Monday, December 28, 2009

BIG white guy that can eat

Hey Everyone,

Well the new city boy is now here. Ha-ha well I have started to enjoy the big town. They have all kinds of nice things that I never even dreamed of here. Lets just say that I will be enjoying my last few months. I have almost anything I could want - like a Philly Steak Sandwich today. Yeah how crazy is that!! Well I find it very different and I really miss my little town of Bo- but its ok. It is time to learn a new place I guess.

It was nice to talk with my family. They sound like their pictures. Much older than when I left. But that’s ok. It was nice to talk small and even in the call I saw a monkey outside and had to tell them. Ha-ha. It was funny.

Well I am in the Freetown Branch. But we help the assistants cover the Dwazark Branch a few times a week. It is a lot of work with 2 branches and 2 zones to cover. But we are doing great and I have a strong companion named Elder Andersen. He is from Ogden but now his family lives in Midway. We get along great and should have a blast together. I think this will be a great time for each of us.

We live in a 3 story building on the 2nd floor. We have 6 elders with us and it’s a little packed but I am in the best room so all is well. We should have a fun time together there also.

We had a branch Christmas/Boxing Day activity at a big school. We had music and dancing and games. I played soccer in my white shirt. It took about an hour to wash today. I also won the eating contest. I won by about 5 min. I got a funny video of it and the whole branch knows who I am now. Everyone knows the big guy that can eat now. We also had races and African checkers called draft. Hard to get a hang of but very fun.

I had to say goodbye to my little town of Bo on Christmas Eve. President and Sister Squires drove me in themselves and it was a sad experience. It almost felt like I was going home. But I am just putting that behind me now and moving forward. The great people of Bo will live without me and the people of Freetown need me now. So all is well and I think that I should get over it.

I also got to meet all the new elders. Elder Lancaster from StGeorge is out in Bo. Elder Kenner is from Sandy. And a Elder Enyito (I spelled that one wrong) from Ghana. They are very nice and ready to get out and work. Which is just what we need. They are a little skinny though so maybe the new rice diet will fatten them up a little. They should do well and I am excited to work with the big 2 zones of Freetown. There is much work to do and not time to do it so I am out for this week. I know it looks bad and rushed. That’s cause it is.

Love

Elder lamb

I'll go where you want me to go = Transfer

Hey everyone,
I guess I should just announce it right off the bat - I am going on transfer on Christmas Eve. I am going to Freetown branch Freetown. Right in the middle of the city with a lot of people and noise. It will sure be different than my sweet little Bo. I am really going to miss my little town of Bo. I almost spent a year there. But now I am going. I felt very sad about all the people that I will be leaving behind. I will miss all of them. But that’s ok. It was like a small taste of what going home might feel like. For some reason I don’t see it very good.
Well yesterday we had our super p day in Kenema. We went on a hike. The same one that we did a long time ago. It was a lot of fun and most of the Elders had a good time. I think that everyone liked something about it. No one got hurt and we saw some nice country. We also played in the stream small. And sorry mom but we drank from the local spring. Haha hopefully I don’t get too sick. Just kidding!! I am a bush man now.
My big bags are going to be hauled by President Squires himself on Thursday. I think it will be a nice ride with him and I don’t know what the plans are for Freetown. But hopefully some good food is involved. I am sure it will. It will be nice I think.
Well not a whole lot happened this week. Just the big news about Freetown. I will still be a Zne Leader with Elder Anderson. He is from Midway. I should get to know a lot more elders like Elder Lowe (Santaquin) and Massey and Hickie. Well there are a lot more elders in Freetown so it should be nice. I hope that I will be able to adjust to the new place and noise all the time. No more motorcycle rides for me. I will miss Bo, but that’s ok. I will go where you want me to go. Over mountain or plain or sea. Hello mountain and sea!! Goodbye plains of rice swamps!!
Love
Elder lamb
ps letters come quicker now since they don’t have to come and go from the village. So you should all send me some. Haha

Monday, December 14, 2009

Big fat white man in a Santa suit - IN AFRICA

Hey Everyone,
Wow what a short week! It was sure a blast though. We took our Christmas trip to Freetown last week. It was a lot nicer on the government bus with all the 14 elders with us. The man has never sold so many tickets at once. Ha-ha we arrived in town and went straight to the sports. Basketball and volleyball were first. It has been a long time and someone helped me understand that you can’t lose a shot if you never had one. I was rusty. We had a great time and then we headed over to the soccer field.
The Bo zone all got on their bright green zone shirts. Then the biggest surprise. Some big fat white man had a Santa suit on and ran out with them. I was Santa. Everyone was pretty shocked and it was funny. We then wailed on them so to speak. I was goalie and only allowed one goal. We whomped them pretty good. After the games everyone went caroling until bed time.
Friday was started with the chimpanzee sanctuary. It was a blast just like last year and I even found a postcard in Sierra Leone. Never found one until now. The chimps got in a fight over food and it reminded me of being at home with my brothers. The chimps do more damage than we did though.
We then had a wonderful lunch from Sister Squires and Sister Jones followed by every districts skits. They were all good this year and it was a great laugh. We got to watch the Disney movie “Cars.” It is amazing how many things we learned from it. I was happier than a tornado in a trailer park. Ha-ha
I got 2 boxes, one from my mom and another from my Gma Pay. I wasn’t expecting any from anyone else so don’t worry. I finally have batteries that work!
I also got a Christmas card from the First Presidency which was really nice. Also the Stice family sent every elder a card and pen. Good pens are hard to find here.
Well not much else from the trip. Elder Jones drove us back out to Bo in the mission van and we are having a small baptism next week which should be nice. Transfer news is this Sunday. I could go or stay. don’t really know actually. And of course I get my Christmas call home next week which should be sweet. So all is well for me and thank you all for all that you do.
It is sad to hear that George died (my cousins 3 legged dog). He made it a long time. (23+ years!!) Stay strong Aunt Marian life will go on. I heard the Christmas party was a hit this year.
Also another birthday shout to Marybeth who is going on mission soon. Good luck!!!!
Love
Elder Lamb

Monday, December 7, 2009

What does trunky mean to you?

Hey Everyone,
Sorry there isn’t much to talk about this week. We made it back alive to Bo and were sick for a few days. I am doing much better now and I feel great. Maybe it is from the exercise or maybe from losing a few pounds. Anyways.
We are going right back to Freetown on Thursday. This time it is for our Christmas conference. We are doing many fun things. I won’t spoil the surprise so that will be next week. Let’s just say that we had zone shirts made just for our soccer game versus Freetown. I will make sure to take lots of pics. Hopefully my package comes from my mom so that I can have rechargeable batteries that stay charged. Who would of thought that they would wear out like that? Haha well my mom is doing great at taking care of me from halfway around the world.
This week we did do a small play like thing for the people. It was called Journey to Bethlehem. The people walked through different rooms on the way to Bethlehem. We had shepherds. Joseph and Mary and the innkeeper and an angel and I played Nephi. You know the large in stature one. Haha. It went very well and helped the people remember that Christmas is about Christ. Hopefully we can all remember that. Sure presents and trees are nice but let’s not forget what it’s all about.
Well I have to make a shout out to Amy B and say happy birthday. I also have to tell Mel happy birthday. You are both getting old like me. Haha
ummm. Well I do need to give the explanation of trunky I guess. Trunky to me means talking about home and going home. So when I say elders around me are trunky it basically means that they are never ending talking about home. So don’t get the wrong idea that they aren’t working. We are blessed with a great group of elders in this mission. They are now all working hard and doing well. I am not perfect so they are also a great help to me and help me do what is right.
Well the time just keeps getting shorter. Thanks to a few updates I now have to know that my time is short. But no worries I will make sure that the best is last. Haha! Now that I have kinda figured out how to teach and understand how to help people better I can’t get lazy now that I know how to do what I should. So don’t worry about me. I am doing great and working hard. I don’t know what to think because I don’t have time to think.
Well sorry it was random and I don’t know what to say. I am well and working hard.
Love
Elder Lamb.

Send me some letters.

I eat monkey and turtle!! Roast sounds like heaven

MISC INFO:
**Cold and snow in Spanish Fork - well I will trade you any day. Haha I will probably die when I get home from the cold. It hasn’t been too bad yet I guess
**(Just to explain this part – anyone who knows Elder Lamb (before Africa) knows of his extreme love of hamburgers!! Serious love-affair!! But the boy was strange and would not eat roast. Sunday dinner he would eat everything BUT the roast.) What did you eat yesterday? Do you think you will now eat roast when you get home?? Rice and pumpkin stew. Actually really nice. –Mom, I eat monkey and turtle and everything else. Roast sounds like heaven now.
** I have a machete under my bed. We have been having thief problems. (That makes a mom kind of worry)

Malaria strikes again!!

Hey Everyone,
Life is going pretty good for me. Except today I got sick again. But the medicine worked very quickly so it was taken care of quickly luckily. I am sitting in Freetown and we just had our zone leader’s council. It is always nice to learn from President Squires and the other elders and I gained many insights today. It is nice to learn and grow.
Well I finally finished the Book of Mormon. I am starting it again already. Haha!! It is wonderful and I learned many new things this last time. Hopefully I can be able to explain them in Krio so the people will understand. The funny thing is they understand English they are just stubborn and want you to learn Krio.
We also had the Bo district conference on Saturday and Sunday. For some strange reason I knew almost all the people there. It was funny as the elders watched because I greeted almost everyone by name. I hope that I have been an effective instrument in the hands of the Lord in the city of Bo. Or maybe I haven’t been that good and he is keeping me here to do more. Haha.
We learned more about the upcoming Bo temple trip. Every time I hear about it it just makes me all the more grateful. The saints of Bo have to get on a bus very early. The only time the bus will stop on the trip to Ghana is if it breaks down. Gets stuck. Or they have to pee. They travel day and night for 4 days just to reach Ghana. Then they stay only a few days because they can’t afford much room and board. They go to the temple for 2 or 3 days then get right back on the bus and get going again. 4 days of nonstop travel back to Bo. There are no hotels they stop at and no toilet they use. They sleep on the bus or the floor the whole time. To me it is a huge sacrifice and yet we have 8 people in our branch going this upcoming December. I am very happy for them and would encourage all of you who get this to go to the temple soon. Don’t take for advantage the easiness of the way. For most of us all it takes is the decision to make time to go. So do it and I know that it will be a great blessing in your life!! Let me know how it felt. Because I sure miss that beautiful place so very much.
Well not much else on the week to talk about. I am doing great now and feeling much better so don’t worry about that. I am staying strong and looking forward to our combined zone Christmas conference on the 10-13 of December. I think it will be a blast and our skit is already set up. Almost.
Thank you all and keep writing I love it.
Love
Elder Lamb