This week has been a bit calmer. After the flood waters receded my stories did too. Transfers were this week, but I will be staying put in Tana.

(Note from Mom: Alex wrote specific letters to his parents and siblings this week. I have pulled out a few lines from each note. Alex also mentioned in passing that he has been serving as a District Leader.)

Things are going really well here in Madagascar. I actually really like working in Tana. It feels like a completely different mission from Toamasina. We have some really nice families that are excited to learn. I am so thankful people are friendly here. One of the most interesting things about serving in Madagascar is that you get to meet all sorts of very unique people. Right now we're teaching a young man who speaks French, English, and pot faratra (a tribal dialect that I don't know!) So we're teaching him a little bit in every language. Also a really nice family came to church for the first time on Sunday. I love my mission. It's way hard, harder than I ever thought it would be. I wish I could show you everything (and explain) all that I see everyday. Madagascar is a crazy country, but the people are amazing. We are also teaching a Muslim man and his Christian wife, who really want their children to learn about God. People here are more simple. And, yeah, a lot of times the way they look at faith resembles more closely a rain dance than it does Christianity, but I love it here.

I've seen so many strange ways in which the Lord has blessed my life since I've been here. I have learned so much spiritually and mentally about myself on this mission. I think the most important thing is that you can't look at life as a series of check boxes. You need to look every day to improve yourself, and improve the lives of those around you. That's what true obedience is. We have commandments to quantify and set a base standard, but like all things the commandments are merely a tool. Our end goal is not obedience if we think of obedience as checking off a box. It's conversion. By definition, conversion and obedience are the same thing - making our will the will of God.

Life is full of choices, ones that cannot be divided along good and bad. They're more complicated. It's being happy with your life and the decisions you've made, never dwelling (or already feeling fulfilled by) the past. The thing that separates Celestial and Terrestrial is that Celestial laws are followed out of love, not pure blind obedience,

Remember not to lose your heart and work hard. And when you make mistakes, Repent.

With great potential comes great responsibility, so don't squander your inheritance.

Thank you all so much for everything. I could not be successful without all of your support. Pass on my love to everyone!

Elder Ahlstrom