Elder Stromberg is a great missionary...

Dear Fambly,

Great week again! My companion, Elder Stromberg, is a great missionary. He never wants to waste time. Even when he obviously should stay inside to rest because he's super sick, he insists he can work. He's been one of my favorite companions, and most likely, I'll be in the same house with him until the end of my mission, seeing as we are going to split our area and both train. I'm so glad this is how my mission will end because we bring the best out of each other--more diligence, more jokes and better teaching. Great guy.

$1.66 steak we cooked

Walking to a time with Haja

Photo shoot w/ our recent convert Joseph

Cesaire and his bananas

Awesome soiree with President Jacquot.

Primary activity - Royalty Theme

Teaching a crawfish

Ankadindratombo (pretty spot in our area--little strip of land with a railroad on it in between two rivers)

Kid with a burning broom

Hanging a ladder by a rope to paint the wall 

But are they real Ray Bans?

Here's two funny stories:

Blaise

Always drunk, always respectful. He goes around stopping people on the street with a "Uhh.. Hello sir! Can I stop you for a minute?" If you happen to get stopped by Blaise, he will have a polite conversation with you about your day, your kids, your work, and then he'll end with, "Is there anything I can do to help you?" No thanks, Blaise. Help yourself first, haha! I've honestly never seen him not drunk. To add to his great personality, Blaise also considers himself a Mormon! It started once he came to church months ago when my past companion, Elder Bingham--not realizing he was drunk--randomly invited him on the path. Way too enthusiastically, Blaise sprinted over and expressed how ready was to finally change. As church started, Blaise was amazed at everything: the "fine workmanship of the ceiling and pews", how "quiet" it was and the power and spirit he felt during the bishop's talk--he literally nodded a full 90 degrees after every sentence. After church, he revealed, with wide drunk eyes, that he wanted to be baptized! We countered, "Come to church again, and we'll see!" He didn't come the next week...

Then! Yesterday evening, Blaise suprised us as we rounded a corner. He first said sorry a few times for scaring us, and then said, "I came to church again! It was wonderful!" We didn't see him at all during sacrament meeting, so we replied, "No you didn't, Blaise." Sincerely offended, he cried, "I did! I really did! Trust me. I stayed all three hours." Laughing, we left a disappointed Blaise to drink the night away.

Later that night, while putting in stats, the elders in the other ward that meets in our building told us that a guy named Blaise showed up to their sacrament meeting, stayed all three hours and exclaimed he wanted to be baptized to the priesthood quorum, haha! Elder Stromberg and I laughed so hard. Though drunk 24/7, I guess he's a progressing investigator.

Sinus Infection

I've been a fortunate soul on my mission. I haven't been sick nearly as much on my mission if compared to other Madagascar missionaries. I've honestly become like a mom to a couple of my companions, providing fungal ointments and moleskine when and where needed. When it comes to Elder Stromberg, he's been ravaged by fleas, bedbugs, athlete's foot, gas pains and currently a mad sinus infection. The ironic thing is I warned him a couple nights ago to not blow his nose too hard as to cause inflammation. After not heeding my prophetic counsel, he woke up the next morning not being able to shake his head without wincing in pain, haha! I felt way bad, but I couldn't help but feel empathetic to how Tommy feels when he warns all of us, and we don't listen.

Malagasy Morsel of the Week - Genagenaka

Thrilling

Love you all!

Elder Soper