Anjanahary week 5

This week has been awesome!!!! We got out and taught a few times and found a way cool family. So Elder Covey has this guy named Santatra (sawn-tuh-chuh) who he taught in his last area like 6 months ago and taught him all the way until he was ready to be baptized. Right before his baptism Santatra moved to Tamatave. When it was time for his interview I was the one that got to interview him. Well it turns out his parents actually live in Anjanahary which is our area now. This last week he called Elder Covey looking for the phone number of the missionaries in Anjanahary so that they could teach his parents. That's us!!! So we went and taught them this week and they are SO COOL!!! They are so ready to hear the gospel! At the end of the lesson after we taught them about Joseph Smith and the Restoration his mom said, "Hey, I have a question. So you say that Joseph Smith restored the gospel in 1820... so why are we just now learning about it? That was 200 years ago. This could have helped us with our family. And did our grown son learn about it before us?" We answered them with a question, "Do you believe that God knows everything?" She then answered her own question and said that this is the time God has prepared for them. It was awesome!!! We think they are going to get baptized! We are going to teach them again today so we'll see how that goes.

After the lesson we were driving home, and there was a HUGE crack and it got really bright all of a sudden. I looked out the window and saw sparks flying and just ducked. After everything calmed down I look up and there was a massive dent in the windshield about the size of a softball and glass shards all over the car. It was crazy!! Everyone is alright and safe, but it was a pretty crazy experience.

Also, this week we got to go on a road trip with President and Sister Foote! We went to this city up in the north part of the country (the farthest north we have missionaries) called Mahajanga. It is a coastal city, and it is a million degrees and like 100% humidity. It was a lot of fun though, we got to drive 12 hours there with President and Sister Foote and then go on splits with the missionaries for a couple days, and go to church there. It was really fun. And then on our way home we stopped in this TINY town in the middle of nowhere. There is a family that lives there that are members. They run this little library out there. They had maybe 60 french books and that was it. They said they teach the kids that can't go to school how to read and speak french. It was so cool though, they called the mayor to come and meet President Foote and just kept saying how much of a blessing it was to have him visit their library and their town. The old mission president was never able to make it there because they would always fly to Mahajanga. They literally treated President like royalty. It was cool. But the sad part was they told us how bad they want to share the gospel with all of their friends that live in this town but they can't because they have to receive permission from a general authority to spread the church to that city because the church isn't there yet. So they are just waiting for permission. They are going to baptize their 8 year old son though, so that's awesome! 

We got back yesterday night pretty late from our trip, and we leave again tomorrow for an even longer trip to the far south end of the island. We are heading to a city called Toliara. It will be great to get to go on splits with the missionaries down there. We are hoping to just get everyone super excited about missionary work and get it to take off!

The last thing I want to write about is that family I was telling you about. Santatra and his mom Tina (tee-nuh) and his dad Harilala (har-law-luh). We went and taught them tonight, and I'm convinced that they are already baptized members and Elder Covey is just trying to trick me. We went back and they had read the entire Joseph Smith pamphlet, and they watched "The Restoration" movie with their son. We asked them what they knew about Joseph Smith and they told us the entire story all the way from him wondering where the true church was to receiving and translating the gold plates! They knew Moroni's name and like every little tiny detail. I was blown away! They ask such amazing questions and pretty much already know the church is true. We just need to get them to come to church and next lesson we need to give them a baptismal date. They are so so so  ready! I know God knows His children and He knows the best timing for everything. I know that if we will move our feet and walk in faith He will guide our footsteps.

 

I hope you all have a great week! I will write when I have some time. Hopefully on monday, but no promises. Have a great week! Love you all!

Love, Elder Glazier