Video Chat 24 February 2019

Video chatting with Elder LaMont.

The new thing!!

Shark Bait Enters the Heart of the Bush/ Tanna Exchange/ Marriage and Baptism of Roslen

Dearest Family and Friends, I am thankful for another opportunity I have to write another email to you and update you on how I am doing. This has been a great week for both Elder Gunnell and I! I hope I will be able to tell you about some of the amazing things I was able to experience this week. 

Our first adventure of the week came from our exchange with Tanna. It was quite the experience to say the least! I took many pictures and am hoping to get some of them for you to see. Elder Gunnell went with a missionary named Elder Dickes and I went with our other Zone Leader in Tanna named Elder Veidovi. (from Fiji) 

Tanna was incredible! It felt like I was camping as a missionary! It was super cool. And guess what? I got to take my first bucket shower. We showered outside with the buckets. A man in the village said something like,"You are SO WHITE" It made me laugh!

Elder Gunnell and Elder Dickes took the truck we have in Tanna and went and worked in an area called Lenakal. Elder Veidovi and I went to the Zone Leader's other area called Middle Bush (Or Mit-Mit)  Some of the members there provided a small home in their village where we could stay. I was the only white person around for miles! Because Elder Veidovi is still learning English this also meant during the entire exchange I was speaking Bislama. 

There is a reason they call the area "Middle Bush." The home we were given to stay in was made out of bamboo, copper, and a tarp. Our only light at night was the flash lights we brought with us and a small light the members let us use. It opened my eyes to truly how much we have. These people do not have very much yet they are the happiest people I have met and willing to give anything to help you also have joy. It is a very humbling experience to teach this wonderful Gospel to such a humble and loving group of people. 

The Ward Mission Leader in Middle Bush spent the entire day with us. He helped us find our way to those the Zone Leaders have been teaching and helping get ready for baptism. Another crazy experience about doing missionary work in Tanna is the fact that there are many people who do not know Bislama and only know their Island Language. There are so many different languages in Tanna! In one village they will have one language and in some cases the next village over will speak an entirety different language. So, we would speak Bislama to the Ward Mission Leader and he would then translate it into the Island language of those whom we taught. 

The second adventure Elder Gunnell and I had this week was helping George and Roslen get married! We made sure before we left Tanna we had everything ready so things would run smooth for the marriage and baptism on Saturday. When we got back from Tanna we had the baptismal interview with our District Leader and got all the Paper work done. Then on the day of the marriage the man who was going to perform the marriage said he could not do it. Through some much needed miracles we worked with the Bishop to find another man who could do the marriage! It was a huge blessing to be able see both of them make these special promises of marriage to one another and the happiness which filled the room. Then right after the marriage we had the baptism! Roslen looked very happy and seeing her with her new husband and her little girl reminded me of the blessings Our Heavenly Father has given us as families. We have so much! 

This week I have continued my personal study in the Book of Mormon. I have been reading in 3rd Nephi and how the Savior came and performed many miracles and established his church in the Americas. I feel reading through these chapters has reminded me of how much the Savior personally loves each one of us. He will heal us as we come to Him and we work to be strong. 

My Family and Friends, I hope your weeks are great and you know I am thinking and praying for you. Thank you for your many prayers, letters, and emails of support. I love you. 

Much Love, 

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

Elder LaMont and Elder Veidovi.

small home

George and Roslen get married

Right after the marriage we had the baptism! 

Shark Bait Visits His Old Home, Two Angels, The Gift of Prayer

My Dearest Family and Friends! Where has the time gone?? It is already into February! Can you believe it? The islands are as beautiful as always and we are continuing to be blessed by Our Father in Heaven. I am sorry for not writing an update last week but I have one for this week!

It has been a great week for Elder Gunnell and I. We are trying to make the most out of every minute and have been blessed with some awesome people to teach. 

Our Mission really had has been blessed because the work and efforts of two Senior Sisters named Sister Talataina and Sister Uchunibaravi. Sister Talataina(The spelling is way off. Island names are hard!) is from Samoa and Sister Uchunibaravi is from Fijji. These two widows could be best described as angels! They have worked out what we call "Rescue Visits" with the ward members. 

These Rescue Visits are when a group of members go out with these two sisters and they go and visit the long lists of less active members. The Rescue groups show up at their door and tell the people they visit how much they love them and want them to come back to church. These efforts have brought SO many people back and have filled the church on Sunday! These Sisters spend a few weeks in each ward and move on to the next one. The members continue with the rescue visits as the sisters move on. It is a wonderful program and the work of the Lord is pressing forward! 

We are working with a couple named Roslen and George. George is a less active member we found through the Senior Sisters Rescue visits with the members. As we helped George to come back to church it has given us an opportunity to meet his wife Roslen and to teach her the lessons. They have the most adorable little girl named Lisa!

I have seen an amazing change in this family as they have read out of the Book of Mormon and prayed. They are happier and look forward to our visits! Roslen has shared experiences she has had while reading the Book of Mormon and how she feels she is coming closer to Her Father in Heaven.We have worked hard with the ward to help the two of them get married this Saturday and after the marriage will be Roslen' s baptism! I am very happy and excited for this family. The Lord has provided so many blessings from his wonderful Gospel. I will try and get you pictures this next week! :) 

One of the highlights of the week for me was doing an Exchange with the Efate Zone Leaders! I went to the Zone Leaders area which is called Black Sands! This was one of my old areas so it made me really excited to go! Shark Bait headed back to his old home! :) 

 I had the opportunity to be with Elder Cox. We had a great time being together and reflected about how we sat next to each other on the way to the MTC. We set goals to talk to as many people as we could and to share the message of the Restoration as simply as possible. I really learned some important things from Elder Cox about love in missionary work. The most important thing a missionary can have is love for the people He is teaching. This love will bless the missionary with the Spirit and the Spirit of the Lord will make us powerful instruments in helping others. If we are motivated by love we can beat all the hard things! 

This coming week we will have the opportunity to do an exchange with the Tanna Zone Leaders. Elder Gunnell and I are pretty excited! We will fly to Tanna Island this Wednesday and come back late on Thursday. It is going to be a great adventure! I am excited to learn from the Zone Leaders there and see if we can help them. I will make sure to take some photos! 

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Something I really have been relaying on during this week is the Gift of Prayer. I read an article in the new February Liahona by Elder Juan A. Uceda. In his talk, he made a powerful statement. He said, "When you desperately need help from heaven, prayer can give you power to make the right decisions. A prayer from the heart is indeed a moment in heaven, and even though answers may not always be immediate, a moment in heaven can help you to chart your course in mortal life. 

When we offer a might prayer, we have the attention of the most powerful, merciful, and loving being in the universe. We spend a moment in the heavens. And we all need a moment in the heavens, especially when we are going through difficult times." 

I know this to be true! I know Our Father in Heaven loves us and wants us to speak to Him. He will always listen and help us feel love if we let Him in. Don't forget to pray! It really is our connection with Heaven and has helped me to keep going this week. I know we can overcome all things as we rely upon the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Let the Savior be Your Guide! 

I Love you all so much. I pray for you every chance I get. Thank you so much for all the prayers on my behalf. I feel them throughout the week and they have helped me. I am looking forward to talking with you next week! 

Love, 

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

Elder Cox and I working hard! 

Getting ready to cross the River

Working in Beautiful Black Sands