A Tribute to Elder Lambert

This is the email the Washington Vancouver Mission received from President Derlin Taylor about the sudden and unexpected death of Elder Gordon Lambert.

Near the end of our full time mission, and just days before Elder Lambert passed from his earthly mission.

President Taylor

When you have known someone for nearly 60 years and been close friends for 50 years it becomes difficult to put into words what all of that means. There are too many stories and too many experiences to attempt to single out one or two in an effort to describe someone like Elder Lambert. I believe it may be impossible to describe Gordon Lambert to anyone who did not know him. First, they would never believe that someone like him actually existed and secondly, well, to know Gordon Lambert required one to have experienced Gordon Lambert.

The long list of virtues that was Gordon certainly began with friendship. If he was your friend you knew it and it is likely you have never had a friend like him. No task was too large for him and no service too small. He embraced people in a way so unique they were drawn to him like children to ice cream on a hot day. He simply could not

be refused.

No job was ever finished until it was checked and doubled checked. He may have been just a little OCD on some things, but he can never be accused of overlooking anything. Details were his speciality and he was a good man to have on your team.

He loved life like few people ever have. It didn't matter if he won or lost a game as long as he was in the game. He found pleasure in every thing he did. As a missionary, he embraced every day he had, fearing that someday it may have to end. Watching him one could have thought he was in Disneyland, he was so happy to be Elder Lambert.

When I was preparing Sister Lambert to meet him for their first, blind date, I described him to her as being 6 feet 4 inches tall, a star athlete at Burley High School and the boy all the girls in the school hoped to date. The reality is that he lived his life well beyond the stature of 6 feet 4 inches and the strength of his character exceeds that of the best athlete that has ever played at BHS and any girl who had any understanding of men would have been overjoyed to have been asked out by him. He was a man among men and set an example worthy of any aspiring young person to follow. As missionaries of the WVM, if you are looking for someone to emulate, look no further than Elder Lambert.

Today I lost a friend, the mission lost a mentor, his family lost their hero, his siblings lost their rock, his father lost his prote'ge' and the world is smaller because Gordon Lambert has moved to another world. While we all understand the great plan of happiness and we all trust that the Lord knows all things, this is really difficult for those of us who have been left behind. We cannot know all things but we can "be still and know that I am God."

President and Sister Taylor

Lunch with Elder Lambert.

The day we forgot the Lamberts were coming for housing inspections!