I'm so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sister Lambson and I are staying together in Indy YSA for another transfer. This morning we were so nervous and just terrified everytime the phone made the slightest noise, but all is well and we didn't get a phone call. We are sad though because my district leader and his companion are being double transferred out of White River and so are my zone leaders! Another elder in my district is leaving and his companion is staying but training. We are getting 18 new missionaries this week so I guess it had to happen somehow. Oh transfers, they are always never what any of us expect.
I'm so excited that Sister Lambson and I have the opportunity to stay together for another transfer! We have a lot of goals that we have been working on this week and so I am happy that we get to continue to work on them together. I am so grateful to her and the lessons that I am learning. This transfer has been a turning point for me and I really have felt the Lord mold me, it's uncomfortable sometimes, but I know it is for the best. Sister Lambson is doing well and working really hard to do her best. Her efforts are definitely showing. I am just hoping that I am helping in some small way, I just want to support her in all things and I hope she believes that.
Sister Lambson and I have done really well at being guided by the spirit in our lessons, especially this week. We had a few lessons where we had a plan but it went the complete opposite direction and so I am so happy that we were able to bring the spirit to our lesson so that we could rely on it to best help those that we were teaching. We had an experience the other day on campus with a student, Steve, who is a catholic missionary, but was open to meeting with us. It went so well and I felt like we were able to teach the doctrine clearly and with testimony. I know that those experiences that we have had earlier in the transfer where people have just wanted to "bash" helped us prepare for this lesson with Steve. He didn't want to meet with us again but his countenance did change throughout the lesson and that brought me joy.
We have a few new investigators that I'm so excited about. We received a refferal from church headquarters, well it went to the White River Elders first then came to us, but her name is Lynn and she is just a little ball of sunshine. She is from Vietnam and has such a sweet disposition about her. We had a great lesson with her and taught her about the spirit and prayer. She is very intelligent and I know she will understand and be receptive to the spirit. We also have been teaching a guy that we met tracting, Alvin, and it's a bit harder to get things out of him because he is reserved but he came to church yesterday and the branch members were awesome and really took him under their wing! We had another girl come to sacrament, Kellie, and she just fits right in and the branch stepped it up with her as well. We had branch council and Sister Lambson and I were open with them about how we need their help and we need them to really fellowship these new people that come, not only investigators but any new faces that we see. Elder Williams gave us some great advice and to do more service for them and the leadership. We want to work on having more member present lessons and Elder Williams gave us some tips that we are going to incorporate this week.
My zone leaders had a baptism this past Saturday and Elder Ketch asked me to play the piano for him to sing. He has the most amazing voice, oh it's so beautiful, I was very honored that he asked me to play for him. I'm going to miss Elder Ketch and Elder Van Zant, they are such a hoot! Especially when we play dodgeball. Last Monday, my zone and another zone got together and played dodgeball and oh my gosh, it was so intense, I was a bit scared of some of the elders. I was such a clutz the entire time though, it was pretty funny. I saw Sister Little, and I was so excited to see her that I ran up the stairs to the stage and totally biffed it, then I was playing dodgeball and someone hit me with a ball and I tripped on my pants and did a cute little spin and biffed it, and then I got slammed in the face with a dodgeball and I gracefully made my exit at that point. I had the worst headache all day. I also got to go on exchanges this week and Sister Taylor came to my area and we had fun, she is a great missionary and it was good to spend some time with her.
We are just as happy as can be and we are excited for this upcoming transfer!!!!! I love you all a bushel and a peck and I miss you!!!!!!
Love,
Sister Lamb
Monday, June 27, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
My dear family & friends,
The only way I can really start out this letter is that I love the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I love my Savior and this week I have felt closer to Him than I have in a long time. I have always had a testimony of Him and that He does live but this week it has meant much more than just that. I have been struggling with wondering why our area is slow at this time, I feel like Sister Lambson and I are doing all we can and have been praying for a miracle every day, but it's just been so frustrating. It's taken a toll on me and I have been taking it very hard, because we are finding, finding, finding, we get potentials but it doesn't get anywhere. It's been so hard to accept. It has been very stressful this transfer but this past week was the breaking point. Then we had a district meeting on Friday and I know Elder Williams was so inspired and helped remind me of my purpose. It was probably one of the best district meetings I have been to. The spirit was so present and I felt the Atonement working. Elder Williams asked me to bear my testimony and I was a blubbering mess but all I could do was bear testimony of the Atonement. A mission is 100 times harder than I ever thought it would be and I have felt the Lord molding me, I just have to let Him. The elders in our district our wonderful and I was so thankful that the zone leaders were there too, they brought me so much comfort and I felt their love. I know that by turning to the Lord that I can be comforted faster and that I still need to do my part and dedicate myself to Him, but I know I can't do this alone. I can't stop thanking my Heavenly Father for that experience on Friday. I know because we kept going and kept enduring that a miracle would happen and it did. We received a call from the Indy 2nd elders and they found a guy that was interested and we had a lesson with him last night. He brought five of his friends and it was one of the best lessons I have had since I have been out. I just can't stop smiling, it was wonderful and I know the Lord was completely aware. We almost weren't able to go because we couldn't find a ride up to Fishers and we needed a girl to be with us since all the investigators were male. We were exhausting all of our resources and nothing was happening, and then we got a call from a member of the branch and she was able to take us. I know she will be blessed for that. I know that Satan was doing all that he could to stop us from going to that lesson. The spirit was there and it testified to everyone that was there. It felt a little like we teaching a Sunday School class because there were so many people but it was incredible. We immeaditely called Elder Williams to tell him and bless his heart he was so excited for us. He told us something though and that was to thank, thank, thank the Lord.
I am really focused on strengthing our less-actives and recent converts. The zone leaders, Elder Ketch and Elder Van Zant, observed our weekly planning session last week and gave us some great feedback. We are going to work with the branch leadership to help us retain our recent converts and encourage visting and home teaching. We have had a lot of members so willing to come with us to lessons and that has been a blessing. It's hard when our appoinments flake out, but they are patient. The zone leaders suggested that when that happens that we can help the members do their visiting and home teaching and also calling our backups to see if we can stop by. The elders have been amazing to work with and have helped us so much. I feel like they just get it and understand what we are going through and that has been a blessing. I was so excited the other day to see Renee, one of my recent converts, she came up to Indy and so we got meet with her and she is solid! Her testimony is so inspiring to me and I just cried as she was talking about her experiences. She is doing so well and she called yesterday to tell us that she just got a calling in her home ward, and she is preparing to get a temple recommend. I am so proud of her and I know that this experience of her being on her own two feet will continue to strengthen her. We are still working with our most progressing investigator, Michelle, and she is doing really well, we are stuggling to get her to come to church and to make that a priority but she is still reading continually from the Book of Mormon so I know it will come in time. We watched the Restoration in Mandrin Chinese the other day, yeah that was FUN!!!! Elder Ketch told us that during our mission we will watch the Restoration a gazillion times, and I can already say that I have, but that each time the investigators will react differently and to watch them, because the movie will always be the same but the investigator will be different every time.
We met with a less active that isn't YSA but she was taught by sisters and so she likes to meet with us every once in awhile. We went over to help her move to a new place and had a really great talk about Fathers. She hasn't had the best relationship with her dad, but when she was very sick her dad was there every step of the way and she was able to feel how her Heavenly Father feels about her through her dad. I loved that so much and I know that I have been able to feel that love through you dad!!!! I love you so much and I miss you and I think about the blessing you gave me before I left, and it brings me so much comfort. Thank you for holding the priesthood and it brings me so much joy to hear all about your adventures at home with mom. I also love that you are teaching the gospel and making that a priority, because it is so important. I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy Fathers Day, a bit late:)))
It is pure madness outside right now, the rain is seriously crazy!!!!! It was so hot and humid and now we look like drowned rats. The thunder last night was intense and I'm so grateful that we live in a basement. Sister Lambson and I are just having a blast and I love her so much. I hope we stay together, transfers are coming up next week so I'm hoping we stay, I just love this area so much.
Love,
Sister Lamb
The only way I can really start out this letter is that I love the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I love my Savior and this week I have felt closer to Him than I have in a long time. I have always had a testimony of Him and that He does live but this week it has meant much more than just that. I have been struggling with wondering why our area is slow at this time, I feel like Sister Lambson and I are doing all we can and have been praying for a miracle every day, but it's just been so frustrating. It's taken a toll on me and I have been taking it very hard, because we are finding, finding, finding, we get potentials but it doesn't get anywhere. It's been so hard to accept. It has been very stressful this transfer but this past week was the breaking point. Then we had a district meeting on Friday and I know Elder Williams was so inspired and helped remind me of my purpose. It was probably one of the best district meetings I have been to. The spirit was so present and I felt the Atonement working. Elder Williams asked me to bear my testimony and I was a blubbering mess but all I could do was bear testimony of the Atonement. A mission is 100 times harder than I ever thought it would be and I have felt the Lord molding me, I just have to let Him. The elders in our district our wonderful and I was so thankful that the zone leaders were there too, they brought me so much comfort and I felt their love. I know that by turning to the Lord that I can be comforted faster and that I still need to do my part and dedicate myself to Him, but I know I can't do this alone. I can't stop thanking my Heavenly Father for that experience on Friday. I know because we kept going and kept enduring that a miracle would happen and it did. We received a call from the Indy 2nd elders and they found a guy that was interested and we had a lesson with him last night. He brought five of his friends and it was one of the best lessons I have had since I have been out. I just can't stop smiling, it was wonderful and I know the Lord was completely aware. We almost weren't able to go because we couldn't find a ride up to Fishers and we needed a girl to be with us since all the investigators were male. We were exhausting all of our resources and nothing was happening, and then we got a call from a member of the branch and she was able to take us. I know she will be blessed for that. I know that Satan was doing all that he could to stop us from going to that lesson. The spirit was there and it testified to everyone that was there. It felt a little like we teaching a Sunday School class because there were so many people but it was incredible. We immeaditely called Elder Williams to tell him and bless his heart he was so excited for us. He told us something though and that was to thank, thank, thank the Lord.
I am really focused on strengthing our less-actives and recent converts. The zone leaders, Elder Ketch and Elder Van Zant, observed our weekly planning session last week and gave us some great feedback. We are going to work with the branch leadership to help us retain our recent converts and encourage visting and home teaching. We have had a lot of members so willing to come with us to lessons and that has been a blessing. It's hard when our appoinments flake out, but they are patient. The zone leaders suggested that when that happens that we can help the members do their visiting and home teaching and also calling our backups to see if we can stop by. The elders have been amazing to work with and have helped us so much. I feel like they just get it and understand what we are going through and that has been a blessing. I was so excited the other day to see Renee, one of my recent converts, she came up to Indy and so we got meet with her and she is solid! Her testimony is so inspiring to me and I just cried as she was talking about her experiences. She is doing so well and she called yesterday to tell us that she just got a calling in her home ward, and she is preparing to get a temple recommend. I am so proud of her and I know that this experience of her being on her own two feet will continue to strengthen her. We are still working with our most progressing investigator, Michelle, and she is doing really well, we are stuggling to get her to come to church and to make that a priority but she is still reading continually from the Book of Mormon so I know it will come in time. We watched the Restoration in Mandrin Chinese the other day, yeah that was FUN!!!! Elder Ketch told us that during our mission we will watch the Restoration a gazillion times, and I can already say that I have, but that each time the investigators will react differently and to watch them, because the movie will always be the same but the investigator will be different every time.
We met with a less active that isn't YSA but she was taught by sisters and so she likes to meet with us every once in awhile. We went over to help her move to a new place and had a really great talk about Fathers. She hasn't had the best relationship with her dad, but when she was very sick her dad was there every step of the way and she was able to feel how her Heavenly Father feels about her through her dad. I loved that so much and I know that I have been able to feel that love through you dad!!!! I love you so much and I miss you and I think about the blessing you gave me before I left, and it brings me so much comfort. Thank you for holding the priesthood and it brings me so much joy to hear all about your adventures at home with mom. I also love that you are teaching the gospel and making that a priority, because it is so important. I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Happy Fathers Day, a bit late:)))
It is pure madness outside right now, the rain is seriously crazy!!!!! It was so hot and humid and now we look like drowned rats. The thunder last night was intense and I'm so grateful that we live in a basement. Sister Lambson and I are just having a blast and I love her so much. I hope we stay together, transfers are coming up next week so I'm hoping we stay, I just love this area so much.
Love,
Sister Lamb
Monday, June 13, 2011
Okay so this heat has got to go!!!! I feel so disgusting when I come in every night:) Oh well, it is still so lucious and green and just beautiful here!! Our district is going to the zoo today and we are so excited. It was so funny in our district meeting last week, Elder Williams was talking about us bonding and he told us there is nothing like bonding over baby dolphins:) I guess there are some baby dolphins now at the zoo and we are so excited to see them. There are also these butterfly gardens where you go into an atrium and butterflies are everywhere and they will land on you, oh it sounds like a scene out of snow white or something. Oh and sister leonard is back from california!!!! We were so excited to see her, oh how I missed her.
It's been a good week but long that's for sure! On Monday night I received some shocking news that has been hard for me to take but I'm doing better. I found out that on of my recent converts doesn't think the church is for her. It's been rough, but the zone leaders gave me a blessing and I still feel like I'm carrying the burden and the responsiblity but I know I'm not carrying it alone. I know they will come back, their testimony was just too solid to quit now. I just love these people so much and I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and they know that too. We had interviews this week with President Collins and he is just amazing and the spirit was just so present as we talked and the counsel he gave me, I will never forget.
Sister Lambson and I are just doing oh so swell. Oh we have good times together and we have been so united in our purpose and I oh I just love her!!!! We taught sunday school yesterday and it was hilarious, we had them pictionary and people had to guess what the signs were from the second coming. This branch is awesome, the artistic skills could improve:)...but their spirits are incredible. Sister Lambson and I had a awesome experience of teaching a girl in our ward who is struggling and needs a strong testimony right now. After her lesson, Sister Lambson and I were walking to campus and we both started sharing our what we were feeling as we taught her, and we both received that revelation from the spirit that she is the reason why we are here. We just started laughing and then crying and then laughing because it was so great to know that the spirit is speaking to us and we are heeding those words and feelings.
On Saturday our zone got to be volunteers at an event called PBS Kids in the Park. It was huge, but so much fun. They had the characters from PBS shows, including Elmo and the Cookie Monster. They had a parade through the park and then the rest of the day they had booths where you could meet the characters, and other fun things for the kids to do. It was a LONG day, but it was totally worth it when one of the staff needed someone to be a mascot cuz there was a no show, and so Sister Lambson ended up being Word Girl, we have no idea who she is but she is quite popular and I about died when she put on that costume!!!! Oh we just kept getting the giggles. And then one of the elders ended up being Curious George and our Elder Williams was asked to be Arthur and he is six foot something, and all the kids kept telling him that Arthur was shorter than that and so they were a bit disappointed:) It was a good day, but so flippin hot!!!
Well got to go to the zoo now:)))
Love,
Sister Lamb
It's been a good week but long that's for sure! On Monday night I received some shocking news that has been hard for me to take but I'm doing better. I found out that on of my recent converts doesn't think the church is for her. It's been rough, but the zone leaders gave me a blessing and I still feel like I'm carrying the burden and the responsiblity but I know I'm not carrying it alone. I know they will come back, their testimony was just too solid to quit now. I just love these people so much and I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and they know that too. We had interviews this week with President Collins and he is just amazing and the spirit was just so present as we talked and the counsel he gave me, I will never forget.
Sister Lambson and I are just doing oh so swell. Oh we have good times together and we have been so united in our purpose and I oh I just love her!!!! We taught sunday school yesterday and it was hilarious, we had them pictionary and people had to guess what the signs were from the second coming. This branch is awesome, the artistic skills could improve:)...but their spirits are incredible. Sister Lambson and I had a awesome experience of teaching a girl in our ward who is struggling and needs a strong testimony right now. After her lesson, Sister Lambson and I were walking to campus and we both started sharing our what we were feeling as we taught her, and we both received that revelation from the spirit that she is the reason why we are here. We just started laughing and then crying and then laughing because it was so great to know that the spirit is speaking to us and we are heeding those words and feelings.
On Saturday our zone got to be volunteers at an event called PBS Kids in the Park. It was huge, but so much fun. They had the characters from PBS shows, including Elmo and the Cookie Monster. They had a parade through the park and then the rest of the day they had booths where you could meet the characters, and other fun things for the kids to do. It was a LONG day, but it was totally worth it when one of the staff needed someone to be a mascot cuz there was a no show, and so Sister Lambson ended up being Word Girl, we have no idea who she is but she is quite popular and I about died when she put on that costume!!!! Oh we just kept getting the giggles. And then one of the elders ended up being Curious George and our Elder Williams was asked to be Arthur and he is six foot something, and all the kids kept telling him that Arthur was shorter than that and so they were a bit disappointed:) It was a good day, but so flippin hot!!!
Well got to go to the zoo now:)))
Love,
Sister Lamb
Monday, June 6, 2011
Dear Familia,
Sounds like quite the eventful week, my goodness!!!! Glad everyone is safe and sound. Things are going well here, it's so flipping hot, oh my it's been rough but then it's Indiana so of course we get a storm that trumps all storms, so that's been fun to dodge. We thought that since the Indy 500 was over we would be all clear now, but we were wrong!!!! On our way to church yesterday we had to go practically all around Indiana, (okay not quite that extreme) but still, it took forever because apparently there was a big motorcycle thing going on. I can't believe how many motorcycles we saw...and heard. I have never seen that many motorcycles before!
We have had some great spiritual experiences that I will always remember. We got together with our district to set our district baptismal goal and it was such an amazing thing that we were able to do. We went around and talked about our areas and then we set a goal. We then took that to the Lord, and Elder Williams offered the prayer to see if that is what the Lord knows we can accomplish for the month of June. After he was finished we continued to kneel in pure reverence and the spirit was so strong. We then talked about it and came up with a new goal. It was truly inspired and our district really came together. We also had our district meeting this past week and Elder Williams trained on teaching the Book of Mormon. He then had us each share our testimonies and conversion of when we came to know when the Book of Mormon was true. It was so incredible, I love our district so much and Elder Williams is so inspired and in tune with the spirit. It was just wonderful.
I have been worried about some of our recent converts and so I have been just taking those concerns to the Lord because I am at a loss as to what to do to help them. Satan is attacking them and it just makes me mad!!! The branch members have been so awesome especially this past week, they have come to a lot of our lessons and are just a huge help. I love them so much!!!! We went to dinner with our relief society president the other night and we brought our ward directory and went over all the names, it was great and we were able to get a lot of useful information that we can do and so can the ward. I had an experience in sacrament meeting yesterday where the spirit just reassured me of my calling, and that the Lord needs me in Indiana for a specific person and purpose. I felt at such peace and it was an answer to my prayers.
Sister Lambson and I are doing great and just having a blast. President was definitely inspired when he put us together. I love her so much and it's just a hoot every day. She is doing really great and her teaching skills are improving as well. I'm so proud of her:) This transfer is going by way too fast and so we are trying to enjoy every day!!!
Love,
Sister Lamb
Sounds like quite the eventful week, my goodness!!!! Glad everyone is safe and sound. Things are going well here, it's so flipping hot, oh my it's been rough but then it's Indiana so of course we get a storm that trumps all storms, so that's been fun to dodge. We thought that since the Indy 500 was over we would be all clear now, but we were wrong!!!! On our way to church yesterday we had to go practically all around Indiana, (okay not quite that extreme) but still, it took forever because apparently there was a big motorcycle thing going on. I can't believe how many motorcycles we saw...and heard. I have never seen that many motorcycles before!
We have had some great spiritual experiences that I will always remember. We got together with our district to set our district baptismal goal and it was such an amazing thing that we were able to do. We went around and talked about our areas and then we set a goal. We then took that to the Lord, and Elder Williams offered the prayer to see if that is what the Lord knows we can accomplish for the month of June. After he was finished we continued to kneel in pure reverence and the spirit was so strong. We then talked about it and came up with a new goal. It was truly inspired and our district really came together. We also had our district meeting this past week and Elder Williams trained on teaching the Book of Mormon. He then had us each share our testimonies and conversion of when we came to know when the Book of Mormon was true. It was so incredible, I love our district so much and Elder Williams is so inspired and in tune with the spirit. It was just wonderful.
I have been worried about some of our recent converts and so I have been just taking those concerns to the Lord because I am at a loss as to what to do to help them. Satan is attacking them and it just makes me mad!!! The branch members have been so awesome especially this past week, they have come to a lot of our lessons and are just a huge help. I love them so much!!!! We went to dinner with our relief society president the other night and we brought our ward directory and went over all the names, it was great and we were able to get a lot of useful information that we can do and so can the ward. I had an experience in sacrament meeting yesterday where the spirit just reassured me of my calling, and that the Lord needs me in Indiana for a specific person and purpose. I felt at such peace and it was an answer to my prayers.
Sister Lambson and I are doing great and just having a blast. President was definitely inspired when he put us together. I love her so much and it's just a hoot every day. She is doing really great and her teaching skills are improving as well. I'm so proud of her:) This transfer is going by way too fast and so we are trying to enjoy every day!!!
Love,
Sister Lamb
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