Good Week

Manoana!

We had a really great week this week! I don't know exactly why but we suddenly had lots of great great lessons! I think part of the reason might be due to our new goal for this week. During the big meeting we had in Madagascar, the mission leaders all decided that as a mission we should set a baseline of 28 hours of proselyting per week - which might not sound like tons but it really stretches us. Most weeks Sr Gardiner and I get 20 to 22 because proselyting doesn't include our studies, our church meetings, activities, eating with members or other missionary meetings or even when we are driving in the car. The time of proselyting is solely the amount of time we spend preaching the good word. So this week we set the goal that we were going to do all we could to push ourselves and meet the 28 hours....and we came really close! This week we had to do some visa work and other activities so next week we'll hit it for sure.

So this week, we had an amazing discovery when we found our new ami Gino. As I've told you, Sr Gardiner and I have really been working on talking to everyone we see. So as we were leaving a rendez vous to get into our car this man was descending some stairs as we were just about to pass him I decided to stick out my hand and contact him. Turns out he had already met the missionaries in Madagascar and attended church twice. He didn't know the church existed over here too and he was really interested to learn more about it. We had a lesson with him Monday, gave him a tour  of the church Thursday with a member who spoke Malagasy, he came to an activity Friday and then he came to church and stayed for all three hours Sunday! He is super interested in the church and says he just felt so good like something was really important when he met us and came to the church! We are so excited and pleased at how sensitive to the spirit Gino is - it really is amazing. 

Speaking of Madagascar...I have been studying the language like CRAZY ever since President told me about the transfer because the language is super different and tricky. I have a couple of books from missionaries who are over in Mada now and studied it in the MTC. Well this week we taught two lessons with Gino, one with another amie from Madagascar and had a church activity for only Malagache people and for all of them I was able to use a couple of phrases! Both of these amis don't speak French as well and still prefer Malagasy so I was pretty pumped that I got the opportunity to practice in real life lesson. It still makes me realize how MUCH I need to learn because I know next to nothing besides "God is our loving Heavenly Father" but I can't help but feeling that the Lord is blessing us in a very specific way :)

Oh yeah, Youssouf is getting baptized this Saturday!!!! SOOOOO exciting!!!! I think I already wrote you about Youssouf. He is the guy from Mauritius (the island right next to us) who grew up Muslim and converted to Christianity when he was a teenager. He is so awesome and has the gift of faith. I could tell amazing/funny stories about him for hours. He is super super prepared and is really excited to be baptized. He has been asking us from day one when he could do it and we keep having to slow him down because we need to teach everything and make sure he understands. But I'm sure that this Saturday is going to be a beautiful event filled with the spirit. I will tell you all about it next week. 

Well that is more or less all the time that I have! I love you all and can't believe this is my last full week in Reunion! I won't come back to this island again! It'll be a sad goodby but I'm ready for the Madagascar adventure!

Love

Sr STewart