Antananarivo Madagascar Mission, MTC Week 1

Dear Friends and Family,                                        November 13, 2014


So the first week at the MTC is over. I don't really know what to type about. It is a unique experience, never being alone and having every minute planned before hand. The language is coming along pretty well I think. I can say simple prayers and bear simple testimonies in Malagasy.


I have two companions for my time at the MTC. One of them, Elder Gariki, is from Tahiti, French Polynesia and speaks French as his native language. He can speak some English so we can communicate. He likes playing Basketball. My other companion, Elder Tangarasi, is from Vanuatu. He speaks some language that I have never heard before as his native tongue. He can speak English very well though, so that is good.


The food here isn't amazing, but not terrible. My teachers are all nice returned missionaries from Madagascar. My favorite part of the MTC is learning a new language, my least favorite part is waking up. I don't like waking up as early as we do here, and I don't like having a schedule that I have to follow for every hour and minute of every day. I got some cold or something while here so the last few days have been miserable. The weather here is dry and cold like the rest of Utah during the winter, nothing I'm not used too. My companions always look like they are freezing to death though. The climate is definitely different from Tahiti. That is all I have time to talk about today, I love and miss you all.


Elder Benjamin Anderson

Elder Anderson, Elder Tangarasi, Elder Gariki, Elder Heiden, Elder McCrary and Elder Cyusa. Elder Heiden, Elder McCrary and Elder Cyusa left for Madagascar Nov. 8th.

 My district and zone is just me, Elder Gariki and Elder Tangarasi.

Elder Burningham - childhood friend,  going to the

 St. Louis Mo. Mission

Mom note:
Benjamin is doing great! He said that the dearelder letters are getting mixed up however because there is another Benjamin Anderson and he is going to Japan. I called dearelder.com and left a message. I have sent a letter every day and Benjamin has only received 2. He said he got one from Dad yesterday but it was only a partial letter. I have started writing his name as Ben Mark as the first name instead of Benjamin, maybe that will help. He said that he gets letters from the other guys girlfriend in Idaho and the other Benjamin's parents. He said that the mission code will be correct MAD-ANT and the mailbox 54 - and still the letter for the other guy. So, not sure exactly how they are messing them up but they are. He has no idea who this other guy is, so they can't exchange mail to the correct owner.


*This problem has since been resolved. Dearelder.com fixed the computer problem that was mixing the letters up. And - they printed all the letters that had been sent and gave them to him.