Famadiana....The Turning of the Bones

Manahoana Daholo!

Crazy week! So much happened this week I don't know if I can put it all in this one email! It was just absolutely nuts!

To start off, on Monday Elder Becker and I were invited to a Famadiana! For those that don't know what that is, it's the Malagasy turning of the bones! Every few years or so, Malagasies will open up their fasanas (tombs) and replace the burial clothe on their Dead Ancestors! They throw a huge party and everyone just gets flat out drunk! Well, Elder Becker and I attended along with the other 10 missionaries in Antsirabe, haha! It was so much fun and I got some way cool pics and videos!

Wednesday, was a cool/sad day! To start off, Elder Obioma and I attended an MLC meeting,via Skype, with President Foote, The AP's, and all the other Zone Leaders in the Mission! We talked about how we could better improve the mission and it was really cool to be a part of! After the meeting I got a call from our Branch President with some very sad news...Sitraka's Mom had passed away on Tuesday night.

For those who don't know who Sitraka is, he is our Branch Mission Leader and he is with us everyday helping us work. He also just barely received his mission call and should be leaving here in a few months! My heart literally broke when I saw him the day after his mom passed away! His eyes were so swollen and puffed up and there had been no doubt that he had been crying! I told him that I loved him and that everything was going to be okay! It's going to be tough for Sitraka for the the next little while, but I know that he'll get through it! His mom was a very good member in the church and she is now doing a better work on the other side! On Friday we attended the Fahoriana (Funeral) which was done very well by our Branch. We had to walk forever to get to the fasana but Sitraka was happy and that's what matters in the end!

We ended our week with interviews yesterday! I had an awesome interview with President Foote and we got to talk about a lot of things! President Foote is such a cool President and I really like his style on how he does things! It was a great way to the end the week!  All the investigators are still doing great and are progressing well! Keep your fingers crossed for Voangy's Baptism on October 3!

Well, that's my weekly report! I sure do love all you guys and I hope that everyone has a great week!

Am-pitiavana, 
Elder Stringfellow

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

Selfie in the Tomb

Turning of the Bones Part 1

TOB Part 2

TOB Part 3

TOB Part 4

TOB Part 5

Standing on top of the tomb

Pulling the corpse out...(in the roll)

Inside the Tomb

Inside the Tomb

Missionary Super-Heroes

I don't know what to say....

Ballet...maybe

Fun with broomsticks

More fun with broomsticks

A mouthful of burger

Sitting at church

More standing on top of the tomb

Burgers on scones

Deep thoughts

Deeper thoughts

I guess they love it there

Muscles, sort of

Being Goofy

hum

uhm

different angles with broomsticks

Repeat

walking in the high desert

The scone burger...but we haven't figured out what is actually on it yet

Happy Boy

Working, Working, Working....

Hey Everyone!

I hope everyone had a good week and that everything is going well back at home! I heard that the Braves beat Syracuse and that they've started a little win streak! Keep it rolling' boys! This week was crazy/busy! A lot of stuff happened and I can't wait to tell you all about it!

First off, I have some bad news....One of our less-active members who we had been teaching passed away on Monday night...I got a call from our Branch President with the sad news about Jeremy and we attended his funeral on Wednesday. The ceremony was taken place right outside of his house and it was a very sad moment. The good part about it all was we had a lot of the members of the branch there to support his family. Jeremy is now in the spirit world and I know that he is continuing the lessons with the missionaries there.

Okay, now here's a funny story! On Thursday we went out to teach Voangy only to realize that she still has a problem with Coffee....Now her bap date is on Oct. 3 but that's a different story! While we were driving away from her house we realized we had a flat tire.....Not a big deal, I've already had to deal with these! All we were going to do was put on the spare and continue to work! Well, when we went to put on the spare we realized that it was flat too! Shocker, right? The rest of the day was spent waiting for the Manadona missionaries to come out and save us and getting the tires repaired! That's just the life of a missionary I guess, haha!

We had 9 investigators attend church this week between our two branches! 3 in Andranomanelatra and 6 in Sarodroa! The working is progressing! It's great to see all these people we teach start to come to church and hopefully they continue to come! Our next scheduled baptism should be on Oct. 3!

Well, that's about it for the week! It was busy and crazy all at the same time! That's just one thing you got to love about missionary work! I love this work so much and I love being a missionary! I love you all so much and I hope that everyone has a great week!

Love, Elder Stringfellow

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

Chillin' with the Members

Changing the Flat

Adding the spare

In the middle of nowhere

Sunset

More Pigs

heading to the cool tunnel

Walking along the straight and narrow path

Zone Leader & Pigs

Voatonga ny vaovaon'ny transfer ary za vao lasa ny ZONE LEADER!

Hey Everyone!

Well, transfer news came this week and Elder Becker and I are still together for one more transfer! Thank Goodness! I've had a lot of fun with him so far and I can't wait to continue to work with him! Along with that came some other news, I'M A ZONE LEADER! What?! Yep, Elder Obioma and I are now the Zone Leaders in Antsirabe! I'm replacing Elder Herrin who just left for Tana to become the new AP! Not going to lie but I'm way nervous! It took me completely by surprise when President Foote called and asked me to be the new Zone Leader and I hope and pray that I can fulfill this new assignment! Elder Obioma and I aren't in the same companionship but I can't wait to start working with him more and more to try and strengthen this Zone!

Anyways, that's the big news for the week!

Work was awesome this week! Elder Becker and I set some goals and we literally saw miracles from our efforts! We found a really cool family last week and we taught them about the Restoration on Saturday! Holy cow was the spirit felt! I taught about the first vision and then asked them to pray about whether or not Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus! They accepted the challenge and hopefully they did so! Prosper, the father of the home, was really interested in our message and we have a return appointment set up for next Saturday!

All the other investigators are doing well and Voangy said she wants to be baptized on the 19th of September! I know it's the week after our original goal but we believe she's ready whenever it is! We love teaching her and we can't wait to see her baptized! She had a really good time at church yesterday and she's progressing very well! I love her!

Crazy story of the week was the valala storm that happened on Tuesday!

Valala means Locust in Malagasy so you can probably imagine what that was like! There were literally billions and billions of 4 inch long Locust flying around Antsirabe! I got some crazy pics and videos that ya'll have to see! It was insane!

Well, that's my weekly report! A lot has changed in just a few days and hopefully I can fulfill my next assignment! I love you all so much and I hope everyone has a great week!

Love, Elder Stringfellow

P.S. Congrats to the football team for beating the Vikes!

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

PIGS

Holding a Pig

Locust Fest

More Locust

The Heaven's Opened Up

Malagasy Children

A Cool Tunnel

Heavenly Father is looking down on our Missionaries

A child

Ryan with Church Members

The Book of Mormon

More Kids

Hang Loose

Thumbs Up

Best Weekend Ever...

Manahoana Daholo!

We had another awesome week here down in Andranomanelatra! Work is going great and it looks like our number one investigator right now, Voangy, will be getting baptized on Sept. 12! Keep your fingers crossed! All the other investigators are doing great and we'll continue to keep them progressing!

This weekend was literally the best weekend of my mission so far! It started at 3:00 am on Saturday morning as Elder Becker and I went to pick up the Fianarantsoa Elders at the church! Needless to say I was a little excited to see Elder Godfrey again, haha! The reason why they came down was for the Zone Conference that happened latter that afternoon! Holy cow, best Zone Conference of my mission so far!

The Zone Conference was held with Elder Cook of the first quorum of the Seventy! It was flat out incredible! We talked about testimony and conversion and how they correspond with each other! It really made me think about my own conversion and how I have changed throughout the course of my mission! I have seen a lot of changes in my life personally but I know that there is a lot more room for improvement!  How I conduct myself here on the mission and in my life after plays a huge role in how I will live in the life to come! Let's just say that I want to live a higher/celestial law!

Church this week was amazing! We went to church in our other branch out in Sarodroa with Elder and Sister Cook, President and Sister Foote, Three other mission couples, and the AP's! Yeah, I did a lot of translating along with the AP's, haha! Coolest part of it all was during Sunday School I was asked to translate for Elder and Sister Cook! Yeah, talk about scary! When they asked me to translate I was sort of like, "You mean the General Authority and his wife over there?!" Haha, it wasn't that bad! The lesson was on the Sabbath Day and Elder and Sister Cook were impressed by how well the Branch understands the importance of the Sabbath! All in all, best church meeting I've ever been too! The Spirit was felt so strong and all the members in Sarodroa were so happy that they had the opportunity to be with Elder Cook! It is a memory that I will never forget!

Well, that's my report on the awesome weekend we had! I have never felt the spirit so much and my life and it was truly a blessing to have Elder Cook with us! I learned so much from him and I know that I will imply his teachings into my life! I love you all so much and I hope that everyone has an awesome week!

Am-pitiavana, Elder Stringfellow

Pics: I burned a shirt for my year mark! Pic with some members in Sarodroa! Elder Godfrey and I with Elder and Sister Cook!

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

Elder Cook, Elder Godfrey, Elder Stringfellow, Sister Cook

Elder Stringfellow and the Shirt Burning

The Shirt is Burning

Elder Stringfellow and Elder Becker and some of the Branch Members

Best Year of My Life...

Manahoana Daholo!

To start off, I hit my year mark this week! WHAT?! It's already been a year? Well, I guess it has because a year ago from this Thursday I entered the MTC to start my mission! Best decision of my life! This past year has honestly been the best year of my life and I can't wait to see what happens in this final year of my mission!

Anyways, besides the big ONE YEAR MARK, work this week was a little rough.....Ya'll already know that Elder Becker got way sick last week and it still showed this week! It was still bad enough on Tuesday that we couldn't go out and work and throughtout the rest of the week we had to take it really slow! The poor guy! It's been a rough way to start off his mission but if there's anyone who can overcome this it's him! We'll just continue to hope and pray that he starts feeling better and that we can get a good work week in!

This weekend was crazy! The Antsirabe District was doing the "Mormon Helping Hands" activity and I had to make sure everything was all set for Andranomanelatra and Sarodroa! It was nuts! For those that don't know what the "Mormon Helping Hands" activity is it's pretty much a service project that each branch decides to do! On Friday Andranomanelatra did theirs and Sarodroa did theirs on Saturday! I had to make sure that each branch had all the yellow vests for activity and that everything was all set to happen! Luckily everything went well and we got the projects done! After the projects I had to get all the yellow vests again and take them back to Anstirabe so the Branches there could do their activities! Let's just say I felt like a delivery boy.....haha!

Well, that's about it for the week! This week President Foote is coming down with the Area Seventy and Elder Becker and I get to go to church with them in Sarodroa! I'm so pumped! It'll be an experience that I'll remember for the rest of my life! To make matters even better the Fianarantsoa Elders will becoming up to do a Zone Conference with us, President Foote, and The Area Seventy! That means I get to see Elder Godfrey, haha! Anyways, that's my report for the week! I love you all so much and I hope that everyone has a great week!

Love, 

Elder Stringfellow

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

Mormon Helping Hands

Mormon Helping Hands

Mormon Helping Hands

Mormon Helping Hands

Mormon Helping Hands

Mormon Helping Hands

Lake Travitra

Lake Travitra