Dearest Family and Friends!
Before I go any further, I wanted to wish my amazing parents a Happy Anniversary!!! Happy 11-11 my beautiful parents! I am so grateful for both of you, the love you have for one another, the love you always have given to us kids, and the example of pure love which you have always displayed before me. My eyes fill with tears of gratitude to think of what you have accomplished together! Our beautiful home has always been one the spirit could reside, a place we could build our testimonies of this Restored Gospel, and a Safe Haven of love and joy. I could never thank you enough for what you have sacrificed on my behalf. I hope one day to build my own home with that same type of love. I love you!
How was your Halloween?!? I hope you enjoyed some fun times, got lots of candy, and stayed safe! What did you dress up as?
I wanted to share again some amazing things I have learned in my Personal Study! :)
I found this wonderful verse from Enos 1:27 followed by a verse found in 2 Nephi 33:6. These wonderful verses really helped me to ponder on the basic yet powerful teachings which come from the Restored Gospel. Specifically the powerful truth found in the Third Article of Faith. It teaches: We believe that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. I know with all my heart this is true The Ordinances of the Gospel, the first being baptism, help us close our distance away from Heaven. We can become more like our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ as we take upon ourselves these ordinances. When we keep the commandments of God we find true and everlasting Happiness. I know when we don't keep the commandments of God this is where we truly find captivity and sadness.
The Greatest Commandment is to love the Lord God with all our heart, might, mind, and strength. But the greatest truth of all Eternity is God loves us with all His heart, might, mind, and strength. And He Has provided the way through His perfect Son so we can rise again from the grave, be made clean from all our sins, and live with Him again for all time and Eternity as families. It is never too late to come back into the loving embrace of Our Father in Heaven. As we learn from Revelations 7: 13-17 the people whom are saved in the last day will come out of great tribulation but God will wipe away all tears from their eyes. You are not lost. You are not forgotten. I testify that you are a child of God and your name is known in Heaven. You come from Loving Heavenly Parents who desire so greatly that you become like them and receive Eternal joy which awaits all whom are faithful in living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You can make it!
I testify the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know with all my heart and soul that Joseph Smith translated it through the Power of God to fulfill the purpose of our All knowing Father. I know it testifies and teaches of Christ. It will bring us closer to Our Savior and Father in Heaven and answer the questions of the soul, which we have. I know the words spoken in this book are the words of Christ through His chosen prophets. They will teach us all things which we need to do and they will heal the wounded soul (Jacob 2:8) In 3 Nephi 11:15 we learn of the Savior's appearance to the Americas after His Resurrection. It is said how the people were able to go one by one to thrust their hands in his side and feel the prints of the nails of His hands. They were able to know for a surety and bear record that Jesus Christ truly is the Son of God and is our Savior.
I know we can receive this same witness. But how? By reading the Book of Mormon. I will promise you the same thing which our Mission President promised us. Through reading the Book of Mormon we too can go one by one and bear record and know of a surety Jesus Christ is indeed the Son of God by the Power of the Holy Ghost. He will become more real in our own lives and we will be able to see the Hand of Him and the hand of His Father (Our Father) who sent Him more and more in our lives. In a way we all are able to go forward and feel the print of the nails in His hands as we read. Read, read, read it! And never stop. He lives! I testify with all my heart and soul He loves and knows us. As we follow and understand what is taught in this book we will find the light of the Good Shepherd and be lead back to our home in Heaven. Never loose faith and Hope. Take this light to those who are in the dark. Let's go to Our Heavenly Home together.
I know our Halloween would be pretty Spooky since this past week we have traveled to the Solomon Island! Sometimes it is a little spooky over here because of the Beattlenut. For those of you who do not know what it is allow me to explain. Beatlenut is a nut which grows on a tree. They first take the nut off the tree, then they grind up Lyme corral from the beach. They chew the Beattlenut, take the leaf from the Beattlenut tree, and dip it in this Lyme (which they make it into this salt like thing) When they are chewing on the Beattlenut and then eat the Lyme coated leaf it then causes a chemical reaction. This chemical reaction gives them a high or buzz. It is very addictive and is another trap of the Devil to ensnare people in addiction. The scary part about it is how it makes their mouths and lips bright red. They then spit this everywhere and anywhere. So, it really was the perfect place to have Halloween!
The Zone Conference was a success! In the Solomon Zone we only have 18 Elders (It would not be a safe place for Sister Missionaries) The Elders here have really grown in unity and there is this wonderful spirit of brotherhood and friendship. Most the Elders here are from the island of Tonga. If you have not meet an Elder from Tonga let me explain them. They are quick to love, love to laugh, and can eat SO MUCH! I love the people of the isles of the seas. They are so special and I can feel the Love our Father in Heaven has for them.
An awesome theme which we have been discussing during our Zone Conferences is How our Personal commitment to our Baptismal Covenants can help us Invite Others to Come Unto Jesus Christ. We covenant with Our Father in Heaven to take upon ourselves the name of His Son, Keep His Commandments, to help serve our Brothers and Sisters around us, and to stand as a witness of God at all times. In return Our Father in Heaven allows for us to come clean and to always have His Spirit to be with us. This truly opens the way for us to gain Eternal Life with our Families. Sometimes I feel we all overlook the simple yet amazing truths of the Gospel. We are so so blessed! Jesus Christ truly has provided the way. His arm of mercy is extended to all of us no matter who we are or what we have done. He will heal us and help us return to our home. Not only that but we can be a blessing in the lives of our families and those around us by doing as he did and Ministering to his Sheep. I Love this Gospel and how it perfectly fits into all of our lives and hearts. Follow the Savior. He knows the way!! As the Amazing hymn "Come Follow Me." Powerfully declares.
One of my favorite parts of our entire trip was going on exchanges! We had the opportunity to go out with one companionship as well as get in our exchanges with the Zone Leaders. Although we have only been in the Solomon Islands for a few days I have already developed a great love for the amazing people here! They have almost nothing yet they are a kind and loving people much like the people in Vanuatu.
It is hard to come here and try to adjust to the Pidgin language when your brain is so hard wired into Bislama. If you can speak Bislama then you can basically speak Pidgin you just have to change around a few words and phrases. It provided for quite a challenge! But I love learning new things and skills!
A fun part of the trip was playing games with the Zone Leaders. Allow me to explain! Elder Gunnell is a huge fan of board games and card games like me! He brought to games, which we challenged the Solomon Zone Leaders in when we stayed with them. The first one was a game I had never played before called Fill or Bust. It is super fun! The next game is actually one I played at a Park Day before my Mission called "Bang!" I have gotten a lot better in it after our the few times we played it on our Solomons trip so I wanted the Sanders (Especially Ashley, Jacob, and Andrew) to know my skills have gotten better so they better prepare themselves if we ever play again.
One of the Zone Leaders Elder Tupou got sick of us beating him in the games and the common phrase of the night became, "Elder LaMont Yu Howia??" which basically means in Pidjin something like: why do you have to be like that? I wish I could have recorded him saying it! It was super funny.
I hope you all have a wonderful week. I love you.
Love Forever,
Elder LaMont, Your Alekken Ty, Shark Bait The White Island Boy
P.S. Dad RSL win sounded crazy! Go RSL! Love you :)
Pictures of the week -Solomon Islands
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