Missed you All. Sorry I could not email last week. Shark Bait big news!

My dear family and friends!! I am so grateful for this opportunity I have to write some of my feelings and keep you updated on the wonderful work, which is happening here in the beautiful paradise of the Vanuatu Port Vila Mission. 

Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to be able to write you last week but I am grateful now for the small opportunity, which I have been given to share some pretty amazing/crazy experiences. 

Transfers this last week has been crazy. President Granger has taken me out of Zone Leader and has told me he feels inspired to put me as an Assistant to the President. I have been placed with my two new companions Elder Piol and Elder Hable. Elder Piol is a seasoned Veteran, as he will be going home very soon. The role that President wants us to play is Elder Hable and I take over things and if we have anything we can not solve on our own then we have Elder Piol to help us.  This means I will be traveling with my new companions (and the Mission President) throughout the 3 different countries of the Mission. Different islands of Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and the Solomon Islands to give training, I will be trusted to help train the Zone Leaders, and will be teaching in all 3 languages of our Mission (French, Bislama, and Pidgin) We have a lot of responsibility and roles to fulfill. Despite this extra work I try to remind myself of the wise words, which come from the White Handbook, explaining that an Assistant to the President is no different than another missionary. We all have the same call but different assignments. I want to stay humble and teachable. I desirous to teach with love and learn from all those I will have the ability to meet. In answer to your question Dad, we will not go everywhere with President Granger but most of the time we will join him in his travels. We have a lot of places we will be going for Zone Conference this upcoming month. And when President Duquet (the new mission President) gets here he is going to want to hop on a plane with us to visit every place in the mission. We will be going to New Caledonia next week (So excited!) 

The new area is wonderful! The Assistant's area is called Nambaru. It is actually an old area I had as a Travel Elder. Many of the members came rushing up to greet me once again. My heart is full of gratitude to be able to work with the wonderful people of Nambaru again. This week we have been in the Office a lot of the week. We had several meetings with President in regards to an emergency transfer we needed to make. We were also able to help President with the new missionaries who came in. Although it was difficult to be out of the office for so long it provided a wonderful opportunity to meet new missionaries and get them excited about the amazing work we get to be a part of. The ability to work with President Granger has once again shown me how inspired The Lord's chosen servants really are. Trust in those God calls. They are not perfect. They try their best and are inspired. I know God lives and talks to those He has chosen. 

Before leaving my old area (Black Sands) I was able to witness a miracle. I woke up one morning on an exchange with a District Leader (One of my old companions Elder Burbank, who were help teaching to become the next Zone Leader for when I left) and felt a small feeling that we should go see a recent convert of ours. This recent Convert is a young girl named Christina Hillaman. For the longest time she was not allowed to be baptized because her Father is very much against the church. I am so glad I listened to this small feeling. When we arrived at her house the mother was practically in tears, telling us that she had been praying the missionaries would come. She speedily brought us into the house to show us to Christina's Father who is very sick. He asked us for a blessing which we were happy to give. He took a lesson from us as well and we were able to set a baptism date. The Lord works through amazing ways and I testify He is involved with His work. The family gifted me a custom Vanuatu Matt before I left. I love them and I love The Lord and His inspired work. 

Hope you are all doing amazing! I am doing fantastic! Although I miss my family and loved ones I have never been happier. I LOVE this work. 

So much love to all of you, 

Elda LaMont/Shark Bait/ Island Boy/ 

PS. Keaton you’re a stud! I love you and Luci! Good luck with the new job! Cheering you on from all the way across the ocean.