Monday, April 30, 2012

Dear Family, 
 
It has been incredible to see the miracles that are happening especially with Jay and Heather. Jay is feeling the spirit as he comes to church, but we are having a hard time getting him to stay for all of church. We brought it up in ward coucil and they gave great suggestions and we are going to have come for a church tour and hopefully that will help. He told us at our lesson this past week that he has been to a lot of churches before but has never had the feelings he's been experiencing. Heather is pregnant and so that has been a tender mercy because she will stop smoking and is more determined to quit. Their family is happy, because of the spirit has been influencing them. The Lord has always been with them but now they are noticing it and experiencing it.
This week I'm hoping we can do some more finding and continue to use the spirit to help us. It's been kind of an overwhelming thought but it is easier to seek that revelation for others and what the Lord needs me to do for them, but when it comes to receiving revelation for myself, that hasn't been as easy. I have been keeping a revelation journal and I need to trust that all the thoughts that I have written down througout the day and after my prayers are of the Lord. It's just scary to follow some of the promptings for myself. Things are changing and I know I have changed, I just pray that I can still be this person that I have become. I feel very respected and loved here and I hope I can continue with the relationships that I have made here.
 
Sister Berrett and I are just loving life and continuing to get the giggles until we can't breath, it's pretty awesome.  She has been such a strength to me.  We are way excited because today we are going to a little town called Nashville and spend the day there.  We are going with the Martinsville sisters, who we spend any chance we can together.  The four of us are definitely in each others lives for a reason.  It has been a great sisterhood that we each cherish. 
 
We went and did a lot of service on Saturday and spent some time gardening in the rain, luckily we had some snazzy rain boots:)  We helped a member in her garden and it was a blast.  She took us to lunch and she is so sweet and she ordered some more food for a homeless man that she saw along the way.  It was good to be with her in that moment.  We also went to help an older couple, Bill and Aggie, clean out their freezers in their garage.  We taught them a lesson afterwards about service and Aggie said that she started feeling warm fuzzies.  We were so happy because Aggie was recognizing the spirit and that what we are teaching her is true.  Sweet sweet couple.  I don't know if they will accept the gospel in this life but they will eventually. 

Monday, April 23, 2012

Dear Family,
Oh my goodness, Sister Berrett and I are having a blast! She is good little missionary and we are both incredibly happy.  We have the giggles everyday to the point where I start crying, it's so awesome!  We were talking about that last night and she told me that she know this is where she is supposed to be. I know she is and it's going to be a great transfer. We have been able to see the miracles continue here in Highland. Heather is doing great and their family is so happy. We were there on Saturday and Uriah, her husband, was glowing and I know they are both working to stop smoking. They came to church yesterday and we are hoping they will stay for the second hour next week. They said they are working up to it, I hope we can help to do so. The ward has been incredible in making sure they are going up to them after sacrament. I have seen the spirit leading this family, all the people that I have taught, the spirit is guiding them to make right choices. I have been merely an instrument in the Lord's hands. Jay Anderson is doing well and is feeling more comfortable at church. We are hoping he can get a few solid fellowshippers besides his family. The ward is doing great with him as well. This ward means a lot to me and I have seen it change. I love being a missionary.   There is a lady in our ward that takes care of her great grandson and he is 3 years old and he is absolutely adorable and loves when we come over for dinner.  Apparently he was talking to someone asking if they knew me, and he told them that I was his girlfriend and that I was the best.  My heart melted when she told me that in relief society. 
Sister Berrett and I had a few lovely experiences in some lessons this week. We came home and there was a guy sitting on the stairs in our apartment building and we offered him some water and talked to him for a bit. He was such a sweet man and we started talking about the plan of salvation and the hope that comes from knowing he is a child of God. We sang 'I am a child of God' to him and it was special to look at him directly in the eyes as we testified through song. At a lesson yesterday, it started out pretty hectic and lots of distractions and then halfway through it became calm and he told us he knew what we were saying was sincere. Sister Berrett and I bore testimony of the Book of Mormon the entire time and he felt the sincerity.   Heather and Uriah have two little boys and Aiden, turned one this weekend so we stopped by to celebrate for a little bit with them and he is just a ball of joy.  He really got into the cake after a bit and it was funny.  Tate thought it was his birthday, he is 5, and wanted to open up all aiden's presents, so we had to calm him down:) 
Sister Berrett has a powerful testimony and I love our companion studies and I have so much to learn from her. She has incredible knowledge and insight of the scriptures and I love listening to her. She is amazing. The Lord needs us here in Highland.
It's a bit chilly here, but the sunshine is wonderful.  It was pretty funny at district meeting this past week, because our district that we had at the beginning of last transfer is the exact same.  Sister Bankhead went to Martinsville and Sister Berrett came here.  We have been having way too much fun:) 
Love,
Sister Lamb 
P.S. Mom you would be so proud of me, I hemmed an elder's pants....and it turned out great:)))))
 

Monday, April 16, 2012

Dear Family,
We had transfer calls this morning and I'm staying in Bloomington.  I'm so excited, this place means a lot to me and I'm glad I get to finish out here.  It has been a great week and I'm grateful everyday for Sister Bankhead. We have been seeing great success in Highland, we hit a rut for a minute, but it is growing and I love this area so very much. It's going to be very hard to say goodbye to Sister Bankhead, she really is one of my best friends and I'm so lucky to have her in my life and to have been one of her companions. She has a lot in store for her and I'm glad she is taking those steps so that she will be able to enjoy them more and more. I love her sooooooo much!!!!
The efforts that we put forth this past week were made manifest at church yesterday. Heather  and Jay  came to church with their families. Heather is doing well and is working on quitting smoking. She is preparing for baptism on May 26 and her husband, Uriah, is taking those steps with her. He is a less active but his testimony needs to be built as well. When we set the date with Heather, we had a member come and he gave her and Uriah a priesthood blessing, and Heather was able to connect that the rest of their evening was calm. When we followed up on church last night, Uriah said that the talks were exactly what he needed and that it hit the spot. Heather loved being at church and is opening up to us more. Jay  is Donna's  granddaughters husband. Her granddaughter is a member but has been inactive for years and they both have made decisions that caused a lot of grief in their family. Jay came to Donna's baptism and said that he would never forget it. We were able to meet with him and his wife and they came to church yesterday and they are both excited to learn. The ward was amazing yesterday and made efforts to go up to Heather and Jay and introduce themselves and made them feel welcome. We had dinner with one of the bishopric members and he told us that we had been doing a great job and thanked us for the work we have been doing. It meant so much to Sister Bankhead and I.
Sister Bankhead and I had a miracle happen in a lesson that we were both terrified for. We had committed Pam to baptism the week before and she had some questions on Priesthood authority and we told we would study her questions and come back. Sister Bankhead and I were stressing and came together in our companion study of what is going to be best for her. We had a member with us and we had a prayer in our heart the entire time. I know I was praying so hard that the spirit would enlighten her. We taught simply and she had a few ah-ha moments. She understood and the member that was with us connected with her. It was incredible. The spirit was teaching her and I thrive off of those moments. I love it. I just wish she would follow through with coming to church and hopefully we can help her understand the importance of the Sabbath day.
This work is full of miracles and I am a lucky girl to be here at this time in my life. I know I have given my best to the Lord and I will continue to every day. I know what it's like to have the guidance of the spirit and to simply be an instrument in His hands, I will seek that always.
Love,
Sister Lamb

Monday, April 2, 2012

Dear Family and Friends,
 
I love general conference!!!!!!!!!  On friday night, I was like a little girl the night before Christmas dreaming about her barbie dream house.  Okay maybe that was an exaggeration, but I just couldn't wait!  I had a great week preparing for conference and prayfully went into conference.  I had specific questions and Heavenly Father was aware of me and those questions were answered.  Not necessarily an entire talk but little phrases that were said rang true to my heart and brought me peace of mind for now and confidence in my future.  We watched with our district on Saturday and then had a picnic between sessions.  Sister Bankhead and I made homemade cinnamon rolls the night before and they were delightful.  On Sunday afternoon we went up and watched it with Sam and Dixie.  It was the first time they have been able to be home and watch it, they usually have to listen to it because they travel so much.  It was great to watch with them and talk about our favorite talks with them.  Sam is doing great and is temple bound and is going to receive his patriarchal blessing and the priesthood.  His progression is fun to be a part of.  Donna was so excited to watch conference and she has had a great testimony of a living prophet from when we started teaching her. 
 
Sister Bankhead and I have been doing well and it's incredible to see her progression.  She has had a few bumps in the road this week and I hope I can continue to be a strength to her so that she can get through this.  Mission life is an adjustment and is an emotional rollercoaster.  I definitely know how she feels and so I'm more than willing to walk this path with her.  She is a strength to me and I love her very much.  It's been just a weird week in general and so I'm grateful for a fresh start this week.  We have interviews this week and I'm always so excited to meet with President and have him pour out his all knowing wisdom:))  I was getting after him for eating lamb, but I was grateful because Sister Collins backed me up..hahaha.  He asked me how I'm from Mountain Green and don't like lamb.  I just don't have the heart to eat it, but next week for Easter a family invited us over for dinner and they are going to do an authentic passover meal.  I have to eat lamb.........pray for me...hahaha
 
I love you all so much!!!!!!
 
Love,
Sister Lamb