ELDER CADE ALAN STAFFORD: My "zebra companionship" with Elder Wang

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

My "zebra companionship" with Elder Wang

Hey mom!!

So the day is here!! I can't believe that's it's already been 7 weeks!! It flew by so fast! I'm definitely starting to believe people that say that as soon as you leave your first area, time flies by so quickly! It's been fun with Elder Edmunds. He's a really great companion! He's pretty strange with a lot of things but other than that we haven't had any problems really. Of course change is always good! I think the reason Monticello seemed so long was because I had the same companion for so long. 3 cycles is about the max for companions to be together.

My next companion is Elder Wang. And guess what...he's from China!! Isn't that cool?! He's a Chinese speaking missionary so what we're called now is a "zebra companionship". That means that if we find anyone that speaks Chinese, we'll be teaching them as well! I might have to learn a little Mandarin this cycle! :) He seems like a cool guy. Different...but cool. I've only ran into him a couple of times. I'm actually really excited. I've heard he's very funny. I consider myself a pretty chill guy so I can generally get along with anyone unless they're like rude or sarcastic or abrasive in any way.

We got a HUGE snow storm last night so...transfers have been "cancelled". We were going to have them at 10:30 this morning and then I'd just hang around until my new companion got here from upstate, but now they're going to be anytime between 3 and 6 tonight. When we get hit hard with snow, it means that upstate got it even worse...and they have to drive everywhere, so there was no way we were having them until the roads were thoroughly cleared.

Derek and Lina are doing well! We've only gotten to talk with Derek at church that one time he came, so he isn't progressing very well. We've been able to have like 3 lessons with Lina, though! It's hard because we want them both to progress...but we also want them to progress together so they can help each other out. We don't want to get too far ahead with Lina because we don't want Derek to be kind of left in the dust...especially because they're both limited on their knowledge of God and Christ.

We had a cool lesson with Lina yesterday, though, and we were able to help her with her questions about what scriptures are and why we study them and the differences between the Bible and the Book of Mormon. It's actually been really nice having them so uneducated with the Bible and such because then they're not so stuck in their ways with religion and how "they" (their preacher) thinks religion should be. (See 2 Nephi 29:3 haha)

That is so cool that you were both able to have so much fun together recently! Has it been nice being able to go out together alone so much lately? Better not make it a habit, though, you bums! I wish I could have seen the Kennedy Space Center!! That's so neat! Send pictures if you were able to take any! What was your favorite part of the whole trip do you think?

Oh no! That's so sad with Nana and Mammaw! I hope they're both doing okay! Poor Mammaw :( always having to be a trooper through thick and thin...mostly thick recently. She's such an amazing person. I'm so glad to be able to be her grandson :) give her a foot rub or something for me haha! I hope Nana is doing better, as well. That's super scary! So they don't know why she just fainted like that?? Weird!

Well...my week hasn't been too exciting this week. Mostly just going around with Elder Edmunds to say goodbye to everyone. The Super Bowl was this week! I heard that it was super lame this year. Football is pretty lame all the time though right Derek and Dad? Haha! It was super crazy in lower Manhattan, though! SO many tourists that are all trying to see all the cool stuff in New York because the Super Bowl was right next door in New Jersey. The subways and buses were packed!

I hope you all have an awesome week. I love you all! Be safe in the snow if you guys have any!

Love,

Elder Stafford