Note: For the duration of Riley's mission, this blog will be produced and edited by his parents, Daisy and Todd Stonely.

Monday, March 27, 2017

Week 93

Dear Friends and Family,

If you didn't notice i didn't send this email last week, I forgive you for not thinking of me. HAHA I am totally kidding. I couldn't help but put that line in there. 

Last week we were unable to finish writing our emails due to certain circumstances, so I decided to write this weeks email on a paper and then type it today! So this week there will be two weekly emails from your favorite elder in Tallahassee Florida!

I know I've never been very good at giving details of my day to day routine as a missionary, though it could be because my memory is not the best. THough my simple spiritual thought for today comes from our investigator Gloria. Gloria is a single mom with % kids. SHe lives with her sister, who is also a single mom with five kids, who both live together in a small double wide trailer. Whenever one sister is working, the other is at home with the 10 kids. I dont think I have to say much for all of you to know that her life is rough, hard, stressful, busy and frightening. Despite her circumstances, Gloria shows an extreme amount of faith, hope and Charity. SHe constantly expresses her great faith in the Lord and her hope for a better future for her kids. As we visited with her I noticed one thing in particular about the way she secretly shows her charity. That is through her faithful and meaningful prayers. We were following up with her to see if she read the Book of Mormon and prayed about it. She had read, and had prayed, but felt a little guilty because she had not thought very directly about the BOM in her prayers. She said she had fallen asleep praying and that it often happens as she prays for other people. She shared with us how in her prayers, she prays for her kids, then for everyone else who she meets throughout her day. I thought to myself, if my personal prayers were the same and if I was truly praying for others. LEts just say I made the commitment to do better. That day I learned from Gloria not only should we pray for people, but we should have more charity towards everyone and do as many wise friends have told me, "look at them through Christs eyes."
As I focus on looking at those around me through my Saviors eyes, I stop criticising them and start seeing their true identity of a child of god, a brother, and a human with unique characteristics that god had given them. I hope to never forget to have charity towards others and look at them through Christs eyes~!

I thank you all for being tremendous support and examples for me! And I wish you all a wonderful week!

Elder Stonely

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