Spiritual Boot Camp!

Elder Lacey in the streets of Montevideo

Elder Lacey and Elder Lawson

April 27, 2015

Dear Family,

It is weird to say that this is my last full week of work because it feels so normal. This past week we worked just as we have in these past 2 years. We had a conference with Elder Oaks on Tuesday and it was awesome! I have had the opportunity to hear 2 Apostles in person here on the Mission and both of those times I felt the spirit so strongly as they bore testimony of Jesus Christ. They truly are special witnesses of Him. Guess what he talked about first with us? That’s right, marriage haha! There we were, 500 missionaries strong and he talked to us about marriage! It was a little bit funny but everyone learned a lot. He also talked about a lot of other things that I loved. He talked about what real success is, how to be an instrument in the Lords hands, and consecration. I am grateful for our latter-day prophets and Apostles.

I will try to practice my English so that I can give a good talk on the 10th. 

I am really excited to see you all and to catch up on everything that has happened in these past 2 years. I have so many things in my head that I want to take a day or two just to write everything down and plan a little bit for the future. Maybe we can play a few IGP games as well :)

The work is going well and it will keep on going. There are many strong members here in Uruguay and they are living examples of how the Gospel blesses families. I will be forever grateful for the things that I have learned here and for the miracles that I have seen. I know that I am just at the beginning of my life mission but I feel a lot more prepared to face life now that I have gone through spiritual bootcamp. ¡Vamo' Arriba! 

I love you all!

Elder Lacey

Dear Dad,

I will seriously need your help when i get home. You have so much knowledge! I want to sit down with you and talk strategy for the future. There are so many things that I want to accomplish and the only thing that is against me is time haha! I don't think I am going to sleep, ain’t nobody got time for that.

I love this work. I can't wait to have my family as my companion so that we can go do some work together! 

I love you.

Elder Lacey

The Gospel is True!! Go Preach it!!

Gustavo!!

Gustavo's Baptism

April 20, 2015

Dear Family,

Sometimes I have the desire to sit down and write a book. I have learned and felt so many things here in the mission and I want to write down everything! I have so many things to tell you guys that I don't know what to start with. 

Building a house

One of the things that I thought was interesting this week was we were able to have an activity in the church here in Lezica where we watched “Meet the Mormons.” Luckily I have been able to see it about 3 times now in Spanish. It was a really good activity but what I liked most about it was the desire that it gave me to serve. I feel like that is one of the biggest things that has changed in me during the mission. I now realize the importance of going the second mile and magnifying your calling. Did I ever thank you for sending me that talk by Elder Eyring that talks about magnifying your calling? I think it is one of my favorite talks of all time. I really want to make sure that I am always involved in some sort of service all of the time.

This week we are preparing Gustavo and Sandra (our 2 most recent converts) to go to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. This week Gustavo will also be receiving the priesthood. We have been really blessed to be able to witness the progress of many people and we are continuing to find more investigators. I'm glad it hasn't really hit me that I am coming to the end of the mission. I guess it will hit me when I see you guys at the airport haha :) 

Tomorrow we have a conference with Elder Dallin H. Oaks! I am really pumped. In the CCM Elder Cook came, but since then I haven't seen an apostle. It is going to be a good time.

Elder Lacey, Gustavo, and Elder Lawson

Elder Lacey and Elder Lawson

The Gospel is true! Go preach it!

Love

Elder Lacey

Dear Dad,

That is crazy that you will be introducing big ol' Drew Brees in your meeting. Make sure you let him know who's boss. haha! Hopefully I will be able to accomplish a part of what he was able to accomplish in his football career. I believe that I can do it.

Oh, sorry for not emailing you back last week. I ran out of time really fast. The good thing is that I will be seeing you guys here pretty quick. I am so grateful for everything that you guys have done for me. I am so happy and grateful for the mission and I am going to do everything that I can to keep having spiritual experiences to finish off my mission. I also want to stay in contact with all of the converts here just like you had contact with the Diaz family for so long. 

Like one of your shirts says "Life is Good"

I love you Dad!

Elder Lacey

My Beloved Uruguay

On the shores of my Beloved Uruguay

April 6, 2015

Dear Family,

I went to General Conference with a few questions written down and my mind ready to receive revelation for the end of my mission and also for the future. If you saw the Saturday sessions you will know that the majority of the talks were about families and getting married. I guess the Prophet and the twelve apostles want me to get married as fast as possible! haha! No, but I received answers to all of my questions! I am so grateful for the restoration of the gospel and for all of our church leaders. It was weird because this was my last General Conference in the mission and so some of my questions that I had written down had to do with what would happen in the future. One of my questions was what can I do now in order to prepare my family in the future. My hand hurts because there was so much material to write down! The Gospel is designed to help our families. (We watched 2 sessions in English and 3 in Spanish)

Speaking of families, Gustavo Andreoni and his family are doing awesome. We are going to have his baptismal service this Friday. It is so awesome to see the change that he has gone through. We have seen many miracles and I can see more and more light in his countenance everyday. In the charla that we had with him yesterday I shared with him a quote from General Conference. "There are many good things, many important things, but there are few that are essential." We need to have an eternal perspective to see what are the few essential things that we need to do. Cake is good, ribs are good, money is good, football is important, but what is essential is making it back to Our Father in Heaven together with our family. I am so happy to be here helping other families to see this.

Bishop, Elder Lawson, Elder Lacey, Gustavo and his wife

General Conference also gave me an opportunity to see Mariana and Susana from Las Piedras they are both doing super well! It is awesome to see converts that are firm in the church. I hope to keep in contact with them like Dad has kept in contact with the Familia Elmo. 

In one month from today I will be heading home....I want to cry! The mission is so awesome. I have changed so much here in la Tierra Prometida, my Beloved Uruguay. I am going to make the most of this last month and I am going to preach my heart out. 

I love all of you so much!

Elder Lacey

Elder Lawson and Elder Lacey enjoying PDay