18 July 2016 - I learned a lot

Dear friends and family,

This week was a pretty good one. I learned a lot.

Everything started out pretty rough on Tuesday, but got slowly better as time went on. Then I got kind of a difficult learning experience at the end.

We have an investigator that is, as far as we thought, progressing really really well. She is an older lady and has trouble remembering things, but she has been remembering the things that she reads quite well and has been learning quite rapidly. BUT, she has had a smoking problem for quite a while. She told us that she made the decision a few years back to quit, but fell back after a few years. She only smokes once a day normally, but that's still too much to get baptized. The problem was, we thought she kicked that habit completely for the past couple weeks.....so we just stopped following up.

Following up on commitments is basic stuff for a missionary, but sometimes it is really easy to forget. This Saturday, we found out that this investigator was not going to be able to be baptized within this change because she was going to head to visit family out of state this next Sunday. We were kind of heartbroken, but we managed to get permission from Prez McArthur to batpize her early. Immediately after I got off the phone with President, I got that typical churning in the gut that accompanies the spirit telling me something is amiss. We went to visit the investigator a second time that night and asked her about the smoking thing.....she had fallen again. Long story short, I felt the need to repent.

That day I also forgot my money at home and wound up having to make a taxi take us there to be able to pay him. It wouldn't have been that embarrassing if the taxi driver hadn't been kind of a jerk.

Today we went bowling and then to a buffet for a mixed District activity (I was acting as a proxy DL because the other DL couldn't go with his district).

There are whisperings that I might train AGAIN this next change.......I don't like those whisperings.

Se que el Señor nos bendice cuando somos obedientes, tenemos fe, nos arrepentimos, y buscamos su voluntad. Se que Cristo vive y que nos ama. Se que este es la única Iglesia verdadera sobre la faz de la Tierra.

Los amo,

Elder lambert  

11 July 2016 - It's really really really really really hot

Dear Friends and Family,

It has been a pretty ordinary week. I am happy about it.

It has been really really really really really hot lately. The official hot season has not even started yet and it has reached 40 celsius. Some of my Elders about got heat stroke on Wednesday. We are now allowed to use wide brimmed hats and sunglasses in the street. I feel silly with a hat, but we are taking full advantage of the glasses part.

We watched part of Meet the Mormons while we ate on Sunday. I have seen that movie a million times by now, but the stories are still great. The Gail Halverson story struck me in particular this time. It got me thinking a lot about the principle of charity. I sometimes find myself lapsing in my love the people around me. When people are rude, dismissive, or unwilling to commit, I find myself feeling frustrated with those people. The mission has helped me a lot with this, but I feel like all of us can do a little better every day. Loving our neighboor is something that takes a lifetime to develop, but it starts with the little things. The pure love of Christ is essential to our personal growth.

Se que el Salvador vive. Se que todos somos hijos de un Padre Celestial amoroso quien nos puso aqui en la tierra por un sabio proposito.

Los amo,

Elder Lambert

4 July 2016 - A good ol' English testimony

Dear Friends and Family:

I would leave it at that, but that would be a very short letter. 

Today we had a wonderful 4th of July zone activity. I would not be surprised if every other zone in the mission also had their zone activity this week as well. There were fabulous burgers grilled by yours truly, genuine American powdered lemonade, American popsicles, and Watermelon. I was a happy man. We also passed around the pigskin and played ping-pong and pool in the institute building. It was a satisfying day.

Also, happy birthday to my sainted Mother! Woooo!

On a more spiritual note, this week was extremely stressful because I felt that our progress was just not where it needed to be in our area and I didn't know what to do about it. Our progressing investigator was not home when their fellowshipper passed by for them and so we almost didn't have anyone in church. That was when the anxiety peaked and my only option was to pray for a miracle. When we finished the services we discovered that an old investigator that had not come for three months and that the other elders had left a long time ago was in Priesthood. I really hope we can help him to progress during these next few weeks. I am truly grateful for getting to see a miracle yesterday.

For tradition's sake, I will share my testimony in English.

I know and testify that the Lord directs this work and that we are instruments in his hands. I know that the priesthood of God has been restored to the earth through Prophets and Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. I testify that Christ lives and directs this church. 

With love,

Elder Lambert

 

would love to send you the videos that I made, but I cannot.

here is the zone picture from the temple

This is my selfie from the party today.