Final Email ... The Best Two Years

Hey Everyone!

We'll, I never thought that this time would come....Only one more week on the mission and this is the last letter that I'll be sending home. Ahhhhhh, where has the time gone? It literally feels like I've only been in Madagascar for a short little while and now I'm being told that it's time to go home.

I always knew that his day would eventually come but I never thought that it would be this quick. I love Madagascar with all of my heart and I'm so thankful for the opportunity that I have had to serve here the last two years.

I think it's safe to say that the biggest blessing that I've recognized on my mission is the ability to change. I've seen it in myself and in those that I teach and it truly is a great blessing from a loving Heavenly Father. People always say that a mission is the "best two years" and it certainly is to certain degrees. You experience a lot of good moments on your mission and you learn how to become a better person which is awesome. However, I think that it's safe for me to say that it's not necessarily considered the "best two years" because your experience nothing but good moments on the mission. It's not really like that at all.

Along with all the good you still experience a lot of opposition and discouragement which isn't always fun. Some of the hardest moments of my life were experienced out here in the mission field and sometimes I felt inadequate or incapable of completing this sacred calling. It's taken me a while to learn, however, that the hard times can be considered as special blessings. Through hardships that have happened, I have seen and experienced a greater relationship with my Heavenly Father and I truly have seen changes in my life. It's an amazing process and it's something that I have learned from being a missionary. I've realized that my mission was the best two years for me and that's why the mission is considered the "best two years." As you help to others and forget yourself you really can see changes in your life and it's absolutely incredible. I have loved being a missionary and I love this work.

Well, that's all I really got today. I love y'all so much and I'll be seeing some of you soon!

Elder Stringfellow

Bittersweet...

Salama Daholo e!

Lasa tapaka be mihitsy ny jiroanay tamin'ny Sabotsy teo ary za sy Elder Francom no nila nikarakara an'azy.....Somary nanahirana anay kely izany fa mbola nahafinaritra be mihitsy ny herinandro lasa fa nanana ny fahafahana indray izahay nivavaka tany Andranomanelatra.

Okay, to start things off, our power box the other day decided to freak out and melt down to a point where it was no long functioning which meant that we didn't have power for a day or so. Elder Francom and I had a blast dealing with that all day Saturday as we sat with the electrician for a few hours. Anyways, that's my little rant this week. Now to the good stuff.

Bittersweet week. This last Sunday was the last time I will ever attend church in Andranomanelatra with my favorite branch ever. It was hard to say good bye to everyone out there that I love so much but I knew that that time would come. I was able to bear a final testimony to the Branch which was very spiritual and very overwhelming. I'm going to have one last dinner appointment with the Branch President and his family tomorrow night and I already know that it's going to be hard to say good by to them. I love that branch so much, and, If I could, I would attend church there for the rest of my life.

Bruno and his family are still doing really well. Still trying to figure out everything but they'll get it all figured out someday. They have so much faith that I know it'll all come around for them.

Well, that's all I got this week. Love you all so much and I hope everyone has a great week.

Love, Elder Stringfellow

P.S. Shout out to the other Elder Stringfellow for starting his mission this week. Have fun in the MTC Elder!

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

Andranomanelatra Branch

Filter Broke on the Water for the Font...yuck!

The Crater Lake

Elders Godfrey, Francom, and Stringfellow

The Promised Land(s)...

Manahoana Daholo e!

Tena mahafinaritra be mihitsy the herinandro lasa. Novangiako ireo namako izay misy any Andranomanelatra sy Sarodroa ary tena naha-faly an' ahy izany ny namangy azy ireo.

Hey everyone! First and formost, shout out to my little bro for giving his farewell talk yesterday and for getting ready to head out to the mission field this Wednesday. Houston's lucky to be getting him and I can't wait to hear all of his awesome mission stories. He's going to be an awesome missionary and I couldn't be more proud of him.

Elder Sam Stringfellow's Blog - http://eldersamstringfellow.blogspot.com

Okay, now for all the amazing things that happened to Elder Francom and I this week. First of, I was able to work again in Andranomanelatra! Ya'll remember the place were the members go to church in a tent? Well, that's the place and it was amazing to visit everyone who I become so close to a year ago. I think it's safe to say that Andranomanelatra is my most favorite area that I've worked and it was such a blessing to go visit them again.

Second, I got to work in Sarodroa again. Ya'll remember the other branch we looked after while working in Andranomanelatra. Well, that's the place and it was amazing to visit them also. We we're able to work there on Thursday and then we attended church out there yesterday. Elder Francom and I had the opportunity to teach the investigator class which is a whole lot of fun. All in all, it was a great way to spend the Sabbath Day.

Oh, I almost forgot. On top of working in Andranomanelatra, Sarodroa, and our area of Ambohimena here in Antsirabe, we were also able to continue our work in Manandona which was capped off by an amazing soiree (dinner appointment) with the Branch President and his Family.

They're awesome and they want to have another Soiree on the 29th right before I head up to Tana to head home. Ahh, I love working out there and I love President Ony.

Bruno is still doing good and he and his wife want to be baptized so bad. Bruno promised me last night that he's going to get everything figured out so that he and his wife can get baptized hopefully before Elder Francom leaves latter this year. They have the cutest family ever and it was amazing to see them all attend church yesterday. He's an amazing man and father and I can't wait to see him get baptized. He's already let me know that on the 28th we must stop by his house to "manao veloma," or say goodbye, and have one last time before I leave.

I absolutely love him and his family.

Well, that's all I got this week. Things are starting to get real pretty quick and I'm trying to use the best of my time that I got left. I'm going to finish strong till the end. Anyways, that's all I got this week. Love ya'll and I hope everyone has a great week!

Love, Elder Stringfellow

Pics.

1. Fixing a key for the sisters...(that's a story for another day) 2. Working with Bruno again out in Andranomanelatra

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

PUMPED OUT OF MY MIND...

Dia ahoana isika jiaby e!

Tena lamina mihitsy ny herinandro lasa...tsy dia misy lohatra ambara angamba.

Hey everyone! How is everything going back at home? Crazy to think that today's already the 4th of July and that I'll be home for the next one haha. Crazy how fast time goes by and I really hope it starts to slow down. Anyways, I hope everyone had a great Independence Day and that ya'll enjoyed the fireworks!

Elder Francom and I had a pretty normal week. On Tuesday and Friday we were out in Manandona working with Filoha Ony and then for the rest of the week we were here in Ambohimena. Work is going pretty well right now but Elder Francom and I have been conjuring up to plan make it go even better. As most of ya'll know, Elder Francom and I have the responsibility to visit 5 branches outside of the town Antsirabe: Sarodroa, Andranomanelatra, Manandona, Ambositra, and Anjoma. We already visit one twice a week (Manandona) but this week we're going to try and hit three. Yep, we'll be traveling a little bit this week but we're going to hit up Manandona, Andranomanelatra, and Sarodroa all this week. Talked about PUMPED OUT OF MY MIND! I get to go back and work in my old area of Andranomanelatra/Sarodroa this week and I can't wait. Should have some good stuff to talk about next week.

Well, that's all I got for this week. Keep praying for Bruno and his family that they may get everything figured. They're still coming to church every week but they can't get baptized yet if they're not vita divorce or vita soratra. I'm not worried about them but I know that they really want to get baptized. Anyways, that's it for the week. Love ya'll so much and I hope everyone has a great week.

Love, Elder Stringfellow

P.S. Elder Francom and I went down to Ambositra today and bought some way cool wood stuff and this was a waterfall that we stopped at on the way out. Oh, and don't forget some pics of members!

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK