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

Yo Sé que Vive mi Señor!

March 30, 2015

Dear Family,

I now realize why those who go to spirit paradise are also missionaries. Its because the mission is paradise! If we really want to be happy we need to share the gospel! Well that is how I feel. We have some investigators that are really progressing and you can see the difference in their lives and in the lives of their families. Elder Lawson and I are really happy to be here in Lezica because it is the promised land :) 

This week we were able to do a ton of things. We helped an investigator build a house which was fun. Here all of the houses are made out of cinder block and so he taught us how to make the walls and we went at it. I will send you pictures of it next week. We have also made friends with a herd of pigs that live in this garbage field that we walk through to get to a recent converts house. I at least think we are friends with them because they don't make angry noises at us anymore. haha! 

Here in Lezica the work is progressing. The members are super pumped and we feel like we are helping out the ward a lot. We have been having activities and Noches de Hogares a lot and so everyone is happy. It helps the recent converts out a lot when you have so much participation in the ward. 

That is interesting that in Sunday school you were talking about that because If I remember right my last talk that I gave was about the difference between testimony and conversion. If we truly have a testimony then we should be truly converted. Faith without works is dead. We need to go out and do it! 

In church yesterday for the last hymn we sang numero 73 Yo Sé que Vive mi Señor. I think it has become my favorite hymn now. It is very simple but it is what I feel and I love the last line of the last verse because it is like a testimony from the heart!

Yo sé que vive mi Señor!

Love,

Elder Lacey

Dear Dad,

I miss good ol' Lace pops humor haha! When I get home we will have to invest into some app building because I have a few ideas of my own. 

That is awesome that you are working well with that family. I would love to meet them when I get home. It is crazy how fast time is flying by. 

I can't wait for conference either. I am going to really study hard this week to be prepared for what they are going to tell us. Save some cinnamon rolls for me haha! 

It is great to be a missionary. Yesterday we actually taught 2 charlas in English which was interesting. It is a little bit harder to teach in English than in Spanish! I had to ask my companion how to say a few things in English....I am losing it! haha

I love you Dad!

Elder Lacey

Last Transfer

Valientes!!

A Super Missionary on his 21st Birthday!!

No Birthday is complete without a pinata.

Sandra's Baptism

March 24, 2015

Dear Family,

Can you believe that it is already change week again? That was the fastest week ever. Me and Elder Lawson are staying together here in Lezica for my last change. Down here they call the missionaries who are on their last transfer, valientes. The weird thing is that I don't feel any different, I know that the end is coming quickly but I still feel like there is a ton of work to do. These last 6 weeks are going to be a good time.

We are still seeing miracles everyday down here. Yesterday in church there were 3 complete families there that got me thinking. The three families were Sandra’s family, Gustavo Andrioni's family, and Edgardo and Lorena’s family. I loved having them there in church because we are working with all of them and they all showed up including all of their kids. There is a such a good spirit in the church when people go with their whole family. I could see a little bit into the future and I could see the happiness that all of these families are going to have if they just stay firm in the church. I am so glad that when I was little and was causing a wreck, my parents fought the good fight and took me to church every Sunday. 

The temple was amazing this past week. It always helps a lot to go and feel the spirit and pray in the temple. We also had interviews with President and he told me about what he sent you guys haha! You can always tell when you have  a true blue cougar fan. I got my card but I haven't tried it yet. I think it should work fine though.

Well, I am going to make the best of these 6 weeks and go to work. There is still a lot that I want to study and learn and there are still a lot of almas to save. I love this work with all of my heart! And I love all of you!

Love

Elder Lacey

Dear Dad,

I am so excited for General Conference. It is to bad that I won't be there for the cinnamon rolls but I might buy myself an alfajor haha! I will definitely write down some questions and study the talks a lot. 

I would love to help out May 15th and 16th! I think that would be awesome!

Recently I have been thinking a lot about all the things that I have learned in my mission and I think it would help me remember everything I have learned if I share it a lot so i would love to help out with the jóvenes.  

I love you Dad!

Elder Lacey

Sandra and Sofia were Baptized!

March 16, 2015

Dear Family,

The mission is the best! Sandra and Sofia were baptized on Saturday and then confirmed on Sunday. It was such a good service and all of the members helped out a ton. Sandra and Sofia are doing super well and they are all situated in the ward nice and snug so they aren't going anywhere. All of the members are so excited to share the gospel, its amazing. I have been sharing a scripture lately with a lot of members that is in Mosiah 27:14. it is when the angel is talking to Alma the Younger and the angel tells him that it was because of the prayers of the people and the prayers of his father that the angel visited him. If you get an entire ward together united in prayer miracles are going to happen. We are seeing those miracles with Gustavo. He is doing really well and we have had some really spiritual charlas with him and his family.

Also for my Birthday the members treated me super well. Lets just say I was really full at the end of the day haha! Everyone just kept giving us food! Its fine with me :)

I received 2 letters today but I haven't had time to read them yet. it looks like one is from the Steinagles and one is from you guys with drawings. Thank you! You are all the best. That is really cool that Dad was talking with Pres. Newsome! And that is really nice of Pres. Cook to send a letter to you. They are both really great men.

Life is good. The mission is going great. This Wednesday we are going to the Temple and I have everything ready to go through for Michael Lacy. I am so grateful for everything. The only thing I can complain about is not having more time to preach the gospel....the good thing is that I have non-mormon friends back in the states :) 

The church is true! 

Love

Elder Lacey

Dear Dad,

Good ol' mom stealing all of the compliments from Dad. Haha! Its hard to compete with the best. But don't worry dad, I still love you! 

(Just so you know what happened: Mike spoke in another ward as a member of the High Council. After his talk a lady came up from the audience and shook his hand and said, “I know who you are! You’re Diana Lacey’s husband. She gave the best talk a few weeks ago in our Stake Women’s Conference!” She didn’t say a word about Mike’s talk. The good thing is that later that night Mike got a very nice email from a man who had been in the audience and he complimented Mike on how strong the spirit was and how much he loved Mike’s talk. He also mentioned many other people who made similar comments!)

If you would like to enter a bracket for me with all of the underdogs, do it. 

I love that story in Luke! I am pretty sure that a couple of weeks ago I talked about it in my Email to you guys. I love how when they took the sacrament they knew him and how in John 17:3 it says that eternal life IS so know God and Jesus Christ. It is a powerful story.

I am excited to see you soon! I still have some work to do down here though :)

I love you

Elder Lacey

Birthday Boy!

Elder Lacey a couple of days before he turned 21
I found those party plates in the kid birthday party section in Walmart.
They were perfect for a missionary birthday too.

March 9, 2015

Dear Family,

I'm old. I can't believe that I'm almost 21! It is going to be a good birthday week because I love this ward! We had 6 investigators in church and we are seeing miracles. Sandra and Sofia are going to get baptized this Saturday and we are working a ton with Gustavo who is a dad of an active family. We are really good friends with him and he is starting to get interested in the message. His family is working a lot with him and it is amazing how far he has come. He came to church this Sunday and he is reading and everything. They are an awesome family.

I got all of the packages but I haven't received the letter yet. Thanks! All of those protein bars are going to help me because I realized that I am skinny! I was looking through the pictures that you sent me and I look fat compared to where I am now haha! Thanks for sending those pictures as well. That was cool to look through all of them.  Did you ever get the letter that I sent you for your Birthday? Also, for the Spanish class do I need to take the class in order to take the test or is it just so that I pass the test really well? And it is an advanced class right? 

Lately I found a connection in the scriptures that I love. John 17:3- Eternal life is to know God and Jesus Christ. Luke 24:30-31 How did the disciples "know" Christ? Through the sacrament. In order to obtain salvation we need to really know our Savior. Not just his face or his appearance but actually know who he is. The only way we can do that is by taking the sacrament every Sunday and repenting of our sins and remembering him. 

I know my Savior. I know that he loves us and is there to help us through every step in our lives. He is the only way we can gain Eternal life and Eternal life is what we are looking for (D&C 6:7 ; 14:7)

I love all of you!

Elder Lacey

Dear Dad,

Time flies when you are doin work! So we must all be doing way to much work cause the time surely is flying. The good thing is that I am not trunky at all. The missionary work is just so natural now that there is no time to be trunky. I love working with all of our investigators.

I feel exactly like usted. I don't want to leave! But I also know that there is a lot of work for me to do up there in the States. 

I love all of those plans that you have for me. I don't need sleep! haha! One of these P-days in the future I will make a little calendar and send a picture of it because there are a few things that I will need to do when I get back. But I am totally down to work out a ton and work with those trainers. It will be a good time.....I am so skinny!

I love you dad!

Elder Lacey

I Like Miracles!

Susana with Elder Lacey, Elder Morris and others

March 2, 2015

Dear Family,

Miracles! I like miracles. Sandra and her family are doing awesome! It is crazy the changes that are happening in their lives. Here they went through one of the hardest years of their lives and they are able to see the blessings that have come from it. They lost their dad/husband last year and then a month ago they almost died in a crazy fire. They lost a lot of their possessions and they didn't have insurance so they just completely lost all of it. We have been able to do a lot of service cleaning and painting their house and the ward has helped out a lot and so they are living in their house again. The amazing part is that they see the fire as a blessing. I love going over their because they are so happy and peaceful. They lost their TV and so what they do is they play cards and chat with each other and drink mate haha! It is a testimony to me that real happiness comes from the gospel blessing families, it does not come from the world. Before the fire Sandra wasn't very open to the missionaries but now she wants to get baptized! She has felt the spirit very strongly in the church, in her house, and with the members. Sandra and Sofia are going to get baptized together on the 14th of March. Its going to be a good Birthday week :)

I have been learning a lot in these past 3 months about our job as missionaries. Elder Viñas came to the mission and taught us about establishing the church. It is sad because in many areas here in Uruguay the total church attendance hasn't changed much in the past 10 years even though the missionaries have been working really hard. Sometimes we as missionaries work super hard but we aren't working in the right way to edify the church. I am really pumped to help build the church in Lezica. We are going to focus on finding families and the church here in Uruguay really needs Priesthood holders as well so we are going to go find some good worthy men that can be leaders in the church. I love this ward because the members are super open to the missionary work!

I got 2 packages! Thank you guys! I got the one with beef jerky and power bars and then the Valentines day one. I'm happy :)

I can't express how grateful that I am to be here in the mission. I love it, I love it, I love it! I feel the spirit every day and what I have learned in these past 21 months is priceless. God loves us! Life is good.

I love all of you!

Elder Lacey

Lezica (Laceyica) is the best town in the world.

Susana's Baptism

February 23, 2015

Dear Family,

Another good ol' week in the best town in the world. Lezica (Laceyica) is the best. The members here are awesome and the work is good. The only problem is that we are running out of time to do all the things that we need to do! haha I guess that is a good problem to have so I am not complaining. This past week we had the best Correlation that I have ever had in my mission. We have 6 ward missionaries (which is 6 more then I have ever had) and 5 of them showed up to Correlation with the ward mission leader. And let me tell you, all of the excitement is contagious. On Sunday we had the best ward council that I have ever had as well. The members are really focused and want to help us a ton. We have had a ton of members ask to leave with us just to proselyte. I have fallen in love with this place. 

Susana got baptized! It was such a good experience and really spiritual. It was good to see how far she had come. When we were teaching her she would always say that she felt like a big bowl of green jello on a hamster wheel. Haha! She didn't feel at peace. When I talked to her on Friday she said that she felt like a big red balloon flying in the sky...that is her way of saying that she is finally at peace. It was also good to see all of my buddies like Elder Morris and all of the members. I forgot to bring my camera so I will send you pictures next week but it sounds like you already saw some through Emiliano. Emiliano is awesome! He is going to be such a good missionary. Tell him that I love him!

A spanish class sounds good! I have always wanted to learn spanish! But other than that I have no idea what my plans are going to be this summer. I guess just study and work out all day and read the scriptures. I guess I might have to go look for a job! But the good thing is that I don't have to worry about that for 3 months :)

I think I will be able to figure everything out with My Family Search. I will probably do Michael Martin Lacey. I will try and get the phone number of Travis' mom because I think his parents are in charge of it all as far as the apartment goes.

Tim and Nicole Lawson are the parents of Elder Awesome errr.... I mean Elder Lawson.

Oh! I promised a member that I would write you about an investigator that we have. Sandra is the mom and her son Santiago got baptized and her daughter Sofia wants to get baptized really bad. A little over a month ago they all got caught in a bad house fire. Sandra got badly burnt but is recovering well. The kids are fine. Sandra before was open to the missionaries but she didn't want to receive the charlas. After this whole experience things have changed and she is more open to us. We still haven't talked to her very much but she went to church this Sunday. She has also gone through some really horrible things as well. Her 2 oldest children are addicted to drugs and so that haunts her a lot. But she has seen a lot of miracles lately and she is really being prepared by the Lord. We are working really closely with the familia Barreiro. The Dad is the 2nd Counselor in the Stake Presidency and he suggested that we write our moms about what is happening and that maybe you could write a note to Sandra. I think that would be a great idea! So if you want you can send me an email and I can print it out and give it to her. If Dad could translate it that would be good or if not Hermana Carmen Barreiro Speaks English. I think that would help Sandra out a ton.

It is amazing to look back and see how far I have come. I love testifying of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The other day I finished Jesus the Christ. Over these past 2 years I have defended his name and tried my best to be a representative of him. He truly is our Redeemer. Through him all mankind can change and obtain Eternal Life. I love the Mission.

Love!

Elder Lacey

Dear Dad,

I love everything you said. I do feel like I have grown to love the people here even more than when I started. I am working differently as a missionary and I feel like that is why I am loving it so much in Lezica. We are super nice to everyone and we look for opportunities to show our love to everybody. Emiliano will be leaving to Peru for his mission in May. He is going to be a solid missionary. I wish that I could have learned all of the things that I know now before my mission haha! I thought that the last 50 Meters was supposed to be the hardest??? I am loving it! 

I love you dad!

Elder Lacey