Hey everyone,

 

The Christmas call was fun, the kids are huge. You all look and sound the same which is nice. Ted's sporting the chin-strap... Nice :) Well, we have been very busy with meetings and transfers. This last transfer on the 28th was big. We had people flying in from Fort Dauphin, Mauritius, and South Africa and then everyone else catching buses and taxis between cities. I was so tired when it was all done. We survived and now we are getting ready for the January 9th transfer. We were able to meet a few French guys this last week. One of them had the biggest house I've seen here and he let us in. My French is rusty. I'm really bummed about that, I'll just have to marry a French speaker so I can get it back and get better :) We actually have two doctors that we will be teaching next week and another guy that used to be some sort of government figure. Next Sunday Elder Steele, President, and I will be driving out to a place called Moramanga where there is a small group. Missionaries were pulled out a few months ago and so we will be going to teach all the investigators out there and going to church with them. It's about a 3 hour drive towards the east coast. Then on the 9th we get to go down to Antsirabe for splits and a zone conference. I'm excited to see the different areas and work with the other elders. Christmas was really good. We went to a hospital and sang for the kids and gave out candy and stuff. Elder Steele wore the Santa suit and everyone loved it. The kids would get so excited and start clapping their hands when we would sing. Great way to spend Christmas. Other than that we have just been super busy with the transfers and zone conferences. One story that will make you laugh and also strengthen your faith is about me, a huge German shepherd and an outhouse. Elder Steele and I were tracting all day and when the night came we were still tracting. We came up to a way nice house that had the front gate wide open. As I got to the driveway a giant German shepherd trotted out from behind a bush and stared me in the eyes and warned me that if I took one more step I would be his new chew toy. I instantly became sick to my stomach and backed away slowly from the driveway. Elder Steele asked me what was going on as we both slowly backed down the path haha. Well My stomach sickness didn't go away. We were out in the middle of nowhere so I said, "Ya know what Elder Steele, If we just keep working and stay focused the Lord will take care of my bowels." About three houses later I lost my faith and we got hustlin' back to the car. Before we got too far we saw one last path that led to some houses and something stopped us. So we went up and yelled at one of the houses. The guy came out and said, "Can you guys come back during the day another time?" I said yeah sure, can I use your bathroom?" He told me to go back behind his house and I would see an outhouse. There was a toilet out there! Woohoo, and then he brought me TP. While I was dying Elder Steele kept talking to the guy and his wife and the lady turned out to be a doctor. SOLID. They have family that are members of the church and they are going to watch their niece get baptized in a few weeks. Hallelujah! So, The Lord doesn't always work the way we think he will, but he takes good care of those that trust in him. Have a good week and a happy new year. I'll be entering stats. WOO!

 

Elder Barclay