Oh Mother Dear,

I really like your addition to that little quote I sent you. It really is quite a waste to go around missing things. A mission is something you have once in a lifetime (couples are a different story), and something you have the rest of your life to remember... very nice. The present really is a present when you have the right head on your shoulders. When you go around not missing what you used to and open your eyes to see what you do have. it is pretty great. I have had that a lot during my mission, whether it was missing companions, areas, members, whatever. The real secret to it all is that there is always something new to be found and always new happinesses to discover. Maybe you have to change the way you think. Sometimes our own thought habits can be personal prisons in our minds blocking us from finding happiness. Always dreaming for something over the horizon when we have gold mines buried in our own backyards. Just go out and do some diggin' y'all!

Just to give you a bit of an update... well.. not much has changed, haha. I have now been in this area the longest out of any of my whole mission. I have always been with my companion, Elder Jared Albert Ferdinand Lloyd Doward Alvin Wilhelm Aloi, just short of four months which is the longest companionship I have had (and yes, that is his fun name, if I haven't already told you). No matter all of these long areas and long companionships, this still has felt like my shortest by far. Isn't it funny how it works like that? I'm telling you, it's that mind playing tricks on me thing. 

Our area is picking up. We have seen a lot of progress in finding new people since we have not been in the office much lately. We have one solid investigator right now, who I am pretty sure I have told you about. Andry is a solid young man about my age. He has his baptism date for next week, but he still has to talk to his family about it. His family is hardcore in another faith here, so he doesn't think they will like him joining the church. We are fasting and praying for him though, and hopefully it'll all work out as it should. He is definitely a solid guy though. He's from a town called Ambatondrazaka.

The end of the mission really is definitely the weirdest though, seriously. All the people in my ward are surprised when I tell them how soon I leave. It's getting crazzzzy! This is how the normal conversation goes:

"When does Bergera go home?" (they speak like that a lot, calling you your name when they speak to you)

"On the 18th," I tell them.

"hhhaaaa! September? That's close!"

"haha yeah."

"Are you going to miss Madagascar when you leave?"

"oh yeah! Tahaka inona!!!" I reply sometimes.

"Oh but it'll be nice though. You'll get to see your Mom!" They usually reply. Well, actually usually it's all the mothers that say that, haha. They are happy that I'll see my mom.

Yes though. It is very close. It hasn't really hit me yet, and I am not going to force it either. I'll just let it come.

Well, I'm going back to work for the week. I will see you soon!

Da oldest missionary in da mish,

Eldera A Bergera