Dec. 31, 2012 - The big man now!

So my time in Ampitatafika is now over. After one month with McLaughlin and four months with Austin I have been called to a new area. It is called Antsirabe, which means the land of a lot of salt. But in reality it is the land of everything! They have almost all kinds of fruit, they have the main factory where they make the soda in the country, and they have a huge dairy farm down here! It is also the coldest place in Madagascar. Right now it is perfect because it is still in the summer part of the year here.

Electrified! He "grew his hair out" so he could show us on our Christmas Day Skype.

Brad and Elder Austin having fun at a ward activity.

Merry Christmas, Dad. Golf tribute.

Brad, Elder Austin, Brother O'Day and President Georges and family

Christmas hat chess

My new  companion is Elder Beau Chandler Waters and he is from Winter Haven, Florida. And is also the tallest missionary in the mission right now at 6'6". And yes, we are both the zone leaders for the five areas here in Antsirabe - itself and then one area in Ambositra, the two areas in Fianarantsoa and the one area in Toliara. Elder Waters has been here for only a month so we both are learning the area, how the zone leader thing works and everything else down here. haha! 

We are living with two other elders, Elder Randriamamonjisoa (he's Malagasy if you couldn't tell) and then Elder Kumar. He is Fijian but I think he is very closely related to India because he speaks Hindu, along with the Fijian, English and now Malagasy. And Randriamamonjisoa also speaks really good English. So we have a fun house. 

The church here in Antsirabe is a little... it needs some work. It turns out that the district president doesn't work well with the branch presidents and the branch president doesn't work well with the members and the members don't work well with the district president. All in all, it's the gossip and being easily offended that is tearing the people apart. So hopefully we can work with President Adams and get this long time problem to go away in a short amount of time. But on a good note, some of the members are way super cool!! I can't wait to try to get to know everyone before I go. 

I only have a little time left. I just want to let you guys know that the 27th of Feb. is not set in stone. And don't be too sad if I come home a little later. I'm happy to come home early too but I'm also kind of scared. So I'll work really hard for you guys and make sure that I don't have any regrets. I'm glad that Pres Adams gave me this opportunity for the last bit f my mission. I love this new area and can't wait to make some positive changes here. I'll try to get some pictures up next week of the area, the new comp etc. 

I love you guys and hope you have an awesome New Year's!!! Talk to ya next year!

Love,

Elder "Zone leader big man" Walker (I'm still working on the title)