Elder Ryan Stringfellow Madagascar Antananarivo Mission: Finally got to watch Conference...Its a Small World!

Here are some tidbits from Wendi's email conversation with Ryan this morning:

Wendi:
Oh yes! Glad the shoes and coat are working out well! I just remember trying to decide if we keep the liner in or leave it home. Do we trade in the coat? Yikes! Did you see yourself on TV? Do you need anything? Any small tidbits about Madagascar that you could send to Sydnee for her report?

Elder Stringfellow:
Few tidbits!

It smells and it's very dirty
It's the 10th poorest country in the world
Malagasies are the smallest people I've ever seen
Research taxi bey, those are the buses we take if you can't find it I'll send a pic home of one, Imagine 40 people in a van
Rice and Loaka, we eat that everyday
Government is in bad condition
Shop Rite is the only grocery store
Yourt Aboire, Some weird yogurt popsicle thing! Super Good though!
No traffic laws! Fast and Furious
Super Choco's, Malagasy Oreos

Start of Ryan's Letter

Hey Everybody!
Crazy, Crazy week here in Tana! Everything is going great and I think the sickness has finally left our house! I never got it but those who did are back out to work! The house I live in I believe is the best house in the mission! The elders who live there are the chillest five dudes and we are already planning on meeting up after the mission! Haha, I love them so much!

This week I went on two splits. The first one was a mini split on Tuesday because Elder Hein had a MLC meeting at the office. I went out with Elder Johnson! He was in the group before mine and I found out that he lives in Jim and Carry's ward! Talk about small world! The second split was a full day split on Friday with Elder Rasafamandimby who is a Malagasy and Speaks no English! It was hard at first but I could talk with him and understand him (sort of) which made me feel so much better about the language! That night we meet with a member family who knows Elder Kovacs and when I told them I knew him they sort of freaked out and wanted to make sure that he knew I meet them! I can't remember there names but they were one of the coolest families I've meet so far!

Nothing but great news about our investigators. Tsimangiki and Sava are next up to be baptized they're just having trouble with their marriage papers but once the government fixes the problem they'll be at the church ready to be baptized. NORBERT!!!! He's honestly the golden investigator! He brings his whole family to church every week along with all of his friends! He's the main reason why we have so many investigators at church! It just goes to show that you don't have to be a member to perform missionary work but here in a few short weeks he and his family will become members! Gina is also doing very well and she'll be getting baptized here soon!

WE FINALLY GOT TO WATCH CONFERENCE!!!! It was so awesome to here from the prophet and all the other General Authorities! My favorite talk was probably Elder Holland's! I love his quote "Aren't we all beggars?" The fact that we need to minister and help the poor really hit me hard being here in Madagascar! I have been in homes that are about the size of the pantry upstairs! PEOPLE HERE ARE POOR!!! It really opens your eyes to how much you really have! People here can live off of nothing and back at home I couldn't live without the smallest things like a cell phone or maybe even shoes! Elder Holland hit it right on the Head, "Aren't we all beggars?" I also loved President Eyring's talk and Elder Bednar's talk!

That's about it for the week! One last thing is make sure you save all the pictures I have sent home! We we're taking a pic in the rain outside our house and we had some Malagasy members take the pictures. Well....they accidently deleted all my pics I have so far! Luckily I've sent them all home so make sure you save them! Other than that everything is going great! Love you all so much and I can't wait to tell you about the work this week!

Love,
Elder Stringfellow

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