hey dad!
i am truely lucky! i did get a chance to read your letter you sent
last week just briefly but had no time to reply! as you understand
time is short while on a mission. but i did read it and am greatful
for it. i know that my email time changes but it is not usually my
fault. computers dont work and we are busy trying to get things done.
pdays are always the most heckic! lol but i am truely sorry.
i did not know you taught a prisoner in peru! that is very
interesting. i did teach solofo while he was still in prison. it was a
humbling experience and one i will never forget. the prisons here are
just grounds where you have time to rome around. practically no
matinence other than what the inmates do iwth there little supplies
they have. your family has to suply you with food and if you have no
one to give youfood the prison sells you a tree root one a day..... it
is scary in there but most the men were very humble. searching for
forgiveness. solofo now has a baptism date and is working towards it
slowly. i hope to help him truely change his life to what god would
have him be. what i see him becoming.
i do have an gmail account. its... feel free to
imput that into the registration. but if the closing date is in
september then i wouldnt worry about it to much. i will have a couple
weeks to get that figured out when i am home. it is better if i dont
focus on it now. but feel free to get me registered if you can! hahaha
i wont go on the NAIT website untile i am home but i trust you to know
what to do.
that trip to jasper sounds like it was way fun! and the mouse story
is one for the ages! hahha you and brother lambert both got a new
friend. and he really likes you guys by the sounds of it. did he chew
into your bag signifigantly or just a little? haha.
i do miss playing rugby quite a bit. and i hope i can find time to
play when i get home but it is all about prioritizing. that picture
you sent of emily is great!! she is a rugby star!
how old is colter turning 29? i believe that is the number. either
that or 28 but im pretty sure its 29. all i know is he is 7 years
older than me. oh well. i will be sure to write him a nice letter this
week. be sure to put my name on the card as well if you know what i
mean with that present hahaha.
agency. what a truely simple, inginious creation. god does glory in
simplicity i know it. but i truly loved president uchdorfs talk on
the matter of agency and sins and getting back up. using the example
as when a todddler learns to walk and he falls down do we schould him?
of course not. we pick him up and cheer him on in the right direction.
so it is for each one of us with god. he will always pick us up and
cheer us on in the right direction. so it has been through all of our
lives. and sooner or later that day comes where we no longer learn to
put one foot infront of the other. but walk smoothly along side our
savior. who so patiently waited by our side. how much joy i find in
the mercy and grace of christ. and his exalted excistence along side
the father. for as president eyring said, it shall be a glorious
homecoming where promises are fullfilled. i have had fasts and prayers
answered this past weekend as i listened to conference. pains and
worries lifted. i have put them on christ and do go serving him. that
is the wonder of the great sacrifice he made. and i will never turn
away from that.
i am doing really well. working hard and finding joy along the way.
costantly reminded of the words of alma and his great desire to bring
"some soul unto repentence" in my mission i have been blessed to bring
more than just some. and am not through. i shall never be finished.
not until that great day of judgment.
there was a transfer this week as missionaries go home. my malagasy
companion will be leaving me and i will be getting an american man
named elder smithson. he is about 6"4 and has a great heart. desires
to be obidient and servisable. and i have been blessed to get him as
probably my last companion. i look forward to working with him. we
shall learn together and find the blessings of god each and every day.
we have a baptism coming up on saturday of a woman named nana. her
husband doesnt come to church but has desire to change and follow. a
little seed will be planted as his wife gets baptised and leads the
way for exaltation for her family. she is a very humble woman who
serves the lord. i look forward to he baptism. as i look forward to
all those i teach to step closer to christ. what a great work this is.
something to keep us busy in this life haha.
be fitiavana mandrakizay
elder bates
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