Christmas Wish list:

Dear Home,

Christmas Wish list: Gift cards to food places are good. We have MDons, tbell, Burger king, and that's about it in my area. Could use more ties.

This week was a good/ bad week for me in the mission. Good that it was Thanksgiving and people gave us tons of wonderful food and that we found a family of like 20 Mexicans that want to hear more about what we have to share. It was also bad because alot of missionaries are sick and 5 investigators to the church said they can't see us anymore. One because the parents just had a divorce, I'm going to try and help their 3 sons though and get them through this hard time. The other was because he is having marriage problems and needs to straighten those out before we talk anymore. So to this family of 20. We talked to this 22 yr old couple times but nothing about the gospel because he is always busy but now that he broke up with his GF he had to move in with his mom so that he could take care of his 2 kids. When we got there his father came out to hear about us too. Mitch and his father Ben has both recently gone through some very hard times. Mitch said that he was doing drugs and kid problems and pretty much hit rock bottom and now has joined the Army so that he can fix his life and go to school and get a job. Ben was in a coma a month ago because of a stroke and has been in jail previously. He would be the kind of guy that would do rude things to missionaries like us. They both understood the Restoration so well. They knew about the Bible with there Catholic background and understood that God is unchanging and that there has been a pattern of Gods dealings on the earth where he would call a Prophet to teach the people, they repent, become righteous, live well, then become wicked and God takes that Prophet and the authority that they have to act in Gods name and power off the earth because the people are wicked. Then later he will call another Prophet and so on and so forth. When we asked that if there was a Prophet of God on earth again with that same church that Jesus Christ set up himself would you be apart of it. They were like Yeah where is it! We continued on and they loved the message about the Atonement and all that Jesus Christ has done for us that through Him they can repent of their sins and be forgiven of all the bad they have done.

Out tracking this old man pulled us over and began sharing the story of how his grandson is so successful and how he is totally blessed. He is Catholic and his grandson is LDS and served a mission in Japan. He told my companion and I about how successful we are going to be and that we should come by his house soon and talk with him. Then couple houses down we were asked to come into a house with this 60 year old and his wife and son. They were from Utah and down visiting family for the holidays. He was a Marine. He asked us what our plans were for after the mission, I shared about school and about joining the military. He went on for the next 15 min about faith, who you want to be and the culture you want to be apart of, and not going into the Marines rather going into the Air force or Navy because they teach you a skill that you can use afterwards that the Marines teach you now days to kill and that people aren't people but that they are targets. The moment to consider people to be people you can't kill them and that atmosphere that is associated with them is harsh and fowl. Not to join to show that you are a man or to become one, it doesn't prove anything. It was a very good talk that we had. He also mentioned Why should our faith in Jesus Christ waver if the outcome of something isn't what we wanted. If our child was killed or we lost something of value in our life why should that change or effect my faith. If our faith is in Jesus Christ then how does the outcome of a lost child change my thoughts on him. It shouldn't. Yeah we feel sorrow and it hurts us to the very core, but that's why Jesus Christ is there. When we have that faith and believe that all through him can be saved then he lifts us up from the very mists of darkness that we are in. Love all around you and serve your enemy. Think about what you are willing to sacrifice for the Lord. Think about what each of the Godhead have sacrificed for you. We are here for a purpose and whether you know it or not is OK, but don't give up on the search to find it. We as a society can be so much more if we all but recognize our potential and work together to utilize it. I love you all and hope the best for you and your family in this Holiday Season!

Pictures from Caleb's Mission President

Elder Leonhardt with President and Sister Taylor

Elder Wardle and Elder Leonhardt

my one big fear...

Dear Home,

This week was the week I got over my one big fear of coming on a mission, the fear of getting sick. So you know how last week I mentioned that my companion got sick and all of that intestinal stuff went on, him being miserable and I watching him suffer, well that's when Carma comes in. 

I got sick on Wednesday and had a Mission Tour to attend. A Mission Tour is when a General Authority of the Church comes and visits with us, not to look at the sights of the area. He talked about the power of prayer and how everything in life depends upon how prepared we are for it. Our success is all on us and how we prepare to over come the tasks to come. How well my investigators progress and further themselves on the path is all up to how well I study the scriptures and how much I get out of them, being able to retain that knowledge and relay in to them. I can say that my prayers are much stronger and sincere and my study time has become more productive. The Lord has already started to bless me in this aspect of my life as well as my investigators. 

So during this mission tour, being sick, it was very hard for me to focus because I had to release my bowels every 10 mins but I had to hold them in for 2 hrs then again for another hour. My stomach hurt so much. I had straight diarrhea and cleared out several bathrooms when i got the chance. It was just stomach discomfort so i went out to make a couple visits that night thinking that i could hold it in, I did for the most part. 

We met with a man named Jim and talked with him about prayer and church attendance. The lesson was going well and he was feeling the Spirit. We knelt down and he offered up a nice prayer, arising from the prayer he said that he had this overwhelming feeling that he needed to read the Book of Mormon. At that moment his wife walked in and asked us to leave and then started saying all this stuff that she was mad at her husband for doing, nothing relating to us, we haven't been able to reach him since and he didn't come to church that Sunday like he committed to. OK so a little weird but we went to our next appointment with a young mother named Brittany. 

As we began to talk she started to bear her testimony about how the Book of Mormon has already begun to affect her life. She said that the small moments that she gets to read that kids start to behave better and she has this feeling of peace and love come over her. My companion and I were like this is great keep going. Then at the peak of the Spiritual moment I excused myself and threw up at the end of the driveway. We got Gatorade out of it and left. 

But TWICE IN ONE NIGHT at the peak Spiritual moment we were interrupted. The next day i took the whole day of because i was throwing up and pooping left and right till there was nothing left. Now I'm polar opposite from there, I'm constipated. My body is so weird i tell ya. 

Anyways this week was pretty good. 

Scripture message this week is in Alma 12:24. Why are we here? What are we to do? How are we doing with it everyday? Ponder upon it and pray to the Lord asking how you can do better. Also as it is mentioned in the scriptures that if you are in the service of your fellow being you are only in the service of your Lord, pray each day in the morning that you can find someone that is in need of service and that you can help them out. Also those who deny the service are a hypocrite and deny others those same blessings, who are we to deny someone blessings. Even if we don't need the help find something that they can do, such as get a glass of water or rub their feet I don't know but something. 

I love you all and hope that all is well and if not, sorry there isn't much I can do from here :) 

Take care and may the blessing in your live be revealed as you look for them.

Sincerely Elder Leonhardt

Also mother thank those that sent me letters for I haven't had the time or resources to do so yet. Love you

Finally- some photos!

 

 

 

 

  

 

I got a bike

November 13, 2012

Dear Home,

I got a bike and it gets the job done, it cost $326. I read from Mosiah this past week and now am in Alma. I love Gideon, he is a hero to me and I'll let you figure out why. I liked the conversion story of Alma the younger and now am going to be applying it to many lessons. Oh and i kind of need sweaters, classy ones that i can use for exercise and for proselyting. They need to be black or gray solid colors. I never thought that i would have this problem but i got a little cold here. I'm ashamed to call myself a Wisconsinite. It dropped from 90 one day to 40 the next and my body just wasn't ready for it. People down here say it won't get much colder so i think I'll be saved for a little while. I feel so weird because no one down here says the name Wisconsin I feel that I am forgetting how to pronounce it!!!! I'm losing my roots!! I don't know maybe I just need to say that I'm from somewhere else so I don't embarrass the Wisconsin pride. 

I felt the true power of prayer these past couple weeks. The other day my companion Elder Wardle and I were going door to door and came to this older lady named Julie, around 60 I think. She explained that she had been having side pain again and was pretty bad. She had some disease with her intestines that she had been struggling with her whole life and has had a number of surgeries and feared that it was back and she would have to go through the whole thing again. Her little niece came out, Lily around 4 or 5, and started running around and then became a little shy around us and sat down. We said a prayer for Julie that she may be comforted and healed. The next day she went to the hospital to get checked out. 

We came back a week later and checked up on her. She was so excited to see us. She explained that right after we left last time she began to feel a lot better and her side stopped hurting. When she went to the doctors to get checked out they found no evidence of disease there. She truly felt blessed and knew that it was the prayer to thank. Lily then came running out of the house and hugged my companion before he had time to react. She was then freely talking with us and even invited us over for a sleepover! I can't wait....JK I'm not going, sadly. 

We also had Stake conference here and Elder Holland and President Iring spoke. The emphases was on families and the power of prayer. That prayer can bring together and strengthen families. So is everyone having a daily family prayer!?!?!?! DO IT. 

Thank you for the gifts that you sent my companion, he got sick on his BDay and...soiled his pants. Don't tell anyone that this came from me. It was the first time he ever did it and it was right after some of us Elders were sharing our stories of this miss fortune happening to us, he join the club. Anyways thats not very appropriate so I'll just say that I got some rest as well as Elder Wardle on his BDay. 

The mission is stressing that we only email family and not friends but we can write friends as much as we want just no email. Not like many/any of my friends save it be one ;) was emailing me its just a concern that we need to address and hold. 

I am learning how to play rugby from my Tongin Elder who lives in the same apartment as I, hard concept but fun. I need more postage stamps if anyone cares to send some to me, I only can send about 1 letter a week so don't get mad if its not you this time just send me an email through my mother that you want a letter and I will do so. 

My missionary message to those in preparation is do it. Read in DC what the Lord promises to do to the families of those that serve, if you want to protect your family and help them, serving a mission is the greatest thing you can go, nothing else, notta, zip, zero, Zimbabwe.

I love you all and may the Lord be with you forever

Sincerely Elder Leonhardt

1 week in Peoria Az

Dear Home,

 

So life down here is awesome! My day includes waking up at 6 to go for a run and play tennis as the sunrises, awesome. Then walk back to the apt. for breakfast and 2 hrs of study. Then we normally have lunch at 1 or 130 for about an hr and dinner around 5 for the same amount of time. All throughout the day we are making visits to lessactives and other people, meeting others at bus stops and on the sidewalk. We go door to door for about 2 hrs a day and bike around 12-15 miles daily. It is so much fun being out and about meeting so many different kinds of people. I got to talk with this kid Mike who just got baptised last week, before I got here, and we read from the scriptures and helped him understand more about what he was reading. He is truly an awesome guy and has a strong testimony on how the gospel has already started to and will continue to help him everyday. We read 2 Nephi 28 btw.

 

So everyday I get to see the sunrise and the sunset which I have got to say are absolutely beautiful down here, I don't know what it is but they cover the whole sky and have so much color every time. I don't think I could ever get tired of seeing this!

 

Me and my companion went by the Colesons Family house who are all nonmembers but the 3 boys and mom are interested. The mother has an interesting story. She go into a car accident when she was young and to say the least she didn't know about God before the accident and after she did. She is a very strong lady and wants to be an example to her kids. We extended a baptism date to them and they accepted! The room was filled with the Spirit and the whole family was on the edge of tears.

 

I have met alot of other people here including a member that looks like Romney! They are very Patriotic, to say the least... I will have to share more with you latter because I only have an hr to email. I am safe, I live with 2 other missionaries and my companion, we have alot of fun, and I love this work.

 

Take care all, I love you every much and can't wait to hear from you soon!

 

Love Elder Leonhardt

On the way to Arizona!

All - 

I happened to be working the arrival of flight 336 from SLC today, when 18 missionaries deplaned.  I walked over and asked them each to put your email addresses on a piece of paper, and then pose for a photo.  Your young men (and one young woman) are fantastic, and they each seemed excited and happy to be in PHX.  They are also amazed that we don't change time for Daylight Savings, but it's true.  We do not spring ahead or fall back!  :-)

I'm enclosing the photo and hope to see some of these boys again in my ward.  If they you hear of them serving in the Freestone Park Ward in Gilbert, have them look up our family.  My son is putting his papers in within the next 10 days, so as a mom, I knew you'd each want to know that your missionaries are doing well!

Sincerely,

Karen Udall

Last Day in the MTC

Dear Home,

 

Today is my last day in the MTC and marks the beginning of my mission field experience. Thursday I got to show the new group of elders around campus and tell them what to expect from being here and what to do to become the best missionary they can be while being here. They are a really great group of elders and I am already beginning to miss them. Also on that day I took two elders around the campus and talked to them on a more personal level. After awhile we sat down on a bench and i talked to them about how they feel about talking to complete strangers about bringing them unto Christ. They both said they were comfortable with talking, that's when i knew i had them. I quickly got them off of the bench and told them that they are going to bring the next two people to come out of this building unto Christ. They were a little startelled but went ahead and waited for someone to come out. Two other Elders came out and they approached each other. They began to talk with one another and baring their testimonies. During one of my Elders testimony he mentioned the Atonement and how he believes that we all can be forgiven of our sins through it. One of the other missionaries was interested in this and talked more about it with him. Later I was talking to the new elders and he mentioned that His companion, the one that asked about the Atonement, had problems with his repentence and they were talking about it not even 20 mins before they came out of the building. I talked to my elders about this on how everyone deserves to come closer to Christ, NO MATTER HOW CLOSE THEY ARE. I told them that their mission had already started and because they brought that one elder closer to Christ he is going to finish his mission and not go home like he was expecting to. Through that one missionary he is going to bring thousands unto the Gospel. The Lord works in mysterious ways and I know that with out a doubt that if we keep livingh our life rightously he will work through us. We most likely won't even know that it is going on. Look up Elder Packers talk on the 20 Marks, it includes Elder Bednar.

 

I want to share a scripture that i read at 605 am tuesday morning. 2 Nephi 1: 14-16. Read it, I love it.

 

I fly out tomorrow morning at 10 or 11 so be ready mom bacuse I'll be calling you when i get to the Airport. I am so excited to be in the mission field, a speaker at a devotional said that within 6 weeks the elders and sisters that are going out could be training new missionaries. I can't believe that someone is going to be trusting me with my own little mini-me so soon! Its awesome. I have some amazing pictures that I'm going to try and send home when i get down to Phoenix. There are 18 of us going down.

 

Not sure what else to write other than I am ready to do WORK! Yeah baby! Well I love you all and thanks for the gifts and letters that have been sent to me. I sincerely Love you ALL.

 

Mom could you send me a forwarding list to all you are sending this to I want to see if I can add anymore. Also thank Brother elder Reed Andrew for his letter. Also check my Facebook page to see if any of my friends have asked on there how to contact me and tell them on there how Dear Elder works. Thanks mom Love you!

 

Sincerely Elder Caleb Johias Jr. Joseph Leonhardt

Second week in the MTC

Dear Home,

Yes I can put Collette's name in the prayer roll. How is she doing? Give me more information. 

Well my first week at the MTC was great! I feel like I have been reborn like 5 times and now i just need to stop being so suprised when it happens because its happening more and more. Having my eyes opened is so hard because everytime after that is like you have to restart all over again on how your are teaching. Like the beginning of this week we were taught how to teach people and not lessons so the questions that you ask the investigator have to be open ended questions that allow the investigator to dictate where the lesson goes, not easy. 

I have made alot more committments in my life and I truly am a changed person for ever and ever. Don't let this scare anyone away, I still love you all and will care for you till the end of time and then continue to care, but i just am going to care in a different way. Instead of loving you for weho you are i'm going to love you for who you are in the eyes of the Lord and try to bring you closer to Christ. No matter how close you already may be. I truly have loved every moment here and there just isn't enough time to write or communicate with you back at home. 

I have been released as a District leader and have been recalled as a Zone leader as well as one of my companions. So instead of being in charge of 8 other elders I am overlooking 20 Elders, they must trust me or something. I guess I am pretty good at deceving people... :) On another note I need you to mail me everything throught dearelder. What ever is happening its not working. You should send an email to me through it and they will print it off on this end. That gives me more time to reply instead of having 30 mins to read and then respond. Everyone needs to send me their letters through dearelder. 

As to the new missionaries they will be coming here at the beginning of the year or earlier and out into the missionfield sooner than before. The MTC time for everyone is cut by 1/3 so by January I could be teaching new missionaries in the missionfield. I love you all and have run out of time. Things are great here and pray that I have a hard mission. The atonement was not easy and that was the salvation of evryones souls so for me to do it it should be hard as well. 

Take care my friends.

Love, Elder Leonhardt

First letter from the MTC

Dear Home,

The MTC is great and i'm having a blast! Right as I got dropped off every one here greeted you with a smile and handshake. Its kind of weird being in a college setting and having everyone around you in shirt and tie, I would much rather be in sweats or something but nevertheless it does make you feel more professional. I have been put in a three elder companionship because one of the elders in my room was sick and had to come this coming Saturday so we won't be a part of our district. There are 9 Elders in my district all from different places and, luckly for some guys, no sisters. I think I'm the only one that has said something to a sister and even then it wasn't much. No more than a description of a made-up person for role play. They really try to throw you into the action with little to no real breaks. 

When we got here we were given a schedule and I had to be somewhere within 15 mins. We taught some actors that were playing investigators and in the first session they left 30 new missionaries in a room alone with this actor and we had to teach him as if we all just walked into his house off of the street. We were not very good at expressing things and he became frustrated. Right before they ended the session he approached me and asked if what the person said before me was true and I agreed with the other missionary and realized we were going no where so I began on another topic about his purpose, which was truly amazing. He had been supporting a family from the age of 8 and him alone brought his family out of poverty. We finally got through to him and now we, my companionship are teaching him and his wife for the next 2 weeks.

The third day here we had a meeting with the Presidency and President Hanson, president on the MTC, pulled us all off to the side and asked us questions about why we are here. He felt from inspiration that I should be made District leader. It only adds to the truth of why these men are in the positions that they are because in my patriartical blessing it told me that I was going to be a leader. I am truly blessed to have the group of elders around me because they are all so different and powerful that many of those around us have been coming up to us and talking to us about it. We are bold as lions but yet still humble like the sloth.

Everyday I learn more about why I should be here, about what reasons I should have for wanting to do what I do and the purpose of doing service. I truly love this gospel and would encourage those that are reading this to contact someone that may know more about the church such as my mom or local missionaries to learn more about what i'm doing and the love that is growing in me more everyday. I really would love to talk more to everyone but we are given limited time on the computers so if you could send things to DearElder.com that would be great. I have much more time to write. I honestly love all of you back at home and am so excited not to see you for 2 years because during that time you and I will be recieving more blessings then either of us can hold.

Love your Elder Missionary, 

Caleb Leonhardt