The Mission of Elder Bates: September 17, 2012

hello father

hahah i am glad that you got the cance to speak spanish so much today. i am sure it brought back so many memories from your mission and such. i am sure mitch would have loved to be there as well!

i am possitive sister banting apreciated so much you all going out there and helping her with her proberty and such. i didnt realize she was that old and living there all by herself must be hard. if i were me now back in the day i would have spent more time out ther maybe trying to help her more. but it makes me happy that you guys are out there helping her now. maybe just dont forget to go plow her driveway every once and a while. i did get those last pictures you sent me but the ones from that google plus thing never got to me. and the cart we were sititng in is called a pousse pousse and it is a bycicle one. its is like a trycicle just big boy sized and a seat attached to it. its how we get far places here cause its cheap and quickish. haha. but yes he did look like a deer in the headlights in that picture. lol. i didnt even recognize the one guy on the left helping bishop gibb move that log but theo looks really good! he looks taller haha. and cameron orr looks like he is getting big! i still imagine him as that little 4 year old who learned how to drive a quad.... by using my leg as a stop board hahaha. good memories.

so did i read correctly that you and mom went to cabela's!? do you mean outdoor outfitters or what. cause when i left there was no such cabelas in edmonton........ and if that has somehow changed then if you feel like getting me anything when i get home from my mission look no further... hahaha but seriously is ther a cabela's in edmonton? im sure you and mom will have a good time and that little day camp and feel fullfilled after filling all the little tummies of the 11-13 year old boys.

thats good that your employees are working out so well. makes me feel a little bit better. there are times where i wish i could be here and there so that i could help you and the lord. but its not that way and the lord comes first hahaha. then your second. sorry.

that will be way fun to have colter and karmyn and there family up for a visit. and it was way nice of you to buy those horse tickets for them. payton and karmyn and emily will love that!!!! and hey. if i have time can i come hunting with you kevin and george?? lol just kidding. but you need to make sure to tell me all about it.

me i am doing really well. i have seen so many blessings in the past couple weeks its incredible. in my life and in others. truely the lords hand is in evertyhing. we had a visit from a seventy named carl b cook. he is an incredible man. he gave the talk in confrence about how he was in the elevator and president monson told him "its better to look up" and we got personal instruction from him and i was even lucky enough to get a personal interview with him. it was incredible. very inspiring. i hope one day you and mom can go on a mission together. you should plan for it. it is incredible and truely the most important thing. but back to my life. we just had 2 baptisms on saturday and they went really well. elder ludwig did them both and had already memorized the prayer in malagasy and everyhting. he only had to do both of them once. wich is way good. he is an incredible elder with ver yhard work ethics. in our confrence we talked alot about the natural man and conversion to a saint. read a lot of scriptures and had alot of disscussion. it is the best learning enviornment when it is a disscussion and not just a listen session. malagasies have a hard time understanding that because they are used to just listening to a guy stand at a puplip yellin halalulia!!!! amen!!!! avoreno!!!! hahahahahaha but its fun to see them change. thank you for all your support and prayers. i love you with all my heart and cant wait to get home and work with you! thank you for teaching me to always look to the lord and have faith.

be fitiavana mandrakizay
elder bates