Retention

Elder Lacey with other Elders in Las Piedras

December 30, 2014

Dear Family,

Changes strike again! I'm staying here but my good friend Elder Havens is leaving. The good thing is that Elder Morris is going to be my comp. We were in the CCM together and have been in the same zone a lot in the mission so I am looking forward to it. He is a really good missionary. It is amazing how fast time goes by. I feel like it was yesterday when I came here to be comps with Elder Havens. I will miss him but he is planning on going to school in Utah so we will be able to stay in contact pretty easy. Some other news is that Elder Leavitt is the new assistant! He is a really good guy. I know that you were going to eat lunch with his grandma again so that is cool.

I love talking to you guys on Skype. I always leave with a lot of desire to go out and preach the gospel. I love my family! Thank you for all of the pictures that you sent. You all have sweet jackets! 

I am excited for this next change because we have a ton of investigators. Elder Havens and I didn't baptize together but we sure set ourselves up. We have some really good investigators but like always they have some problems to overcome first. But I am sick of not baptizing so Elder Morris and I are going to go have some fun out there in the Uruguayan sun. 

The missionary work is changing a lot down here though. We used to be super focused on baptisms as a mission but the retention was kind of stinky. But starting this year in the area of South America they are changing some things up. We are going to start working a lot more with less actives and recent converts. Don't get me wrong, we are still going to baptize but we are going to find those prepared people through the members. I am really excited for this change though. I think it will work really well. 

Well, I only have 3 changes left. Changes go by way to fast. I love the mission and I am going to go out with a bang. There are too many people in this earth that don't know about the plan. So I'm going to go tell them about this plan. 

I love you guys!

Elder Lacey

PS I used those Nerf guns in a demonstration in a zone Conference haha! Thank you! 

Dear Dad,

I loved Skyping with you guys. We have the best family in the world. You all look really good as well. I like your new bike shirt that you got. Even at your age you still do your own stunts!

The other 2 elders that we were with left right after you guys saw them on Skype and we actually didn't have to wait for them to Skype because we got there right when they finished so it wasn't too bad. 

It was crazy to hear about the BYU football game. One of my friends is on his mission in Florida and I guess the entire mission got to go or something like that. Did you see a big group of missionaries on TV?? haha So are there any suspensions? 

I am digging this schedule that you have set up for me. I have been working out decently but I am losing weight because it is so hot and we play a lot of soccer. I feel pretty healthy though.

I love you Dad! The Gospel is true!

Elder Lacey