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