Shark Bait's Travels To Solomon/ A Drunkman's Juicy Beetle Nut Kiss

Dearest Family and Friends!!! Hello from the Otherside of the world!!! 

Before I go any further, I want to wish Vivian a VERY HAPPY 12TH BIRTHDAY! Shoutout to you Princess/ Lacrosse Legend. I Love you! I am so proud of you. You are beautiful in everyway and one of my very best friends/favorite people! Hope ypur Birthday was one you will never forget! Go Busy V! :) 

I wanted to first start off by apologizing for last week. We did not have an opportunity to email last week because my companions and I traveled with Président Granger and Seour Granger to the Solomon Islands! Another country, which resides very close to Vanuatu but is different in just about everyway. 

I am loving my Mission so much! I don't think I have ever been happier in my life. We work hard and sometimes there are many hard trials but I feel stronger because of Our Savior Jesus Christ. He helps me personally through my many weaknesses. How grateful I am for Him. I testify of Him. He is The Master, Alpha and Omega, and The Only Begotten Of The Eternal Father! I Know My Savior Lives! I owe it to so many who support me, have taught me, and who believe in me. Thank you. May Our Father In Heaven bless you for your righteous hearts.  May you know I love you! I love yo read your emails! I love to hear of your success! 

The Solomon Islands! What a crazy place! It's what we would call ghetto yet it is also very beautiful. We went to the city of Honaria on the island of Guadalcanal. Shout out to my Grandpa Wilkinson! Because we are proud descendants of those who bravely fought against the Japanese Army during World War II in this exact place. Whhoooohhrahhh!! Or as they say in Solomons.... Hem Noa Ia! Solo Na Peh! Barava Nice Tumas!  

In The Solomons they speak the language of Pidgin. This form of Pidgin is also called Pidgin English. Short explanation. Bislama is a mix of English and French. Pidgin is more broken and backwards English. Super Tricky!! Because of my Bislama understanding, however, I am catching on fast. Am I going to start saying I am trilingual, even though its basically English..? Yes. Yes I am. :) 

We gave trainings, went and taught lessons with The Zone Leaders, and got to witness a District Conference. And here and there shop for some cool stuff! In Solmons they have a strange addiction called Beetle Nut. They chew and spit juices of it everywhere. It is highly addictive, gives you a buzz, and is totally against The Word Of Wisdom. Get this though, The juices are blood red!  So, it stains peoples teeth red (making a lot of people look like they just got off the show Twighlight) as well as their lips. Yup! Pretty nasty! 

I had a pretty Journal worthy experience. While handing out Book of Mormons and contacting on the very dusty roads a drunk/Beatle Nut user started walking up to us. As much as I wanted to hand him a Book of Mormon I felt like I should get in The Zone Leaders car. I listened to the feeling and hoped in. He came up to the window smiling and showing his red teeth. Pretty much the most high man I have seen in my entire life. He started kissing the window and left red saliva all over the window. He smiled again and headed off on his way. We got out and did some more contacting! Not the welcoming to the Solomons I wanted! I am very thankful I listened to that feeling. I love my mission. Sure does provide for some crazy times! 

I want to finish by talking about Henry. Henry is an investigator we have been working towards baptism! Because of some intense Vanatu laws about marriage it has looked very unlikely that he would be baptized anytime soon. We have fasted, prayed, and have done our Best To Trust In The Lord despite our crazy Travel schedule and assignment as Assistants. We just don't get as much time in the area as we would hope. It's hard. However, The Lord always provides a way!! Especially through my two amazing companions Elder Piol and Elder Hable, I love them! We were  able to figure out his legal problem and he was baptized this Saturday! He bore a powerful testimony and looked so happy! He told us after his baptism, "I feel Good. I feel as if God is with me now." Do you remember that scripture from D&C 18: 15-16? It talks about how great our joy will be by helping others to come Unto Christ. Elder Hable quoted it and I couldn't but help and think of how happy I really am. Seeing Henry partake of the blessings of this True Gospel fills me with more joy than I ever experienced before my Mission. I love and testify of This Great Work and of Our God! How great is my Joy!!! 

Shout-out to Sister Sanders in Lynchburg! Happy Birthday!!! :) 

And also to my Grandma Nye!!:) Hope it's a wonderful birthday for you both!

Love you all, 

Elda LaMont, Shark Bait, Island Boy, Your Alekken Ty

A Full Week In The Area!!! Shark Bait's First Travel to NC

Dearest Family and Friends!!! I am once again honored for the small chance I have to report on an amazing week in which I and my two wonderful companions had! To start things off we were really looking forward to this week (because of the business coming) it is our only full week in our area. We hit the ground running and set some high goals! 

Because President and Sister Granger went to New Zealand this week (For The Mission President Seminar) we were told that we would be basically babysitting the mission. Which honestly felt like a lot more pressure than your average toddler. But we were able to manage things without too much drama. 

One of the most crazy experiences of this week would be my first time driving the Assistants which resulted in a car accident. Before I move further with the story... Yes Mom, everyone is fine. I am fine and no one was hurt. We were driving down the main road of Port Vila and a man decided to run a Stop Sign and T-Bone us as we were going through an intersection. The accident happened right next to the Police Station and were perfectly safe thanks to a Loving Father in Heaven who does protect His missionaries. The truck only took some damage to the bottom left side resulting in a large dent and the paint of the vehicle really scratched up.  If you knew me before the mission you would know that I have never been pulled over or been involved in a car accident.... All the above has happened here in Vanuatu! I am not only have some crazy experiences but I am having a crazy awesome mission. This is truly the hardest thing I have ever done but I am loving it more and more as the days go by. 

One of the best parts of this week would be a lesson we had with one of Elder Piol's and Elder Hable Recent Convert's Mom (who allowed her daughter "Nistancy" to be baptized but has not had much interest in the Gospel until now) We were able to get a lesson with her and pulled up a video on our phone about the Restoration of The Gospel. We all had silent prayers trying to do our best to have the spirit with us to soften her heart. After the video we allowed a few moments of silence, answered her questions, and bore our testimonies. The lesson and spirit have increased my testimony. Joseph Smith did see God The Father and His Son Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon testfies of Christ and I add my testimony with the thousands of others who know of its great wisdom. We are so very blessed!!! 

Well, today we are heading to New Caledonia!! I have spent 7 months in Vanuatu Andrew will be leaving for the very first time! We will be giving tranings, going on splits (teaching in French!!), and meeting the special Elders and Sisters of NC! Life is pretty exciting although we will have a lot of work to do. It's not so hard when the work so great and inspired! 

Mother's Day Calls!!! Next Week is the week we have to honor our beautiful Mothers!! Mom, I love you! It is a wonderful day we have to honor woman especially the wonderful mothers that we have. In our mission we will be allowed phone calls on the day of Mother's Day. This will be Sunday for you and a Monday for me. Which means it is my P-Day! It is a requirement that you need to call me. I do know this might be expensive and I am sorry about that but if we get to talk I will be super excited. I wish even more that we could Skype but I will be thankful for what I have. Here are the phone calls. Just call anytime. If the time doesn't work you csm always call back! 

Love you all so much!! :) I hope you all have had a wonderful week. 

So much Love!! 

Elda LaMont/ Shark Bait/ Island Boy/ Your Alekken Ty