Família!!!

Cobblestone streets of Arrentela, Portugal!

With Sister Harper (MTC roommate)

This week has been filled with miracles. It has been hard trying to adjust to the language and the culture shock, but I have also recognized the Lord's hand here everyday. We have a couple who have been investigating and they are amazing. They are willing to read and keep commitments. Sunday morning however we got a call form them and they said they would not be able to come to church. I was feeling really down so I said a prayer and when I got up I looked in my planner and it I had written to read "A Consecrated Missionary" that morning and so I did. I love when it says, "Sometimes in life we just have to square our shoulders and do it ...no passage of time that strengthens us, no memorized approach that embolds us." And then I read D&C 60:2 And when I read this scripture it sounded like this, "Sister Lacey, with you I am not well pleased, for you will not open your mouth but you hide the talent which I have given you for fear of men." I do speak here, but sometimes I think, well my companion can say that clearer so she should and I just realized that I am not being a consecrated missionary. The talk says,"My all is a small repayment for his all." I went on and realized that I need to be happier because I am a member of this gospel and if I give my all the Lord will lead me. So we then went to church and only one of our investigators was there but then during the second block we were in Gospel Principles and in walked another one of our investigators! After Sacrament, the Relief Society president and her husband came up to us with some of their family members and their niece said, "I want to be baptized." She said she wanted to be this weekend! I could have fainted. Well we found out that her mom and brother our also interested and want to take the discussions. The Lord literally handed them to us. We did nothing and it just helped me to realize even more that this is His work, not mine. We are so blessed.

So last Monday we had dinner at a members house. I walked in and smelt... FISH!! Haha I was so scared. It was cod fish. The only way I can describe it is that it was like funeral potatoes with cod fish. It was surprisingly really good! My companion though told them that I don't like fish so they invited us out for a picnic with some recent converts in the ward and they bring out this huge bowl filled with a ton of dead fish just staring at me. They were Sardines! They grilled them and I ate one whole fish. They said Sardines have the strongest flavor out of all the other fish and that was an understatement haha It really was pretty good. Brother Rocha, who was in the quorum of the Seventy, saw my face and said, "Sister Lacey just enjoy it!" Haha I told him I was trying but I didn't like the fish staring back at me! Haha I had a lot of fun. 

One more funny story. Dogs here are pretty annoying. Kind of like Clay said they were in Italy. They do their business whereever they please so I am constantly watching my step. Well the big dogs like to stick their heads through gates to try and bite you. We were walking to an investigators house about 40 minutes away and this dog scared my companion half to death. Well, we went to the investigators house and they canceled on us. I was pretty frustrated so as we walked home we went past the dog and I saw it waiting there to try and scare us so I just stood there and stared at it. It seemed a bit confused. I then jumped towards the gate and I have never seen a animal so scared. Haha It probably saw a whole 2 weeks of stress in my eyes. It literally ran way crying... no joke. I feel kind of bad. Haha

I am so thankful for this gospel. Dad, like you said, each rejection just brings me closer to that one person who is ready for the gospel. So every time I am rejected I try to smile after because I know this gospel is true and my family and my future family will be blessed by it. I love this gospel so much. D Todd Christofferson said, "It is of great significance to me, that I may at any moment and in any circumstance approach through prayer the throne of grace, that my Heavenly Father will hear my petition, that my Advocate, him who did know sin, whose blood was shed, will plead my cause." Isn't it just a miracle that we can even pray and receive answers and comfort from our Heavenly Father? And in Doctrine and Covenants the Savior said,"Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and I am your advocate with the Father, and it is his good will to give you the kingdom." Our Father in Heaven and his beloved son love us so much.

I love you all so much!!

Sister Lacey