An Excellent Week

This has been an excellent week! We got 9 new investigators in the last two weeks!!  And we should be getting more this week as well.  The best part is all but one were found through members, which means they are more likely to progress.  When we were walking to the church today, one of the new investigators saw us in his truck and pulled over to tell us he was excited for our next meeting!  So, things are looking good right now.  And yesterday it actually cooled off into the 60s and it is in the low 70s today, it has been very nice, but it was really hot before then.

I think it is so weird I graduated last year, it seems like forever ago!  The Pembroke kids get out June 12th.  I think Austin is going to Zimbabwe speaking Zulu.

I'm glad that Rob is still in the scouting program, he is one of the best scoutmasters I have ever seen.  I'm glad to hear Jonathan is trying out these new things for the first time.  

Thanks for rounding up the items I could use another set of jeans, I had one pair get ripped and there is no where in Pembroke to buy clothes.

I like that spiritual thought, often times the Holy Ghost only prompts you once, and that is all you will get.  If we want to make the right choices, we have to make the decision in our mind before the choice is laid before us.

I love you and I will email you again next week.

Love,
Elder Lakey

Mothers Day

It was great talking to you yesterday!

As a missionary the person's attitude is key to weather they will progress in the Gospel or not.  Many people love the message of the Gospel, but they hate that the Gospel tells them to change and become more Christ like.  In fact many churches out here tell people they are saved no matter what they do and they don't need to stop sinning.  If we accept that through Christ all things are possible, then you can repent and change no matter what has happen in your past.  I know, because I have witnessed people changing on my mission.

I would like some bright ties.  I noticed on your mission the color of your tie will change how people look at you, so bright ties should have people think that you are happy. 

I love you and I will email you next week.

Love, 

Elder Lakey

Surprise visit from Elder Anderson

This week is going well.  I got to meet Elder Anderson on Saturday that was pretty crazy!  It was really crazy because it was announced the day before that he is coming!!  Elder Martinez and Elder Piper of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy and Elder Parker of the area authority was there as well.  The Charlotte Mission President and some of the local stake presidents were also there.

We will be using Skype for Mother's Day at a member's home. I do not know the time, sometime after church which ends 12 eastern. I'll call the house before I get on Skype.

That is great to be hearing about the Greenhalghs and their experiences!  That is also great to have Harrison's dad in our ward.  I'm excited to hear about Greg I know some people that are serving there.  Thank Eve for the package for me.

The weather is starting to get hot, it is in the mid 80s all the time now.  

Pembroke is an interesting ward, its hard to describe, it is just very southern. The people here do a lot of missionary work.

Prayer is good.  It works.  What I like the most about prayers is that you can receive revelation that will give you more wisdom, light and knowledge! 

I love you with all my heart and I will see you on Sunday.

Love,

Elder Lakey

Tornado Warnings

This week was a good week.  Elder Wagner will be in our tri-panionship for a week.  We will  cover Laurinburg during that time.  Elder Brinkerhoff and I are staying together for one more transfer, but he is being released from being district leader.  This is my first time not being with a district leader on my whole mission.  I will be with him till the end of his mission.  We will see if I see Taylee when she gets here.

Yeah, out here we get a lot of tornado warnings. But I have been safe.  I don't like freaking you out, but tornadoes are more common out here.  I had one in Jacksonville and one here, both were really small that did next to no damage.  

Yes, I do want the primary songs, Elder Roberts had their primary stuff and I really liked it and it is rather spiritual.  I would also like some beef Jerky.

I like that thought from President Eyring (“Raise the Bar”).  A very common saying in this mission is you can't lift higher than you stand and you can't convert beyond your own conversion. We help motivate people to do missionary work, by helping strengthen their own conversion.  I actually gave a talk yesterday about conversion and how to be converted.

I'm doing good and I will email you again next week.

Love, Elder Lakey

Easter

I had a quiet Easter, but I enjoyed it, I read a lot of Jesus the Christ on that day.   The Cantata went well, hundreds of people showed up!  We even ran out of places for people to sit!  I did not sing in it.  We also ate Easter dinner with a member.  I'm glad to hear that the #BecauseofHim Easter video went viral, many missionaries tried to get the video out there.

This past past we got to go to the temple, which is always great.  We found out yesterday that a missionary in the next area over, finally got his visa to go serve in Brazil.  He was here for almost a whole year!  He should leave next week and his companion will come and stay with us for a week until the next transfer happens.  I should be serving in tri-companionship covering two areas for a week that should be fun.

I'm glad Jonathan was able to pass the sacrament.  It's normal to be nervous at first, he will get used to it.  That is crazy that the 3rd ward split once again! Does that affect our boundaries and ward?  I should see Taylee in the mission sooner or later.

Thanks for the package it was well appreciated! I don't mind candy but I wouldn't mind some variety and also other snacks. I also would like more Inside Out Acapella and a CD from Handel's Messiah.

I like that message from President Uchtdorf, I believe that the Gospel of Jesus of Christ is the most powerful force in the universe. Why? Because I know of no other force that will change a person's entire life for the better in a drastic way without compelling the person to change.  Nations can't do that, nor armies, nor rehab, nor jail, nor any self help book. And that Gospel can be found in General Conference.  You can feel the Christlike love radiating from the speakers.

I love you a ton!! And I will email you again next week.

Love, Elder Lakey

#BecauseofHim

I am glad to hear from you. This week was a much better week than last week. We found some solid new investigators.  One investigator was one we discontinued actively teaching in the past and then last sunday he randomly shows up to church, and the other was a relative of a member (everyone is related around here) and she has already read half of the Book of Mormon and wants to do temple work.

We have an Easter Cantata on Saturday and we have been inviting a lot of people out to it.  Also we  have just received word today, that the Church has requested we share an Easter message with everyone we can reach online.  On Mormon.org there is a video called "Because of Him" it is about the Savior's atonement.  I want you to look at it and post the video to your facebook page and put #BecauseofHim.

I am glad to hear that Jonathan was able to receive the priesthood today!  I also glad Rob is still scoutmaster for Jonathan. I thought we finally thought he got out of Young Men's!  I think that is funny that the missionaries asked you for a list. We tried that as a mission a while back and a lot of members got annoyed at that idea, so we abandoned it pretty quickly.

Thanks for the package and I will email you again next week.

Love, Elder Lakey

Grateful to be on a Mission

General Conference was great!  I like it a lot more as missionary than I did before my mission.  We invited some investigators out, but some of them forgot and didn't show up.  We had a lot of members trying to invite people to church as well.

On a mission we set two different types of goals. We have numerical goals, for example how many people we want to come to church next Sunday,  And we have action plans. Which simply put is plans to do certain things, like what you are planning on doing. I find action plans to be more effective than numerical goals.

I can't believe Jonathan is going to be a deacon that is so weird to think about!  I am sure he is happy to have a Wii U and I am happy to hear that he is getting the priesthood.

I really liked President Uchtdorf's talk on gratitude.  I never realized it's not about being thankful for all the blessings you have received in life, but rather that there is a loving God who gives us blessings.  And the biggest blessing of all, the Atonement.  I am grateful to be on a mission and I wouldn't trade it for the world. It is tough, and frustrating, but worth it.  I don't give out much details about my mission, because a mission is filled with setbacks and disappointments, and I don't want to fill the email with negative things.  But a mission is the greatest experience in the world!

I hope you loved General Conference and I will email you again next week.

Love,

Elder Lakey