The most exciting thing that has happened this week is that we had transfers. I will be staying in Betongolo. My new companion is Elder Stokes. I've only met him a couple of times and we don't actually change until Tuesday. I think transfers in Madagascar take more coordination than they do in America -ha ha.

I got to watch President Adams play basketball this week. That was pretty unusual. We are doing a lot of tracting and trying to revamp our program. We're also continuing to help get the MLS up to date. I'm working on reading all of handbook 2. I know that may strike you as strange, but it's a great book. And it's not just Madagascar that needs it. I see things that every ward I've ever been in doesn't do. I strongly encourage everyone, leader or otherwise, to familiarize yourself with it. It is amazing.

I finally saw General Conference. It was great. I really focused on the introspective talks. I thought they were really good. I think my favorite talk was Elder Eyring's about prayer. It makes me want to pray for a purpose. I have found that when I pray for a true purpose and foster the feeling of true conversation that it makes prayer much more valuable. I have already seen answers to prayer and greater guidance from trying to focus on the actual meaning behind what I'm saying and not just "talking". It's been very worthwhile, but it's much harder.

What fun thing happened in the office this week? Well, we don't always work in the office. Although I feel like most of my stories come from it. Not a whole lot of exciting stuff has happened, but we taught a really amazing lesson about faith. We discussed the difference between faith and the power of faith. I described the power of faith as the actual using of faith in an active sense, whereas just having faith is very passive. I said that most people in Mada believe that if you're baptized and have faith that that's enough. There is a scripture in James that I love mostly because it's so sarcastic. (This is my translation of the Malagasy. I don't actually know it in English so maybe it's not the same.) It says that you say you have faith in God, that's good, but the demons also believe in God. So then what does faith really profit you? I think it's a very biting question but gets you to think. We talked about how the power of faith is being able to act without knowledge. Acting solely on trust but then receiving a witness, which is after all our purpose here on earth.

I got my white suit for the temple and it is way nice. Very cool! I'm trying to upload some pictures so stay tuned. Hopefully you guys are doing well! I can't wait to Skype. It's only two weeks away-ish!

Aza anadino, tiako ianareo - don't forget, I love you (plural)

Elder Ahlstrom