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Nasceu O Salvador, O Melhor Natal

They got Heart Attacked 

Family Home Evening

Food from the Branch members :-)

Portugal :-)

Ola Minha Família!

Hey Guys! I cannot believe how amazing it was to talk to all of you on Christmas. It was seriously amazing and to make it even better Brooke and I were able to talk for the first time in a year! It was seriously so fun! I just loved being able to share advice for each other and to see that we are both happy and learning so much! And yes we cried for most of the time. 

I loved this week of Christmas! I am not going to lie I was a little sad to not be home for Christmas again but this week was amazing! It was amazing to be a missionary for one more Christmas. Like I shared  during Skype Sister Selk and I were just overwhelmed with the gratitude for our callings! We recited our purpose and sobbed as we said, ´´As disciples of Jesus Christ our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ...´´ we then recited the young women theme and cried even harder as we said,´´We are daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us and we love him.``  I love our Young Women theme and it is of even more significance to me now then ever before. 

I know that it is not Christmas anymore but I wanted to share the things I learned this last week. 

In Luck 2:10-11 the angel says to the Shepard, ´´...Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.´´

I have read this scripture many times but as Sister Selk and I talked about it she explained the way her dad looks at this scripture. First of all the angel said to´´ fear not´´ and then he says ´´which shall be unto all people´´ that is why I love the video A savior is Born because it shows that Christ was born to save not just some people but all people and I testify that this is true! I have seen it here in Portugal, and with Brookie in Japan. But more than that he was born for all people the angel said,´´unto you´´ meaning the Savior was born unto me, unto you, each of us individually! We are so blessed for this knowledge that we have. 

Sister Selk and I also loved prepared a message to share with the members this past week. It was actually really cool because we were feeling that we need to share about Christ and that he is the Light of the World and then we listened to Elder Bednars talk for the Christmas devotional. This is what we shared in our message. we started in 3 Nephi 1:9 Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet.1 19 And it came to pass that there was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day.And it came to pass that the sun did rise in the morning again, according to its proper order; and they knew that it was the day that the Lord should be born, because of the sign which had been given.´´ We then had the memeber s imagine that they were there and we had them imagine that they were about to be put to death but not only the sign of Christ birth but his light, he saved them.

We then had them imagine that 33 years had passed and now it is the sign of Christs death it says in chapter 8 20 And it came to pass that there was thick darkness upon all the face of the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof who had not fallen could feel the vapor of darkness; 23 And it came to pass that it did last for the space of three days that there was no light seen; and there was great mourning and howling and weeping among all the people continually; yea, great were the  groanings of the people, because of the darkness and the great destruction which had come  upon them.´´ Can you you see the great contrast of his birth and his death? 

And then going forward 3 days this is the first thing Christ said as he appeared saying 11 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world;and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath  given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.´´

I testify that Christ is the Light of this world. We have nothing to fear he is our Savior. I love him! 

Eu amo vocês!! 

Com amor, Sister Lacey

Nasceu O Salvador

Christmas Conference

Christmas Conference

Christmas Conference

Christmas Conference

Ola Minha Família!!

Hey guys!! I cannot believe it is almost Christmas! That is seriously crazy! I love this time of year. I am not going to lie I am pretty sad this will be my last Christmas in the mission field, there is something so special about being a missionary during Christmas. 

This week flew by like I said last Monday I had a meeting about going home andon Tuesday we had our Christmas Conference as a mission. I am not going to lie it was rough saying bye to some  of my companions. Dad said to me last week that he thinks it will be hard for me to say bye to people here just like it was to say bye to you guys and I am already not looking forward to that. The Christmas Conference was amazing though! It was so much fun to be together as a mission. 

For some not so fun news I have been pretty sick these past few days. I have had the flu. Not fun. I am still kind of out of it so sorry if this email is a little weird. :) This branch is amazing though! They brought over soup and food for us! We also got a lot of calls from people to see how we were doing! I just love Portugal.

One man that called us to see how we were doing is Paulo. He actually contacted us in the street one day and said he wanted to come to Church. He lives in a city about a 20 minute drive form the chapel. We gave him the church address and I am sad to say I didn't think anything of it. Well last Sunday guess who showed up to church? That is right Paulo. He hitch hiked actually. He is very intelligent but has a mental Handicap. The Branch just loves him. He is amazing! 

During a lesson this week with Antonio I noticed something interesting. I realized what really is the differnce between Nephi and his Brothers. In Chapter 8 of (The vision of the tree of life) 1 Nephi 35 it says, ´´And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my father.´´ And in 1 Nephi 2:16´´And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had   been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.´´

So as we know the tree in Lehi´s vision is a symbol of Gods love for us his Children, so in other words Laman and Lemuel never tasted of Gods love they never gained a personal relationship with him. Nephi on the other hand did. He cried unto the Lord, gained his testimony and from that point on never doubted the Love his Father in Heaven had for him. 

I am so thankful for my mission. I love my mission. I truly feel that I have come to know on such a deeper level the great love my Father in Heaven as for me. And I do not doubt that! He loves us! As members of the Church that should be the easiest this that we comprehend that our Father in Heaven loves us! He trusts us, he gave us his Son! His perfectly obedient, loving Son for us. So that every single one of us good have the the possibility, everyone of his children could return to him! That is why I love this Christmas season. We have hope! 

Realmente eu sei que Nosso Salvador nasceu. Ele é a luz deste mundo o principe da paz, nosso Redentor! Ele Nasceu para que possa estar com aqueles que eu amo para as eternidades! 

Eu vos amo! Feliz Natal!

Com tanto amor, Sister Lacey