It's been another pretty good
week here in Ambohimanarina! The
work is going great and our investigators are still progressing! Norbert and
his family are doing great and we teach them every Saturday and Sunday night.
It's getting to the point where we don't really teach the family anymore
because every time we go to their place they have someone new over that wants to
hear about the gospel. We kind of start off the lesson and then Norbert and his
family go off about how great the gospel is. We don't teach the lessons anymore
they do!!!!! It's just another sign that they are so ready for baptism because
they already know the gospel front and back! Oh yeah, on Sunday Norbert wanted
me to bring a picture of the family so I did......You should've seen his
face!!! He was real interested in dad for some reason! Don't know why but it
was a super cool experience to share my family with his family!
I
also went on another split this week! This week I went with Elder Peters who is
from Tahiti! Luckily he speaks very good English so I didn't have to worry
about the language barrier! It was kind of a different split for me because
this time I wasn't leaving to another area, I WAS LEADING THE SPLIT IN OUR
AREA! I'm not going to lie but I was super nervous mainly with trying to
remember where our investigators lived. In Madagascar you can't just drive down
a street and then the house is just off the side......you literally have to
hike to the houses and there's a million different trails. Luckily, we found
all the houses! However, not everyone was home. By the way that's the one thing
I hate most, GETTING DOGGED BY PEOPLE!!! It all turned out for the best though!
We contacted out in some of the poorest houses I've been to and out in rice
patties and ended the day with 5 lessons! It was such a great experience to
work with Elder Peters and to meet a lot of new people. The split was for sure
a huge success.
Our
branch is still doing really well. Our attendance is usually between 140 and
150! We usually have between 15-20 investigators at church which doesn't
usually happen, but it's because Norbert honestly brings like 12 people with
him to church every week and then we get to go teach them at his home! The new
church still isn't finished....We really need it to be done because our church
right now just can't hold our branch! It should be getting done soon we just
don't know when.
Hopefully
we have some baptisms here soon! We are just waiting on Tsimangiki and Sava's
marriage papers to come through as well as Yanta and Flavian's papers. Norbert
and his family will get baptized as soon as the new church opens up! Well, that's about it for the week! I got some pretty good pics this week and I'll make sure to send them home! If Syd needs anything more for her report I got a lot more time here in the Cyber so fire away on the questions! "Elder Stringbean" loves you all! Until next week!
Elder
Stringfellow
Pictures of the Week
 |
| Playing UNO with some members |
 |
| Member's cute little girl |
 |
| Playing UNO with some members |
 |
| Got my books bound with the Mada flag, Super Dope! |
 |
| Elder Hein found a
Dallas Cowboy's Sweatshirt at our Elder's Quorum President's House! His own hometown baby! |
 |
| Selfie with more kids |
 |
| Pic with some kids |
I know it's early back at home but I'M ON!!!!
On Mon, Nov 3, 2014 Clark Stringfellow
wrote:
Hi Ryan - I am on too
On Nov 3, 2014,
Ryan Stringfellow wrote:
Hey dad! I just sent my weekly letter so you should be getting it here pretty soon!
On Mon, Nov 3, 2014 Clark Stringfellow wrote:Hey dad! I just sent my weekly letter so you should be getting it here pretty soon!
Yes, I just read it. Are you still eating and drinking okay? How is PDay what do you usually do? Do you have any zone conferences coming up and how is Elder Hein? What's the weather like? Do you ever hear from your mission president? Sorry for all the ?'s just curious.
On Nov 3, 2014
Ryan Stringfellow wrote:Yeah my health is still really good! P-Days are awesome! We
usually go play soccer against members and it's a legit game! Like, we have a
ref and we have to pay him after and we play two 45 min half's but it's a ton
of fun! The weather is pretty hot most of the time! Probably high 80s to low
90s. I haven't experienced much rain yet but when it rains it pours!!! I see
president all the time! Every time we go to the office I see him but this week
he was in Reunion...so I didn't see him this week!
On Mon, Nov 3, 2014 Clark Stringfellow wrote:Ok love reading your stuff, Mom had to jump in the shower and I gotta get to work here soon, seasons are changing here and it's about to get colder. Everyone here is doing great, we love and appreciate all that you are doing cause we definitely feel and realize the blessings of your service.
Also, are you getting along still with Elder Hein, how is the Sunburn if it is hot, do you need some sunscreen? Are you still eating ok? Don't turn into a soccer guy, it's okay to play, but baseball is still your first love right? Lol ha-ha!
Gotta go, until next week! Where by the way do you access the Internet?
On Mon, Nov 3, 2014 Ryan Stringfellow wrote:
Elder Hein and I are getting along great! We work really
well together and haven't had any problems! I've only got sunburned twice and
it was on P-Day's! When you wear a white shirt you don't get sunburned because
your shirt just reflects the sun! I have sunscreen right now and I'll make sure
to wear it on P-Day's! No I'm not a soccer guy yet! ha-ha.
Wendi & Sydnee / Ryan Email Conversation
On Mon, Nov 3, 2014 Wendi Stringfellow wrote:
Are you still on kid?
From: Ryan Stringfellow Yeah I'm still on for a minute or two!
Hey Ryan! This is Sydnee. I am going to be on for a few minutes.
Okay cool! I'll see if I can answer some questions for your report! What do you want to know?
On Mon, Nov 3, 2014, Wendi Stringfellow wrote:
all right I will.
From: Ryan Stringfellow
Also, Google "Animals in Madagascar" and you'll find a ton. If you want to see the big spiders I see Google "banana spiders." Also, we don't play kids when we play soccer, we play all the grown-ups in the ward and they're dang good!
Also, Google "Animals in Madagascar" and you'll find a ton. If you want to see the big spiders I see Google "banana spiders." Also, we don't play kids when we play soccer, we play all the grown-ups in the ward and they're dang good!
1. Food- the main food in this country is rice! There are rice patties everywhere and we walk through them all the time! I have rice everyday with something called laoka! Laoka is just what you put on the top of your rice! It varies between a lot of things like meats, beans, and vegetables. My favorite laoka I've had so far is either between chicken and peas or chicken and potato's! All in all, the rice and laoka is the main dish everyone eats here. There are also a lot of fruit! I had the best mango of my life last night and letchi season is almost upon us. Also, the bananas here are pretty good too!
2. Government- the government right now is in pretty poor condition. There's just a lack of leadership and the economy is in a downfall! We as missionaries are very rich compared to the people here. I don't know who the president is but if you Google him you should find him. By the way, his name will be very long.
3. Education- You'd be surprised by how many people go to school. Of course all the really poor families can't afford it but there are a lot of schools here! They all were uniforms and they're usually a blue uniform. They also have some colleges here in Mada!
4. Tourism- I haven't really seen tourist here on the main Island! Most everyone goes to Reunion or Mauritius. These are the two islands just off the coast of Madagascar. This might help you! There was one season on the Amazing race were the came to Madagascar! Go to YouTube and search it and I bet it will help you! I know they went to Analakely and I was just there today!
5. Money- people here are extremely poor. A lot of people are farmers and they make very little money. Lots of people have little stores just off the side of the road were we buy most of our snacks. There are a lot of people who own cybers. That's where I think most of the money is! A cyber is just a building with a ton of computers and people pay to use them. That's where we go to email.
6. Connection- Madagascar is pretty connected to France! All the other white people here besides the missionaries are French people. They teach French in a lot of the schools here also. However, Malagasies hate the French! I don't know why they just do! Also I have no idea how connected they are to the main continent, sorry!P.S. Let me know when your report is due!
On Mon, Nov 3, 2014 Wendi Stringfellow wrote:
Love those pictures!! You look very happy and a little sunburned. Did you win the UNO game? Glad Elder Hein found a memento from home...the poor Cowboys lost Romo to an injury. LOVE YOU BUD!! School is calling our names....Is there ANYTHING you need? From: Ryan StringfellowI only get sunburned on PDay and that was right after we played soccer so I'll make sure to wear it on PDay! You don't get burned when you're wearing a white shirt because it just reflects the sun! I know it's weird but it works! I'm all good right now I'll see how much I can help y'all with Syd's report! Love you too!
On Mon, Nov 3, 2014, Wendi Stringfellow wrote:
Alright! You completely made Sydnee's day! Thanks for having a chat with her! She thinks the world of you and the time you two spent together was just what she needed!! I am so proud of you!! Like I said in my weekly email you are leaving me at the end of another great chapter!! I can't wait to see how the story unfolds this week!! I love you with all of my heart I hope you know that! Have a wonderful week and keep the work going strong!! I LOVE YOU!!
-Mom
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