22 February 2016 - Elder Lambert Rides a Bike!

Dear Friends and Family,

So, I am short on things to write about this week, so I hope you can all deal with a fairly short, boring letter for one week.

This week started off with divisions with the zone leaders! Yay! The really fun thing about that was that.....wait for it....

I got to ride a bike!!!

Here in Monterrey West, the majority of the areas are walking areas. We can't drive because the traffic is nuts and many of the latinos don't have a drivers licence,  and most of the areas are not big enough to deserve bikes....but the zone leaders area does. I totally forgot to get a picture....sorry.

But that was basically the only major thing that happened this week. I will likely be going on divisions more often now that I am a DL.

Just so that you all are completely aware, Mission leadership is kind of lackluster. I sometimes feel more like a secretary than a "leader." I spend like half my time on the phone and the other half feeling confused about what I am supposed to do in order to "lead" my district. All of a sudden, the progress of two other areas falls on my shoulders almost as much as my own. I am a little confused still, but I will keep trying.

Se que Dios es nuestro padre celetial y nos ama. Se que podemos lorgrar la exaltacion por medio de la expiacion de Jesucristo y vivir su Evangelio.

Los amo,

Elder Lambert

15 February 2016 - Doing Stuff

Dearest Family and friends,

This week was fairly uneventful, but I will squeeze what I can out of it. That's a lie, it was packed.

On Tuesday we had a zone conference. Each zone conference, the president of the mission speaks, but not until after his wife and the zone leaders talk. His wife normally talks about the same basic things. Using her developing Spanish skills (she practices a LOT but still struggles), she celebrates the birthdays from the passed three months (mine included this time) and then talks about our health. She is very concerned about that. 

Then the zone leaders talk. They usually have some kind of slide presentation. This time, I had to help them learn how to use powerpoint. This is the second time I have had to do this. I don't really mind. They taught us about verifying commitments with our investigators. If you thought that missionary work consisted only of knocking doors and throwing words about Jesus at people.....you were wrong. The only way that a person can really develop faith in Christ is by DOING stuff. We leave commitments with people (read this pamphlet, watch this video, come to church, get baptized) and then we are required to verify those commitments. That is what we talked about.

Then the President spoke about being worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Also essential in missionary work. We are not the real teachers in this work. It is the spirit. It is important that we, the investigators, and really all gospel teachers, remember that.

Then on Thursday it was my birthday. Yaaaaay. I slept over at another DL's house on Wednesday because on my brithday there was a DL meeting. yaaaaaaay-  But, that was OK. There was pizza afterward and then half the world appears to have written me this week, so thanks guys.

Then, on Sunday, Elder Fuentes' sister came to church. It was amazing, because we never thought that she would EVER come. Emmanuel and his nephew are the only members in the family, so it is pretty great when his family comes. Also, the ZL's baptized a family of 7 and we had to set up for them. Fun stuff.

Se que este es la obra del señor. Se que el nos ama y que somos herramientos del Santo Espiritu. Se que podemos llegar a ser como nuestro Padre si obedecemos sus mandamientos.

Los amo,

 

Elder Lambert

8 February 2016 - News from the DL

Dear Friends and family,

So, my first week in the new area was pretty good and I think I am gonna like it here. Let me tell you why.

First off, my companion is a missionary that I knew from my last zone, Elder Guerrero. He is from Sonora and he is really excited about the work. He is teaching me the area and doing a good job.

But, that is not all....I have a second companion! He is a ward missionary and a relatively recent convert. Elder Emmanuel Fuentes has a form of Cerebral Palsy (I think) and has very limited use of his arms and legs. He uses a motorized wheelchair and comes to work with us about half of the time that we are out working. He has a badge and everything.

Elder Fuentes is an artist. He used to be in a Hip Hop group called Garganta de Plata (Silver Throat) and can beat box and rap with the best of them. Also, one of his hobbies is drawing on wood panels with a hot pencil thing. His drawings are excellent. Much better than I could do, and he uses his mouth!

Now if that wasn't enough, here's the vaguely tear-jerking-testimony-building part of the story:

For those that don't remember, I used to be a home care worker for Salus. I had three Clients with major disabilities and took care of them during certain parts of the week. I loved that job, and I thought that it was a good preparation for my mission, but I didn't realize just how much until I got to this area.

I told Elder Fuentes about my old job on Wednesday and then on Thursday he told me this story: When he was talking with the bishop about serving a mission, he had concerns about his disability (obviously) and didn't know how he was going to be able to do basic things like use the bathroom if he was always around two inexperienced missionaries. The bishop assured him that all would be well and that one day, a missionary would come to the area who had nurse type experience. He saw that revelation fulfilled with my coming to the area.

Se que el Señor nos ama y que nos pone los medios para cumplir con nuestros deberes. Se que hay revelacion en este tierra y que los lideres de este Iglesia son llamados por Dios.

Los amo,

Elder Lambert

25 January - No letter but photos

So, sorry for the shortness (and angryness) of the letter on Wednesday, but I don't think that means I don't deserve to be written t

 At the temple

At a service project

 Paintball guns at a convert's house.

o this week. :(

Elder Lambert's trainer.

Zone Leader and Mendoza.

18 January 2016 - Grumpy Elder Lambert

Dearest Darlingest Friends and Family,

I apologize in advance for the brevity of this weeks letter. I am tired and grumpy.

This week has been extremely, extremely long. Like, reeeeeaallly long. 

In reality, I fully enjoy the fact that my mission has a temple and that we have the opportunity to attend every once in a while. I love the blessings of the temple, but when you attend at 6 in the morning after three hours of travel. But, that is bearable. 

To missionaries, P day is a sacred right. It is the only day of the week that we have to enjoy ourselves and prepare for the rest of the week. When we go to the temple, P day changes from Monday to Wednesday. AND, today was the two hour world wide training missionary training (first one in 10 years). I did not get nearly as much out of it as I should have. Long story short, this P day came a few days late, started at 3 in the morning and I only have an hour and a half to....do things, and those things are write home. Immediately after I finish writing, I have to go back to work.

BUT......BUT BUT BUT!!!!!! That is OK. In the words of Maya Angelou: "When there is something that you don't like, what you are supposed to do is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain." So, I just need to remember the blessings of being able to attend the temple. 

Sé que estoy en la obra del señor. Sé que Dios tiene sus propositos en todas las cosas.

Los amo,

Elder Lambert

11 January 2016 - Obedience is the First Celestial Law

Dear Friends and Family,

So, how's it goin?

All is pretty much well over here, and let me tell you why.

In Doctrine and Covenants, it tells us that obedience is the first Celestial law and that we only are able to receive blessings depending upon our individual obedience to the greater and lesser laws of God. This is especially true for missionaries. Thus, obedience is stressed a LOT here.

As you all probably know, there are a lot of rules for missionaries. We have to wake up a certain hour and prepare a certain way do certain things and avoid others. It is pretty strict, but all in all it is 110 percent worth it. That being said, sometimes we slip up.

The past two weeks were somewhat difficult and lacked real success. We didn't find many new people to teach and nobody was really progressing. It was easy to throw all the blame on the fact taht is was Christmas and New Years, but in reality, I came to realize that it was something else. 

Every once in a while, when the president deems it necessary or appropriate, his assistants will come to meet with the missionaries in a particular zone. That was the case this Tuesday. Long story short, our two wonderful assistants gave a much needed reminder of the importance of obedience and sustaining leadership. Some of the message, I do not hesitate to say, was not really directed at my personal circumstances, but some of it was. So, I made a decision to follow my own advice from last week and make some changes. The results were immediate.

This week has been very successful and I am very happy with the progress we have made. We have recieved many referrals from other missionaries that have turned into new investigators and one of those is now progressing. There is now doubt in my mind that blessings come from our obedience to the laws of God.

Sé que la obediencia trae bendiciones y que seremos mas felices si nos esforzamos a ser verdaderamente obediente a los mandamientos. Sé que Cristo vive y nos ama y que este es su iglesia.

Los amo,

Elder lambert