This is me teaching at the school! It was so weird! They were all crammed into this one litle tiny room and had one light bulb in the middle of the ceiling.

This is Elder Garcia waiting for the bikes to get fixed. It was sprinkling while we waited so he has his umbrella.

This is me with some little kids that are always outside of the grocerie store. I'm pretty sure they are all homeless and they all ask me for food and money when we go shopping. But they are my buddies now because I always say hi to them when we go past and actually act like I care about them. They always want to give me knuckles so that's super fun. I bought them a loaf of bread last p-day and they were all so excited! It was cool, they all made sure to split it up evenly and made sure that they all had the same amount! They really take care of each other! 

Fianarantsoa week 8

Well this week was pretty crazy! We had a HUGE rainstorm on sunday and got completely drenched! The entire road was just like a big muddy river! It was so insane! Sorry I don't have any pictures, I was on my bike and just trying to stay out of the river plus I didn't want my camera to get ruined. But I'm sure we'll have some more storms so I'll make sure to get a picture!

The next crazy thing that happened was a few days later we went to one of our investigators that has been having some questions and he told us he doesn't want to learn from us anymore and that he got initiated as a priest in another church! Elder Garcia and I were both super shocked and didn't know quite what to do. We ended up just telling him that if he decided he wanted to know if our message was true he needed to ask God. There wasn't too much we could do at that point. He seemed pretty set. So that was pretty crazy!

Then on Friday our bikes were having some problems so we called the office and the guy in charge of all of the bike stuff said we needed to go to our bike guy and have him do the monthly check-up and that we needed to stay there and watch him do the whole thing. That was really bad news because that meant we had to sit at the bike shop for almost 2 hours and watch the guy take apart the entire bike, clean everything, and put it back together. By the time that was done it was already 3 o'clock and we still hadn't eaten lunch. So we didn't get out to work until about 4 in the afternoon that day and then had to go by foot. Our area is super huge so we only got to teach two lessons that whole day.

The last cool thing that happened this week was on saturday we went and taught at a school. One of our investigators is an English teacher at a little tiny school here. They have 24 students and there is him and one other guy that teach them. He asked us to come to the school and teach about the gospel and then to teach a little bit of English. So we went and taught 24 school kids between the ages of    9-15. They all seemed to really like our message and they were all very knowledgable about God and Jesus. The other teacher also really seemed to enjoy our message. I don't know if anything will come of it, but if not it was a really cool experience. Once we finished teaching them about the restoration and the Book of Mormon we taught them a little bit of English! It was such a cool experience and it really made me appreciate my education! We often take for granted the incredible opportunities that we have in America, especially the opportunity that we have to gain an education. It is a privledge to get to go to school here in Madagascar! There are many kids that don't get the opportunity because their families can't afford it.

Take a minute this week, especially during Thanksgiving, to thank your Heavenly Father for the blessings He has given you in your life. Think about your family, your homes, the food on the table, the bed and blanket that you have to sleep with, and remember that there are people in other parts of the world that aren't able to be thankful for those things because they don't have them. I know that this thanksgiving is going to have a whole new meaning for me and I hope that  you will all take a second away from your festivities to think about the millions of blessings that you have in your life and give thanks to God.

I know that God lives and that he loves all of his children. His arms are always outstretched. If we will just turn to Him he will embrace us and protect us. He can make so much more out of our lives than we can on our own. He is our Father and will never forsake us. No matter how lost we feel His mercy is infinite and He will always take us back. Read Alma 26:16. That is how I feel. I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father and I'm grateful for everything they give me!

The Malagasy word of the week is misoatra (mee-soh-cha). It means thank you or to give thanks.

Love you all!
 Love, Elder Glazier

Fianarantsoa (now South) week 7

This week was pretty good! We had quite a bit of change this week! On Tuesday we woke up and our district leader said we were moving and needed to pack our bags. So we spent all morning packing our bags and taking everything in our room down to the bottom floor (we lived on the 3rd story of a big house). Once we finally got everything moved to the bottom floor one of the mission drivers (a guy that lives in Antananarivo and just drives all over the country for the president) came and we put all of our stuff in his van and went to our other house. Then we unloaded everything and put it in our new house. So that took us all morning, but we finally got moved in and then got to go and get to work!
And then on Wednesday the new elders came so we got to go greet them and help them get all moved in! They seem really cool! Their names are Elder Rigby and Elder Johnson. Elder Rigby is our new zone leader since our district turned into a zone. And now Elder Garcia, my companion, is the district leader. But the two new elders are both really fun and outgoing so that is good! I think I am really going to like them!
We went on a really cool hike this morning (monday)! It was really green and we got away from all of the houses and buildings! It was really cool! I loved getting out and getting to see nature! I took some really cool pictures! At the top of the hike there was this huge crown of thorns and there were tons of like different little idols and stuff. It was really cool!

cute little kids  

This Camelion is so cool

Me and the new Zone leader.  Look at this view.

Stripling Warrior Mama's Boy

Replica of the crown of thorns

We saw this little pineapple on our hike

One of the statues we saw.

I found this tooth

This is a common site in Madagascar.  They wash their clothes down by the rice paddies.

Fresh produce

The last thing that was really cool that happened this week was we had a really cool lesson! We taught this lady named Soeur Bakoly (sur buh-kol-ee) and her son and at the end of the lesson we asked her what she thought about the things we had taught and she said she knew it was the words of God and that we were His messengers! And then we gave her a Book of Mormon and she was SO excited! She couldn't believe that we would give her a Book of Mormon and she just kept telling us thank you over and over and she was kissing it and just so grateful that we would give it to her! It was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had! She was so ready to hear our message and I think she is going to be a golden investigator! I'm really excited to go back and to teach her again!

But that's all that happened this week here in Fianarantsoa South (my area). I'm still loving Madagascar and my love for this country and these people keeps growing and growing!

The word of the week is bevoka (bay-voo-ka) which means pregnant. I just found out that my sister and my sister-in-law are both pregnant so this is a shoutout to Kristan and to Summer! Congrats you guys! I'm super excited for you! Summer you are such a great mom and there is one more kid that is so lucky to have you has a mom! And Kristan, you are going to be such a good mom! You guys have both been such good examples to me and I've loved having you as sisters!

Until next week, love,

Elder Glazier

Fianarantsoa week 6

This week was a pretty normal week... Nothing too exciting happend. We just had lots of lessons like usual! We found a couple of really awesome FLF's (Father Led Families). That is a really big push in the mission right now because we really need more melchizedek priesthood holders here in Madagascar! So we're hoping that they will progress and we will be able to get a couple new families in our branch!

We got transfer news this week. And surprise... I'm staying in Fianarantsoa with my trainer. I already knew I would be because they never split up trainers and their kid (in madagascar they call your trainee your son and your trainer is your dad. and then your second companion is your mom and you're his daughter). Kinda weird, but it's fun. So me and Elder Garcia will be working together for at least 5 more weeks. This transfer is getting shortened one week so that there won't be elders in the airport over Christmas. So after that I could go anywhere! Along with transfer news we found out that our area is splitting and that our district is becoming a zone! Elder Garcia is becoming the district leader, and one of the new elders that is coming will be the zone leader. Another area in the mission is splitting as well so now we will have 6 zones in the mission instead of just 4! The work is definitely growing here in Madagascar! 

This wednesday I will have been gone for 3 months! I can't believe it! The time has gone by so fast! It feels like only a couple weeks ago I was getting ready to go to the MTC and now I've been in Madagascar for more than a month and on my mission for 3! I love being a missionary and I love doing this work! It is undoubtedly the Lord's work and he is guiding us to the people who are ready to hear the gospel!

The word of the week is Orana (ooh-ruh-nuh). it means rain. We finally got rain this week and we got soaking wet! We were at the church and didn't have our raincoats so we had to ride our bikes home to get our coats which was like a 5 minute bike ride through a crazy hard rainstorm! By the time we got home there wasn't a spot on my body that wasn't soaked. It was sweet! I'm super excited for cyclone season which is coming up in the next couple of months. We don't know if we'll get a cyclone this year or not, but it's possible. A cyclone is the same thing as a hurricane so that would be pretty crazy! But I'm sure they keep the missionaries safe so I'm not too worried about it.

Anyway, love you all and I'm praying for you! Have a great week! 

Love, Elder Glazier

 This is how rich people work their rice patties. Most people just work the fields by hand with shovels and stuff.

This is what they call a Fete (fet). It's french for party. It was just a big party with all of the members in Fianarantsoa. It was pretty fun! We had a few investigators show up so that was good! It was just in the church. They served rice and Loache. The loache was just some grilled chicken. It was way good though!

FIANARANTSOA WEEK 5 (November 2 2014)

This week was awesome!

 We had the zone leaders come on Wednesday night so on Thursday one of them went on a split with me and Elder Garcia. It was way nice to get to see how somebody else interacts with the people and teaches. And then Thursday night the AP's got here. On Friday Elder Weber (he says it Webber), one of the zone leaders, went on a split with us. And Friday Elder Fox, the other AP, went with us. So we had three days in a row of having another elder with us on a split. I learned so much from all of them! I really want to try to be a lot more friendly to everyone and just having a smile on my face. I'm here preaching the filazantsara (fee-luh-zon-tsah-rah) wich means gospel, but it literally translates to good news. I'm preaching the good news and that is something to be happy about. I need to teach with excitement and with a smile. 

And then on Saturday and Sunday we finally got to watch conference! It was sooooo good! I have never been so excited for conference in my entire life! Having to wait an extra month was so hard and just made the anticipation build! But it was so good to finally get to hear the voice of the prophets and apostles! I know for sure they are called of God! I felt the spirit so strongly listening to their words and I know that they are inspired and receive revelation for all of us. We need to listen to their words and apply them in our lives. It does us no good to have a living prophet if we don't give heed to his counsel. We all have things we can work on and we all have things we can learn from conference. The conference Ensign should be coming out right about now. I'd challenge you to go through and read the talks again and to pick at least one thing that you are going to change and do better because of the words that were spoken.

Our district has a baptism planned this saturday the 8th and we were super excited about it because we had 4 people we were hoping were going to get baptized. There was one couple who was just waiting for their legal marriage to go through because here it's really hard to get legally married so everyone just gets what they call "fomba gasy" (foom-ba gas) which just means they're married and they have a big party and stuff like a wedding, but they just aren't legally married. So they were supposed to be done with that last week but the papers didn't end up coming so they have to wait until the 22nd to be baptized. And then we had another couple that is a boyfriend and girlfriend that were ready, but when they did their baptismal interviews they said they wanted some more time. They had been living the law of chastity for the last month but they just wanted a little more time to feel like they had totally repented so they are waiting until the 22nd as well.  So that was good to hear that they are taking this seriously and recognize that this is a big commitment. But I was pretty disappointed about the legal marriage one because they are so ready for baptism. They both know it is true and are more than willing to live it! So we don't have any baptisms this week anymore, but we should have quite a few on the 22nd! We have quite a few investigators with the 22nd as their goal for baptism so hopefully they will continue preparing well!

That's about all that has happened this week.

 Oh, our first transfer is next week. I'll still be with Elder Garcia because I'm being trained. But our area will be splitting and we'll be moving to a new house so I'll keep you updated on that.

The word of the week this week is Mpaminany (mpaw-me-nah-nee). the "m" at the beginning is really short and quiet. It means prophet. I'm sure you can guess why I chose this as my word of the week. I just loved conference so much and I'm so grateful for the living prophet that leads the church today!

Fantatro fa marina Ny Fiangonan'i Jesoa Kristy ho an'ny Olomasin'ny Andro Farany. Fantatro fa marina Ny Bokin'i Mormona. Raha te-hahafantatra ianao ny fahamarinana azy dia tsy mainsty hangataka amin'Adriamanitra. Tsy misy ny fomba hafa afaka ahafantarantsika ny fahamarinana. Fantatro fa ny mpaminany velona i Thomas S. Monson, mila manarika ny teniny isika. Raha manao izany isika, hiverina amin'Adriamanitra. Amin'ny anaran'i Jesoa Kristy, amena.

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true. I know that The Book of Mormon is true. If you want to know the truth of it you must ask God. There is no other way we can know the truth. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a living prophet. We need to follow his words. If we do that we will return to God. In the name of Jesus Christ,   amen.

ZEBU FEET!!!!!! TO EAT!!!!

Zebu (cow) feet, A common meal starter!

Part of the Fianarantsoa Branch
These kids are so happy and humble.

The Rice Patties just keep growing

According to the Shoe salesman, these Ecco s are the most durable missionary shoes!
After 5 weeks in the streets and in the homes of Fianarantsoa! !

And we believed them.
Maybe I only wear the left shoe.  HAH
Maybe a walk into the rice paddie
I finally polished these after 5 weeks in Mada

Like I said,  There are sunsets like you have never seen.

What a beautiful view