Gaia!!

Huge tile wall in Gaia, Portugal

Sister Lacey with Sister Fuertes, an Elder, and others in Gaia, Portugal

Ola!!

Hey guys!! 

You are all so happy!  I miss you all but you all sound so great. This week has been pretty crazy like I said, I was not expecting to get transferred. Traveling was crazy! Haha I met up with some Elders so that was nice that I didn't have to travel alone. My companion, Sister Fuertes is awesome.  She has only been here for 3 transfers and she is seriously awesome. Gaia is beautiful!! You all should look up some pictures of Gaia by the river.  It is breath taking and exactly what I Googled and saw before the mission. 

Vila de Nova Gaia, Portugal

Wasn't General Conference amazing!?! I got to watch a lot of it! And I was so excited to hear people speaking in their native tongues!  Especially to hear it in Portuguese. I won't sound like him when I get back though because he is from Brazil, but it was still way cool. I feel so honored and I feel I have taken it for granted in the past that our church is built upon prophets and apostles just like when Christ was on the Earth. This is his church. I know it. Trust me, this work would not be being taught around the world if it was not Christ's work. We are so blessed.

We have already met many wonderful people here and the ward is awesome. My favorite hymn is Mais Perto Quero Esta or Nearer my God to thee and I like to sing some of it while we are walking. I know me singing it... Haha. I actually sing a lot here on my mission and people say I sound good. They might just be really nice. Haha. Well, we walked past this one lady and we smiled and said hello and I began singing.  Well, the lady stopped and began singing with us. And then she began telling us that she met with the missionaries around 10 years ago and that was her favorite hymn. I just love the way our Father in Heaven touches the hearts of people. She was taking the lessons with them and then they got transferred and I guess went home or something and she stopped going to church. She has our number now so hopefully we can start meeting with her. 

President has us study about the atonement for 15 minutes everyday and I just love it. I am learning more and more from reading the scriptures and talks from apostles.  I know that we will never be able to fully comprehend the Atonement in this life. But what I have learned is that when the Savior suffered for our sins in Gethsemane, it was a whole mass of sin heaped upon him, but it was still individual. Everything Christ did in his mortal life was for the one. He left the 99 sheep for the one. So wouldn't it make since that the Atonement would be personal and individual?  He saw each of us and suffered for all of pains, sins, temptations and weaknesses.  He knows us and loves us! And he knows how to help us if we have faith in him. I love him. I know he is our Savior and that it is only through him that we can return to our Loving Heavenly Father. 

I am so blessed to be on a mission. I feel so uplifted everyday by such amazing people. I love it here and I know this gospel is true. I love you all so much!! 

Sister Lacey