Week ~ 39

Hello world. I didn't know that missionary work on the main land would be so exhausting. I am just wiped. I haven't been this tired in so long. It was a long week of hot and sweaty finding. We have 2 big areas within our area boundaries where we do most of our work. They kind of remind me of Mandaluyong, until you go into their houses and they are playing their Playstation 4's and stuff. It is kind of funny to go into those areas. This area hasn't had Elders here, and if it has seen Elder's it has been years. Let alone 2 American Elders walking around! Its like we are a bunch of famous people walking around. We always have a train of little kids following us around. They always call us Mr. Bean hahaha. Sometimes it's hard to hear myself think cause the kids are so loud. I think I counted the other day, we had 26 little kids following us around. It was pretty funny at the beginning, but got a little hard toward the end. Especially since they love to touch our arm hair and stuff. It is lovely. 

The new area's are great though. We have some good solid investigators. We have a family we are teaching, Brother C and his "asawa" Sister Bangs, though that's not her real name. They aren't married of course (pretty normal). But they are close to marriage they are telling us. So that's a pretty cool thing. We were actually "OYMed"(open your mouth) by Bro. C's drunk neighbor, and then we started talking to Bro. C and he really wants to listen. We set up a return appointment and taught him and his "asawa." Now remember, "asawa" can either mean married, or it can mean "live in partner." I asked them and they aren't quite married, but they want to be! So we taught them and really focused on families and how the gospel is designed for families. We set up a return appointment for the next day and of course, we went back. Brother C wasn't there, we were told he was drinking somewhere. Sister didn't know where he was. So yeah.. I think he has lots of problems but he wants to change. We will see how it goes with that. 

Also this week, we focused on finding. But, this upcoming week will be going with members and finding LA and former investigators. So that should be fun. Funny experience of the week: We were just walking and someone yelled, "Elders!" They were pretty far, and I couldn't quite see them so we went up to them and it turned out to be 3 bakla. That just means that cross-dressers. They wanted to talk to us. If you were to just look at them, they would be girls until you talk to them and hear them. They told us whoever gets to marry us is super lucky. I couldn't help but laugh. Buuuut, we invited them to church and shared a testimony and went on our way! 

I feel like it will take us a couple of months here to build a decent area, but it will be worth it! It will take lots of work, but it will be so awesome to see things start from scratch. The ward is so involved and people are always willing to work with us. Hopefully we can get some nice progress this week with some of our people and have some great news for next week. Me and Elder W are pretty cool. Me and Elder G at the bahay (house) last night got him talking about robots and space travel and that was pretty interesting haha. No complaints at all! I still do most of the work and talking, but what do you expect. He is new! Also, sorry for the lack of pictures. There aren't very many things to take pictures of here. I will do my best though! Things are good though, I am going to go take a very long nap and yeah. I love you all! Ang simbahan ito ay totoo..

-- 

Elder Lambert

Philippines, Manila Mission, Earth

Week ~ 38

Catered dinner in new area. Elder Lambert and his new companion from Brigham City, Elder W.

Hello world. Bye bye Rizal. Wow I miss Palawan. It is pretty nice here though! My new area I would say maybe like a "rich" area. (not what he thought...) it is a whole other culture shock! There are SO many people and the pollution is SO bad. So I guess you could say that I am back in the big city.I am now in the Las Pinas 1st ward! Yeah thats right, WARD. Not a branch, ward. Our Bishop is a go-getter. He served a mission in San Francisco, Cali! So he knows what he is doing. Our first day in the area, we got a text about a meeting to revise the ward mission plan. So that was an AWESOME start to a new area! We had ward council as well, and EVERY auxillery had a representative! What more can you ask for?! This ward is so involved with every member and all that it is just awesome. So in our ward, we share with the Zone Leaders and some sisters. So there are 6 of us to one ward! That means we have to "share" the members and their time to work with us, so that is a joy. We especially need the members cause we have no idea where anything is! Lemme tell ya, fresh starting an area isn't the easiest thing. The area book, (which is just the book that has records of all the investigators and stuff in it) was like 3 months out of date, which was LOVELY to walk in to. We are basically starting from scratch. It is kind of fun though to talk to people! Cause there are so many people to talk to. 

Let's get to the stuff everyone wants to know about. My new son! He is definitely an American from Brigham City! So that means, I get to do all of the tagalog. Which I don't mind! He is SUPER AWESOME!! The area so far is awesome though. We only have one problem, we live 40 minutes away, by jeepnee. That is a struggle. Basically, later tonight we will be traveling to our area and MAYBE teaching a lesson and coming home because of curfew. So that is a joy. This is going to be a very interesting next 2 transfers, but I am excited. I can't report much about the work, cause uhhh there is no work! We are just talking to everyone. 

We are in our new apartment as well. Our kabahay (roommates) are Elder G and his new son Elder G! Elder G is from Brisbane, Australia and is one transfer older than me. So our tagalog is about the same. We both came off of Palawan together! He was in Brookes Point, so we were in the same zone. Now he is my district leader, roommate. We were pretty close from the start, but now way close! We were both called to train on Palawan at the same time, and then we were both called to fresh-start train here in Manila. So that is fun. The Elders who were in our apartment before were Elder G and Elder B! Elder G was in my district when i was new, and then Elder B is that huge Samoan who was with me for a time on Palawan! Anyways, they left our new apartment a MESS. Like gross mess. I wanna puke everyday still. So we cleaned for 4 hours on Friday, we had permission to do that. So yeah that was fun. We live across from a massive mall too hahah. We live across from SM Sucat, (if you want to google earth that, dad) our apartment is called Avida Towers. Like the 10th floor I think. Pretty nice apartment, lots of potential. We just have to clean it really really well. It is kind of weird to be across from a mall. I actually bought Skippy Peanut butter. So three cheers for Elder Lambert. I had 4 PB & J's and I thought I died and went to heaven. Best thing ever. Also I am back to washing my clothes by hand... So yeah. I didn't miss that at all. All I know is that this is a great new area and it might take us a whole transfer to get the hang of it, but it will happen. In the area, we have every single auxiliary president, so you know what that means ;) DINNER APPOINTMENTS FOR DAYS!!! We just had a kid in our ward get back from his mission in Adelaide, Australia. He got up in Sacrament and basically told the congregation he forgot how to speak Tagalog and spoke perfect English haha. His family is wealthy and we went to his house for a CATERED dinner appointment. So crazy. So much food. (not used to that on Palawan!!) Yesterday at church the 3 new Americans in the ward spoke more Tagalog than the members do... So yeah I serve in like an 80% English ward cause everyone speaks English. Pretty dang funny. So yeah. pretty random email. I sent some pics. I love you all. see you next week! Hopefully I will have updates on the work here! 

Also this is a pic of my last district on Palawan!

--

Elder Lambert

Philippines, Manila Mission, Earth

Leaving Rizal... :(

The District on Palawan

Members at church. Last Sunday in Rizal on Palawan.
Elder Lambert LOVES these members!!

Elder Lambert's going away party. He says everyone looks mad in this picture!! Maybe they were...

District Hike to a Waterfall... Palawan!!

2 weeks ago in Rizal. District hike up to waterfall.

Waterfall in Rizal on Palawan!!

Eating stingray off a giant leaf. Missing Palawan...

Pictures of Rizal

These are the final pictures from Elder Lambert from Rizal on the island Palawan. He is so sad to leave and will miss the area and members so much!! 

Pics are from their big Christmas party and White Sands beach. Maybe it's good he's leaving the beach... it looks like he is about to jump in the water!!

Back to Manila and off to the next part of his mission adventure!

White Sands and don't forget the bucket hat!!

The large shell is from the Resane family for remembrance. :) They are awesome!!

Me and Sister Yumi and Sister Raray

Blurry pic of me and Elder Garol with gifts from the members.

Week ~ 37

Hi ya'll. I guess this is it. My stay here on Rizal, Palawan is about
up. I am leaving tomorrow and going to Manila. I'll miss the fresh
air and breeze of Palawan. And the sleep here... It's like perfect
here. Ahhh I already miss that. 

I am actually pregnant right now. I am
pregnant because I will be training again. I am pregnant with a son!
Right now, I still have a toddler here in the mission. My other son,
Elder Garol will be staying here in Rizal and will be getting a new
companion. I will be flying to Manila tomorrow and staying over night
somewhere in Manila, and then Wednesday I will be going to the mission
home to meet my new son! My new baby missionary! We will be going to
Paranaque, Las Pinas, Manila. That is our new area. There is a catch,
since I will be new to the area, and so will my new son, well
basically no one knows the area. WE WILL BE SHOTGUNNING.(mission lingo,
apparently!)So we will both be going to our new apartment and then... I am not sure where
next. I thought that training in Rizal would be super hard, but at
least I knew the area and the members! In Paranaque we wont know
anyone. But we are going to be ready for the challenge. It is just
gonna be a test of my faith. But we can do it. I am SLIGHTLY excited
to go back to the city! I actually wouldn't mind going there for like
2 days and then coming back haha. Buuut, I can't do that haha. 

I am so sad to leave these members. It is going to be an emotional night
tonight, we will be having a bon fire on the beach for my last FHE
with some of the families here. I am excited, but I still have to pack
my bags. This morning Bro. Resane came over to help me wash clothes,
cause I straight up forgot how to do it by hand so hopefully it will
be dry by tonight. Anyways, slightly stressed right now, but we will
be good. 

About our week, kind of a tough week. I found out I would be
training on Saturday, so since then it has been a little hard to
focus. But before that, we just taught and taught! A family member of
Sister Resane passed away. We saw him occasionally, but he was like 79
and a little bit different so we didn't talk much. He just died from old
age. But his family is very sad about it, for 1 reason. THEY DONT KNOW
ABOUT THE PLAN OF SALVATION. The man that passed away is the
father-in-law of Sister Resane's sister. So we know the sister of Sis.
Resane well, but they havn't been prepared enough to be taught. We
took this opportunity to share a message about the POS (plan of 
salvation). It went well. More than anything, Sister Resane wants her family to accept the
gospel. We are friends with them all, but we have slowly been
targeting them to be taught so we have just been friends with them. We
took this death as a green light to share a message. It went well, we
tried to set up a return appoinment but they are always busy. So that's
hard. We will see what Elder Garol can do here for the future! 

This week as well, Elder and Sister Atkinson came here from Brookes Point!
They are a senior couple from Lehi, Utah. They are like 72 and 74 years
old. They have been around the block! This is their 3RD MISSION
TOO. They served twice in Malaysia! So yeah they are super nice. We
had to guide them to a resort which was like 40 minutes drive in their
truck. But they are super nice. They actually have a daughter who
lives in Grandpa Alger's branch ha-ha, kind of a small world. I forgot
the girls name though... Anyways. We taught to Sister Riza with the
Atkinsons and it was great! Even though they can't speak a lick of
Tagalog, I was their translator. I felt pretty important and I was
good enough to tr(Open your mouth) this guy who is a member! He lives 
over by the White Sands beach, which is about a 45 minute walk! You can't 
trike there. He told us to go there and teach his son! So thats a referral for Elder
Garol. So many good things are happening here.. And I wont be here to
see it! But thats okay. 

We spent some time at the church this week locking up the computer because we have a member who loves his internet and some other things (feel free to think about what I mean
here). But we put locks on stuff cause Elder Garol has all the
software to do that. So yeah, that was a royal waste of time in a way.
Other than that, we taught lots and walked lots. I am sure gonna miss
this area. And also, the members of course. But the Lord has lots in
store for me! I am excited though. Also, I won't be able to send
pictures today cause my hard drive thing is parang under construction.
Basically its busy right now, and the internet is pangit anyways...
Next weeek!

I love you all and i can't wait to meet my new son!

-- 
Elder Lambert

Philippines, Manila Mission, Earth

Week ~ 36

Hello world. Happy New Year! I hope it was great for you all! For me it was my first Filipino New Years. It wasn't as big as they say it is just because I am on the island! Maybe next year I will be assigned where the real party is ;) We didn't do much, just because we had to be home early cause it gets crazy here in the Philippines. At 12 all I heard was fireworks and every single motor cycle being revved all the way up to the max. Kind of funny!! Fireworks here (at least in Rizal) are just real fireworks that shoot up and explode, basically. They don't look very cool, they are just loud and obnoxious. That was our new year! They greatest thing to date happened on New Years day though, I drank a Dr. Pepper! The members bought it for me a while back and I have been saving it for a good time! So I had it during lunch on New Years! haha. So, that was fun. Also, earlier we went to this waterfall thing here in Quezon for our district activity! I have pictures of course... But this computer wont read any of my cords or anything, so that's lovely. Lemme just say it was gorgeous and I want to go back there and actually do what you are meant to do with water (swim). A member took us there and brought us lunch, we had stingray! With rice of course, but it was flipping good. Also, we ate Filipino style cause he forgot plates! He went and found a GIANT leaf and we all basically shared a plate. It was AWESOME. I have pics, but I will try to send them next week. 

With the work here in Rizal, not much is happening with Sis. Riza or anything. We are kind of dropping her. We are focusing on their kids. They are difficult to teach cause its like teaching a bunch of babies. I love them, but they tend to NEVER listen haha. So i'ts difficult. We are doing our best though!

Something awesome happened this week though. We had a girl attend church yesterday, who is apparently ready to be baptized! We talked to her, and I guess the Elders up in Narra have been teaching her! I asked Elder Sacay about her, and she has met ever requirement to be baptized. She only needs an interview with Elder Jones. So we may or may not have a baptism THIS week. It all depends if Elder Jones can come down and talk with her. Also, we need to talk to her! And get to know her. So this is just a simple example of how the Lord blesses us for working hard! Even if I have never seen her before, she will be a member in Rizal! So that will be a great help to the branch. I hope we can baptize her before I transfer. I am really hoping that I don't transfer next week on the 13th! I am praying talega. Sometimes I want my anak to transfer haha. I am training what is sometimes a very prideful boy. I know I was a prideful boy too, but at least I listened and respected my trainer! Sometimes there is a lack of respect for me, and I just want to explode. I am convinced that if I wasn't set apart as a missionary I would explode! It is hard but I am learning patience :) It is good! Not much to report on this week, besides we worked hard and did all we could to do what we need to and be obedient. Sorry, I have little time to email and yeah... no pics either. Love you all! Next week we will know if I am transferring :) The church is true! 

-- 

Elder Lambert