Christmas!!

What a week! It was crazy and went by pretty quick but it was awesome! 

Monday we just kinda wandered around Tana for P-day just looking for cool stuff for cheap. Well we found it and it was way nice. Our night program looked really good but it completely fell apart because of some bad traffic and so it took us over 3 hours to get back to the house. So yeah didn't get either of the times. Kinda lame. But we had some good cheesecake so that was good.

Tuesday we had a very good day. We were able to teach a bunch of people Our first time was kinda hard because there were a ton of kids and they were being super loud  and it was hard to focus on the lesson. And they can't read so that's kinda hard. We have a way cool guy that we teaching now. His name is Andry. He is just really concerned about the truth. He just wants to know what is the truth. He's a little harder to teach because he asks for proof with about everything we say. We had a lesson with Edmond as well and it was hard because there child was being loud and annoying again so no one could focus on the lesson at all. 

Wednesday we taught Flavien and Hanta first thing. They are recent converts and are super awesome. We taught them about the temple and they loved it. We taught a guy named Jean Kely about the Book of Mormon. He's kinda ify about our teachings and we think it has to do with his family. We don't think his family supports him learning from us and I don't think they will if he gets baptized. So a little bit of an issue there. We were supposed to have a big meeting at the  church but they cancelled it. But they didn't tell us until after we got to the church. Then we taught Ndriana's family. They are awesome and we set a date for them to be free of cigarettes. Then it rained hard and the path we took to get to his house was completely underwater. SO we had to find another path. And as we were walking home we came to a part of the road that was completely underwater. Well when cars go through it, the water parts. So we had the smart idea to run behind the car so we wouldn't get wet. Well the car was faster than us. We got to about the middle and the water closed back on us. It was about mid calf. Yep. Super fun.

Thursday we had interviews with President Foote. That took about all day. Our bus took forever to get there and interviews were running late anyway. I finally got my interview about 1ish. It was awesome. I learned a lot in that interview about God's love for us and I got a new perspective on some scriptures. It was very enlightening. Then I went on a split with Elder Mack's companion, Elder Tambula from Uganda. Way cool guy. It took about 2 hours to get back to the house and there I saw Raivo and Prisca from Antsirabe which was way weird! Elder Reynolds and I taught them and it was way cool to see them again. But we had a pretty good day even though it started at like 4:30. We got so cool contacts and had a great lesson with Edmond. Their kid was asleep and they told us that they had received an answer to prayer about the Book of Mormon. 

Friday we had the Christmas activity at the office. We had breakfast and a devotional then had a white elephant and games. It was way fun to have all the missionaries in Tana there. Then we watched, "A Christmas Story" which was way cool. Maybe not totally appropriate for missionaries but President Foote picked the movie so yeah. Then I got to Skype! Way fun! Weird to think that my next skype will be very close to me going home. We went with the AP's after that and they drove us back to the house. 

Saturday we had English which was way good. Somebody asked about Joseph Smith so I got to tell the story in English which was way weird. It was a good day because all the times we had went through.We taught a lot of cool people and got soaked on the way home because it was raining like it does everyday.

Sunday there was a little Christmas program that some members did and it was good. We had 8 investigators come to church so that was awesome! Some people were going a little too deep doctrine in the classes though so I was a little concerned about the investigators. A member brought an investigator to church that we are going to start teaching. He seems like a way cool guy. We went to find his house and it was way far and his phone didn't work so we ended up wasting a lot of time there. We were able to teach Edmond again and they didn't come to church because his wife was sick. Then we taught another family that are struggling to keep commitments. We are about to drop them. We were pretty clear yesterday that reading for themselves is the only way to know. SO they said they would read. If they aren't doing that and don't come to church next week we will probably drop them. 

Well that's the week. I hope everyone has a good week and a Happy New Year! I'll talk to you again in 2016! 

Christmas Skype

Stake Conference and a dog

So it was a great week this week because I finally made it to my area and am now actually with my companion. I met up with him on Monday. We taught this really cool family actually that night that are dirt poor but love the gospel. They have gone less active in the last couple weeks because there's a problem and so we are trying to get that fixed. 

Tuesday was great. I got started right off the bat in conducting splits. I went to the area of Analamahitsy with Elder Reynolds! It was awesome to serve with him again for a day. He is doing great! He is getting great at the language. We had a great time together and had some great spiritual experiences together. Analamahitsy is a great area. 

Wednesday morning we met back up and I got to work in my own area for the first time. We did a bunch of contacting which we had quite a bit of success with. We were able to find a couple people that were searching for the truth but could not find it. We were able to teach a new investigator who had some potential but since has not shown a lot of diligence. We will see though. I met the branch presidency, the branch mission leader, and the elder's quorum president. We had a meeting with them and discussed our investigators. We had a cool family after that that we gave a baptismal date! It was way awesome and they are an awesome family. I love them a lot. 

Thursday we had another split with Akorondrano. I don't know my area yet so I went to their area with Elder Nelson. Elder Nelson is a stud. He's a brand new missionary, fresh out the box, but he is great! I learned a lot from my split with him and I just love splits. Mom, I think you might have met his mom? Not sure on that. There are lo9ts of great things happening in that area and he is already super good at the language. They had 7 baptisms on Saturday! Things are going great in the zone right now it's awesome to see.

Friday I was back with Elder Yeagley in Ambohimanarina and we had a great time. We were able to teach a few times and do a lot of contacting. It also rained. Hard. I was soaked all the way through, from head to toe. It was great! But we have a lot of good things happening in our area right now and I love it. Things are going great here. 

Saturday we had English class and there are so many people that come. Elder Yeagley and I taught the good class and it was fun. Something I forgot to mention about the church is that it is right next to the American Embassy. So I get to see a big American flag everyday I go to the church and I am very close to American soil. It's nice. After that we went out to work and did a bunch of contacting. That is something we are really focusing on right now is finding the elect, those that are ready to receive the teachings. The field is white ready to harvest. We are done with planting. We are harvesting. And we have been having some success. And I have a story. While we were contacting, we came to a house with some dogs. Not a huge deal done it before. The dog was scared of us but was barking at us. Eventually it got bored and wandered off behind us. But then it came back and bit my leg. And he got it pretty good too. It hurt! So now I have to track the dog for a week and make sure it doesn't have rabies. So that's fun. I have a picture of my bite but I don't trust this computer. I might get a virus. But after that we went and taught this way awesome family that is so close to getting baptized. The dad just has a problem with smoking. His name is Ndriana. They are super cool and I love them already. Then we taught some investigators and the 2nd counselors house. He has a way cool house up on a hill that overlooks the church and the embassy. So i took a picture even though you aren't supposed to take a picture of the US embassy haha. 

Sunday we had stake conference and it was awesome. It was so cool to see so many active priesthood holders and members. And I got to see a bunch of people I haven't seen in a long time! I saw Andry from Betongolo! And he got sustained to receive the Melchezidek Priesthood! Way awesome! I ended up translating the whole time for a new mission couple, the Tanners. I have never met them before. After that we went with the Wooley's to a lunch with a member in Ambohimanarina named Norbert. A little bit about him, he's high up in the government here and he's kinda crazy but he tries hard. He's way loaded too. There was a band at the lunch for live karaoke. We got some referrals out of it though so it was good. After that we were able to teach a couple times and do more contacting like ever other day. The end of the day we taught the family we taught Wednesday ni9ght. They are awesome and we want them to progress and that is kinda what we talked about with them. 

Well today we are going to play soccer in Akorondrano and then go to the office at some point. I'm glad it's P-day but the weeks sure do go fast. I can't believe Christmas is next week.

This part is in response to questions that I asked him.....

The Muslim people are awesome. I was able to read about them while I was in Mahajanga and they are a people very devoted to God. That is all they are about is God. They love God and want to serve him. A true Muslim would never be doing the things that the extremists are doing now. But there are always extremists in every group of people

Being zone leader is weird. We do splits and serve the missionaries in our zone. We set goals and help the zone to improve and work harder. Elder Yeagley is great! I love him! He is awesome!

This is an email I got from the mission secretary today:

Hi Sister Yeagley and Sister Coleman-

I thought you might want to see a cute picture of your missionaries.  We all had dinner with a member of their branch yesterday.  They are both such nice young men—you should be proud.  I was served an ear with my rice, and  tried to get Elder Coleman to eat it for me, but he wouldn’t-don’t blame him.

Sister Woolley

Madagascar Antananarivo Mission Secretary

TANA!! (Sorry it's a week late)

So first off, I apologize for not writing last week. I haven't been here in awhile and so like planning kinda failed hard. But it's all good now. I got it down. I am writing a letter right now that I will send to tell everything that happened last week.

Ponderize Scripture: Mosiah 2:36 

But Monday night we went to a less active family and taught them. The dad is way cool. He served a mission in SOuth Africa and is still pretty good at English. But we had a good lesson with him and he came to church yesterday with his two adorable little daughters. 

Tuesday we had a full program in Tanjombato but it kinda fell apart hard core. We were able to get a few times and get to some less active members. Oh that's one thing about that area. There are 400+ people on record but only about 140 come to church every week. So big problem. And also Elder Mack didn't have a companion in his area and since Tanjombato was closing anyway we got permission to go on a split with him for two days. SO we took a taxi to their house that night.

Wednesday I was on a split with Elder Mack and it was super fun! I love Elder Mack. We had a really good day. His trainee had some issues with some papers so he was late coming over. That's why he didn't have a companion. But yeah we had a great day and he is doing great. 

Thursday we had zone meeting. So being in Tanjombato, that's the south zone. But Elder Mack's area is in the north zone which is the zone that I will be zone leader. So that was kinda weird but it was good. It was a good meeting. There were 22 missionaries there and I only knew 5 of them. I don't know anyone here haha. I've been out of tana for a long time. We had another great day of work with Elder Mack and I loved it.

Friday Elder Te'e and I went back to Tanjombato and had kind of a rough day finding people to teach. We ended up catching quiet a few people though so it was fine. We had a soiree that night with an investigator family which I think may have cause me some grief because...

Saturday I woke up at 1 in the morning with horrible stomach pain and I was basically in the bathroom all night and didn't sleep. So we stayed home and I tried to sleep it off. At 5 Elder Te'e had his exit interview with president and I felt good enough by then so was all good. I just hung out at the office for a couple hours with Elder Mack and Elder Snell.

Sunday the pain was still there and I barely made it to church and through church but I did. We were able to teach quite and bit and we actually had quite a few investigators at church. I was able to work all day so that was good. And we had a soiree too that night that was super good. I felt a lot better at this point and since I hadn't eaten anything since Friday up to this point I decided that I would try but not overdo it. Well it was a horrible idea

This morning I woke up at like 3 with the worst stomach pain I have ever felt in my life. Not only that but probably the worst pain I have ever felt. I have never like shook because something hurt so bad. Yeah it was awful. But I got some medicine from Sister Rossiter this morning so it's good. But I'm a zone leader officially now! I am with Elder Yeagley and I am going on splits tomorrow actually with Elder Reynolds! I'm super excited!