Elder Ryan Stringfellow Madagascar Antananarivo Mission: August 2014

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Correction to Elder Stringfellow's Email Address...

Elder Stringfellow's correct email address is: ryan.stringfellow@myldsmail.net
please make sure you USE THIS ADDRESS instead of what was on here previously.

Day 9, August 28th, 2014

Fianakaviako!

Hi awesome family! To start off I just want to say that I got all your letters and your packages and they meant the world to me! The MTC is my favorite place on Earth! From the beginning I never had the feeling of sadness or discouragement it was all happiness. My district has 12 elders! That's crazy huh! The district before us had 13 so there must be something going on in Madagascar. Our Zone is awesome! The missions include Madagascar, Indonesia, Armenia, Latvia, and the country Georgia.

You said you wanted to know more about my companion Elder Glazier. Let me just say he has been the biggest blessing in my life while being here in the MTC. He's from American Fork and He's a Rock Star! He and I are picking up the language pretty well and we are getting along so well. Last Friday we gave our first lesson to an investigator in Malagasy, talk about scary! His name is Rakoto Jean and we have already taught him 6 lessons. After the fourth lesson we found out that he was one of our teachers and his name is brother Bingham. I love him!

However in our last lesson we had challenged him to read 3 Nephi 11 and I asked him in Malagasy what he had learned. He said he learned about Jesus Christ and that we all need to follow what he says and does. I then told him that Jesus said to be baptized and I asked him to be baptized and he said yes! Of course I'm not going to baptize my investigator/teacher but the fact that he said yes was awesome. Our other teacher is Brother Sell and I love him too! Soon we'll start teaching him and I can't wait. I feel like I made the food sound kinda bad in my letter to home....it's actually not that bad. They just pound us with food and I feel like I never go hungry which is good. Our district is awesome! I have never laughed so hard in my life and I love them all. Elder Godfrey played baseball at Mountain Crest and Elder Glazier and I get along really well with him and his companion Elder Price. I hope this isn't too much to ask but I was wondering if you could send me my mizuno glove so during gym time me and Elder Godfrey could throw. I love this place so much and I'm learning a lot. If it's okay I want to share my testimony in Malagasy!

Fantatra fa marina ny bokin'i mormona. Marina fanahy masina. Fantatra fa mpaminany velona marina i Thomas S. Monson. Marina ny filazantsara. Amin'y anaran'y Jesos Kristy, Amena.

I know it's short but that's pretty much all I know how to do right now and I can pray. However, the gift of tongues is so real and I'm begging to understand a lot of Malagasy. If it weren't for Elder Glazier I don't know where I'd be. What I said above was:

I know the Book of Mormon is true. The Holy Ghost is True. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a living true prophet. The gospel is true. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

It's really short but I know that it can mean a lot to the people I teach. I'm running out of time and I got to go finish my laundry but I want to tell you that I miss you all so much! I am so happy that I'm a missionary for the fiangonan'i Jesoa Kristy ho an' ny olomasin'ny andro farany! Don't worry about me! This is the best thing I've ever done and I never want to stop being a missionary! I love you all so much and God be with you till we meet again! Veloma

Love Elder Stringfellow

P.S. Congrats on the big win Friday! Keep working hard Sam and Dad and go get another title! Oh, and thanks Syd and Mom for sending me those letters!

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Day 4, August 23rd, 2014

We finally received a letter from Elder Stringfellow and it was hand written (see below). It was dated on August 20th and we received today, August 23rd via "Snail Mail".

MANAHOANA

Dear Mom and Dad,

This place is really awesome! I met a lot of my friends today like Elder Woolley, of course, Elder Lloyd, and Elder Eyring. They are all doing great! The language is going to be really tough but I know I can get through it. My companion is Elder Glazier and he is awesome! We're going to make a great companionship. My P-Days are Thursdays, which doesn't include tomorrow (August 21) but expect to be hearing from me then. My district is awesome! They're all hard workers and we're going to get a lot of work done. The food here is okay, its not the best but I saw what you packed in my bag and I got all excited. It's going to be hard but I know I can do it. Love you all so much!

Love,

Elder Stringfellow

(PS - Elder Godfrey is in my district and he played baseball at Mountain Crest. Whenever we're having trouble trying to learn the language we always stop for a minute to talk about [base] ball. He's awesome and I really like him!)
Until Thursday...

Veloma!

Day 2, August 21st, 2014

We didn't hear anything from Elder Stringfellow today, but our friend, Bob Hayes received this picture from his son, Elder Jordan Hayes (Samoa Mission), and he forwarded it onto us. We are still earnestly waiting for an email...