone who becomes less active after they don't receive any more things from the church. Zone conference was SO SWAG!

When we got home we found that all of our water is not working, and today.....It's still not working. It's been a bit hard to manage without any water but we are doing ok, and hopefully it will work again soon.

The work is going well here, and hopefully I will be able to see Menzie and Eddie baptized at the end of this transfer. If I could see that happen, I would be so happy. :)

Sorry I have to make this a little short, but I love ya all

Elder Lehr

The work is coming along - 8/18/14

I cant believe school is already starting for the girls. That is absolutely nuts. The seasons pass by so quickly. Haha It doesn't really help that it's turning into spring and summer right now :)

This week was pretty fun as I went on splits with Elder Garcia. And I was able to do some baptism interviews. There were a couple that as I interviewed them, I was astonished by how amazing they were. It was seeing people that I knew had been prepared years in advance to accept this message and they knew what they wanted in life. It was a way cool experience.

Also We were able to teach Richard this week, and it's kind of funny how simple he is in a fashion. Just a one tract mind. I love the guy, and I am determined to not give up on him. It may just be sheer stubbornness, or it might be something else, but I really do love him and don't want to let him go.

One of our investigators named "Hiandry" is a stud. He is 12 years old, and just receives things really well. I think he will be a great example for his family and will help them to progress. Tefy is another 9-10 year old kid that we have been teaching, and it's pretty amazing because his whole family except for him are already recent converts. And the father is the 2nd counselor in the Branch Presidency right now. He is progressing really well, and I think it helps that his father is right there with him to really try to help him understand to feel that this is right. We also have been teaching Claymond who is trying to go into tourism for his work. He is pretty cool, but just needs to go to church :)

So for my studies I have done a lot of reading in the Teachings of David O Mckay. His teachings are pretty profound. I was reading one particular thing that I would like to share. He states that as this is the time in which we prepare to meet God, we basically have 2 choices in life, and need to know which choice will provide more happiness. The choices are as follows,

1. We pamper to our physical wants and passions, and feed the natural man.

or

2. We develop our spiritual selves.

From him I have learned that "Man is a duel being" "Man has a Natural body and a spiritual body" and that "Man's body, therefore, is but the tabernacle in which his spirit dwells." Thus whenever we do even the smallest of selfless acts, and when we do things without any thought of ourselves, but of the desire to serve others...Then we feed our spiritual side, and are given greater control and reigns of the passions and wants of the natural man." Especially as I have been in Madagascar, this truth has been so apparent to me. So many people are very base in their passions and desires, but then on the other hand I have seen so many people who love, and do everything that they can for others. It's their life and existence to help the child, the brother, the sister, the father, the mother, and it has been a very changing thing for me to see.

I know that as we follow the gospel of Jesus Christ that we will GAIN, and not lose power to excersize our agency, and that we will feel more joy and happiness in our lives.

Love you all and I will talk to you all soon! :)

Elder Lehr