Learning that Heavenly Father is in control

Hello from Connecticut!!

So this week has been loads better. A lot of the stress is becoming easier to handle, and I've been more relaxed than I have been. There are just some things that only Heavenly Father has control over. I wish with all of my heart that I could take away people's agency for just a few small moments sometimes...but then I realize that that is the whole reason we are here haha. We went tracting for a while yesterday. It was in more of a rich area, so yes..."castle tracting". Haha we probably knocked on 15 houses in that street and almost no one even gave us the time of day. The people that did, weren't interested. It was just one more of those situations that would have made me super stressed...but it didn't! I'm getting better! haha :)

So this week was super good! Sunday was my favorite because I got to talk to the family!

Thursday wasn't super exciting because it was weekly planning day. That always eats up a majority of our day. Haha I heard something that made me laugh the other day. I heard that the reason they put weekly planning on Thursday is because everyone still has a "p-day hangover" from Wednesday haha.

Friday we went tracting! This one was actually a success! We did an Area Proselyting Focus in our area, so the whole district went and tracted in our area. As always, the sisters found a couple people, and then the other elders found one or two people. We didn't find any..... :( but that's okay! We haven't had any lessons with the people that were found yet, but we're going to keep trying! Maybe we'll be able to actually find an investigator! Haha

Saturday we had a good lesson over at the Prince family's home! They are this young couple with three kids that invited a couple that they are friends with to eat dinner with us. It was a very, very casual setting...so we weren't supposed to like proselyte or anything. It was mostly meant to just get them introduced to the church and the missionaries. We had a good long talk with them and told them a little about what our services are like. Hopefully we'll see them at church sometime!

Sunday was Mother's Day!! We went over to the Taylor's home for a little get together before church. After Church, we went over to the Nelson's for dinner and then came to the church to Skype! 

Monday was spent trying to figure out our dumb car..... I guess the mission got a letter from Chevy saying that there was a recall for all Cruzes made in 2013, so we have to take our car in! We will be going in next Thursday to see if our front axle has a malfunction haha. We're hoping that there is, and that in the time until they fix our car, they will let us pick any car on the lot. We have plans to choose the new Camaro ;)

Yesterday wasn't super exciting. 

So yeah...this week has been a lot of fun!! I truly am happy to be here. But anyways...I've gotta go but I hope you all have an awesome week! I love you so much!!!

 

-Elder Stafford :)

Missionary Message from Elder Stafford

Elder Cade Stafford

Yesterday at 1:42pm · 

This is for you Mom!! I love my mother with all of my heart. I owe almost everything that I am to her. I am so grateful that God has given me the family that I have. I know that I will be able to live with my mom (and the rest of my family) for much longer than this short time here on Earth. I love you mommy!  Happy Mother's Day, Shauna Spain Stafford!

Motherhood

It’s the highest, holiest service assumed by humankind. It’s the definition of selfless service. It’s both a daunting responsibility and a glorious opportunity. The divine role of motherhood is a gift from God, and key to His plan of
happiness for all His children.

It's been a really rough, bumpy cycle...but with small sparks of success

Hello everyone!!

This week has been very good considering how I've been feeling the past few weeks. It's been a really rough, bumpy cycle. This last week though, we've been able to see small sparks of success. We called a media referral that we got about a week ago, and she sounds like she's interested in hearing what we have to say! She said that she'd talk to her husband about it, and then we'll call her on Thursday for her to let us know a time we can come back. We're excited! The sisters also gave us someone that they found, and he sounds like he's pretty cool. We'll see, though. We've been doing some tracting the last week. We hate having to rely solely on just tracting to find, but considering were in an area where you don't see ANYONE just walking around, tracting is really all you have to meet new people. The best way to find people to teach is when a member refers someone to us...those almost always lead to at least something...but we haven't gotten any of those at all lately, so tracting's all we got! Haha

I'm just glad that Elder Nielson realizes that too, and isn't super stubborn to tract like some of my previous companions. It's really hard, and you run into so much rejection and let-downs because of it, but you also do meet lots of people and at least plant some seeds. 

This week hasn't been too interesting. We got a new Elder that we're living with. His name is Elder Fuller and he was actually my zone leader for two cycles in Monticello, so I know him pretty well. He's an awesome guy and a really good missionary so I'm excited to live with him. Elder Nielson and I are doing fine. He's definitely got a super different personality than me...which is hard. But that's okay! I'm just learning more and more how to deal with different personalities! Newtown is starting to grow on me. I think it just took a while for me to get ahold of the geography of the area, so once I got that down, it helped me get more comfortable with it. The ward is really great and loves the missionaries, so that's good, too.

I'm so excited to talk to you on Mothers Day, though!! I seriously can't believe that it's almost been five months since we talked! When works best for you? I think that the best time possible would be at about 7:30-8:00 my time, so 4:30-5:00 your time. We have church, and then a dinner with someone after that, so I think that that would be about the only time we could do it. If that REALLY doesn't work for you, just let me know over email exactly what time does, and I'm sure that we can work around it. Just let me know! :)

Thank you so much for letting me know everything that's been going on! I know it seems kinda dull to tell me everything that's been going on, but it is nice to feel like I'm involved a little bit. Please call Brandon "Old Man Maxwell" for me just once ;) say it in a toothless old man's voice, too, that'll make it better!!  Hahahaha! that made me laugh so hard!  Don't worry, Ally, I'm not a morning person either! I thought I was...but then I went on a mission and had to work 13 hours a day haha. Have fun with the yard work (haha suckers!). I'm thinking about getting plastic flowers and trees with AstroTurf in my house just so I don't have to do that ever again ;)

But anyways...I better get going! Have an awesome week, everyone! I love you all and am praying for you, as long as you pray for me! I need it! Haha bye!

-Elder Stafford :)

Missionary Message from Elder Stafford

Elder Cade Stafford Elder Cade Stafford added a new photo: "Hello everyone!! Just to remind anyone that already knows, and to let people know that didn't know...we will be having an online discussion on Sunday at 10:00 am EST about the Christlike attributes of charity and love. We want anyone and everyone that feels inclined to join us, as achieving these attributes should be what all of us want! "

I need to humble myself and know that God will help us

Hey everyone!!

So as you may or may not know, transfers were this week! I got the call on Saturday and I will be staying with Elder Nielson in Newtown for another transfer! Woo! A companion for more than one cycle! Haha I was starting to think that something must be wrong with me because President didn't want me with a companion for too long ;)

I can't say that I'm like SUPER stoked to stay the same. Not that I don't like Elder Nielson by any means...it's just nice to have a change after a long 6 weeks. The district isn't even really changing much. The only change is that Elder Sprunt (the companion of the elder that went home) will be getting Elder Fuller. Elder Fuller was my zone leader in Monticello for two cycles so I know him pretty well! It will be fun to live with him. 

Things are still chuggin' along. I mean it's been probably the worst week ever as far as missionary work, but it's alright. Because that elder went home, we had to be together with Elder Sprunt for the week. That meant that we had to cover two whole areas WHILE having to deal with the whole situation with that elder. It took a good chunk out of our week and it was so stressful to be flying back and forth trying to be two places at once. It was terrible. That's over, though, so I'm stoked to be able to get back to normal work.

I've been struggling with faith a lot lately. As you know, I've been studying it a lot recently. In fact, I finished the Book of Mormon again a few days ago, so I decided to do what Elder Bednar does and study the whole Book of Mormon with one topic or question in mind. So guess what I decided to read about....faith!  I guess I'm just really hard on myself sometimes and I try and think too logically about things. That's a problem with missionary work, especially in finding, which we're doing now, because it takes SO much faith to find people. You have to believe and I mean believe that people will come to you for you to teach. Missionary work in the states, especially in New York and Connecticut, can be really hard. People just have a hard time believing in God...and if they do, they are very set in their ways.

I'm excited to hopefully learn how to humble myself more and know that God will help us find people. I hate feeling like a stinker sometimes, but it's just one more thing I need to work on!

I had a really cool experience that I don't really feel like sharing over email, but I will definitely share it on Mother's Day!!!! I can't believe I get to talk to you again!!! I'm so excited!! 

Well...we don't have a lot of time this p-day because of transfers. I love you all so much though! Have an awesome week! 

-love,

Elder Stafford :)