Elder Mackey's August 29, 2011 E-Mail

Dear Family,

 

The work here is going pretty well. We had a few days that were slow, no teaching at all or contacting, but that happens in rural areas. We have been really building the trust with the members and it is working really well. There were some less-active and investigators who might of dropped out of our teaching pool because of me being bold but thats what we do. Thats our purpose, to baptize. I tell my companion that (he isnt as bold and doesnt open his mouth too much) why our purpose is to baptize is because that opens the door for their salvation. They may not know it yet but they will. We dont just extend the invite because its a number to write down but because we love them so much that for them to be even more happier is to make those covenants with God and then receive the Spirit and then enter in the straight and narrow path to eternal salvation which is the greatest gift of God. We lost one baptismal date set but we still have one. He went to church all three hours and he loved it. He was bobbing his head in priesthood but he made it. ;p He might want to get baptized even sooner. We will see. So how is Sam doing? I need to write him a letter and Becca too. Has Adam gone to Argentina yet? The weather is getting beautiful now. It is starting to get into the fall season and it is just nice! Oh guess what.....I helped a member of the ward (I pretty much did it for him) put in the inside and outside barrings of his fron wheels for his huge truck. He broke his right hand so he needed me to do it for him. He told me what to do and taught me a lot about cars. It was so cool! :D So now I know how to do barrings and brakes. ;) so dad if you need help, just give me a call...when im home of course. Love you all.

Love,

Elder David Mackey

Elder Mackey's August 22, 2011 E-Mail

Dear Family,

The Farmington Ward is really awesome! There is a lot of diversity of
talents in the ward. The work is coming along very successfully and I
try to work really hard out here. Yesterday we met with one of our new
investigators whose fiance is a less - active member. We invited him
to be baptized on Sep 24 and he accepted and then he said he would get
married on that day. Then the member came home from work and she was
freaking out about being so soon and "worrying about what her family
(who are not members) would think about her." So now it was moved to
December 31. He is wanting to change his whole life and become better.
Its way awesome! Have any of you checked out mormon.org? They have
some sweeeeet clips. I strongly believe, and I teach this to the
members out here, that we all need to have a profile so we can touch
those who can relate to us to bring them the gospel or prepare them to
receive the gospel. I love you all. This is kinda short sorry.

--
Love,
Elder David Mackey

Elder Mackey's August 15, 2011 E-mail

Dear Family,

Congratulations Mandy for getting the job!!! I have always wonder what
the teachers side of Internet courses. Maybe you have to video tape
you doing math problems on a white board. Also, maybe I could make a
video tape of me and my companion teaching about the Restoration and
then "accidentally" post my video and tell them they have to write out
a page on how they can apply it to their life. That would be awesome.
Or maybe as an extra creadit. But I am just joking...you might lose
your job.
Anyways, the area is awesome! Its crazy where ever you go, no matter
how bad the area is, if you start working hard you start to see
miracles. Now I just need to get out on the bike more. We are seeing a
lot of less actives and part member families. We went to this one part
member family and the non member was so ready to accept the gospel.
The next time we meet we are going to invite him to be baptized! Booya
This area is a slow pace area so not too much is going on here.
Everyone we teach I will be inviting to be baptized! I love you all
and thank you for all your letters!! I love letters! haha Take care of
dad. I am not there to help with the wall so he might work too much. I
love you dad! I love Grandma and Grandpa. I know the Church is true
and the Spirit is so Awesome! At times it feels like a water balloon
and he is just filling me with water to the point where I want to
burst. I love my mission. This is what I want to do for the rest of my
life. I dont want to come home. I will ask President if I can have a 5
year extension. ;D


--
Love,
Elder David Mackey

Elder Mackey's E-mail dated 8/8/11

Elder Truman and Elder Mackey

Elder. Mackey

Hawk

"The only cute chick I am allowed to Kiss"

Shoppin' at Walmart

Dear Family,

Thank you all for your letters and packages!! I appreciate them so
much! So out here in Farmington is just like the name...there are a
ton of farms. It reminds me of Grandma and Grandpas' house. :) Its a
car area because everything is so spread out. We have some pretty cool
investigators and some very interesting ones. The work out in a rural
area is very slow because there is no city area where people walk
around. Here is a picture of my old companion. Oh they made me
district leader but now I was demoted because I guess something went
wrong down south so they had to combine my district with another and
they made him the district leader. So there are some pictures I
attached. There is a bald eagle out here in my area. I havent seen it
yet but I am hoping too. I found another hawk and it was watching over
its babies from a distance. In new Brighton we had a fiesta for the
Spanish in my ward and it was so fun. One of the spanish sisters makes
Pinatas for fun and she made some pretty cool ones. The kids had a
blast. So did I. :p One is of me trying to kiss the only chick I can
on my mission. ;P but it looks kinda funny but its still cool. A part
member family have a farm and its way cool to go and play.

Oh and Valerie's Mike, have you started your falcon training? Tell me
about that. There is a kid who wants to be a falconer and wants to
know all that stuff and so do I in case I catch a hawk out here. :p

My new companion like I said before is Elder Waller. He is from
Gilbert, Arizona and is the 2nd of 2 in his family. He loves to write
and he can just make up lyrics. He is really good so we are thinking
about making a show or something to invite people to. He has been out
a year and he is probably one of the most spiritual companion I have
ever had. He is very good. More pictures will come because this area
is very cool. I love you all and have a great week!

--
Love,
Elder David Mackey

Elder Mackey's August 1, 2011 E-mail

Dear Family,

Right now there has been some huge thunderings. Big deep rumbles,
shakes everything. Ok, So I have to start off with this first. So
Elder D. Todd Christofferson came to visit our ward yesterday!! He
came in with his son yesterday to help him move into our ward. Then on
Sunday he was just randomly there! I shook his hand twice and I asked
him, "why dont you have a tag like us?" and he said that he isn't as
special as we are!! I had a tiny little conversation with
him.....crazy!!! haha He went to Sunday school with us and priesthood.
He is so cool. He also spoke in Sacrament meeting. Good talk about
taking the name of Jesus upon us and what it means. Oh, also the other
Elders in my ward had two baptisms on Saturday and he stood in the
circle for both of the confirmations. It was pretty cool. :D

So Transfer Calls were today and I will be leaving New Brighton and
going to Farmington. I will stay as District Leader. My new Companion
is Elder Waller. He was in my district when I first got to New
Brighton so I know him a little. Elder Truman will be staying and he
will be training a new missionary. I am ready for a change of scenery
so I felt that I was going to change. I was kinda ready to leave this
area. I really like it but ya I dont know. Anywho, I will pray for you
Mandy to get that job. ;D Ya my ankle hurts still and is still sore
and swollen. It didnt get bruised up like last time but it looks like
the knuckle has moved or something. I will be getting an X-ray
sometime in the next week. Here in New Brighton we dont have a problem
getting new investigators but we the problem is keeping them and
having them progress. :/ We have some solid investigators and I hope
they stay interested. One investigator said that if I get transfered
she wont meet with the missionaries. I told her that one of us will
stay and she needs to stay meeting with them. I will see her tomorrow
and play the piano for her.

My feelings have been going all over the place. Its weird and
confusing to me. Thats probably the biggest struggle right now. But
just like mom told me, I just keep working and getting better each
day. Like those baby steps Katie. ;) Thank you very much Grandma for
writing me a letter last week. :D I will write you one this week or
next week if I dont have time because of packing. I promise. I love
you very much and I am grateful for you letters. I will pray for
Grandpa that he will get better. I also received a letter from the
Balls, Matt is getting married. Sweet! I love you all and thank you
very very much for you prayers. :D

--
Love,
Elder David Mackey