Treasure

June 30, 2014

Dear Family,

First I will answer your questions: My favorite meal so far is either asado or churri pan. My health is up and down. Sometimes I feel really healthy and other times no. I threw up a couple days ago hehehe! But I think my health is improving. I am starting to learn how to eat healthier even though it is a bit more expensive. I made that granola the other day and it was delicious! Thanks for the recipe! Being a zone leader is really a good experience. Sometimes there are some stressful things that we have to deal with but it always is worth the effort. My favorite part is the interaction we have with other missionaries. It is a testimony builder to work with so many guys that have such great testimonies. Sometimes we do lose a little bit of work time but for the most part it is alright.

It is so good to hear about everything that is happening! I got an email from Ali and a lot of pictures of the kids. I love seeing those funny little kids. I am glad that you were able to help with the young women’s camp too.

I love giving talks! Yesterday I gave a talk in the sacrament meeting and it went pretty well. I always learn so much and I always feel the spirit really strong. I talked about eternal progression. I used the talk “4 minutes”, and a talk from a 70 Elder Teh.  Basically we don't have very much time in this life to prove our worthiness so we need to choose wisely what to do in this life. It is amazing how big of a difference it is to choose to watch TV or choose to read the scriptures. It obviously starts with our desires. If our "treasure" is worldly possessions then things won't work out to well for us. Our treasure needs to be found in eternal principals such as the family, and the gospel. Sorry if that quick summary was all over the place. haha!

It is crazy how fast time flies. An hour in cyber goes by in an instant.... a year in the mission goes by in an instant! haha! I don't want to leave my area but changes are in like 3 weeks and I am pretty sure I am leaving! 

I love you guys!

Elder Lacey

PS Send a Big Bear Hug to Cort! That is so awesome!

Dear Dad,

It is interesting what you wrote me about Pres. Uchtdorf’s talk because I gave a talk in sacrament meeting yesterday and I talked about basically the same things. I love the topic of loving God more than anything else and giving all that you have to him. In the mission it is so easy to see the difference between things that get in the way of our spiritual progression versus things that help us reach the ultimate goal....ETERNAL LIFE BABY haha! Some people do not realize that is more important to keep the sabbath day holy than to make more money for your kids. Or it is more important to read your scriptures every day than to get 10 extra minutes of sleep. It is amazing how clear everything is in the mission.

It was sad to hear that Uruguay lost but at least we got the Cougs upcoming football season to bring up our cheers ( I hope)

Love

Elder Lacey

Franco's Baptism

June 23, 3014

Dear Family,

My parents are legit. I am so glad that you guys have such strong testimonies and know so much about the gospel. If there is one thing that I have learned on the mission it is obedience. It does not matter what situation we are in, we can always be obedient to the Lord. I don't know if I shared this with you already but basically there are 3 reasons why people are disobedient. 1) They think it is to hard 2) they think it does not apply to them 3) They do not think it is important. Guess what, all of the commandments that we receive from God are important, apply to every single one of us and are definitely possible to complete. It does not matter if you make 5 million dollars if you work on Sunday.....Keep the Sabbath day Holy. It does not matter if you don't have enough money to buy food for the week etc. God’s way is the only way to reach eternal happiness. 

This week Franco got baptized! So I will send you a photo of it. His mom is a less active member so we are trying to help her get back to church and Franco’s grandma really loved the baptism so we will see what happens there. Franco is good friends with Juan and Lucas so they helped him out a ton. It is awesome because our ward has a ton of jovenes (young men) now! It is really awesome to see. It reminds me of our ward back in Farmington!

Have you received any of the letters that I have sent? I have no idea when they should get there but they should be getting there soon. I still haven't received all of the packages you have sent :(  But I might receive them today :)

Good luck at girls camp. I know that you will do a great job. I like what you said about turning it into a learning experience. I have been learning a lot about that lately, about perseverance. There are a ton of hard things that we have to do in this life but if we learn from everything and keep moving forward holding on to the iron rod everything will be ok. I just wish that everybody could feel the same way. 

Well, lately I have had the ganas (desire) to play some futbol because everyone is all hyped up about the world cup so today we are going to get out there and get a good game going. I am pretty pumped

The gospel is perfect. What else can I say?

Love

Elder Lacey

Dear Dad,

I really think we are in for some interesting times. The Lord is hastening his work and so is the devil. We will really see who is willing to yoke themselves to the Lord and who is not. The Conference before this Conference i think they used those verses like 4 or 5 times which means it is something really important. I also love the last 5 verses in Matt 16. Are we willing to give everything to the Lord in order to gain everything? 

2 Ne 2:27 We only have 2 choices. What are we going to choose? I am glad that my family is on the right path. Now lets go find some people to put on our backs and carry them to the path! haha! (I wish I could do that sometimes but agency always gets in my way)

Love 

Elder Lacey

Go Cougars!!

There was a conference with both the Montevideo and Montevideo West Missions so Elder Lacey got to meet up with the other BYU Football players, one from his mission and 2 from the other mission.
Elder Lacey, Elder Powell, Elder Pulsipher and Elder El-Bakri

June 16, 2014

Dear Dad,

I still remember getting home at some ridiculous hour in the night to our house in Farmington. I also remember not helping to much with the luggage! Sorry! haha I was always so tired but now I realize that you must have been 20 times more tired because you were the one who stayed awake and drove us home. I am glad that you guys got home safe from your trips though.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

It is weird because here they celebrate fathers day on a different date...(so that is why I almost forgot) :) 

You are the best dad ever. I don't know anyone who works harder for their family. Thanks for raising us kids! I know it was hard but I hope it "vale la pena" 

That is sad to hear about Myron Taylor and Esta Tanner. I hope their families are doing well.

Yesterday one of the members in our ward came up to me and told me that he thinks he is going to go to Salt Lake City next week so he thought it would be cool to meet up with you guys! He is the Elders Quorum President and he speaks english. So I am going to give him your email and your cell phone number so he can get a hold of you. He might bring you a fathers day present from Uruguay too ;) 

Love

Elder Lacey

Dear Family,

My family is the best. I love you guys! I am still laughing about "you have had 54 years to prepare that talk" haha! 

(A note of explanation: Mike and I (Diana) were in Meadville, PA for a couple of weeks with Jeff and Amy and their kids. Yesterday in church, after the sacrament, the councilor in the Bishopric passed a note down to Mike and I asking us to speak on the topic of "How Fathers have influenced us and to give advice for youth/parents" We would be speaking after the Elder in their ward spoke. Afterwards I was telling my dad, Grandpa Larsen, about it, He said, "Well, you had plenty of time to prepare." I said, "What do you mean, we had 10 minutes!" He replied, "How old are you?" I said, "54" He said, "Well, you've had 54 years to prepare for that talk." haha I guess he is right.)

I wish I could hear all of the funny things that all of the niños are saying. You guys should try to catch some of it on film! 

President Robbins talk was amazing! He talked a lot about the spirit and I learned a ton. The funny thing is that with Pres. Robbins and Pres. Gonzales they both "winged" their talks. They just go up there and follow the spirit. We are always allowed to ask questions and everything and they answer everything super easily. They are so directed by the spirit that they don't need to write a talk out...but like grandpa Larsen said They have had 60 or 70 years to prepare for their talks haha! Obviously they go in with an idea of what they are going to say but after that it is all the spirit. It was awesome!

Well dangit.... I am out of time :( Everything went really well this week. We didn't have time to do much because of all of the conferences and with the World Cup ruining everything but everything is good. I love the mission, I love the gospel and I love my family. Keep doing work!

Love

Elder Lacey

PS congrats to Logan! that is sweet!!!!! I am pumped for him.

7 Recent Converts

June 9, 2014

Dear Family,

I didn't know that I had met President Gonzales before! That's pretty neat. And that is awesome that Amy got to meet Pres. and Sis. Newsome! They are so awesome, what a coincidence! I love getting to see all of the pictures you send. I wish I could have been there with you guys to walk on water with the ducks. haha! The problem is that even with all of those fish the Lacey family still wouldn't be able to catch one. 

Send my felicitaciones to the FHS track team! That is LEGIT. The key there is that they got rid of all of the Lacey Boys. Who would have thought that after all these years we were holding FHS back haha! But let me know where Logan is going on his mission.

So, I just barely understood the letter that you guys put inside of the package with my socks. It hit me when I was sweeping the floor and I couldn't stop laughing. I had no idea why you wrapped my socks around a toilet paper roll. I thought it was to get them nice and fresh or something. I didn't realize that you actually sent me "special travel toilet paper" hahahaha! You guys are the best. Also, thank you for the toothbrush. Uruguayan toothbrushes are horrible, they die in like 2 weeks! 

This week we are going to have another zone conference with President Cook and then the next day we are going to have a conference with Elder Robbins (he is the new president in the 70) We have been having a ton of conferences lately which is kind of rough because we lose a lot of work time, but at the same time it is the best thing ever because we always learn so much. So I am really looking forward to this week. Other than that everything is normal. One thing that we have been focusing a lot on is family night. It is amazing how much family night helps the members, the investigators and everyone else. So make sure you are having your family nights every single day. (But if you don't want to have them every single day you can do it every Monday) :)

I really liked what you shared about "stand still". Sometimes it is easy to get stressed out about everything in the mission but it is good to realize that as long as we do everything that God asks everything will turn out alright. We need to give it our all and then stand still and watch the hand of God.

I know that this is the work of God and that no matter what happens this work will still keep moving forward. I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to "apresurar la obra" del Señor (D y C 88:73) (“hasten the work of God”) Pres. Monson said that this scripture is being fulfilled now. Right now is the time to hasten the work. It is so awesome to be a part of the Lord’s plan in these latter days. Now let’s go baptize the world! 

Love

Elder Lacey

Dear Dad

I like how you are using the "phrase baptize the world" because that has been my phrase since the CCM.(MTC) But it is true. The Lord wants us to baptize the world! He wants every person who is ready to be baptized, men, women, children, grandparents, everyone. So that is what we are trying to do. We are also increasing the focus on retention.  Elder Bastidas and I are really happy because yesterday we had 7 recent converts in church and we are looking to increase that number. We only have 60 people in church and so having 7 recent converts there is pretty cool.

Un Abrazo 

Elder Lacey

President Gonzales

Elder Lacey with Pres. Gonzales

Elder Lacey with some delicious liver!

Lucas and Juan

Antonella's Baptism

June 3, 2014

Dear Family,

Peehhhhhhh!!! (Thats Uruguayan for wow) What a packed week! Wednesday Elder Bastidas and I left at 3:30 am to Montevideo for a meeting with all of the zone leaders and Presidente Gonzales. We were lucky enough to be able to stay there for a conference that he had with half of the mission and so we stayed the night in the hostel by the temple. The next day we traveled to Maldonado for the conference with the other half of the mission. So we weren't in our area for 2 whole days but it was definitely worth it. I think I took a whole book of notes on what he taught us. It was a huge blessing to be able to hear so much from someone who has A LOT of contact with the 12 apostles and the first presidency. I don't have time to share everything he taught us but I will say that everything he taught us not only applies to the mission but to real life....in fact, you could say that the mission is real life haha! I learned a ton about leadership and about how to work with investigators but the coolest part was when he bore his testimony in his the last conference. He really is called to be a special witness of Jesus Christ,

On Saturday we had the baptism of Antonella! It was really spiritual and a lot of her family came. Me and Elder Pike sang "Mas Cerca Dios de Ti" and I was able to bare my testimony. I LOVE BAPTISMS! The mom of Antonella said that she felt the spirit really strong and she is really grateful for everything that has happened with her family and the church. She still is a little bit iffy about receiving the charlas and all but she is definitely progressing. Here in a little bit she won't be able to resist anymore. Lucas and Juan are continuing to blow my mind. They both shared their testimonies at the baptism and they pray like little angels. Antonella also shared her testimony after her baptism and it was really amazing to hear what she was feeling. Her mom told us that she has changed a ton. She basically bore her testimony to us that the gospel blesses families. I am so grateful for the opportunity to help these people feel the spirit in their house and to help them come to know that families can be together forever.

We received cambios (changes) last night! I am staying here with Elder Bastidas! But Elder Pike is leaving :( ..... but he is a zone leader now :) Changes are always fun. But I am really happy that I am staying. We learned a lot from Presidnet Gonzales about working with members and retention and we have some pretty good plans here in our area. Plus we still have some unfinished business with the family of Juan and Lucas!

Did you guys buy a RV or something? Because you are traveling all over the place! Say hi to all of the family up there! That is so awesome that Kayla got baptized! Thank you for sending those pictures! I also received 1 package this week...... that you sent April 11! haha I don't know why it took so long but thank you so much! I needed those socks haha and the beef jerky is DIVINE.

That is really sad about Sister Tanner. She was always really nice to everyone and she always had a bright smile on her face whenever I saw her. The good thing is that that smile will not vanish. There is another life after this one. Send my thanks to Sister Tanner for everything she has done. She is a great lady I will always be grateful for her example.

I am excited to keep the work moving down here in Uruguay and I am so grateful for everything that you all do for me!

Love

Elder Lacey

Letter in the Mail

(Today is a transfer day for Elder Lacey so we won't get an email until tomorrow. I got this letter in the mail just before we left for Pennsylvania on Friday so I thought I would post it.)

Buen Dia!!

How are you guys doing?  I hope the trip to Tahiti went well. By the time this gets to you school will probably be out? I bet Luke is pretty excited.  What are you guys going to do for summer?  Go have a BBQ and play some board games for me, Alright?

I miss you guys a ton but the mission is going really well.  I am even learning to cook a little bit! In Aeroparque it was really hard to cook because there were only little "almacens" and I had no idea what to eat. haha But in San Carlos, Chuy and here in 33 there are supermarkets.  They are kind of expensive but if you need special ingredients you can find them.  I am really glad that I started my mission in Aeroparque because it set my expectations pretty low as far as food and house conditions haha? But I now realize that Elder Walker did a really good job of training me there. He never complained or said anything bad about Aeroparque so I didn't know that there were better places. I had a blast there! I have loved every single one of my areas and companions!

Recently I have realized that I have been blessed with an ability since I have been on my mission.  I have been able to make everything simple.  To me the Gospel is so basic and logical.  I have been able to tie all of the different gospel topics into one word: FELICIDAD (happiness)  All of the commandments we have, all of the things we do, the scriptures, the prophets, the earth, temples, our families...We have all of these things because God loves us and he wants us to be happy.  That is why he sent Jesus Christ.
                                                       John 3:16
I am so glad that God has given me this knowledge so that I can share it with others. Sometimes we as missionaries like to make things too complicated with deep doctrine, but to me what I like to teach to investigators and to missionaries is this:
                                                       GOD LOVES US
If we are obedient to His words we will have eternal life. If we really truly have faith in Jesus Christ then we will obey. I am so grateful that I was raised in such a good home. Thank you Mom and Dad!  You were the ones that taught me this. Keep teaching Luke!  Read, pray, pay attention in church and have FHE.

I love you guys!

Elder Lacey