Read or listen to Rene Victor Ramazavason’s full oral history. Original interview in Malagasy. An English translation is also available.
Overall, the greatest benefit [from membership in the church] I have received is to get out of debt. I don’t go to people’s houses anymore and borrow money. I used to do that. I had to pay them with interests. I am free from doing that now because we have been taught about self-reliance.
I pondered about this and I see that this has been a blessing. I have learned to have savings; we are able to pay our power bills, our expenses, etc. and we still have money left.
…I most enjoy the story of the Lamanites and the Nephites in the book of Mormon. As brothers, one of them didn’t obey God and ran away at the time and the other brought the Lamanites back into membership. Nephi’s people are fascinating.