Shark Bait Gets to See Christine be Baptized/ Helping with Transfers

Beautiful Family and Friends!! I hope you have had a wonderful week!

Today has been a crazy day! We have needed to help the Assistants and Travel Elders with some Transfers and moving around of Elders. This has not left me with tons of time to email but I hope you remember how much I love all of you.

This has been a great week for Elder Hardy and I! The best part of the week is when Christine is baptized! Christine is a 12-year-old girl who has worked with the Elders of BlackSands for a long time. She has wanted to be baptized for a while now but her Father has not allowed her to join the church. Just recently his heart softened and he allowed her to take the lessons again so she could be baptized. What a tender blessing this is from The Lord.

We taught her a lot throughout the week and have come to love her family! When we come over all the kids run out and want to play games with us. I love being able to teach children. They desire to do what is right and teach me how important it is to laugh and enjoy life! Christine's Baptism really highlighted Elder Hardy and I's week. Many of her Family and Friends came and it made for a special day. Because our Ward Mission Leader could not attend the baptism I was put in charge of conducting the baptism. At first I really was nervous to do it but it ended up being a positive experience and a chance to improve my Bislama.

It rained a lot this week! One day it poured almost the entire day! During that day, we met with an investigator we have named Troy. I have included some pictures of us in this email with all of the rain water. Troy came to church this last Sunday and loved every moment! He loves to play games, is very energetic, and smart.

I know Our Heavenly Father lives and loves us. I know Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer and through him families can be together forever. 

My prayers and love go out to you.

Much love,

Elda LaMont/ Your Alekken Ty/ Shark Bait/

Answer for Dad's Questions:

The Ice Cream here is really good. It is a lot softer here in Vanuatu for some reason. Perhaps it is because of the humidity but I am not sure! They have awesome flavors like Passion Fruit, Coconut, and even mint Ice Cream. The Pizza looks like pizza but has a different flavor to it. It is really hard to explain! The stars do shine bright and it is absolutely beautiful. I love to look at the stars any chance I can! It depends on where you are but the smell of the ocean is one of my favorite things! The water really is that blue! Times when we are driving you can't help but be amazed by it's beauty! My most spiritual experience this week would be giving a blessing to a young boy who was sick. I felt the spirit fill my heart with love for him and his family as we gave the blessing.

Christine is baptized!

Road trips in Debbie (a.k.a the truck)

The coolest looking spider you will ever see!

Food From the Baptism (Christine's Dad caught fresh fish from the ocean, rice, chicken, and Laplap)

Vanuatu Efate Zone Conference in Port Vila, Vanuatu

Shark Bait's Wonderful Journey in Vanuatu Continues

My Dear Family and Friends! I cherish the opportunity I have to write to you today! This has been a good week that has tested me and helped me to grow. I hope and pray your weeks were full of fun, laughter, and happy times!

This week Elder Hardy and I worked very hard to work with the investigators that we have and help them feel the love The Savior has for them. We had one experience with an investigator we just found. His name is Patrick John. We decided to park the truck and go contacting one night and he called us over from his yard. He wanted to ask what two boys in white shirts were doing walking through the dirt paths of Vanuatu. We explained to him our purpose as missionaries and how the message of love we carry can bless not only his life but also the life of his family. He really became interested and invited us to come another time.

When we came again for our scheduled appointment Patrick, was in the process of recovering from a really bad cold, which had kept him from work. He wanted to set up another time for a lesson but I felt like we should give him a Priesthood blessing. We explained simply the truths behind Priesthood blessings and asked if he would like one. He accepted and we gave him the blessing. I am not sure if this man completely understood but the spirit came and filled my heart. Again, I am reminded of The Love Our Father In Heaven has for us and the reality of His power. He did not say much after we finished but I know he felt the spirit too. No one can deny the power of the Holy Ghost.

I have included some pictures of the beautiful clouds and sunsets of Vanuatu, our legit truck (Debbie), and Elder Hardy and I with a quick selfie. These pictures help remind me that although the work is hard and our hearts ache for those who don't keep commitments/don't want to listen we have so much. We can keep smiling when it is hard! We can find joy! I have challenged myself this week to find more ways to find joy. I promise as you look to Our Father In Heaven and trust in Him you will find more joy. You can find peace and wisdom in the scriptures. Never forget the great blessing of prayer. Our Father in Heaven hears and answers our prayers.

I pray and hope all is well! Know that I love each and everyone of you and think of you!

So much love,

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

Elder Hardy and I with a quick selfie

Our legit truck (Debbie)

Beautiful clouds and sunsets of Vanuatu

Shark Bait Helps Bake Bread and Fights a Coconut Crab

My beautiful family and friends! I am so grateful for the opportunity to tell you about the wonderful week which I had! This week really was a busy one for both Elder Hardy and I. Many adventures and fun stories to tell.

To start, Zone Conference was awesome! Elder Hardy and I set up chair, tables, and made everything look pretty. The spirit really came strong as we studied the scriptures together and had many trainings from President Granger. The theme we had for Zone Conference, "Follow The Master" really helped me to think of the great blessing that the Savior Jesus Christ is. Peace and love our always open to us because of the great blessings of His Atonement.

Elder Hardy and I found this investigator named Silas. Silas is about a 21 years old and is a fan of movies, so we get along really well! Silas lives right next to the Ice Cream factory Elder Hardy and I like to go to. Silas is a big fan of making bread. He has this giant stove where he puts all his loafs of bread and they are cooked by hot coals underneath the giant cement stove. We helped him make some of his bread and pull it out. It really was tons of fun! We are having a hard time getting him to come to church but are not giving up on him yet!

Now the story of the Coconut Crab. We made a baptismal interview for the elders in Mele. Mele is a part of Efate that is close to the beach, so Elder Hardy and I were pretty excited!  The baptismal interview went really well. I made the interview with a sweet boy named Danik. At first he did not talk much and was very shy but I started to talk about soccer and that opened him up! He told me his favorite player is Neymar and everyday he like to go and play with his friends. The beautiful game of Soccer is everywhere! After the interview, the family gave one of the Mele Missionaries (Elder Burgess) a coconut crab. Elder Burgess is from Samoa and knows how to cook them and gladly accepted the gift. He put the crab in the bed of our Truck and we drove them home. Not thinking much of it we dropped them off and came back to the house. When we got back to the house we realized that Elder Burgess had forgotten his dinner. Elder Hardy and I were unsure of what to do with it. We knew that their claws are very powerful (strong enough to crack a coconut) and decided the best plan would be to chase it out of the truck with a mop. So Elder Hardy and I strategically chased the Coconut Crab out of the bed of the truck and into the bucket. We could not help but laugh at the situation we were in!

I am so grateful for all the experinces I am having here in the field. I love teaching the beautiful people of Vanuatu. I know that this Gospel is true and we have a Loving Father In Heaven who wants us to be happy. I know Families are forever through the great blessings of the temple. Thank you all for your prayers and support. Please know I love you.

Much love,

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

Zone Conference

Bread with Silas

Because I love you!! Pictures of Debbie with Ice Cream, Treating ourselves to a giant Pizza (In Port Vila), and a picture of the beautiful island view.

 Elder Hardy and I did a baptismal interview and a family had this pet bird. I thought Claire would really enjoy. I love you all with all of my Heart.

Love,

Elda LaMont