HOW IS IT ALREADY AUGUST!!! WHAT?!?!? This week I hit my 10 months this week! I can’t believe I’m almost at my year mark! Like I’ve said from the beginning, time as a missionary is so different! It’s hard to explain but it’s flying by and yet moments feel like an eternity but I’ve really seen how focus changes everything! Once focused on our Savior all worries and fears go away and literally can do anything He needs us to! He’s so aware of us more than we could even imagine and loves us likewise! He is truly my best friend and is my brother who never forgets or leaves me and helps me in His perfect way! 

Now for some Highlights from this week:

-The best fatams ever with Sœur Opuu with poisson cru à la Grecque! It was INCREDIBLE! Then ate this other fish that was fantasti! I just love fish so MUCH!!!

-Had a beautiful experience with one of our members who’s now coming back to church and is preparing to go back to the temple and seeing how happy she is is amazing and that light in her that she thought she lost was still there and it’s amazing to see the change in her!

-Zone conference! It was so good and will be my last one here in Fautaua! I am so grateful to have the conference every transfer and learn from President and Sœur Tuahu! I love them so much and so so so blessed to have them as my leaders! Got to see Elder Warnock and Sœur Tomasson from district and it was so good to see them! Also got to sing for conference as well and that was a super fun experience!

-Soirée Temple was incredible this week! We had 4 amis come and it was incredible to see how much they love the temple and want to make that their next objective! It’s always such a spiritual night with all of the members and amis that come! 

-Got another Golden Harry Potter from a kinder egg so that made me super happy! (Kinda random but it brought me so much joy😂)

-Youth music is so fire and I love it! Each year they are making better and better songs and they just came out with a new song “Light the Way” and my companion and I literally jammed out to it all this weekend and it was so funny! But a great song and there’s a French part in it so that’s cool too!!

That’s it for this week but yeah it was a great one! Excited to see what this week is going to bring! I would love to share a quote that my President shared with our mission! It said, “Those are great principles applicable to how missionaries can become better teachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I particularly loved the experience you shared where “the teacher was not trying to cover the lesson. Rather, he was trying to uncover the lesson that was already inside the learner. By inviting class members through the power of the Spirit, the teacher helped members discover their own desire to act.” This reminds me of Elder Holland’s teaching that when our friends hear our testimonies, “they are hearing echoes of other, earlier testimonies, including their own testimony of Him…We must always remember that these investigators, every man, woman, and child, were among the valiant who once overcame Satan by the power of their testimony of Christ! So when they hear others bear that witness of Christ’s saving mission, it has a familiar feeling; it brings an echo of truth they themselves already know.” Conversion is our aim, love is our motive, doctrine is the key, and the Spirit is the teacher. “ It was from a talk that he sent to us but that when he talks about our testimonies and that through lessons we can discover what’s already in us and help our friends see that this isn’t new to us but familiar! We chose Him before we came here and we can help all to remember Him and choose Him! He is our ultimate goal and way to discover who we are through Him! He lives and is always there for us! I love you all SO MUCH!!!! And miss you all like crazy but all is well!!! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou! Faaitoito!💙

-Elder LeBaron☺️🤙🏻🌺

What a week!! It absolutely flew by again and it’s crazy how when you are focused on the work literally time flies by in a second! Also it happened again…my 3rd ingrown toenail!🫢🫣😵😱😭😵💀Man have I learned patience more in my life then with my ingrown toenails! And increased my faith! Even though I had another one this week it’s amazing to see the Lord’s hand in protecting me and being ok! It’s taught me to turn to Him in literally every moment and to be patient in knowing that “all things will work out for our good” when we experience trials! He’s there ALWAYS!!!

Now for some Highlights from this last week:

-So many FATAMS! We ate so much this week it was crazy! We had lunch and dinner almost every day! It was all so good and yet also I feel like I’ve gained 300Ibs!! But it’s all good I LOVE THE FOOD HERE!! Well most of the time but mostly it’s all good😂

-We had a zone BINGO challenge and we had to do certain things throughout the week to complete to get certain rewards from our DZ mā and so my companion and I got BLACKOUT first out of everyone in our zone and it was so fun to have done the challenges that with that brought miracles with finding and visiting our members!

-Made my first Facebook reel to invite everyone to church and that was fun to make though to be honest not a huge fan of social media but we have many miracles that come from using it so I’m working on it!

-Got to see President Tuahu in the office this week and it was so good to see him! It’s always the best when he comes in and I can say hi! He’s literally the bestest and I am so blessed and grateful to have him as my President! 

-IOTUA CAME TO CHURCH!!! It was a miracle that Iotua came to church today on Sunday because it downpoured and the bus got canceled and so we thought he wasn’t going to be able to make it! But MIRACLE! He came and we are having his baptism this coming Saturday!

-The Olympics started here this week so that’s pretty cool! It’s so cool that they are doing surfing here! Sadly won’t see any of it but it’s cool to say that I’m here and the Olympics are happening on the Island!!

That’s about it for this week but it was a beautiful week of having humility and patience! I was reading the most recent talk from Elder Gong “All Things for Our Good” in April of this year and I love a part of his talk when he said, “When we trust God and His love for us, even our greatest heartbreaks can, in the end, work together for our good.” It may not always be heartbreaks but when we have challenging times we can see that it’s for a good purpose and to again not ask why but what I can learn! We start to see the good in everything and not dwell on the negative! It’s changing to be Thinking Celestial always and to trust in His perfect plan for us! All with work out for our good and we can see the beautiful lessons we learned and have more experience for when more challenging times come! He is there for us to bring us peace and comfort and all our needs in His perfect timing and way! I am so grateful for this Gospel and for the Joy that I have in my life because of it! He lives and is our source of Joy and Peace forever! I love you all SO MUCH!!!! And miss you all like crazy but all is well!!! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou! Faaitoito!💙

-Elder LeBaron☺️🤙🏻🌺

Wow this was an incredible week! So much happened! It felt like it flew by but also stood still! It was amazing because we had the Heiva de Paroisse which is a big dance and activities that we did for the weekend! So I was thinking about that a lot and so it made it go by kinda slow but then it flew by! It was all dances of the cultural stories of the islands here and the songs that relate and talk about their assigned islands! So our whole secteur was cut into fourths! It was so good and we had many amis come and it was a great turn out! 

Now for some other highlights from this week:

-Interviews with President and it was so good! He’s literally the biggest blessing in my life and I am so grateful he’s my president! I have been struggling a little bit lately so I asked him for a blessing and it was amazing to see the joy and change that came after and the gift of priesthood blessings! It was exactly what Heavenly Father needed me to hear!

-Got to have a fatams with a member named Fab who loves the missionaries and knows my companion and so he invited us to a dinner for his birthday and the food was amazing! It was ma’a tinito! Which is pork, beans, noodles, rice noodles, and veggies and it’s all in a super good sauce. I love eating it with Tabasco and vinegar that you sprinkle on top! It was incredible and so yummy! 

-Found 8 new amis this week and was literally a huge MIRACLE!! We found like 4 in one day and it was literally miracle after miracle! So we’ll see how the visits go for this next week!

-Heiva de Paroisse culture night was Friday and the dances were great! I felt like I was in heaven seeing the beautiful dances singing together while laughing and the live music of a little band! I LOVE THE CULTURE HERE AND THE MUSIC AND THE DANCING!!!!

-Then the next day we had activities in the morning of how to make baskets out of leaves and then how to cut open coconuts and a bunch of other activities! Then after we had a huge faatamaaraa(feast) together with Ma’a Tahiti(Tahitian Food)! IT WAS ALL SO SO SO GOOD!!! AGAIN I WAS IN HEAVEN!!

-We had a lot of amis come with members so we did a tour of the chapel and it was so good! They had great questions and we helped them to understand the importance of the chapel and why we come every week!

-Scheduled a baptism for our ami and it’s going to be August 3rd and so it’s super exciting! He’s 9 years old and super excited as well!

But yeah that’s about it for this week but it was full of miracles and to always know that even when it’s hard and you feel like giving up you are literally never alone and the best support you can have in your life is Jesus Christ who literally understands you perfectly and when it’s hard He is there for carrying us and sometimes we think it’s just us alone walking using all our force to take one more step forward and yet He’s there lifting us giving us that force that we need! I read a talk that really touched me this week by Elder Anderson called, “Faith Is Not by Chance, but by Choice” in the October 2015 General Conference and it talks about these really hard trials that this family had and yet they kept moving forward with faith and it was so beautiful to see that! It has always helped me that it’s true that everything happens for a reason whether it be super hard or not it’s to help us turn to Him, to draw strength, to not fall, and have the faith needed through our day to day lives! If ever you feel like you can’t go further you can and everything is made possible through our Savior Jesus Christ! He’s the true source of strength that keeps us going! Have faith! Know that you are never alone! Like Elder Anderson said, “Your faith did not begin at birth, and it will not end at death. Faith is a choice. Strengthen your faith, and live to be deserving of the Savior’s approving words: “Great is thy faith.” When we have faith we truly can move the mountains in our lives! I love you all SO MUCH!!!! And miss you all like crazy but all is well!!! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou! Faaitoito!💙

-Elder LeBaron☺️🤙🏻🌺

Iaorana tout le monde! TRANSFER WEEK!!! 

This week was great! Sadly some of my really close mission friends left their missions this week and so it was sad to see them leave but we got 6 new missionaries and they are the sweetest! So got to be at President’s house a lot last week and it was a big blessing! Love them so so much! 

Now for some Highlights from this week:

-Got to stay with my companion for now the 3rd transfer together which is super uncommon here in the mission so there’s still a work for us to do here and get to still be with my companion who I really love!

-Got to go to the house of President for the missionaries leaving for the first time this week because they needed help and then got to go for the new missionaries the next day as normal to get their phone information but it was great! Then I got to eat with them!!

-BAPTISM!!! We had our baptism with Urahei Lucas this Friday and it was amazing! It’s been since I’ve got here since we’ve taught her and 4 months later she finally got baptized! She was so happy and it was an amazing day!

-Soirée Temple Miracle! It was right after the baptism and we had our amis Heinarii and Raiarii come for it and they stayed for the the Soirée Temple and it was beautiful to have them there for the baptism and then to see the big objective after to go to the temple and have those blessings! They loved it all and it was a wonderful experience and miracle with them!

-My phone was super buggy and now I got a new phone and it’s so nice I love it! It takes pictures of the stars here! It’s amazing!

That’s about it for this week but it was amazing this week I’ve really seen that literally everything ALWAYS works out! So many times I start stressing about changes during the day because they weren’t planned but every time everything works out in the end and it’s amazing to see the Lord’s hand in it all and to trust in His perfect will for me and plan and know that everything always happens for a reason! In my personal studies I was reading the talk “Call, Don’t Fall” by Elder Godoy April 2024 General Conference and he said 5 things we can do to not fall or trust that everything will always work out,

“1. Always think of the Lord as your first option for help.   

2. Call, don’t fall. Turn to God in sincere prayer. 

3. After praying, do all you can to obtain the blessings you prayed for. 

4. Humble yourselves to accept the answer in His time and His way. 

5. Don’t stop! Keep moving forward on the covenant path while you wait for an answer.” 

When we do these 5 steps we can have trust to not “fall” and continue to trust that God has us in His hands and that we don’t need to fall but call to Him and He will always answer! He’s always there! We can Call and not Fall! I love you all SO MUCH!!!! And miss you all like crazy but all is well!!! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou! Faaitoito!💙

-Elder LeBaron

Wow this week flew by so fast and IT’S TRANSFERS!!! WHAT?!?!?!?!? Time flew by!!! Thought these transfers were crazy! I’M STAYING!!! It’s been 3 transfers that I’ve been here and now going on number 4 so I will of had ¼ of my mission here in Fautaua! Literally crazy and I’m staying with Elder Granger for my 3rd transfer with him! I went from changing companions every transfer to now being for one for 3! It’s super rare for that to happen here on the mission because my mission President normally changes your secteur(area) every ¾ transfers and normally stay with a companion for 2 but this transfer is special! There’s obviously still a work for me to do here with Elder Granger and I’m excited to see what comes from this new transfer! But enough about that!

Now for some Highlights from this week:

-Exchange with DZ mā(zone leaders)! It’s where we change the companion for the day to have the leaders of our zone see how the district leader (my companion) is doing with my district and to make sure all is OK! So because I’m his companion I just get the opportunity to learn from my leaders! So I got to be with Elder Fahey! He’s from England and his accent was so cool! He’s a wonderful missionary and we had a wonderful day together!

-4th of July MLC!! It’s a conference for all of the young missionary leaders in the mission so the DZ’s(Dirigeant de Zone or Zone Leaders) and STL’s(Sister Training Leaders) all meet together with President and Sœur Tuahu to help improve the mission and because I’m a Bureau mā(technology specialist) we go to be the scribes! So we write down everything and then send it to all of the Leaders and it’s wonderful because we just get to receive all the wonderful spiritual hype and be there with all of them! 

-Then with it being the 4th of July for our lunch at MLC it was hot dogs and ribs with root beer floats! It was so good!!

-Another exchange with Elder Sudduth who’s in my district and my companion has to have an exchange with all of the Elders in our district and so I got to be with him! He’s literally the sweetest and had a wonderful day with him and helped him make a Facebook video because he’s the Facebook elder with his companion Elder Fila(who was in Taravao with me and I love him so much, the literal sweetest ever)! 

-Got free ties from a member who was inactive but now coming back and has been there every week and we started doing little lessons with her to prepare her to go to the temple and during one of our lessons gave us these free ties that are AMAZING!! Literally love her! 

-Transfer calls were Saturday and I was super anxious all day wanting to know if I would be changing but then we got the news that literally not many changes and that President closed a lot of islands because we don’t have many missionaries coming and a lot leaving so normally next transfer more will open up!

-Miracles this week but one specific one was that we put our friend on date for Baptism yesterday being Sunday! It was amazing and he’s 9 years old! He’s so happy and excited to be baptized! 

That’s about it for this week but yeah it was a great week and flew by! All I can do is keep trusting and know that God has such a perfect individual Plan for me and for all of us and that there is still a work for me to do here in Fautaua! He lives and is the greatest source of strength and light! He loves us all more than we could ever imagine and is our bestest friend who knows exactly and what we need in the moment we need it! Don’t ask why but what I can learn! He’s there to help us and love us in His perfect way! I love you all SO MUCH!!!! And miss you all!!! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou! Faaitoito!💙

-Elder LeBaron

WHAT LITERALLY ALREADY JULY! I can’t believe another month has passed by! Also Happy Anniversary to my Beautiful and literally to the BESTEST parents in the whole UNIVERSE!!! So grateful for you both and for your example to me and that I get to be with you both for the rest of my life and for all eternity!!! Big hugs and kisses to you both!!!

Now some Highlights from this week:

-Zone Conference! It was so amazing to have zone conference this week and it was so powerful! All was centered around helping our friends and working with members! I got to see Sœur Tomasson and Elder Warnock and it was so great to see them! Then got to see Sœur Harryman and Sœur Lallemant from Taravao and it was great to be with them! Then ate lunch with President and Sœur Tuahu’s daughter who sat at my table and she’s literally the sweetest! So grateful for that experience!

-Had two splits this week because we needed to do it before the end of the transfer this coming week! It was fun to be with Elder Taaroa-Tahiata and I learned a lot! Then I had a half with Elder Leonard because during it my companion got super sick and couldn’t do anything because of food poisoning we think! 

-Baptism with Evelyn Lai and it was so amazing to be there to watch her grow and now be baptized! She’s 9 and it was so amazing to see how happy she was after her baptism! 

-Miracle finding! My companion had a feeling to go down this alleyway and we ran into this guy who asked us a question and we read to him Ether 12:6 because he wanted a question answered about Faith and it was the response to his question and so we are going to have another visit next week with him and it was such a beautiful experience!

That’s about it for this week but was full of many wonderful experiences! Sadly I woke up yesterday being Sunday feeling sick but I’m feeling better! But a little spiritual experience I want to share before I end was during my personal study this week I was listening to a BYU Speech given by Cecilia Peek and this is what she said that stood out to me, “This will not be true for all of you, but for some of you it is the case that you were called to this mission at this time to teach some particular person or family that you had a covenant with, and you must find the person you were called to teach”. It helped to again to reflect that I’m not here for myself and I’m here to find someone or a family or maybe just to make someone smile in a moment very hard for them but I’m here for these beautiful people of Tahiti and to help them receive this Joy and receive the beautiful plan that God has for us to be together as a family forever and to return to Heavenly Father all together! I love my family so much and the people here in Tahiti are one big family and I’m here to help them have the chance to have this Joy if they choose and not waste a moment helping all! And it just really helped me to again realign my focus and see that every effort is seen and to keep seeking and expecting miracles with finding those ready every day! It was a wonderful week! I love you all SO MUCH!!!! And miss you all!!! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou! Faaitoito!💙

-Elder LeBaron

I’m not sure where to start! What an amazing week! I thought it would a lot harder this week because my family is moving away from Spokane Washington and my parents are finishing their mission there! And leading up to it I have been so scared that I would be crazy homesick but literally a MIRACLE happened this week! I didn’t think about it once and had so much peace and literally has been the biggest blessing! The Lord literally always fills in the gaps and can truly give you “strength no known to men”! So that was a very big miracle this week! But let’s dive in to some beautiful experience that I had!!

Highlights from this Week:

-Fatams with Blanc and we had a very powerful lesson after and it’s amazing to see him progressing like he’s been! He’s super interested and getting so close to being ready to be baptized!

-Got to eat a KIWI🥝!!!!!! IT WAS SO GOOD! It’s been so long and literally was the greatest! It was during a fatams and I literally was so happy!!!

-I got to see Kaia Colombel!!! He was at the temple with President Colombel and so he was waiting out in the bench area next to the temple and so we got to talk for a little and catch up! Great miracle to see him and man do I love their family!!

-Got adopted by a Tahitian Mamie(Grandma) who we make hats with! Her name is Mamie Betty and we had a little visit with her to help prepare her for the temple and while we were there she told us how much she loves us and how we are like her sons! It was the sweetest and I love her literally so much!!

-Fatams at Burger King 👑🍔 with the Family Taumata who is one of my favorite families here in Fautaua and it was so great to be with them and then got to eat yummy food! 

-Activity with our Ward and it was so fun and all about the Book of Mormon! Our amis came and it was amazing to all be together learning more about the importance of that book in our lives!

-GOT TO GO TO A SEALING! Words can’t describe that beautiful experience that I got to go and see a Sealing at the temple with the amis that my companion taught in his first secteur on his mission and seeing that their family was sealed for all time and eternity and to show that this is our goal and efforts of why I’m here to help all the people her to have the same!

-Found 4 new amis this week and 2 were through a member reference and now teaching his grandchildren with him as the member indicator and literally is incredible! A huge miracle this week!!

That’s about it for this week but filled with beautiful miracles and literally all 100% about my focus and there was a quote that really stood out to me during my studies and it was by Elder Uchtdorf and it said, “the Lord has never required expert, flawless missionary efforts. Instead, ‘the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind’” and it really has helped me because I’ve been kinda hard on myself lately being like oh I don’t know enough French or oh I’m not teaching the best that I could be or things like that which are negative and then I read this quote and it shows that what matter is where is my heart and mind! Focus on the positive and love everyone! That is the key and to know that that’s all that He’s asking of me! Not if I can speak perfectly or teach perfectly but to love everyone and try my best daily! This gospel is so beautiful and brings me so so much JOY!!! Every day is filled with miracles and blessings from God and if you really have the eyes to see you’ll see Him in ever detail of our lives! Keep trying everything to Him and He will always fill in the gaps! I love you all SO MUCH!!!! And miss you all!!! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou! Faaitoito!💙

-Elder LeBaron

Wow this week we had a huge miracle with one of our friends! His name is Blanc and I can’t get into too many details but the fact that he had a struggle with the Word of Wisdom which is a commandment that our church follow that helps us to be worthy of His spirit and have His strength always to not have any harmful substances affect our beautiful bodies that God has given us and when we taught Blanc about this he instantly wanted to follow and have the blessings which we gave as the 3 “s” (Santé, Sagesse, et Sécurité) which works in French but translates to Health, Wisdom, and Security/Safety! And so with that he was like I want that so we asked him if he would follow this commandment and without hesitation said “Yes!” and it was amazing! Well fast forward to Sunday we called him and he was like I didn’t give into breaking the Word of Wisdom during Father’s Day! Which is huge because any celebration Tahitians who aren’t members go crazy but he stood up and even got his other friends not to either! It was just absolutely amazing and wanted to share that miracles happen always and even the hardest things to change in our lives are possible to change through our Savior Jesus Christ through His Strength! 

Now for some Highlights from this week:

-Literally almost every day had a miracle with getting food! A lot of our Fatams(members who we eat with) canceled and didn’t have dinners and I said a little prayer in my heart and literally every day we had a miracle and it was something small but INCREDIBLE to me!!

-So many lessons STILL in our secteur(area) even though we have 4 missionaries here in Fautaua! We divided the secteur into 2 and we still have like 5-6 lessons a day! It’s incredible! More and more people are just ready and interested!

-Had a beautiful lesson with an inactive member who is now coming back to church and we started doing lessons with her and now she’s decided to prepare and go to the temple and preparing to do so!

-Been making a hat that this sweet Mamie(Grandma/Old lady) who is a new member of our Church taught me and my companion to make and it’s been so fun and so amazing to do! You can also do it with ribbon so I can make them even when I go back home! 

-Started to learn more Tahitian this week and wow it’s a hard language to learn but so amazing with its symbolism and how much the people love it when you speak it even if it’s not correct! 

-Had a wonderful Father’s day with calling my Dad and yeah I just have the best Dad in the whole universe! Love you DAD!!!

That’s about it for this week but there has been so many miracles lately it’s been amazing to see! Literally not a day goes by without incredible miracles! All has been because of changing my focus to see every little detail being a miracle and how many wonderful things happen because of that! Another thing that really stood out to me was when I was doing my personal study and read in the talk “Motions of a Hidden Fire” By President Jeffrey R. Holland, he said in it, “God hears every prayer we offer and responds to each of them according to the path He has outlined for our perfection…but I promise you they are heard and they are answered according to His unfailing love and cosmic timetable”. It’s such a beautiful quote and it’s so true that all our prayers are answered even if it’s in ways that we don’t expect! We have to have the eyes to see them and see the answers through His eyes and His perfect timing and way! Keep looking for these same miracles that we all can have DAILY!! They are there we just have to look for them! I am so grateful for this Gospel and it truly is a Gospel of MIRACLES!!! I love you all SO MUCH!!!! And miss you all!!! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou! Faaitoito!💙

-Elder LeBaron

MIRACLE WEEK!!! Our amie Milena Keller and her family we had started to teach almost 2 transfers ago we found again and she and her little daughter came to church this Sunday and we had a lesson with them this week! It was so amazing and literally was calling everyday to get a hold of them but they never responded! Then I had an impression to just call them and they ANSWERED!! We then fixed a lesson it was so good to see them again and she’s so ready to be baptized we are going to invite her this week to come! Then another amie we have been trying to contact answered the same day and we will be having a lesson with her this coming week as well so literally MIRACLES!! Seek and Expect Miracles ALWAYS!!!!

Now for some Highlights from this week:

-Entretien avec Président (interviews)! They were so good and President Tuahu and I just talked about the mission and how crazy it is that Mom and Dad are finishing and it was just a special moment that we had! He also said how much he and sœur Tuahu love me so much and said how grateful they were for me and it just made me feel so good! Literally love them SO MUCH!!!

-MLC (Mission Leadership Council) was this week and so because we are in the office we go to take notes and then send it to the leaders! It’s so amazing that we get to be part of it and have those training there with the other leaders! We talked about the Doctrine of Christ and how we consecrate our efforts on Him! It was all wonderful! Also got to see Elder Adams, Soeur Lallemant, et my bestie Sœur Harryman all from Taravao! 

-Soirée Temple!! We had 2 inactive members come and it was amazing because one is now preparing to meet with the Bishop to renew her recommend to go to the Temple again! It was a beautiful experience with her!

-Found Milena Keller and had a wonderful lesson with their Family!

-Miracle with getting food when we didn’t have a Fatams! I said a prayer in my heart that we would have a miracle and by some way we would find food and literally DID!! Some gave us a pizza and then Lays Chips with Fanta! Literally so small but a huge miracle for me!

That’s about it for this week but yeah it was an amazing week! Hard to believe my parents are finishing their mission here in just a couple weeks and it’s been kinda hard to not be there to finish with them but how grateful I am that we’ve been able to wear our badges together and to have been serving together in this beautiful work! Love them more that they could ever know and we will forever be the Spokane Clan! But something that stuck out to me during my personal studies this week was the talk by Elder Kearon in April 2024 General Conference and the quote was, “Everything about the Father’s plan for His beloved children is designed to bring everyone home.” I love this quote because it’s so true like Elder Kearon says later that Heavenly Father is in constant pursuit to brig us back home! He’s there for us and wants us to return back to Him! Through His beautiful pan of Happiness it is possible! And He will be there every step of the way if we let Him in to help lead and guide us to have the strength to make it back! He lives and love us more than we can truly comprehend and want the best for us every day! Turn to Him and rejoice in His beautiful plan for each and everyone of us to bring us ALL back home to Him! Talk to you all again in another short week! I love you all SO MUCH!!!! And miss you all!!! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou! Faaitoito!💙

-Elder LeBaron

HOW IS IT JUNE?!!! LITERALLY HALF WAY DONE WITH THE YEAR!!! Time has been flying by! We had transfers this week and I STAYED! My first time being with a companion longer than just a transfer! Then to my shock we got a call just after the news and found out that our secteur is now cut into 2 because we have so many friends being taught now! So we now have 4 in our secteur and 4 in our paroisse(ward)! Then we got all the Tahitian missionaries that were serving in New Caledonia get emergency transferred here because of the aggression that’s happening over there! And so we now have a tahitian with us in our house because he’s in Fautaua B while my companion and I are in Fautaua A! Then also had new missionaries come in and all of this happened this week and we helped out a lot this transfer! So yeah it was a very crazy week with lots of changes even though I stayed! All super crazy! 

Now for some Highlights from this week:

-Transfer calls were Tuesday and it was great and so relieved to have not been transferred! I trusted and know that God still needs me to be here in Fautaua! 

-Surprise Secteur split being now Fautaua A and B because we literally have so many friends!

-Had to take Elder Westerlund to the airport at 7am to go to Takaroa because was transferred over there! Kinda a crazy day!

-Transfers we went to President Tuahu’s house to get the numbers of the new missionaries and then the SIM cards from the missionaries from New Caledonia and so that’s was great to see them but it was so stressful because we were pretty much running all over the place but it all worked out!

-The missionaries from Facebook used to be in our house with us but they moved them to have Fautaua A and B together so even though my companion and I stayed we still have a lot of new this transfer! We got an American and a Tahitian who was in New Caledonia! They’re nice and it’s great to have them in our secteur! 

-Had to teach them all of our friends in their secteur so we were 4 missionaries in all our lessons at the end of our week it was crazy! And all our faatamaaraa’s or fatams when we eat with members are all together and so that’s pretty crazy and fun!

-HAD A SURPRISE BAPTISM!!! It was crazy our ami Tautea’arii Renvoyé was on date for baptism this week and we were going to move it to be this coming week because he hadn’t been to church for weeks but then found out he had been going every week in Taravao (my baby secteur) so we called them and they were like we have all our family coming so we have to do it this week! So we hurried and scrambled through and eventually made it work so it was wonderful! He’s 10 years old and I’m so happy for him! Was a very wonderful day and I got to give the talk on Baptism! 

-Then had a Soirée Familiale(Family Home Evening) yesterday with Blanc who is a new ami and his wife with their friends Moana and his wife and it was great! We’ve invited him to be baptized but he said not yet but started to come to church every week and he’s really starting to change and so it little by little for him and it’s so amazing to watch his progress and the light in him grow!!

That’s about it for this week! It was so wonderful and stressful and yet flew by! I loved my personal study I had this week with studying Elder Uchtdorf’s last general conference talk “A Higher Joy” he said, “God Himself weeps, as the scriptures affirm He does, then of course you and I will weep as well. Feeling sad is not a sign of failure. In this life, at least, joy and sorrow are inseparable companions.” In those times I feel down or sad this quote helped me so much to realize I can feel as the Savior did and know that it’s ok to weep or have those really hard days because the Savior is right there with me helping me through and carrying me to then find Joy in Him! Then he says, “Jesus taught, “Seek, and ye shall find.” I believe this simple phrase is not only a spiritual promise; it is a statement of fact. If we seek reasons to be angry, to doubt, to be bitter or alone, we will find them too. However, if we seek joy—if we look for reasons to rejoice and to happily follow the Savior, we will find them. We rarely find something we are not looking for.” Like he said we rarely find something we aren’t looking! The weeks or days that are stressful and hard turn to Him and find the Joy in the week and know that we can choose and search for that Joy to then always have a good day or week! Just something I really lived in my study and wanted to share! Love you all so much! I’m doing great, sad at times but really changing my focus on Him and I’ve seen myself keep changing to be Thinking Celestial and having JOY always! He’s always there for us! Turn to Him and find this Higher Joy!!! Talk to you all again in another short week! I love you all SO MUCH!!!! And miss you all!!! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou! Faaitoito!💙

-Elder LeBaron