Answers for Mom

Dear Mom, Here are some answers to the questions you have asked:

1. I had to buy some paper, envelopes, and stamps. I had no idea stamps cost so much! If you could please send some stamps it would be much appreciated. On that note; how much money do I have in my account?

2. I have not been to the temple yet but I go in a few hours. A lot of missionaries walk to the temple on Sunday so I have been on the grounds. It is very cool.

3. Yes I have bought writing supplies.

4. Yes, the weather is cold but good for the occasional game of volleyball. When I actually work out, I do it inside. The sand court is really cool and a lot of people in our zone come and play when the field is available. So far my friend Elder Draper (who is going to Mongolia) and I are undefeated. Ya hoo!

5. For Thanksgiving dinner (it was actually lunch) we had turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and some sort of generic desert that wasn’t very appetizing. Overall the food here is ok. The first week I was like, “Wow! The food here is great!” But the sixth time your are forced to eat a dry hamburger for lunch, you begin thinking hard about paying one of the custodians to get you something from Chick Fill A. Very hard.

The language is still easy and the lessons are pretty fun to learn and then apply. We practice the lessons by teaching our teachers who pretend to be “progressing investigators.” So far Elder Evens and I have taught a Malagasy man named Solo all the lessons and are planning the actual baptism. So cool!

I have exciting news about Madagascar. Each companionship has on average 35 investigators at church each Sunday! Apparently there is a major lack or missionaries there. One companionship has people in two different cities! As you can imagine, the transportation costs are huge. There was also a city that was recently opened up that is right in the middle of the rainforest and ten minutes away from the Indian Ocean. Needless to say, we are all hoping to go there.

Send food/candy if you can! BTW one thing I forgot to include in my summary email is that I have/had Bronchitis! I went to the doctor and I am on antibiotics right now, so no worries. I also got the swine flu shot. A couple of days ago they had 20 people quarantined for swine flu. So the MTC docs went crazy and have been trying to vaccinate everyone. Anyways I love you all and...well it's time to start it...MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Love, Elder Cryer