3.7.11

Dear Family,

Hey there. Alright, so you were right mom, I guess I skipped over the email from last week, so i went back and read it again, and now I see what I was missing. It sounds like everything is going good. I hope you guys have an awesome time in Vegas, I'll have fun thinking about your vacation while I'm chillin in Frayser. Sarah is like some prodigy child apparently, getting all 1's in solo and ensamble (sp?), awesome job little sister! and winning that art contest, your pictures were awesome. Thanks so much for sending those packages out, you're awesome. I very much appreciate it.

This past week was good. As you know my comp is now a Zone Leader, so Elder Peay and him both have to go to some meetings and also exchanges with District Leaders, and that happened twice this week. On Wednesday they went to a meeting with President Drewes, so they just stuck me and Elder Fry together, since we both live in the same house it makes it easy, but the funny thing is we're both greenies. So I was senior companion for a day. Then on Thursday they went on a blitz with Jonesboro, so that means 2 Zone Leaders or APs go to an area and they each take a companion, and both sets of missionaries work that area for a day. So they threw me and Elder Fry together for another day, so we were together 2 days in a row, lol. Elder Fry is great though, I love him. We did a lot of tracting.

We havent been able to see Thomas this week, which really worries me. We were meeting with him everyday to help him with his smoking, but he didn't answer the door once this week, and we'd stop by mulitple times a day, but we couldn't get in to see him, and he doesn't have a cell phone. He wasn't at church yesterday either.... so it's not looking good. His baptismal date is this Saturday... so keep praying for Thomas, I'm praying he's been keeping his commitment with this 15 step program. I want to see him get baptized so bad... If that's the one thing I do this transfer, I will feel I've served my purpose in Frayser, he is so ready to make these convenants. I love that guy, hopefully we will be able to see him tonight.

Elder Badger and I have been talking a lot lately about something that President said in a Zone Leader meeting (I wasn't there but I heard about it) and I guess President was just emphasizing the importance of loving the people. This may sounds silly, but I feel like I've finally figured out something I"ve been missing this whole time, and that's just how important it is to love others. Not just say you love others, but sincerely, honestly, and endlessly loving others. Like Jesus says in Matthew 22, the GREATEST commandments, are to love the Lord thy God, and then to love thy neighbor. There is no greater commandment. When you meet someone for the first time, it's so easy to judge them without even realizing that you are. You look at their appearance, and you put them into a category, whether it's a thug, or a nerd, or someone who's stuck-up, or mean, or ugly, or anything. OR you can put them into a category as one of God's children, and God has an eternal love for them, just like I should. This sounds so simple, to the point where it is really easy to forget. I dont know if you've looked at the Ensign for this month, but it's definately something to check out. In there the Prophet talks about Mother Teresa's quote (I think mom actually has this on the fridge) "When you judge someone, you have no time to love them". I've been striving to apply this into my life as a missionary, when you show sincere love for the Lord, and for the people, everything else will fall into place. If I love them I'll find a way to get them closer to baptism, and if I love the Lord, and these people, I wont even be tempted to be lazy, but anxiously engaged in helping them and moving the work forward. I challenge everyone back home to read this months Ensign, there's an article by a member of the seventy and it's all about love and how we can be healed through the blood of our savior. It's really good. Also, there's an article for future missionaries, about the emotional demands of a mission, and how to prepare, that's a good one too. So Dakota and Ben, you both should read that.

I know this email is short, but I have to get going. I love you guys. Stephen, I wrote you a hand written letter, hopefully you'll get that soon. Please keep Thomas in your prayers. You'll hear from me next week.

Love,

Elder LeBaron

Something I forgot to mention. If you go to Mormon.Org, look up the profile of Dennis Pegues, he's from our ward, the Memphis 1st ward. He started the Tuesday night basketball at our church building, and we play ball every Tuesday with any kids in frayser that wanna come, it's pretty cool. Blue and Darion are both in his little movie clip, and just a bunch of people I've met, and our church building. I thought you might be interested in watching that.