Haha Can one ever talk to much about Mahajanga people?? - 10/5/15

Well if you are sick and tired of hearing about people from Mahajanga then just stop reading now. BECAUSE THEY ARE SO SWAG!!! Hehe

So, referral from Fredo and Miriam....they are the landlords of their house, and from what it seemed like...The guy was not at all interested in hearing us, and the woman was....Yoyo ihany. Miriam asked if we still wanted to go....Normally I would have been like "HECK NO! That ain't ok!" But I was like "You know this is a referral from our awesome referral.. I CANT LOSE FAITH!" So we went over. Lo and behold we actually had a friendly conversation with the landlord and his family, and after talking to them for a while they seem way interested!! WAHOO!! Hurrah for dope investigators! It was super cool. Also Miriam was telling us that she and her husband just wanted to get up in testimony meeting and bear their testimonies that this church is true, and how much they know that it is. They are SO COOL! I hopefully will be able to see their baptism before hand and can see Joclyn baptize them. That would make my mission. And besides the fact that they make the most incredible food :)

We had our DMP come with us to Razaha who was way open to him and they instantly became good buddies. I think this is what this ward needs to really grow is to have every investigator have a member friend....I mean that is what Preach My Gospel teaches BUT IT'S SO TRUE! Izay le izy!

So.. I have heard that conference was super dope....we shall see after I watch it, but this cyber is so slow that hopefully we will at least be able to get 1 session or so.

Elder Morse and I have made a game plan for us to be able to have Mahamasina ready to split in the next 8 months. With all of our recent converts and investigators about ready to be baptized we will have more than enough Melk. Priesthood holders, and then we shall also have about 170-180 at church in Mahamasina, making it amby ampy to split. WE ARE SO CLOSE! I am really jealous of the elders that will be able to take part of this. I wish I could be able to see it split, but that won't happen, but hopefully we can help people start catching the vision.

Well izay ihany for now. It's been a great week. Lots of fun and just pushing forward in the work.

Am-Pitiavana Elder Lehr

Referrals up the wazo - 9/28/15

YO!

Haha SO MANY Referrals this week! Elder Morse and I have been trying to work with members in getting referrals....but more then anything it has been our recent converts and investigators who are getting anyone and everyone to come in and learn with them. It has been SO COOL!

Our most prime time recent convert is just going ham with sharing the gospel. He has such a burning testimony about this work, and about the truth of this church, and wants to share it with everyone. Through that, he has invited several families to come and see, and then those families with only having been taught once, go out and invite everyone and their dog to come and learn.....WHAAAAT!!? Yeye yeye :)

Haha Mahamasina is SO Cool! So many families to focus on and to just love....What better place can one be in than here....Besides with family and with your sons and daughters....BUT SERIOUSLY! SO DOPE!

On Sunday we had ward conference, and President Efano came to preside. During that time the 1st counselor gave a wonderful talk about being self reliant spiritually and physically and that according to handbook 1 and 2 of the church every person is responsible for his or her own self reliance. Such an incredible talk!....And it helped a lot when he was talking slow because I was translating for Elder and Sister Wooley....Haha Translating! Whoap!

Seriously....I can't think of a better place I could be....Who cares about going to a beach province or being in province...When you have some of the most incredible families on the planet...in your area...and you have the opportunity to participate in God literally shaping them and molding them into the person they are Ment?.... meant?... to be. I am so grateful for the relationships I have obtained here on the mission. Ony and Ando in Manandona, and President Mampionona and Sr Emma in Antsirabe and all the ridiculously cool people in Mahamasina.....My soul is literally just full with gratitude for all the blessings and change that has occurred during my period of stay here. I have seen people change from the bums of the earth.....To a far better type of bum, and then to an almost normal person....kind of....haha...and then into someone completely and utterly different than who they ever thought they could be. WHOAP!! Missions rock!

Well, the work is going going going and I do love it here. It's been a real blessing, and a true time of healing and peace for my soul through the last year and a half war of apostasy. I know that God put me here for a reason, and I see that for myself and then also for the members that are here. What more proof does one need to have to know that God is in this work. Tsy haiko!

Well I love you all. Hope you are doing well, and I am praying for ianareo aby, so Talk to you soon!

Love Elder Lehr

Haha more food aux coco - 9/21/15

Well we contacted our 2 family referrals from Joslyn this week and they are swagging out of this world!! Came to church on Sunday and are incredible. We have Fredo and Ravaka, and then we had Riry, Natasha and Ghina come to church!! When I saw those three I looked like such a fool on the stand. Literally just had this huge smile on my face that could not be wiped off my face. Holy cow! I was so happy seeing them at church.

Elder Morse and I are just killing it here. We love this area and it's just amazing how wonderful the people are here.Totally different than from different parts of Tana.

Bishop is back which is awesome and he is stoked about getting this work going so hopefully it happens :)

Razaha and Gisel are way awesome. They made us the most incredible food aux coco ever and then we had a wonderful lesson. They are improving and hopefully within the next little while they will start coming to  church.

Other then that.......Tsy dia misy laotra....

Love ya all and hope you all of a wonderful week.

Love Elder Lehr

Awesome week - 9/15/15

This has been a really fun week.

Yesterday we went to the croc farm with our investigators and Elder Delbar and Elder Snell and Elder Hammer and their companions. It was SO MUCH FUN! Went up to Ivato to my old area and I got a flash back of what my life would be like in about 2 years when i have finished my mission. Dang it was super weird! haha

Also we set up a program with holy benwa again!! WAHOO!! So now we are teaching his family again, and I am improving in my southern dialects. :) yeyeye :)

Roger had his family come back from Gianarantsoa so that is way swag, and they are wanting to just go HAM! On the ward. SO EXCITED for that. They are going to be a really strong family for this ward.

Joclyn is getting us many family referrals from all of his Miaramila friends and I love the guy to death. He is de best :)

Razaha and gisel are great and are going to be progressing really nice. He knows the church is true because of how much satan is trying to fight against him. I love this guy so much :) Also all of our akalava members and investigators just want to ingrain us in how they make all their food. How could I not be happy!! I am getting the greatest food of all time!!

Razaha also said one of the most touching things to myself and Elder Morse. He just talked about how much of a miracle it is for me and my companion to be with him, how young we are and how much we are trying to serve the Lord even though we are so far away from our families and what not. His gratitude really touched me and it was just a sweet tender mercy.

Elder Morse is one of the studliest studs ever. Literally one of my favorite companions by far. His sincerity is unreal, and I learn so much by being with him. My desire to do good things increases from the spirit which just exudes from his body.

Anyway I am just loving it here in the holy land. Having people come back to church, teaching amazing families. What more could a person want? Except to see his own family. Tsa.....fantako!

Anyway I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Am-pitiavana

Elder Lehr

The week of Carnivor! - 9/7/15

CARNIVOR!! Haha literally have waited my whole mission for it :) Today we are planning on going to a place like Tucanos with Elder Snell, Elder Leo; Elder Mack and Elder Tainer (my grandson) :), and then some others.....Stoked out of my mind?....maybe :p

Yesterday Roger got the gift of the Holy Ghost and it was SUPER SWAG! One of the things that he expressed to me was something similar to a dear friend of mine back in Utah had expressed when he was baptized, but that when he was baptized it felt great......BUT! When he got the gift of the Holy Ghost...it was like turning on a light switch in the room where before he had gotten the candlelight of baptism. It's So great to see that he is seeing that :) WAY STOKED for him. he is such a strength for the ward.

Right now we are teaching a bunch of families....but just like everything when you get a great family into your program, Satan works way hard on them to have them not have an answer to prayer.

We are trying way hard right now to get more involvement with the ward. Trying to set up a program with the bishopric to give us a family a week that we can help strengthen in the ward, and then to have that family try to find a new family.We have already seen a little success and are just wanting to get this place on fire!

Elder Morse is a stud and a half. I love this guy so much! I feel in our companionship studies that the windows of heaven are just open and pouring out revelation. haha I almost just want to skip personal study and go straight to companionship study just so that I can feel the spirit guiding our time like that.

Well, I love you all, and am trying not to get trunky....but....I can't help it sometimes haha That is what work is for so that the trunkiness goes away :)

Anyway I hope you guys have a wonderful week, and try to remember to do the little things. :)

Love Elder Lehr