Elder LeBaron's Mission: The Last of the First....

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELDER LEBARON! I've got something great to tell you!"

"Uh- thank you president! What's going on?"

"You've been in Lutsk for a long time now, huh?"

"Yeah! I love it he-"

"Well, I'm sending you to Ivano Frankivsk!"

"Oh. Um. Thank you president."

"Great? Great. Have a nice birthday!"

"Th...Thanks!"

*Click*

I'm finally leaving my very first area.

I've lived in Lutsk, Ukraine for almost 6 months, and now they're sending me to a bigger city in the other zone - Ivano-Frankivsk. I was a little bit shocked to get the call. It was a stretch for me to expect that I would get to serve in the incredible city for 7 whole months, but hey, it was a miracle I was hoping for!

The members are incredible here in Lutsk, and leaving them will probably tear my heart out and stomp it into a million little dusty pieces. We get calls almost every day from members who just want to ask us how we're doing, want to know what we're up to, and if they can talk to us before I leave the area. I love this place so much, and if President Lattin allows, I would love to come back to this area and serve here again. Lutsk will probably always feel like home to me in Ukraine. Brother Zhuk said he is going to get a Skype account so he can talk to Elder Hadfield and I when we go back home. I love him a whole lot.

Luckily, I've got a testimony that President Lattin is listening to Heavenly Father, and knows exactly where I need to be, and who I need to be with. So, Ivano Frankivsk -- Look out! I'm on my way!

Things we did this week --

1) We went to the village again and gathered up hay bales. Three 19-21 year old boys were left alone in a wide open field with just one bale of hay, and three boards of wood. I wish I could show you every picture that we took, but let's just say that over 100 pictures of shenanegans later, we may have found every single way possible play with one hay bale, and three boards of wood.

2) We went and blessed the Sacrament for Sister Matsyoha again! I love that woman. Her husband walked out without pants on, and started chuckling and laughing. He's kind of crazy, but he's got a sweet heart. She told us that he puts on a sweater, a coat, a blanket, and still complains about being cold, but "he won't put his darn pants on!" It's quite an interesting situation there...

3) I learned how to make Borshch from Brother and Sister Kostachyuk. I'm going to get started practicing for weekly meals, that way I'm a pro when I get back.

4) Our investigator who dropped his baptismal date and dissapeared came to church to say goodbye on my last sunday! He wants to start meeting again!!

5) I had an awesome birthday, and one of the members even called me to sing me "Happy Birthday" in english. (Shout out BROTHER CADOVIE!) [he doesn't have internet... so he'll never know I did that...]

And yeah! I got a lot of adventuring to do ahead of me.

ALSO! The "old - folks" went home. This wednesday, Elder Ward and Millard are flying back to america! Wow... It was sad to say goodbye to them. I wish them the best, and hope that they find a whole new big adventure awaiting them back in america.

Elder Ward is my size in everything, so I got a lot of nice stuff to prepare myself for the coming winter! Score.

Anywho, I love you all very much.

Keep up the good work.

Stay faithful and never falter.

I'll stay in touch.

Elder LeBaron

(Pictures : Limbo in the middle of a field... Me with Brother Sadovie... Me with Sister Mastyoha)