Zone Conferences, Flight Plans, and Tamatave

Feb 23, 2015 letter

It has been a very very full week. So starting off we got everything ready for the first zone conference which was Tuesday morning. So Tuesday we had the first zone conference which went wellish. So here are some of things we did in Zone conference.

We talked about integrity and proper use of Missionary Support Funds, we talked about teaching using questions and how commit-keeping is a preparation for covenant keeping. And Sister Adams brought a scripture chase for everyone. And then we also discussed Planning and effective planning for use of time and for teaching. Then we also had lunch, which is always good, and then we also talked about Hastening the work and how to work with Ward leaders, and then there was a small suprise which I cant say because half of the zones still havent had zone conference yet. But it was good, all three times we did it this week.

So Tuesday was zone conference until 4, then english class until 6, then ASL with Sister Turley and Jules, and then office work. Wednesday was studies in the morning, office meeting at 1, transfer meeting until about 4, and then office work, one lesson, and getting things ready for the zone conference on Thursday morning that lasted until 4 and then we had a bap interview and then prepared for Tamatave. Friday we drove all the way to Tamatave, made a few stops on the way. Saturday, you guessed it, Another Zone conference until about 4. And then I stayed around the church and went on a split with one of the zone leaders, Elder Bowler (yes the same elder bowler I trained so very long ago) and there were some meetings at the church. Yesterday I was on a split with the Mangarivotra elders and we had a fun day of work. We are continuing to go on splits here and then we will be returning to Tana a little later this week.

Also I got flight plans, which is cool, flying through Atlanta instead of having to go through London. And I get home in the morning instead of in the evening.

Tamatave is great. However it is rather hot and humid. But it hasnt been as bad as it could be, so I should be grateful for what I have.

So time is ticking down rather fast and its scary to think about what is left to do in this next little bit of time.

Elder Weber 

And the business and the travels begin

Letter from Feb 16, 2015

So this past week was rather busy doing a lot of different things for different reasons. And we also spent a lot of time getting ready for zone conferences. The first one is tomorrow already and it doesn't feel like it has been long enough since the last one. Well we are going to have one here tomorrow and on Thursday, and then on Friday we are headed off to Tamatave for a zone conference there and splits. So next week I will be writing from the land of Toamasina. We will be out there for P-day. 

So this past week we had Office meetings, and zone conference planning, and we had a surprise MLC on Saturday. We also did a lot of planning for the conferences. We also went shopping with some of the visa waiters to outfit them with the things that they need for a mission. Also we taught some really great lessons! We had a good number of investigators show up to church yesterday. It was really good to see.

So last night we had a fivoriana mpiara-monina randomly. So we pull into our gate, and the lady tenant from the top floor is there to lock the gate because there is a new lock. So she asked us to go to a meeting with all the tenants to talk about some stuff. So we meet in the 1er etage. So for us westerners the second floor. There are 5 floors in the building, and the missionaries take up both the 3rd and 4th floors. So we represented the two floors at the meeting. We then discussed a lot of different security issues, mostly revolving around the front big gate and the small door gate. So we got home at like 9 and then we get pulled into this meeting to talk about security for like 45 minutes. And so our phones kept going off with people trying to turn in stats. So some of the problems involved the car gate being left unlocked, and the gadana (padlock) was stolen yesterday. They are also concerned about people letting other people use keys and the security risks with that. Our house is not in the nicest neighborhood and so they are particular scared about security issues that may come up. So they are going to put on new locks and tighten up security, being much more diligent about all the locks being locked at all times. So it was an interesting meeting because we don't really communicate much with any of the other tenants, and we are the only white-people there, all the other tenants are malagasy. So occasionally they would look at the two of us and ask, do you understand? And we would confirm that we were understanding all of it very clearly. So that was our adventure last night. 

I also played piano for a ward conference yesterday. Not my ward, but a different one. They asked me to accompany the choir and then play all the songs for the conference. 

Time is ticking down. From now until the 15th of march, we are going to be so tired and so busy, that it is going to be interesting how fast this time is going to fly. 4 weeks of rather busy, organized, craziness. 

Well I think that is about all. There are some things about zone conference that I will tell you next week after it happens. It will be really good!

Next week again. But from Tamatave. 

Elder Weber 

Ambohimanga / Transfers

Letter from Feb 9, 2015

So another week has flown by. And this one was transfer week. So it was crazy busy like normal. Airport trips and trips to bus stops, and new missionaries, and all of that. I'll share one crazy expereince for you all.

So Wednesday came and two new missionaries came. The one is a missionary here and the other one is a missionary for Reunion. They flew in on the flight to Mada and then they didnt want to let the one in because she didnt have a visa. However you can get a visa at the airport, but she didnt have a copy of her ticket out of the country, and so then we had to wait for a copy of the flight plan to come on the email in order for her to get a visa to get in the country. So they wanted to send her back to South Africa. Now obviously we didnt let that happen.

It was a good week, but I really don't know what to say. But we did go to Ambohimanga today, which is a lemur park I went to a long time ago. Ill send some pictures in a minute.

But we have been having a lot of fun with our two visa waiters that have been working with us. They are a blast! 

But other than that, not much news. We should have two baptisms within the next week and a half, we will see on that. It is depending on a marriage. 

Life is going really well, and I keep running out of things to write,

I saw another Dublin Ohio shirt this week, at the airport! This brings the total to four Dublin shirts I have seen here. I think the donation bins from Ohio all get sent here, because I see a lot of Ohio shirts here. Ohio State, Dublin, all sorts of things. But that is great!

I have also been very distracted while writing today. So I am sorry if nothing makes sense at all.

But there are pictures so you better be happy!

Elder Weber 

More Feb 9 Photos

And to make everyone jealous of the coolest mission in the world. A lot of pictures of ...... Lemurs.

More lemurs. Some really cute ones

And yet more lemurs. It was a fun day.

Photos from Feb 9 Letter

Dusty the Duster x2

Elder Randriamanampiherinaivo - Longest missionary name we have seen. Yes with a name like that, he has to be malagasy. (I can also spell it without looking at it)

The house across the street is being torn down because it was unsafe to live in or something. So malagasy demolition is with a shovel, taking out one brick at a time. 

Letter from Sister Jessica Turley

Mom Comment - A while back - two worlds met.  A wonderful young lady that I met through work (Sister Jessica Turley) is serving a mission teaching the Gospel in American Sign Language. Elder Weber one week asked for ideas on helping a deaf member in Madagascar learn ASL so that he could go to the temple. Since then, Elder Weber and Sister Turley have been working together via Skype.  I thought you all would enjoy reading this whole letter, but the Skype part is in paragraph 3.

Week 9.2 (btw, I have a lot of people on the general list, if you don't actually want my general emails will you please email me telling me that? No offense taken at all, makes my life a lot easier :) 

Wow! What an amazing week! Just a brief overview for my digest readers: a plethora of new investigators, a new excitement on campus, amazing recent converts, branch fast, miracles!!! 

Ok so to start off, this week I got to Skype with the Zernas! The deaf couple in the Philippines that we taught in the MTC! They are both baptized now and we are doing the new member lessons with them. I was sooooo happy to see them again. I love being an ASL missionary! So many unique opportunities. We also got to skype with Jules, the member in Madagascar that we are teaching ASL so he can go to the temple. Jules is the sweetest man and he gets soooo excited when we skype. I was talking to his missionary, elder weber, and he explained that going to the temple is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the members there, and a huge effort. I felt so spoiled. I use to go twice a week! And yet this man gets to go once in his entire life... It really put into perspective for me how much responsibility we have, those of us with soooo many blessings and temples close by. With great blessings comes great responsibility. 

We met with Ivy again! She didn't come to church yesterday but she was there last week and that was huge! We talked about the Book of Mormon and read some of it with her so that she would feel more comfortable reading it on her own. I'm really excited to see her progress, we just have to be more persistent with her. I absolutely love her, she is so sweet! 

On Wednesday we got to go with Michai (recent convert) to the institute in Georgetown. Sooo much fun. It made me really trunky though. I miss being with other students in an institute class. So that was fun and Michai and I got to chat a lot on the metro and such, it was some much needed bff time :) 

Thursday was full of miracles! Michai, the most amazing recent convert, introduced us to about 7 of her friends who said they wanted to meet with us. So far we have met with three of them, and they all seem pretty solid. We had a lesson with Syretta, Shaneque, And April. They are all pretty open to it and Syretta is right there on the edge of being ready for baptism. She even accepted a conditional baptism! Which is huge!!! So we are really excited about that. We went to the basketball game on Saturday to support our investigator Zamica and to be more seen on campus and meet more people. Best finding activity we've probably ever done. We met so many people that said they wanted to meet with us and ran into a bunch of less actives, and had dinner with a huge group of non members and just talked about church stuff the whole time. It was the coolest thing ever!! Heavenly Father is truly hastening his work, and he has called the strongest people like Michai and Mark to help do it, they are so unashamed to share the gospel, they live their testimonies and share them often. It's an incredible example to me. 

On Friday we went to the temple. I had a really neat experience in the celestial room. As I entered I looked around and saw all of my sisters, and instead taking some personal time like I normally would, I had this prompting to go talk to as many of them as I could, even if it was just a quick hug or a wink and a smile, just something to let them know that I love them. So I did, and I sat down next to a few different sisters and I just had this overwhelming peace and a remembrance of a promise Heavenly Father made to me in the MTC while we were in the provo temple. I had been really struggling and seeking comfort and as I had been praying for it, the most distinct voice said to me "comfort my children and I will comfort you". And as I looked up I saw one of my sisters crying, so I went over to her and hugged her and we talked and as I did, I received the most amazing peace. And again, on Friday that all came back to me, and as I sat and talked with these different sisters, I was filled with peace and comfort, and an excitement to be serving them. 

I am so grateful for temples, and for the opportunity that we have to use them often, and to save our ancestors, and to have that time of peace and reflection, and closeness to our Heavenly Father. 

Yesterday was amazing! We had our Super Sunday, which means deaf members in the surrounding area, all come to the branch (most don't come every week because it's a 1-2 hour drive for some of them) and we had about 85 people there! Including two of marks non member friends!!! Tyler and Mike! They were super involved in the lessons and kept talking about how much they loved it here and wanted to come back! I'm so pumped :) And our branch fast was focused on finding ways to make our branch become a ward. So many bore their testimony about how excited they were for this and I think everyone caught sight of the movement of hastening the work. I am thrilled to see what happens in the next few months before I leave. 

This work is rolling forth with our without us, so let's hop on and do our part. This is why we are here at this time, this hastening of the work of salvation is our responsibility. Find ways to share your testimony in the day. When someone asks how your weekend was, tell them about church! Or if you went to the temple recently, or invite them to ward activities, or bring them a care package, or a cake, just be close and involved with the people around you and they will start asking questions. We have an incredible light that we need to let shine and bring people closer to Christ. 

I love you all so much. Seek missionary moments is week., if you pray for them, they will come :) 

Love, 

Sister Turley 

February

Feb 2, 2015 Letter

Another month done. Time is really starting to kick into gear. And this upcoming transfer is going to fly by as well! Thats just part of life.

So this last week we were rather busy and we had OLC and MLC and ran to the airport to pick up a suitcase, and ran to the Antsirabe bus stop, and planned transfers, and taught a few lessons, and went on splits in Ambohimanarina. Norbert got married, threw a party, and more. So it was rather busy, and now it is transfers again. So this week is going to be full of running to the airport, and to the bus stops, and back to the airport, and more bus stops, and dinners, and lunches, and lots of normal craziness. That is what we do here, and so I am used to it. And now it is offical and I can tell everyone that I didnt get transfered and will be here another 6 weeks. And everyone knows that in 6 weeks I will be leaving the office. The reason they know that is because I will have been here for 6 months, and also I cannot stay because if I stay then Elder Payne and I would finish together and then they would have to white-wash the APs. Thats not going to happen, so everyone recongizes that I will be leaving in 6 weeks. But I don't have to wait 6 weeks to find out where I am going. I will get to know that one a lot sooner. :) 

But Norbert suprised his wife by marrying here. Yes I understand how weird that sounds, but it happened. He had her brother pick her up from work and bring her to the Commune, and then she walked into the office and Norbert and the offical person were standing there. And then they did a small marriage cerimony. So there was only like 8 people in attendance. She was so happy, because she had been pressuring him to do it for such a long time. She really wanted it, and so eventually he just did it, without all the pomp that he wanted. So it was a good thing. And then they threw a party with all of the family in the evening. Very fancy, very expensive party. 

OLC and MLC did well this week. We talked about some really good things. Everyone is doing pretty well. So hopefully as time goes on, everything keeps improving. Thats what we are hoping for at least. The new President has been announced for a while, but I don't think I ever told you about him. President Foote is his name, he is on the younger side. 54 years old, and he is from Reno! So that change will be heading this way in July. Long after I am not here anymore.

Good week. We also went to buy things to outfit some malagasy missionaries that do not have enough clothes and things to last a mission, so we are working on helping them out.

This week is going to be fun, I am excited for the food, It has been a while.

Until next week.

Dont count the weeks, its kinda scary how few are left. 

Elder Weber 

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