Elder Lamb will be talking in the Spanish Trails Ward on
Sunday May 16th at 11am.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Working hard in our sweet little village
Hey Everyone,
Things are going very well this week and we are still working hard in our sweet little village. The time is still flying and we are wondering where it went. Today we decided that p day was a little boring, so we took a hike up the mountain to a spring that feeds the city with water. It was fun as we soaked our feet and cooled off for a while. Then we cleaned our big house spotless. We had to make a new rule that if you don’t clean your dish that you will pay a fine. So far it has worked very well for Elder Amoa. So hopefully he remembers it - if not a free drink for me. Haha!!!
Things have been going well. I finished my little Book of Mormon challenge to mark all the references to Christ and things. Only I forgot to bring all the numbers for you. But there were a lot. Over 7000 if I remember correctly. But it was a great time to learn more about Christ and become more like him. I think that has helped me a lot to continue to improve. So things are going well there.
For our service project we went and cleaned a house and office. It is on a dusty road and had gotten very dirty and unkept. So we came and helped them clean and also to cook lunch. It was fun and hopefully will do some good to soften the mans hard heart.
I had an interesting experience the other day. We were walking down the road and a man on a motorcycle pulled up and ran over to me. I recognized his face but not his name. I knew he was from Njagboima Branch somehow. He reminded me that he was Mohamed Jusu and that I had tried to teach him in Bo. The problem then was he was in college to get another degree to be a doctor. But we chatted and now that he is done with school we are planning to go and teach him next week. He is very prepared for the gospel and will make a great contribution to the Kenema branch.
Another funny story was that the branch president was giving a talk about the temple. He mentioned that we must do anything to go. He said for his family they had to sell their TV just to afford going to the temple. It was a bit humorous at first but in the end I realized that he had made a great sacrifice to do the right thing. I don’t think any of you have to sell your TV to go to the temple. But I think a few of us could benefit from it. Haha
Things are going well and I am working hard as ever. We are not allowed to talk about home in the apartment so things are great and we are focused and working hard. We have zone conference on Friday so that should be a great boost and change of pace. I am doing great and working hard.
If anyone has any crazy idea about driving to LA to get me - think again!!!
Love
Elder Lamb
Things are going very well this week and we are still working hard in our sweet little village. The time is still flying and we are wondering where it went. Today we decided that p day was a little boring, so we took a hike up the mountain to a spring that feeds the city with water. It was fun as we soaked our feet and cooled off for a while. Then we cleaned our big house spotless. We had to make a new rule that if you don’t clean your dish that you will pay a fine. So far it has worked very well for Elder Amoa. So hopefully he remembers it - if not a free drink for me. Haha!!!
Things have been going well. I finished my little Book of Mormon challenge to mark all the references to Christ and things. Only I forgot to bring all the numbers for you. But there were a lot. Over 7000 if I remember correctly. But it was a great time to learn more about Christ and become more like him. I think that has helped me a lot to continue to improve. So things are going well there.
For our service project we went and cleaned a house and office. It is on a dusty road and had gotten very dirty and unkept. So we came and helped them clean and also to cook lunch. It was fun and hopefully will do some good to soften the mans hard heart.
I had an interesting experience the other day. We were walking down the road and a man on a motorcycle pulled up and ran over to me. I recognized his face but not his name. I knew he was from Njagboima Branch somehow. He reminded me that he was Mohamed Jusu and that I had tried to teach him in Bo. The problem then was he was in college to get another degree to be a doctor. But we chatted and now that he is done with school we are planning to go and teach him next week. He is very prepared for the gospel and will make a great contribution to the Kenema branch.
Another funny story was that the branch president was giving a talk about the temple. He mentioned that we must do anything to go. He said for his family they had to sell their TV just to afford going to the temple. It was a bit humorous at first but in the end I realized that he had made a great sacrifice to do the right thing. I don’t think any of you have to sell your TV to go to the temple. But I think a few of us could benefit from it. Haha
Things are going well and I am working hard as ever. We are not allowed to talk about home in the apartment so things are great and we are focused and working hard. We have zone conference on Friday so that should be a great boost and change of pace. I am doing great and working hard.
If anyone has any crazy idea about driving to LA to get me - think again!!!
Love
Elder Lamb
Monday, February 15, 2010
Doing my best and working hard
Hey Everyone,
Well another week has passed. Actually it has passed to quickly. The time is flying by. Just so you know Bryce - I don’t come home until April. But that is still a ways off and I am working hard and loving all the room to do things. We have been working on our map in our spare time. Looks like the off-road trips with dad getting lost paid off a little. The problem is that the map is very old and there are a lot of new streets and things. So I have been adding them myself and trying to draw them on there. It’s a lot of fun sometimes but I think that is going to help a lot.
We asked our dear big white friend, Brother Tye, to help us teach on Thursday. It turns out he is a returned missionary. Well we went to teach and the first thing that happened was a big bowl of rice and jola. Plenty of hot pepper and red oil. He managed very well and took his share well. I was surprised. He helped us teach and it was fun to have him with us for a little bit.
President Squires has informed us of his replacement. I don’t remember his name but I know that he is from Texas and was big in the army. So they found someone to replace Elder Wire finally. Haha!! He should be a great president especially for this place. Although no one could be as good as President Squires to me. (The new Mission President’s name is Richard Roggia)
Our service project this week was to be human rota-tillers. We went and broke up some ground for a recent convert. He gave us some okra. Which resulted in much happiness for me because Elder Amoa can cook things here very well.
Not really a whole lot else has happened this week. Just doing my best and working hard.
My aunt sent me this so I figured it was worth the blog. Maybe it will give you a hint to send one last one. Haha
Love
Elder Lamb
Well another week has passed. Actually it has passed to quickly. The time is flying by. Just so you know Bryce - I don’t come home until April. But that is still a ways off and I am working hard and loving all the room to do things. We have been working on our map in our spare time. Looks like the off-road trips with dad getting lost paid off a little. The problem is that the map is very old and there are a lot of new streets and things. So I have been adding them myself and trying to draw them on there. It’s a lot of fun sometimes but I think that is going to help a lot.
We asked our dear big white friend, Brother Tye, to help us teach on Thursday. It turns out he is a returned missionary. Well we went to teach and the first thing that happened was a big bowl of rice and jola. Plenty of hot pepper and red oil. He managed very well and took his share well. I was surprised. He helped us teach and it was fun to have him with us for a little bit.
President Squires has informed us of his replacement. I don’t remember his name but I know that he is from Texas and was big in the army. So they found someone to replace Elder Wire finally. Haha!! He should be a great president especially for this place. Although no one could be as good as President Squires to me. (The new Mission President’s name is Richard Roggia)
Our service project this week was to be human rota-tillers. We went and broke up some ground for a recent convert. He gave us some okra. Which resulted in much happiness for me because Elder Amoa can cook things here very well.
Not really a whole lot else has happened this week. Just doing my best and working hard.
My aunt sent me this so I figured it was worth the blog. Maybe it will give you a hint to send one last one. Haha
Love
Elder Lamb
Lovest thou me?? Fill my mailbox
In the beginning was the mailbox and the mailbox was void of letters.
2 And the missionaries said "Let the box be filled" and the box was not filled.
3 And the missionaries beheld the continuing void and were not pleased.
4 And lo, it was the first day of the week and there was no mail delivered, but this was good.
5 But on the second day was the mail delivered, yet the box remained empty.
6 Yea, even from the second day unto the seventh was the mail delivered.
7 Even so, the box retained its void.
8 And yea, great mists of darkness spread forth from the void and enshrouded the missionaries. Yea, and did bring much sadness to their otherwise cheery days.
9 Even the long hours of fruitless tracting, being attacked by the fowls of the air, and being pursued by the beasts of the field were not as disheartening as the lack of blessed objects known as letters
10 Yet they persisted
Chapter 2
And, lo, on the second day of the second week, the mists still encircled the mailbox.
2 and on the third day, from within the depths of the void was a single postcard.
3 and this postcard put forth a ray of light that pierced the darkness and overcame the mists.
4 And the missionaries were well pleased, and there was much rejoicing.
5 But, alas, their exclamations of joy were in vain. For the postcard was from someone else.
6 But if their joy was so exceedingly great over someone else's mail, how great would be their joy at partaking of their own mail?
Chapter 3
But some will say, a letter, a letter. We have already written a letter. We have no need to write any more letters.
2 Know ye not that there are more days than one, and more events than one in a day? Why think ye that these events need not be reported?
3 Yea and ye need not worry that your letters will go unanswered.
4 But you should say, I will go and write the letter that a missionary requests. For I know that he giveth no requests except he be prepared to speedily respond.
Chapter 4
And the missionary said unto his friend; lovest thou me?
2 And the friend said, of course I love thee. Then the missionary said, fill my mailbox.
3 He saith a second time, friend, lovest thou me? And the friend said, thou knowest that I love thee. He then said, fill my mailbox.
4 He then spake a third time saying "Lovest thou me?" And the friend said, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.
5 Then the missionary said "stuff my mailbox before I get home!"
2 And the missionaries said "Let the box be filled" and the box was not filled.
3 And the missionaries beheld the continuing void and were not pleased.
4 And lo, it was the first day of the week and there was no mail delivered, but this was good.
5 But on the second day was the mail delivered, yet the box remained empty.
6 Yea, even from the second day unto the seventh was the mail delivered.
7 Even so, the box retained its void.
8 And yea, great mists of darkness spread forth from the void and enshrouded the missionaries. Yea, and did bring much sadness to their otherwise cheery days.
9 Even the long hours of fruitless tracting, being attacked by the fowls of the air, and being pursued by the beasts of the field were not as disheartening as the lack of blessed objects known as letters
10 Yet they persisted
Chapter 2
And, lo, on the second day of the second week, the mists still encircled the mailbox.
2 and on the third day, from within the depths of the void was a single postcard.
3 and this postcard put forth a ray of light that pierced the darkness and overcame the mists.
4 And the missionaries were well pleased, and there was much rejoicing.
5 But, alas, their exclamations of joy were in vain. For the postcard was from someone else.
6 But if their joy was so exceedingly great over someone else's mail, how great would be their joy at partaking of their own mail?
Chapter 3
But some will say, a letter, a letter. We have already written a letter. We have no need to write any more letters.
2 Know ye not that there are more days than one, and more events than one in a day? Why think ye that these events need not be reported?
3 Yea and ye need not worry that your letters will go unanswered.
4 But you should say, I will go and write the letter that a missionary requests. For I know that he giveth no requests except he be prepared to speedily respond.
Chapter 4
And the missionary said unto his friend; lovest thou me?
2 And the friend said, of course I love thee. Then the missionary said, fill my mailbox.
3 He saith a second time, friend, lovest thou me? And the friend said, thou knowest that I love thee. He then said, fill my mailbox.
4 He then spake a third time saying "Lovest thou me?" And the friend said, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.
5 Then the missionary said "stuff my mailbox before I get home!"
Monday, February 8, 2010
This is Kenema....maybe
Facts from Wikipedia about Kenema and misc stuff:
It is the 3rd largest city in Sierra Leone (1st Freetown, 2nd Bo). It is 185 miles east-south-east of Freetown. The 2004 census said it had just under 130,000 people –Elder Lamb said WRONG! So maybe that is the Kenema District that has that many people. It is ethnically diverse and the main language is Krio – WRONG AGAIN! It is Mende (not his favorite). Yeah I don’t like speaking it. My mission language is English. So I am obedient to that ;)
* Kenema is nice. Yeah, well compared to Freetown this is bush. We still have 2 supermarkets where all the Lebanese people shop. Not to great but cant complain. The calculations for this place are a little off. Didn’t think they have 1300000, but its not too big. The main language is Mende actually. I thought I escaped it but didn’t Haha. Yes there are a billion diamond dealers all around. There are places that are just huts and things.
*we have a big group to teach but they are all 21 year olds. I like to teach families and future branch presidents. So we will have a small change but nothing to big. I think that things will work well.
*we both are the cooks. He can cook good rice and I make American things. We enjoy breakfast now instead of force it down like we used to. Haha
It is the 3rd largest city in Sierra Leone (1st Freetown, 2nd Bo). It is 185 miles east-south-east of Freetown. The 2004 census said it had just under 130,000 people –Elder Lamb said WRONG! So maybe that is the Kenema District that has that many people. It is ethnically diverse and the main language is Krio – WRONG AGAIN! It is Mende (not his favorite). Yeah I don’t like speaking it. My mission language is English. So I am obedient to that ;)
* Kenema is nice. Yeah, well compared to Freetown this is bush. We still have 2 supermarkets where all the Lebanese people shop. Not to great but cant complain. The calculations for this place are a little off. Didn’t think they have 1300000, but its not too big. The main language is Mende actually. I thought I escaped it but didn’t Haha. Yes there are a billion diamond dealers all around. There are places that are just huts and things.
*we have a big group to teach but they are all 21 year olds. I like to teach families and future branch presidents. So we will have a small change but nothing to big. I think that things will work well.
*we both are the cooks. He can cook good rice and I make American things. We enjoy breakfast now instead of force it down like we used to. Haha
A little taste of awesomeness!!
Hey Everyone,
Well this was a long trip to make it out here to Kenema. Its not that small of a village so don’t worry. I still have 2 supermarkets and a lot of Lebanese diamond dealers and cocoa bean traders. Yeah those are the 2 major exports out here. So I am enjoying the town. It’s not my first time to be here but it is interesting trying to learn the area a little better instead of just following people around. The trip out here was interesting as it took us ( Elder Lowe, Afadi, and Stice.) 10 hours to make it. First Elder Jones dropped us at the bus stop in Freetown. The normal bus was dead so we got the 3rd hand one. Yeah as we left I noticed that the transmission wasn’t quite right. So about 1/3 the way out the transmission went out at a small junction called Masiaka. We waited for about 2 hours for the next bus to come and rescue us. Which finally it did and slowly carried us to Bo. From Bo we rented a car to carry us to the elder’s house and then me and my companion to the car park for Kenema. We loaded my bags and were on our way to Kenema. 1 hour later we reached here. Only one problem. No bike would run through town the way we wanted to go. Apparently the president of Sierra Leone was in town. So we had to pay a taxi to take us around the back back way to the house. It only cost us $2.50. That’s actually a lot here. Yet I made it alive. I only had one suitcase. Which was good. My small one is packed full of junk to take home so I left it locked up in Freetown.
My new apartment is big and spacious. There are 4 bedrooms. Which of course we only use one. We have 2 bathrooms. One for me and one for my companion. There is a lot of fruit in the yard. We have a few banana trees that are producing now and we are enjoying them. We also have some papaya trees that are also producing and we are enjoying them too. The mango tree hasn’t started yet but it should start here soon. We are enjoying the fruit out here. It’s much cheaper than in Freetown and we love it.
The branch is interesting. We had so many people at church that we had to have people sit outside. The branch is near splitting and we are doing our best to find a good way to do it. The map needs a little work and we will be the ones to do it now. So we have much to do and a lot to learn about the area. It should be good to keep me busy these last few months. We don’t get to see anyone really out here. We are loners. Yet at church on Sunday I was asked to bear my testimony as the new missionary. So I stood up to start and was a little surprised to see a white man sitting in the crowd. I had to pause for a moment and recollect myself. Then I bore my testimony. After church we talked small. He is from California. Is a member and is here for work. Some economic thing. It was interesting and kinda funny.
Oh yes the best part is that our room has air conditioning. It won’t run on the generator though. So we pray that light comes every night. Which of course it doesn’t. It comes maybe 1 in 3 or 4 days. So I do get a little taste of awesomeness on a lucky day.
It is a little boring with only 2 people in the apartment. But the CD player helps a lot. Elder Amoa only likes to listen to one efy cd but I usually change it when he leaves the room. He is funny and amusing sometimes. But we get along and will enjoy our time together.
I am doing great and working hard like always. Letters will be very slow but that’s ok. There aren’t much more to write.
Thank you all and I love you
Love
Elder Lamb
Well this was a long trip to make it out here to Kenema. Its not that small of a village so don’t worry. I still have 2 supermarkets and a lot of Lebanese diamond dealers and cocoa bean traders. Yeah those are the 2 major exports out here. So I am enjoying the town. It’s not my first time to be here but it is interesting trying to learn the area a little better instead of just following people around. The trip out here was interesting as it took us ( Elder Lowe, Afadi, and Stice.) 10 hours to make it. First Elder Jones dropped us at the bus stop in Freetown. The normal bus was dead so we got the 3rd hand one. Yeah as we left I noticed that the transmission wasn’t quite right. So about 1/3 the way out the transmission went out at a small junction called Masiaka. We waited for about 2 hours for the next bus to come and rescue us. Which finally it did and slowly carried us to Bo. From Bo we rented a car to carry us to the elder’s house and then me and my companion to the car park for Kenema. We loaded my bags and were on our way to Kenema. 1 hour later we reached here. Only one problem. No bike would run through town the way we wanted to go. Apparently the president of Sierra Leone was in town. So we had to pay a taxi to take us around the back back way to the house. It only cost us $2.50. That’s actually a lot here. Yet I made it alive. I only had one suitcase. Which was good. My small one is packed full of junk to take home so I left it locked up in Freetown.
My new apartment is big and spacious. There are 4 bedrooms. Which of course we only use one. We have 2 bathrooms. One for me and one for my companion. There is a lot of fruit in the yard. We have a few banana trees that are producing now and we are enjoying them. We also have some papaya trees that are also producing and we are enjoying them too. The mango tree hasn’t started yet but it should start here soon. We are enjoying the fruit out here. It’s much cheaper than in Freetown and we love it.
The branch is interesting. We had so many people at church that we had to have people sit outside. The branch is near splitting and we are doing our best to find a good way to do it. The map needs a little work and we will be the ones to do it now. So we have much to do and a lot to learn about the area. It should be good to keep me busy these last few months. We don’t get to see anyone really out here. We are loners. Yet at church on Sunday I was asked to bear my testimony as the new missionary. So I stood up to start and was a little surprised to see a white man sitting in the crowd. I had to pause for a moment and recollect myself. Then I bore my testimony. After church we talked small. He is from California. Is a member and is here for work. Some economic thing. It was interesting and kinda funny.
Oh yes the best part is that our room has air conditioning. It won’t run on the generator though. So we pray that light comes every night. Which of course it doesn’t. It comes maybe 1 in 3 or 4 days. So I do get a little taste of awesomeness on a lucky day.
It is a little boring with only 2 people in the apartment. But the CD player helps a lot. Elder Amoa only likes to listen to one efy cd but I usually change it when he leaves the room. He is funny and amusing sometimes. But we get along and will enjoy our time together.
I am doing great and working hard like always. Letters will be very slow but that’s ok. There aren’t much more to write.
Thank you all and I love you
Love
Elder Lamb
Monday, February 1, 2010
Holy Smokes! What a rollercoaster
Hey Everyone,
The title this week is..... HOLY SMOKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I choose this title with the fact that I am on an emotional rollercoaster here. Sunday morning one of our recent convert’s daughters died. She was 9 years old and got malaria and typhoid and within that day she died at the hospital. It was a tragic experience but the light of the gospel has helped me and her family feel much better about it. It was most sad because we went and gave her a priesthood blessing. But the will of the Lord was not that she should live. But her temple work will be done and all will be well for her in the celestial kingdom someday.
As for the other "up" of the week. The transfer news is in............. remember when I was in the bush called Bo? Go about halfway across the country heading towards guinea. I am going to KENEMA!!!!!! Yeah it will be me and my companion covering a whole city and living with only ourselves. It is under the Bo zone that I have served one year in. Looks like I will tack on another 3 months. Many people asked me if I was sick of Bo. I told them that I was excited to go to Kenema. It is different from Bo and there is a ton of work to keep me busy. It should be amazing.
My companion will be Elder Amoa-Ohenakwa - or Elder Amoa as we call him. He is a little new on mission and it will be nice to work with him. We will be in charge of a large city that needs a ton of work in the branch. It will be very nice to see my beloved Bo again and all the elders there again. I am going to enjoy working my tail off these next few months.
Thank you all for the birthday wishes. I will try to reply those I can. But with me going to Kenema the letters will be even slower. That’s ok though I guess. I only need a few more before I have to go home. I don’t think about that much.
The work is nice and my small stay in Freetown was enjoyed. I was shocked to go back to Bo but I am happy and feel good about it.
For my birthday today I went and spent a bunch of money buying my family things to bring home. They should like them. We are making tacos tonight. But the best thing that happened today is that my new camera came. Thanks to my grandparents, mother, Cutlers, Wires, and Squires it actually made it to me. Thank you all!!!! (The Cutlers are a couple that left Thursday to serve in the mission. I got a camera to the Wires who handed it off to the Cutlers when they met with them two weeks ago at the MTC. You have got to love those missionary couples!!)
Well not much to talk about this week. Write me a letter or something.
You probably won’t get a reply until its in person. But go ahead and write.
Love
Elder Lamb
~ The Village Man ~
The title this week is..... HOLY SMOKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I choose this title with the fact that I am on an emotional rollercoaster here. Sunday morning one of our recent convert’s daughters died. She was 9 years old and got malaria and typhoid and within that day she died at the hospital. It was a tragic experience but the light of the gospel has helped me and her family feel much better about it. It was most sad because we went and gave her a priesthood blessing. But the will of the Lord was not that she should live. But her temple work will be done and all will be well for her in the celestial kingdom someday.
As for the other "up" of the week. The transfer news is in............. remember when I was in the bush called Bo? Go about halfway across the country heading towards guinea. I am going to KENEMA!!!!!! Yeah it will be me and my companion covering a whole city and living with only ourselves. It is under the Bo zone that I have served one year in. Looks like I will tack on another 3 months. Many people asked me if I was sick of Bo. I told them that I was excited to go to Kenema. It is different from Bo and there is a ton of work to keep me busy. It should be amazing.
My companion will be Elder Amoa-Ohenakwa - or Elder Amoa as we call him. He is a little new on mission and it will be nice to work with him. We will be in charge of a large city that needs a ton of work in the branch. It will be very nice to see my beloved Bo again and all the elders there again. I am going to enjoy working my tail off these next few months.
Thank you all for the birthday wishes. I will try to reply those I can. But with me going to Kenema the letters will be even slower. That’s ok though I guess. I only need a few more before I have to go home. I don’t think about that much.
The work is nice and my small stay in Freetown was enjoyed. I was shocked to go back to Bo but I am happy and feel good about it.
For my birthday today I went and spent a bunch of money buying my family things to bring home. They should like them. We are making tacos tonight. But the best thing that happened today is that my new camera came. Thanks to my grandparents, mother, Cutlers, Wires, and Squires it actually made it to me. Thank you all!!!! (The Cutlers are a couple that left Thursday to serve in the mission. I got a camera to the Wires who handed it off to the Cutlers when they met with them two weeks ago at the MTC. You have got to love those missionary couples!!)
Well not much to talk about this week. Write me a letter or something.
You probably won’t get a reply until its in person. But go ahead and write.
Love
Elder Lamb
~ The Village Man ~
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