I am alive again! Woohoo!

Okay the name of the big holiday which is going down today is called the Vingt-Sis, which is french for 26th. Technically that would be tomorrow, but I guess a lot of the partying will be going down today too. It's way cool. Yesterday we actually saw a pretty big party going down in Sabotsy Namehana (our area) with tons of people around a big stage with two malgasies dancing on it. Pretty big parties going down in this place. But yeah, the 26th is the fetim-pirenena (or the national holiday), where they received their independance from France, if I am not mistaken. It's pretty sweet. they have tons of fireworks on sale on the streets and things, and apparently there will be a big fireworks show going down tonight, so who knows. Basically life is a party. I guess the most important thing to note today is that I was able to find a ciber to email you, so never fear. Bergera is here. 

Let's see... what else 'is the news...'

I picked up my new companion last Thursday! His name is Elder Marsh from Tremonton, Utah, and he's a really cool kid. Seeing him now in his p-day clothes I can now tell you that he's a real cowboy. He keeps me in on the quality on the cows we see too, for Madagascar has a lot of cows, if you didn't know. And they all have a weird hump on their back, but Marsh usually lets me know how they are doing. Suprisingly a lot of the cows here are skinny (not really suprising though lol). He's come straight to the mission field though, ready to work which is way cool. Definitely a good quality to have for sure. We've been working way hard since Friday, haha only three days, but we've been working really hard anyway. We've been actually been having a ton of people coming up to us, asking about the church. I don't know if it's because we are TWO white guys now, instead of just me (I haven't been with a non-malgasy in a while), but a lot of people have been coming up to us, so I am really hoping to see some growth in this branch. Yesterday we had a big branch conference with a lot of the other leaders from around Antananarivo. In the conference they talked about how we have to work really hard and get more people to church if we want to become a ward. My old companion Gino actually came to the conference because his bishop was coming anyway, so he tagged along. haha he told me how his last few days as a non-missionary has been, haha, he says being home is way weird, haha, but I told him that he's moving on to the next stage now! The first photo I attached is a picture of me and him a few moments before the office elders picked him up to begin the end of his mission. 

Oh yeah, you said you wanted more pictures of me, so I'll give you three. Yeah, I've kind of been gaining weight I think, but oh well, haha. I don't really know how, but it's happening. I've started a real workout though every morning here with Marsh, so hopefully we'll see some results soon. I'm just bulking up for this cold winter down here, hahhahahaha lol lol lol. 

The second photo is me and Marsh a few moments after we found out we would be companions! Way precious!

The third photo is a cool story. Well remember how I told you about the special branch conference? Well yeah, the night before, the APs asked me for directions to the church, so I gave them the directions obviously. I can't not. So I expected someone new to be coming to church, but I wasn't quite sure. Maybe them or something, but I didn't know. Anyway, about halfway through the sunday school in pops a vahaza head, and after a few minutes of really looking, I spotted the familiar face! One of my MTC teachers, Brother Jenkins! Ahaha, I couldn't believe it, haha, it was way crazy. I had no idea he was even coming here to Madagascar, super nuts. Apparently he is here for a month doing some non-profit organization work for something, I didn't really understand it to tell you the truth. I don't really understand things like that, but it was cool anyway. I was way stoked to see the guy. It super weirded out Marsh though, haha. Just imagine seeing a familiar face like that after being in the worlds longest flight and just experiencing everything that comes with a new country, haha. I was pretty surprised, but he was mega shocked haha. It was way cool though. He actually came with us for member help too for a few hours to teach some lessons which was way cool. I can understand his malagasy now, haha. It's way cool. Oh yeah, he had a really nice canon dslr camera with him, and he let me shoot some pictures. awwww mannnn.. so good. Way good. way good. 

that's all the pictures for this week though. I'll try to get some real doozies for next week. 

I think that about does if for this week though. Things are going real well and I feel I'm all up in the groove now. 

Give cat a good 'bro hug' for me.

Okay, peace it out all on the other side, 

Secretly Sincerely,

Elder 'the fun don't stop' Pops Bergera