Dear Family,
What a blessing it is to be here writing to you all today. I pray that you are all in high spirits and feeling the wonderful blessings that the gospel has to offer. I thank you all for the prayers that are sent my way. I know that its kind of selfish, but I definitely wouldn't be able to make it through my mission without those prayers... so keep sending them please. Ty, keep running hard. I cant wait to go out and play with you. Maci... uhhh don't drop anyone? Rhet, hit a little harder, I promise that you will start to grow some hair on your chest. The only reason I know that is cause I didnt hit hard and I didnt grow hair... maybe it will work for you!
This week was just another great week. I emailed you last week from a place called Fianarantsoa. We were down there with President Foote who was doing interviews with all of the missionaries in that area. We came back through Antsirabe and I was able to go on splits with the Antsirabe elders (Obioma) and continue teaching all of the way cool investigators in that area. I enjoyed it a lot.
I also had the opportunity to work in Manandona with Elder Yeagley. I worked with him in Fort D. His area is really struggling as he is the Branch President and they need all the support that they can get. During that split, we had a Branch Presidency meeting. Elder or President Yeagley asked me to add some input or give advice... uhh?? I talked about the teachings that we recieved from Elder Cook when he was here. That is centers of strength. We are pulling elders out of smaller areas and putting them in the main areas of Madagasikara. I asked the council what would happen if we pulled the missionaries out of Manandona. One of the coolest responses came from the guy that they are looking at to replace Elder Yeagley as Branch President. He said, "If we can get the home teaching to go, we can get the Branch to go." Way cool. Just shows you that no matter how young the church may be, the Lord is always preparing people to harvest the white field. We drove back on Thursday and had a lot to do in the office.
We spent all day Friday doing statistics for the mission. This mission is doing so well. Its really cool to see all of the progression that each area is making. I love this great calling! We had a pretty slow Saturday and Sunday.
My sabbath was so so nice. I am having the opportunity to work, for the first time on my mission, in a ward. It just kind of goes by itself. The lessons were great, the ward council was just astounding, and all I had to do was translate for the mission couples. That was hard. Yesterday, my Preparation Day, was great. We had the opportunity to play some basketball at the office, we drove lots of Elders around trying to do little things. The evening got very interesting when we went to dinner. We had dinner with Pres. and Sis. Foote at a small place here in Tana. We were walking back to our car when we witnessed a moto accident. At that same time that was happening, I ran to help a little boy who was profusely bleeding and the poor mother who didnt know what to do. There were 4 missionaries in the street with the accident and on the sidewalk trying to help a struggling mother and child. Makes you really grateful for where you come from and having the gospel in your life.
I know that I am protected from so much here in Madagasikara because of the work that I am doing and the prayers that are sent my way. I know that I am a servant of our savior Jesus Christ. I know that this gospel is true.
Thank you so much. Dont forget to smile.
All my Love
Elder Herrin
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Monday, September 14, 2015
Quick Story
Dear Family,
How are we all doin this week. I sure hope that things are well. I pray for you every week. I pray for your health and for your spiritual progression. I know that those two things are really important. I love the scripture 2 Nef 9:39. Read it.
I dont have a lot of time today. I am in a place called Fianarantsoa with President Foote. He is doing interviews with all of his missionaries and I have been traveling with him. I just wanted to share a quick story that just was way cool.
Last Wednesday we were at the office and I get a call from one of the zone leaders saying that he was doing a baptismal interview. He said that he was interviewing a woman who was asking that I baptize her... I asked who the woman was and they said Hiantra... didnt ring a bell. She was from Tamatave and appearently elder bowler and I had taught her when I was there. I told them that of course I would love to do the baptism. I went home, still not knowing who this woman was. They gave me some descriptions of her. They said she was a gma that had three teeth and they were as sharp as a saber tooth... yaa still had nothing come to mind. I went through my journal and even through my old planners but still could not find anything out about his woman.
Come Friday evening and we are planning this big trip to go down to Antsirabe then Ambositra, then to Fianarantsoa to do interviews. I spaced the baptism but luckily President reminded me that I had to be in Ambohimanarana at 2 for it. We were scheduled to leave at like 3... I almost canceled and just said for one of the others to dunk her... I decided to make it work.
We got there Saturday afternoon to the beautiful new chapel that was opened a couple months ago. It could be an american building, thats how nice it is. It even has a built in font. Yaa, thats right. So I am waiting and waiting to "meet" the woman I would be baptizing. She shows up and immediately it clicks.
In Tamatave there was this family that we were teaching. They were progressing really well. They were the people that understood if our message was true, then there was only one true church on the earth. They just werent ready to accept it. They had a mother who lived with them (Hiantra). She was the old woman that talks your ear off and says all this stuff, but you never really pay any attention too. Thats how I felt in Tamatave and boy do I regret that. Hiantra would sit in on the lessons every now and then, but she wasnt progressing as well as her daughter.
Any way, she walks in and sees me and starts to tell me her life story. How she moved to tana and wanted to continue learning like she did from herrin and bowler. She found johnson and covey and has been converted ever since. It was one of the coolest things baptizing her. Right before I left, she gave me the number of her daughter who I was teaching. She wants her family to be just as happy as she is. And she trusts me to try and make that happen. This gospel is amazing.
I know that what I am doing is what God wants me to do. I am so darn happy doing this work. Thank you for all the help and prayers that you send my way. I love you. I love being a missionary!
All my Love
Elder Herrin
How are we all doin this week. I sure hope that things are well. I pray for you every week. I pray for your health and for your spiritual progression. I know that those two things are really important. I love the scripture 2 Nef 9:39. Read it.
I dont have a lot of time today. I am in a place called Fianarantsoa with President Foote. He is doing interviews with all of his missionaries and I have been traveling with him. I just wanted to share a quick story that just was way cool.
Last Wednesday we were at the office and I get a call from one of the zone leaders saying that he was doing a baptismal interview. He said that he was interviewing a woman who was asking that I baptize her... I asked who the woman was and they said Hiantra... didnt ring a bell. She was from Tamatave and appearently elder bowler and I had taught her when I was there. I told them that of course I would love to do the baptism. I went home, still not knowing who this woman was. They gave me some descriptions of her. They said she was a gma that had three teeth and they were as sharp as a saber tooth... yaa still had nothing come to mind. I went through my journal and even through my old planners but still could not find anything out about his woman.
Come Friday evening and we are planning this big trip to go down to Antsirabe then Ambositra, then to Fianarantsoa to do interviews. I spaced the baptism but luckily President reminded me that I had to be in Ambohimanarana at 2 for it. We were scheduled to leave at like 3... I almost canceled and just said for one of the others to dunk her... I decided to make it work.
We got there Saturday afternoon to the beautiful new chapel that was opened a couple months ago. It could be an american building, thats how nice it is. It even has a built in font. Yaa, thats right. So I am waiting and waiting to "meet" the woman I would be baptizing. She shows up and immediately it clicks.
In Tamatave there was this family that we were teaching. They were progressing really well. They were the people that understood if our message was true, then there was only one true church on the earth. They just werent ready to accept it. They had a mother who lived with them (Hiantra). She was the old woman that talks your ear off and says all this stuff, but you never really pay any attention too. Thats how I felt in Tamatave and boy do I regret that. Hiantra would sit in on the lessons every now and then, but she wasnt progressing as well as her daughter.
Any way, she walks in and sees me and starts to tell me her life story. How she moved to tana and wanted to continue learning like she did from herrin and bowler. She found johnson and covey and has been converted ever since. It was one of the coolest things baptizing her. Right before I left, she gave me the number of her daughter who I was teaching. She wants her family to be just as happy as she is. And she trusts me to try and make that happen. This gospel is amazing.
I know that what I am doing is what God wants me to do. I am so darn happy doing this work. Thank you for all the help and prayers that you send my way. I love you. I love being a missionary!
All my Love
Elder Herrin
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| This is Hiantra |
Pictures
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| MICHELLE AND TINAS FAMILY, the will be baptized soon! |
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| Both ex missionaries and married in the temple. I was her district leader... wierd. |
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| The second is one of my favorite families. The mom is the best. |
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| The third is the first pics mother. Just a funny lady |
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| A nice family that I had been teaching. |
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| Michelle and Tinas cute cute kids |
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| Me getting into the bus... seats were few so you had to do all you could to get yourself a seat. |
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| some of the great young men and young women. |
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| The great men of the church. |
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| All the new missionaries at the house kickin it!! |
GO GO GO!!!
Dear Family,
How are we doing this week? Mom tells me that we are doing well and in full swing of things. I also heard that BYU put on a big stellar upset the other day. I heard it from Elder Morley's parents. He is a missionary that just left, and his parents had come to pick him up! I love that guy. Anyway, I probably had the most tiring week of my entire mission...
I am now working in a ward. My very first ward since my mission began. It is called the Anjanahary Ward. I have also been working a lot closer with the mission president, President Foote. I have been doing a lot more mission work as opposed to missionary work.
At least twice, every single day this week, I have been to the airport either picking up, or dropping people off. And because I am in Madagasikara we were even there waiting for flights to come in that never came. Its always fun to be sitting there with the mission President at two in the morning waiting for two sister missionaries who should be coming from the MTC and find out that the flight was changed to the next day at two in the morning... yaa.
As I noted in the first paragraph, one of my favorite missionaries, Elder Morley, has left the mission. I got to meet his parents and enjoy a very nice meal with them and the mission president and his wife.
One of the coolest experiences that I was able to participate in was picking up 11 new elders straight from the MTC. I drove back to the mission home with just two elders because I was driving a smaller car, but it was so cool to see their faces as I zoomed through the streets of Madagasikara. Then we were able to go through a meeting and a training meeting with them and just see the new light that they have with them. What a special thing a mission is.
One cool thing that I thought I might share is that I will be learning sign language in this area. We have a recent convert that is deaf and LOVES the missionaries. He has already given me a name. He makes a hand motion over his eye brow. I guess I have large eye brows cause that's what stuck out to him. I am excited to start learning that.
Things should start to mellow out because the transfer is over now. We have a lot of traveling to do this month and missionaries to meet and help. I am so so excited to be working here in Anjanahary. I just hope that I catch some more rest. I am going to send you some pictures of my good byes in Antsirabe. Thanks for all the love and support. I love being a missionary!
All my Love
Elder Herrin
How are we doing this week? Mom tells me that we are doing well and in full swing of things. I also heard that BYU put on a big stellar upset the other day. I heard it from Elder Morley's parents. He is a missionary that just left, and his parents had come to pick him up! I love that guy. Anyway, I probably had the most tiring week of my entire mission...
I am now working in a ward. My very first ward since my mission began. It is called the Anjanahary Ward. I have also been working a lot closer with the mission president, President Foote. I have been doing a lot more mission work as opposed to missionary work.
At least twice, every single day this week, I have been to the airport either picking up, or dropping people off. And because I am in Madagasikara we were even there waiting for flights to come in that never came. Its always fun to be sitting there with the mission President at two in the morning waiting for two sister missionaries who should be coming from the MTC and find out that the flight was changed to the next day at two in the morning... yaa.
As I noted in the first paragraph, one of my favorite missionaries, Elder Morley, has left the mission. I got to meet his parents and enjoy a very nice meal with them and the mission president and his wife.
One of the coolest experiences that I was able to participate in was picking up 11 new elders straight from the MTC. I drove back to the mission home with just two elders because I was driving a smaller car, but it was so cool to see their faces as I zoomed through the streets of Madagasikara. Then we were able to go through a meeting and a training meeting with them and just see the new light that they have with them. What a special thing a mission is.
One cool thing that I thought I might share is that I will be learning sign language in this area. We have a recent convert that is deaf and LOVES the missionaries. He has already given me a name. He makes a hand motion over his eye brow. I guess I have large eye brows cause that's what stuck out to him. I am excited to start learning that.
Things should start to mellow out because the transfer is over now. We have a lot of traveling to do this month and missionaries to meet and help. I am so so excited to be working here in Anjanahary. I just hope that I catch some more rest. I am going to send you some pictures of my good byes in Antsirabe. Thanks for all the love and support. I love being a missionary!
All my Love
Elder Herrin
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