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