September 4, 2014

Manahoana ny Fianakaviako!

Elder Redding (SS) and Elder Stringfellow (1B) #RollTribe State Champions

Hi awesome family! It's so nice to be able to email you today! Thank you so much for sending me my glove it means the world to me! I also got Syd's letters today and they were so thoughtful. There's not really that much to talk about this week.....we do the SAME THING EVERYDAY! Haha, I like it though! I got an email from Elder Gulbransen today and he said he was struggling but he was still in Texas. I made the note to remind him that this work wasn't supposed to be easy. I also told him that we're not on our time anymore we're on the Lord's time and that this mission isn't ours it's his. I've been praying for him and his family every night and I know that the lord will provide. 

Elder Godfrey (Mtn. Crest HS) & Elder Stringfellow (Bountiful HS)

 The biggest thing that's been helping me is remembering a talk that President Uchtdorf gave. He said in the talk that there are no true endings but only everlasting beginnings. I know this to be true and that my new and everlasting beginning is my mission. I am so thankful to be apart of this church and it means the world to me. I also wrote the family a letter today because I had some things I wanted dad to say to the football team. I had to write it because I only have 60 min to email and I just wanted to say something to them. I heard we beat Viewmont and that Sam scored on a waggle in the JV game! That's awesome, keep up the good work bud! It's crazy to think that just one year ago I was on the high school football team and now I'm on the Lord's team. 

 
This gospel is so true and I have had so many amazing experiences here to prove it. I'm going to make a superstition for the rest of my time here in the MTC and that is bearing my testimony every week to you all in Malagasy. Hopefully they get better and more exact but here it goes:

 

Fantatra fa marina ny filanzantsara. Marina ny bokin'i mormona. Fantatra fa raha mamaky ny bokin'i mormona isika dia hitay antsika Atra. Fantatra fa mpaminany velona marina i Thomas S. Monson. Fantatra fa manaraka ny didy folo isika dia hitay antsika Atra. Tia antsika Atra. Tia antsika i Jesoa Kristy. Tia anareo aho ary tia ny Filazantsara aho. Amin'ny anaran'ny Jesoa Kristy, Amena. 

Elder Price, Elder Godfrey, Elder Glazier, Elder Stringfellow

Translation: I know the gospel is true. The Book of Mormon is true. I know that if we read the Book of Mormon God will bless us. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a living true prophet. I know that if we follow the ten commandments God will bless us. God loves us. Jesus Christ loves us. I love you all and the gospel. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.  

Elder Stringfellow & Elder Eyring (MP5 Wardies)

I'm getting better! I mentioned in my letter to home that the language is hard but it's coming. Yesterday we finished the structure of the language and now it's just memorizing. Isn't that Crazy. This language is structured so much better than English and I'm so thankful for that. My times almost up and I still want to upload pictures but I can only do that in the Laundry Room so I'm going to make it short and sweet. I love you all so much and I am so glad that you have supported me in serving a mission. I'm almost halfway done with the MTC and I can't wait to get to Madagascar to serve the Malagasy people. Love you so much and God be with you till we meet again. 

Love, 

Elder Stringfellow

Elder Stringfellow at Provo Temple

P.S. Elder Glazier and I are now teaching our two teachers as if they were investigators and it's awesome! We have given almost 10 lessons in Malagasy and I can now give the whole first lesson roughly in Malagasy. Tonight we are teaching the first lesson to a member who speaks Malagasy and I can't wait. We had Rakoto Jean (Brother Bingham) committed to baptism but  he made up the story that he's had problems with ny tenin'ny fahandrena (the word of wisdom). Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers even though he's my teacher and he's just making it up to help us. Love you all.