Week 16: Faith

Hola familia,

         As a missionary I think about faith a lot. Do I have enough faith? Do my investigators have faith? How can I grow their faith? How can I grow my own. Also recently we have been talking a lot about specific prayers. For example my district leader and his comp said a prayer in the that they would find a family all dressed in blue that day. Well lo and behold because of series of events they ended up walking in a street they don't normally take and around the corner comes Mom, Dad, and several kids all dressed in blue. They contacted them and passed their reference to the missionaries who live near them. There are just so many stories like that. I believe that Heavenly father really can answer specific prayers but I don't like testing God like that and maybe part of it is that I don't see an answer to my prayer it was because I did not have enough faith. But if I am having this whole debate and I don't even have enough faith to ask then I need to grow my testimony in the first place-. Don't get me wrong I'm not having a crisis of faith or loosing my testimony. I just want more faith. I was reading in Jacob 4:6 and it says basically that as we study the scriptures we will receive revelation and the spirit of prophecy and so when we have these 2 testimonies combined with the testimonies of the prophets our faith will become unbreakable even that we will be able to command the trees and mountains in the name of Jesus Christ and they will move. I want faith like that and now I know how to get it :)

        I have so many funny experiences but I don't know if they will be funny if i type them. I am a better storyteller than story writer. But Ill give it a try I was walking down the street and we see this tiny old lady and she is really old (we found out later she was 92 or something) and she can barely walk. She is just leaning and grabbing on to the wall shuffling along. Hna Viallobos and I went over to her and asked if she needed help and she told us that she was walking home and that she thought that she lived just up the street. We each took a hand and started to help her walk. Hna Villalobos told her it was dangerous in the street and that she should stay inside. She told us she knew and that she had escaped from her house to go for a walk. That her family didn't know she was gone. We took about 15 min to walk 20 feet, I have never seen anyone go so slow. Hna Villobos eventually went down and started knocking doors because this lady wasn't sure where she lived and at one door she knocked and this deep loud scary man voice bellowed "QUIEN!" "hola" "QUIEN!" "buenas tardes" when he opened the door she said " Disculpe, pues ella vive aqui?" and pointed down the road to where I was walking with Maria de Jesus Laura and he shouts "MAMA!!! QUE ESTAS HACIENDO!" He tried to explain he thought she was in her room ect. WE actually came back and taught them later so we will see how that goes. But just picture us.  Sister missionaries trying to help this super old tiny lady walk as she tells us about what a rebel she is because she escaped from her house and ran away for a walk.
well I am out of time. love you lots :)
Hna Lambert

Week 15: 3 Companions in 3 Months!!

Here I am with my "baby" Sis. Villalobos and my new companion, Sis. Crichton!

Haha!  We took this picture long before we knew about the changes!!

Sept 7 and Pictures from Mexico

Sept. 7

Hola Familia *sniff*sniff*

You know you are sick (or maybe just a missionary) when you can't even remember your own first name. I don't know, maybe I'm sick because I have probably kissed over a thousand people this past month. Or maybe it was the whole shaking hands thing, I'm not really sure. Plus, almost all the sisters in our mission have been sick with this cold thing and we are all crammed in a tiny combi for hours everyday. yuck! If I never get in another combi it will be too soon. Well I could feel it coming on this whole week but I was hoping it wouldn't hit until after the temple open house. Nope. The last day we were supposed to work at the temple it hit so bad that I could barely stay up in my chair during the 5 baptisms we had this Saturday (all from english class!). 

So I asked for a blessing. I felt the spirit really strongly but I didn't necessarily feel a whole lot better. Then we were out walking around in the sun for about an hour and I just held on to the promise in my blessing that I would have the strength to work according to the desire of my heart. That kind of hit me because a not so small part of me didn't want to work. I wanted to go home and take a nap! Anyways, I started to feel a lot better and after lying down in that terrible combi I felt even better. By the time we got to the temple I felt fantastic! I was full of energy and I was happy. It really was a miracle for me.  We worked really late that night and didn't get back until almost 11, but I was fine. The next day was good too, now I'm starting to feel gross again but maybe that's just because its p-day and I don't have any good work to do. Still, I'm nowhere near where I was Saturday. I sent a lot of pictures I hope at least some of them end up on the blog. Also, I have been sending a lot of photos via other people to you mom and if those could get on the blog i would really appreciate it. Love you lots!

Hna Lambert

Link to an article about the open house!

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mexico-city-temple-opens-to-the-public

Sister Jones and I

some old pictures from when I was with Sis. Wong

 The view from our apartment

I am getting tan!

Hermana Wolferts deep-cleaning the fridge!

 All the sisters in the combi!

Baptisms are great!

I love the sisters!

Here we are with our Mission Mom, Sis. Stutznegger!

Meeting an Apostle of the Lord!!

Here's the whole mission!

We got to sing for Elder Christofferson!

LoL I found this letter in my "drafts" folder!

Hola!

So I’m sitting here staring at this screen thinking ‘What in the world happened this week?’ Don’t know why I always get temporary amnesia on Mondays! But then I flipped open my planner to get some ideas and realized I forgot to tell you that for the past month and a bit I have been practicing with 5 other missionaries, 2x a week, to prepare a special musical number for (drum roll please) ... ... ... ... Elder D. Todd Christofferson! An  Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ and a member of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. It was amazing! The music went off without a hitch and he told us when he gets back to Salt Lake he is going to call Mack Wilberg and tell him he has 6 more people to add to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He also told our mission President that the music really touched his heart and that he felt the spirit as we sang. I mean, since he is an apostle, he probably feels the spirit all the time, but it was still nice to hear.

I was sitting in the front row almost exactly in front of him. When he got up to talk to us he said a few thank-you’s then immediately turned the time over to us for questions. It was amazing. At one point he got down from behind the pulpit and grabbed a white board and marker to explain someone’s question. As all of my classmates and friends know I have plenty of questions, so about half-way through I stood up and asked mine. 

I explained that the biggest reason I came on a mission was 1) I received revelation telling me I should, and 2) Because I wanted to dedicate everything I have to the Lord. In our normal lives there are so many options. We have work, family, school, recreational activities, friends and more. All these things are good things but how can we know we are giving enough to the Lord when we are involved in so much. We can always give more, so how can we know where to strike the balance? I decided to go on a mission because every minute of everyday I can know exactly what I should be doing to give everything to the Lord. I know my missionary purpose and I can evaluate everything I do by whether or not I am inviting others to come unto Christ and receive his restored Gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the end. Also, we have a lot of rules here in the mission that only apply to mission life.  It feels kind of like it is the Law of Moses for this day and age. And with these strict and precise rules exact obedience is easier. I can look at my day and know in a flash if I got up at 6:30, if I started my study at 8, comp study at 9, if we spent more than an hour in a lesson, if we contacted people in the street, and the list goes on and on. I can know that I am being exactly obedient when I follow these rules. And I know that we receive blessings when we are obedien--I have seen the waves of success come and go with my obedience.

But what about after the mission?  What about when there are no rules for when to get up or go to bed? WhenI have other things that I really need to do besides look for people to teach 24/7? My question is how can I be exactly obedient when so many of my options are left to my own discretion? After my mission I want to continue to receive the blessings of exact obedience but how can I know when I am being exactly obedient or when I need to give more? I have seen so many people here who are return missionaries who have strong testimonies, who loved their missions! Who tell me about the blessings of obedience and remind me to get home on time or not stay to long--BUT THEY ARE INACTIVE! They are missing out on so many blessings! And they know it! And they know they need to be better and they don't! I don't want to go home and turn out like that.

When I finished my question Elder Christofferson looked me in the eyes and said, "That is a very good question. One my companion Elder  Valenzuela (area 70) would like to answer." So he got up and talked a bit about obedience and the blessings thereof but he didn't really answer me. When he sat down Elder Christofferson got up again and answered me for real. He said a lot and I’m out of time but 3 things stuck with me the most.

1. Here in the mission learn how to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion and  how to RECOGNIZE his presence and promptings- If I do this when I get back from mission I can keep this constant companionship, or recognize when it leaves which is a perfect measure of obedience because the Holy Ghost can not dwell in unholy temples

2. have deep fervent prayers often with Heavenly Father. If we can have that deep honest contact we can’t be far from the path

3. Keep a schedule, just like I do here in the mission, and pray as I plan and consecrate that time. I will receive revelation for how to use my time as I plan. Then as I finish planning, pray over my schedule again to have help in meeting my goals but also to have the inspiration to change my plans if I need to just like we do here.

Dad you are going to laugh and say I told you so, but when I get home I will finally make a schedule and agenda my life just like you always wanted me to. That last piece of advice from an apostle gave me the most comfort. I feel like if I can evaluate all my plans in prayer I will know how much I need to be doing and If I am giving enough. 

I love you guys, till next week

Hermana Lambert :)

Week 12: Temple

Week 12: Temple

Hola!

     Working at the temple was really weird because we were not actually in the temple we just watched the same 10 min video all day and asked people to turn off their cell phones. The next day we were in the Carpa de Recepcion talking to wave after wave of people. Thursday over 10 thousand people came through and Saturday there were even more but I haven’t seen the numbers yet. All these people come from so far away! traveling 4-6 hours just to come see the temple, and it is not even dedicated yet!
     The other day after my companion and I had presented the video and were ushering our group out into the hall where their guides were going to take them into the temple, when this couple approached me. This beautiful couple was practically glowing and seemed very excited to talk to me"Hermana Lambert, Mucho gusto usted es una familiar de Elder Lambert?"[are you elder Lambert’s family member?].
      I sort of paused and must have given them a look like"how am I supposed to know its just a last name" but I felt something special welling up inside me and I said yes. "Ben? Ben Lambert?" my smile was about a mile wide as I said " SI! SI! Es mi tio!"[YES!YES! That is my uncle] They told me about how he was their missionary how he taught them and baptized them and now they are here in the temple. We were all so happy, I wanted  to take a picture with them to send you guys but they were losing their group so they ran off. As they hurried a way she shouted back to me that they were they Familia Hernandez so that I could write you guys about them. It really was a very special experience :)
     When I am in the carpa sometimes I feel like I just walk from couch  to couch absorbing peoples problems, crying with them, offering a few words of advice then off to the next couch and it starts all over again. That and standing around in a hot tent all day makes us all exhausted by the end of the day. Add to that the fact that the past 2 p-days we were working in the temple and we had no time to rest ... lets just say some tensions are running high among the sisters. Luckily the sisters in my area are all pretty awesome so while we may be fraying at the edges no serious problems have arisen. I live with my companion Hermana Viallobos my old comp Hermana Wong and her new comp Hermana Wolferts

I am out of time but I love you all, write me snail mail!

les quiero mucho,
 Hermana Lambert

Week 11: Abrir La Boca

Week 11: Abrir La Boca

This past week there was an activity for the Primary in our ward called CCM For Kids where all the children did MTC (Missionary) training and then came with us on a few citas [appointments]. They wore the cutest name tags that said Futuro Misionero. Since just about the only kid from an active family in the Primary is the son of the primary president it was especially touching to see 9 little boys and 1 girl between the ages of 8 and 13 all turned out to help us teach the gospel. We had some amazing experiences with these kids. They just brought such a sweet spirit to our lessons. On Sunday, the primary prez invited one of the 10-year-old boys up to bear his testimony during sacrament meeting. His family is menos activa [less active] but starting to come back and his abuela [grandmother] is pretty active. Right now they are trying to bring his 22-year-old brother back so that they can all get sealed in the temple. He got up there and began to testify about the joy he felt when he was with las misioneras [the sister missionaries] and how he wanted to be a missionary when he grew up. That little 10-yr-old broke down crying on the stand but managed to choke out between his sobs "Yo se, que vive mi Senor. Yo se que el sacrifico todo por nosotros, y Yo se que esta es la iglesia verdadera." [I know that my Savior lives.  I know he sacrificed everything for us, and I know that this is the true church].  He had the whole church in tears as well. There is nothing more powerful then the sincere testimony of the pure of heart.

This Friday we had a Noche de Barrio (Ward Night) trying to get everybody to participate more en la obra missional [missionary work].  The theme was Every Member a Missionary. One of our investigators showed up to pick up his grand kids from an activity and decided to stay for the Noche de Barrio. At one point we divided up into groups and discussed different ways they could participate. His group was “Abrir la boca” [open your mouth]. Then we all got back together again and we had to share what we learned in our groups. Everyone in his group left so he got up in front of the ward and shared a sweet testimony. He told everyone that he was new to this church but that he was excited to be here and to join us. He told us that one day he was standing on the street trying to decide if he should go inside his house or stay out. He was going back and forth, back and forth, and was about to go inside when my companion Hna. Wong and I passed by. We passed by but then we stopped, we turned around, and we came back. We told him we had a message about Jesus Christ that would help him find more peace in his life--that would help him find joy in the middle of whatever trial he was facing and he thought of his son in rehab. When we asked him if he wanted to hear more of our message he said, “Yes”. That was my first day in the mission. One of my first contacts, and here he is preparing to be baptized! :) It was wonderful to hear. And if my comp had not opened her mouth we would have just passed by and kept walking.

Today I went to the temple and all the sister missionaries who are going to work there got to tour it before the VIP tours we are giving this week and before the doors open to the public next week. I was the first person to walk through the doors in the first tour in over 33 years. It was amazing! I could not believe the spirit that I could feel in the temple, and it is not even dedicated yet!! So many amazing things happened there and I had so many thoughts I want to share but I am out of time so maybe next week.

I love you all. Remember to open your mouths and share the gospel with those around you. These are your friends and family! Don’t be afraid to share with them the great gift that is the gospel.  Don’t deny them the chance to have the blessings in their lives that will allow them to have eternal joy with their families!

Les quiero mucho! [I love you all very much]

Hermana Lambert

10: Prayers

Week 10: Prayers  Hola mis queridos :) Another AMAZING week in Agricolae Oriental! Besides melting like a popsicle in the heat of the sun that is. I am getting so tan it is crazy. Or so I thought until I stood next to Hermana Wolferts who has only been here 2 weeks, and I looked completely white again... well, at least I can claim the ivory. The first few days were jam-packed with citas (appointments) and we had a lot of members present-- especially with the youth which is our goal. The goal for the mission for each companionship, is to have 10 members present at discussions each week but I don't think I have ever even had 5, so we have been working on that and this week we had 7!!! We would have had more, but the same old story. When our member comes with us our investigators don't show, when our investigators show up, our members don't.  But I am happy with our progress and know that we can do better next week.             The latter half of the week was less than excellent, but so it goes. We had 8 menos activos {less actives} in the Capilla again!!!!  And this time we had 2 investigators :) I was so happy. We have had multiple experiences where we knocked on the door of someone who hadn't been to church in years, we (pseudo) fight our way in and are about to share our message only to have them burst into tears and tell us that they were just waiting for some to come and show them the way. So many have told us that in their prayers they had specifically asked that morning that they could find the path again and that God would show them  where they needed to be. They explain that they felt lost and that right before we knocked they were praying to find comfort and love. Those moments fill me with joy. I look them in the eye and say, "Hermana estamos aqui como representantes de Jesucristo. Estamos aqui para decir lo que el diria si el estuviera aqui."  {Sister, we are here as representatives of Jesus Christ.  We are here to say what he would say if he were here." We tell them to come back to church. That they will feel Christ's love. That they will have more peace in their week. We promise them un buen de bendiciones {abundant blessings} if they will only come to church y participar in la santa cena {and partake of the sacrament}.        One lady, I don't know how I was bold enough, but I called her to repentance. I looked her straight in the eyes and told her to repent, stop smoking, be more kind to her daughter, and to come to church with us. And she did. I love these people and I can feel how much Heavenly Father loves them to.          I bear testimony that Christ lives, that he knows each of us individually, that he answers our prayers and that he wants nothing more than to bless us, but blessings are predicated upon obedience. I know that for every commandment we keep we will receive blessings. Why postpone the day of your blessings? Why wait to repent? Repent today. Change your life for better today. If we love God we will keep his commandments. The only thing we can give to God is our will, our agency, our decisions. Only when we consistently choose him can we show how grateful we are for all he has given us. I love you all, Peace out, Hermana Lambert