A Different Kind of Happiness March 23 2015

Hey Fam!

So first off, here are some previous baptism pics. I will be baptizing Bright this Sunday. He just needs a special interview. His would have been this Sunday but now it is delayed just a little.

I’ll be fasting for the family.  I cant imagine how you must feel at times like these being the dad. I just know you're strong dad. Honestly with everything that has gone on, I feel like most dads would have just kind of given up. But you are not at all like most dads. Honestly. I know heavenly father is helping you as well. Just keep being strong. We all NEED you to. I love you so much dad. The memories I have of us two, are amazing, and I wish I would have made more while I was home, but when I get home I feel me and you are going to be BEST friends. I cannot tell you how badly I just want to go on a fishing trip with just me and my dad, and just talk about everything. I just feel dad that no matter what happens, everything is going to be alright.

The scripture you shared, [Alma 48:17-18] I actually just re read it. I love it. I want to be like him so badly. He is truly a man of God, and he is trusted with so much because of that. You're a lot like him. A leader, and you have been trusted with this great calling, and you have been given an amazing family to provide for. In my patriarchal blessing, it talks about how I was sent to a very dedicated family, and I know that what my blessing says is true. You and mom are so dedicated, and it is the best example to me. So thanks. How is your calling going by the way? Also, Pres. Cosgrave just wrote me...kind of cool :). 

Tenny that is so soo cute that coco and your pup have a cute relationship. I am happy coco is nice like that, and the dress is so pretty! haha momo im sorry you had to get your blood drawn again. HA i hope you don’t have mono. If you do you can just join the club ;) its no fun, but up until now it hasn’t affected me at all. And good job with your grades! That is so cool. Im happy for you. :) haha and ya mom I love that you are the most caring mom. You have always taken the greatest care of all of us kids. So thanks so much.

This week was so good. Dad recently I have felt a different kind of happiness, one that I haven’t felt before. and I know its coming from the work. I have just felt an urgency to get out and work and just talk to everyone, and teach everyone. I know its hitting me a little late, but I love that I am feeling this way. I have been learning a lot lately, and I know its been from the holy spirit enlightening me. I can feel it sometimes just teaching me. I realize things I never have before, and I realize them in ways that are not really like me. So I know I am being helped. Its so cool, and I have been thinking about my mission a lot, and I have also realized and felt that serving a mission is honestly the best decision I have ever made. It is such an amazing thing.

And momo, when you said that you had sort of thought about serving a mission I got so excited. It would be the best decision you have made. I promise. Well family, thank you for being here for me. I love you all so much. Keep being amazing and I love hearing from you. love ya love ya love ya.

-elder madsen

Field trip to the Zoo March 16 2015

Hey fam!!

Here are pics from our trip to the zoo! so these camels weren’t in a cage...haha so sweet. and this chimp was trying to open a can of tomato sauce. the monkeys here are so awesome. they sell bananas there and you can just reach over and hand them a banana. haha also the monkey, when it grabbed the banana its finger barely touched mine. i flipped out a little. so i just washed my hands like crazy. #ebola. they also will do funny tricks to get them. one would clap and then dance. i took some videos. ill just show you when i get home ;) there was a little family of them and they just played together. so cute!! the bats were everywhere. it was crazy.

hey momma!! so that isnt fufu. that is boiled yam with pepper sauce. super super good. oh and that jacket my comp is wearing. bro baah made it. he is so good. he can make anything.

so thats all for this week. next week there will be more. so your week sounded crazy. thats so sad about zoey. Macquel!! your pics look soooo good. haha elders here where like...wait.. thats your sister?! dang it shes getting married?! haha my sisters are so pretty. dad thanks for the encouraging words. so this week. i was sick again. we were positive it was malaria again but it wasnt. i had a high fever, i was throwing up, and my lower back hurt. which is exactly what malaria does. so i was sure it was. so momo, like you, i had to get more blood taken. i hate the sickness here so much. thank goodness i have power in this apartment. when you are sick here the heat and humidity just make you feel so so bad. so i had a thought last night. fads right now go and come so quickly. eventually everyone will just be like the star bellied sneaches, or however you spell it. the new trends and new fads will just be going and coming so fast that eventually everyone will just be the same. and there will be so many different styles that are accepted. anyway. i have no more time so i gotta go. i love you all so much and i hope you have a good week!!

-elder madsen

Patriarchal Blessings & Patience March 9 2015

 fam!! so first of all, before i forget. we just went to the zoo to check out prices. and we will be going next week. but flip. while we were there, we saw some bats hanging out in some of the trees. and some were flying around. and no joke, they look like full grown guinea pigs with wings. they are HUGE. its so scary. literally huge. ive never seen bats this big. and we got to see a camel just walking around. im so excited to go next week. ill definitely be sending pics of it.

Bats in the trees

so dad thanks for the kind words. we'll keep working with francis. he's such a cool guy. it is really hot right now, it should start to get a little colder though. i havent met the new president yet but i will let you know when i do. momma. the time is going by pretty fast i would say. i just try not to think about it. before i know it ill be 1 year. and things to specifically pray about; for me to have help with being more happy, patient, humble, and hard working. i know all of these things will come about when i put in my effort. but i just need help with them. thank you.

so a couple really cool things happened this week. the first, i was reading my patriarchal blessing, and i was reading about patriarchal blessings in true to the faith. i was just trying to study my blessing really well. and i was able to see how much my blessing is really just for me. it talks about things that relate to me so much. its crazy. i love it so much. so family, those of you who have one, study it. dont just read it but study it.

and the second thing that happened. my zone leader, sometimes me and him dont exactly see eye to eye. its not really because we disagree on things, its mainly just pride. me and him stay in the same apt and the other day i was trying to report numbers. earlier that day he had just seemed mad at me, but he was just being rude and difficult when i was trying to report. he was just pushing my buttons and trying to make me mad with what he was doing. but recently i have been really fasting and praying for patience, and the humility. and i just felt different. what he was saying and doing wasnt getting to me like it usually does. it seemed like i was just able to brush it off and keep going. well, not only just keep going but i was also happy. it was really cool. and it was like i could actually feel help being given to me. i hope this is something i will be able to continue to have, and continue to practice. something me and easton have been talking about is the patience our parents have. and i truly believe that my mission is teaching me these qualities so i can be a successful parent one day, just like my own parents. so thank you mom and dad. i know i didnt do very well with learning and developing these qualities at home, but you definitely showed me the importance of having them. mission puts you through a lot of stuff, but it helps you learn things like crazy, if you let it. i know i still have a ton to learn. A TON. but i feel i am moving forward. little by little. as ghanains say, kakra kakra. 

i love you tons fam. ill be sending pics next week. love you all!! so so much!

elder madsen

"When Ye Are In The Service of Your Fellow Beings..." March 2 2015

Hey fam!

so first off i just need to say that there are a couple elders here who are eyeing my sisters. haha its so funny. all my sisters are so beautiful. so your week sounds crazy. momo im glad you had a good weekend. sometimes a lil fun break is just what you need to help you get through things like that. and good job for reading you scriptures more. ill read james 3. im glad you're learning from the scriptures. its cool how they can teach us like that huh? :) tenny thats way cool that you got to have those dresses. the pic you sent was so so pretty!!

sorry nothing really happened this week. no my comp didnt get transferred, we will be together for another transfer. he's a cool guy so its good. i do want to train though. i'd rather train than have a leadership position. so mom the recent converts are good. they are pretty powerful. so one of our investigators, francis, was going back to his former church for a while. but recently me and elder snow decided to just go and help him get water. he makes three trips a day to place that is kinda far. so we have just gone there everyday at the time he gets water and we just help him. and the past two sundays he has been on time to church and he loves it. its so cool. when im doing service like that it feels just amazing. when we get done everyday he tells us "this is truly the lords work." its so cool. and its just nice to make his trips easier. and on saturdays he makes six trips. so we are just going to continue to go there everyday. i love it.

so, i knew this was going to happen, the weeks are all kinda the same. so i dont really have a ton to write about haha. its still super hot and still humid. sometimes i think about my bed back home. and i was sitting down one day, and i realized how uncomfortable i am all the time. just hot and sticky and tired. but its cool because i know that when i go home i can pretty much endure anything like this. haha and i think about fishing all the time. i miss it like crazy. haha but its good. that all can wait. so that is about all i have for this week. i love you all. i cant wait for next week. i love your emails. LOVE LOVE LOVE

elder madsen