Conference & Beliefs

Hi,

We have received transfer news early. I will be leaving the area I am currently in and move to another area in Fort Dauphin called Bazari be. It will be sad leaving all the people I have been teaching and preparing for baptism but I am grateful for the opportunity to stay here in Fort Dauphin. The other missionaries will take care of Tanambao. We work hard where ever we are.  

My new companions name is Elder Jakins. He is from the same MTC group as me so this next transfer will be sweet.  He also likes to bake, so I will eat lots of zucchini bread.

General Conference was really good. The new Prophet is a great guy, he is full of love and very inspiring. One of my favorite statements from conference was, "How can we help others the most? Teach them about their identity (being a child of God). Then the nature of God (loving heavenly Father). As we come to understand who we truly are we look at the world different and strive to be better people. As we understand the character of God we begin to trust him more, follow him more, and love him more. It makes all the difference."

(watching General Conference)

I heard a crazy story from some people we are teaching. Malagasies literally believe things like this... There was a man from Tana (the main city in Mada). He was married and had kids. Every so often his work would send him to a Province called Toliara to take care of business. While he was there he cheated on his wife with another women. When it was time for him to return to Tana his mistress was angry and gave him something to make him fall asleep. The next day he did not think much of it and went on his way. When he arrived back in Tana he then realized that his (filahiana) was gone. That caused him to return to Toliara to go find his (filahiana). When he returned he saw it sitting in a jar at his mistresses house. He begged for it back. He explained that he needed it because he had a wife and kids back home. She was finally convinced to give it back. Except she transformed his (filahiana) into a snake. From that day forth he had to place some meat on his leg everyday so that the snake would not eat his thigh... True story. This was a friend of a cousin of an uncle of one of our investigators that had that happen to him. 

Every single Malagasy also believes that mermaids are real. Whether they are poor or rich. Live in the country side or in the city. They all believe in mermaids and claim that they know someone who has seen them. I have yet to meet a person who has seen them himself. Hopefully one day I will.

Have a good week.

Sincerely,

Elder Allen

Saying Goodbye to Elder Shelby

Beach day

view from the house

A First for Ft. D

Interview with President Foote

Hello everybody,

This week we had the First District Conference ever created here in Fort Dauphin. The Leadership was changed and a lot of guys are getting the Melchezidek priesthood. It was cool to be there and see it all happen. Pres, Foote came up to conduct the Conference.  It has been great having him here.

Funny thing is, on the Saturday prior to the conference we came home after working and saw two elders sitting at the table drinking juice. We asked what was wrong. but with in a couple of seconds we realized that the entire house was flooded. Our water heater had exploded while we were gone and it had filled up the house with water.

We stayed up late pushing the water towards the bathroom while other Elders were scooping it into the shower drain. That was pretty lame and caused our water to be cut the night before the conference.  We should be getting a new water heater today.  Now we really need a new house that isn't broken.  We are still trying to work out the logistics of that.

Spiritual note: During a lesson the other day Elder Shelby started bearing his testimony right as Disney's Moana started blasting... it intensified the spirit in the room. Disney was inspired by God.

Sincerely,
Elder Allen

Teaching English Classes

First District Conference in Ft. Dauphin

Sam on beach for p-day

Cool pic of Ft. Dauphin

Elder Shelby Asleep

It was Really Good Looking.

Hello,

We had another pretty good week here in Fort D. We have had a lot of full and busy days. This last week a new investigator named Desire came to church. He is such a good guy. He is funny, and married, with a little boy. Not married to a little boy... but married to a nice lady named Amon and they have a little boy named Ason. They are very smart and actually read the stuff we give them. And they understand the importance of it all.  Elder Shelby and I are working really hard and really well together and finding much success which is keeping us very busy.

The other day our water was cut,  so I showered out of a bucket. I filled a big bucket from our well outside and then crouched next to it with a cup to pour it over my head. I hope our water doesn't get cut again.  The living conditions are a lot harder here than in California.  Makes it interesting.

Also, the other night I went to pour myself some cereal when a lizard dropped out of my box landing into my bowl. I was pretty bummed at first but then just ate my cereal anyways.

This P-Day we hiked the mountain next to our house. It is the highest peak in Fort D. We went with some Malagasies because it is illegal for Vazahas to go alone. Apparently, some Vazahas were killed by bandits once while hiking the mountain. It was really good looking.  (I think Sam has forgotten how to speak English...the hike was "good looking"???  I think he means the view was awesome!)

Hike to Peak St. Louis

Sincerely,
Elder Allen

Housemates: Elder Shelby, Wolfgram, Hunter

Cooking their own food

Public restrooms

Typical Malagasy yard

Beautiful Ocean Pics

Streets of Ft. Dauphin

Playing on the beach

As if it had Nothing Else in the Universe to Do."

Hello,

I have been blessed with the opportunity to go to Fort D.  Last week while Elder Modisakeng and I were working, we get a call from the APs who said, "Elder Allen go home, pack your bags, and wait for president there. He will pick you up and take you to the airport tomorrow. You are going to Fort D."  I am way stoked. I just feel bad about leaving my area of Ambohibio.  This is the second time just bouncing  without telling them or saying goodbye.

I have been here for a couple of days now and it is a beautiful place. The people are super nice and cool. The beach and mountains are breath taking. However, the language they speak sounds foreign and the house we live in is the worst. I am starting to learn a little bit of their dialect. I can still talk to people just fine, but sometimes i just can't understand what they say. We are looking for a new house to move into because this one just sucks.

My new companion is Elder Shelby from American Fork Utah. He is a lovely companion, great guy. He used to work in this area we are in which is called Tanambao before the evacuation. We live in the house with 4 other missionaries.  More areas are opening up this week.  We have almost half of the missionaries back.  There are 36 in the country now and there should be 8-10 more arriving this week.

Here is a quote that I love from Galileo, "The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent upon it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do."
Why then should I doubt God's power? The universe with all that order is a testimony to me that it is governed by an all knowing and all loving Father in Heaven.

Sincerely,
Elder Allen

Elder Allen, Shelby, Jakins, Monson.

 

New Comp Elder Shelby

Ft. Dauphin House with US Ambassador Robert t. Yamate.  

Elders Allem, Wolfgram, Jackson, Monson, Hunter, Shelby.

With US ambassador Robert T. Yamate

Sam in beautiful Ft. Dauphin.  

He says the house is old and everything is broken, but he lives right on the beach so he is "stoked"!

It has been very rainy in Ft. Dauphin

Ft. Dauphin

Indian Ocean

Elder Lebresko