How On Earth Do People Do It?

All,

I used to be able to do it--all this heat--apparently, but I don't think I can anymore. As  you can see from the picture, we had a rather hot and sunny day. I wanted to DIE.

Anyway, 

I used up all of my time responding to emails, so I can't say anything, as I'm out of time. 

Nothing really happened this week anyway. Business as usual. The church is still true. 

Seriously, Sorry. You'll get a good one next week.

Elder Darcey

P.S. The other picture is Elder Terry's Arm, which is the result of a burn and skin grafts.

All,

This week, since I talked to you Thursday, was great. We have baptized our investigator!!! She has had so much faith in Jesus Christ, it's been nothing short of incredible. This is the testimony of a person changed by Christ in every way.  She has found the Pearl of Great Price and she didn't bother about the cost. Everything she needed to do, she did. She simply had faith that it was good and that she would receive blessings.

And has she ever!


She's been accepted into online college, her service hours are complete, her mom moved out of her house (where she's been "hiding out" illegally for the past two years), Her children are doing better... Etc... It's incredible to see the improvement that her life has gone through in  just the short time that we've known her.

Anyway, I don't have much more to say. The Church is True. 


Happy Father's day, all who are fathers, but especially most particularly and especially mine. Love you tons, Dad. I'm out here for you.

Love from the I-said-a-lot-last-Thursday-and-tired-myself-out-North,

Elder Darcey

The photos must be self-explanatory because they came without explanation.  

Zoning Out In Juneau Again

all,




Me eating a fish eyeball.  Or at least attempting to appear that i am eating a fish eyeball.  I've eaten moose, deer, five kinds of salmon, and lots of other great stuff, but the fish eyeball was the winner.



I Love you all. Sorry for not getting back to you until today; I was in Juneau, and Ketchikan. Zone Conference, you know.    




LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT IT. 


First, after traveling all day to Juneau (4 hours on a ferry, 6 hours waiting in an airport waiting for a plane, 3 hours in a plane) we had an amazing Zone conference. 


Elder Koelliker (you know, of http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/he-truly-loves-us?lang=eng  fame?) came up and spoke to us personally. It was incredible to hear, and even better to feel. The spirit was as strong as anything I have ever felt; everyone in the room felt it like a pressure. 


Every time truth was spoken, I felt a confirmation. It was incredible. The big topic was prayer, and how we need to emphasize it to a greater degree. We need our investigators to pray, because that is how they establish a relationship with their Father. We can't do it for them; they need to have their own relationship. 
The spirit was truly powerful that day. 


I came away with a question about my own testimony that the Spirit gave me: "I know I would die for my testimony, but will I do the harder thing? Will I live for my testimony?" 


It's easy to die for something you know; or at least it is for me. The harder thing is getting up every day with the commitment that I'm going to go throughout this day as a true representative of MY Savior, Jesus Christ. If called upon, I would become a martyr for what I Know. However, in the meantime, I've been called and set apart, and I've covenanted to Live and share what I know. That's harder, no doubt. But it's worth it, and I wouldn't do anything else.


Our investigator is being baptized TOMORROW!!!!


She has truly been prepared for the gospel. President interviewed her and found her ready to partake of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and receive a remission of her sins (AKA, Baptism) and a sanctification of her spirit (AKA, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost). I am humbled and grateful that the Lord saw fit to place me here and use me as his tool to start another one of his precious daughters on the path back to Him.


I gave a talk on Joseph Smith in Sacrament meeting a few weeks ago, And I would like to share a few points about it. Unfortunately, I don't have it with me now. Remind me for next week.


That's about all. I learned how to whistle with my fingers, got to hold a baby deer (pictures next week too) and was truly lit on fire by the Spirit this week. 


I've been in Prince of Wales 5 months now. I'll probably leave next transfer (6 months is a long time for President to leave us). This place has ingrained on my heart, and I will always remember the things I've been blessed to do here. 


That's all, All. I'm signing off.


This Church is true. God Lives. Jesus Christ is the Literal Son of God and the Savior of the World. Joseph Smith is a True Prophet. We are led by a true and living Prophet. The Book of Mormon is True. We can find that out by praying to our Heavenly Father. As we ask with a Sincere Heart and Real Intent, He will manifest the Truth of it unto us by the power of the Holy Ghost. 


I know this is true. No one can take it from me, no one can deny it. I would die for it, and I WILL live for it. 


Love to All from the North,


Elder Darcey

Transfers Today--And I AM Not In Ketchkan

Pictures are of me and a Steam Donkey, which is a large, obsolete logging tool. look it up. I bet Dad used one.

 The picture of the moos-en (a flock of moose, obviously) is actually my mission president on the right, along with the mission assistants. they said that transfers wore them down, like a 5000 piece puzzle.

 All,

 It's good to be writing you from NOT Ketchikan on this beautiful summer day. In fact, it's great to be alive today. I'm not in Ketchikan, the hummingbirds are out, I'm not in Ketchikan, our investigator is still plugging along for baptism. Neither Elder Terry nor I are leaving Craig, the work is going great, I'm not in Ketchikan.  I'm so glad things are going OK at home and for my two favorite sister missionaries abroad, the weather just got nice today, I'm not in Ketchikan, I'm not in Ketchikan, I'm not in Ketchikan, I'm not in Ketchikan, I'm not in Ketchikan, I'm not in Ketchikan, I'm not in Ketchikan, I'm not in Ketchikan!!!!

This photo is of me eating fish eyeballs.  Which Mom is sure I did also not do!

 Sorry, Got a little too excited. As you might be able to tell, I'm glad I'm not currently in Ketchikan. As far as Alaska goes, Ketchikan is not my favorite place to be.
Anyway, everything's been going great for me up here. I've had so many great experiences up here, It's hard to pick only a few to talk about.

Trials come, and they're pretty difficult. However, The Lord doesn't give us anything we can't handle.

I would like people to check out the book "Believing Christ". It talks about how we need to not only believe IN Christ, but we need to BELIEVE him. When he says that he can make us perfect, we need to believe Him. The church gets a lot of flack for not believing in Grace. That's not true. We believe in Grace as much as anyone else. If we have ever made a mistake, we need the Grace of Christ to save us. None of us deserve to be saved and we can't earn it.  Grace just comes through His Grace because he loves us.

Here is another really great link to a great talk defining more Grace beliefs:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dV-elFs3flo

Luckily, we have a judge who's going to be merciful. He's not going to be fair, because if he were fair we would all be in Heck. He's going to be merciful, not because we deserve it, but because he loves us.

Anyway, I'm off. Love to all from the North, but not Ketchikan,

Elder Darcey

My Companion Is Driving Me Insane -- With Love!

I thought the cousins were crazy, All, everyone of you, but we're just small fry compared to my companion, Elder Terry. But really, really, everything's fine

Anyway,

Elder Darcey here. We've had a great (crazy) week up in the North. I can't kick whatever sickness I have (my branch President (who's one of the islands doctors) diagnosed me with Bronchitis for now) I lost my voice (a lot), Our investigator who's on date for the 16 of June might go to jail for a crime she didn't commit (Play the A-Team theme song here{the movie version, not the TV show}) and I might get transferred before then anyway because transfers are next week and I've been here 4 months already.

I love being on a mission so much. No jokes.

The weather's been indecisive yet again this week, which is really annoying for us.

I'll send pictures next week.

I got a package from my Family!!!!! It had a USB drive (it's already full; I have a lot of pictures. Tell me if I should send it back and you can copy the pictures to my computer and send it back to me) and lots of candy. However, it had also been beaten up a lot in transit, and the chocolate was basically destroyed. Yes, even the eggs in the bags. I ate them anyway, though, because candy's expensive up here too. So, in conclusion, Thanks much for the package.

I've got a simple spiritual thought this week, which is what I've been sharing around. My trainer (you all remember Michael (formerly Elder) Ivan?) carried a lightsaber around in his backpack so that he could remember to keep the Force (spirit) with him all the time. We as members of the Church have the gift of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, just as the Jedi have the Force.
We must always be worthy of that gift so we can share it with others (We're better than jedi because they can't give the Force to others). D&C 11:12-13. Substitute the word Spirit with the Force. The Force is a gift from God, and we need to be worthy of it so we can receive the blessings it gives.

Just because you're all wondering, yes, I also carry a lightsaber around in my backpack.

Love from the I-really-don't-want-to-go-to-Ketchikan-next-week-please-President-don't-make-me North,

Elder Darcey

Lost In The Dark -- Spiritually and Physically

All:

You know that you're an Alaskan if...

•  You laugh at people who wear coats when the temperature drops to 50°F (I always did this though, so nothing new) 
• Anything above freezing is T-shirt weather (That's how I got Freezer Blisters on my arms; it was -17, but it seemed warmer...) 
•  You need an air conditioner when the temperature soars into the 60's (seriously; it's gotten to 50 and we start melting) 
•  You think the Red Green show is a documentary (this is my favorite)
• You know if you tell your kids to "be home by dark" you won't see them until Fall (The sun comes up at 4 right now, and it's not completely dark til 10).

I think I'm there.

Anyway, It's good to write again. This week has been crazy difficult, but also filled with Blessings. We had 2 days in a row where everything fell through. Literally, everything. It's been difficult to get up in the morning. People don't want to talk to us. Everybody keeps simply not showing up to appointments.

We Drove to Naukati (pronounced "knockity"), Coffman Cove and Thorne Bay (accidentally; we missed our turn back to Craig) in one day; it took 5+ hours. The weather's been bad, The days have been rough, and the work has been slow. however... The work still progresses.

God finally got to the Heart of one of our investigators problems. She's native and has been told repeatedly by other Christian Faiths that God can't love her. Added to her own, really harsh personal experiences, she doesn't believe she's a daughter of God. After enduring 2 hours of senseless rambling, we finally got down to the Heart of the problem: She feels rejected by God. She knows there is a God, but she also believes he doesn't care about her. After another hour, we finally just bore testimony of God's love for her. It was incredible. The Spirit bore that witness right to her soul, and she broke down crying. She not only felt our love for her, but she felt Her Savior's love for her through us.

 We didn't deserve that experience, but we got it anyway. Just another testimony that God loves us as well.

 I want to answer a few questions that arose previously, "Are you wearing the knife for protection or just to impress the parents? Yes.

 What is that photograph of a bear. Did you take it and are you close up to it and why is there no cage between it and you if you are that close. Was it one of the ones that you mentioned when we spoke on the telephone. Remind us of the story? There aren't any cages on the Island. That bear was about 30 feet away, just off the side of the road. My camera has awesome Zoom abilities, regardless. It was a little one, regardless, probably only 5 feet, maybe 150 lbs max.

Last week's photo of the welcome sign of Thorne Bay is a Logging Claw, the biggest in the world. After the majority of logging shut down, it was converted to the welcome sign. Side note: next to the claw is a small wood park bench. People are so worried about the claw being stolen (sarcasm face), they attached a small chain to the bench. Now, if anyone tries to steel the claw, they have to drag the bench too! genius! The claw is completely safe from thieves now.

 I would respond to your question by saying: I am wearing my pajama pants in public because I'm awesome. And it was 8 in the morning; we had been up and driving since 6 to beat the low tide in Kasaan.

 Anyway, my thought this week is in Alma 1:1. Warred a good warfare? That is way cooler than you would think.  If you "fight the good fight", that's only one battle, right? King Mosiah "Warred a good Warfare". That means he fought to do the right not just once, but every day. He fought not just one battle, but many battles.

Maybe he didn't win every battle, but he won the war in the end.

 Application time: We need to war a good warfare. we don't have to win every single fight with Satan; in fact, it's guaranteed that we won't. However, we need to keep trying, keep fighting, and keep getting back up.

The victory doesn't go to the winner of the most battles, but the one still standing at the end of the War. We can beat Satan; he doesn't even have legs to stand on.

 Anyway, that's my thoughts. Love to all

From the it's-going-to-be-one-of-those-go-from-winter-right-back-to-winter-years North,

Elder Darcey

All Talked Out - Having spoken to family yesterday

Maybe you should just be there next time I call in, Eh?   I joke. 

And FYI, yes we do see black bears all the time and this is a big one.  It's head was monstrous!  Don't ask how I got such a great close-up.


Dear All,

 I had a great last week. It was awesome to talk to family, even if they were busy having the missionaries over. It was great to be able to describe the island in words instead of writing.

2nd Nephi 33:1 And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were taught among my people; neither am I mighty in writing, like unto speaking; for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men.


Ether 12:23-24
And I said unto him: Lord, the Gentiles will mock at these things, because of our weakness in writing; for Lord thou hast made us mighty in word by faith, but thou hast not made us mighty in writing; for thou hast made all this people that they could speak much, because of the Holy Ghost which thou hast given them; 

And thou hast made us that we could write but little, because of the awkwardness of our hands. Behold, thou hast not made us mighty in writing like unto the brother of Jared, for thou madest him that the things which he wrote were mighty even as thou art, unto the overpowering of man to read them.
________________________________

 We scheduled a young lady for discussion last week. She's pretty awesome. She has lots of questions and is actually interested, which makes it easy for us. We had some training last week from Salt Lake that lasted 8 hours, but was completely worth it. Our main trainer was the Head of the missionary department in SLC, who was also the mission President in "The District" 2 DVDs.

He reminded us of 2 big things that I want to share: We are the only Way people can completely access the Atonement. Our job is important because we teach about Christ, and he's the only one who can give a remission of sins. We are not just missionaries. We are representatives of Jesus Christ and that's what we need to act like.

We should not be afraid of exercising our Priesthood, because that is what Christ would do.

We had an amazing experience along those lines. We went into a house, and just felt impressed to ask if anyone needed a blessing of comfort and love from Jesus. They sent us to a woman who was basically on her deathbed, and we gave her a blessing. At that moment, I will swear that I felt God's love for that woman. I didn't even know her; I had only just learned her name, but in that moment I loved her and wanted to do anything for her. I know we were conduits for God's power at that moment. I know God loves us all.



That is the basic message that we bring to people: God loves you, and he wants to bless you with everything that he knows you truly need.

 Love from the North, Elder Darcey

Prince of Wales is Number FOUR in size

United States Islands over 250 square miles (650 km²)

Rank	Island's Name	Area (sq mi)	Area (km2)	Location	Population (2000)
1	Hawaiʻi (Big Island)	4,028[1]	10,433[1]	Hawaii	148,677
2	Kodiak Island	3,588[2]	9,293[2]	Alaska	13,913[2]
3	Puerto Rico	3,435	9,104[3]	Puerto Rico	3,808,610[3]
4	Prince of Wales Island	2,577	6,675[4][5]	Alaska	≈6,000
5	Chichagof Island	2,080	5,388	Alaska	1,342
6	St. Lawrence Island	1,983	5,135	Alaska	1,292
7	Admiralty Island	1,684	4,362	Alaska	650
8	Nunivak Island	1,625	4,209	Alaska	210
9	Unimak Island	1,590	4,119	Alaska	64
10	Baranof Island	1,570	4,065[4]	Alaska	8,532
11	Long Island	1,401[6]	3,629[6]	New York	7,448,618[6]
12	Revillagigedo Island	1,145	2,965[5]	Alaska	13,950
13	Kupreanof Island	1,086	2,813[5]	Alaska	785
14	Unalaska Island	1,051	2,722	Alaska	1,759
15	Nelson Island	843	2,183	Alaska	1,065
16	Kuiu Island	758	1,962[5]	Alaska	10
17	Maui	727[1]	1,883[1]	Hawaii	117,644
18	Afognak	698	1,809	Alaska	169
19	Umnak	692	1,793	Alaska	39
20	Oʻahu	597[1]	1,545[1]	Hawaii	876,151
21	Kauaʻi	552[1]	1,430[1]	Hawaii	58,303
22	Atka Island	410	1,061	Alaska	95
23	Attu Island	346	896	Alaska	20
24	Etolin Island	336	870	Alaska	15
25	Adak Island	280	725	Alaska	316
26	Montague Island	279	722	Alaska	0
27	Molokaʻi	260[1]	673[1]	Hawaii	7,404
28	Dall Island	253	655[4]	Alaska	20