Burtonfam: March 2009

Monday, March 16, 2009

Mada Chad in March

Hey,

Everything’s going well.
I actually haven’t seen Craig yet, nor have I been able to call because he’s been with the AP’s the whole time. Right as we were leaving town for Island Conference I saw him in their car which we randomly passed, so we saw each other and waved but that’s about all. I know his trainer, he is probably the funniest guy in the mission, and he’s way funny. He’ll have a lot of fun, plus, he’s in Andoharanofotsy. I might call Claude and tell him not to make fun of Craig too much, ha, ha. But he’ll be teaching Dudy and those guys, so he’ll have fun. Plus, the hotelys there are superb and very clean, so he won’t just get sick. He’s very lucky. He’ll be living with Elder Squire (his trainer), Elder Ervin from the MTC, and Elder Ervin’s mini. Tell his mom (if you talk a lot) that he is the furthest area away from the city besides province, so he’s too safe. You can’t get further away from the city and the conflict, plus when the elders are locked up in that area Claude comes over and makes them delicious rice and loaka, so he’s lucky. I’ll give him a call tonight, though.

Island Conference was awesome. Elder Parmley is awesome, he’s the seventy and he is so funny and such a great speaker! I really enjoyed it, na dia karotana be aza ny firenena. He gave a great talk and answered the questions exactly like we expected. They shipped us out fifteen minutes before Craig showed up at the office, I was like: “Hey, can’t we just stay for fifteen minutes?” I should have asked president Gaya or the office couple, but I asked the worst person I could ask (the driver) who is awesome but he’s just keeping the schedule the Gaya’s ask him too. So I just missed him and randomly saw him in the car on the way out of town. It was really random because Antsiribe is south of Tana and the Airport is on the far north. There are roadblocks everywhere in tana so that Andri can feel like he’s in control of something else too (he’s so power hungry) so I bet that’s why. I hope he’s not freaked out, I can’t imagine what I would have done my first week if it was like this.

Anyway, work in Antsiribe is still going smoothly. We work completely normal hours now and we’re not worried at all. The only annoying thing now is we have to call president Gaya every day and let him know if there’re any problems down here (which there never are). Ha, ha, yea, they’re really concerned for us and looking out for us well, it’s been good.

I got the packages, one from the bishop, one from Grandma and Ken, and the St. Patrick’s day one from you guys! Loved it so much! Those things are delicious, the only problem now is rashioning them. Thanks, and they stay way fresh in that bag.

I’m glad Jason had a good time in the All-star game, that’s great. I hope he gets to play in the Yo-murphy game, because that one was a blast! But way cool he got to be in that game! Dad, I only got a letter that says: “I forgot to mention…” I think that means you sent one before, so sorry if I didn’t respond to something, but I didn't get it.

The work is going really well. We have several families progressing well, it’s been good. I don’t really have any stories today, we were in Tana for most of the week.

The Kitchen we built was cool. It’s very sturdy, like nothing Malagasies have ever dreamed of! Elder Bowouhis (or however you spell his name) is very good at construction, so it was built very well. The bikes are fun, but they always break. It’s much better than walking, though. Interesting you mentioned rice fields people, we went and did a cool service project out there today (we didn’t do much service, just dug up a few weeds, but it was cool).
Okay, I’d better run. I guess I’ll talk to you next week. Don’t worry, I’m safe. I’ll talk to you later,

Elder the Chad

Friday, March 13, 2009

Is it over

Can the Basketball season really be over???
It was a great year, there were great kids on the team and they all had fun, even if the wins/losses don't show success....it was successful.

It was an honor for Jason to have been chosen to be on the area all star team, it was fun! from ally oops on, they boys really put on a show and had a great time!

Then we had the closing basketball banquet..thanks for the generous

gifts and Coach Monk's kind words.

Once again, it was a great year!

photos from Elder The Chad at Antsiribe

Mada Chad letter, March 9, 2009

Hello,

Everything is great down here in mada. The war actually picked up again, I still think it will slow down again, but who knows… at least it’s not affecting the work anymore.

Transfer news was good, I’m actually staying exactly the same as is everyone in the house! I’m excited, it should be fun.

Thanks for what you said about souvenirs! There are a lot of awesome yet cheap little trinkets I wanted to buy, but I didn’t want to go overboard. Thanks, I’ll be wise but make sure to get enough.

I’m sorry, I don’t know if the packages came yet, I’m sure they have, but I’m still in Antsiribe. I’m going up to Tana later today, so I’ll know later today. I’ll let you know next week, but I’m sure they made it. Grandma Burton knows how to use a computer? Weird, but cool!

Anything you send go ahead and send the same size I came with, I can always get them re-sized here for cheap (seriously about a dime a shirt) if needed. The exception of course is pants, those ones you sent before are perfect, so just stick with that size, or around there… I can always resize.

Mom, the missionary calendars are the best idea you’ve had! I seriously love and need that thing so I don’t forget things, and for the pictures. I use that thing at investigators and members houses when they want to see pictures from home and stuff. Really, it’s awesome. Love it. I would even say you could make a bigger one if you want, with bigger and more pictures… because I use those a lot.

The little pee girl is baptized (I think it’s a fun name). I think it’s really going to motivate her family to progress, though her dad didn’t even come to church to see her confirmed the little lazy twit (just kidding… but seriously). Her real name is Antenaina (I probably spelled it wrong, ahn-tay-neye-na with the accent over the neye) and it means, well, I use it like hope, I don’t think that’s a perfect translation though. (in the BoM it uses it for things hoped for which are not seen).

Um, yea I want you to come, definitely without any sort of a doubt. And don’t worry about the war, even if it is still going on it’s safe as long as you stay away from downtown tana, which is easy. The people causing the problem aren’t even dangerous, there have even been white people downtown with them (not missionaries). They can’t afford guns or weapons or anything, so they just get together and stand there until they get board and do something stupid! The only danger is when they do something stupid and the police have to use force to slow them down, but they’re completely under control by the government, just stupid. In short, start looking for plane tickets now so they’re cheap. Seriously, the only thing that would stop me from wanting you to come is if it’s a financial burden, but even then just go into debt (ha, ha). Elder Tolbert’s parents are coming in a few months with no fear. Come, seriously, it’s a long time away, but I really do want you to come

Yup, Sean Donelly is his name, I’m excited but I’m going to miss president Gaya, he’s so cool. I love the Gayas, I’m going to miss them so much.

I don’t think there is a good excuse to miss March Madness, and I hope you’ve repented and decided to make it a yearly thing again when I come back. Ha, ha, but really, that was one of my favorite things ever to do, it was such a fun experience and it gets you so into the tourney. Good for BYU, they better not go out round 1 again.

Good for Jason making the All-star team, I hope that’s fun. And mom, baseball is not your last sport unless you’ve decided to not go to my kids’ sports games… duh

Okay, one work story then I’d better go. It’s kind of funny. I was at church and I was greeting people at the door like normal. The members usually greet each other and talk out front for a while, so when I saw this family standing together I thought nothing of it. Then the meeting started and everyone was inside except this one family. They were nervously looking at me and whispering and pointing and stuff. I laughed. Then they said to one of their younger siblings “Ndao, andramana,” which means go, try. I laughed as she walked up to me apprehensively and looked at my hand as she slowly reached out to shake it. I think she was trying to copy my handshake. As soon as our hands met she stopped, started at the hands, turned around, and ran back to her family. I laughed and realized they thought I was standing there and only letting people in if they gave me a certain handshake (confirmed later). I laughed and walked over to them. I said: “hello, are you new?” They hadn’t noticed with me before and looked over nervously and said: “what?” I said slowly, very ununciation every syllable: “are you new, have you prayed with us before?” The mom said: “No, is that okay.” I laughed really hard at how nervous she was. I said: “Of course it’s okay, we’re happy to receive you today (it’s a polite greeting in Malagasy), come in.” They ran past me into the building and sat down in the back. I laughed and pulled up a chair next to them so I could explain everything to them. I explained the sacrament, told them it was completely okay for them to take the sacrament if they wanted (she was so nervous when the tray came around, I had already explained it to her). I don’t know why they were so nervous, but after the sacrament they settled down and went to class. They really relaxed in class. I sat by them and joked with them, trying to help them settle down. By the end the spirit touched them, they had completely relaxed and I saw her nodding politely at good points made by the teacher. Anyway, I approached them after church and introduced them to Elder Tolbert. They live in my area and they came to church based on two street contacts, one they had gotten when they lived in Tana and one here. They were relaxed happy and smiling by the end, just completely enveloped by the spirit. I’m excited to teach them. It’s cool though, greeting someone politely, inviting them in, sitting by them, explaining the sacrament and the like are all things I could and would have done before the mission... and something all members can do. Now as a missionary I am called to do it. I kind of realize now, more than ever, that members are just missionaries who don’t have to do what missionaries do, they just should. It’s easy to be nice and do those things, we just should learn to do it even if we’re not called to.

Anyway that’s the fatsam-panay I leave with you today (it means spiritual food, how they say spiritual thought), ha, ha. I kind of have to run, we’ve got to get up to tana today if possible for Island Conference. I’ll talk to you later,

Elder The Chad.

Letters from Elder Burton

Salama, Jason got t'd up? I'm sorry, hmm, I've definetly said worse things to a ref (you're a cheater; I'm sorry, did I hurt your son; hmm, I wondered about that footlocker robbery; why don't you just throw on a highland jersey; etc..., and that was all one game), that's kind of funny. Sorry, but it is, I laughed when I read that. I'm sorry, though, that's a rough way to go out. Sorry, but hey, you got freaking amazing seats to the jazz game. And you got to stay at the little America. But good for Jason, it sounded like he played well. I’m sorry about shippen, but Skyline have always been a bunch of mouths… and not just to IF. The football coach is one especially, and every team says they play and talk dirty. It’s too bad. Larry Miller died? Crazy. The situation is apparently the same in Tana, but it’s definitely different here in Antsiribe. We hardly know anything is going on. The only thing we know is that President Gaya still wants us to go in at 7, which is way too early. The APs told us that people in Tana had permission to stay out until 8:30, so we thought we just didn’t get the announcement and stayed out until 8:30 one night and it was no big deal at all. I wish we could work later, but what do you do? We don’t have as much quality food as missionaries, but the people aren’t suffering too badly. It’s really left a lot of people out of work, but for the most part it didn’t affect much of what they ate at all. No one’s doing too badly here, oil is the only thing no one can afford that they eat, we have to pay a lot for it. And a few other things we have to buy more expensive and crappier versions of (butter, oil, yogurt, meat, etc.). And now there’s no ice cream except for the expensive stuff. But we’re doing fine, no one is too bad yet. And it sounds like everyone will calm down soon. Really, I’m back in the swing of things again. I can’t believe there’s snow there. That’s crazy, it is so hot here. I’m glad to be in Antsiribe because it’s much cooler here, even though it’s still boiling. I guess it’s only as hot as you get there, but it’s hot. Obama, I still think he’s a good guy, but from what I hear it’s socialism. That bill is way too expensive, what is it going towards? I love that governors refused the money, it just seems, to me, like we’re going from an individual economy where the individual succeeds and creates competition and pushes forward the country and mankind, to a collective society where the few work to benefit everyone, but in so doing curbs growth and the economy can’t improve… any improvement is lost in money to those not working. And now it’s becoming easier to not work, not live within your means, not buy an affordable house… and taxes are taking away jobs. Less jobs with more of an incentive to live on welfare and not even look for a job, money to those who buy things they can’t afford (taken from responsible citizens), less money to defense and border control and more toward government controlling individuals, I don’t know… it’s a ticking time bomb, could you guys please sort it out before I get home? Ha, ha. Let’s just say I’m glad I’m in this country… even as crazy as it is. Western Watts, Lyn’n and things, Circuit City, all gone? GM hanging on by the skin of their teeth, taken care of by those who haven’t made irresponsible business decisions? I’ll stay here for fourteen more months. Good luck to Jason finding a college. I’m not actually sure about the packages, I can’t check until I go to the office in Tana… it might have. I could use some hand sanitizer and if it’s okay some green vitamins (I don’t know, it’s St. Patrick's day…). That’s all I can think of. Thank you so much for that! Question, last bit about anything related to this, but have your property values dropped a lot or are they just increasing more slowly? Speaking of gospel questions, guess what movie they showed on TV here last week: Under the Banner of Heaven. You know, the one where Brigham Young ordered the Mountain Meadows Massacre, that false movie. Well, more than one member has asked about it, but they have testimonies so they’re fine, we’re just going to give them true information about it. It seems that, because the work was going so well here, Satan is doing just about everything he can to stop it. Yesterday I had a cool day. Every once in a while elders here have to go on splits and work in Manadona, it’s a tiny little town about the size of what we call Mud lake, but it’s actually smaller. There are two missionaries that work down there because there are a couple of really diligent members down there, but they also work here in Antsiribe, so on Sundays they have to go on splits so they can count investigators in two places. Yesterday was my first time going down there. It’s about 15-20 kilometers south or west (I can’t remember) of Antsiribe, a difficult bike ride, but it’s so cool. They have no electricity. About half of them didn’t even know about anything going on in Tana until a week or two ago. It doesn’t matter to them, they grow their own rice and things and they have all the meat they need. It’s pretty cool. They pray (have church) in a tent. It was so cool, there were only about thirty people there, they are still too small to be a branch but they are growing (because of the missionaries). I really thought of like Jospeh Smith and him starting a church, it was so cool, they only have one Melchizedek Priesthood holder. Well, I had about three seconds notice that I had to teach a lesson on agency, but it went okay, I thought it was fine. After church we went and taught a few people. There was this one elderly couple that lived in this valley, small valley, that was surrounded by terraced rice patties. Wow, it was beautiful. We went into their house and they said I was the biggest person to ever go into their house, the biggest they had ever seen. (I thought I was going to break through the floor boards, they were kind of week). Well, we went into their house and all they had was a straw mat over their floor and a couple of coats and a couple of hats. They just harvest rice and eat that. They were so humble. A portion of the people down there can’t read, but they could (it’s a very low level of education, but it’s getting better). I thought how blessed they were, they live in this hidden valley in the middle of no where, they speak some weird jungle language (Malagasy), they just grow rice, yet they have already been baptized. They are very blessed. I can’t help but think about how many people like that live in Mada. There’s a lot of work to do. It was such a fun trip. The branch president went down there this last week; he does so every so often. He gave a lesson to the members about why they should get the Melchizedek Priesthood and what it means. It was about the oath and covenant of the priesthood. This area is blessed because of that guy, he is so humble and so knowledgeable, he didn’t say one thing that was false that I heard. It was a great lesson, simple yet humble and very good. He is one of the only Malagasy leaders in the church here that still listens to President Gaya. That was the problem in my old branch, they wouldn’t listen. The stake president actually likes to fight with and do the opposite of what president Gaya says. It’s sad, but there are a few branches and stake leaders that are still humble, not power drunk yet. I think they’re about to split the stake and it might be better. It just reminds me of the scripture in D&C 121:39: “We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.” It’s true, but this branch is not like that, neither are any of their leaders. It doesn’t help that leaders have to speak French (all of the church manuals here are in French) But anyway, this branch president is the man. And, as Elder Bauserman said about the Elder’s quorum president: “He sees the problems that the church has in Madagascar and doesn’t beat around the bush, he attacks them straight on.” It’s so wonderful and so good when people follow what their supposed to. The work’s going good too. We have a lot of cool investigators. Did I tell you about, well, I can’t remember their names (I’ve only taught them once)? Anyway, she has been searching for the true church. She has attended many churches and hasn’t yet “felt” right about it. Well, she and her husband are now diligent and progressing, it’s cool. We also teach these two people named (not kidding) Joseph and Mary. They got married, and guess what their baby’s name is. Okay, it’s actually something normal, like Ridsa, but I thought it was funny. They come to church. We teach these really cool investigators and I can’t come up with their names for the life of me. The daughter figured out immediately that it is true, and she’s asked to get baptized. She read, and asked sincerely, man, if people will just do that and be willing to accept the answer. Anyway, she asked to be baptized, and we accepted (ha, ha, obviously). She’s getting baptized in March. Her parents said they want to learn everything first, but they have felt the spirit, they’re going to get baptized, they just want to be sure, which is actually probably good because they will be much stronger members if they take the time to read and listen. But they said they want to get baptised, just not yet. They’re almost done with the lessons anyway, they know it’s true, they’re practically members, we’ve just got to finish and then make them pray hard about it. That daughter who wants to get baptized grossed me out though. She was holding her little brother (still a baby) and the baby peed. There are not really good diapers here, or at least the people can’t afford them, so it went down her leg. She looked down and said: “oh, it’s just pee,” and then whipped it up with her hand. Then, I had no choice, she shook my hand. That is why I asked for hand sanitizer. Dudy from my old area is progressing well. He has quit smoking and drinking (crazy I know, he used to smoke almost twenty cigarettes a day!), and now he wants to get vita soratra. This is hard, but I live in Antsiribe, where he has to get his papers from (it’s a weird system), so I’m going to get them for him. He should get baptized before my year mark. Anyway, it’s good to be working again. The work is going so well. Elder Tolbert is a good companion to have, I just hope he doesn’t forget me when he goes AP (ha, ha, he doesn’t want to and denies it, but we all know he will). I’m trying to send pictures again this week, same instructions (dudy’s kids are holding the yo-yos and pez from Christmas, though) but I’m also trying to add pictures of Eva (who was baptized) and Naina (also baptized), and maybe a couple from Manadona. . I’m going all out, but the computers seem to be going well today. Cross your fingers and maybe they’ll work. Okay, I’d better jet, I’ll talk to you later, Elder The Chad PS, Baldwin can’t have the cutout at least until I’m home, ha, ha. Wait, that is the Alex you were talking about, right?