Testimony

*Dear Family & friends,

Elder Madsen shared a very personal experience in his email this week. He has been learning & growing so much on his mission, and has had very firm confirmations about the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because it was so personal, he asked that we not share the whole thing, but we feel this last portion of his testimony is appropriate to share with you. Thank you all for your love, support & prayers on his behalf!

 "...It was so amazing. I starting crying, because at that moment i KNEW for a fact that the church is true. Everything it teaches is true. There is an afterlife, Heavenly Father exists and He is there for us. I had to rely on him for this and He came through. And this also taught me so many things, that He will help us but only when we give our all. Sorry i can't go into more detail, I don't have a ton of time. But now I can say with confidence that I know this church is true, thanks to my comp. It was amazing. 

Also, this week at church we had 11 investigators at church! Woo! I gotta go family. 

Love you!"

*Elder Madsen tried sending several pictures, most from last weeks hike. He gives some detail about them, but only the one selfie came through. We'll take it!*

hey hey fam! 

I tried the dropbox thing and could not get it work. Sorry. But I sent a couple from the hike. I got burned so so bad! The kid I took a selfie with is a member, he was our "guide"  and he is the coolest kid, so nice. And the others are just of the hike. The reason my selfie looks so silly is because when I was going to take it all the guys yelled "yaaa Madsen take that selfie!" so I did my best. Also on the way down we hit a rough patch. But don't worry dad, I led our district off the mountain. I found a way down and just climbed the heck out of it. And it wasn't hard, they just haven't climbed at all. The elder from England was like, "Madsen is from Utah! He's used to this kind of stuff." It was pretty awesome. Also, there are doves everywhere, every time they fly over me I just say, "I cant wait to get home and hunt". I miss it a lot. 

So this week was hard. Really hard. I have been having these doubts sneak into my mind. I know its from the devil, because I know this church is true and that the gospel is true.  I've learned two really cool things that I'll have to share next week because of time. Just know that those doubts are gone and that my mission has taken a good turn, and its still continuing to get better. 

I had a dream last night that the Heatons actually stayed over. How are they doing?  Tell them I say hi. And the Madsen softball team will do awesome! But I'm sorry about Ashlee's accident. 

I'm sorry about the car crash, that's too bad but I'm glad Bridger is ok. I'm glad this week was good! Kennedy I'm super excited for your new bike and your goal! Morgan I'm excited to hear about choir, I think that is a good way to go and it'll be fun to see what its like without ballroom. And you're almost driving now! Finally. Good luck sis, it's fun but be careful and responsible. And Mo! Early to church, thats whats up! Keep it up!

Anyway, I gotta go. Love you all and I'll try to make next weeks email more interesting! love you love you love you

elder madsen

Teaching is Fun!

Oooohhh lets go onn a hike! Up to the highest heights! Lets go on a hike and go explorrriiinngg! I'm going a hike today if you couldnt tell. Sorry no pics this week sorry sorry sorry! 

So some experiences. Teaching at first was scary, but now its getting fun even. Now its becoming more about having the people realize the importance of the gospel and how much it can help their family. I walked into a house yesterday and the guy we were teaching had the cutest family, and I just thought about how amazing it would be if we could help these little kids grow up in the gospel. 

We taught one member who hasnt been coming to church every week and he has been struggling financially. He is the sweetest guy. He just opened up and said how much he has been working and really trying to make ends meet. All of a sudden I had an impression to talk about tithing and the blessings that come from it. So we talked about that and the importance of church attendance. He came the next Sunday and he has been doing a lot better. We visited him and we were just talking to him, and then he had us take like 30 oranges home. We said we couldnt take them but he didnt take no for an answer, and he is still doing somewhat bad financially. And he sells these oranges! It just showed me how sweet and humble these people are. Its crazy. 

We are also teaching this guy right now named Elvis. On the second visit he told us he was in first Nephi ch 15. We were so happy! He is progressing like crazy and he wants to join already. I taught a guy yesterday who just saw the church and came to it, all he wants is to please Heavenly Father. Anything we teach he says he'll do it and keep all the commandments. He's been to church like 3 or 4 times now. Such amazing people! 

So a couple things this week. There was an ebola outbreak in some missions in Africa and the missions had to be shut down. The missionaries are now being moved to my mission, so if ebola gets here I'll be serving the rest of my mission probably outside of Africa. crazy crazy stuff. Also I was able to try some sugar cane, its like a stick and you peel back the harder outside and then you chew the center and its super sweet. Also my comp and I might buy these huge snails and eat them, he knows how to make them. I'll send pics. Till next week!

love, "elda martin"

Be An Example

HHHHHHEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYY  FFFFFFFAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMM!! 

No pics this week sorry, the cafe I'm at doesnt allow usb stuff. So to start off, a little about my week. Two cray cray things:

1. I got in a car crash! he he crazy. It wasn't bad at all though. I was in a tro tro (van/bus) and a taxi just got the side a little bit. No one was hurt or anything. 

2. I SAW MY FIRST MONKEY IN AFRICA!! He is so cute. I see him every day now because these guys bought him and he just stays outside on a chain...i got about a foot away from him today. He is SO cute!

So a couple other things. we were teaching this guy and it started raining. A lot. So we moved under this roof type thing and it started raining so hard, it got to be so loud that we couldnt hear each other as we were yelling. It was pretty funny and I almost started laughing as we were teaching. Speaking of teaching, I'm getting so comfortable with talking to random people and just teaching. I also gave a little talk at a baptism. It was pretty dang scary though! haha.

So I see a couple of white people now and then in town, and when I see them I do kind of a double take like, "what the heck are they doing here?" and then i realize thats how everyone is with me. Kinda funny. I went to my first funeral here, and let me tell you they are not like home. They sing and dance and there is food and its kinda crazy. The music is so so loud and really upbeat. So when they invited people out to dance, not a lot of people got up but i thought, "hey, its my first funeral...why not?". So me and a couple other guys got up and went out to dance. Now there are a ton of people sitting down around the center where the dancing happens, so when I got up to dance, as I made my way to the center people just started cheering. Haha it was awesome! And then they kinda started laughing and cheering because the broni was dancing. It was so fun though. After the dance bishops wife said, "obroni, this is Ghana for you!" haha it was so awesome. 

So for family night, talk about how being an example is so important! Read 1st timothy 4:12 and any other scripture you would like. Family, this is one of the biggest reasons I'm out here, because of the example that random guy set for me when he prayed before every meal (at the medical test thing). He is the reason I ultimately decided to come out here. It's so important! Also read more over the Christlike attributes, see what you can improve. Read Ether 12: 27 (I think, its about weaknesses) if we humble ourselves we will know what areas we are weak in, and then we will be helped with improving. 

My sisters, let me tell you something right now. Work as hard as you can in school, you have no idea how much your education means! Seriously, just do as well as you can. One of my absolute biggest regrets is not doing well in high school, I wish I would have tried harder. We are even asked to gain as much education as we can in this life. Speaking of which dad, I want to know what kind of knowledge will benefit us as far as the after life goes. 

I think thats about it for this week, I love you so so much family. Please keep up the challenges, it helps knowing that you guys are working hard with me. love you all! I'll try to send more pictures next week. Love you all! Bye bye bye, have a group hug for me. Tell michael and my biological brother to write me, it would be good to hear from them. ok. bye. love you

P.S. So one other thing, when i introduce myself, the way As and Rs are pronounced here is different from home. So when I say madsen they think I'm saying martin. Just say madsen normally and think of it as martin. It's weird how much it sounds like your saying martin with an accent. looooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeee yyyyyyyyyyyyyyoooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuu aaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllll. If i hold the monkey I'll send a picture of it. bye bye. Please keep up on your challenges! please! It helps. Also I killed my first cockroach this week, so that was fun, and i caught a gecko. One more thing, I keep realizing more and more why I'm out here. I'm realizing more and more the importance and reason of things like church attendance and scripture study and pretty much with all gospel related things. I love it. k. love you family! So much! hug hug, kiss kiss little hug, big kiss, kiss kiss little kiss. little hug. name that movie! bye bye!

-elder madsen aka martin

Just do it!

Hey hey Fam! 

So how were the pictures in the email? Cuz if they are good then ill just do a couple per week like that because its super easy. So, to the questions. 

• My day. I wake up, then at about six I work out for a half an hour. 
• Then I get ready for the day and then study scriptures and whatever else for an hour. 

• Then comp study, then we head out! 
• We get back at 8 because we dont eat dinner till we get home. 
• Then we close, eat, get ready for bed, then sleep! 

We are teaching a lot of people. So many people. Some kids some adults. We teach about an average of 4 or 5 lessons maybe a day, and if we want we could make them all new investigators because of how many people want to hear the gospel. 

Im eating noodles, pancakes, eggs bread, bananas, and fufu. Im starting to get the hang of that nasty stuff. I do most of my cooking. 

The baptism was just someone that i hadn't taught very much. Its a girl who is about 14. She is so cool. Its kinda weird but families here don't really all attend the same church. 

I don't hand wash my clothes...one of the kids in my apartment has a washer he he. So I use that all the time. 

I'v been learning like crazy. My brain is getting tired, but its sweet. Dad that study guide you got me about Jesus Christ and his apostles is awesome. I'm learning so much from it. Every day I learn more and more about life and about why we are here and about the after life and about everything pretty much. I wish i could write everything I'v been learning. Its just too much and too hard to try and put down. 

One thing i can explain is about work. I was way too lazy at home. Like super lazy, and I have realized that we just need to stop thinking about ourselves for a second and get the stuff done that we need to even though we may be a little uncomfortable. We just need to do it. 

I feel like I am getting more comfortable with the people and with talking and teaching. I am able to answer questions and give quotations from the bible. The first discussion is super super easy now, so that makes talking to people that much easier.  

So things I did during the week? We as a district went to a restaurant and ate American food so that was kinda nice! I got to give my comp a blessing because he wasn't feeling good and I also got to anoint for this women who was sick and helped give her a blessing. Another thing is I can feel the spirit with me a lot stronger. I love it. 

Enough about me! Kennedy I'm so glad you're keeping the lemon grab voice alive! You better be a pro when i get back. Thats awesome you guys got to go to Oregon. I wish I could have been there. Kennedy i love your hair! Momo...oh momo...the boys better watch out. Kiss styx huh? Just be wise with your first kiss k? Momma I miss your cooking everyday. I had a dream last night that I was able to come home for one night and eat at our house and then I had to leave again! Kinda crappy but still. 

Dad thats awesome that you got to speak in front of that many people. so for family night tonight: Dad I want you to teach about Christ's earthly ministry and about how he actually established his church. Then about the apostasy and how the truth and priesthood was lost. Then the restoration and about how the church came back. That's one thing we talk about a lot out here and I think it would be a good thing for our family to really know.

One more thing I have learned is that no matter what happens everything will be ok. Our heavenly father is here for us and he is watching out for us. no matter what situation we get into or no matter what we are going through. It will be ok. 

One more thing is that if we keep the commandments we have been given we will be blessed. So so much! haha sorry one more thing... I have realized that I kinda act like a child when it comes to some things. I think it is a lot of pride and a lot of just having to be right all the time. That is something I am trying to work on. 

Maybe another thing you could do for FHE is go to the Christ like attributes in PMG and each choose one you want to work on. I have kinda noticed that I am very prideful and also that I am lacking a lot in almost all of those attributes. So thats one thing I am trying to work on. Anyway family I love you so much! Till next week    

-ya bro, elder madsen

PS... also Morgan. my mtc friend is in love with you and wants to marry you. Kennedy he thinks youre absolutely beautiful but you're too young. Sorry. Any way. love ya!