Wow, after talking to you all today, it seems that things are going great! It seems as if people are happy and healthy and living it up! SMILE! Hahah, I love receiving emails from you all and hearing about your lives and what you are doing. It makes me happy to hear how well all of you are doing. "Because i'm happy!"
So, this week was up and down and biking this way and that way. On Tuesday morning we sent away 5 of the 10 elders here in Tamatave. On that same day, one of the elders in the house got sick, so we had to stay home all day... dikan' izany hoe, CLEAN!! I cleaned the house. I swept, mopped, did the dishes, and the tsisy. It was a great day of getting things done around the house. Then on Wednesday, we received 5 new missionaries, what an addition.
In my house we have 3 americans, a mexican, a malagasy, and a tahitian. It is a party... well for the malagasy and the tahitian it is, but im pretty mellow, so I dont really party. But they are singing and playin the guitar, playing cards, and just having a great time. Its fun to have them in the house. My new companion's name is Elder Trujillo, he is the mexican if you didnt catch the name. He is almost done with his mission, he has about 4 months left. He is such an awesome elder who knows the bible like way well. He is kinda quiet though, so I am gonna have to get him talkin a little more!
The work this week was kinda slow. We were literally on our bikes for hours upon hours this week. Riding this way and that, trying to find all of our less actives to teach. I would get home and my shirt would be brown because of all the sweat and sand that came from my face. I felt bad that I put my comp through all that on his first week here, but thats just missionary work baby. How does it go Lloyd? "SUCK IT UP!" Hahaha. We had 3 baptisms this week. 2 of them were member baptisms, so it was really cool to see a father baptize is child. Well, only one kid had a father there, so I did the other member baptism. Our investigator should have been (key word SHOULD) a member baptism, but his family waited till he was 10 before they told us (the missionaries) that he needed to be taught. Uhh #misisonaryprobs. It was a great day and a great baptism none the less. I do have one story to share this week. I think I finally understand my purpose as a missionary.
So after the baptism, we had a time that night with a family of 5. A father and a mother and thier 3 sons. They have been learning, only once a week, for about 2 months. On saturday night, we planned to teach about the Plan of Salvation. They are a fun family, always having fun, crazy questions to answer. As we taught about our life before this one, things started to get out of control. Like, I got the question by one son, do animals get saved? And we had questions about life after death... lots of questions. The mother, understanding what we were teaching, looked distressed and almost as if she were about to cry. She softly said that she would never be able to make it heaven because she couldnt get baptized. I was shocked when I heard that. Obviously, so was her "husband" cause he asked why. The mother responded abruptly and almost in a yelling manner with "satria tsy vita mariajy isika, ok!" or in english "because we arent married ok!" Then she turned to us missionaries and held up her ring finger to show us that there wasnt a ring. That quickly changed the mood and setting of the lesson. Long story short, the father realized that they couldnt get baptized unless they were legally married and it kind of boggled his mind. He asked what our purpose was in coming to madagascar. For one of the first time in my mission, I felt the stong impression and power of the Holy Ghost testify through me. I told the wife that we were there to share a message about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and then to help the people that we share that message with, understand and accept it. But our main goal is to help them live the gospel in thier lives so that they can one day live together in the Celestial Kindgom with thier family and God. Man, it was crazy awesome saying all that in malagasy and with the spirit of God helping me out. I know that what I do and what I teach is true.
I cant wait to be together with you all in the Celestial Kingdom. I love you all so much. I cant wait to skype next week, I love you.
Elder Herrin
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| This the member baptism that happened.. love that family |
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| Me with the two kids I baptized |
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