Public Relations

This is Elder and Sister Harms, the Public Relations Specialists (missionaries) for this region that includes Madagascar. They are based in Cape Town, So. Africa and come from Mesa, Arizona. They are shown here with a young eye patient at the eye clinic in Antananarivo. The Harms' are wonderful people, as you can tell, and were with us for several days, helping us understand more about the public relations program of the Church. We had a great time with them while they were in town.

With Elder and Sister Harms, we met with the National Water Minister to discuss our Humanitarian work in the country, especially our work with clean water projects. This is our second meeting with him. He is a very warm and friendly guy and seemed very pleased with what the Church is doing for his country. Brother Lala, on the far left, is our Church Country Public Relations Director.

Merry Christmas

At the staff Christmas party, We are well entertained by our three Mission drivers, Roger, Jean(John), Marcellin and Elder Bennett, a native Tahitian and newly arrived senior missionary. These people really know how to party.

President and Sister Donnelly, with Elders Mahina and Gorringe who are now departing for home at the conclusion of their missions. The Donnellys are from South Africa and arrived here in July. Elder Gorringe is the step-grandson of my cousin, Jay Harmer. Elder Mahina will be on the gridiron for BYU next year.

Elder and Sister Bennett, our new senior couple missionaries. They arrived here in October and are living in Antsirabe, a nice town about three hours drive south of Tana. They are warm, wonderful Tahitians.

Njara

Njara is one unique and great young lady. She is one of our interpreters, guides and works as a water project site monitor and our sanitation and hygiene trainer. She is proudly showing us her new (used) Honda motor bike.

President and Sister Gaya

Today, President and Sister Gaya departed for their home in New Calidonia via France after three years of faithful service. We were sad to see them go, but were also happy for them. They have really worked hard and deserve a vacation and some rest.

Meeting With The Minister

We met with the National Minister of Water (left) to discuss The Church's role in developing clean water systems in rural Madagascar. We were warmly received and they were extremely interested in our work and very appreciative. We were invited to their future meetings with the other entities doing water development in the Country. The picture in the background is the new President.

A Visit From The Robinsons

Elder and Sister Robinson came in April to visit us from Cheyenne, Wyoming. They are short term water specialists and travel all over the world helping novices like us with clean water projects. We are visiting the Ambohimanga Rova (Queen's Palace). Shown with us is our guide Emma. She speaks very good English and is a wonderful guide.
Elder Robinson is standing by one of the beautiful poinsettia trees in the gardens of the Rova. They are called Madagascar trees here because if you fold the leaf in half lengthwise, you get a map of Madagascar.
Sister Robinson and Sister Bird by a beautiful lavendar flower bush. Does anyone know the name of the flower?
Sister Robinson and Sister Bird found a friend in the country near Itoasy. She agreed to pose for this picture for a piece of candy. With the colorful dress, we were happy to give in.

Toamasina Visit

Sisters Robinson, Peterson and Bird dipping their toes in the Indian Ocean on the beach at Toamasina.

Toamasina is the largest seaport in Madagascar and is located on the East Central coast.


A soccer tournament was held as part of an open house celebration for the branches in Toamasina. The missionaries tried to stay with the much faster and better conditioned locals in the black and yellow. They held their own for a long time, but in the end, the Malagasy's prevailed. The missionaries should stick to tracting. The Mission President, President Gaya is on the back row (ball cap). He is an ex professional soccer player from New Caledonia. He did his best to coach the missionaries to victory, but it was just not to be.

Our Interpreter

Tantely is our good friend and interpreter at church. He is a returned missionary from the So. African mission and speaks very good English. He is also one of Madagascar's most eligible bachelors. We are trying to help him find a girl friend.

A Visit To Gaby's Ranch

Susan is showing Gaby how to remove weeds from a rice field. The locals are taking note.
This is Gaby's almost completed ranch house. It will be quite nice when finished.
These two happy little boys took quite a liking to us. Note the the candy in their hands. They followed us all around the village after this picture and even helped Sister Bird remove the numerous burs on her dress from the weeds. They were rewarded with gum. This is probably more sweets in one day than they get in a month.


Gaby and his prized cow.

New Chapel Tour

Elder's Bird and Peterson don their loaner hard hats for a tour of the new chapel being built in Antananarivo.

Sisters Peterson, Bird and Gaya like their new hats and also like to ham it up.

The group is given a tour of the nice new chapel under construction. We think it could be easily converted into a Temple at some future date as it much nicer, by far, than anything we now have in the country.

The baptismal font is partially filled by the constant rains we have been receiving.

New Years Eve Party

Gaby and his wife Mamy with daughters Stacy and Jacy. Njara is in the background. These are the people we depend on as guides, interpreters and advisors. They came to our apartment on New Years eve for a little celebration.

Gaby's little ones.

Gaby is ready to go out into the rain. He is always up for posing for a snapshot.

Grand Prize Winners

Susan and Njara were presented with these chickens as a token of appreciation for the water project that had been placed in the village. They didn't know what to do with them, but accepted them graciously.

The AP's - Presidents Assistants

This is Elder Jack and Elder Hardy, the trusty mission AP's. They are in the office next to us and are in the appartment above us. They great young men. Elder Jack is from Royal, Wa. and Elder Hardy is from Portland Or. Elder Jack has a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania (Ivy League) to play football when he finishes his mission.

Elder And Sister Peterson

This is the Peterson's. They are the office couple. They arrived here about 2 months ahead of us and are the only other senior couple in the mission besides us. They took us in when we arrived and really helped us adapt. They are our neighbers, living on the third floor of our building. They have become best friends and we do alot together with them. They sold their home in San Diago, CA before coming and plan to locate around Salt Lake City when they return to be near their kids.

Our Mission President & Wife

This is President and Sister Gaya. They are French, but he was born in Spain. They have a home in New Calidonia, which is an island near New Zealand. They have lived there most of their lives. They are wonderful, caring people and we have grown very fond of them. They will complete their three year mission next July. We will be sad when they leave.

Our Guide & Interpreter Gaby

This is our trusted guide and interpreter Gaby. He has a small family with 2 daughters, is a farmer and very active in church, yet he finds time whenever we need him to voluntarily work with us. We have grown very fond of him.