Dear Family,
So after I emailed you last week, I had the hardest day on my mission yet... So after we emailed we ate at this amazing restaurant and then did some grocery shopping because in Ambositra we dont have one...then the fun started. We went to the bus stop to get a ride back to Ambositra. We got shoved in a taxi be (that's what they are called) that had literally 25 people in it. I was crammed next to my comp sitting on a piece of metal. People were smoking, a little boy threw up at least 10 times (no exaggeration there) we stopped three or four times for the people to pee... worst bus ride of my life. Then we had a 30 minute walk back to the house from the bus stop. We were carrying all of our clothes, groceries, scriptures... etc. We got home, had to quickly make brownies for the FHE which we were late for... while my comp started making the brownies the power went out and we heard a pop in the fridge...oh boy. There was a bottle of pineapple juice that exploded everywhere and stunk horribly. I started to clean out the entire fridge with water and Clorox cleaner stuff, my comp fixed the electricity and made the brownies... when I finished the fridge, I still wasn't satisfied, so I mopped the kitchen floor, it had to be done. So now that we were all sweaty dirty and frustrated we went to our FHE, watched a movie in Gasy so I didn't understand a lick. I have never been more grateful for the flashlight I received from Bishop, greatest life saver in Mada because its goes pitch black by like 6... so we walked home, I showered, shaved, (If you're ever having a bad day just remember that I still cut myself shaving every time so it cant be worse than that) and was ready for bed pronto. What a daayyy!! The next day a lot of our app fell through... we usually teach six or seven times a day and like three were gone. We were at one investigators home and we had made them brownies as well. Let me tell you about the brownies here. So some time ago, some genius missionary found a way to make brownies from scratch because that is how you have to do it here and called them mofa condradraka. Which translates to bread cockroach, cockroach bread. All of the people freak out when we tell them what it is called and what is in it and then they taste it because, well I don't know why because if I knew that thats what was in it, I would not eat it. But three of the four family members ate it, but the father, Louis, would not. His piece sat there and he just stared at it for a good five minutes in disgust. I was laughing hysterically at this point because of the look on his face. Elder Palmer finally told him that there wasnt condradraka in it so he ate it and loved it! I am also grateful for umbrellas because of how much it rains here, never thought I would be more grateful for an umbrella...The next day was crazy, we accidentally scheduled two "suares" on the same night which meant two families were making us rice... The first family made really good rice with awesome loch. I had two plates because Anika, the mother, made me eat two...The next family made the traditional rice with beans loch, I also had two plates... I have never been more full in my life, I am grateful for toilets. Yes, toilets. The next day was delightful. We met with an investigator who is so ready to be baptized. Its fun to teach people like Steve... that's his name. Elder Palmer and I decided to make a dinner for us that night instead of eating at a hotely. We cut up potatoes, by hand, and skinned them by hand. Do you know how hard that is! Then we cut up carrots, and onions and put like some sauce in a pan. It took days to cook, but it was pretty good. The next day was just not my day. We went up to Anjoma, which is like an hour away but is technically our area so we try to get up there like once a week. This place looks like a ranch. Just no people lots of weeds and dirt everywhere and it takes a good 45 minutes to walk anywhere. The church is literally a barn... crazy stuff. Anyway it wasn't my day because we got back and had dinner, and I spilled my coke all over myself. Then as I was walking down some stairs later that night, I slipped and slid down the whole wood flight and cut my hands. The stairs here are like not made for a six foot tall size 12 shoe kid. Ughh what a day that was. Through it all, I am grateful to be here. No other place in the world would I be able to experience this type of stuff. I am grateful for the members here, even though they don't help us... and I am grateful for my companion. I am grateful for the Book of Mormon, what a great book that is! I am grateful for AMERICA! hahah oh man, let me tell you about one last thing. So when I first got here I told you that the shower wasn't hot... well I spoke to soon because at least it wasn't freezing. This week the water has been FREEZING cold, to the point that it hurts to shower. But I have to be grateful that I can shower because the people here cant... I love it here. I love sharing the gospel and I love that I can help people. I love being a missionary.
All my love
Elder Herrin
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