Even better week!

Dear Family and Friends,

Even better week! Not what we were expecting, we had 20 investigators come to church! We should be having about 8 baptisms coming up this month. The one tough thing is getting the couples married here in Madagascar with all the weird corrupted, Eagle Scout flashback-inducing, slow-as-molasses bureaucratics that make it almost impossible to get married within a couple months.

The worst part is when someone wants to get married, they need their birth certificate, which if they were born in a different province can't simply be sent over email, but has to be taken, in person, by either the actual person or someone in their family. This is honestly impossible if they were born in deep countryside with no electricity and forms of communication. 

The next few photos are from Jimmy's and Anja's wedding! These are some of my favorite members ever. I've been here in Manakambahiny for so long that I got to see Jimmy baptized, all his dope tattoos and all; I got to see him receive the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood; and best of all, I got to see him meet Anja at our English class. It was so surreal to watch as they started talking more, sitting together and wearing matching clothes. Now, they're married lawfully and have made a plan to go to the temple in a few months!! It has been so wonderful! 

   

Cesaire's house

  The fruit of the Baobab. Opened up with an axe, it tastes like sawdust mixed with Sour Patch Kids.

Running

Because my time on my mission is running up. We made a goal to run from lesson to lesson if they are nearby each other. It's actually way fun! Because of the terrain of Madagascar (even in the city), it feels like we're in this mini-Assassin's Creed universe, or we're performing lame, 3 inch high hops from rock to rock.

Malagasy Morsel of the Week - Church Vocab

Bishopric - Episikopa

Relief Society - Fikambanana Ifanampiana

Young Single Adults - Tanora Toka-tena

Young Men - Zatovolahy

• Priest - Mpisorona
• Teacher - Mpampianatra
• Deacon - Diakona

Young Women - Zatovovavy

• Laurels - Rafitsara
• Miamaids - Farimbona
• Beehives - Ton-tantely

Primary - Kilonga

Love you all!

Elder Soper