Elder Lacey's Mission Letters: General Conference

October 7, 2013

Dear Family,

Conference is where it's at! That was the best General conference ever (Probably because I paid attention to every single minute of it). Elder Ve'e and I were able to watch it in English in our church through one of the members laptops. It was perfect. The whole time I was just wishing that everyone could hear and feel what I was feeling! Only one of our investigators ended up coming. He was the one that we thought wouldn't come. There were 3 others that we thought would come for sure but didn't end up coming. But the guy who did watch it is named Eduardo. He is the most pessimistic guy that I have ever met and we almost dropped him. But this last Friday we had a charla (discussion) with him and things were going down hill and both Elder Ve'e and I were getting frustrated. But then I looked at this man who is going through a tough time in his life and how he doesn't have the will power to do anything that he doesn't want to do, and something changed in my attitude toward him. I suddenly felt how this man feels. He always tells us that he doesn't have the will power to go to church. He sleeps in until 2 on Sunday and he just doesn't want to leave his house ever. Anyway, I opened my mouth and it was filled. I honestly don't remember exactly what I said and how I said all of it in a different language but I did it. I bore testimony to him and told him what the Lord wanted to him to hear. He came to General Conference! He even came an hour early to the last session and lucky some members were there and they started talking to him and they bore testimony to him as well. It was awesome. He said that he really liked General Conference and he wants to be baptized. Hopefully he can still overcome the natural man and come to church on Sunday. He isn't as pessimistic now. In the book “Our pursuit of Happiness” there is a line that says something like when we are focused on the Atonement of Jesus Christ it is hard to have discouraging and depressing thoughts....or something like that. I love it.

But I am loving it here. I told Dad about how the ward is kind of dead right now but we are working on building it back up. We have really good leaders and a few good people that helped us with Eduard during General Conference. So Elder Ve'e and I are going to get to WORK!

The food is really good here too. We have been cooking up a ton of grilled cheese sandwiches and a member gave us a ton of churisos that we have been cooking up so we are eating well. But thanks for sending a halloween package!

(I asked if there was anything I could send him for Christmas. Here is his response)

Lets see... I think a bottle of mapeline extract would be heavenly as well as the recipe for your syrup and German pancakes. Other than that just a lot of good American candy and snacks and what not :) I actually had German pancakes at Elder Pikes house. Yum.

But all during General Conference I was thinking about those dang Cinnamon rolls! You better have enjoyed them haha

I remembered that Dad played with Gifford! I didn't know that the story that Dad always tells is about Gifford haha (I told Daniel about Mike lockering next to Gifford Nielsen his freshman year. Gifford was married and wore garments and Mike asked Gifford, “What are those???” ) But we get Ensigns down here. I can't wait to get one! Those talks are more valuable than money!

When did you teach that atheist girl? That is an awesome story.

That is awesome that you are doing well in your Stats class! I'm glad that I don't have to worry about that right now! haha And I am really glad that you went to the temple even though you didn't think you had time. But no, we don't get to go to the temple...I think we get to go once a year or something like that. I like what you said, “have faith, have miracles!” That is perfect.

But I love you guys so much. I wish I could talk to you guys more! I always forget all the stuff that I want to tell you. All I know is that The Lord still works miracles and if we want to we can see them in our life. We just have to put forth the effort.

Abrazos and Besos!

Elder Lacey

(I am also posting the letter to Mike and some pictures at the end of this letter)

Dear Dad,

You know exactly how I felt during General Conference! It is so much different as a missionary. That was the best General conference that I have ever been apart of! And the whole time I was just hoping that my investigators could hear and feel what I was feeling. But I really did get so much out of General Conference. It blew my mind!

That is so awesome that you are the Young Mens President in your ward. I'm sure that you will do a great job in getting all of the young men ready for missions. Remember that sometimes you just need to rough 'um up a bit! haha Also, that is sweet that Bro Farley is the Ward Mission Leader in Farmington! Tell him to get the missionaries pumped up!

I'm glad that BYU finally did something. A lot of the missionaries in my zone are Ute fans but I don't have anything to back up my cougs!

So this week Elder Ve'e and I taught 35 lessons which is really good.... the bad part is that only 4 of these lessons were with a member. We are trying to get this ward pumped up about the work. It is kind of tough because we still don't have a ward mission leader. We have been talking with our Bishop a lot though and so we are hopeful that he will call one this week. Our ward only has about 60 members. I guess there have been some bad things that have happened here and so the ward kind of died. We probably have about 1000 inactive members! I don't know the actual number but I know there are tons.

I have only gotten sick once. It was when I sent that picture of me laying on the cement haha but other then that I am doing really well health wise. E' Ve'e and I made a workout plan and I am already feeling a lot better because of it. I was getting a little fat there for a second.

For the most part the members really like us and we are starting to see more excitement with the mission work. We have some really good priesthood leaders so we are hoping on taking advantage of that.

I don't know what a zone paseos is! haha ¡Mucha de la comida aqui es ricisimo! Pero a mi me gusta churrì pan... y basicamente me gusta todo el carne aqui. Aun tengo un buen acento. Aun no puedo hablar perfecto pero cuando estoy hablando en una charla puedo hablar muy bien. Y tambien esto es el primero vez que estoy tratando a escribir in espanglish. La cosa mas deficil cada dìa es cuando hablemos con personas que no cree en nada o digieron que tener fe in Dios pero they really don't.

Tenemos un actividad cada Sabado con el barrio y es muy divertido. Jugamos futbol y cosas asì. Y tambien mucho inactivos venieron para jugar asì que, hay proposito.

Sorry that my spanish grammar is horrible! I'm working on it haha

I love you Dad!

Love Elder Lacey

Oh! Didn't you play with Gifford Nielsen?