06 October 2--Jungle

Hello again.

It's good to get a "hello" from you, and it's also nice to know that every one's doing well. I got the package with the camera and the allergy stuff last week and they're awesome. I'll need to buy some rechargeable batteries this week, and I'll be all set.

I think I mentioned earlier that my companion went out into the jungle last week. This is cool because the last mission president banned the jungle trips.(Apparently, because of some stupid missionaries doing something stupid in the jungle.) But president Gaya has approved trips into the jungle on P-days, as long as we can get back by 5, and we set it up with him first. My companion came back and told me about it. There are Lemurs, snakes, all kinds of weird plants that you don't see anywhere else, bugs and a lot of other cool stuff out there. And this is all just outside of town. I've seen a glimpse of it, and it's absolutely beautiful. And now I figure I've got a cool camera, so I should go (before the next group of stupid missionaries do something stupid and this president banns the jungle trips.)

We pulled through another week. Unfortunately, a lot of our appointments didn't go through, but we have a chance to tract and street-contact. It's hard sometimes to convey how important this message is to the people. We're kind of a novelty to these people--"Look! the white guys are speaking Malagasy!" so it's easy to strike up a conversation from that angle, but then it's a question of how do you take it beyond novelty and actually get them to LISTEN to what we're saying. It does happen, and when it does--when they actually get it--it's wonderful. Every mission has their own particular problems, and it's nice that in this mission, the people are humble and gracious enough to let us in for the most part. Our problem is, "Stirring them to action." They're very good at the "smile and nod" routine, and they seem to understand, but it's the "go and do" routine that is the main struggle. And I understand completely. That has been one of my main struggles throughout my life. Tovo, one of our latest investigators, is great. I think I told you about him last week. He was the Catholic guy that answered all of the questions beautifully. But he moved out of town last week and there's no missionaries where he now is. He called us and said that he was moving, but that he was going to bring the Book of Mormon, and that he would definitely read it. So that's good. We were sad to see him go, though.

It was kind of a tough week in that respect, but I am constantly reminded about how cool this place is and how great these people are. Yes, much of this last week was spent visiting the mpikambana-mangatsiaka (inactive-members) and it's difficult to know how to help them sometimes; but to these appointments, we brought the mpikambana-mafana-sady-tena-mazotobe (the wonderful and diligent active-members.)

The members here are so cool. They're wonderful and help us out so much, so it's hard to get too discouraged. We like them so much, we make them mofo-kajajaka, (cockroach-bread--which is actually brownies--but it's fun to see their faces when they eat it for the first time;) and mofo-akondro-amerikaina, (American banana-bread)whenever we can.

Anyway, things are going good. I'm doing well,(and can you tell I'm having fun with this language? ;) I'm getting better all the time with this language. Missionaries can be in this country for 2 years and still get a lot better at Malagasy. Some go home and could pass for a native (on the phone at least.) However, some near the end of their 2 years sound just as American in the language as they did when they arrived. I plan to sound as Malagasy as possible as soon as possible. It's a little tricky though, because Malagasy has 18 different tribes with at least that many dialects, some of which might as well be a different language. We speak Merina, and if we go outside of Antananarivo, we learn a different dialect, luckily the areas we're allowed in have a similar dialect.

This mission is so cool, I love it and I can't imagine a better place to be right now. Because this mission is so small, in terms of the # of missionaries, I've gotten to know all of them--some of them very well. We're all friends. There's 2 other Elders that went to Olympus High, and that's pretty cool. I'm excited for the future and I'm working my way towards it. I love you all. Have a nice week.

Veloma!
Elder Draper