Traveling Elders

It's just a floor in this building, not the whole thing!

See?  not so big

This week was... interesting. I went to the Angola consulate in Houston, Texas, (not San Antonio, there was a miscommunication about that), which was fun. Luckily, I went with two other Elders, so we didn't get lost. We spent almost all our time in airports (Spokane to Minneapolis to Houston, then Houston to Dallas back to Spokane) waiting for a flight or on flights, so not much to tell about that. Every time we tried to get food at the airport, members would pay for us, so we weren't able to use all the money we were given for the trip 😉. Sadly, I got sick from something I ate, so the day after the trip wasn't quite so fun. Being in that much pain always makes me appreciate the atonement of Jesus Christ and how he suffered for everyone that has ever lived. I definitely said a lot of prayers to feel better and for comfort while I was sick, and almost immediately I could feel the Holy Ghost helping me through that day. 

Elder Smith and I have been having a lot of success finding and teaching people, but even though many people we're teaching committed to coming to church Dale was the only one that came. Dale never ceases to amaze us. He had his baptismal interview on Sunday, and he is ready to go completely. He asked us about baptism by water and then by fire, so we explained confirmation and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. We told him that he wouldn't have to walk through a fire and he told us: "Well I'd do it anyway" He is so ready to be baptized, it's awesome. 

This week I didn't get to do a ton of actual missionary work it felt like, with 2 days of travel, so I had to try to not beat myself up about it. Knowing that God loves us, and he sees our efforts has helped me throughout this week. After going to the consulate, I'm ready to focus again on this area and the work I'm doing. Our mission President has talked a lot about how this work is so important and urgent. Knowing that I won't be here forever has really helped me to have that sense of urgency. I know that this gospel is true and changes lives. Being able to see the happiness it brings, even in tough circumstances has helped my testimony grow. This church is true wherever you go, I'll be excited to go to Angola, but there's plenty of work to be done here as well. 

T'chau! Eu ammo voces!

-Elder Madsen

P.S. Tender Mercies of the Lord for a Concerned Mother

Last week when we spoke with Fletcher on the phone he said that the travel department had called him just a few minutes before he called to tell him he would be traveling the next day to the complete his Visa by going to the Angola consulate.  He mentioned that he would be flying from Spokane around 1-2 pm to Minneapolis and then onto San Antonio where he would stay in a hotel overnight and then take a cab to the consulate and then fly back. 

He was very excited and so were we, but I was confused that San Antonio was his final destination as both companions he had in the Mission Training Center that are serving in Ft. Lauderdale while they are waiting for their VISA's went to Houston.  Both had some tricky situations like the consulate not being open or having the wrong amount in a check for the Visa which was fixed after two trips to the bank and one to CVS to get a money order.  So, you can see why I might be concerned. 

I had asked Fletcher to send us his flight plans if he was able to before he left.  He was not able to and I was praying that he would get to the right place.  The next day I looked up the consulates for Angola and there are four in the US, LA, Houston, DC and NYC, not San Antonio.  Fast forward...all went smoothly for Fletcher and on Wednesday he was waiting for his flight from Houston to Dallas when a gentleman came up to talk with him and the other missionaries that went with him.  After a few minutes the man said, “Elder Madsen, is your first name Fletcher?  Are your parents Alyson and Scott Madsen?  He answered yes." 

This was a dear friend of ours from many years ago.  They moved to Texas when Fletcher was 5 1/2.  Fletcher had home preschool with their two oldest daughters.  They were some of our closest friends and we cherish the years we got to spend with them.  He and Fletcher got to visit for a while and then he took a picture of himself and Fletcher to send to me.  I have no doubt that this was an answer to my fervent prayers to know that he was in the right place.  What a tender mercy of the Lord to put him right there with Fletcher.  Dustin went home and told his wife that he had seen Fletcher in the airport and took a picture that they could send to me. She thought he was sending it to me and he thought she was sending it to me.  If it had not been for the miscommunication that night I would have had a picture showing me that he was in the right place.  

Sunday night they were speaking to their daughter who is serving a mission in the Philippines and he mentioned to her about seeing Fletcher at the airport and that her mom had sent a picture to me, which it hadn't, but was shorty remedied. When I opened up the message and saw the picture of Dustin and Fletcher I had the strong impression flood over me from my Heavenly Father, "Dear Alyson, I know you were praying for your son and praying to know he was where he should be, I heard your prayer and I answered it and sent a dear friend that would give you this message."  Tears poured down my face as I felt the warm comforting spirit of the Lord surround me.  I know our Heavenly Father is real, that he knows us each by name. He is aware of our concerns, joys, hopes, struggles and when we go to him and ask in faith he hears and answers our prayers in His time and in His way. This sweet experience reaffirms to me how much Heavenly Father loves each one of us and desires to bless us.  I'm so thankful that Fletcher did make it to Houston to finalize his Visa.  I'm so grateful for the kind people who paid for his meals when they saw him ordering food, it seems such a small thing, but it means so much.  I know that we can be the Lord's hands to bless others and be their answers to prayers as we ask to be guided by the Holy Ghost to do so. Thank you, Lord, for your tender mercies and goodness.