Antananarivo

                                                     

Safe in Madagascar!!

SALAMA

hows it goin? just chillin in crazy mada. so heres the deets on the flight trip. after dallas everything went smoothly. just long layovers and trips. i actually slept about the whole time from Heathrow to J-berg. probably 7-8 of the 11 hours. good stuff. and then most the way from jberg to tana. 2 of the 3 hours. although it was still pretty long.

arrived here and the APs and mish prez and his wife picked us up. real quick with my third world prob of the week. driving is chaos (although there isnt a lotta accidents somehow) 

I almost die about 30 maybe 40 times a day due to driving standards here #TWP 

but dont worry, we usually have seatbelts and we always have the Lord on our side.

We had orientation and stuff and i got my new companion and area. Elder Bowler is my "Father" aka trainer (mission lingo like that is discouraged haha) lolz. but he is a cool guy, oddly enough like my former comp elder johnson, they are both from vegas, bowlers last comp was an elder johnson too. weird. so there are 8 of the 13 who stayed in tana (Antananarivo) and three in Antsirabe, and two in tamatova. me covey and rasmussen are in antsirabe. there are 10 missionaries in "antsirabe" me and bowler live with the zone leaders and there the only ones we'll really ever see. covey is comps with a native and rasmussen lives with his comp and covey/native. and there are two sisters whom we never see in the area. i said "antsirabe" earlier b/c me and bowler actually work in Manandona. which is about thirty minutes by car outside the city. so we get a truck! and i get to drive it! so i did yesterday and driving in the countryside aint too bad. im not driving in the city for a while. id die for sure. but its stick so theres a little adjusting. if we ever go to europe i could rent a manual car (hehe tay)

Manandona is rural. All the people here are so poor but so happy. they may not look like it but if you talk to them they will light up. and its a struggle to talk to anyone for me but especially them cause they speak "hillybilly" malagasy, so its harder as it is to understand but its gotten easier just in these last few days. the branch here has been struggling, there are things i am not suppose to disclose or write about but just now they are struggling. were doing all we can to make a better name for the church there and strengthen the members.

living standards: pretty well off. nice houses. the food here is crazy. a lotta rice. i mean its great! nothing to complain about. although i already miss moms cooking. pitiful haha and i miss pbjs :(

haha mail standards. good stuff lol not packages are expensive and can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 4-5 months. i think mail might be the same way but please feel free to send anything haha mail goes to tana, and im in antsirabe. a good 3 hour drive away. (took us five. muh.)

well i love all of you! thanks for your emails, prayers, love, and support.

im gonna try to send some pictures.!

much love,

Elder Schroedter

Safe arrival of Elder Grant Schroedter in Madagascar.

                                                  All thirteen Elders are looking good!!

                                             Pictured here with Pres. and Sister Adams.

 The whole gang!

Flight schedule

Almost Out!!

MANAHOANA NY FIANAKAVIAKO SY NAMAKO

how are ya'll? life is GREAT right now. p-day, temple, laundry, flights plans, Madigasikara!

here is the TRAVEL ITINERARY!

(All on British Airways except the last leg - South African Airways)

1:30 p.m. SLC to Dallas 5:05 p.m.

8:05 p.m. Dallas to London 11:15 a.m.

7:10 p.m. London to Johannesburg 7:10 a.m.

10:00 a.m. J-berg to Anta, Mada 2:10 p.m.

soooooo, long flights and long layovers! whoop whoop. leave monday afternoon and arrive wednesday afternoon! anyone wanna keep my company?? haha sorry to tempt ya...my goal is to teach 5 people over the whole commute haha think it can be done? dang i'm PUMPED! t-minus 4 days. 

so nothing new this week! literally. we heard from the same guy at our sunday devotional that we have heard from previously BUT his message was beautiful. it was on repentance. especially as i finish alma and read the Book of Mormon and look at the things in my life, repentance hits ya hard. its real. its cleansing, its peaceful. if done right. we were at our usual temple walk on sunday and a lady randomly came up to our five (the Furious Five) and asked how do you know when you have fully been forgiven. it was weird cause our Sacrament theme was over repentance, but we had yet to go to the sunday night devotional to hear about it. We gave an alright answer, but i think it comes in two main parts. God has already forgiven you for his sins. We know that. you can read in Mosiah 3 and 4? yeah i think thats it. but the answer to that question, is also found in the BoM (mosiah or alma haha sorry i forgot the reference) but it is, when you feel the peace and joy the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ give to you. The second part, and probably the hardest some times, would be forgiving yourself. 

Fotseny amin'ny alalan'ny Sorompanavotany afaka azontsika ny famelana ny fahotana sy atsapa tsara kokoa.

"Only through His Atonement can we receive a remission of sins and feel better."

marina tantara. (true story)

That is pretty much it for this week! i feel like all the weeks blend together! Oh, but parents! i'll probably call before i leave SLC and before i leave Dallas. i got calling cards. we straight. All 13 of us are traveling together. should be a fun commute. We might try to go around London on our 8 hour layover...but Here are some pics from the last week! i love you all! thanks for your love and support! i miss you.

continue with the attribute challenge (maybe focus on another or try a new study tactic) and focus on prayer!

love,

Elder Grant Ross Schroedter

Fearless Leader...

beginning week 4

MANAHOANA. whats good? hope everyone is doing tsara (good) and living well.

thanks first off for sharing your personal attributes you are working on. i have been working on patience the last two weeks. definitely have noticed a difference in my reactions. instead of caleb always buggin me (love you) its either other elders, the district, receiving answers to prayers, or other stuff that we have to be patient for. one time this guy decked me in basketball and i was a "little" upset haha naw i just didnt talk to him for like a few hours but i still responded but and i realized that that was one of my tests of patience. and i failed. but i have noticed other things or when annoying things do happen i do stop myself, and think. WWJD, or even WWJT (what would Jesus think). its been goin really well. pray specifically for help and you will receive.

so i'll tell you the new people i have seen this last week. just elder colter merrell, but it was cool cause mom, you had just mentioned the merrells in a dearelder. hes over at the west campus and i only see him tuesdays and sundays (maybe, devotionals).

On sunday i no longer had the title - FEARLESS LEADER - haha i was released as district leader. kinda stinks, but others need the opportunity to grow and experience the things i had. i loved it, i miss it, i hope to be a leader in the field. which brings me to my next point...

ELEVEN DAYS TO MADIGASIKARA! whadddddup. not countin down or anything. (if you try to count down, time slows down) its great haha but still! next monday we'll be off! i'm way excited to make a fool of myself in Malagasy!! whoop. we get our flight itinerary tomorrow. sucks that i cant tell you bout it today, but it goes along the lines of: here to Cali - NY - London - South Africa- Mada and i heard we got a long layover in england so we might go tour (hopefully we can since i never got a senior trip, but i aint mad ;)

cool speakers of the last few devotionals:

John Groberg (AHHHH yes he is still alive haha) told the importance of bearing testimony to all. here are the six ways he emphasized: 

1. WHAT YOU SAY

2. WHAT WE DO

3. WHAT WE SING

4, HOW WE PRAY

5. WHAT WE WRITE

6. WHO WE ARE

Think about those and how you bear testimony to others in those six ways.

we heard from the BYU President - Kevin J. Worthen

and the drought of apostles and prophets occurs as we keep our residence here in the MTC. literally 3 days before we came in there was one and none since. i aint mad. #missionprobz

BUT, i did see and hear and AMAZING talk David A. Bednar gave to the MTC on Christmas a few years back. please please please listen to it. it is called "Character of Christ." And talks about putting off the natural man, who turns inward and becoming more like Christ, who in times of despair or need would turn outward to others. amazing talk. please.

oh and a quick happy late birthday to Elder Timothy Andersen (birthday was on Alahady[sunday] the fahatelo[third] of Aogositra[august])

i am hopefully going to send some Book of Mormons home with my testimony in english and malagasy. idk how to send packages, but ill try. books for: richie, scott, dani, the fam, caleb, garrent, TandT, marissa, and for the most important who need it the most, my nonmembers: Stanton, Kennedy, and Marissa Crouch. if anyone could help in the deliverance of these, i would love you forever.

last little thought from this guy..elder...this elder guy. The gospel requires action. faith, christlike attributes, prayer, etc. and with out action on these concepts and principles, we can have no progression. and if we are not progressing, we arent staying still, but we are digressing. Always be working. Always be progressing. A couple little quotes that could apply, from Uchtdorf: "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith" and from Bednar (from Character of Christ) "The Church is always true, YOU are the one not being true to the church." some good stuff. please dont take it likely.

Oh and malagasy is great haha its not too bad. most verbs start with a "m" and a lotta those verbs can easily be changed to nouns that start with an "f" the words are long, random, hard to pronounce, but it is comin along. i love it >>> Tiako azy. 

Fantatro fa marina ny Fiangonana.

Elder G.R.Schroedter

p.s. thank you for the jacket, clothes, candy, treats, and other food and stuff. i love it. and i love you all. you feel so much love bein out here and you definitely appreciate it a lot more. thank you.

Loving the P-days!!

FAHASALAMANAREO? tiako p-day

how are you all? i love p-day

so first things first. a HUGE thank you to Danielle for the AMAZING package. i love it so much :) secondly for the letters and dearelders. love em. please dont stop sending em. send pics on email too, i love all the ones dad has sent. i do get them, yes.

still waiting on the responses from the prayer challenge from all of you, but thank you dad. (dad if you could forward the first two messages to rich and scott id love that and the rest of the fam.) oh and if someone could send me marissa and shelby and garretts emails. and caleb? (he have one yet) hows that little gypsy? i miss him like crazy its weird. i love him, please tell him that.

hows nauvoo? tell me all about it! wish i could be there, but at the same time im happy to get this MTC life over with. too much to handle haha #missionprobz

SO! people ive seen. i see Jack just about every day, cool kid. Diego? is he in Provo or Ghana, cause i havent seen him at all...gettin kinda worried. oh and i saw Sierra Eyring (idk if you remember her fam, but she was Elysa's room mate and hung out with us at Thanksgivin time) shes on the west campus and i just happened to see her at a devotional. i got an email from JJCUT (aka Elder Jaxon Curtis haha) hes down in mexico right now. oh and i saw Jacob Peterson! just before he left this past week i believe. he was also on the West campus. someone took a pic of us on his camera. hes goin to Ecuador? i think haha

Marissa's trip to New York sounded amazing. so many things, spiritual and not, crammed into just a few days. im jealous. lets go after as a family (doesnt count as senior trip) haha

the District is good. we all get a long and play a role in the family. being District leader is great. my testimony increases more and more especially as i get to share it constantly (malagasy or english) we have group prayer and a scripture every morning and each night we have a testimony and group prayer. we all eat together, sit together, almost everything. we laugh a lot, like over the stupidest things. we sing a lot too. were preparing a song as a group maybe to sing in a devotional (to EVERYONE) or maybe just a sacrament meeting (only our zone). our zone is so random. like georgia, lithuania, malaysia, singapore, and a couple other places, like what? how are any of those remotely related? lolz #WDYD oh as DL, i am responsible for the welfare of my district. i lead discussions over the devotionals, on sundays after church, extend commitments, share testimony a lot, tell people what to do (lovingly of course), make decisions for the crew, AND i get to get the MAIL twice a day and its like the best parts of the day.

uh i cant remember any other questions via dearelder that yall have sent, sooooo hopefully some were answered? email them too if you really want an answer ;) haha

id like to extend another challenge to all who read this (idk if this goes up to a blog but please do this). 

in preach my gospel chapter 6, its talks all about the Christlike Attributes. this week i have extended the commitment to the district to pick a specific one to work on themselves. also a companionship has been assigned each day to lead a discussion with the class. its been very uplifting. i would extend the commitment to all of you to pick a specific one (i.e. patience, humility, love and charity, diligence) and focus on it for a week. read scriptures about it, pray to obtain the attribute, pray for a specific experience to try the attribute, and really focus on it. i know that you will be blessed. i can already tell a difference in my daily life. (look at PmyG for scriptures and specific attributes)

im hopefully goin to get some pics to send via this deal so that will be on the next email.

i love you all and pray for you all individually every day. thank you for your love and your support. i miss you. 

Love,

Elder Grant Ross Schroedter

MTC - Week #2

MANAHOANA.

How are you all? im just peachy thanks. just wanted to start out and say CONGRATULATIONS to SISTER DANIELLE WARDINSKY on her mission call to T^2. i love it :)

Second of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARISSY SIS. i love you and i hope you had an amazing day on Sunday, wish i coulda been there too see you and to see Capri crawl.

Well mission life is greaaaaaat as per usual. yesterday felt like it was Sunday and today no temple :( cause the pioneers...haha #mormonprobz

I'm going to get all my thank you's out now...

TnT - thank you for the sweet food and puns. love ya.

Family - thank you for the sweets and snacks (all the missionaries loved their candies, they say thank you) [btw i tried to change the time on the watch and now it doesnt work. muh.)

Amah and CC (Chase and Capri) - thank you for the snacks and notes. love ya too.

Brinley's - thank you for the package and sweet words of encouragement. love ya. (please please tell them as i dont have there emails)

All the rest - thank you for the notes and dearelders. i love em. keep em coming please.

Well i guess the Lord heard my joke last thursday...on sunday i was interviewed by our Branch President and he extended the calling of District Leader to me. i graciously accepted. (previous zone leaders were leaving that tuesday and our previous district leader and his companion filled there shoes, which were big cause the previous ZL's were like 6'8" and 6'6") hahaha seriously tho.

I have the opportunity to bear testimony about and if not more then 10 times a day to my district (more if you count malagasy to strangers), lead discussions, prayers, and meetings, and get the MAIL! mail time, mail time, mail time, maaaa-iiillllllllll tiiiiiimmmmmmeeeeee! (name that show) its great and i love it. its good pressure. it makes me stronger.

This past sunday we had the opportunity to listen to T.C. Christensen (movie maker - Work and Glory, 17 Miracles, videographer in the Testaments) and that was pretty interesting, not my favorite but it was cool to learn about the pioneers. All the stories he shared in his meeting from the movies...turns out he made them up...oh well what do ya do. haha on tuesday we heard from Stanley? Stanley G. Ellis of the seventy and his 9 children who all served missions. (3 in brazil, 3 in france, 2 in portugal, and one currently in korea) cool stuff. At the tuesday night devotional i saw Elder Parker Taylor and Sister Aisha Graham (both attend the West campus so devotionals are the only time id see em)
i didnt get the opportunity to host yesterday :/ but i did see Elder Jack Varvel and gave him a hug. just gonna say 9 weeks would suck...haha and i havent seen Elder Diego Heredia, yet.

Here are a couple quotes that i like and have heard. Dani shared this one to me

"God does not begin to work on us by asking about our ABILITY but only about our AVAILABILITY and then if we prove our DEPENDABILITY he will increase our CAPABILITY."

heres a Malagasy district motto:

"We are TOO BLESSED, to be STRESSED."

Heres mission life: (dont worry i wont go through every meal like tay)

Alatsinainy, Alarobia, Zoma, sy Sabotsy (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday) - 11 hr classroom fun, and about an hour of gym time

Talata (Tuesday) - Hour of service in the morning then gym time, four hours of class time, and devotional, district devotion review, and leadership training

Alakamisy (Thursday) - PDAY - temple time at 7 a.m., laundry and workout time, and four hours of class at night

Alahady (Sunday) - Leadership training, sacrament, priesthood, temple walk *cough 3:45-4:45* district meetings, maybe choir (theres just so many missionaries, a lot get turned away due to lack of seating), devotional, and devotional review.

oh gym time consists of either soccer, (they just reopened the gym [closed for refurbishing]) so basketball, or lifting weights. mainly soccer and now b-ball. ive have scored at least once everytime ive played (went one gym time without a goal) sad day. but we always close sweat time with ab workouts and pullups and maybe push-ups. do em with me and when i say that i mean do them once a day. a minute and a half of russian twists, a minute and a half of planks, a minute of flutter kicks, and a minute and a half of wall sit ups. for russian twists bring your legs up off the ground and your back off the ground so its just you sitting up like that and twist your shoulders. planks are planks. flutter kicks include laying on your back with your feet six inches off the ground and moving them opposite up and down in short motions (sit on your hands for an easier time) and wall sit ups - put your toes against the wall and do sit ups haha make sure you put your hands to the walls each time you go up. good luck. id send you picks of the six but thats probably not mission appropriate. 

Life is great, the same, different, weird, long, short, and all the rest. its fun...

So every night leaving the classroom, our district sings hymns from the fifth floor, all the way back to the fourth floor of our residence halls. its awesome. i have never sung this much ever. i hate forgetting lyrics # missionprobz but its really spiritual. i miss music. the power that it brings in life is so true and strong. dont underestimate it. 

I love you all. I am still waiting on the difference you prayers have made on your lives. DearElder me. Glad to hear all are safe and back in there homes or vacation spots.

Love, 

Elder Grant Ross Schroedter

GO!!

Oh by the way, we had the opportunity to attend the temple this morning and it was magnificent. Saw another different video and it was probably my favorite. I am going to miss being so far away from a sacred place. i would encourage frequent attendance. 

Love you all,

Elder Grant Ross Schroedter

1st week in the MTC

Manahoana fianakaviana!

Fahasalamanareo? Salama ve? Tianareo Ianao.

Look that up and get back to me! haha good luck :) 

Well its finally PDAY! we got gyped last thursday and obviously they start today. I sent a letter to Marissa (with one for marissa and one for the fam in it since yall wont be home till tuesday anyway) please send me email addresses of: Capri first, Shelby, Josh, Andrew and Aub too, Garrett, Kristi and Millie, Marissa, Chase, Taylor, Taryn, and when Cay gets one him too. Oh and rich and scott. And any friends who you think would like all this (i.e. Andersens, Fairwells, Andersons, Andersons and whoever) please forward mom and dad to fam. Misoatra (me-so-cha aka thank you).

Well MTC life is glamorous. Pants 6-7 days a week, suits 2, companions together 24/7.  I think ive already gained 5 lbs, but...happens. The first few days were looooooooong like i mean, imagine youre on a planet (mercuary?) where the year is actually longer than the day. psh-ya. but ever since sunday its like the snap of your fingers. literally feel like yesterday was sunday.  One guy said it like this, "days feel like weeks, then looking back, weeks feel likes days." true story. 

i hope the reunion went well and good, glad i got to miss it when my family was in charge so i didnt have to do any of the real work haha ;) maybe the Lord heard that and decided i needed 2 years of straight, nonstop work. 

So my purpose as a missionary....lets see if i can quote PMG like Tii was sayin. "Your Purpose: Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end." (PMG, pg 1)  oh and i promise i dont have it with me.

Well the MTC is as i have dreamed, a vacation, a spa, a prison. Ok none of those are true but it feels like the third one might be the closest description. all the buildings look the same, food is probably just as nutritious, life is a schedule, and everyone is dressed the same (mainly in black and white). At least in prison you can nap a lot and still have your religious books with you.  Im not much of a napper, but i will be after this mission. Please keep the DearElders and letters coming, i love them.

Mom or probably Dad, please call or face to face tell Arlene and I think it was Margeret, for there sweet notes and thoughts.  Definitely felt there love for me and all of ya'lls love from me in your letters and notes. thank you. also tell the freezes thanks for the kripsy kreme donuts. #jusgonnagetfatter love em :) i plan to write them notes back as well.

As far as my district goes, we got some pretty solid fellas...elders...fellders? great guys! elders! whatever haha there are thirteen of us, and usually with a district over ten they'd split, but im glad they didnt. we are all like brothers all ready. we sing a lot (and well i might add) study together, eat together, and pretty much everything else.  its great! 

so the thirteen of us in the district all goin to Mad and our lifestories: 

Elder Schroedter - great guy, probably my favorite. blonde hair, blue eyes, and dashingly good looks, from Texas. thats all you need to know.

Elder Johnson (one of my comps) - vegas boy, went to a year of college in new york playing volleyball, funny guy, awesome attitude, and he has traveled around a lot.

Elder Tavo (my other comp) - awesome guy, but doesnt speak much. he is from Vanuatu (island in the pacific sorta near fiji) and he speaks pislama? idk bout the spelling but sorta similar to english. he likes futbol and me and him play all we can on the field out there

Elder Riech - Kaysville, UT

Elder Hammer - Orem, UT

Elder Coplin - Idaho Falls, ID

Elder Covey - Draper, UT

Elder Delbar - Cali

Elder Morse - eeesh idk sorry

Elder Pinson - South Carolina (he is the guy who friended me on FB like three months ago)

Elder Coleman - Kanaab, UT

Elder Ahlstrom - Arizona

Elder Rasmussen - UT i think

(^^^ separated in companionships  ^^^)

More details to come on these elders, i could tell you all about them now but in the essence of time, i aint got much left. They are great guys.

I know you all are thinking, "Elder G money, are you district leader?" and sadly to disappoint, i am not. But i do get a solid workout for my legs in every day because we travel from building to building frequently and for each building we are at the top floors. the Lord know we are on a walking mission in Madagascar. for example, bed rooms: 4th of four floors, class room: 5th of 5 floors, temporary sunday class rooms: 3rd of 3 floors. its great really.

This weeks sacrament meeting was on the Book of Mormon. it was awesome. devotional Sunday night was on Charity. a beautiful subject which you should all study. Really opened my eyes. Tuesday devotional was on the sacred nature of Jesoa Kristy, our mpanonjy (Savior).

Its all good stuff. Just started the Book of Mormon and really focusing on the stories and trials of the people. 

Well, I love you all. thank you for reading and if you have specific questions please shoot em my way.  Again, thank you for your support. I am truly blessed. You are all in my prayers. Oh real quick, fun fact: Prayer is the answer, and the answer to your prayers will guide you. Prayer really helped me in the first few days. I think on thursday night i said a 15 minute prayer. at night they average, 7-10 minutes. i would encourage you all to really focus on prayer as you go throughout the next week and please write me how it was changed your day, sleep, attitude, or whatever.

Love,

Elder Grant Ross Schroedter