Elder Mackey's June 27, 2011 e-mail

Katie and Family,
So I read Mandy's e-mail and she is going to girls camp this week so
will not be home. She said she will be up at camp lamiah getting
eating by bears or eating bears. Anyways she wont be in town. So I
will send it to you. :D So this week was AWESOME!!! First day as
district leader was just like any day until Sunday. Getting in all the
numbers is tough because I cant go to their places and "kick them in
the butt" and tell them to get their numbers in. I didnt get them in
till 10:30. But oh well. Yesterday we had the last fireside with
President Howell. It was so awesome and their Downsyndrum girl bore
such a spiritual testimony. Special kids really can see the other side
of the veil. At the end all the missionaries came up and sang "This is
the Christ." The Spirit was there so strong. I got to see my "daddy,"
it was so good to get to see him his last transfer and hug him and
talk about the work in Apple Valley. There are so many miracles going
on every where in Minnesota! The retention percentage is 80%! Thats
crazy!! We have 59 baptisms in June, maybe even 60 which is our goal.
Heavenly Father blessed Elder Truman with 30 Lessons this week! Our
investigators are progressing, those whom we didnt think would get
anywhere. Our baptism fell through and now he is kinda avoiding us.
Its really disappointing but the work moves forward. We got another
baptismal date set for one of our investigators who is progressing so
much! We even got him a job which is so awesome! The Lord is preparing
him to make those covenants! Then our other investigators who we have
been meeting for a while are progressing slowly but surely. They told
me that they are so grateful that I came into their life because I
keep being persistent with them. I saw a part in my Patriarchal
Blessing come true and it was so cool! I am better understanding why I
am out here! I am starting to love Minnesota! We have some great
miracles happening on over here in New Brighton! Keep praying for my
investigators. Especially James, Doris, Matt, Patricia, and Edward. I
love you all and thank you for your support!
Love,
Elder David Mackey

Elder David Mackey's June 20, 2011 e-mail

Elder Mackey and Elder Ralph

Dear Family,
Well so this week was awesome!!! We had so many miracles these past
two weeks. Last week we taught 22 lessons!!! A sad thing though is our
investigator who had a date set June 25th didn't come to church
yesterday and told us that we are pushing. Satan was really working
hard on his family but I really think it was a good thing because we
need to get into his home and teach so the whole family can hear the
Gospel and feel the Spirit. We have another investigator whose name is
James and when we first met with him he was hanging out with the wrong
crowd and getting into trouble. We started meeting with him everyday
to read the Book of Mormon to help him get better at reading because
he had a brain injury as well and his difficulty was reading and
spelling so everyday we read for about an hour and actually he reads
it all and he is loving it. Its crazy from the first day he started to
now. There is so much improvement! He loves reading because he feels
happy and he loves going to church because he feels happy!!!!! Big
miracle! After we read he sometimes will want to play me chess but I
always beat him. Not to be prideful in anyway. That's why it is only
sometimes because some days he doesn't want to be beat. But I told him
I could teach him to play better. It was so funny because the first
day we met with him he was so confident that he could beat anyone (he
was a little buzzed) and I played him and beat him in four moves. Man
I love this area!!! We are meeting so many awesome people! Transfer
calls was yesterday because the mission president is leaving. My
companion Elder Ralph is being transfered to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
and I will be getting Elder Truman. I was also assigned to be the new
District Leader. Ah man it was so surprising! I am a little nervous.
haha  I dont know what to do! This will be an adventure! I love you
all and please keep me in your prayers. Thank you for praying for me
and pray for the work to move forward in this area! Thank you dad for
sending me money to fix my bike!
--
Love,
Elder David Mackey

Elder Mackey's June 13, 2011 E-mail

Dear Family!

So Kate I think you took over the job today to send everyone a letter.
Thank you for writing me. This past week was pretty tough. I was sick
and still am. I dont know when I will get well, plus my companion is
sick as well. He caught what I have so he is in the first stages of it
with the sore throat and changed voice. Then my bike broke like big
time and I was without a bike for a long time so our work went way
down. I would just sit on my companions rack on the back to get to
different places. haha it looked really funny. Although this past week
was actually very successful. We are working with a less active to get
her back to church and then to the temple. Then another less active
all of the sudden showed up at church yesterday and wants the lessons
again. We got a member referral a while ago and we have just been
doing her yard work for a long time and it isnt just some easy work.
We are pulling all the weeds in her yards and she has a lot. Well last
Saturday she accepted us to share a message and we find out that she
is the great great granddaughter of President Wilferd Woldruff. Her
mom went in active in the 1940's and married a Methodist. She never
really knew to much of about the Mormon faith because her mom never
talked about it. She likes the church but she also like the church she
belongs to which is the Congregational church. She feels the Spirit
but I dont think she understands what that means so we will work with
her. The members that are her fellowshippers are really awesome and we
might just have them teach. :) Then we have an investigator who has a
baptismal date for June 25 and he is doing awesome! He brought his
brother this morning to play basketball so thats real good.

So what is going on with the fires in Arizona? Everyone keeps asking
me about them and I have no idea what is going on. Is Havasupai still
fun since the flood and all the changes that happened? Sam make sure
dad gives you his pack so he doesnt burn out. Christy thank you for
the picture of Kyson. He is very cute. :) So to answer Luke's
question: My mission is going good. I am learning a ton of things and
I am helping others know about the Restored Gospel. I really dont
understand how others can believe/ understand the Trinity. They cant
even explain it to me. They usually just tell me thats how it is. But
I am trying. I'll admit some days I get a little lazy which is not
good. I need to work! :/ I learned how to do a Rubik cube. Zane my
companions name is Elder Ralph. He is from Washington. We have taught
a TON of people! I have a really cool lesson about faith, repentance,
baptism, and Holy Ghost. Really it can be played around to fit any
lesson. I have done a restoration with this lesson. But anyways it
involves a tea bag (we found that Bigalow usually works) and asking
people if they think that the tea bag with float from there hand to
the ceiling. It really catches their attention and its just an awesome
lesson! I want to share it when I get home so I wont tell what
happens. We use this lesson a lot and its good for first lesson.
Minnesota is pretty cool. There are a ton of "ponds" here. They may
call them lakes but they are ponds. Some are lakes. There are a lot of
ducks everywhere with babies. The people are very friendly or at least
the areas I have been in. That is cool that you are still playing the
piano! Keep it up! So do you get pennies for playing Wille and Tille?
hehe I actually have played soccer out her and its fun! Are you going
to win? How old are you Zane? haha I dont remember. Eat a lot of
bananas. Thats what I would eat after wrestling or even out here after
we biked a lot. Oh and have your dad give you a message. Thats what he
did for me before I took first at the Deer Valley Tournament. :) hehe
Sydney you are cute! Thank you for your prayers and for not forgetting
me. :D Have you experienced any tornadoes? I have only seen a half of
one and another one was about 4 miles away from me and ended pretty
close. I know its not fun to experience but I think it would be
awesome to see one! haha The people out here love working on their
gardens! I cant wait till things are ready to eat. I want some peaches
so bad!

Thank you all for the love and support! I will talk to you next time!

--Love,
Elder David Mackey

Elder Mackey's June 6, 2011 E-mail

Dear Family,

Well I am doing alright. It is very tough being the Senior Companion.
My companion has been out for a year and a half and he is just not all
into it. :/ I try and work real hard and keep all the commandments but
he fights back or he recognizes it but doesnt change still. I am
having a rough time loving him. I love him a lot but I am starting to
get really lazy like him and I feel really bad. Its tough being in
this kind of companionship and also thinking about investigators and
finding new investigators and thinking about the less active. I talked
to my Zone Leaders and they said to just be obedient the best you can
be and if he doesnt want to change then to tell them or President. I
also feel like my studies are not going the best they could be. Or
well our companionship studies. Today we cleaned the apartment really
well and changed up a few things. It looks a lot better. I need advice
or something to get this companionship rolling like my last transfer.

So we have a new date set who is awesome! He is solid and Golden! He
loves to play basketball so we let him play basket ball in the church
when he can and there are people there. So its getting pretty hot
here. I love it! I would rather it be hot than cold. How is the
weather down there? I heard that there were some big fires in eastern
Arizona. Is there anything new going on with the family? Are there any
new pregnancies? When does Adam leave for Argentina? Are you guys
going to eat the goat? :p I am pretty sick today, I might have a cold
or something. I do not like it. Well I will talk to you all next week!
Thank you for all your prayers and try to stay cool over there. I love
you all!

Elder Mackey