I love what Elder Holland said, it made me think that we (Missionaries) aren't the only ones away from home. Instead of turning into ourselves, we can turn out to others and comfort them in this time.
We had 2 baptisms scheduled for this week that fell through, one is a sweet old lady who we found contacting and she received a testimony of the book of mormon and priesthood authority, what stops her from being baptized already is her very catholic husband who refuses to sign because "she doesn't need a second baptism."
The other is a sweet old lady who has had contact with the church for many years now and recently opened up her old Book of Mormon that she has had forever and received a strong testimony. She came to the chapel and said "after many years I have finally decided, heat up the water, I want to get baptized" so we were so excited, she had her assistances, we were teaching all the lessons, but then she told us "Elders, I want to get baptized, but I don't want to pay tithing, and there is no way you can convince me to."
With these both great challenges we have been able to recognize that it is by the grace of God that these people are saved, after everything possible that we can do. We taught her husband and explained to him with many scriptures, but his traditions and beliefs don't allow him, he said maybe with more time. So that is a great hope that here in a few weeks or months his heart will be softened. And with the other sister, we have testified of the Book of Mormon and in another lesson dedicated to sincere prayer, her heart has opened up as well and this Sunday we saw her pick up a tithing slip and study it. I know God has a plan for these two sisters, and I trust in him when he says that everything has its proper time and place.
It was a great week though, I've never had so much fun before in the mission. I love my companions. This whole week we have gone with out water in our house! The pipes from the hills broke and got filled with mud, and our whole street has been w/out water all week. I finally got sick of the bathroom smell so I went down to the river with a few buckets to bring to at least flush the toilet haha. We have been going about 4 blocks up to where the pension lives to shower in a members house, the house that I used to live in haha. (how I told you changed houses with Tio).
We went up to that same place for pday last week where we had gone the week before, but this time with the whole zone, of 18, 8 got half way up the hike, another 6 to the top, but only me and 3 others to the top top. You get to the top, and then there is another little way to go to get to this really beautiful garden up in the cliff side a little above. I'm so grateful for all of the endurance training from rugby and football and I'm not worried at all for when I get back to start right up again playing sports. I might have a better heart rate now that what I did before (tell that to Rocky and Rachelle) haha.
It was awesome talking to you for a minute on the phone to set up our Christmas call! So yeah Christmas I'm going to call home!! Plans for Christmas, Today we are going to a buffet as a whole mission and then we are going to a stake there in Lima to play games, make treats, and have a talent show and have a good time, then on Christmas day we are doing almost the same thing but just lunch as a zone, and then we are having a massive baptism, everyone who has investigators who wants to get baptized, we put their date for the same day... Christmas! It may not snow here, but it will still be a white Christmas :)
Life is amazing!! You wouldn't believe the progress and amazing things I am learning. This is a time of joy! I gave a talk in sacrament and I started out saying really loud "Rejoice, a savior was born! If you're sleeping right now, Rejoice, a savior was born! If you're on your phone instead of listening, Rejoice, a savior was born!" It was the best. MERRY CHRISTMAS! I love you so much!
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Love,
Elder Lambson :)
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