December 4, 2011

Salama fianakaviana,

misy vaovao betsaka, fa tsy mahazava-dehibe betsaka an'ny vaovaoko(there's lots new, but most of my vaovao isn't really that important). Because if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all haha. Tsetsy izay(or is that not true)? I have had to say that in my head a few times this last week before I spoke ha. But because I did say that in my head first instead of speaking out without thinking, my week was still pretty good.

You and Dad were right when you said "how was your busy week" because it was definitely busy.  Happy to be here. Happy to be a missionary. Thankful for my companion. Thankful for my challenges and trials. Thankful for my family, and all the many other blessings I have received throughout my life. Life is hard at times, but when we push through those hard times with perseverance and faith, it is when we grow the most.  Just like working out.  When it starts to hurt, you're doing good. But when you push through that pain and keep going, that's when you get the muscle and real strength. 

That and this next sentence is my message for the week. Mosiah 2:41, When we keep the commandments we will receive happiness and blessings; it doesn't say things will be easy, but it does say that we will be blessed and happy because we can look to the future with an eternal perspective, and still find the joy and feel his love and guidance for us. 

Answers to your questions: I haven't received the package from the ______ yet, but I did get their letters.  Those were very nice. Also, I finally figured out that the battery for my flashlight is really just AA batteries haha. So I don't need a new flashlight, but maybe in the next package I will need more AA batteries. Thanks for putting the packages together for me.  I can't wait to get them and get the package from the ________ as well.

Well that's all for this week. I love you all lots and lots and lots. Choose the right, and love your challenges.

Also watch the Mormon messages video called, "Parenting: Touching the Hearts."  It described exactly what both of you have done for me throughout my life, and I'm very grateful for it. I love you both for your love and guidance throughout my life.

Love for eternity,

Elder Waters

God be with you till we meet again

Message for Facebook:

Choose the right, and love your challenges; because they will strengthen your spiritual muscles and sometimes, I guess, your real muscles too!

Malagasy: Safidio ny marina, ary tiavo ny traikefanao; satria hampatanjaka ny nofonao ara-panahy izy ireo ary indrayindray, araka ny erritraretako, ny nofonao ara-batana koa!

Hey Papa Waters,

It's good to hear from you! I bet you have had a crazy week, I remember how much you and mom have to work before going out to utah. That's good to hear that you had a nice long days work with bishop responsibilities. Thanks, for being a great example and always working hard at your church responsibilities, as well as with your other work, and family responsibilities. 
     So who's Brother ______, I haven't met him before I don't think, or have I? And enjoy the weather change. It's really hot here always and it's off and on raining. I like it though. The lightnings really cool here. But the power goes out a lot here because of it. But that's ok, because I didn't think I'd be having power the whole time I was here anyways.  I'll work on getting the Christmas call information for you guys. And yeah, my last companion was pretty short, and I am just a little bit tall too. He's actually over average height for a malagasy I think. But my new companions American and 6"2, so we're a little bit closer in height haha. And I'll try to send more pics soon, if you put em all up on facebook from my mission and from the day before if they aren't already up. Deal? ;) And I did actually get to see lemurs already, last Monday. I'll try to send some pictures next week. And Dadanaivo is now on 2nd Nephi 25. He said that he doesn't leave the house in the morning or go to bed at night without reading the Book Of Mormon. He's supposed to get baptized on Dec. 10th. And hopefully his boys will follow soon. 
But that's all I have for this week.
I love you lots for eternity,
Elder Waters
God be with you till we meet again

Message for facebook:
Be happy now, duhduhduhduhduhduh!(The fish song)
Put a smile on your face, always! Then you won't have as many wrinkles when you're older! ;)
Malagasy: Mahità fifaliana, duhduhduhduhduhduhduh!(Ny hira trondro)
Mametraha ny tsikitsiky tsara amin'ny tarehinao, foana! Mba tsy ho hazonao ny kentrona betsaka rehefa antitra ianao! ;)

November 21, 2011

Hey Momma Waters,

Tsisy vaovao(Nothings new) you say that even when there's a lot vaovao. Vaovao aminareo(what's new with you all, even though you just told me)? haha It sounds like you've had a very long but good week, just like me. This copied and pasted email to my mission president should explain some of it: 

 "I have had a great, very interesting, and growing last few weeks. Challenges and triumphs, I've had em all, but I've seen that either way my life is going, the way to continue to have those triumphs and the way to overcome the challenges is by hard work, continuing to rely on the Lord in all things, and whatever comes my way, I must love it and take it as a chance to grow. I'm not neccessarily asking for you to send me to the hardest area with the hardest companion in the mission haha, but I know if that's what happens then there's a reason for it and if I endure it well then I'll grow from it and learn how to help others in the future.
     It was very interesting when I got the transfer news that I would be losing Elder Rakotoniaina and receiving a mini.  Because according to my thoughts and everyone elses in the house, we thought that I would have been with a mini-malagasy, who had only been a member since September 24, for a whole month before the next transfer. So I had the choice to either complain about how I'm not prepared for this, how I'm not mahay(skilled) enough yet, how that's way too much responsibility for me, or I could think the way that I had been teaching all my investigators the previous week to think. When challenges come into our lives, don't fear, don't stay at home and cry when you should go to church, but to endure them well, by leaning on Christ, through scripture study, and praying for the Lord's guidance, and then not only if we do these things, we'll come out "ok", we'll actually come out stronger than before. More prepared to help others when they receive the same kind of trials. I chose after a little bit of thought and prayer to choose the latter. To endure this trial well.  I believed that if I leaned on Christ, and strived to work my hardest with the mini then everything would be ok, and that I'd actually come out stronger in the language and in my testimony of trials. In the meantime, I would strive my hardest to prepare this recent convert, who's 18 years old, for his mission. 
         I realized a few days later, that that was a good thing to take that attitude instead of the other because I would've looked really dumb 1st off, and 2nd, I was able to grow my testimony about trials and helping others, and 3rd, we were still able to teach some amazing people some great lessons before I found out that I'd be receiving my new companion. Because of that experience and  many others, I know that all things that come into our lives will strengthen us, if, we take them on with the right attitude and endure them well.
That was my letter to my mission president, but it applies to the things that you all need to know about what's new in my life. My last companion got transferred to Tana and I was set up to be with a mini missionary until next transfer news.
So, information about investigators and the branch here: We had 32 investigators at church this Sunday(it was weird but good, that we had a lot of different investigators than normal there), there were 220 people at church this last Sunday, a big jump from a 120 or so that were there the first Sunday I was here in Fianarantsoa. They're going to split the branch on Dec. 3rd-5th, I'm excited to see how that goes. Then they'll probably make the Fianarantsoa district of 4 a zone soon, with 8 or so, which is very exciting. Especially if I get to stay here for that because that means I'll be in the best area in the mission for about 3 more months. Dadanaivo is now on 2nd Nephi 25 in the Book Of Mormon and he says that he doesn't leave his home in the morning or go to sleep each night before reading the Book Of Mormon. His baptisimal date is now set for Dec.10th and his boys and their families should be soon to follow.  I did finally see lemurs, last Monday. It was sooooo coooool, and there were so many. It was all out in the nature too, not just at a zoo. I got a few good pictures, and we plan to return soon again so that we can get some even better pictures and see some more cool things there. That's about all that I can think of that's new in the area here.
So answers to your questions and responses to things that you talked about:
That's cool that you and granny got to go to the art painting class together. I love granny, and I want to get her a Christmas present of art painting supplies but it wouldn't be too smart to buy the malagasy version here and ship them over there, so for Christmas could you all some painting supplies for granny and then in two years, I'll pay you back haha? :) 
And that's sad to hear about ________. He was a great guy. It is good to have the knowldedge we do have about what happens after this life. I'll be praying for his family and ____, and for __________ as well. Malagasy's don't celebrate Thanksgiving but missionaries still do, kind of. Last year, they had the whole day off to cook and eat great food and celebrate thanksgiving.  But this year, we have to pay for all the food ourselves and we don't get a day off for it. That doesn't bother me too much. I'm not really too worried about celebrating big parties when I have a greater purpose here. We'll still have good food that day, just not the whole day off. And I'm glad you got off the computer before your face fell into the keyboard, I don't want that for you ha. ;) Also, I've been thinking a lot lately about how I would like to be able to pay for half of my mission because I've realized from talks from apostles before and from thinking about it myself, that paying for my own mission would bring blessings to my life and to my mission. We can talk more about that next week though.  But just to let you know, that is a really big desire that I have. 
And for the things that I would like in the package, sorry if there's a lot:
1 Hardback English Book Of Mormon,
American pens,
pizza,
2 Church movies, The Testament, and one of your choice, besides Legacy, we already have that haha,
more pictures of everyone,
if possible, a letter from each person in the family, and from ____, if not possible handwritten, a printed email is no problem :),
a good book, 
gum,
cd's,
2 pairs of shoestrings,
a flashlight or the tiny circular batteries for the flashlight I already have from the ______,
and 2 things of Dallas Roberts green tree hairstuff, it's in a green container, and I got it at the haircut place that _____ friend, works at thats right next to tucanos.
And I think that's all! I understand if I don't get all of that stuff, but that's all the stuff that I need and want! :) Oh, and also, a usb port, 8Gb if possible. It's 42000 Ar here which is 21dollars(4 days money for us), so if it's cheaper here, I'll just get it here and just sacrifice for it. But if you could in the next email, tell me if you got one for me in the package or if I should just get one here, that would be great! 

I love you very very much and for eternity mom,
Elder Waters
God be with you till we meet again

November 14, 2011

Hey Dad! I am doing great, and I'm glad that it sounds like you are too! Hey, tell the Bullocks hi for me please. I was just thinking of em and how I didn't get to see them before I left, so I'll just have to make up to em and go home teach them with you when I get back! :) Deal? How's being a Bishop still going for you? Does the ward feel your love that you have for em? I know it's hard work, and that you're getting old haha, but always strive to let them feel the Waters' love for others! 

I've seen here that there are missionaries that are great missionaries, they know it all; they know the Gospel, the language, the rules, and they know how to teach all the lessons. But I've seen that there's also got to be more than the knowledge, the mind part of the work. There must be the heart and soul put into the work too. You have to love the people, even when they're the mean ones. Then even if you don't know the language well, or don't know the lessons as well, you show that you know the Gospel through your actions, and they will feel your love. Through you, they'll feel Christ's love, which will change lives, and help them desire to have that in their lives always! I've seen that the purpose of church(before the mission and after) is not just to get all the girls to like you and to be the coolest one there, it's about coming to an environment that allows you to grow spiritually and helping others not just the popular/cute ones develop friendships with me and others. That means taking time out of your conversations with your friends and goofing around in the halls, and reaching out to the others. The lost sheep or the ones that our trying to grow and helping them feel and learn about Christlike love-Charity. I wish I would have done that more sometimes, along with sharing the Gospel and my testimony with all my other nonmember friends more. I can't change the past, but I can change what I do right now!

I love my mission Dad! This week was great! I learned so much from my investigators! And we're having great success! We had 36 investigators at church on Sunday, even with 5 of our previous investigators getting baptized the day before. 

I love my area, my comp, my family, my mission, my Heavenly Father, my Jesus Christ, and my love and other things that have grown during the mission. Love, love, love, love, love everything that comes into your life and everyone, including getting old. There are things to learn and blessings that will come from everything that happens in our life, if we endure well! And I'll try hard to do the same!
Love you dad for eternity,

Elder Waters
God be with you till we meet again

November 14, 2011

Hey mom!!

Congrats on getting the first few days of family week done and on them going so well!       Things are great here. The weather was good this week, no rain, just hot weather. I don't have much time, so I will send the list of the things that I need in my package next week, because there are still some things that I'm trying to decide on haha!

Dadanaivo is now in 2nd Nephi 5 and loving and wanting to finish the whole Book Of Mormon soon. The boys are doing great too! All of my investigators are great! The wards doing great...we had 181 people at church yesterday and 36 were our investigators. It was a great day! I'm loving my mission, loving growing, and loving learning how to love more haha!

I have recognized that gratefulness is very important over the last week too. It does brings blessings, and happiness! Thanks for sharing that experience with me about the mormon.org night. I still remember that night too! Thanks for all of the guidance and love that you've shared with me throughout my life, I still feel it here! And I still want to share it with you!

I love you mom for forever,

Elder Waters

God be with you till we meet again

Message for Facebook:

Love everyone, if you don't already, work on it. If you realize you can't do it on your own, than you're learning. Christlike love is a gift from God, you must pray for it, and put forth your own work also to receive the gift. When we do this, we will see why Jesus' 2nd greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Ataovy fitiavana ho'an'ny olon'drehetra, raha tsy bola ataonareo izany, ataovy asa ao amin'izany. Raha hitanao izay tsy azonao atao ao amin'ny teninao, avy eo, mianatra ianao. Fitiavan'i Kristy dia ny fanomezana avy amin'Andriamanitra, tsy maintsy mivavaka ho'an'izany,sy hanao ny asanao mba ho raisina io fanomezana io, Rehefa hataointsika izany, ho hitantsika ny antony nandidian'i Jesoa' didy tsara indrindra faha roa dia ataovy fitiavana ho'an'ny namana ny fomba izay tianao ny teninao.

October 30, 2011

October 30, 2011