Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; saute onions and lamb until lamb is browned (don’t worry about cooking it through, you just want to brown it on the outside).
Remove skillet from heat and sprinkle lamb with seasonings; transfer to slow cooker and cover with the water. Cover and cook on low heat setting for about 3 hours, or until meat is fork-tender.
Thirty minutes before serving, add pears, raisins and almonds. Raise heat setting to high and continue to cook until pears are soft and raisins have plumped slightly.