From President and Sister Duckworth

Dear Madagascar Antananarivo Mission Parents:

Though the crisis is still very much with us, at least here in Madagascar the urgency of moving missionaries to either their families or to their new assignments has abated.  We still have three missionaries that are here in the mission with us.  The Bennetts, a senior couple from Canada, and Elder Lethezer from New Caledonia.  We continue to hope for opportunities to get them to their next destinations safely.  Your continuing prayers on their behalf will be greatly appreciated.

We have great hope that many of our missionaries will return to our mission in the months ahead.  We miss them all dearly and feel that our relationships were abruptly and prematurely interrupted without a proper farewell.  For that reason, I am writing you collectively today.  We wanted to have the opportunity to express our heartfelt love and appreciation to each of you for sending us your wonderful sons and daughters.  For an all-to-brief moment in time, they became a very important part of our lives and family. 

It’s an extraordinary experience to be Mission Leaders and observe these tender souls arrive with all of their energy, expectations, hopes, and uncertainties, then in such a short time see them blossom into incredible servants and disciples of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  And they do it all in the context of the Malagasy or French languages. 

Our mission was filled with extraordinary souls – we are certain they were among the best the Lord has upon the earth today.  They were indeed reserved for this very moment in time.  Like any of us, they aren’t perfect yet, but in our eyes and hearts they are moving strongly in that direction.  Their spirits and personalities will be forever etched upon the fleshy tablets of our heart.

You can be very proud of the service they rendered up to this point on their mission.  They have been obedient and very hard working.  They have learned to overcome their fears and disappointments.  They have grown through service to love the people, the members, their companions, and themselves in profound and eternally significant ways.  We are confident that the Lord is looking down upon them and exclaiming, “well done, good and faithful servants.”

As they move on to the next phases of their life and missions, we know you will now watch over them and encourage them.  Help them to remember that the Lord is always with them and will honor his promises to them and us all. He has said, “Keep all the commandments and covenants by which ye are bound; and I will cause the heavens to shake for your good, and Satan shall tremble and Zion shall rejoice upon the hills and flourish; And Israel shall be saved in mine own due time; and by the keys which I have given shall they be led, and no more be confounded at all.  Lift up your hearts and be glad, your redemption draweth nigh.  Fear not, little flock, the kingdom is yours until I come.  Behold, I come quickly.  Even so.  Amen.”  (D&C 35:24-27)

With profound love and gratitude,

President and Sister Duckworth

p.s. We are attaching the last letter we prepared for your missionaries.  We’re not certain whether they all received it or not, since the Missionary Portal was in such a disarray at that time.  Would you mind forwarding it on to them for us.  Thank you ever so much!