What a week!

Ola minha família!!

Hey guys I cant believe it has already been another week! This week has been a little crazy but still good. I will be quick today because we are going to go on a hike with some members. It is supposed to be the highest point in Portugal. I am pretty excited.

On Wednesday we had interviews with President. He is so amazing we had an awesome talk. He is just such an inspired man.  Sometimes I'm kind of hard on myself but he just said how much the Lord trusts me and how much he (President) trusts me and that I am doing an amazing job. It was so nice to hear. I read a quote, I think it is from Elder Bruce R. McConkie, but he said the Lord doesn't expect immediate perfection but he expects immediate progression. That helped me a lot too.  

So honestly this week was kind of a blur. I am not going to lie, it was a little rough. ALL of our appointments fell through. I just felt really bad for Sister Swain. On Friday night it rained really hard and then literally no one wanted to talk to us. So, we started singing hymns as we were walking in the street and we contacted anyone we saw. It was pretty funny... This one guy we contacted looked at us like we were crazy and said, you both know it is raining right? And we laughed and he said, "You guys need to go to your house now, you will get sick." And I said actually, "sir we need to work." Haha. Its pretty funny; in Portuguese they have a command form or in other words you switch the ending of a word if you are commanding someone to do something. For example vai is you are going and vá is GO). Anyways he was using command form. Haha

So one funny story. We were walking and trying to find people to teach and we decided we needed to say another prayer. It was probably one of the most honest prayers I have said. I just love praying. I said in the prayer that we were a little down but we are happy because we are growing and we are blessed to be serving in Portugal. Anyways, after the first man we saw we stopped him. And I started testifying that I know the gospel was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. And he just looked at me and said,"What did you say?" Well, when I said restored, he thought I said castrated. HAHAHA So he heard "Deus Castrou o evangelho dele.." (God castrated his gospel) Haha, In my defense, it was raining and really windy! And I know how to say restored :-). Anyways, we all laughed so hard and it broke the ice a bit. He said he is wants to come to church and learn more. 

I love you guys so much! I am seriously so happy! I was, like I said, feeling a little down because of the work right now and I ended up getting a letter from Sister Fox. Well, it was perfect for me! In the letter she talked about trials and how they truly are for our benefit because they make us stronger. And how can we expect to become like our savior who suffered for all things if we cant handle our trials. I also liked that she shared a quote that said when we end this life we don't want to hear "Well your done" but we want to hear "Well done thou good and faithful servant." I want to feel that I have given my all to the Lord for these next 11 months. I know I will not be perfect but I don't want to finish a day or finish my mission with a little left, I want to give it my all. I love you all so much!!! 

Com amor, Sister Lacey 

Treinamento aka Training :D

Sister Lacey and Sister Swain

The last week with the Brazilian Elders

Sister Ventura, Tiago, (a recent convert) and Sister Lacey

Ola minha família!!

Ola tudo bem? This week was seriously so fun! A little crazy, but awesome. So Sister Thornley and I had a lot of fun working together until Thursday. It was a little weird working in two areas, but it was so fun. One funny story. We were walking on this street that is really Portuguese. It has these cool antique houses right next to cobble stone sidewalks. Well anyways, I was just contemplating life I guess and then out of no where I see this hand right in front of my face! I scream and jumped and then I turned around to see this sweet little old lady with a very surprised look on her face. Haha The poor thing was just watering her flowers when this crazy American screamed out of no where. Haha Sister Thornley just said Bom dia (Good day) to the lady and then we started crying we were laughing so hard. Ya I know I have issues. :)

So, Thursday, we left and got on a train to Lisboa. And when we got to the mission office, there were 15 elders training and then 6 sisters. And guess who was the youngest sister training in the mission field? Yep me! I was so scared because every one's Portuguese was so good. Haha But it was all good. So we had a two hour training with President and the Assistants and it was so good! I felt so much love and President said how much he trusts each one of us and how much love he has for us and then he said now just imagine how much love and confidence your father in heaven has for you. The training was so good. Well after President and Sister Fluckiger went to go to the airport and we all waited in the office for them. It was pretty funny to watch how anxious we all were. A bunch of missionaries who are never used just standing around... We ended up helping the office Elders some. Haha I am going to be so weird when I get home. 

So Sister Swain is from Arizona. She is awesome!! When all of the greenies came in we had another training with them and it brought back a lot of memories from my first day in Portugal. One cool thing that I didn't tell you all last week was that all of the visas did not come for all of the new missionaries coming to Portugal and so as a mission we prayed and fasted so that the visas would come in time and they did!  If all of the missionaries wouldn't have come, we would have had to close 7 areas in the mission. It was seriously such a blessing. And Sister Fluckiger just cried and told the new missionaries "we all prayed you here". 

Sister Swain is doing awesome. I love her. The ward is doing great! I just love this ward and they seemed pretty excited to see that I stayed. It made me happy.

I love you all so much! I am so thankful for prayer and for our Loving Heavenly Father! I know this church is true! I LOVE YOU ALL!

Com Amor, Sister Lacey

Fifth Transfer in Portugal!!

Sister Lacey and Sister McCall (They were in the MTC together)

Last day with the Brazilian Elders

Sisters Thornley, McCall, and Lacey

Ola minha família!!

Hey everyone. Can you believe I am on my fifth transfer in Portugal already? I can't haha. So I am staying here in Setúbal and I am going to train! So last night the Zone leaders called and said that Sister Ventura was getting transferred and they told me my companions name Sister Swin and then they said (when I asked where do I need to pick her up?) they said well, she won't get to Portugal until Thursday. Haha Your going to train!  Anyways I am really excited. :)

This week was seriously so great! I just love it here. So on New Years Eve I was on a division (with a different sister) and we were in my area, but then we ended up going to the sister training leader's area. So that was the first unplanned thing. Well, then we ended up contacting people and no one was wanting to talk to us. Then, on this one street, this one man did not want anything to do with us and then we turned to talk to this other man and his dog didn't like us... and then came Jocemare. Well, we talked to him and he said that he is praying for guidance. We got his contact info and then continued on. Well last week I found out that the sisters have been visiting him a lot. Well, I ended up being on another division and got to teach him! And he shared how long he has been looking for the truth. And then I shared with him that story and how our Heavenly Father literally placed him in our path. I cried when I told him how many things had to happen for us to stop him that night and now he is scheduled to be baptized. He was just so prepared and I know the Lord is in charge of this work. 

Another cool story. A recent convert invited us over to her house and she had a friend over. You have got to love recent converts! They are such good missionaries. Well, her friend lost her husband 8 years ago and said that she stopped praying and talking with her Father in Heaven after that. We shared the plan of salvation with her and I just cried as I shared that I know that our Savior knows exactly how she feels and he loves us and wants to help us. The spirit was so strong!

I am so thankful to be a member of Christ's Church. I know that if we follow the commandments they will bring peace and happiness into our lives. This is Christ's church. I have no doubt that he lives. I feel his love daily. I love you all so much!!!

Com Amor, Sister Lacey 

Only one week left in my 4th transfer in Portugal! O que??

Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra, Portugal - 1/19/15 

Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra, Portugal - 1/19/15 

Sintra, Portugal - 1/19/15

Portuguese Puppy :-)

Hey Guys!!!

I am so sorry about last week. I was so bummed. I was going to get back on but we had a train to catch to leave Sintra. Okay, so last P-Day we went to Sintra. I will send more pictures, but basically it is a bunch of cool old palaces!  And there were also caves that we went exploring through. Well it was pretty funny. Sister Ventura and I won a competition in our Zone. The Zone Leaders planned our P-day for us and it ended up being us, the zone leaders and two other elders. 

Man we were a group to see! Haha Two elders are from America, one Utah and the other Colorado and two elders are from Africa, one Angola and the other Mozambique. We all had so much fun talking about our different cultures and what we did growing up as children... it was so fun! One of the elders said how they would play as little children in a river by his house, but then they saw crocodiles and got scared. Haha We had fun! 

This week has been great. I really cant believe how fast the days are going. One really cool thing happened. The primary President, who is a recent convert, invited us over for dinner and for a family home evening with her and her son. They have only been members for a year and her son is 17. (Heather ;) seriously you have my permission to marry him haha anyways) They are the coolest people ever!! We get there and Tiago says, sisters you have been teaching a lot today so I thought I would prepare a spiritual thought. It was amazing! He talked about the blessings of the temple. And we all just bore our testimonies of the temple and how hard we are going to work so that Portugal will be blessed with a temple faster. I can't even explain to you guys how spiritual this kid is. Afterwards, he even went contacting with us! He is so cool!

Well, another cool thing about them is their conversion story. Paula was going to a different church and she said something did not feel right so she stopped going. Well, she ran into the sister missionaries 4 years ago and they gave her a Book of Mormon. She left it on a book shelf and didn't read it. Well, a little over a year ago she was praying and said she wanted to know the truth. The elders ended up knocking doors in her building and she was baptized a few weeks later!  But she also told us how she saw missionaries in the streets for those 4 years and didn't want anything from them; not until she truly asked to know the truth.

I know that there are people out there who are ready for the gospel. Our Heavenly Father is so loving and wants to bless us.  As we have studied and prayed, I have been realizing more and more that prayer is not for changing God's will, but it is to help us align our will with His. I am so thankful for prayer and one of my favorite things to do on the mission is teach someone to pray for the first time. Every time I feel the spirit and I feel the love Heavenly Father has for them and that he has missed hearing from them. He loves us and wants to hear from us. 

I know this Gospel is true!! I love you all so much!! 

Com Amor, Sister Lacey

Two Sister Laceys!!!

P-Day in Sintra, Portugal - 1/19/15

Ola Familia!!

So I was in the middle of writing the email and my computer crashed. :( So I think I only have time to send pictures today. Sorry!! I love you all so much! I know that we are so blessed to be members of Christ's Church! I love you all! Sorry!

Love Sister Lacey

Ola família!!

Alice and Jose - Setubal, Portugal

Hey Guys!!

Awe Brookie!! I am so excited for you!! I cannot believe there will only be two kids in the house!! Crazy stuff!! Okay I also cannot believe I have been on my mission for 6 months! Crazy!!! 

This week was a little interesting. We went to the hospital for the appointment with Sister Ventura and Sister Fluckiger was with us. She is so awesome! We had as much fun as you can have in a hospital. Haha I also wasn't feeling so great again, but I am feeling good now. I convinced Sister Ventura that we have to be running (with the help of Sister Fluckiger :) ) because I hardly ever got sick during Cross-country. We went for a run this morning. :)

So a pretty crazy miracle happened this week. We had been having the feeling to visit this one recent convert and she has been pretty sick (she has cancer). Well, anyways,we couldn't visit her because she was feeling pretty bad but we talked to her on the phone and sent her text messages.  Well on Sunday she came to church with her niece, Joana, who is 23 and has a little boy who is 3. Well, she came up to us and said she wants to be baptized! She is getting baptized this Saturday! It was seriosuly such a miracle! Joana is so awesome. She said how she went to church one week in the past with her aunt Stella and she felt tranquil and then we testified to her that this feeling is the Holy Ghost and she will feel this same feeling when she reads and pray about the Book of Mormon and if Joseph Smith was a Prophet! It was so cool! 

Jacinto, Manuel and Carmen are all doing great!! Jacinto comes to church really early and is always in a white shirt and tie! He is so awesome and he says he cannot wait to serve a mission. I just love seeing the change in families when they apply the prinicples of the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives. We are so blessed to be members of this gospel!!

During studies today I felt so much love from my Savior and Heavenly Father. I am so grateful!! I know they live and not only are they aware of us and our circumstances but they are longing for us to choose the right and come unto them!!

I love you all so much!! We are so blessed!!! LOVE YOU!!

Sister Lacey

Almost 6 months!!! O que??!!

Bishop Soares (from Gaia) in the center

Saying goodbye to Sylvia and her family :-( - Gaia, Portugal

Catia at her baptism! 12/26/14 - Setubal, Portugal

Manuel and Catia's baptism, 12/26,14 - Setubal, Portugal 

Sister Lacey and Sister Ventura - Setubal, Portugal

The Christmas 'tree' we sent her with the gifts we sent her underneath :-)

Their study area

With a sweetie named Samantha

District in Gaia

Ola minha Família!!

Hi guys!  Can you believe it has already been another week? I am doing A LOT better! The ward here is so awesome. There was someone literally who would call us everyday to make sure we were fine. I still had a little fever yesterday and at church they all started feeling my head and saying, Sister Lacey we will take you to the hospital. Haha Portuguese are so funny. Haha I didn't go to the hospital.

You guys want to hear some crazy news? The mission is splitting in July when President and Sister Fluckiger go home. We will have the Portugal Lisboa misson and the Portugal Porto mission. And we will have two mission Presidents from Brazil! Cool huh?? This is exactly what the people of Portugal need. Because we will have double the amount of missionaries in Portugal which means the work will increase and the temple will be finished faster!! :D I am so excited.

This week was great.  As a mission we are doing something called "Mestres de Israel" or "Masters of Israel." In John 3:9-10 it says, "Nicodemus answered and said unto (Jesus), How can a man be born again? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?" So in other words, we as a mission are going back to the basics and teaching doctrine with more simplicity so the spirit can work through us the best. We have Challenges that we have to pass off in order to be a "Master of Israel". It is so cool to see the difference in the way I teach now.

We had an awesome lesson with the husband of a recent convert. He always comes to church with her but in the past he has not wanted to listen to us. Well, we taught him the Restoration on Thursday and it went so good!. When we invited him to pray about if Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that through him the Church of Jesus Christ was restored, he said "I already believe he is. I mean it makes sense. Why would Christ stop appearing to his prophets, he appeared to Moses so why not Joseph?" It was seriously so cool!

I know this gospel was restored through the prophet Joesph Smith! I know that this church isn't just another religion or just an American religion but it is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Christ is the head of this church and this is his work and it is a privilege I have to be a representative of him. 

I love you all so much!!!!

Love Sister Lacey