10.31.11

Aloha familia.

    Dude Sarah, I like the pictures, your farmers tan is ridiculous. lol. Thank you for your e-mails, I really appreciate them. Mom, it sounds like you're still staying strong with working out. Keep it up!! You talking about your goals made me think of this book I'm reading, its called "LEADERSHIP" it's by an apostle from way back in the day, but there's a whole chapter devoted to goals, and goal setting, and accomplishing them. It talks about how powerful the mind is, and how our mind set and our attitude can change everything about our lives. Everyone in this world has an idea of the person they want to be, or an accomplishment they want to acheive, but often times it just fades away as a dream that seems immpossible to reach. Thats what the natural man will tell you and thats what satan tries to get you to believe. What we need to realize is there's no limits to our righteous desires, at all. We our the offspring of God and were made in his image, we have the capability to become all that he is, like it says in the scriptures. We have every power and capability to acheive any goal we have on this earth. Impossible really is nothing. In this book he talks about the CAN DO inside of us. The power and discipline we have over our minds and our bodies to acheive. Most people don't intend to be late for meetings, they just end up running behind. Usually there isn't detramental consequences for being a few minutes late to anything, it's the norm, mormon standard time, lol. But if someone was going on a trip they wouldn't dare miss catching a flight, they would almost always get there with plenty of time, because they know there will be no refunds or re-scheduling. It's the CAN DO inside of us that makes us catch a flight, but often times we don't have that same CAN DO for making it in time for Sacrament or other meetings, or some of our smaller goals and intensions in this life, and because of that we miss the mark of obtaining our full potential. When we look at our goals as something that we HAVE TO do, where we cut off the idea of retreat, or making our goals optional, then we would never miss the mark, just like we would never miss a plane. It's given me a new prespective of goals and self-mastery. So I just wanted to say good job moma, keep up the CAN DO attitude. Impossible is just some imaginary boundry we put in our minds. We constantly need to tear it down.

   This week has been crazy madness my friends. We moved into the new apartment in East Memphis, and it's sick, as in awesome. The walls are clean. The carpet looks like it's never been walked on. It's a brand spankin new missionary apartment. It's been nice living there the past 3 days. It was really fun moving too, we got to throw stuff off balconies and things, that's always cool.

   This morning has been the craziest morning of my life though. We figured Elder Kowalk was getting transfered outsta here because I'm done training him now, so as usual the AP's called this morning and told him to pack his stuff. Then I get out of the shower and the phone rings, and I see that it's President. So I answer, and he tells me I need to pack my stuff too, he said he was planning on leaving me in Memphis East, but last night he woke up, and had the impression that I was needed as a Zone Leader in Arkansas. So that blew my mind this morning. I was so surprised that I kinda zoned out after he said that and forgot I was still on the phone with him, lol. He said I'm gonna be opening a new area with another Zone Leader on the other side of the river. So that was madness. I was planning on giving you guys my address today so you could send me stuff if you want, but I'm gonna have to wait another week since I'll be moving again. The best option would honestly be to send stuff to the mission home, because I'm gonna be on that side of the river in two days anyway.

   I don't know how I feel about going to Arkansas, or being made Zone Leader, I was only a District Leader for one transfer, but I know the Lord calls us in our weakness. He takes raw materials and refines them into his ultimate design, so I know It'll all be bueno.

   We've just been working with other missionaries right now since we haven't officially had an area this week. Raleigh is being closed and Memphis East is being open and we've just been in the middle of the transition, and but both of us are being transfered somewhere else, so it's been kinda crazy.

   I was in Memphis 2nd Ward yesterday, and we had a really great church service, I really enjoyed it. It was the primary program, and the week before we saw the Memphis 1st ward primary program, so we've just been watching little kids sing and say funny stuff. It's been good.

   I hope I enjoy Arkansas, but then again it's just everything I make of it so I know it'll be good if I want it to be. I kinda have those butterflies you get in your stomache the night before a big day, like Christmas or going to Disney Land or something. I've never been too far into that side of the mission, and I know that in like 8 days I'll have to give a Zone Meeting with whoever my Zone Leader companion is, to missionaries I've never met. This is exciting, lol.

Well. Happy Halloween, have some fun for me. Carve some pumpkins, eat some candy, and watch some freaky movies. I enjoy this time of the year, I'm excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I hear missionaries are like celebrities on those days, depending on the ward. I hope I get fed like 5 times in one day, and if not, I can always eat some delicious ramen. haha. I've been buying a lot of tuna lately, cuz its way good for you and way cheap. AND, believe it or not, tuna mixed in mac-n-cheese is pretty good. I recommend it.

Family, Friends, and anyone else who could possibly read this. I love you all. Thank you for your support. You make the world go round.

ps. Keep your eyes peeled for anything that could be useful in a teaching situation. I like to try new ideas. Another elder I went on exchanges with has this legit dvd of what he called "Mormon Messages", it's like parts of conference talks with videos and music put to it. They are super legit. If you find anything about those, I definately wanna get my hands on those. Or if you have any inspirational church dvd's or talks on CD's or anything like that. I'd love some more of that stuff, for training meetings and teaching situations and things. AND if you ever find a little inspirational qoute book, those are helpful too, lots of missionaries have LDS qoute books, from apostles and leaders and just famous smart people. So all of these things are things that I would be able to use.

Alright, now I'm really gonna get going and email president. I love love love ya. Talk to you in a week and let you know how Arkansas is. Have a great week, and remember- CAN DO.

peace love and much happiness

-Elder Justin LeBaron

10.24.11

Aloha family,

 

   Sarah! Good job, sounds like you're doing awesome in school, i bet your glad I showed you the example of what not to do, lol. Keep it up! It makes me happy to hear that you're getting in good habits so young.

   Mom, I love you, keep working hard in the gym, haha, it reall does make me happy to hear the whole family is trying to be more healthy. A healthy family is a happy family, right?

   Thanks for the E-mail Dad, sometimes I hit some rough patches out here in the mission field, I do find it really helpful to hear mission stories and experiences from others who have previously served. Since both my parents have, I could learn a lot from you. I've been trying to ask RM's that are in my ward out here and any I run into, because their answers always interest and motivate me, and also give me idea's as a District Leader on how to help my District, But, I know, just like Alma tells us, that by small and simple things great things are brought to pass. I've been asking other people that have served , what worked in their mission, how they found success, what changed their mission around. President Garrett, in our stake presidency out here has told us that in his mission, what really turned everything around was praying for your companion during lessons. He said their mission president set an expectation, where just like it says in Preach My Gospel (even though this was way before PMG was even thought about) That during every lesson, when your companion was teaching, you would face him, listen, and fervently pray in your heart that the words he's saying will touch the investigator, and that he will be led by the spirit. President Garrett said this worked miracles in his mission, they went from baptizing on average 1.8 people per missionary to baptizing 10 or 12. I know that many blessings we can and will receive from heaven are conditional on whether or not we pray for them, prayer is the key to unlocking them, but when he told me that story I thought that was amazing, that truly is a miracle.

    So Mom and Dad, and Grandpa, and anyone else who reads this and wants to email me back. What worked on your mission? How did you find success? What do you remember that had a big impact on you? What miracles did you see? I wanna know. I need all the help I can get, and there's no time to waste.

 

   This past week the office Elder called and kinda surprised me. They told me to get all the stuff in our apartment ready to move and pack up our suitcases because we'll be moving Wednesday. So Raleigh is getting closed in 2 days. Transfers aren't even until the 2nd, but they said this was most convenient for them. So I have been going around with Elder Kowalk trying to say goodbye to everyone that I've come to love and care about here in Raleigh. Since I really haven't moved my whole mission it's a little exciting, but at the same time it's kinda sad. I'm going to miss the Memphis 1st ward, but I'm really not going far. I'll only be like 30 minutes away from Raleigh.

   I went on exchanges like crazy this week. I think I only got to work my area 2 days. I went to West Memphis to work with Elder Bigelow for a day, lol, and I honestly loved that, he reminded me a lot of Elder Hardy, he's super socially akward in the best way, he cracks me up. I had a lot of fun with him. Then the Zone Leaders asked if I could exchange with them while doing a double exchange with Jonesboro so that they could still have 1 ZL in Frayser. So I went up to Jonesboro over in Arkansas with Elder Gerber, and worked with another District Leader over there named Elder Dispain, it was interesting. He's getting ready to go home in like 9 days, so its always interesting talking to missionaries that are on the end of their rope like that. and we had this really big training meeting that was kinda like a miny Zone Conference, so I stayed really busy this week, I was in and out of a lot of different area's.

   Then Friday I spent most of the day in Midtown and Frayser doing baptismal interviews for my District. Oh, and guess what? We had 6 baptisms Saturday as a District! It was awesome. The only thing that would have made it better is if Crystal and Dennis got baptized, It was frustrating because I was gone in other area's all week so I couldn't be here to prepare them for Saturday, and when Friday rolled around Elder Lester interviewed them and I guess they both decided they wanted to wait another 2 weeks. I'm not even going to be here in 2 weeks, so I'm a little upset I have to leave before they get baptized, but the Zone Leaders are suppossed to take over and work with them after we leave. I'm sure I'll be able to come down for the baptism though.

    So yeah, if anyone wants to send me a letter or a package, please don't send it this week, wait until I get my new address. OR If you want to send something now, send it to the mission home and they'll give it to me in like 9 days at transfers. So send it to the little rock address.

   I'm short on time, but I love you all. have an awesome week. Keep on keepin' on.

 

Elder LeBaron-

10.18.11

Lol... Well. Thank you for the e-mails. I really enjoyed reading about how my brother almost died. Bro-ski, you gotta be freaking careful. I don't want to hear about any more deaths, you're suppossed to look before you drive through an intersection. You need to be alive when I get home so I can make fun of you for that. I'm glad you were protected, and I'm sorry your ear got jacked up. Too bad you wrecked the big bad Green Wagon, Sarah will never get her turn to drive that bad boy, guess you'll have to try and find another one Dad. I don't want her to miss out, I had some good memories with that car... Like that stop sign I took out, or that median I drove over, and the multiple curbs I hit. Not to mention how cool I always felt pullin up to high school in that bad boy, nothing says swagger more than a wagon. Those were the days.

 

   Well, Not too much has happened this week. I went on exchanges with Midtown, we did a lot of tracting, we found 5 new investigators, so that was awesome, but overall it was a rough week. I think my son is a little discouraged. This next week should be really good though, Crystal and Dennis are both looking good for baptism, and should be getting baptized on Oct 22nd. That should be way cool. 

  To answer your question Mom, transfers are in 3 weeks, and yeah... since they're closing Raleigh I will for sure be moving. I'm not moving far though. President told me I'm going to the Memphis 2nd Ward. I was way glad to hear that I was staying in Memphis. wooot.  

   Me and my new companion will actually be sharing an apartment with the Zone Leaders in the other Memphis Zone, so that will be cool. It's always fun being around other missionaries. I hear Memphis 2nd ward is a lot like Memphis 1st, so I should feel right at home, and my MTC comp Elder Emery is training his new missionary in that ward, so I'll get to serve around him, I'm excited for that. It will be werid leaving Raleigh though, I'll have been here for 7 1/2 months at the end of this transfer so it pretty much feels like home to me. I think I'm ready for new surroundings, and to see more of the mission.

   I've been studying a lot about Faith the past few days. I've been thinking a lot about how so many returned missionaries talk about all these miracles they saw while they were on their missions. My mission has been a great experience up to this point, but I want to see more miracles. I want to experience things that will change who I am and who I ever will be for the rest of my life. I don't feel like I'm getting the results I want, and I'm getting a little frustrated, I don't know exactly what it is. I was reading through Ether chapter 12 the other day, and throughout the whole first half of the chapter he continually says something like, "and by their faith - this happened, and because they had so much faith- these miracles were wrought." and it links miracles directly to faith. Which I guess might be a common understanding, but it reminded me how there are certain laws that God follows, like how faith always precedes miracles, and how obediece always precedes blessings just like it talks about in D&C 131. If I want too see more miracles, and help my district to see more miracles, I need to increase my faith. In the Bible Dictionary it says something like "Miracles don't increase your faith, faith is increased by obedience". Obedience is something that is always drilled into our heads as missionaries, and it's like there are so many rules it's nearly impossible to follow all of them, without giving up things that are difficult to give up. Sacrificing 2 years is hard. Sacrificing writing letters to family members and friends through-out the week, just to be more obedient to the white handbook is even harder, sacrifcing the little free-time you get at night to make sure you write in your journal and say your prayers and plan for the next day and fill out the area book, and just everyything. It is hard... A mission is hard. and I get a little frustrated, just because I don't feel like I've ever been one to follow the rules. I always looked for ways to get around rules growing up, and when everyone is telling me to do one thing, I just instinctivly want to do the opposite. Now my life is about rules. I'm learning a lot of self discipline, and focusing on how everytime I sacrifice, it will increase my faith. I want to learn more self discipline, just like President Erying talked about in preisthood session. I want my faith to be stronger than it ever has been, and the only way that can happen is through my actions. If I can show God how much this means to me, he will show me miracles, and make me an instrument in his hand. I have a lot I need to work on. Thank goodness the atonement is real.

 

Sorry I've just been writing my stream of thought. I love all you guys. Dad. Happy Birthday! what are you like 25 now? Keep working out those arms so we can have that arm wrestling competition we talked about. Love you all. take care.

 

-Elder LeBaron

10.10.11

Hey family,

 

   I'm really pressed for time this week so it'll be a little short. This week just blew by. It's insane, I feel like I didn't have enough time to do anything.

   Tuesday after Zone Meeting I went on exchanges with Elder Wawro in Frayser. It was good to be workin my old area for a day. We had an awesome lesson with this lady named Lillian, who we committed to stop smoking, it was really spiritual, we were all tearing up through it. She wants to quit so bad, but she keeps giving in. I hate cigarettes. I want to burn down all the tobbacco companies. It ruins lives. Her daughter has serious lung problems just from all the second hand smoke she's been breathing growing up. She can hardly breathe at all. Elder Wawro gave Lillian an awesome blessing and we set a baptismal date for this weekend, but she ended up smoking about 3 cigarettes every day after that visit, so they had to push it back. The rest of the day was just fall through appointments and finding.
  Wednesday we got to see Crystal and Dennis, they're looking awesome for baptism on the 22nd. Then we went and gave Star's daughter Mari a blessing. We did some finding, and had a good lesson with the Jacksons.

  Thursday and Friday was super busy. Thursday we had to drive down to West Memphis so I could do some baptismal interviews, and Friday we were in Midtown so I could do some more baptismal interviews, I think I did 8 total. Then we went down to Dyersburg with the AP's to help them with a few things. 

  Saturday was the baptism for April, Kierra, and Erica, all from the Midtown elders,and I got to interview all of them and they are awesome. That was a cool night. Afterwards we went to the stake center to help Brother Presley with his little Elvis concert, lol. That was fun. It was like 30 single adults sitting at a table watching brother presley put on a show, and he's a great guy and he gives it his all, but he's really hard of hearing, so he can't exatly hear his own voice, he's a little tone deaf. I was entertained though. We were in charge of the lights and the fog machine, haha.

   It was a good night though, me and Elder Kowalk took a few pictures, I'm gonna attach the one of us in front of the temple.

   Like I said, this week has just blown by, but I guess it's because I did work in 3 other areas. Something crazy I found out - President called me and told me he's been thinking about closing Raleigh and moving me over to the Memphis 2nd Ward to open a new area. I guess Elder Badger and President talked a lot about how having 4 set of missionaries in the Memphis 1st ward made it hard for the members to supprt the missionaries in their efforts and how Raleigh was probably the hardest area in the ward to work fr different reasons. So the ZL's in Frayser are going to cover our Recent Converts and I'm going over to Memphis 2nd and opening a new area next transfer. and word on the street is I might be training again because of the huge amount of missionaries we have coming into the mission next transfer. Idk, we'll see what happens. I most likely wil hop zones. I am excited though, cuz my MTC comp Elder Emery is in the Memphis 2nd ward, so I'd get to work closely with him.

  I gotta bounce. but I love ya'll. keep it real. and please do send me some of your world famous grape juice, it wouldn't feel like the holidays without it.

   Stephen, you're a bum for not writing, but I still love you. Alyssa, happy belated birthday! now neither of us are teen-agers. It's madness. Sarah- kick butt at Districts, show em what you're made of! and ne one else who wants a shout-out, word up gangsta.

 

Elder LeBaron--

10.03.11

Aloooooo-ha.

 

   How ya'll doin? Sounds like er'thang is pretty good back home. Things are pretty good here in Tennessee as well. The work has been kinda slow, but the Lord has been opening doors this past week, and I'm so excited for this up-comming week. It's gonna be awesome.

  I'm glad to hear you all enjoyed conference. I did too. I felt the same way, it was wierd just knowing everyone back home was watching the same thing I was at the same time. I felt connected to ya. I gotta say, my favorite talk was President Eyring during preisthood session. I looked back at my notes and like half of them were from that talk. He's a stud. I love how he talked about how power and strength comes from working past the point where others would stop or take a break, and how the Lord will give you strength beyond your own capabilities.

   Something that just popped in my head, I'm sure in my emails you notice I say stud a lot. Well I say it all the time when I'm teaching and I talk about Ammon or Alma or Helaman, or anyone who is worthy to be called a stud, and I noticed a few months ago that almost everytime I say it the people I'm teaching giggle or laugh. So I finally just asked why they laughed whenever I said stud, and they told me that when you say the word "stud" in the ghetto, it means lesbian. So I was like what??? blown away. I thought a stud was like a male horse. I don't know where ghetto people get all this crazy slang. So I try not to call people studs anymore when I teach, lol. But ya'll know what I mean when I say it, so I can use it in my emails.

   My first District Meeting went pretty good. I was getting a lot of comments and questions, and everyone was participating, so i think that means it went good. We talked a lot about FEAR, and how that can hinder us as missionaries, sometimes more than anything else. So we talked about ways to eliminate it and to be more bold and fearless. I used an object lesson from that book you guys sent me, so thank you! It was pretty legit. We also really focused on Inspiring vs. critisizing. Which is a huge lesson I've learned on my mission. If you want to help someone improve, critisism does nothing, if anything in most situations it makes the victim not want to change and pushes them further down. When you critisize it is often a form of pride, where you put yourself on a higher level than someone else, and tell them what they lack. When you inspire, you show humility, and patience, and love. Christ showed us how to inspire. He humbly, quietly, and confidently led the way by his perfect example. He never pointed out sinners, or told them they weren't good enough. I love the scripture in 3 Ne, where Christ asks the question "What manner of men ought ye to be?" and he answered it "even as I am". There can be no better leader than a man who shows the way by his own thoughts and actions.

   After District Meeting I went on exchanges with Elder Owen, the Elder from England. That was really fun, lol, I just love hearing him talk. We ended up teaching a family the Plan Of Salvation and setting a baptismal date with them, so that was awesome. Midtown is doing well. Elder Petersen is his trainer, and he's one of my very best friends I've made on the mission. He's a lot like me, just really short. lol.

   The rest of the week kinda flew by. We had baptismal dates with Crystal and Dennis, and they were looking so solid, but out of no where they decided to move up to Arkansas. We'll refer them to the missionaries there, but I was bummed we don't get to work with them anymore.

   We have a few awesome refferals we need to follow up with tonight and tommorrow, and it should be sweeet.

   My whole District is doing awesome. We set a goal for the month of October to baptize 10 people together as a District. So that's 2 per companionship. We have 17 dates all together, and the month just started so it's looking good.

   Elder Kowalk and I just recently started working with Mary's son, John. Mary is the Sudan lady Elder Jones and I baptized. So I'm way excited for him. He came to conference with Mary yesterday, and he said he loved it! We're meeting with him again on Wednesday. I can't wait for that.

   Oh, something uncool that I just thought about. The AP's came up with this thing called the "Car Fast", where we get to park the cars for however many companionships in our zone go over on miles. So we're all allotted around 1000 miles a month, which tends to disappear pretty quick, and we have like 13 cars in our Zone, so we could possibly bike for 13 days straight, not including our bike week. So that sucks. lol. President is going to have a conference call tonight with all the mission leadership and tell us every companionship that went over,and how many days each zone has to bike. So we'll find out tonight. From the information I've gathered it should be only like 5 days.

   Well, I love you all. There was a few other things I was gonna mention but I can't remember em, so I guess they weren't that important. Have a good week. Hear from ya next week. Keep on keepin' on.

 

Elder LeBaron

9.26.11

Dear Family,

 

   Thank you for the emails... sometimes it is so wierd being out here and being away from the rest of the world, and then finding out how much things change while you're gone. A lot of things happen that you don't expect. For some reason I thought that when I'd come home everything would pretty much be the same. Hearing about Bro McLay really sent me for a loop for about a week, I've come to the conclusion that the best thing to do is to not think about it, and I know my father in heaven has given me the ability to put that in the back of my mind and find peace, so that my testimony can burn brighter than ever while I'm fufilling my responsibilities as a missionary.

   Hearing about Liz today is another one of those things... I wish that I could be there for her funeral. This doesn't really seem real. I'm just thinking about all the great memories I've had with her. Spending so much time at work with her and the connection we both had with the Boyds made her always feel like family to me... I'm greatful for the plan God has for his children. I wish I could be there with all of her family and friends to honor her memory.

 

   Even before that, this week has been pretty crazy. Sister Townsend, an older lady in the ward that I'm very close to, nearly died this past week. She went to sleep one night last week and woke up in the ICU. Two firefighters came in and found her hanging in her home. She has bruises all over her body and intense rope marks around her neck... Her husband, who has a history of being abusive, claims that she did it to herself. From what we've heard, she decided to go along with that so that Henry wouldn't get charged with anything. Sis Townsend herself has a history of being suicidal. It's all a very interesting and unfortunate situation, but Bro Floyd called us last week and told us her situation, and said that she called him and wanted him to bring me and my companion down to the hospital to visit her. She was worried that I was going to be transfered while she was in there and she wanted to say goodbye.

   We went to visit her, and I was able to give her a blessing. She said that I've been on her mind, and she thinks it's because she knew I wanted to be a firefighter, and she kept thinking about the 2 firefighters who saved her the other night. When we were there she told us the story, and then she looked at me and I told me she knows it's my calling to help people, just like the paramedics helped her. It was a neat experience. Sister Townsend is kind of like my mom for this area, she's always checking on me and lifting my spirits. I have a lot of respect for her... and she's been through so much, but she keeps pushing forward. She has definately strengthened my testimony in being diligent through the trials we face in this life. Her health is improving and she should be out of the hospital sometime this week. I think her and her husband are going to be seperated for a while. It's a tough situation to descirbe, because they both have such a radical history, but I think things are going to work out for the best from here on out.

   Ronnie Jackson also ended up in the hospital this week. He got really sick with pnemonia. We got to go visit him with Keisha one night. We were able to give him a blessing in the hospital, and he's diong a lot better now too. What's really cool is that Ronnie and Keisha have come a lot closer together since he's been sick. She's been taking care of him, and they are acting like they love eachother again. It makes me so happy, lol, cuz I've been trying so hard my whole mission to help those two out.

  

   To get to some more crazy news. Wednesday morning Elder Badger came over to our apartment before transfers to say goodbye to me, because we knew he was leaving, and figured it'd probably be over the river, so I probably won't see him much through the remainder of my mission. They went to transfers and we just finished up studies because we weren't getting transfered. Like an hour later I get flooded with texts from missionaries telling me congrats on going District Leader. That was a surprise. Elder Lester went Zone Leader and I'm the new District Leader of the Memphis 1st District. Elder Badger however, my mission dad, got released from Zone Leader, to be called as Presidents new Assistant. That was a surprise to like the whole mission. Elder Peay got released to go train, so Elder Badger took his spot. So my Trainers an AP now.

   I didn't think I'd be training and get Leadership at the same time. It's double duty. I honestly was not expecting it, but for some reason it happened. lol. My first District Meeting is tommorrow, wish me luck. and now I get to call and make sure every one is in and safe on time, and hold them accountable for the work that they do in their individual area's. Our District is actually the biggest in the mission. It's 5 companionships, which I didn't think was that big, but most Districts in this mission are 3 or 4 companionships. What's really colol is we have 3 missionaries in the District who are brand new and being trained, so they have that MTC fire. One of them is from England. He sounds like he's straight out of Harry Potter, lol, and black people in the ghetto think it's awesome.

   I am greatful for all the letters I receive. I enjoy reading them. Thank you Kylee, and Alyssa, and Sis Boyd, and everyone else who has written me recently. It's nice to hear from people. I'm sorry that I don't write back. I have given up on writing letters. Quick E-mails I can do. But I really don't have time to write letters, especially now that I'm in Leadership as well as training. There's a lot I have to worry about, and I need to set the example for the new missionaries, and just like it states in our white hand book, I'm striving to limit correspondance with others and focus on the work at hand. Many mighty miracles will be wrought in this land, and the more I focus on my mission and the less I think about home, the better I will be able to be all that the the Lord wants me to be.

   There are 2 different ways we can become. Diliberatly or accidently. We are creatures of change and we change every single day, either becoming stronger or weaker. We can decide to become, by making diliberate choices to reach our potential. Or, we can go with the flow and become whatever life makes us, never reaching our full potential. I am striving to make the choice, of choosing what I become.

 

   I love you. Thank you for your constant support and encouragement. It helps me keep going. Have a good week, you'll be in my prayers.

 

   -Elder Justin LeBaron

9.21.11

Family,

 

 

   I know, I know. I apologize. When I actually start writing you guys it takes me a while, mainly because I'm a slow typer, but also because I have a lot to say, and Idk if other missionaries just write like a little paragragh to their families or something, but they somehow manage to read all their emails, write president back and write their family in an hour. It takes me an hour just to read all my emails and write president. So Elder Kowalk and I usually get back on and write our families. Yesterday we were doing the Spanish missionaries a favor and had to take them down to the Temple to see the departing missionaries, and then go shopping and things, so it cut our email time short, and so we weren't able to get back on. It's not like it's a burden to write you guys, I love letting you all know what's going on. I was actually a little frustrated because the spanish missionaries didn't let us know they were expecting us to cut email short, but it's all good. So sorry this is a day late.

    Sounds like everythings goin' bueno. Thank you for all the Happy Birthday wishes. Holidays and Birthdays are wierd on the mission, because they don't feel real, they just feel like another day in the mission field. But, I am infact 20 years old now, where did my childhood go? I dont even know. At least I can still be a kid on the inside.

   So, This past week was horrible. Mostly because my companion and I got some wicked food poisoning. Tuesday afternoon Elder Kowalk said his tummy hurt, so we went home after district meeting so he could lay down, and then he just started rolling around and crying and said he was in the worst pain of his life and told me to take him to the hospital. So I called Sister Petersen, who had us call the mission doctor, who talked to Elder Kowalk and came to the conclusion he had food poisoning, and said the only thing to really do was to wait it out. I knew it was only a matter of time before I got sick, since we ate all the same things. At around 6 that night I started getting a stomache ache. For those of you that have had food poisoning before, you feel our pain. Freak, that was the worst. I got to sleep at around 5 a.m. Wednesday morning. So Tuesday and Wednesday we were sick and didn't get any work done, so that sucked. My stomache felt like it was trying to be on the outside of me. Elder Kowalk said it was the worst pain he ever experienced in his life, lol. It was bad. I just kinda spent the whole night laying on the couch for like 20 min lying in pain, then crawling to the bathroom to throw up or poop or do anything possible to make my stomach feel better, lay on the bathroom floor for like 20 min, then crawl back out to the couch and repeat the cycle. But no matter what, I just contuinued to feel horrible for like 24 hours straight. So we're never eating at Stevie B's Pizza ever again, and I don't recommend it.

   After that our week got a little better. We found some awesome people and had some fun. Today is officially the start of the new transfer. Can you believe I've already been training for 6 weeks now? time flies. It's ridiculous. My dear friend Elder Streeter goes home today, he's a crazy kid. It's weird to think that missionaries actually go home. When you're out here in the middle of it, it just seems like your whole life, it's weird to think it's actually gonna end one day.

   I think this will be my last transfer serving in the Memphis 1st ward. I've been here my whole mission, and it'll be 10 1/2 months after this transfer, so it's probably about time. I can't even imagine not being in this area, it's gonna be so weird. If only they let me stay 1 more transfer after this one, then I can officially serve half my mission in the Memphis 1st ward. I don't think that'll happen, but maybe I can ask Pres to let me finish out in this ward, it can be my dying wish.

   Star is doing really well this week. She really loves Elder Kowalk and I, she calls us like every day and invites us over for dinner. We try to at least stop by just about every day, because she's still a recent convert and needs a lot of support, AND there's so many people around here that we can share the gospel with. Her sisters are always over there, and her baby daddy, and this kid she has temp custody over named Jeffery. Star is such a good person. She has her struggles like everyone, but she has the sweetest heart and spirit, and a strong desire to rise above her surroundings and culture. Memphis is like a black hole. The kids here grow up in the middle of this mess of gangs and drugs and sex and violence, and it's what they learn. There's a proverb somewhere that says something to the effect of , "teach a child while they're young, and it will stay with them when they're grown". It's and endless cycle of people not knowing how to be a good parent, because their parents were never even around, because they were addicted to meth or coke, or incarsarated for gang fights, so when we teach these people the gospel it's almost like it's too much to grasp. It doesn't make sense to them because of the way they've grown up. For example, there's a recent convert in the ward, GREAT guy, I love him to death, he has such a good heart, and he has had a huge change of heart, just like all these people we bring into the gospel. He's quit drinking, he's quit having sex outside of marriage, he's retired from GD (gangster disciples) so he's no longer active in his gang, he has changed so much. He called us up the other day and asked if we wanted to go to the strip club with him. Of course I was like, what in the world man, you know that's not what God wants you to do. But to him, he didn't even recognize that wasn't okay. He figured as long as he wasn't having sex he was good. It is sooooo so hard to help these people change their lifestyles when they are living in the middle of all of this madness. I pray everyday for answers, and honestly, I just wanna take all my recent converts and put them in Utah. They need to get out of here... but idk. We are making a change. Memphis is like a diamond in the rough. There's just so much rough we gotta get rid of.

   My birthday was really awesome! I got the money from both grandparents, thank you so much! and I got my package from you guys this morning, thank you, I love food! I also got a package from Kelsey this morning, with the coolest tie I now own inside, thanks so much Kels :) Going over to JD and Mo's was sweet. It's nice to have them so close by, it's like the closest I can get to feeling like I'm home. Monique was talking to Danielle on the phone, and she put it on loud speaker, and then she asked if Steve was there, and then JD and Mo just asked Steve tons of questions right next to me... It was the weirdest thing in the world hearing Stephen. I don't know if it's against the rules to be in the room with someone talking to your brother, but when I heard his voice and my heart just like jumped. When she first called danielle I thought she was talking to my mom, and I was like "are you seriously talking to my mom right in front of me?" and she was like, no! this is my sister. It was craziness. I'm sure you guys watched the video's. It super akward, but whatevs. We had a good time. Thank you Stevey and Dany for the candy. I appreciate it a lot.

   Before all that madness, we were at Brother Floyds house, and we played an intense game of Risk with him and the spanish missionaries. It was awesome, mostly because I destroyed everyone and conquered the world. lol... I was really bad at Risk before my mission, but for some reason I'm good now. Maybe the level of competition is weak here in the ALRM if you catch my drift. haha, jk. I like the old school version though, it's whats up. there's no crazy rules and it's just nice peaceful world domination.

   The work is going really well. We have some awesome new people we're working with and this week should be a winner. We have a new family that moved into the ward. Well, not moved, they were assigned to our ward from Millington, but they are awesome. The Hydes. They were called to be ward missionaries and Brother Hyde is the new scout master, and this guy is legit. He's so pumped up about the work, and want's to re-activate all the teenage kids in the ward through scouting. I went out with him this past week to visit some of the youth and it was awesome. He pumps me up, he's got so much energy. I'm excited to be working with him.

   Everything is going super beuno. I am having a great time. I love you all. I gotta get going. Have a great week. I especially love you momma. Sorry this email is late, I know you look forward to Mondays.

 

Love you.

 

-Elder LeBaron