Read or listen to Lalao Rakotoarisoa’s full oral history. Original interview in Malagasy. An English translation is also available.
The most challenging thing that I dealt with by being a member of the LDS church was the fact of being criticized by churchmates and even by leaders for telling the truth. Some of them think that the LDS church is a church for rich people and an American church, so they bullied people with low income and those who stood up against them. Sometimes, I’m so tired to continue to go to church because I don’t want to see those people. Later, I made up my mind to ignore them. This church has given me the knowledge I needed to heal my soul and nourish my hope for eternal life.
No other church except the LDS church has ever taught me the real purpose of life. I’m not a big fan of American culture. I’m a Malagasy, I have my own identity. I don’t have to act like Americans. It’s obvious why most of the church’s main leaders are white as I already explained before. There is nothing wrong with that…. For now, we have to respect our white leaders. I really hope that the next church president in 2043 or 2080 will be black. There is a time for everything. We have to be patient.