Baptism on Saturday!!!!

Hello my lovely family!!! It's so good to hear from you guys every week! I hope my letters are getting better! I'm trying to be a little more detailed in what I write so you guys aren't so in the dark...

I wish I could write you guys more...they really just allow an hour to email a week and there's actually a lot of people that want to email me so it's hard to write longer letters...especially for all 6 of you guys!!! :) haha

This week has been really good though!! It's been kinda normal but that's just good! There's actually very few days where I'd consider a day "not one of the best days". Every day is good on the mission! Especially the best mission in the world! Hahaha we joke around that the New York New York South mission is the second best mission in the world because they have the best view of the best mission in the world! haha :) but yeah...I actually got my first view of the New York skyline yesterday! We were driving over a bridge on our way back from Scarsdale (about 2 hours away from Monticello) and you could just barely see it in the distance but I'm pretty sure that I saw the Empire State Building!! :)

Anyway...so George Ann Cardona is getting baptized on Saturday!!!! I'm soooooo excited!!! I might even be the one baptizing her!! When we asked who she wanted to do it she smiled and was like I either want President Fuller (the branch president) or you! And she points to me! haha I was so flattered! But then on Sunday she told me she wanted President Fuller to do it which is GREAT because then the family kind of has a connection with the branch and less with the missionaries...especially the one that MIGHT be leaving next week!! Ahhhhh!!! I'll find out on Saturday if I'm taking off or not so I guess we'll see!! :) But back on topic...so she wanted President Fuller but guess what?? He broke his big toe this week so he might have to get surgery on it!! What the heck! So I might have to do it anyway!! :) I'll send you pictures...which reminds me that I have not gotten a picture of me yet...I'm so sorry...It just doesn't even cross my mind during the week...but I'll take one tonight and send it to you as soon as I can!!

So this week was actually pretty normal except for yesterday...yesterday we went down to Scarsdale to listen to a GENERAL AUTHORITY!!!! His name is Bruce A. Carlson of the second quorum of the Seventy...so not super up there, but it was still cool! He was sooooo nice and cool! I was thinking that he'd be like super serious and intense but he was actually really fun and he joked around with us and talked to us like he was talking to...well a bunch of 18,19, and 20 year olds hahaha He had a ton of insights though...like you could tell that as he was speaking to us, he was saying things that our mission really needed to hear. It was so cool!

And then President Morgan also spoke and well...he's just amazing. Like I'm 99% sure that he's going to be called to be a general authority after this...he's just SO spiritual and connects super well with us...I'm just so lucky to have served with him. I'm glad I ended up with a cool mission president and not like a bump on the log or someone super serious.

So that was my week, though! I hope everyone is doing well! From what I heard you're all having fun at school especially HOMECOMING!!!! MY FAVORITE WEEKS OF HIGH SCHOOL!!! Oh my word...they were just so fun! Did you guys do any of the events?? Who won?? I hope the stinky freshman got pounded (muahahaha jk Erin ;) ...and Derek you guys better have beaten the Seniors...that's always the best when the Seniors lose...except for the best class that's ever gone through good 'ole NP *cough cough* (mine) ;)

but anyway...so I hope you guys know that I pray for all of you all the time and that I'm always thinking about you! Stay bosses! Go Stafford Family!! :D

-your favorite ginger besides Ally,

Elder Stafford :)