Week 96: Hey!

Dear Friends and Family,

This email will be a short one, I do apologize. This week is transfer weeks! Elder Leandro and I will be leaving each other. It was three of the fastest transfers ever if i\I might say so myself. Elder Leandro will be leaving Tallahassee and heading out to Defuniak, wherever that is, HAHA. And I will be here in Tallahassee with my new companion, Elder Cornforth. I have no information on him other than his current companion is elder Orndorff. So together they are "Elder Cornforth and Orndorff" HAHA. That's pretty cool. I'm excited to spend the next six weeks here in Tallahassee and enjoy the Hispanic Culture! I am also grateful for the countless opportunities that I have to serve those around me!

"I love it when I go to Easter Sunday and everyone is soooo happy and smiley and its like everyone is hyped on jelly beans and chocolate eggs but I wish everyday was Easter!"

-Credit to Elder Carpenter

Well, He read my mind on Easter Sunday! I really do enjoy Easter Sunday and Hope you all did too! There is nothing better than Constantly thinking about the Amazing gift our Heavenly Father gave us. His son, who was born, lived, taught us, carried out the Atonement, died and was resurrected so that we could have Eternal Life and Joy. I love you all and cant wait to talk to you next week! Much love,

Elder Stonely

Week 95

Hello Dear Friends and Family,

I love you all so dearly! Thank you for all of your support and love. Missionaries tremendously feel it that is for sure. Missionary work is going great! We are knocking doors, teaching investigators and sharing our testimonies! There truly is no greater work than this. 

This week I would like to share with you all my thoughts from this week. Elder Rasband in General Conference talked about following spiritual promptings and this week we saw one of those spiritual promptings.

This week we had an experience where we had a lot of people and places to go. It was Sunday after church and as the events of the day rolled out, we noticed that a lot of them were falling through. I remember in our planning session during the morning, the last person we had put on our list was a potential to try to visit. We had attempted to go by a couple times before with no success, and this was going to be our last time trying her for a while. We knocked and Deisy, the potential, answered the door. I was pretty excited and glad that she answered! First cause she has my moms name, she just spells it differently, and secondly, she was home! We were able to talk to her and then set up a return appointment. Where she lives, is a neighborhood where the majority of the people are African American. So we didn't think that we were going to find many people there. Though, we thought we should ask Deisy if she knew if any of her neighbors spoke Spanish. At first she said no, but then remembered that there were two across the street in a little hidden neighborhood. We were pretty excited so we went to go try them! Long story short, we talked with a lady named Marta who is from Honduras, which by the way is my favorite country behind the united states. HAHA And we talked with her for about 30 minutes and set up a return apt. That may be pretty normal for most missionaries, and it should be. Thought for us, on this Sunday, Marta was the end of many spiritual promptings starting during planning, talking with Deisy, asking for referrals and doing what missionaries should do. I wouldn't say I receive many HUGE spiritual promptings, though I know that the spirit guides us with thoughts and feelings throughout the day and if they are uplifting and good, they are of the spirit and we should follow them "for we know not what lies in our path." 

I am grateful for the constant blessings that I receive daily as well as the opportunity I have to share my testimony with everyone! Again, thank you so much for all of your prayers and thoughts! Happy Easter to all of you! And ill send you all my love from the great city of Tallahassee :)

Elder Stonely

Week 94

Dear Friends and Family,

Conference was great! I felt inspired to work on Family History and improve my personal testimony on the Plan of Salvation. I learned a lot from conference but I don't want to type it out cause this week is going to be a long email. HAHA

This weeks email comes from a dear experience we had on Monday night.

We were headed home from an appointment and there is a Hispanic Store that sells a specific type of cookie that is used to make what we call a "Carlota." Two of the missionaries in our district were celebrating their Birthdays this week so we decided to prepare and buy the cookies. These cookies are normally sold in a package of a 4 pack which is sold for 3 dollars. We pulled into the store, walked in and went to where the cookies were located. They didn't have the normal box of 4, but they did have individually sold packs. Each pack was 1 dollar. So i had for, thus the cost was 4 dollars. It was towards the end of the month, so I had only 2 dollars on my card. When I went into the story I brought in 3 dollars and 25 cents of coins in order to buy what we needed. In total, I had about $5. My plan was to use the cash, then pay the extra dollar with the card. Though as many of you have experienced before, in smaller stores, there is a "card limit" where in order to pay with a card, you have to spend a maximum of $3-5. This is exactly what happened to me. I went to the desk to checkout, gave her the $3 in Coins that I had and told her I was going to pay the rest with my card. The total came out to be $4.26. I as really nervous because I did not have that amount on the card, and the card limit was $3. I could not pay with cash or card alone and was stuck. I was about to tell the cashier I would have to come back when a lady behind us jumped in putting $1 on the table. Rushing through her purse, she asked the cashier how much more I needed. The Cashier replied, "26 cents." The Lady behind us did not have a smaller bill then ten, so she pulled out a ten, handed it to the cashier and said, "break it." I stood in Amazement with my jaw wide open feeling quite indebted to her. I had a strong desire to pay her back every penny of the $1.26 cents that I lacked. I had only said hello to this lady as she walked in, and she knew not one thing of me. Yet, she willingly went out of her way to make up for my missing $1.26. In fact, she went the extra mile even when she had to pay 10 in order to make up for the last 26 cents. In shock, we thanked her tremendously, and headed out the door. We got int the car and headed home.

The whole car ride home I could not get rid of the feeling that I had to pay back the $1.26 she had freely given to me. I had the desire to go back to the store and wait for her the next day with the money so I could pay her back. She had said she goes every day after work. 

In that very moment, my thoughts turned to my savior. Shouldn't I have this same desire to pay my Savior back every day for his charitable, priceless act of Love, sacrifice and redemption? I realized that just like that woman who i knew nothing about had freely payed my lacking $1.26 for me, the savior had done likewise. A man I know not face to face, had paid the eternal debt brought on from personal sin and affliction. He has suffered for my pains and sorrows. He stands behind me in this eternal line waiting to succor my individual needs. When we slip up and make a mistake, or when we feel sorrow or sadness, our Savior and redeemer stands in line behind us with our lacking $1.26 spiritual dollars that we need to be freed from our guilt and spiritual captivity. In reality, the saviour is not just paying for what we lack, he has paid for everything and is our support and rock every minute of every day. Without him we are as King Benjamin states, "...ye are even as much as the dust of the earth." Mosiah 2:25 All he asks of us as a payment for what he has so freely given to us is that we have faith in him, repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, endure to the end and keep his commandments. He wants us to use his atoning power so he can bless us.

Pondering that thought, I realized the great importance it is for us to be grateful for what He has done and then to go out and serve, keeping his laws and blessing the lives of others so that one day, we will be able to pay him back a portion of what he has given to us. There should not be a day that goes by where we forget our Savior, redeemer and Kind. I am eternally indebted to Him for what he has done for me. 

I know Jesus Christ lives. I know He loves us. I know we can be happy and feel of His joy as we repent daily. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of god and I know because of what he did we have a living prophet, prophet Thomas S. Monson. I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored and that we can receive complete joy in every circumstance as we strive to live by it. 

I am grateful for all you do constantly for us missionaries. I wish you all an amazing week!

Elder Stonely

P.S. Happy Easter to all out there!!! I love you all!

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

Week 92: YUP!

My fellow friends and family, 

My heart is full of love towards all of you and hope you all had a good week as such did i. We had lots of missionary work and zone conference to lighten our spirits! If any of you want to know specifics of my weeks feel free to throw in a request! 

I recently picked up the habbit of writing poems in my free time so here is this weeks poem. Dont judge for bad grammar, spelling, rhyming, or bad poetry in general. I obviously didnt pay too much attention to my school teachers. HAHA Though I hope you enjoy it.

My Shadows Path:

By Elder Riley Paul Stonely

I once walked through

A dreary way.

There was no sun

There was no ray.

I could not see

Nor cared to know

My every step

Or way to go.

I told myself

There was no end,

Nor happiness,

Nor any friend.

Though said to me 

Along my way

A secret phrase

As not to stray.

There was a friend

Who cared to be

A loving heart

That shared with me.

You will perceive 

What cant be seen

Through Christ the Lord

He'll be your beam.

I now walk not

By fear alone

For I have one

Whom I can phone.

His name be Savior, 

Reedemor, King.

To Him I'll praise 

With joy and sing.

He is my rock

With Him concrete,

I will not fall

Or be defeat.

I follow Him

For hopes to see

His grace applied

To all of me.

I said at first 

I once walked through,

A dreary way

I now outgrew.

Behind me now

Is all the wrath,

I like to call

My shadows path.

I don't know why i felt inspired to share that with you all, though I hope you all know just how much your heavenly father loves each and everyone of you. He knows you, he knows your paths, he knows your sorrows, your pains, your joys, and success. He jumps up and down with you as you score an A on final exams and he weeps with you through your darkest of moments. He has provided a way to comfort you with peace and love through His son, our savior and redeemer, Jesus Christ. We have the Atonement within hands reach. All he asks is that we fold our arms, bow our heads, kneel to him and offer our souls in prayer to make the commitment to follow his sons example and strive every day to repent and serve others so we can "always have the spirit to be with us." -D&C 20:77,79. 

My fellow Brothers and Sister, do we remember to pray to him? Do we remember to study his Holy word to receive inspiration and feel of his love? I have a testimony of daily prayer and scripture study. That is the way we talk and listen to him.

I love you all so very much. My heart aches knowing we are so far, yet I like Moroni have great hopes in our reunion!

"And now I, Elder Stonely, bid farewell unto my family and friends, yea and  also unto my brethren whom I love, Until we shall meet again." -Ether 12:38

I love you all so much! Hope you have an amazing week!

Elder Stonely

Week 91: HEY :)

Dear Friends and Family,

This past week has been one to remember. Though... isn't every week one to remember? I think yes.

We had an opportunity to meet with an investigator about 2 months ago. She was just a potential and we were planning on working with her though we weren't able to see her for a couple of weeks. We didn't think much of it because all of our visits and appointments with her were being cancelled and all. It was pretty sad. Though we finally got into the house to teach her. First off, she is recently divorced, with 5 kids, lives in a small trailer with her sister who also has 5 kids. So yes, its quite the house and she has her work cut out for her. Though we taught the restoration and the plan of salvation and it went pretty well! She asked us lots of questions and she pretty much knows the answers to them, she just wants clarification. So we are expecting great things with her and her family. We both are excited to continue teaching them :)

Well, Other than that, lots of finding and missionary work! If anyone has any questions they want me to answer send me an email, other than that, my ideas of what to share from missionary life are turning into few... HAHA

Spiritual thought of the week comes from yesterday. The first Sunday of the month was stake conference so our stake did fast Sunday yesterday. We decided to fast for this investigator who I mentioned above. We were fasting for her specifically to have the desire to read the book of Mormon and start to keep commitments so that she could be ready to accept the commitment to be baptized. And As we were waiting for a meeting to get started, we got a text from her saying that she read and had a question about being Born again! How ironic... HAHA So we haven't seen her yet, though we are going to visit with her today! Though in that moment one of the first things that I thought about was how the Lord answered our prayers and helped our investigator have the desire to read the book of Mormon. It was something so very simple, though it was so powerful and it made my Sunday one to remember. Brothers and Sisters wherever you are around the world, I know that through fasting we can bring to pass many mighty miracles and receive much strength and guidance. I know that through sincere prayer we can always talk with our celestial friend above who loves us, cares for us and wants to bless us. He is waiting for us to check in and out every day so he can pour out the blessings of heaven. I love you all so very much and am grateful for everyone of you I have been able to meet in this life and learn from. 

Have a wonderful week full of tender mercies and miracles!

Your favorite elder, 

Elder Stonely

we played some cricket ball today! It was pretty fun :)

Week 90: Elder Stonely :)

Well my amazing friends and Family, I again set apart a couple minutes of my time to write you my feelings through an email on this marvelous Monday. I'm gonna be honest, I don't really know what to write so if this is choppy, don't read it and wait till next week :)

How grateful I am for the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit that our Heavenly Father gives us daily. I feel as if we may take for granted the biggest blessing of the companionship of the Holy Ghost almost weekly. Or at least I feel that I do at times. I do not believe that there is any other moment in my life where I am more happy then when I am feeling the spirit. Whether it be in the House of the Lord or walking down a street of a trailer park here in Tallahassee. The spirit will be with us as we ask, knock and seek for his companionship. My wise grandfather who i cherish dearly once told me around the new year season, "make every day a new year." I found that applicable in today's email. In the World Wide missionary broadcast they mentioned how every day starts off spiritually at 6:30 am. How the morning sets a tone for our spiritual days. And no matter how the day goes, the next morning will always come and we will always have a new 6:30. 

Every day we have the opportunity to make our days more spiritually filled and to make every day a new year :) I ask myself these questions frequently:

What do I choose to say? study? listen to? focus on?

Am I choosing to be obedient?

Is what I'm doing enticing the spirit?

If the answers to those questions are not the best, I ask myself:

What can I choose instead? or

What would the Savior have me do?

Now I am no perfect person. I don't believe we can find any perfect person alive, though I have a testimony of striving to invite the spirit into our every day lives so we can be guided in what we say, do, where we go, and what the will of the Lord is. The spirit also is a sign that what we are doing is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord and that he loves us and is happy with us. I know that the spirit is what leads us and guides us and that if we do all we can to invite his presence into our every day lives we will get closer with our Savior and our Father in Heaven. I love you all so very much and am grateful for your prayers and support. No missionary can say that they cant feel answers to prayers from those they love at home. I am eternally grateful!

Until we meet again,

Your favorite elder in Florida,

Elder Stonely