How to not be trunky -- A traveler's tale.

EVERYONE IS LEAVING!

Today, we have 4 of my favorite missionaries leaving...

And I'm going with them to the airport to say goodbye. One of them is my companion, Elder Salamatin.  

It feels like I'm going home.

But I'm not.

Since we just need to make the best of our circumstances, I've come up with some ways to AVOID TRUNKINESS.

1) Study your scriptures as though you will never see them again if you put them down!  

2) Bear your testimony ALL THE TIME!

3) Eat well, sleep well, and enjoy your life.

4) Never say, "Man, when I get home..."

5) Pray for strength to focus on what's important

6) Remember that you still have lots of time, and that it's all really valuable!

As I've been trying to follow each of these goals, I'm keeping myself from going crazy. 

I'm going to be following Elder Plaster (our local senior couple elder) and President Rizley for the next two days...  No companion till wednesday.

Life is weird.

But it's pretty cool.

There are really big changes coming, and I'm certain that they will lead to make these next couple of transfers AWESOME!!!

I'm very positive for the future here!

I love you all!

We are eating really well, so I'll attach pictures.

I guess I'll talk to you next week.

​See ya!​

Baptism, Bunkers... Burnt Yellow.

Hello Everybody!

This week has been a week to remember!  It'll be easier to remember because I GOTS PICTURES!

Most every day is crazy here.  I like it a lot.  Planning for the conference was not my favorite thing to do, but I think everything turned out alright.  Elder Salamatin put me in "charge" of everything, but was ready to catch me if anything broke through the floor.  WE had a 1 hour presentation of the culture of our mission, and what to expect as the mission's overall vision.

I have but one regret;

We should have made popcorn  

Nobody slept though, so it's fine.

Again -- so many elders crammed into one house.  You'd think that a war had broken loose, and our apartment was the only safe bunker available in the city of L'viv.  The aftermath was comparable to an open war-zone.

Then, we had both sets of Zone Leaders up in our area so that we could go on exchanges with them.  NUTS.  I got to go with Elder Ferbey (my companion from the MTC) and Elder Rubliuk (My Trainee from Ivano Frankivsk).  It was lots of fun... except that I felt like my brain was going to explode out of my eyeballs on the second exchange for most of the day... but hey, sometimes you only get to choose HOW you're going to work, and not your working conditions.

There was a baptism in the Branch on sunday!  It was actually kind of cool, because he was baptized in the morning at 9:30, and then he got the gift of the Holy Ghost in sacrament meeting right after.  He was happy as a clam, but he also fell asleep in sacrament because of the extra early train he had to take to make it on time from the village he lives in.

Before his baptism, however, we had a serious problem...

The font was filled with cold water, even though we had it turned to warm...

And it was yellow.

Like, burnt yellow.

Like urine.

So... the next morning, we were at the church at 5am trying to fix everything so that we had at least clear water.  It was freezing, but hey, that's invigorating, right?

Overall, everything turned out just fine.

My companion is going home next week!

It's definitely time for him to get back home -- He's been serving for over 2 years now because of his switch from his Russian Mission to being sent over here.  Tired, old Elder Salamatin.

That's about it for this week!

Have a great week, and keep yourselves immersed in the scriptures! Keep a prayer in your heart!

God's love will shine brighter and more clearly on us as we do.

Elder LeBaron

President Rizley's Race-car

Hi everyone!

It's been a good week.  We had a lot of things that needed to get done, and not a lot of time to do them (like, you know, every week).  One of those big things that we had to get done was preparing for the departure of President Steinagel, because the new full-time mission President was coming in on Friday.  The mission office has never been so clean... ever.  It's spotless.  Not to mention that we had a bunch of new equipment put in, and we had NO training on how to use any of it...  it's been an adventure to say the least.

Volodymyr is still getting baptized next week!  We're stoked!  He's a good guy, and will make a wonderful addition to the branch.  He's good friends with the Branch President, Roman Lisniy, so it's been good to have that direct member help. 

President Rizley came in on friday, and he's honestly one of the coolest people that I've ever met.  As we were in his office talking about the plans for the mission, he turns to us and says, 

"You're going to need to speak up/ I actually have really bad hearing.  It's because of fast cars, loud music and machinery, and guns."  

"Fast cars?" 

"Yeah, I used to have a race-car"

"You had a race-car?"

And then he kept talking about whatever he was more interested in.  Still don't know a whole lot about him, but I know one thing for sure -- He owned a race-car.

He's actually a very successful businessman, a rancher, and a well known church leader.  His wife is a FIREBALL.  She's a professional teacher, and one of the most positive people ever!  She hiked the grand canyon not long before coming out here... 

So, needless to say that they are impressive people.

He's said a lot of good things to us about what the Apostles are saying about our mission, and he's super excited to be working here.  I was asked to translate his talk on Sunday without much warning, and despite my struggle, everyone understood and felt the spirit! :)

Most of the week beside that has been just planning for the conference this coming week, and running around in an attempt to get everything else under control.  I'm loving how busy it is here!  Busy days with lots of success make for happy missionaries :)

I love you all!

Remember to always live worthy of the spirit in order to follow his promptings.  Those promptings will be what puts our lives in line with God's will, and will make us the most happy!

Have a great week!

-- Elder LeBaron

Insert Title Here

It's been a good week.

Missionary work is a great learning experience. 

I'm learning a lot about patience, kindness, love, teaching with the spirit, listening with the spirit, how to be a better disciple of Christ... 

and as a headline principle for this week:

Don't eat a big bowl of 4 day old spicy macaroni and then take a nap.  

The following are symptoms;

Dreams an unnatural nature - Stomach noises that frighten your Ukrainian companion -  Being so disoriented that you have a burning impression that you are in the matrix - And finally a good 30 minutes of spicy penalty time out on the ceramic throne in the back room.

Mercy, me.

On a less 19-year-old boyish note, we have some great things going on in our area!

There's a baptismal date in the branch for the 26 of July!  Another Volodymyr.  He's 23, and is AMAZED by temples.  He loves the prospect of going to the one in Kiev, and is willing to do anything to get there.  On top of that, he's looking for a change in his life that will help him to be a better man.  It's nice when people ask for exactly what you have to offer, you know? He's also a good friend of the Branch President here (some of you might know this guy). Those are the moments when you thank Heavenly Father for making the gospel so simple, that anyone can use it.

Not much else to report except that it's going well here in L'viv.  A little rainy.  Happens.

I know that God loves us!  I know that His work will continue, and I'm glad to be a part of it.  

Keep going!

Keep smiling!

Elder LeBaron

Clueless

I'm super clueless.

Sometimes, I think that I've been on a mission, just so that Heavenly Father can show me how much I don't know.  It's a HUGE blessing.  If you'd like Him to fix your pride, just send papers to Salt Lake.  

I've been out long enough that I understand what it feels like to have the spirit with oneself in missionary work, and what it feels like to try and do it all by oneself.  Though, The problem that exists here is universal.  We all understand that we have specific duties to perform in order to be worthy of the gifts of the spirit (i.e. comfort, empathy, empowerment through the atonement...), but we sometime just are too lazy to dig in and get our hands dirty.  

This week was a great opportunity for me to realize what it means to cast out your fears and distractions, and just "dig in and get your hands dirty".   In order to really do this work, you've got to be willing to make mistakes, look dumb, repent, change, and be humbled.

A couple of lessons throughout the week have led me to believe that I haven't been a bold enough person throughout the course of my mission.   Finding lots of investigators and inviting them all to be baptized and planning everything and this... and that... and business;  that's actually very easy.

What's not easy?  Taking hold of the gospel with your whole heart, loving it, taking hold of a person, loving them, and helping that person to really grasp hold of the reason for your hope.  It amazes me how much more personal missionary work is than any other work.  This is truly the Lord's work, because you learn to love in a very real way.

We have one young man who says he wants to be baptized, and we'll be setting some solid plans with him this next sunday.

We have another member referral that we're exerting a lot of effort for to help him get himself on track for baptism.

I'm more tired than I've ever been on my mission ever before.  It's awesome.  I hope that we accomplish a lot of incredible things in L'viv!  The plans need to be set in place, and we've got to account for all of our resources... it's just difficult to find a peaceful moment to think sometimes because of random special assignments and unexpected speed-bumps.

It'll all get solved though. This is God's work, and He helps all of those who want to give it their all.

Okay, on a more INDEPENDENCE DAY  note:

We went to family night with the Clinger family.  Yup, they're americans.  It was so weird going to a house where kids were speaking, and I understood everything they were saying.  I forgot what american kids are like.  It was so much fun!

We ate burgers... american style burgers.  That's the best burger I've had in... we'll, in Ukraine.

They're family is super cool.  Brother Clinger used to be a pole-vaulter, so we had all sorts of fun stories to tell.  His wife is super spunky and funny.  They're just the coolest.  We had 3 Ukrainian missionaries there, and then me.  I was the only american missionary!  It was insane.  They didn't understand any of the references or informal words that the family used, and I was sitting there, thinking, "U.S.A!  U.S.A!".  I love Ukraine, but I also love my home country.  Needless to say, that was the most trunky hour of my entire mission.

I think I'm okay now, though.  Don't panic.

Anyway, I love you all a TON.  So much, that it doesn't fit on a bun.

Take care of yourselves.

See you when we see you.

-- Elder LeBaron

ps.  Congrats Zack on getting home!  I don't think you'll actually get this email.... but whatever.

- 

Pictures: Elder Salamatin, Me, Branch President Roman Lisniy, and Sasha ( from Uzhorod )

Apparently, we can't take a normal picture without someone trying to tickle me.

-- Старійшина ЛеБерон

Welcome Home!

I'm back home everyone...

Back in L'viv.

These have been the weirdest transfers ever.   

So, for mission conference, we had everyone sit in the auditorium, and President announced the transfers, and everyone applauded and cheered and hugged and such.... which we've never done before.  That was a bit new.  Then, he announced my transfer, but I was sitting in the back translating, and my companion was conducting the conference, so we just nodded at each other, smiled, and sat back down. 

I'm with Elder Salamatin, who is a really fun guy from Odessa.  He has one transfer left, and he's helping me get a hold of all the ropes here in L'viv. A lot has changed since I left!

I didn't have much time to do anything here, because I had to go back and run the branch in Chernivtsi this Sunday.  President Hawkins had to go home because of some health issues in the family, and so it left the branch without a president.... only with a first and second counselor.  So... I took the 6 hour train ride down on saturday, and 6 hours back on Sunday afternoon. The members were all doing good, and it was great to see all of their faces!  I love that city so much.  It's one of my favorites that I've served in.  Elder Lemons came with me, and he was glad to have a chance to come back.  He'd served there for at least 4 transfers, inclusive of his training, and he was happy to be around for that as well.

I feel kind of weird about being back here.  Everything seems so familiar and so different at the same time!  Maybe it's also strange because I was told that this is probably where I'm going to finish off the mission.  A little strange to hear that.  I still feel really young.  Probably because I am. I'm going to be 20 in few weeks, can you believe that?

I can't.

Hopefully I get in touch with our investigators soon and there will be more stories about things that are really important... but you'll probably have to wait till next week, because there's been really little time in our area for me to be able to tell you any fun stories.  

I know this Church is true, and I know the Gospel is God's plan for all of us to be happy.  I love you all!  I hope that this letter finds you all well.  Please, take care, and enjoy your week.  Read your scriptures, pray, and get yourselves to church!  Most importantly, use all of this to feel the joy and love that Heavenly has for each of us.  Use the gospel, don't just read and say it.  It'll put a smile on your face, and a song in your heart!!

--Elder LeBaron

  

-- 

​ ( Pictures: District Sweater Night in Chernivtsi (going through old clothes together), Pizza with our new convert bud, Kolya,  my companion Elder Salamatin).

​

-- Старійшина ЛеБерон

WHOOO!!

We had the greatest week in the world, but I have no time!

We had a baptism!  Kolya got baptized!  He's preparing for a mission.

I'm getting Transferred!  I'm not allowed to tell you all where I'm going until next week.  Weird rules.

Our District is number one!

My companion is the best.

I know the church is true, that Joseph Smith was God's chosen prophet to open this dispensation.  I know that the Saviour, Jesus Christ, has felt and suffered for all of our sins, and through his atoning sacrifice, we can all find comfort and strength!  I know this is true!  Read the Book of Mormon, and pray.  Study diligently, and seek answers for your questions.  You will find them!

Have a great week!

Elder LeBaron