Hey Mom,

I will give you a quick low down on how this last week has gone for me:

Wednesday: I woke up with my slightly ingrown toenail a bit more swollen and sore. I called the mission nurse. I went with Elder Mitchell, a missionary we live with who has been having the same problems, and we both got our toenails ripped off. I figured that I better just get it all removed incase it grew back.

Thursday: We rested, trying to stay off our toes as much as possible. We cooked a roast in a slow cooker and had an awesome dinner.

Friday: We ate left over roast for lunch. Come dinner time I wasn't feeling too good. 9:00pm I threw up for the first time on my mission.

Saturday: 1:00am I woke up yet again and luckily our room has our own bathroom. I threw up for the second time on my mission. Felt queezy for the remainder of the day.

Sunday: I went to church and wore a shoe for the first time since wednesday. 

Today: I woke up feeling real queezy again, though I have not thrown up yet. My toe feels all right. 

Long story short, we haven't been able to get a whole lot of work done this past week, but hey, I feel like we are back on the rise. 

When we write again next week, I will be on the brim of starting my office training preparing for taking the lead here at the office. Elder Aloi and I both are preparing well and we are looking forward to all of our new duties.

I apologize if this letter is a little short but, hey, there isn't a whole lot to report on this week, haha. 
We office elders only have one computer here in the office to use currently and I was just reminded that my companion hasn't written yet. 

Also, if you ever find anything (pictures, articles, anything) about Cody, well, feel free to send them on over this way. I love to see them.

I love you Mom!

Elder Austin No-Toenail Bergera

Okay okay okay mother, I will write you a good letter.

Or at least I will try.

Well this pentecost holiday/ rememberance is back again. I don't know if you remember last year but I do recall telling you all about it. Here it is again. I can't believe how fast this past year has gone! I feel like I just went to Mahajanga for a while and now this time of the year is back already. The mission just keeps going by so fastly! Wooo! We had a pretty nice day today. We didn't do much, haha, but I think that's what I liked about it. We thankfully didn't get stuck not finding a cyber to email at which problem comes so frequently for us cyber stalkers. I can go to the office for all those needs now days, haha, yeah. Us office elders get all the hookups. 

Just to let all you in on that deal, we have not started training yet to take over the office. The Cornelius' don't leave until June 26th so we have some time before Elder Aloi and I have to worry about taking over the office duties just yet. They are saying our training in that department will start beginning in June. That'll be fine. I'm honestly not too worried about it. It should go all right. A nice casual switch. We are hoping that the next office couple will be coming in in July anyway, so we'll just be a nice bridge for the office knowledge to transfer over well. I always hoped I would be the office missionary type of guy, and it looks like my dreams are finally coming true.

Well I believe I told you about a great baptism we would be having soon, and we were honestly hoping for Lala and Tatiana to be baptized this weekend, but it looks like that that won't quite be happening just yet. We found some problems during the baptism interview, a.k.a. there are still a bit of word of wisdom issues that haven't been completely dealt with yet, but we'll be working really hard with them and I'll let you know how that goes. Lala, the father, was a bit disappointed that they would not be able to get baptized yet. He had been really looking forward to this week to be baptized, but I guess when we are completely ready then we just have to step back and really prepare before we go through these things. Any prayers on their behalf would be greatly appreciated.

I drove a truck this morning. I don't believe I have ever drove a truck before, but today I drove a stick shift truck. I am becoming a man.

I don't know if you would have heard this mom, but I got an email from a friend today who told me that one of my high school friends, Cody Towse, was killed in a bombing in Afghanistan.  He had joined the army a little bit before I left out here on my mission. Do you remember him? He had come over to our house a few times. He was a taller fellow with frizzy black hair. I would've never imagined in high school that he would've joined the military, and I am proud that he was that brave to serve. This news came just as sudden and unexpected as just about anything can. I have never had a friend die before, and I don't like it. I guess the reason I am out here though is to tell people that there truly is a life after death, so I will be reviewing that a lot personally this week. I will be praying for his family this week as well. He passed away truly serving.

Thank you for all you do for me and I will try looking better for what I could tell you all about next week.

Elder Bergera