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
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