Thoughts from Elder LeBaron

Krystin Ulassin (18) was baptized a member on 1 Dec, 2013.  She had taken the discussions a year ago and has been coming to church ever since.  Her Catholic mother wanted Kristin to wait until she was 18 to join the church.  She has been coming every week just waiting for the day she could be baptized.   She spoke today in church and it was amazing.  Another girl, Zarena, was baptized in Madisonville yesterday.  We had specialized training last Saturday in Huntsville (11 Dec 2013).  We drove the three Spanish speaking Sisters over from Huntsville so they could save on their allotted mileage.  One of the sisters said that having us here was like having parents in Huntsville which made us feel good because she could have said, “Grandparents.”   We bought a Christmas tree stand at Goodwill that we gave to the sisters who needed it for a real tree they purchased.  They were more grateful than we deserved.

Sister LeBaron made rice bags (in orange SHSU colors) for every student, missionary and some of the mission couples.  She cooks virtually every day.  When the timer on the oven goes off, I think that the sound is broadcast on campus.  “If you bake it, they will come.”

In the MTC, we were told that the prophet said that we (the senior mission couples) were the best the church had – and then they added that the prophet also said, “Actually, you’re all we have.”

We sent our Christmas cards this week.  If you didn't get one, send me your address - neillebaron@comcast.net, and I will mail one to you.  We actually have 450 of them.  When Ruth Ann went to have them printed at Walmart, she had some problems and went to the customer service area.  The clerk kept telling her they were just downloading and then he would check his printer and there would be no pictures so he would push print again.  He did that three times before he decided to check the printer in the customer area.  He sheepishly came back with 450 cards and didn't charge her anything . . . of course, she was there for 3 hours  We tend to send a lot of Christmas greetings because we have lived in five stakes and have scattered friends and family in other states and countries, but short of grabbing people by the lapels and begging them to take a card, we do have quite a few left.

The work is challenging and we feel inadequate but, at the same time, richly blessed and we do "have desires to serve God."  Mosiah 2:41  "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.  For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual, ..."

Thanks for your updates to blogs, Instagram, facetime calls, etc.  We love you and pray for you all.

Mission Life

Last Wednesday was a highlight for me because we were able to attend our first Zone Mtg.  Zone meetings are usually held on Wednesdays right when I am teaching my Book of Mormon class, so we usually miss out.  Last week was dead week on campus and so we headed to Madisonville, about 45 min. away for zone training.  I loved every minute of it, but had to do a mental evaluation of the myriad ways I can improve as a missionary.  Not a big guilt trip, but a good way to see how I can better consecrate my life -- same struggle we all have.  It was another small miracle of feeding our 5,000
(ok, 26 missionaries)  I made a braided cherry bread tree not realizing we would be such a big group.  I felt like I was cutting up the sweet roll into 2" squares, but everyone who wanted some had one and there was even one left over.

College Station Zone 2

Friday morning we invited the Sister Missionaries to come over to make 2 receiving blankets for a set of twins in a family they are teaching.  Sister Gutierrez also wanted to make rice bags for her family since she is going home on January 1 along with Elder Smith and Elder Schiffman of our district.

Neil and I love being the home away home and parents away from parents for so many of the students and missionaries.  It feels like an important aspect of our mission to nurture others.

I had the opportunity on Saturday to attend a Baptist Women Luncheon.  It was very nice and a great way to meet more women in the community.  Each table had a hostess who decorated and set their table. . . Relief Society Christmas Activity memory?  I love that women are pretty much the same in most settings!

Angie Taylor works with the Student Activities Dept. at SHSU and came to speak at one of our Friday Forums.  I really appreciated her invitation to the luncheon.  We left after the luncheon to go to Houston to pick up Neil's sister, Genie, and her husband, Winston Lee.  Somehow we got confused on our calendar and went to Hobby Airport in South Houston instead of Bush Airport in North Houston.  No wonder we couldn't find them at the arrivals door.  Poor things, they had to wait an extra hour for us to make the journey to the right place!  Good thing they have a sense of humor.  We went straight to the Houston Temple and did sealings.  What a special time.  Almost every time we go, we meet either a long lost relative or someone who has a connection to us or someone we know.  Last night we met a niece of Uncle Lynn and Aunt Lila Zemp (LeBaron side).

I think Genie looks especially pretty in this photo.  For those who knew Neil's mother, Floss, Genie could be her twin!

Let Your Soul Delight in Fatness

Delight in the "Fatness" of our Savior

The title of this post comes from 2 Nephi 9:51.  It usually refers to "Feasting" on the words of Christ, but as I read those words today, it made me think about Christmas.  If asked about the meaning of Christmas, most of us could give a great commentary on all the things Christmas represents.  In the anxiety, excitement and celebration we usually know "about" Christmas, but do we know and feel the joy of this wonderful gift?  Do we "know" Christ?  I feel like I fit in the first category most of the time, but this Christmas I feel I have been given the opportunity to move into the second group -- or at least to stand on the sidelines of those who do know.  This mission experience has been such a growing and nourishing time for me personally.  Being on a mission is a little bit of a cocoon that isn't always realistic for most of us in regular life, but I hope I will permanently be a changed person.  I decided to concentrate my studies this month on the end of Helaman through 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon along with the four gospels in the New Testament.  It has been  edifying and strengthening to me.

We have just finished the semester at the Institute.  Finals were last week and now most of the students have left for home.  We had some great final activities.  Things will be pretty quiet at the Institute until the middle of January, so we will be concentrating on our preparations for next semester.  There is a lot of enthusiasm for our Provident Living/Cooking class, so I am looking forward to that.

Bringing Christmas to the Institute

Greeting Sammy, the Bearkat

Sisters Vann & LeBaron filling rice bags

 Rice and Corn Bags

We had a lot of fun making rice bags for each of the students.  It made it a little more meaningful to have them out of the school colors.  We made about thirty of them and used deer corn to fill most of them, so I hope they don't attract too many deer from the forest.  Sister Vann is always a good sport to help me out with my many hare(or deer) brain ideas.

Neil, the Wise Man w/ Caesar in the Background

 In addition to winding up the semester, we also had the opportunity to participate in an interfaith production of Journey thru Bethlehem that was held at the county fair grounds.  It involves several hundred people and was attended by almost 1,000 visitors.  Attendance was down because of rain and icy winds but it was an awesome(pardon that word, but it is very descriptive of all the amazing things it included)  They had census taking, Caesar Augustus, shepherds, wise men, King Herod's court, a Mormon Bishop aka rabbit, a synogogue, fabric dyers, wool carders and hand spinners, bread shoppes, toy shoppes, spice stall, nativity and more.  Everyone was in a period costume.  Neil and I were census takers.  Originally Neil was going to be a wise man, but apparently you can have too many wise men or in Neil's case, wise guys.   (Neil's take on JTB)  I spent one afternoon helping them moved painted wall panels, props, furniture, costumes, rugs, fake plants, a huge potter’s wheel, etc. (five big flatbed trucks full + a box van full of stuff)  I was a wiseman at first but there were ten wisemen so I was the odd man out, so to speak.  The Huntsville bishop, Scott Bumbaugh (the Jewish Rabbi) said: “I hate to say this Elder LeBaron but you look like you just stepped out of the shower.”  I did feel like an “odd man” so quickly changed out of my velvet dress into the garb of a tax collector.  It was a cold evening but about 400 people braved the weather (33 degrees) that night.  I was at the table with a young ward member who said to an incoming group: “Welcome to Bethlehem, come in and add your name to the senseless form” (Census Form).  I thought it may be a Freudian, political commentary.  (I’d like to challenge that.)   The Bishop played the part of the Jewish Rabbi so convincingly that most of Huntsville thinks that he is Jewish.  Robert Williams who heads the Journey Through Bethlehem committee, coordinated all of the set up, (I spent several hours helping to load sets) costuming, staging, food, takedown, etc.  He is a doctor who works for the prison system.  His wife, Karen, is also a doctor and is the daughter of James Olson, the Heritage Branch president.  Robert asked one little boy what he like the best about Journey Through Bethlehem.  The boy said: “When I found Jesus.”

Bishop Bumbaugh and Bro. Williams

Elder Field and James Taylor ( LDSSA Pres.)

Sets for the Event

 Census Takers

Elder Smith, Sister Gutierrez, Sister Seymour, Sister Hosking and Elder LeB