December 29, 2014

It was really fun to talk to yall and be able to see you. But i talk about
that in my email so. But I did get that package that you sent and the pants
had a draw string so the worked awesome! I used them on Saturday when the
branch had a soccer game. I looked like a real player with pants, kleets
and the mexico jersey. I did not get anything from that person you said, so
I dont know.

The highlight of the week was, like most missionary's i believe. The chance
i had to talk to my family and see them. It was fun to be able to share
experiences in a much faster way than just typing it out. Face time is a
really cool tool to have. Getting to see people face to face across the
country or the world is crazy, right?! The members of the branch gave me
another Christmas to remember. I'm so happy that I have been able to be
here for so long and get to know them like i do. I defiantly makes
Christmas allot more enjoyable when you know the people with whom you are
with. Also this week i went on exchange with some other Spanish
missionary's. I went to their area for the day. It was a good exchange, but
the whole time i just felt weird and home sick. Not home sick for my home
in Utah, but for the area i was just gone from for the day. I came to
realize that i feel like this is now my home, I have been here 7 months but
i feel like its been no time. Luckily I get to be here for like another 2
months so that's awesome! But when the time comes to leave its going to
just make it that much harder. It will be like leaving home all over again!
If I could stay here the rest of my mission I would not even complain.

Yesterday was a big day at church, it is the last time we have to start at
8:30!! so no more do we have to wake up early on Sunday to get to the
church at 7 for meetings!! we will know be starting at 11:40. I'm excited
about that :) also yesterday we had a good lesson with our investigating
family. They are so ready, but just don't see it. They feel like they need
to know everything before they can get baptized. So our plan for the week
is go visit them and just ask them the baptism questions. Don't let them
know those are the questions, just ask them then after tell them. So that
way they can see they are ready to the level that the savior asks us to be
to follow him. I feel like it will be a turning point. I know if we give it
our all and help them they will be baptized this month, no doubt.

with the new year coming up i came up with a few goals that I have.
1. write in my journal at least 3 times a week.
2. make at least 15 new friends
3. leave this area in tip top shape
4. come up with at least a plan of what i want to do when i go home

Con Mucho Amor
Elder Lamb

P.s. this is the new district!!
P.s.s. look at our members crazy talent!

December 22, 2014

to start, I dont need any church shoes for Christmas, I have like 4 pair
and i know a member already bought me some more for Christmas. That makes
the 3rd pair i have gotten from members our here. I could use some tennis
shoes though. All i have is those white ones i had when i was back at home,
so they are basically done. And yes i am a size 12 1/2 ( 1/2 just to be
safe) Other than that im good. Their are lots of others out there that need
help this Christmas. Thank you for sending me those cloths, they did get
here in time and i was able to use them. Thank you for doing that. I keep
praying that your business will get up and going quickly, maybe this is to
help you. Its just like letting old investigators go, you always see
blessings.

Not going to lie this week was a bit slower for us. Kinda stunk, but it was
fun at the same time. So here in the Spanish branch the members will always
fall back on the missionary's if they need something done. So they had
asked us if we could play the wise men in some live nativity thing they
were doing. we were like ya sure what ever, it wont take up allot of time.
man were we wrong! almost every night this last week we had to do some
kinda of practice and one day we had to record what we were going to say.
it was really fun and cool to see it come together but man it took up allot
of time. so on Friday we had our branch Christmas party. It was fun to be
able to see the preparation come together. the only thing that went wrong
is that as i walked into the room i almost lost my crown from off my head
because i through my arm quickly to add a dramatic entrance. but it ended
well, dont worry i have photos that i will add. we also go to see Santa as
well! and we did not fail to get photos with him!

on Thursday we had our Christmas party. that day was really fun! so about
mid day we had teamed up with the fire department and the red cross to go
around this neighborhood and install fire alarms in peoples homes. it was
really fun and easy, i don't think the could have found better people to do
door contacting or getting into homes. out of the 6 doors that opened to
the group i lead we got into 5 of them, the only reason we did not get into
the other is because they said they keep up with their fire preparation
monthly. I also had taken time that week to learn new Spanish vocab so if i
ran into Hispanic's people i could tell them what we were trying to do.
then later that evening we had our Christmas fireside, and i got to see my
old companions and other friends i have made through out the mission. it
was super awesome to see them again. Then that night we got permission to
do a sleep over with the elders we were going to give a ride to in the
morning when we went to the temple. the temple was amazing like always, i
wish i had the opportunity to go more often. But i will be back there in
march when the Simmental family from Gainesville goes to get sealed. Which
will just be amazing to see these people that have literally become my
family become an eternal unit. i cant wait, it will be the best day of my
mission with out a doubt.

Then yesterday we had the 2 baptisms, it was the youngest kids of the
family we baptized last month. It was so great to be able to see them
become united finally in this great gospel they have come to love, it will
be an amazing day when they become sealed in the temple next year. Now our
next step is getting the Suarez family baptized so about this time next
year they can be baptized. If you could get Adriana Suarez and Cherry
Suarez in your prayers, asking they may know this is what they should do i
would be eternally grateful.

also i was bummed I missed steve. That would have been super cool to see him. i dont know what the mission president would have thought. would not have bothered me so i think he would have been fine. 

Con Mucho Amor
Elder Lamb

P.s. the first picture is the family that got baptized, the second is all of us that were in the play!

December 16, 2014

My brother in law was in Atlanta and happened upon Daxton's mission apartment. Of course, he was out working. So proud of him.

December 15, 2014

This week was a good one, it started off with our district meeting on
Tuesday, with it be Christmas soon we did a little Christmas themed
meeting. We all wore Christmas sweaters and studied the life of Jesus. Then
at the end we shared some treats that we had and then we did a White
Elephant present exchange. It was a good meeting. But it ended bitter when
we found out that because we were getting another companionship they were
going to split the district. So I am no longer the District leader of the
Lilburn district. But I am now the District leader of the Lawrenceville
district. Its cool to be able to serve a different set of missionary's, but
there is nothing like your first district. So its sad to have to leave
them. But im excited to be able to serve these other missionary's!!

This past week we did not meet our goal of 70 contacts, we actually only
got 25. But! it is because we had our time filled with service, lessons and
really cool contacts. We racked the leaves for an elder sister in the
branch, and dont worry we jumped in the huge pile we made ;) then we were
able to get in twice with the suarez family. they are so cool. they
actually asked for homework and other things to study! our goal for them
this week is to come to the baptism we are having this weekend and we are
going to teach temples. i think this will be the week that they realize
they are ready. then contacting this week we went to this street i had felt
good about. and man was i right! every single contact we had had either
read about the church, talked to missionary's, been baptized or had a Book
of Mormon! It was super crazy! the person that had the book of Mormon was
the best. we actually went back last night and meet the husband as well.
They are from Uruguay and the craziest part is they are really good friend
with the branch president form my last area! we are really excited to start
working with them.

We also had stake conference this past week and it was good, it was all
about missionary work and how we need to do. our mission prez and his wife
spoke, a member from our branch with a son on a mish spoke as well. a
return missionary spoke and others. but it was really good and i liked it.

Im excited for this next week because we are going to the temple and we are
having a mission party and then we are having our branch Christmas party as
well. so ill keep yall posted!

Con Mucho Amor
Elder Lamb
P.s. this is my old district

December 8, 2014

This week was the week of exchanges for me and my comp. I like doing exchanges, they are as fun as the are instructive. This week I was able to go on exchange with elder Oberon. We had a very good day that day. We did allot of tracking and knowing doors. We were able to get 21 contacts! That was really good for us because our goal was to get 70 contacts by the end of the week. So that had made up for the time we did not have the day before to go tracking. But we also had some cool experiences. So as we went around this area we ran into these two guys working on getting a dent out of their door of the car they had. So we talked to them for a while and helped them get the dent out of the door. We shared a card and left. Then we ran into a 15 year old boy who wanted to argue with us. The first thing he said was "you know Joseph Smith was a fake prophet right?" Needless to say we just told him everything we knew was true and told him to pray about it and find out for him self and stop asking people. Then on the way back to the car we ran into those guys again and this time they had locked the keys in the car with it running. We we went over and helped them get them out. So we got to break into someone's car. It was pretty cool. 

The second exchange was really awesome! I got to go on exchange with the elders of the branch I served in before this one. The day started off by meeting at a member who cooks some really good French toast. So we ate and exchanged. Then we were able to go and see some of their potential investigators. The first one we went and visited dropped a bomb shell on us. She told us her dad had just past away that morning and she was extremely sad. We were able to share some words of peace. We did our best to help her but at the moment her grief was very strong. Then we saw their investigator that was going to get baptized that Saturday. We talked with them and showed them the baptismal cloths. Then later that day we went back for their baptismal interview. I was able to do the one for the father because he does not speak any English. That night I was able to sleep in the good old bean bag that I use to sleep in. It was one of the best night sleeps I have had in a long time. The next day we went out and helped a member put up Christmas lights. Followed by us going to another less active family. Then for the last thing we did we went up to the simetals home. It was so awesome to be able to see them again, they have not gone to church in a few weeks so I talked to them about that and how they need to go back to church. Then to end the night we exchanged back at the church building where they were playing volley ball as a branch. So I got to see even more of the members. 

By the end of the week we did not meet our goal of 70 contacts (mostly because they did not track while I was gone) but we still managed to get 58 contacts. So this week we are going to do it again. Mostly because we need to find new investigators. Especially because I just learned I'm staying in this area for another transfer. But my comp goes home at the end of this one so I'm most likely staying here 2 more. So I will be here till March! That will make 9 months in this area! That's crazy long! But I'm excited, there is still allot of work to do here. This last transfer went super fast so this one will do the same. 

Con mucho amor

Elder Lamb

December 1, 2014

yall have gone on more vacations in the time that i have been gone than i think i have been on in my whole life! but i guess that is normal, its what lots of missionary's say happens when you leave. Then the family decides to go. But im happy yall finally got sealed and that your mission president could be there.

I am super excited for Christmas time aren't you!?!? There is just something special about this Christmas. It just feels different. To let you know I've never been a big Christmas fan. I like holidays like Halloween, where everyone just dresses up and gets into it. But this year I am super excited for Christmas! It maybe because Christmas has taken on a new meaning for me. I have come to understand just a little better what Christmas is all about. I always knew it was to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but with how much the commercial industry attacks it, it can become easy to forget what it is all about. I look forward to this Christmas for what i will be able to get, but for what i will be able to give. I feel that when one comes to learn that Jesus is the first gift of Christmas, not just learn it. But embrace it as well, then they will come to learn that Jesus is the only Gift we need. He can be the gift that we give to all people, and for sharing this Gift he promises us more gifts. Us as missionary's this year have the very special chance to share the spirit of Christ in a very special way, with the "He is the Gift" video. When i saw this i think this is what changed my view on Christmas. It showed me that Christmas has such a deeper meaning than could ever be imagined. At Christmas time we do tend to focus more on others and less on our selves, but i believe that if we can take these actions of love and sharing past Christmas, then we will began to see what Christmas is really about. It is a new birth, a new chance for everyone. That what God gave us on the day his Son was born, a new hope, a new chance to rewrite our pasts and to secure our futures. He did not stop living after he was born, so why should we stop having the spirit of Christmas after it passes? Parents always have great joy when they see their children using and enjoying the gifts that they worked so hard to give them, it is the same with our Father in Heaven. Can you even imagine the joy it must bring him to see his children using the Gift of his Son Jesus Christ? The happiness and peace he must feel to see them using this Gift and it must be magnified when they share this Gift with others. The Savior is the Gift, the first gift that was given on that humble Christmas night, when he was born in the most humbling setting the world had to offer. And that Gift is still being given, to as many that are willing to accept it. So let us this Christmas, come back to the true meaning. By following in the foot steps that the Savior walked, let us reach out our hands to lift those that hang down, let us give of our time to those that need our company, let us share the first Gift of Christmas to those that do not have it and above all to use this Gift that has been given to each and everyone of us.

I am slowly but surly learning what it means to love others, to realize the sacrifice that is necessary to show them that you do love them. This past transfer I have really come to learn what a huge blessing we are as missionary's to the members of our branch. Before i did not like to spend time at members, i felt it a waste and that i could be doing something better. But in these last 5 weeks i have come to see how much they really do care about us and why it is important to get to know them and spend some time with them. A member told me that they love to have us come over because it lets their kids be around missionary's and helps strengthen that desire to serve a mission. She said " every parent wants nothing more than for their kid to serve a mission." Now what better time do we have to start once again to show that love for others than during this Christmas season. Even if it is nothing more then trying to be a righteous example. By doing what we need to do to keep the commandment and live close to God. As we do that others will see it and wonder " why are they doing what they are?" then comes the time to share this Gift of Christ. 

So this past week we did lots of service, visiting members, less actives and investigators to share with them this message of Christmas and to share the spirit that comes with it. Thanks giving we were able to play some sports in the morning, by some i mean allot! played football, basketball and soccer! then we spent the rest of the day visiting members and eating, lots of eating. needless to say between the soreness of playing sports and the turkey induced coma which i was trying to get out of Friday was rough. But the ending of the week went smooth and nice. Our investigating family is still doing great, we are going to invite them to be baptized on the 21 of December, so they can be baptized with 2 other people we have on date for the same day. They will accept i know, the daughter has already said she wants to be baptized, she is just waiting for mom. Th mom likes it as well and has not brought up any concerns so I know she will be ready. 

Feliz Navidad

Elder Lamb

November 24, 2014

This week started off very tiring when and cold when i went on an exchange with the bike elders of my district. It was they coldest day of the fall thus far and i choose to do an exchange on this day. Smart right? So we headed out all bundled up in our coats and sweaters, gloves, hats and he had a face mask thing he wore. But the biggest thing i learned is how out of shape i am! Between the really cold air and never biking I was dyeing. It was seriously ridiculous how out of shape i was trying to bike my butt around the area. Im so grateful to be a Spanish missionary, no bike for me! 

Also i just remembered the lesson we taught with our investigators this last Monday. It went super well. It was really good at getting everyone involved in the lesson and keep there interest. It was really at the end that i think was the best part. Everyone started sharing their testimony's and the spirit was there super strong. At the end we asked the Mom what she learned and how it was. She said everything was very clear and made sense. Not just the way we presented it, but the plan as a whole. That the points and things it held made sense. Then last night we had a lesson with them at the Branch Presidents house. They have gotten so much support fro the branch. I love seeing how this branch has just taken them in. But she said she has been thinking of baptism, but still wants to learn more. So we are excited for that and all that will come for them. because they will so be sealed in the temple a year after they are baptized, no doubt in my mind. I have come to love this family so much and I am sadden that i wont be able to be next to them through out the years as they come closer to one another and to their Savior through his teachings. But like the scripture says in D&C "how great will your joy be with them in the kingdom of your Father" 

This area I am in has been so blessed over these last several months and I have come to love the members and the investigators and the work like i have not found in another area before. I am very happen to spend another 6 months here. Because i know with out a doubt that there is plenty left to do. I am also very grateful to have all the time left that i do. I hope it does not go to fast

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Lamb   

November 17, 2014

Hey did Sarah ever get married? Right after you told me she was engaged i
never again got an Email from her, so what happened? Im glad to hear your
trip went well, i know that was important.

This past week has been a little slower for us, not sure if its was because
it was really cold or if we lacked, or the people just really had a good
sermon on Sunday so they were good or what. But it was a slower one for the
work for us. But the blessing were still present, So ulisis and his family
are still doing super good! I dont know what it is about this family but
the branch has been helping us with them so much! Its been awesome! So this
last Friday the Lupercio family invited ulisis and his fam to come to their
house and have a little family home evening. So we went as well and it was
awesome! We had dinner together and shared lots of laughs and good times,
then to end the night we shared the Restoration DVD, the spirit was there
like always and it was great to see it. Then on Sunday they came to church
and  we finally got the littlest daughter named sulchy ( she is such a
little cutie! shes six and really shy) to go to her primary class and she
enjoyed it. Then after church one of our members invited them to come over
tonight and do another FHC, we will be there as well. We are going to teach
the Plan of Salvation, we spent both personal and comp study this morning
preparing this lesson, we made a bunch of cut out things and have a giant
white board we are going to use. And we are going to make a hide and seek
thing out of it. Ill let you know how it goes next week and ill take photos
:)

Also yesterday we went our to do visits with the branch and we had to ride
with one of our members because we are running out of miles, but anyway he
has a really small Toyota ranger, which is also a manual. thats important
because we would all have to squeeze in this thing, and us all being big it
was not going to work. So i ended up having to ride in the bed of the truck
in about 30 degree weather going about 45, needless to say it was cold, but
hey sacrifices need to be made in the work of the lord!

I had an experience this week with the spirit. So we know that when we are
baptized and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, we have the promise that
he will always be with us and we can always feel his presence. But everyone
always wonders what does that really mean, does it mean we will feel that
warmth all the time? or will we always have those guiding moments in our
lives? It is true that living worthy we have free access to those blessings
when we call on them. But what i think we dont always realize is the
regular way we feel. While being on my mission I have truly been
transformed in not only the way my mind works and my heart, but also the
way i function completely. When I come upon those moments or situations
that the spirit is not there, i dont just feel an emptiness, but i feel
physically sick as well. The spirit has not just become the fuel for my own
spirit, but also my physical body. Its very weird to think about and to
explain, but i now see how completely reliant I am on the spirit to even
function. It gives me that extra desire to search out the spirit in all I
do, be cause the other option is not one I like. I have been changed by
this mission already and in ways I never even thought about. What i look
for has changed, what i want has changed, how i love has changed, how i
work has changed, how i see the future has changed. And it has been that
constant companionship of the spirit that has made that change in me. The
spirit is such an amazing gift we have been given, let us always ask
ourselves " Im i using the gift i have been given, or have set it on the
shelf?" If your answer is "Yes, i am using it" Great! now ask what is the
next step? And if it is sitting on the shelf all I have to say is, take it
down and use it! Ask,"what must i do or change to use this gift correctly?"
The spirit is real, he does testify to us and he does guide us if we let
him, I love his company. I never feel alone when he is with me, and that
means the world to me.

Con Mucho Amor
Elder Lamb
P.s. this is my selfy while we were going down the road, i have a video but
it wont let me attach it.

November 10, 2014

Sorry if you get this letter late, we had a hard time emailing.

Thank you for making those sacrifices to take care of my pet snake. I know yall dont want to but it means allot. Its also really cool that yall are getting you business up and running finally. Ill keep yall in my prayers. 

The work in our area is still going well, i was worried to come over to this part of the area because i knew they did not have many people going on over here. But the Lord showed many tender mercy's over here to us this week. So i dont know if you remember but about three weeks ago i said that a random guy showed up to church. Well we were finally able to go teach him and his family this week. The first time was on Thursday, we went with one of our members family to go teach them. We shared most of lesson one with them and the accepted it well. But to things came from that lesson. First, the daughter of the member and the daughter of the investigator  became really good friends like over night. On Saturday they spent the whole day together and went to the mall and the movies and everything. Really good to see that support. Then we also found out that he was baptized in the church when he was 19. So he is a member but his daughter and wife are not. They all came to church this Sunday, marking the second time for the daughter and the first for the mother. They both really liked it. then we went and taught them again last night and shared the story of Joseph Smith. after we shared it and we all shared our testimony's we invited them to be baptized on the 29 of this month. She said she would do it but she want to know more before them, so we reassured her that we would be there every step of the way. so we now have 2 people on date for this month. We also have another lady we are teaching named Olivia, we have taught her 3 times. She has so things that we have been able to address to help her out.she also came to church this week with her son, her daughter said she would come this next week if her mom liked it. The mom had to leave after first hour though, because she has shingles and said it was causing her pain. So understandable. Im excited to still be here in this area, the apartment i am is is WAY better than my last one. Except the water pressure, the water pressure at my old apartment was like that of a fire hose. But other than that i upgraded on everything. 

We are going to have Zone Training this week so i dont have to plan a district meeting. But lately district meeting has been really awesome. Last week for one of the training's i decided to do a 10 min personal study on "recognizing the impressions of the spirit" then after a 10 min comp study with someone then a role play on what was learned. It was really cool and a good way to build district unity when its so hard to do so. Being a district leader has been fun and challenging.       

Well this sums up my week...

Hasta Luego

Elder Lamb

November 3, 2014-

That website looks really good. I like it allot. Thanks for taking care of Zeke for me, you wont have to do it for to much longer, but still a while. The people we are working with are doing well. I dont know last names yet but when I do I will tell you so you can use them.

Finally...

the only word I have to describe the baptisms we had this past week. It has taken almost a year and several sets of missionary's to do it but the Ramirez family finally got baptized, well most of them. The father, mother and oldest son did. The rest will be baptized in December when the youngest comes of age. The thing that i have come to learn from baptisms that I have had is that it is not the end or a closure for anyone involved. If anything it opens more challenges and hardships. Because then the enemy really wants to stop them, he knows what promises they have made and wants them to become unworthy. If anything i think it is mach harder after one is baptized. But that is why God gives us the gift of the holy ghost to be our constant companion, to help us stay true to the path we have started to walk, to keep us worthy of that which we have done. Baptism is not closure, it is the beginning. But it was very special to see them enter those waters, especially for the Mother for she has waited a long time for this. A member reminded me the other day that when I go to this area to right down in my journal that i would be the missionary to baptize their family, And with the transfer coming to an end I did not think it would happen, but it did. And i stayed in the area to be here to see it. It was special to see it happen.

Also we are making good strides in this area. This part of the area did not have much going on. So it is up to me and my comp (elder Roberts) to build this part back up and get the work moving like it should be. We are excited for the challenge that it will be and are ready to find those the Lord has prepared for us. Like just right now I got a call from a random lady that wants to come to English class this week. What luck huh? 

This concludes the email for the week but for the last thing i want to say I got called to be an STL!!! no lie its true, a Spanish Team Leader. Some new thing president is trying out but i just thought it was funny cause it has the same abbreviation as Sister Training Leader. Its nothing super special right now, because its brand new. But maybe in the future it will be something. 

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Lamb

October 27, 2014- TRANSFERS

Transfers...

So today we did receive transfer calls this morning. I will be moving from the Riverside 2 area to the Riverside 1 area. So basically Im not going anywhere, just moving apartments and companions. So i will be starting my 4th transfer here in the branch. Which i am excited because the work is just going so good right now!! Not going to lie I was looking forward to going to a new area, but Im excited to stay as well. I am still going to be the district leader so i will keep going forward trying to build the district.

So the reason I am excited to stay here is because we have had very cool miracles happening lately. So the first miracle is that we now have a family on date for this Saturday, they finally decided this week to get baptized finally. So on Friday we are going over to just teach all the lessons over again. it has been almost over a year since they started coming to church, and they are finaly choosing to do this. Also the elder who will be my companion was the elder who found them and he will be back for the baptism because he will be here. It is very exciting. Also this last Sunday we had another miracle. So right before church started some random guy showed up for church. nobody knew him or meet him before. We went and talked to him and he told us that he had looked up the closed LDS church building to his house because he wanted to come. He has family in Mexico that are members and he has wanted to come to church for about 5 years and finally decided to do something about it.So he came not knowing when we started and happened to get here right on time. He also has a wife and two children. We are going over there this week to teach them and are we going to put them on baptism date for the 29th of November or sooner. The Lord has truly blessed this area in ways I cant even count. 

I truly love doing the mission work, there is nothing more tiring and more rewarding as it. I love being able to see the lives of people change. It has been such an amazing experience thus far and im so excited i get to serve for another 10 months. I dont want it to end but i know it will. I will just work every moment i can until that moment I get released.

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Lamb     

October 20, 2014-Baptirm

Baptism....

As that little introduction states we had a baptism!! yes Sister Martinez got baptized this last Friday and confirmed yesterday. My son Elder Farr got to go into the font and do the actual ordinance of baptism, but then i got to confirm her. Which in my opinion is the better of the two anyway. But it was very exciting for us, we prayed very hard in every prayer we have said since the beginning of September that we would be able to find someone who was ready for the gospel and would get baptized this month. It is a strong testimony to me that God really does answer prayers especially if it is for a worthy cause. It also helped me to see that I am able to lead an area and see success. All the other Baptisms in which i have participated, I was always the Junior companion. Not leading the area or the lesson plans or anything. But it has been very cool to see that I can lead an area  and we can still have success, because i have learned what to do and can just do it. We will have transfers next week and I am excited to see what happens, because i have learned i am ready to just go out and do it because i know how to lead and how to work. So if i do end up going to a new area I will be completely ready for it.

Other than that this week was just full of follow up appointment and trying to find new people in which to teach. I am really excited for this area, good things are really starting to happen. Yesterday we found a lady (who is white) who speaks Spanish ( she married a Hispanic) and is a less active. She invited us to come over and share a message with her and her family some day this week. So we hope both a reactivation and baptisms from this and also a random Hispanic called us and asked if he could help us teach English class and then he said he is looking for a new church and wants to come early to the class so we can give him a tour of the church. So we are hoping great things out of this as well.

This sums up the week nicely, till next time

Siga adelante

Elder Lamb

October 13, 2014

Thats a cool experience to be able to go to that, cool to meet the leaders of the state. I wish you the best of luck with soccer. You couched basketball well, so i bet youll be fine with soccer. also happy birthday grandpa Lamb!! Sorry thats late but cant change Pday. A better letter will be there eventually, but i need the address. Also i need all your health card info and your social security stuff. So i dont know if you just want to call sister residori and get the number from her and set it up so you dont have to send all that sensitive stuff. Any time after this Friday would work for us. I heard yall are going to have allot of snow this year, im bummed i wont be there so go snowboarding so it better be good next year.  

the work moving forward...

These last several weeks especially this last have been some of the best and most stressful i have had. On the great hand Sister Martinez is so ready for baptism. When we taught the word of wisdom she was drinking coffee, but as soon as we told her she said she would stop. Then when we taught her last night she told us she had been very tempted several times but she knew the lord would help her, so she still has not drank coffee and she told us how she throw away all the coffee they had so she would not have any temptations in her home. She also told us how somebody tried to get her to stop listening with some anti stuff, but she said she knows what we are teaching is good and it does not matter what they say. She even stopped being friends with one of those people because of it. It is so amazing how the Lord truly prepares people to hear this message and then protects them. With faith all things are possible. 

On the other hand the stressful part has been trying to find new people to teach. With transfers coming up and being pretty sure im leaving I am doing all that i can to try to find new investigators and people for my son (the missionary im training) and who ever comes in to teach, so they dont just have to knock doors all day. Im just giving it my all because i remember when i was in Gainesville with no one to teach. And i dont want anyone to go through that.  So me and my son are knocking, following up and getting referrals like we are just starting in the area. We need the help of the Lord in order to leave this place in the standing that we want it to be. we keep seeing small miracles come forth from the Lord to find people to at lest listen, and we know with time we will find those prepared to accept. Im not to sure if I will just get switched to the other area here in this branch or go to a different part of the mission, all i know is i am not staying in this apartment with my same companion. But before I go I want to leave this area how I would want to find it. My experiences have really helped me to want to make things better for others so they do not have to go through what I have. Hopefully Im developing Christ like love :)

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Lamb

October 6, 2014- The week of Meetings!

The week of meetings...

As the tittle says we had a long week of meetings. Between exchanges and meetings i really only got to do actual mission work in my area for about 12 hours this week. So needless to say numbers were low and got chewed out by the Zone Leaders. But its what ever, we have a good plan for this week so we are just ready to kill it. 

General conference was great! watched about half of it in Spanish, i find it so neat to be able to understand in two languages. There were very many talks about a wide array of topics but thee i really saw were the sacrament, honoring the priesthood leaders, and of course obedience. All awesome topics that we can all apply more deeply. But the talk i liked the most given by Jorg some weird name. He basically said 6 things we need to do. I liked it because he was so direct and clear and said it how it is. he did not bother to chop at the branches, he just cut down the whole tree. He told everyone to stop making excuses and stop justifying. just take responsibility. he said to choose to be obedient because you love God. and other things. But it was a great talk and i learned allot. All I learned is in my study Journal but i forgot it. So you'll have to look it up. 

Sister Martinez is still progressing very well. We were able to finish up the plan of salvation and when we had called her on Saturday night to see if she could come to conference she said a member had already called her and was going to come by. Solid member work. So she did come to conference and liked it. She even brought some food to bring for in between sessions. It is so cool to see her desire and willingness to change and follow God in the correct way. We also had asked her is she believed Joseph Smith was a prophet and said " Yes, why else would God and Jesus appear unto him if he was not a good person" So that was cool. She is still going good to be baptized on the 18th. So please keep her in your prayers.

Also as a sad news, the mission president has now said we have to many Spanish missionary's and no where to put them so they have started switching some English. Im sure im safe because i have been out so long but its sad to see that some people lose all their hard work because there is nowhere to go. 

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Lamb    

P.s. here is a picture of the district.  

September 29, 2014- Cool Things!

cool things...

The first cool thing that has been happening is the weather. it has not gotten over 80 this week!! it has been so awesome, im so ready for winter to come back. I miss the cold and just the feel. Because i started my mission in the field about this time. so it just brings back magical feelings from being a greeny :) But also a cool/ awesome miracle that has happened is that we has somebody on date for the 18th of October!

Her name is Mrs Martinez,  she is an older lady in about her 60s. she is from Venezuela. She was found through a missionary referral. we have been able to teach her the first lesson and parts of the second. She keeps her reading assignments and really likes what she is learning. But the biggest step is that yesterday she was able to come to church! this past week we had two lessons with her in which we brought members and both offered her a ride. So she had no excuse. She came and she loved it. Especially relief society. She is excited to come back next week as well. I know she can get baptized on the date. Its very close but i know with the lord she will be able to do it. We set up 3 days a week we will go over there to teacher so it gives us 9 times (not including Sundays) to talk to her face to face and help her out. We are very excited for this opportunity and know she can do it. She does have a desire to change and come closer to God. And what better way to come unto God then through his path, right? I love sharing the gospel, there is nothing that can help someone in their life more then the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Other that her the work continues with knocking doors and finding more people to teach. We keep focusing on others so we can help them come unto the fold. But we are her to find the elect, they are out there and its our job to find them.

I hope everything goes well with the new work,ill keep that in my prayers that you can keep the clients assets so they dont have to move around and you get that. I hope you dont get all the snow this year and then there is none when i come back. I look forward to snowboarding and the cold.

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Lamb

September 22, 2014

Realizing what miracles really are...

This is a subject that have many different answers form everyone that has an opinion. But what truly is a miracle? Does it have to be someone being healed instantly? or being lead from danger 2 seconds before it happens or is it only when something incredible, out of the ordinary happens? Or can a miracle be a small settle thing. Like a district meeting going great, or a lesson that actually went through, or if nothing else just feeling the spirit touch the hearts of those you teach. Now ask, are any of those smaller things and less miraculous then the bigger ones i listed? Do we as children of God differ in worth to him? So do the miracles that happen differ in worth or amazement? This has been one of the most important lessons i have learned in all my mission. Is that miracles from God are always happening, just us as humans don't always realize them. Because most the time they just appear to be regular everyday things. But i think it is those regular everyday things that happen that are the most important to us. We spend so much time praying and asking for something miraculous to happen so we can either reaffirm our faith or build us up when we are down. We become so focused on these ideas we have of what miracles that we let pass all the little ones the Lord is throwing our way. When i was but a "greeny" in the mission. I though miracles were only things that where big, like random people showing up to church and you've never meet them or people crying in the first lesson asking to be baptized. I have seen many such miracles but they are usually less common and far between. But recently i have learned through experience that miracles are just the small things the Lord gives us. Teaching a lesson is a miracle, sharing a testimony is a miracle, having a meaningful contact is a miracle. Its truly those small things, that seem so normal, are truly the things that define our lives. My experience has become so much more rewarding just looking for the small miracles that happen. Because each day i can get up with out a doubt I will see miracles.  Its really the small miracles i have come to love because the feed my soul in a constant way and not in a every now and again way. I love miracles, everyday we get up is one and every night we lay down is one as well. If we will all just look harder for the tiny miracles, then will we understand how miraculous our lives truly are.

Este momento es un momento de milagros...

Elder Lamb 

September 15, 2014

Transfer week...

Well this will be the first transfer of my mission were i will be doing
nothing. because i have been in so many trios I have either myself been
leaving or losing or gaining companions. But nothing is happening now so
for the first time It will be a quite Wednesday morning. But this week is
always exciting because i get to make my new planner covers about 6 other
missionary's planner covers and just the wonder of whats all going to
happen is just fun.

But this week it has been different trying to plan for the days we are on
bike. Because our area is very big for to be on bike, but we make it work.
Bike has not been to bad and it is kinda fun. But we were able to get some
really cool  people. None are progressing right now but they show
potential. We have really been seeing changes in our area since we have
started praying for the area in ever prayer we do. We have been getting
good referrals and finding more prepared people. I know that if we keep
doing it then very shortly we will find those that are truly prepared to
receive the message and be willing to make steps to change. also our
mission president has asked us to start doing role plays with the members.
Because he is really putting pressure on being better teachers. so he says
we need to teach more even if it is just with members. So we are and it is
cool. It really helps build the trust with members to because they can see
we are trying to get better.

But for me to help me become a better teacher i decided about 2 weeks ago
to study all the lessons over, but not just study. But to really get and
understanding and spiritual confirmation they are true. not just the whole
lesson by its self but each individual part. So i have been reading them in
preach my gospel and after each little part i pray to know if that specific
principal is true, then i write what i learn in my study journal. It has
been so awesome because i cant testify more powerfully because each little
part is backed up with a personal answer.

To end i what to share that i know this work is true and that it is hard,
and why shouldn't it be? a mission is one of the hardest things you can do.
But if it was not hard would it be as rewarding? So i made a theme for this
planner its all about the war that we fight while in the mission and in
life. So i also took a bunch of powerful scriptures and put them together
to make one power house scripture. So i will share it...

"Awake my sons put on the armor of righteousness, shake off the chains with
which ye are bound and come forth from obscurity and arise from the dust.
for we have a labor to preform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we
may conquer the enemy of all righteousness. for behold now is the time and
day for men to flee or to prepare for war. That when the devil shall send
forth his mighty winds, yea his shafts in the whirl winds yea when all his
hail and his mighty storms shall beat upon you it shall have no power over
you. I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, be perfected in
him, to prepare for war and awake and arise from the dust.

And it came to pass that he rent his coat and he took a piece there of and
wrote on it: in memory of our God, religion and freedom and our peace our
wives and our children. And he fastened on his head plate and his breast
plate and his shield and girted his armor about his loins. And it came to
pass that when he had proclaimed these words, behold, the people came
running together with their armor girded about their loins, rending their
garments in token. And they were doing that which they felt was the duty
which they owed to their God, for the Lord had said unto them: ye shall
defend your family's, lands, country, rights and religion. And in that self
same hour they began to stand with power."

The district is doing good. We just have several people that are having a
ruff time and are close to going home as well so they are hard to motivate.
But other than that they are doing well and i love the responsibility, its
hard but good.

Sigamos adelante
Elder Lamb

Sept 8, 2014

this week was a week of boldness and power for me and my companion. It all started this last Tuesday when I was on exchange. we went to one of our members house who served here several years ago. We went over there with just the intent to eat dinner , but we ended up leaving with more than just full belly's. 

this members name is maluin ramirez. He served here as a missionary several years ago and was very successful. So when we were eating dinner with him we asked him if he could share with us some of the things that helped him out in his mission because maybe they would help us. He started by sharing several scriptures in the book of Mormon and the bible. I do not remember all the scriptures because i had nothing to write them down with but they were very good scriptures. But any way he went on to tell us how in this work we need to be bold in all that we do. We need to bear testimony about everything we know to be true as we preach it, we need to deliver these things with out hesitation and with out fear. Because this is salvation we are trying to present to these people, we are trying to invite them to come unto Christ. we can not take these things lightly. We above all other things must teach with the spirit so that the hearts of the people can be touched and they can come unto Christ through baptism. He taught us how we need to be inviting every person after they have felt the spirit to be baptized. and if they reject to be baptized or to change to just end the contact or lesson or what ever we are doing and just leave. Because they are not ready to except the gospel. I thought it seemed harsh but he brought up the point that God has prepared people to listen and we should not be wasting time on those that don't want to do anything. we also learned that we need to pray for our area in every single prayer we say and invite the members to do it as well. because as he said if we have all these prayers that are trying to bless the work, how could God not answer them?

So this week me and my companion tried these things in our contacting and lesson teaching. I have never been such an effective teacher as i was this week. we truly taught with power and with boldness and we really taught with the spirit to help these people to understand Christ and that we are true representatives of him. we invited 5 people to be baptized this week and in almost every contact we did we brought up that we are here to help them come unto Christ through baptism. It has been a very awesome experience and ii really like knocking doors now because i feel like we are really doing what we are suppose to and telling these truths about Jesus and that his church has been restored.

siga adelante predicando de cristo

Elder Lamb

September 1, 2014- Happy Hump Day!

This last week was another super hot one for us down here in Georgia an several of the days i wore long sleeve shirts because i felt like being "Classy" it was a dumb move on my part but at least i felt like a classy dude. We did allot of finding this week because most of our people fell through because the dads did not want to hear anymore. I wish the fathers would be more open to listen, but its the struggle.

This week I was able to do the baptism interviews for the other elders in our branch. It was of two young kids. 12 and 8 but they were really excited to get baptized and the 12 year old is really excited to pass the sacrament.  Their service was really good and went very smooth. This week though the Ramirez family fell off date for baptism, once again the father is holding the family back. He is not ready and does not want them to go ahead with out him. So we are just going to keep visiting and teaching the lessons so we can help him feel more ready. So hopefully before i leave this area they will get baptized. 

One small miracle we saw this week was that we received some referrals from other missionarys. We received 6 of them, 4 with an address 2 with out. So we went out to contact the ones with addresses. The miracles we saw were not crazy, not huge or miraculous. They were that 3 out of the 4 places let us in and teach a little. Only one showed some interest, but we realized how those who even just listen are little miracles. I also learned this week something super cool. I was reading D & C 6 and it talks about that hose who share a blessed no matter whether the people receive you or not. In verse 21 Jesus says how is is the son of God, the same that came unto his own and his own received him not. So it got me thinking. If him being the son of God got rejected by his own how much more being just regular people are we going to be rejected by the people. But that does not mean we should be discouraged, because Jesus had success in his ministry. So that mean us as his Disciples will have success if we just keep going in faith. And if we do all we can we have not failed, but we are blessed. Because we have done what we were called and asked to do, and sometimes just that feeling of knowing you did your part is all the reward you need to know what you are doing is correct.

I know this week the 3rd of September will be the day i will hit half way. Its a mixed feeling, but i think the stronger of the two is that i only get to do this full time for another year. I truly love missionary work, I love serving the lord, I love the blessings others receive from my labors both here in Georgia and back at home. Ive seen the lives of those i love be blessed and i know that if I was there, i could never help them near as much as the lord blesses them because im serving. The Lord takes care of those you love when you serve him.

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Lamb     

August 25, 2014

Our week did not start as a week of miracles, this week started super rough for us, especially after the week we had just had. You know the struggle, appointments falling through, nobody listening. Just the same old struggles. So going into Sunday we were going in knowing we needed to hit it hard if we wanted the week to end good. So we went with our faith and that's about it. When we got to church we were hoping our usual investigating family would be there. The dad is usually out of town working and had been gone for 4 weeks. But he had gotten home the day before so he came to church. So i knew we needed to go teach them something. So we set up a time after church to talk to them. We met at a members home, and i felt impressed to have a testimony meeting. So to start we sang "im trying to be like Jesus" then we went around in a circle and shared how we had seen the church and teaching of Christ change our lives. It was super cool and we all felt the spirit. The Dad shared his testimony as well. So then we started talking about Baptism. And how we were not trying to get them to be baptized so we could just add members to the church, but really so they could come closer to Christ. I then shared Mosiah 18: 9-10 which the most powerful question is "what is stopping you from being baptized in the name of the Lord?" He could not come up with anything, and i told him its because the time has arrived to be baptized. so we put them on date for the 6th of September. Same day the other missionary's of our branch are having a baptism as well. So it will just be a big party! Im super excited for them.

So two nights ago i made Elder Farr prayerfully choose where to track. He was hesitant but i told him he could do it. So he choose a place and we went the next day. Several appointment had to fall through to get there but we did. When we got there I prayed to know where should we start, I felt we needed to start in this random corner. So we knocked the first door... No answer. So we were getting ready to go to the next one when Elder Farr just started walking into the woods on this little trail. I asked him if we had to and he said yes. So we did, And ran into this Hispanic family. they were not interested at and frankly kinda rude. But as we were about to leave i felt i needed to ask for a referral. So i did, the father quickly answered and said that everyone needs a message of Christ. I still felt we needed an answer. So i asked if he knew anyone who spoke Spanish. The wife was about to say something when the husband quickly answered again. Still no answer, but i knew who ever she was about to say is where we needed to go. So i asked again, she answered and directed us across the street. So we went, It was a family from mexico, they let us in and we shared the first lesson. But differently, we testified allot and spoke more boldly. In the end we asked them to be baptized when the came to know these things are true. They said yes! We are going back this Tuesday to teach the second lesson with them. Its crazy to see how when we let him the Lord guides us to those who will receive us.  

Other than that is was a pretty uneventful week, other than our car won for being the cleanest in the zone at zone conference so very proud about that :)

Siga adelante y el Senor estara con tigo

Elder Lamb

August 18, 2014

week in a highlight...

So this week was a great week. I had my first district meeting where i hosted it. It was all planned at so well. All the time was filled, all the points that needed to be touched were there and the training's and role plays all had their time ready to go. It looked so good planned out on my sticky note. But me and my memory, well lets just says that sticky note did me allot of good sitting on my desk back at home. So the meeting went on a wing and a lot of prayers. So in the end the it did end up good, not as good as it could have been but still went well for a first time.

This week we saw allot of help from the members. We had members out with us almost every day this past week. Having members coming out with us helps so much. Because we have good use of the language but they have complete command of the language. So it helps to have them when we cant explain something as deep or in the way they need it explained. Also almost every member is a convert to the church so they have their own personal story and their own super strong testimony that they can share so to help the people come and understand Jesus Christ even more. Having the members going out and helping the missionary's is so important to the work. And also those referrals we get from members as well.

 

I also got the chance to do my first baptismal interviews as well this week. That was a very cool experience. The family's name is Cardoza. They are super awesome, it was so special to get the opportunity to meet them and to see their desire to follow Christ. The mom has gone through several hard spots in her life. She told me she had just barely got done praying to God to help her find a "home" when not 5 minuets later the Missionary's knocked on her door. And she knew that was gods answer that this was the "home" she was looking for. That is the best part of the mission, watching this people come unto Christ, or at the lest helping them to understand the savior that much more. This truly is the work of the lord. I can see his hand in every aspect of it. He is truly preparing people to hear this message and they are just waiting for this message. And as missionary's it is our sacred responsibility to bring this message to them. I love this work and its sad to think almost one year of it is over. But the good news is there is still one year left to go.

Con Mucho Amor

Elder Lamb

                                        here is a very badly placed fire hyrdrant

A couple of letters from the President!!!

Brother Lamb,

I just want to update you on the progress of your son in the mission here in Georgia.

I’m sure he’ll do a great job! That will keep him busy doing both new jobs. It’s been fun

Getting to know him better since he is serving close to the mission office. I love him!

Sincerely,

Sister Residori

Georgia Atlanta North Mission

1150 Cole Dr. SW

Lilburn, Georgia 30047

Ph. 770-925-8115

                                    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------         

August 6, 2014

Dear Elder Daxton Michael Lamb:

Congratulations! We are thrilled that you are training one of the Lord’s newest missionaries.  This trust is one of the most important responsibilities that can be given to you.  You were chosen for this assignment because of the example you have set with your work ethic, obedience, love, and your ability to teach the gospel by the Spirit.  The training you give during the first twelve weeks will establish patterns that will greatly affect the performance of your new missionary throughout her entire mission.

To help you to keep focused, please remember the following:

1. Love your companion the way the Lord loves her.  Pray to understand and help her.
2. Follow the training schedule outline in the First Twelve Weeks training booklet.

3.     Teach your new companion how to focus on our purpose as missionaries.

4.     Be strictly obedient by conducting yourself in accordance with the scriptures, the White Handbook, Preach My Gospel and the principles you have been taught in this mission.

5.     Follow the daily mission study plan.

6.     Study the Book of Mormon daily.

7.     Practice teaching the lessons from Preach My Gospel daily, prayerfully focusing on the needs of your investigators.

8.     Establish weekly goals in each of the key indicators and work diligently to achieve them.

9.     Teach how to plan for success during your daily and weekly planning sessions.

10.  Work prayerfully and diligently in unity and love with your companion to find, teach, and convert those whom the Lord has prepared for you. 

May the Lord bless you in assisting Him in this great work of salvation.  We will continue to pray for you both as you begin this assignment together.

With love and respect,

                                                                             

John E. Bennion, President

Georgia Atlanta North Mission

cc. copy to parents and file

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                                                                                                            August 6, 2014

Dear Elder Daxton Michael Lamb,

We are thrilled that you have been called to serve as a district leader.  We have confidence in you and in your abilities to lead a group of missionaries.  Your stewardship will be a great blessing to you and all those you are called to serve with you.

Successful leaders always lead by example.  You will need to plan well, and work to have the top proselyting area in your district.  Pray every day that you will be led to sincere seekers of the truth.  Get out on time and contact people all day long.  Build your teaching pool.  You cannot lift others until you are first on higher ground; you cannot ignite others until you are on fire yourself.

This call to leadership requires you to take responsibility for the success of your district.  After your own area is running well, help your missionaries succeed in their areas.  Plan and conduct effective district meetings, and counsel with your district members and your zone leaders about ways for your district to be more successful.  In addition, teach by example while you are on exchanges with them.  This is one of the most powerful tools available to you.  

Most importantly, learn to love and lead in the Lord’s way.  The Savior loved his followers, taught them true principles, held them to high standards, and believed they could become great.  The more you emulate Christ-like qualities in your own life, the more your missionaries will want to follow you.

 

Thank you for your willingness and preparation to accept this important assignment.  As a district leader you have more influence on your missionaries than the zone leaders or assistants. May the Lord bless you as you seek to build up His Kingdom.

With love and respect, your fellow servant.

John E. Bennion, President

Georgia Atlanta North Mission

cc. copy to parents and file