Dear Family,
Oh how Indiana brings joy to my little heart. The people here are just....oh they are gems!!!! We have had some great tracting experiences and even when we have been contacting people on the canal we have been getting into some great discussions and I feel as if we are fulfilling our purpose if they aren't going to really act on what we have taught them. I have to say that I have never sweated like this before, oh my gosh it has been a killer week, I go through 50000 gallons of water a day and I think I'm just sweating it all out, okay that was a gross visual but you ge the idea. I'm just like we look disgusting who is going to want to talk to us right now:))) It's got a perk though because people invite us into their houses to give a cold drink, so hey it works!!
We had a member come with us to a lesson this past week and it was incredible. She is a member of the Indy 3rd ward and she is a returned missionary and oh she is just a ball of sunshine. She is absolutely hillarious and we had the best time together and she just has a solid testimony that she shared with the people that we were teaching and I loved it. She was definitely an answer to my prayers because it was great to hear her share her experience of her mission and the love that she continues to have for it. She shared an experience with the people that we were teaching and said that she had met a Native American and they were talking about the Book of Mormon and he said that it was familiar to him and that he had grown up hearing those stories. It was amazing to hear that and to know that the people in the Book of Mormon were real and the Native Americans truly are their descendants. I'm so excited because I'm going on exchanges tonight with Sister Elmer and it's going to fun!!! She is coming to my area and I love exchanges because miracles happen and so much is learned. I'm going to miss Sister Lambson though but we will be reunited at the sisters training, or as the elders call it our slumber party! Oh those elders!!!
The branch members have been continuing to be so incredible to us and also those investigators that we have been working with. We had three investigators at church yesterday and they were fellowshipped and it was just amazing to see that outreach. Alvin Smith has been doing really well this week and I know that his heart is in it now. We had set a baptismal date with him for July 30 and we were moving forward with that but we had a lesson with him on Saturday and that was the best lesson we have had. We have decided to move that date into August and he feels that is what he needs to do and we feel the same. We have prepared him for that and we are doing all that we need to and I know that he will be ready to be baptized in August. There was something different in his countenance on Saturday and when he came to church yesterday. The spirit is testifying to him and it's a joy to see. Kellie came to church yesterday and I was so happy to see her. We were worried that she was slipping through our fingers but she is still holding on and we have a lesson with her this week. Also we had Gwen Weaver come to church and she is an interesting girl that is for sure. I was very proud of her for asking questions during the lessons at church and she still has A LOT more questions and she kind of throws them all at us at once but she is going to be fun to teach.
Love,
Sister Lamb
Monday, July 25, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Hello my beautiful family and friends,
It's been a pretty exciting week with Sister Lambson and I, we are staying quite busy and I know that is because our planning is getting better. We have focusing a lot on the companionship and personal goals that we have set and we have been able to be a strength to one another. Sister Lambson has been a great support to me and I appreciate that each and every day. We have been really working hard to receive referrals, we have been asking everyone that we come in contact with. We haven't received very many, but we know that we are putting forth our best effort and we can be accountable to the Lord for that. Sister Lambson and I were personal contacting on the canal the other day and talked to this girl and invited her to come to church, and on Sunday she came with nine muslim girls. It was so great to see them all walk in, we had a short lesson with them afterwards and are going to meet with them this week before they go back to Turkey. Sister Lambson and I couldn't stop smiling, they were so adorable and had great questions about the Godhead and I felt that we were able to answer them with the Spirit.
We were able to set a baptismal date for Alvin Smith for July 30. I know that it is soon and Sister Lambson and I have felt inspired that he can be ready by that date. I'm still a bit nervous that he may not make it, and I know that we can prepare him for baptism and he will be ready, even if it's not on July 30. We had a lesson with him on Sunday and I feel better about him keeping those committments that we give him. We emphasized that if he is keeping his committments now, he will be able to keep the covenants he will make with the Lord. I still feel like he is holding something back, but we were pretty bold with him on Sunday and I feel as if he is being honest with us. We are very excited to prepare him for this and he truly is a great person, he is a very chill and low key kind of guy so it's hard to tell if he is super excited about it, but I think it's his personality and through his actions we can tell. At our district meeting on Friday, Elder McAllister asked me to help him train on asking inspired questions and that really helped me to prepare for that during the week, because I know that will help us especially with Alvin. I was a bit nervous when Elder McAllister asked me to do part of the training at our district meeting, yeah I don't know what he was thinking, but it went well:) It was our zone leader, Elder Ketch, it was his birthday on Friday and during our break earlier last week, Sister Lambson and I made up a birthday song for him to the tune of 'Pioneer Children Sang as They Walked.' Oh my goodness it was hilarious when we sang to him on Friday. We were very proud of ourselves:)
I can't believe Hayli Dickey is home now and that Shanae Wilkinson gets back so soon!!!!! I hit my 7 month mark last week...ugh!!! As much as the heat and humidity is killing me, I love it here. Sister Lambson and I are having so much fun and we are so excited for next week, because Sister Collins has put together a sisters training, so all the sisters in the mission are going to mission home monday night and sleeping over and then the next day we are going to have oodles of fun and have trainings from President and Sister Collins! We all got a little giggly in district meeting when they announced that, I think the elders are jealous:) One thing that I have learned out here is how big of a clutz I am, on Friday at district meeting, Sister Lambson and I got up to talk about our stewardships and she started walking and then my shoe got caught in her bag and then I thought I had balance and then it was just downhill from there (literally) and I skidded across the floor on my knees and almost hit my head on the table but I caught myself, but the damage was already done:) Then Sister Lambson was helping me up and I hit her in the head, yeah we were just missing the third stooge! No one stopped laughing for like 15 minutes, including me! :))))) It was pretty funny!
It has been a good week for me personally and spiritually. I was able to finish the Book of Mormon for the second time since I have been out, and I took that promise from Moroni and it wasn't an immediate answer but the Lord has given me those feelings throughout this week of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I am grateful for that because I have been able to share that with one of our investigators, Lynn, who is struggling to recognize answers to her prayers. I have been wondering a lot lately what I would be like if I was being taught the gospel for the first time, and I feel as if I'm able to relate a lot to Lynn and worrying if I haven't received an answer. (That didn't really make sense) but being able to share my testimony with her has helped strengthen mine. The Lord knew that I really needed that and that is how I know that He does live and loves me. As I started reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning again, a scripture hit me hard, 1 Nephi 3: 21, I feel as if I can be like that a lot of times, I see what the Lord needs me to do and I don't know how in the world I'm supposed to do it. Then another scripture came to me in 2 Kings 6:14-17 and I just need to open my eyes and see that the Lord has made it possible. When I read that, it made my little heart pitter patter.
Love,
Sister Lamb
It's been a pretty exciting week with Sister Lambson and I, we are staying quite busy and I know that is because our planning is getting better. We have focusing a lot on the companionship and personal goals that we have set and we have been able to be a strength to one another. Sister Lambson has been a great support to me and I appreciate that each and every day. We have been really working hard to receive referrals, we have been asking everyone that we come in contact with. We haven't received very many, but we know that we are putting forth our best effort and we can be accountable to the Lord for that. Sister Lambson and I were personal contacting on the canal the other day and talked to this girl and invited her to come to church, and on Sunday she came with nine muslim girls. It was so great to see them all walk in, we had a short lesson with them afterwards and are going to meet with them this week before they go back to Turkey. Sister Lambson and I couldn't stop smiling, they were so adorable and had great questions about the Godhead and I felt that we were able to answer them with the Spirit.
We were able to set a baptismal date for Alvin Smith for July 30. I know that it is soon and Sister Lambson and I have felt inspired that he can be ready by that date. I'm still a bit nervous that he may not make it, and I know that we can prepare him for baptism and he will be ready, even if it's not on July 30. We had a lesson with him on Sunday and I feel better about him keeping those committments that we give him. We emphasized that if he is keeping his committments now, he will be able to keep the covenants he will make with the Lord. I still feel like he is holding something back, but we were pretty bold with him on Sunday and I feel as if he is being honest with us. We are very excited to prepare him for this and he truly is a great person, he is a very chill and low key kind of guy so it's hard to tell if he is super excited about it, but I think it's his personality and through his actions we can tell. At our district meeting on Friday, Elder McAllister asked me to help him train on asking inspired questions and that really helped me to prepare for that during the week, because I know that will help us especially with Alvin. I was a bit nervous when Elder McAllister asked me to do part of the training at our district meeting, yeah I don't know what he was thinking, but it went well:) It was our zone leader, Elder Ketch, it was his birthday on Friday and during our break earlier last week, Sister Lambson and I made up a birthday song for him to the tune of 'Pioneer Children Sang as They Walked.' Oh my goodness it was hilarious when we sang to him on Friday. We were very proud of ourselves:)
I can't believe Hayli Dickey is home now and that Shanae Wilkinson gets back so soon!!!!! I hit my 7 month mark last week...ugh!!! As much as the heat and humidity is killing me, I love it here. Sister Lambson and I are having so much fun and we are so excited for next week, because Sister Collins has put together a sisters training, so all the sisters in the mission are going to mission home monday night and sleeping over and then the next day we are going to have oodles of fun and have trainings from President and Sister Collins! We all got a little giggly in district meeting when they announced that, I think the elders are jealous:) One thing that I have learned out here is how big of a clutz I am, on Friday at district meeting, Sister Lambson and I got up to talk about our stewardships and she started walking and then my shoe got caught in her bag and then I thought I had balance and then it was just downhill from there (literally) and I skidded across the floor on my knees and almost hit my head on the table but I caught myself, but the damage was already done:) Then Sister Lambson was helping me up and I hit her in the head, yeah we were just missing the third stooge! No one stopped laughing for like 15 minutes, including me! :))))) It was pretty funny!
It has been a good week for me personally and spiritually. I was able to finish the Book of Mormon for the second time since I have been out, and I took that promise from Moroni and it wasn't an immediate answer but the Lord has given me those feelings throughout this week of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I am grateful for that because I have been able to share that with one of our investigators, Lynn, who is struggling to recognize answers to her prayers. I have been wondering a lot lately what I would be like if I was being taught the gospel for the first time, and I feel as if I'm able to relate a lot to Lynn and worrying if I haven't received an answer. (That didn't really make sense) but being able to share my testimony with her has helped strengthen mine. The Lord knew that I really needed that and that is how I know that He does live and loves me. As I started reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning again, a scripture hit me hard, 1 Nephi 3: 21, I feel as if I can be like that a lot of times, I see what the Lord needs me to do and I don't know how in the world I'm supposed to do it. Then another scripture came to me in 2 Kings 6:14-17 and I just need to open my eyes and see that the Lord has made it possible. When I read that, it made my little heart pitter patter.
Love,
Sister Lamb
Monday, July 11, 2011
Dearest Family,
Why I Believe was wonderful as usual and I was so happy that those that were there got to hear Luke Rhoads. He was so nervous and we helped him write down what he wanted to say the night before and then when he started speaking yesterday he was completely guided by the spirit because we didn't talk about a lot of that stuff so it was so amazing to hear that. I know that really helped him and he was so excited to speak all week. I just love him very much. I was so happy because I got to see Sister Little, I just love her and we are still hoping we get to serve together soon. Kellie was supposed to speak but of course Satan is working very hard on her right now. She told us on Saturday that she wasn't coming to church or Why I Believe, because her decision is causing a lot of contention in her family. She was doing really well and I love teaching her because her desire to learn more is so inspiring. We showed her the Restoration DVD and she was very moved by it and intrigued and was so willing to pray to know if Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God. I feel like she is still progressing, I mean she is still keeping her commitments of reading and her prayers are improving, we can tell that her relationship with her Heavenly Father is improving and when she prays in our lessons she always mentions that she knows this is where she needs to be, oh it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about her. I'm not going to let Satan get her. We are going to set a baptismal date with her when we meet with her next and I am just praying for the Spirit to guide us in that and what date she can be ready for.
We had an investigator come to Why I Believe last night, Alvin, and he is starting to come out of his shell. He is so quite and it's hard to get a lot out of him when we ask him questions. We ask very open ended questions but he seems to still find a way to answer yes or no. We had a lesson with him on Friday and it went so well and he opened up to us just a little bit more. That morning we had our district meeting and Elder McAllister did an amazing job at training on the How to Begin Teaching points and making sure that we are using the last point of commiting them to be baptized. As we met with Alvin later that day, all those things that we had learned earlier came to me and I felt the spirit just helping me to not hold back and testify of our purpose. We committed him to be baptized on July 30 and he wants to think about it but he told us that it is something he wants to do. We also had a great lesson with the Eagle Creek elders with a girl that they tracted into in their area, Sarah. She is so awesome and as we were meeting with her, names of members of the branch came that would be great fellowshippers. The lesson went really well and she is understanding what it means that she is a child of God, I love seeing people when they understand that. It makes me so happy. She seems excited to come to the YSA branch and especially this coming Sunday, I hope she can come, because it is a regional YSA activity this weekend and on Sunday they are having a testimony meeting and then the institute directors are teaching, it's going to be great.
I'm a little stressed with an investigator that we are working with, Lynn. She is just the cutest little thing and her desire to really understand is refreshing to see. She is still struggling to recognize answers to her prayers. She is doing the things that we ask her to do, coming to church is a issue, but her other committments she is regularly keeping. I think she is expecting some big and amazing thing to happen to tell her that it is true, but when we meet with her the things she is telling us is proof that she is receiving answers but she doesn't understand. We talked to her about faith and had a great lesson on that and we were able to lead that into baptism and the importance of that. She is definitely not sure about baptism but is willing to ponder it and the other things we teach her. She is a gem and she is progressing and has a testimony, we just have to get her to see that.
Oh the weather is just continuing to get better and better...NOT! Gaaaah, today the humidity is ridiculous and yeah good thing it's our preparation day and we will be inside for most of the day. We are going to play Corn Hole today with the elders, which apparently is huge out here in Indiana. Should be good times, because we are just a bunch of goofs!!! Sister Lambson and I just doing fantastic and we are busyyyyyyy this week, well that's not really new, but yeah it's a full week already, I know that is happening because of our planning is getting way better and we are seeing the fruits of effective planning. President told me that the planning techniques that I'm gaining will benefit me for life, I'm starting to understand that more. The members are great though because they are taking us to a lot of our appointments this week and that's been great to build that trust with the branch.
Love,
Sister Lamb
Why I Believe was wonderful as usual and I was so happy that those that were there got to hear Luke Rhoads. He was so nervous and we helped him write down what he wanted to say the night before and then when he started speaking yesterday he was completely guided by the spirit because we didn't talk about a lot of that stuff so it was so amazing to hear that. I know that really helped him and he was so excited to speak all week. I just love him very much. I was so happy because I got to see Sister Little, I just love her and we are still hoping we get to serve together soon. Kellie was supposed to speak but of course Satan is working very hard on her right now. She told us on Saturday that she wasn't coming to church or Why I Believe, because her decision is causing a lot of contention in her family. She was doing really well and I love teaching her because her desire to learn more is so inspiring. We showed her the Restoration DVD and she was very moved by it and intrigued and was so willing to pray to know if Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God. I feel like she is still progressing, I mean she is still keeping her commitments of reading and her prayers are improving, we can tell that her relationship with her Heavenly Father is improving and when she prays in our lessons she always mentions that she knows this is where she needs to be, oh it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about her. I'm not going to let Satan get her. We are going to set a baptismal date with her when we meet with her next and I am just praying for the Spirit to guide us in that and what date she can be ready for.
We had an investigator come to Why I Believe last night, Alvin, and he is starting to come out of his shell. He is so quite and it's hard to get a lot out of him when we ask him questions. We ask very open ended questions but he seems to still find a way to answer yes or no. We had a lesson with him on Friday and it went so well and he opened up to us just a little bit more. That morning we had our district meeting and Elder McAllister did an amazing job at training on the How to Begin Teaching points and making sure that we are using the last point of commiting them to be baptized. As we met with Alvin later that day, all those things that we had learned earlier came to me and I felt the spirit just helping me to not hold back and testify of our purpose. We committed him to be baptized on July 30 and he wants to think about it but he told us that it is something he wants to do. We also had a great lesson with the Eagle Creek elders with a girl that they tracted into in their area, Sarah. She is so awesome and as we were meeting with her, names of members of the branch came that would be great fellowshippers. The lesson went really well and she is understanding what it means that she is a child of God, I love seeing people when they understand that. It makes me so happy. She seems excited to come to the YSA branch and especially this coming Sunday, I hope she can come, because it is a regional YSA activity this weekend and on Sunday they are having a testimony meeting and then the institute directors are teaching, it's going to be great.
I'm a little stressed with an investigator that we are working with, Lynn. She is just the cutest little thing and her desire to really understand is refreshing to see. She is still struggling to recognize answers to her prayers. She is doing the things that we ask her to do, coming to church is a issue, but her other committments she is regularly keeping. I think she is expecting some big and amazing thing to happen to tell her that it is true, but when we meet with her the things she is telling us is proof that she is receiving answers but she doesn't understand. We talked to her about faith and had a great lesson on that and we were able to lead that into baptism and the importance of that. She is definitely not sure about baptism but is willing to ponder it and the other things we teach her. She is a gem and she is progressing and has a testimony, we just have to get her to see that.
Oh the weather is just continuing to get better and better...NOT! Gaaaah, today the humidity is ridiculous and yeah good thing it's our preparation day and we will be inside for most of the day. We are going to play Corn Hole today with the elders, which apparently is huge out here in Indiana. Should be good times, because we are just a bunch of goofs!!! Sister Lambson and I just doing fantastic and we are busyyyyyyy this week, well that's not really new, but yeah it's a full week already, I know that is happening because of our planning is getting way better and we are seeing the fruits of effective planning. President told me that the planning techniques that I'm gaining will benefit me for life, I'm starting to understand that more. The members are great though because they are taking us to a lot of our appointments this week and that's been great to build that trust with the branch.
Love,
Sister Lamb
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Hello!!!
So first things first, I thought that both my zone leaders were getting transferred but yeah it was just one of them. Thank heavens!! My new district leader is Elder McAllister and my zone leaders are Elder Ketch ( who was my zone leader last transfer) and Elder Nash. They are so fun and we had a great time yesterday for P-day, Elder Ketch and I got a little too intense for playing ping pong.
We have a super busy week this week and I'm so excited for it. We have some lessons with some new investigators that I'm stoked about. Kellie, who is just a sweetheart, she has been coming to church and really progressing well, we committed her to baptism and she told us that she knows this is where she needs to be. It's been fun teaching her and she is going to be speaking at Why I Believe this sunday as well as one of our recent converts, Luke. We have some other lessons with some students that go to IUPUI and so the work is progressing and I love it. I was so happy because I have been wanting to teach Lehi's Dream to one of our less actives and we finally were able to meet with her, and I taught and she had some dang good insight to it. I don't know why but I just knew she needed to hear and apply this story to her life and I was thankful that we had the opportunity too.
Sister Lambson and I are still just having a blast in a half. We have been working on doing a lot of service for the members in the branch and we had a fun opportunity during our dinner break to go and decorate one of our recent converts door to his house. He was taking his big exam to get into dental school and he has been stressed about it, well since I first met him, and so we wanted to wish him luck with notes of encouragement, so that was fun to do. He said he did alright on his test so we will find out soon which school he will get accepted too. I just adore these members and they are great to take to lessons. We had break the fast this past sunday and we were able to talk to a lot of the members and have them come with us to some lessons this week. I had a great fast on sunday and I am starting a fasting journal to record impressions and things like that througout the day. I got the idea from an Ensign talk so I'm not that innovative:)
I have to say I saw fireflies the other night when we came home and Sister Lambson and I were sooooooo excited! So we ran around in the backyard and caught some. Yep we were those girls. They are so cool though!!! We are surviving the heat and the humidity, it's been brutal walking around in it all day and everyone keeps telling us it's only going to get worse, I'm like really why would you say that:) We are having a lot of fun together and it's just so good to be able to ourselves and be silly but we are able to invite the spirit in our companionship as well as our lessons and I love it and I love her!!!!!!
Love,
Sister Lamb
So first things first, I thought that both my zone leaders were getting transferred but yeah it was just one of them. Thank heavens!! My new district leader is Elder McAllister and my zone leaders are Elder Ketch ( who was my zone leader last transfer) and Elder Nash. They are so fun and we had a great time yesterday for P-day, Elder Ketch and I got a little too intense for playing ping pong.
We have a super busy week this week and I'm so excited for it. We have some lessons with some new investigators that I'm stoked about. Kellie, who is just a sweetheart, she has been coming to church and really progressing well, we committed her to baptism and she told us that she knows this is where she needs to be. It's been fun teaching her and she is going to be speaking at Why I Believe this sunday as well as one of our recent converts, Luke. We have some other lessons with some students that go to IUPUI and so the work is progressing and I love it. I was so happy because I have been wanting to teach Lehi's Dream to one of our less actives and we finally were able to meet with her, and I taught and she had some dang good insight to it. I don't know why but I just knew she needed to hear and apply this story to her life and I was thankful that we had the opportunity too.
Sister Lambson and I are still just having a blast in a half. We have been working on doing a lot of service for the members in the branch and we had a fun opportunity during our dinner break to go and decorate one of our recent converts door to his house. He was taking his big exam to get into dental school and he has been stressed about it, well since I first met him, and so we wanted to wish him luck with notes of encouragement, so that was fun to do. He said he did alright on his test so we will find out soon which school he will get accepted too. I just adore these members and they are great to take to lessons. We had break the fast this past sunday and we were able to talk to a lot of the members and have them come with us to some lessons this week. I had a great fast on sunday and I am starting a fasting journal to record impressions and things like that througout the day. I got the idea from an Ensign talk so I'm not that innovative:)
I have to say I saw fireflies the other night when we came home and Sister Lambson and I were sooooooo excited! So we ran around in the backyard and caught some. Yep we were those girls. They are so cool though!!! We are surviving the heat and the humidity, it's been brutal walking around in it all day and everyone keeps telling us it's only going to get worse, I'm like really why would you say that:) We are having a lot of fun together and it's just so good to be able to ourselves and be silly but we are able to invite the spirit in our companionship as well as our lessons and I love it and I love her!!!!!!
Love,
Sister Lamb
Monday, June 27, 2011
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
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 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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)