I CAN’T BELIEVE ITS ALREADY MARCH AND TRANSFERS THIS WEEK!!! Wow it’s crazy! Time is very weird on the mission it definitely isn’t the same! It’s like insanely fast but also not it’s hard to explain! It’s been great! Starting off this week with going to the temple last p-day was definitely a booster! And I really felt peace and comfort this week when I needed it and it was amazing to see the Lord’s hand all this last week! 

Now for some Highlights:

-We had an exchange this week and I was with Elder Majeau and it was great! We invited 2 of our friends to be baptized and they said yes and it was an amazing experience and lesson with them! It was our 2nd lesson with them and they were so ready and so we asked them and they were so excited to say yes and I’m so excited for them!

-Also while on the exchange we visited a less active member and shared a little message with him and our DMP and at the end I shared a little phase of my testimony in Tahitian and it was my first time and it was really amazing to see my mouth be filled with the words I needed!

-Étude de langues this week with Sœur Colombel was great and it was pretty difficult because we did a lot of Tahitian and I’ve been really focusing on French and had forgotten a lot of Tahitian so it was pretty difficult but it was amazing to see God’s hand with helping me remember things I’ve already learned! 

-We went to Hitiaa for a entretien(interview) for one of the Sœur mā(Sisters) friends they are teaching and we had to drive over their so that was a fun experience because my companion can’t drive anymore because it’s already been a year and so I got to drive! 

-We had a wonderful district council this week and it was our last one as a district and our first one all together because the road to Hitiaa has been closed but it’s open now so they were able to come! It was very spiritual council and we ended it with a testimony meeting and wow it was powerful I was in tears! 

-We went to the baptism of the Sœur mā in Hitiaa who my companion did the interview for and it was great to see her baptism and she was so happy and you could see her light radiating off her and it was amazing! 

-Sunday was fast Sunday and so I got to do a fast and it was amazing to have that experience and to be able to fast for the things that I need extra strength right now! It was a beautiful day and I was able to have strength to get through the day! It’s crazy too because I couldn’t believe it was already another fast Sunday because it’s now March! But yes it was a beautiful day!

That’s about it for this week but yeah it was a great week and just getting ready for transfers this week! I’ll know tomorrow if I’m getting transferred or staying so next email you’ll hear what’s happening with that! But in the mean time I’m just still holding on and continuing to trust and turn to my Savior more and more every week because He is my strength and I can’t do this without Him! As every week has its trials with Him I get strength as Doctrine and Covenants 24:12 says, “…And I will give unto him strength such as is not known among men.” And I know this is true because I couldn’t be here without His constant strength and power He gives me every week! I am so grateful for Him and His individual sacrifice for me and that He knows exactly what I need and gives me strength always when I turn to Him and keep Him my center and focus! I love Him! He LIVES! Turn to Him for strength He is always there to give it to you! Love you all so so much and thank you for your prayers! I feel them everyday and every second of the day! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou!💙

-Elder LeBaron

Here are some Highlights from the week:

-I got to talk to Justin for his birthday and it was such a good talk! It was a very special time to just talk with him one on one and it was great! Love him so so much!

-We put Alexandre and Hitimahana on date for baptism! It’s amazing to see their progress! I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned them in past emails but if not they are really special! He went from asking so many questions to receiving the answers he needed and really feels like this is the church he’s been looking for! Him and his girlfriend are planning their wedding and they want to get baptized before April 13th so that’s the date they set for a limit😂 It was very special and I’m so excited for them!

-We’ve found many new friends and had some new lessons with them this week and it was really amazing!

-This isn’t really a highlight but I got sick again this week from something that I ate and I have been very sick! It’s unfortunate because I felt like I was finally kinda getting over my cold and then I got this food poisoning or whatever this is on top of the cold! So yeah that’s been pretty difficult! 

-Today I got to go to the temple for the first time and it was absolutely incredible! The temple is such a gift and I am so grateful to have a temple here! It is absolutely beautiful and the spirit was so strong while I was there!

That’s about it for this week! I know this is very short but I’m not feeling the greatest and don’t have that much energy to write so that’s my week! In these difficult times it’s really forced me to turn to my Savior and even though it’s not the easiest when I do He gives me strength to get through this! I just have to keep holding on and know that luckily sickness doesn’t last forever! He is always there for me and has me in His hands always! I am so grateful for Him and His everlasting love for me individually and for this knowledge in my life! Also I am so grateful for my family and for their love and prayers and also for my friends! I feel the prayers every day! Love you all so so so much!! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou!💙

-Elder LeBaron

Wow this week was crazy and kinda felt like forever but short at the same time! Kinda weird! But it was full of miracles and I really felt peace and comfort this week! Also it was SO HOT!!!🔥🥵 We had a cyclone🌀😳 come last week and the week before and it was raining 🌧 SO MUCH!! Now this week we had the opposite! It was so hot and very humid! But it was good I got tan and even though I was dying of heat and sweating like crazy😓 The work continued!! Also yeah I’m sick too🫠🤧 but it’s not stopping me! It’s like a cold but it’s so weird because it so hot but I have a cold like you have in the winter time! It’s so weird! I have really bad sinus pressure and stuffy nose with a little cough and sore throat! But again it’s ok I’m not letting it stop me! 

Now for some Highlights this week🙌🏼🤩🙏🏼:

-Split with the DZ Mā (Zone leaders) and it was great! We had many lesson and we got drenched in the rain but it was great and full of miracles though for some reason I couldn’t speak French that day but it was still a great day🙃😂

-Valentines Day💘 I wore my new pink floral tie that I got from mom and dad in a package and it was funny to see that people actually celebrate it here! We had a miracle dinner that night becuase we had no fatams but the family Tetoka said anytime you don’t have a fatams call so we did and we went over there and ate with them and it was amazing because Jean, is the one of the 3 boys who got baptized on Christmas last year, needed a blessing because he was super sick and we were able to give him one so it was a miracle that our fatams canceled so we could do that! 

-Étudie de Langue with Sœur Colombel was great and the crêpes like always were amazing and then we had some “shaved ice” (frozen syrup water) that was actually pretty good! Then I learned how to make simple French phases at first and then be able to add to them to make them longer! It was a great exercise and it helped a lot! 

-MY DAD’S BIRTHDAY!!!🥳🎂 It was on Saturday and so I was able to call him and it was such a great call! I am so grateful for him every single day and for all that he’s taught me! He is the WORLD’S GREATEST DAD IN THE UNIVERSE✨️🔥🥹 He is my BESTEST friend!! So that was such an amazing day! Also it was full of miracles!!!! 

-I said the closing prayer for church on Sunday and it was kinda scary since my French still isn’t the best but it was amazing to have my mouth filled with words to say and it was an amazing experience! The gift of tongues is REAL!! It’s amazing to always see in times when it is needed my mouth is always filled with words to say! When I just trust and open my mouth He always fills in the gaps!!

That’s about it for this week! It’s crazy I’ve already been a missionary for 4 months! Time is really flying by and every week has its ups and downs but most of all the miracles are there every day to bring me up and know that I am always in the Lord’s hands helping guide me to those who are ready! Love you all so much and so grateful for your prayers because I feel every single one! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou!💙

-Elder LeBaron

SPIRITUALLY FED!! This week has been AMAZING!! With zone conference and our mission conference I really have been spiritually fed! Elder Wakolo and Sister Wakolo taught us many wonderful principles I can apply to this missionary work and be able to continue to be the best I can be! It was all centered around Jesus Christ and the importance of the Doctrine of Christ. I truly felt so much peace and comfort and that I am supposed to be here and really felt God’s hand and love for me! Everything felt like Elder Wakolo was just talking to me and I just was so grateful to be here and have that experience of knowing that even though it is hard and that the struggles won’t end I can turn to my Savior Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father to give me strength and comfort each day to continue to find those They need me to find. This isn’t about me and it won’t ever be but through this I can find myself and grow my conversion in ways I can describe or can even imagine right now.

Now for some Highlights from last week:

-Contacting in the pouring rain! It was amazing we had 3 friends we found and helped one on the side of the road with their car! It was amazing to see that even though it was pouring we still found people and there are 2 choices: either be miserable because of the rain or learn to dance in the rain and love every second of it! I felt both😂 But mostly dancing in the rain! It was a great experience 

-Mission conference with Elder and Sister Wakolo was amazing and it was so spiritual! They taught us wonderful principles and it was exactly what I needed to hear! It was powerful and hearing his conversion story was amazing! He is an incredible person and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to hear from him twice last week! Also I got to see everyone in my district from the MTC except Elder Warnock and Sœur Tomasson! So that was amazing and a little gift for me! Also I saw Elder Adams who was my first companion here and it was great seeing him!

-President and Sister Bonkemeyer came and saw me on Sunday! He is my Dad’s counselor in the Spokane Mission and it was so good to see him and his wife! They were just on a trip and came to sacrament meeting with me and then just talked for a little! It was such a blessing to have a little piece of home come here and to get a little package from home as well! 

That’s about it because not much happened because of the conference and with the rain we just mostly contacted and didn’t have many lessons! But it was a great week and flew by! I have seen so many miracles everyday when it’s even the smallest thing that I say a little prayer for and it happens! It’s amazing to see that I am in God’s hands and He is always putting experiences in my path saying don’t worry Elder LeBaron I got you and I have you in My hands! I am so grateful for this Gospel every single day and for the opportunity to be here in Tahiti with such beautiful people and full of love! He is there blessing us always we just have to have the eyes to see and even though it may be different than you expect He always knows what’s best for us! I just have to keep trusting Him every day and turn everything over to Him and He always fills in the gaps! I’m grateful to experience this even though it’s difficult I can go through it with Joy and a Smile on my face!! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou!💙

-Elder LeBaron

So this week was great but guess what…I was eating a star fruit(my first one in Tahiti) and was like wow this is really good and continued to eat and looked down and there was a MAGGOT IN THE STAR FRUIT!! I was like no way I think I just ATE A MAGGOT!! So I called the mission nurse and she was like you should be ok and sure enough I am but yeah pretty disgusting but it’s just all part of the experience! So great experience this week😂😭 

Now some Highlights from this week:

-I SAW A SHOOTING STAR💫 I was just talking with my companion when all of a sudden this flash of like cut the night sky and their were like shards with it and I was like WOW!! I got chills! I have no idea truly what it was but it was incredible and something I’ll never forget!

-We found this super sweet Mami(like a grandma) and she loves to read so we asked her if she wanted a Book of Mormon and she was like YES! It was amazing! She lives in an assisted living house because she’s in her 90s! We are continuing to go and visit her and we’ll see what happens but she seems pretty interested! She said Yes I’d love to talk with you about this and why not learn more about your gospel!

-We had language study again at the Colombel’s and we did Tahitian and French this time and it was amazing that I still remembered a little bit of Tahitian but it was pretty difficult! Then after we had yummy crepes again and I’m continuing to try each day to get just a little better at French and Tahitian!

-Sunday we had many miracles with finding friends and these 2 boys just yelled to us to talk with them so we did and they were like yeah we’d like to learn more so this week we’ll contact them and set up a lesson with them! It was amazing because they found us! 

-ZONE CONFERENCE WITH ELDER AND SŒUR WAKOLO!!! P-day changed because of Zone conference yesterday so it’s today instead of Monday! It was so amazing and Elder and Sœur Wakolo taught us amazing principles to add to missionary work and it was all centered around the Doctrine of Christ and why it is important and how Baptism is the key to starting on the covenant path back to return to Heavenly Father! Also I saw Sœur Hansen, Grose, and Grant from my MTC district and it was so amazing to see them and see how they are doing!

Those are just some highlights from this week and it was great! Kind of a hard week for me at times but I was able to see these miracles and they helped me get through with a smile on my face and have joy! All I can do is control my focus and attitude and when it’s centered on Christ and serving the people of Tahiti I feel much better and see these incredible miracles daily! This work is so beautiful and truly every week has its own challenges but my testimony goes in ways I can’t describe and though it is very difficult I can have a smile on my face every day! This is not about me! And just all I can do is keep moving forward with faith and know that without these hard times I couldn’t appreciate the wonderful blessing and miracles that help those hard moments pass by! I am so grateful for this Gospel and for Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father and their individual plan for each of us! They know me and everyone here and when we turn to Them they magnify us in ways we can’t ever imagine! All I can do is keep holding onto that and I can do all the hard things with Them right by my side and with the Holy Ghost comforting me in times I feel scared or lonely! This is truly the true Church of Jesus Christ! He is my Savior and He knows my struggles and is the only person I can turn to for peace and comfort! Beaucoup d’amour! Ua here au ia outou!💙

-Elder LeBaron