On Monday we had a Family Home evening with all the couples here and with the Elder & Sister Cook. We each shared a spiritual experience from our mission. Elder Cook shared with us the following story. Before they came to Madagascar they were in Cape Town, South Africa. As they were greeting the missionaries there, one missionary told them he was from Antsirabe,Madagascar. Elder Cook told him they were going to Antsirabe on their mission tour and the Elder asked him to give his
love to his family if he saw them. Elder Cook said he would and then didn't think about it again as he got involved with other things. When they got to Antsirabe they had a fireside and at the end of the
meeting he shook hands with the man who had said the closing prayer. They started talking and the man told him he had a son serving in the Cape Town Mission. Elder Cook asked him his name and found out that this man was the father of the missionary he had talked to. He told the man that he had seen his son recently, that he was doing well and that his son had asked him to give his love to his family. The man hugged him and with tears in his eyes thanked him for sharing this with him. Elder Cook then said that the Lord knows and is aware of all of his children and that he opens ways for them. Elder Cook had forgotten his promise to this young elder, but the Lord hadn't and he made it possible for the message to be delivered. Several people mentioned how strong the spirit is when you attend sacrament meeting here. The children are quiet and reverent, the singing is touching and when you enter the meeting it is quiet and reverent. The Bishop is always the first to leave the meeting and then the rest leave. They do this out of respect and love for him. We are all very impressed with these wonderful, humble people. For the rest of our week we worked in the office, and went about doing
the work that we do there. The Adams' and Cook's left Tuesday to visit other villages in Madagascar and to go to Reunion & Mauritius. The Adams' will come back on Monday, and the Cooks return to Africa. We also had a couple from Monticello, Utah here this week. They are the Murdoch's and are Public Relations missionaries. They were here 4 days and are woking on setting up web sites for Madagascar, Reunion & Mauritius. We have had a lot of visitors from Utah in the last few months. One group was doing a documentary which is being produced at Utah Valley University. In that same group there were some students who were doing service projects at a school in Antsirabe for the summer. They all stopped by at the office and we got to meet them. Life is always an adventure here in Madagascar. Elder Cornelius wishes he was there to share the rivalry week with Brothers Grant and
Bulloch. Go Cougars!! We send you our love and prayers. Elder & Sister Cornelius