Week 2 on the island...

TALOFA/ Olsem Wanem Ol Famle mo Fren blo mi

Mi lovem yu tumas!!!

I cherish this moment to write to you! This has been one of the best weeks of my entire mission and life! I love Vanuatu so much already! So, I have decided instead of me leaving after 2 years, you should all come here!! ;)

I did go to the dentist on P day last week because my face was swelling up once again. It turns out the problems I have been having are not a dry socket rather a small incision which has not healed up. The small incision has been getting food and bacteria and it the causing the infection/swelling. The mission nurse has kept me on antibiotics and the dentist gave me a syringe to clean out things and I have made an amazing recovery! I am gong to the dentist again today to make sure everything is good to go! I testify that The Lord healed me from this and helped me push through! In case you were wondering if Heavenly Father is listening to your prayers, I testify with my whole heart and energy He is.

Because I have been on antibiotics the mission nurse told me to get yogurt from "Au Bom Maché" (Basically the Walmart of Port Vila where we do our shopping) which  made me really excited! Those of you who really know me know of my great love for yogurt! So one morning this week I had a Throwback/Classic Bubbos Breakfast! Chocolate Milk Nesquick (which tastes very different), toast with Raspberry Jam, and Yogurt!

A cool Cultural Experience this week! I got to try my very first Island Kaki (Island food) The Mahit Family (Johnny's parents) made us what is called, "Simboro." It is Manok or sweet potato mushed and then rolled up with Island cabbage. Then coconut milk is poured on top of it. It looked pretty nasty, not going to lie but I was not going to let that stop me. i tried it and it was super good! I am incredible humbled the Mahit Family gave us this food when they don't have very much. These people are so giving and kind. I hope I become more like them. I love how here in Vanuatu Port Vila when we have lessons we usually have them outside houses/huts and we sit on these giant mats made from Bandas tree leafs. During Baptismal Interviews a small Pikinini climed a tree and cut down grapefruit for us to enjoy!

My week was truly amazing because Saturday was Johnny's Baptism!!! I had been counting the days to it! I know the Lord is prod of him just like I am!! It  was such a wonderful day! I am lost for words to describe how happy it made me to watch him step into the font and make this amazing covenant with God. My whole heart and soul were filled with true joy like never before! I felt really blessed to play a small portion in helping him get there and I praised God in my hear for the matchless gift of His Son and The Great Plan of Happiness. Johnny would never had been baptized if it were not  for God and His Holy Spirit which helped us through the lessons! My only hope is Johnny won't forget that day and what he felt. I hope he will continue to keep coming  towards Christ and His loving outstretched arms. I testify as you do The Lord will help you through any trial and you will feel the great joy which comes from His Gospel.

I love this marvelous work. I love our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I love and prayfor all of you. Thank you for your prayers and support. My Bislama is getting better and better every day.

Much love,

Elda LaMont/ Shark Bait/ Your Alekken Ty

Shark Bait's Full Week in Vanuatu

TALOFA FROM THE FUTURE!!! Mi Lovem yu Thomas family mo friend blo mi!

I am so happy and grateful for the chance I have to email! Although it is really short in my eyes I am very grateful to stay in contact with those I love! Please know that I pray for you by name and send my love to you! Even if I don't get to your email, I am thinking of you.

This week has absolutely gone 99 miles per hour for me! I had my first Zone Conference, watched General Conference, and had several lessons! What a blessing it is to be here in Vanuatu! Because Elder Grey and I are Travel Elders we fly in Elders from outer Islands and host them in our home during  General Conference. Our home is the biggest in the mission since we host a lot of Elders. It has provided me an opportunity to learn more patience and how to be more giving! Momma, thank you for teaching me how to clean, iron, and wash dishes. It has been a great blessing!

I had an experience I would love to share! Elder Grey and I have been working with a family named the Mauhit Family. Their son Johnny is the one working towards his baptizem.  The Father is an inactive member and the mother is not yet a member. We wanted to teach them the Plan of Salvation. Elder Grey told me if I tried my best to speak what small Bislama I knew The Lord would help me know what to say through the Power of the Holy Ghost. I went into the lesson determined to have the spirit and speak through the spirit. We had a wonderful lesson!! The Father said something that filled every fiber of my soul with true happiness. He told Elder Grey although my Bislama was broken/very slow/ little hard to understand he knew what I was saying was true. He said, "I like it when he talks. I feel something different. Something really good." I know this was the spirit. Because we were prepared and had done the right things we had the spirit with us. The most important language I learned I need to speak from is the language of the spirit. I know The Lord will help me in time learn the beautiful language of Bislama. I know our Heavenly Father answers prayers. The promise from D&C 100:5-6 is true and I know it with all my heart. I urge you to read it and know the Lord will help you accomplish His work and your righteous desires.

I wish I had more time to write but my time has run out. I pray and love you my Family and friends. I look forward to the next time I can write to you. Know that I am happy and so grateful for my time here in Vanuatu. I love all of you so much. Thank you for your love and support.

P.S. Momma I taught some Pikinins (Children in Bislama) how to do the "Funky Feet Move" in my Chacos which I love! I thought this would make you smile! :) I promise to get some pictures of my home in Port Vila to you soon.

Dad, I saw some highlights of The Warriors playing the Dallas Maveriks and it made me think you. I am so glad we are buddies. I Love you with all of my heart Dad.

Much love,

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

Zone Conference

Arrival in Vanuatu

TALOFA from the Future My Family and Friends!!!

Shark Bait did in fact make it to the beautiful islands of Vanuatu! It was a great feeling to finally  arrive here! The beauty is beyond words! When we arrived in Port Vila we were welcomed by several of our trainers and the Mission President. My trainer's name is Elder Grey... Guess what?! He is the nephew of Dr. Grey in Logan Utah! What a small world indeed! We only get one hour to write emails at a cafe in Vila so I apologize if this is all over the place! We went through lots of orientation in Vila and even had dinner at the Mission president's office. What an amazing experience! I can testify that the Lord loves this mission and that we are a mission of miracles. Our logo is the M&M which stands for Mission of Miracles. We are the mighty VPVM!!!

I have been assigned to be trained as the new Travel Elder! This means that I am in charge of driving people places, scheduling flights all over the mission, and making sure everyone gets to where they need to be including the Mission President and his APs. Basically Elder Grey and I are very very essential in making sure The Lord's work gets done here in the VPVM. I have a great deal to learn to make sure I help this mission excel but I am so excited. My biggest trial here is the language. Bislama does sound like English but I only understand 40% of what is said. Even though my Bislama is very broken I do my very best to bear my testimony in what I know during our lessons. We have taught a lot of people in the last few days. They are very kind and supportive towards me as I try to speak the language. I love it here! I am still in Port Vila and I work in the office as the Travel Elder but Elder Grey and I have two areas here in Vila. Nambura and Temoa.

There was one day that I was really struggling with missing my family and I read a quote from President Gordon B. Hinckley that goes like this, "The best antidote I know for worry is work. the best medicine for despair is service. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired." I decided that day I would work as hard as I could to lift others burdens to testify of Christ. As I have done so the spirit has worked through me and I feel more Love from my Father in Heaven and my family. This is the true Gospel. Our Heavenly Father does hear and answer our prays. I am really out of time and wish I could type for longer. Know that I love you and I am sorry if I could not get to emailing you. One hour is just not enough time. I am praying for all of you. I would appreciate any prayers on my behalf so that I can learn the language of Bislama. If you could too pray for Johnney. He is getting close to his baptism day and we are working hard for him and others. Thank you all. I love you so much!!

Elder LaMont/ Shark Bait/ Bubbos/ Island Boi/ your Alekken Ty