ELDER JAXSON BOWEN : WEEK 9 Oct 26, 2015 Elder Bednar Visits and President Foote is the Greatest!

Time flew by this week! It was a great week! So we had a zone conference and President Foote is the greatest teacher ever. He is so funny and spiritual which is the greatest combination for a person! We also had another big meeting... Elder Bednar came! I was so lucky to be called to this stake because our stake was the one he came to. It was interesting because he would say a few words and then someone would translate it. He said some really awesome things that I know helped inspire the people of Madagascar. He talked about being an agent and not an object. When someone else does something that makes you mad you are an object being acted upon by them. We are all agents and choose to be affected by others. General Conference is finally coming to Madagascar this next week. Luckily I got to see it in the MTC so I feel very lucky for that.

Well this last week has been great. We taught 17 lessons this last week! We should be getting more as we won’t have all these meetings to take up our teaching time. We have some really awesome members. At church we went to sing in the choir and it was so weird because it was in French! They don’t have all the songs translated into Malagasy so we use the French hymn books. Not only do I have to try and hit the notes but I have to try and say these phrases in French!

This last week we found some new investigators. Some people seem really interested in what we have to say. We share with people that God has a body like we have a body. We teach them that he is our loving Heavenly Father. Some stuff seems so basic teaching but it’s so great to see that they are understanding what we are teaching in the language. The language is still hard but people are patient with me. Sometimes I’ll be finished with what I have to say and I’ll look at my companion and he will say "keep going!" Drives me insane!!! But it does make me think of new things to say so I know he really intends on helping me with the language haha. We have yet to see lemurs but I have found some lizards in our house! I love it! Wayyyyy better that other things that could be found...

So as far as food goes the people do sometimes eat meat but the meat is usually questionable. There are a bunch of stands with meet hanging around with flies flying on them. As far as our cooking goes we usually eat Top Ramen. The Top Ramen here is different but it’s good. Also rice and spaghetti are usually eaten. Usually we go out to work and just eat when we get back so we eat some snacks throughout the day. Rice is everywhere though. The common meal is rice with something to put on top.

To answer Katelyn’s question, no my companion doesn’t snore haha. I think I would be too tired anyway to care haha. When we get back I’m usually pretty tired because we walk a lot! We walk on some awesome paths though. We have five other Elders that I live with, so six of us total. As far as holidays go, I don’t think they celebrate Halloween but we will see.

Well another great week to come. I am having a blast!!!

Love you guys!
Elder Bowen

Malagasy Security...