8/10/2015

   So last week was a good week. Not much new happened in terms of missionary work, so I apologize if someone was expecting a major headline. One cool thing I will mention first is that two weeks from yesterday, the missionaries here will travel to Antsirabe to meet with Carl B. Cook, who oversees all of the missions in Southeast Africa. It has almost been a year since I last saw a Seventy. Let me know if there are any questions I should ask him. That probably means that my preparation day will not be on Monday, the 24th, so I am not sure when I will email and stuff. I will let everyone know next week.   

   There are very few people to teach here, but we taught 5 more lessons this week than last week, which is an improvement. We are teaching a man and his wife. They are both very interested in our message and the husband quit drinking without us even teaching him about the Word of Wisdom. The wife says she has been praying to know if the Restoration is true. We also had a less active member, who we have been teaching, attend church again, and we had more investigators at church this week than the past week.   

    It is winter here. The temperature is probably in the 40s or 50s at the beginning and end of each day, and usually it is warm around afternoon time, unless there are a lot of clouds. Congratulations to Spencer and his wife! It seems that the wedding was a good event for the family. It is funny that with summer going on back in the United States, everything seems to be more quiet here. I remember last year around this time (with college football close to beginning) I was not happy. Now, I am unconcerned about not being able to watch college football every Saturday. There is more important work to be accomplished, the mission helps me to realize this. 

   It is really strange to think that it is almost the middle of August, especially when we just left July. People say that time flies the last year of a mission. I can already testify of that. One time this past week, we were teaching an investigator, and I had a moment where I pondered the reality of my life and my mission thus far. I have been a missionary for over a year. I have lived in Madagascar for almost a year. Some of the places I have traveled to and people I have met and taught are so unique and amazing to me. I have many stories to tell! I am grateful for my calling as a missionary, and the life experience I have already obtained. I look forward to sharing more with you in the months ahead. I hope all of you have a great week!

 Elder Pinson