Dear Family & Friends,

We have had a wonderful week here in Madagascar. We have been getting rain that makes it smell so good, and cleans the air. It also cools it down some. Yesterday it went from 88 to 76 which was nice. We had Stake Conference yesterday. It was a special broadcast from Salt Lake City to the Africa East and West areas. President Monson spoke on finding the Lost Battalion, or lost sheep who need rescuing. He told a story from World War I that took place in Flanders field, where a group of soilders were trapped behind enemy lines and how the 77th Division fought through to rescue them. They were courageous and fought harder than they had ever fought before because their purpose was to save other men who needed their help. Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for a friend. He said, "We need to help rescue those around us who need our help and our love, the widows, our neighbors, and those who are lost. We can lift the heads that hang down by being their friend and helping them when we see their need. We all need a friend and someone who truly cares and loves us." He further asked, "Do you see Christ in every person you meet? Our Heavenly Father is mindful of all of us, he loves us and wants us to return to live with him." He challenged all of us to be better neighbors and friends, and to help the lost sheep find their way home to safety.

We are looking forward this week to greeting the newest couple to our mission the Shupes' from Cordova, California. They will arrive on Wednesday. We are busy trying to get their apartment ready for their arrival. We hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. We send you our love and appreciation for all you do to support us and each other. Elder & Sister Cornelius

This first picture is of some unique flowers that are blooming near our office. (936) The second picture is of the view from the mission office looking at the Jacaranda trees in bloom.

Dear Family & friends,

Another week has come and gone here in Madagascar. We passed our 10 month mark this week, amazing, where does the time go? We heard the sad news about our good friend and former ward member Kevin Taysom. We visited with him several weeks before we left. We will all miss him. Our week has been filled with preparing to furnish a new apartment for a couple arriving 21 November. It is our responsibility to see that they have all the necessities, furniture, and necessary household items. Elder Cornelius is also working on acquiring other apartments in three other cities and one here for 4 missionaries. We always seem to find plenty of things to occupy our time. We had a sad thing happen today, a lady came into the office needing money to pay for her mother, who died that morning, to be sent to another town for burial. We aren't allowed to give money to people, we can only refer them to their Bishop or Branch President. The problem was that she isn't a member. If we start giving money to all the people who come here needing our help we would go broke, because we have so many needy people here in Tana. It's so hard to turn them away, but we have to do it. If we give money it has to be our own and then word gets out that we gave someone money and then you have their friends and family wanting money also. The poverty level is so high and so many just can't afford to even go to the doctor when they are sick. It breaks your heart.

We have been getting some nice rain this week, but last night the clouds dumped on us for over an hour, with loud thunder like we've never heard before. We are looking forward to the weekend to catch up on some laundry, sleep, and housework. We have our second English class on Saturday. It is fun to get to know some of our students who want to learn English. In closing we leave you with this thought. 

President Joseph F. Smith, sixth President of the Church, said: “The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life.” He continued: “Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!” 

^{We hope all of you know how grateful we are to have you as our family and friends. God bless all of you.}

^{Elder & Sister Cornelius}

November 5th

Dear family & friends,

This week we have received some welcome rain. The corn and tomatoes we planted in our yard are growing and we are looking forward to fresh tomatoes and corn in a few months. The air is cleaner after the rains and it cools things down which is nice. Today we have a Zone leaders Council and Sister Cornelius is helping prepare the luncheon. On Saturday Sister Cornelius is giving a talk on The Importance of a Virtuous Women. I found a wonderful talk given by Sister Elaine S. Dalton in the 2008 Conference that has some wonderful thoughts on the importance of being a virtuous women. She quoted  "President Monson has counseled: “You be the one to make a stand for right, even if you stand alone. Have the moral courage to be a light for others to follow. There is no friendship more valuable than your own clear conscience, your own moral cleanliness—and what a glorious feeling it is to know that you stand in your appointed place clean and with the confidence that you are worthy to do so.” 

 ^{Sister Dalton then said, "}What can each of us do to begin our return to virtue? The course and the training program will be unique to each of us. I have derived my personal training program from instructions found in the scriptures: “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly.”  “Cleave unto [your] covenants.”  “Stand … in holy places.”  “Lay aside the things of [the] world.”  “Believe that ye must repent.”  “Always remember him and keep his commandments.”  And “if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, … seek after these things.”  Now more than ever before, it is time to respond to Moroni’s call to “awake, and arise” and to “lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.”  

This talk is worth rereading. We are so grateful to Kathleen Woolsey for sending us the monthly Relief Society Newsletter so we can keep up on what is happening in the ward. She is so thoughtful. 

 We are glad to have the Grays back from South Africa. He was there takig care of a medical proceedure. We started an English class for Malagasies who want to learn English on Saturaday. There is about 25 young people coming to the classes we have on Tuesdays and Friday. Out P.E.F. sisters teach an English class at one of the ministries on Wednesdays. The missionaries also teach classes in their areas. This is one of our service projects here. We send our love and prayers to all of you. May you find peace, joy, and happiness in your lives. Elder & Sister Cornelius

Picture 0722 is our English class we held on Saturday. Picture 0724 is of the young women in our Betongo and lo ward and their leaders. Picture 0718 is Nina our cute neighbor girl who speaks some English and watches us by climbing up a small tree and looks into our apartment. She is so cute when she answers, I'm very well thank you."