'Cause I'm leaving on a jetplane, don't know when I'll be back again.

If thats not a catchy title then I don't know what is. Aza Manahy (Don't worry) I'm not coming home on a jetplane right now, but I am simply being transferred via jetplane.

I am being transferred to...... PARADISE!! Cue music, "Almost Paradise, I'm knocking at Heaven's door, almost Paradise....." For those that would like to know the name of Paradise it is Fort Dauphin, or Tolognaro for those that would like the official malagasy name.

So I will be leaving on Tuesday to go up to Tana, and then on Wednesday I will have a nice flight to Fort D, the reason we fly is because to go by taxi brusse it takes 5 days and is through a really sketchy area of Madagascar with armed robbers. 

If you get the chance, please google Fort Dauphin and just bask in the glorious paradise that awaits me. But its not only paradise as far as the location, but also the work. From what I understand and all the other missionaries understand is that it is the best place to do work, people are so ready to accept the gospel. Elder Fox recently said on his blog that they had to go contacting for the first time and they went 3 for 3. All three people they talked to accepted to learn, so contacting was done after those three people. Hahaha thats what I have looking forward to.

As far as companions go. I will be working with Elder Randriamamonjisoa (i think that is the correct spelling, Ill correct it next week if its not.) He is coming from Tamatave to work with me, and therefore we are whitewashing!! This is number two of the whitewashes I have done. But thats ok. 

As far as weather goes. Recently here in Antsirabe it has started to get a little chilly. We are moving into winter, and so recently it has felt like a nice October Breeze. Antsirabe is the coldest place in the mission, and so I will now be leaving to a nice warm tropical beach. Don't worry, Im bringing the sunscreen and I am intending on using it. We live right next to the beach, and running in the sand on the beach is a popular missionary activity. I will also be having some incredible P-day adventures coming up. Lots of hikes and great activities. 

So I am sad to be leaving my beloved Mahazoarivo, but I am happy to be going to Paradise. I have already had several missionaries, about 5, already tell me how much they hate me for going there, and I still havent been there yet. It really is the goldmine of the Madagascar Mission. 

There are a lot of Antandroy people in Fort D, and so I will get to learn some Atandroy which is a dialect of Malagasy. Im not sure if I have explained this before, but in Magadasgcar there are many different tribes and therefore dialects as well. Some of them are really similar, but some of them, are really almost different languages. I will teach you some more malagasy in the future weeks as I learn a different dialect. Maybe when you guys hear the two languages they will sound the same, but to us, we understand the one, but not the other. Antandroy is pretty different. I had some members in Ivandry that were Antandroy, and when they spoke to each other, I swear it was like Swahilli to me. But we shall see. 

Saying that this is the most that I have ever said about transfers, that might show you how special this transfer is. 

The church in Fort D is currently two branches. I will be working in one, supposedly the one not doing too hot right now. Before there was one companionship working both branches and they were more focused on the one, and then 6 weeks ago they split the area and added two more missionaries, and so now the other branch that wasnt so focused on before is the whole focus of the two missionaries. And that is my new area. We will whip it into shape. They did just have 9 baptisms on Saturday, and so we will be working to rebuild the program.

Mahazoarivo is doing wonderfully well, and I love this area so much, and especially the members. I will miss them very dearly and hope that one day I will be able to visit them again. We had 26 investigators at church again, and it was a blessing to me. 

But that is probably all for this week. I will write again next week, from Paradise. 

With Love,

Happy Easter, 

Happy almost Mothers day,

Happy I am actually about half done with my mission,

Elder Weber