July 26, 2011

Hey madre, padre, soeur, frere, and everyone else!
It's been a great last week. Lots of hardships, but lots of wonderful spiritual experiences as well. The temple reopened today, it's been closed for the last 3 weeks, and since it was pday we were able to go. It was great. As you go through the temple more and more you begin to appreciate it more and more...especially after not being able to go for a long time. The temple truly is the house of the Lord (Ny Tempoly fahamarina dia ny tokantrano an'ny Tompo). I'll probably say this every week, but my mission is definitely the hardest thing I've ever done, but it's the most amazing thing also and I can see the Lord's hand in everything. I know I would not know half the words I say in Malagasy in my lessons with investigators without the Lord's help and without the Lord's help, I wouldn't even know half the words in English to say in my lessons haha. It's pretty awesome(gaga) to see! My companion and I commited two of our investigators to baptism this week. Pretty awesome experiences.
So that's cool about the plaque. Did you get my letter about the scriptures I wanted you guys to pick from? I sent it friday morning. The Zone leader position's fun. We just had 3 districts leave which is like 30 elders so the dorms are empty. It's nice, but weird because two of the districts that left have been here with us since the beginning and we all got pretty close, so it's weird not seeing them anymore. It's crazy to think that there's only a week and 6 days till we're gone and on a plane for 40 hours straight on the way to Madagascar. I'm excited though! We also had a district leave last Wednesday morning at 4 in the morning and because they procrastinated they weren't able to clean the room before they went to bed that night. So we had them wake my companion and I up at 3:30 so we could help them clean and get packed. We finally got back to bed at 4:10. I hope we never have to do that again ha. We were so tired the next day. We get 12 more elders tomorrow and 4 sisters. Overall though, Elder Allred and I enjoying being zone leaders.
My ankles doing pretty good. It's still pretty swolen, but it doesn't hurt at all anymore unless I do something that's not smart (which doesn't happen as much anymore). ;) But speaking of injuries, I'm glad yours is doing better. I didn't know you got any Aurora Award's...I figured you would, but you never told me. Which ones did you win? And I bet Dad did look good in his tux...he's just a studdly dad! 
So Brittany was a "superstar" this last week huh?...she always has been to me anyways! I hope she's doing well. Tell her I love her and pray for her. That's exciting to hear about Family Week. You're doing awesome things madre/mother dearest! ;) 
And about that organized and disciplined question, I'm doing as good as Elder Beau Chandler Waters can do with being organized ha. I still need to work on it though. I can't find my scriptures, and it's really weird because I know the exact day that I lost them and I've looked everywhere and I've checked all the lost and founds around the campus. I'm just using a set that I found in the classroom in the meantime.
And yeah, we're South African t.v. stars now. Now I can say that I've been on t.v. in two different countries haha.
Anyways, I need to get going! I love you all!
God be with you till we meet again,
Elder Waters(Rano)

Ephesians 4:5 The one church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. And knowing this and keeping the commandments of God will bring you joy beyond imagination. Mosiah 18:8-10
Ephesians 4:5 (Ny Fiangonana iraika dia Ny Fiangonanan'i Jesoa Kristy ho'any Olomasin'ny Andro Farany. Sy manana ity fahalalana ity ary fitandrinana ny didy an'Andriamanitra hitondra anao fifaliana tsara kokoa fahalalanao.) Mosiah 18:8-10