God delivered.

14 January 2013

 Tell the family hi for me and that I love them very much and can wait to see them soon. And yes I mean I can wait ;)

To answer your questions my favorite place that has a lot of meaning to me is at the top of the hill near our former house where the retirement home now lays. Before that was built I used to run up there everyday, climb up this large Oak tree that is still there and look over the valley towards Devils Lake. I thought about life a lot and all that I may go through. It brought peace to my soul. It was also a meeting place for my friends so that we could think of stupid stuff to do, you know secret combinations. I love being in nature and I have been able to confine that love of a place internally so that where ever I go that is Home. Now I don't get home sick, sorry. Our home will be in Heaven and meet up there soon.

Other questions to answer: I write at a library and about that laptop thing absolutely not happening and I don't know who or for what reason anyone would have need to bring it, nothing good would come from it.

Its good that you can look at that embarrassing moment as a moment to learn. Always have that mentality and no one can take down what you know. We are here on this earth to learn, so be taught. No shame or regrets if thats all that you do is learn, put off the Natural man and go to work. Its interesting that you mentioned that because we just ran into a situation like that, kind of.

Oh and I will work on a letter that will help you with your new form of teaching. Anyways so we had one of the 70 come down and told us that we can go to the temple with our recent converts after they are baptized because for those that do it turns out to be a 99% activation rate which is what we are looking for. We want converts not people that have just a testimony. So in a trio we cover 4 wards and in the ward of the missionary that we took in, its not on paper that we are companions. He is solo and just with us. We began teaching Violeta, that young lady we baptized and were with her the whole way and because of that we thought that we could go to the temple with her but we can't. Some of the Elders were frustrated with that and argued this with the Zone Leaders. We had a meeting with them and all were able to talk freely about the situation. Contention arose and the situation wasn't handled in the best manner. I was reluctant to share some of my wisdom in counseling as you know I am pretty good with it. Shared some knowledge that ended up being over there heads and now have a nickname of Shakespeare. Oh well he was a good guy, kind of. I miss being able to counsel people and helping people out with whatever they need, as a missionary I'm not allowed to do so. It is a great gift I have and I want to use it but possibly at this time I am to understand more about it or learn how to go about counseling before I can do it again after the mission. Its hard but people need to understand that everything we say is important and will have an impact on someone whether in our presence or not. But words aren't the most important thing shared but rather the attitude that is carried with it and the posture we have. You may not know it but when you are on the other side of a phone call the posture you are in matters. I would invite you to see why.

We are not only people on this earth but we are from the decedent of a God. He created us. We are his children. The more one learns to understand that the more it will have on someones image.

In one of the wards that I cover we have 0 investigators to the Church and its in the ward that has been doing the best in fellowshipping and greatest group of people, but no work. They deserve it and for their efforts they have now been rewarded. We got in contact with a man named Micheal. He is a cowboy from South New Jersey and is a architect for health care buildings. Other missionaries have been teaching him and he lives in our boundaries so he finally got to us and is totally ready for baptism. Super strong testimony and loves coming to church, God delivered.

Along with my favorite man Ben, we taught him about the Word of Wisdom meaning to refrain from Coffee, Harmful drugs, Alcohol, Tea, and Tobacco. He smoked over a pack a day and is now down to one or two a day. And because of the family that he comes from where there is a lot of drugs, alcohol and smoking and tea and coffee he has been talking to them about it in an open manner and a lot of his family is following his lead without even talking with us. His family as well is asking him all the time if they can pray and he will in the middle of watching a movie or sometimes stop and ask the kids if they want to pray and they do. He tells everyone that its now an addiction. I love him so much, he's great.

We also have a family, Brittany Rowland, Mario, and her kids, They have been going with out AC or heat and its been getting below freezing down here and they are very miserable and sick. I feel so bad for them and have done a blitz to find someone that can help them for no cost or something. We found someone that can and we hope that its not getting to late. I love their family very much and hate seeing them suffer. They have very little and are young parents with little work now because the place that Mario was working won't pay him and now won't work him so he can't really afford to provide for his family. She told us once that with the 4 kids and dad and grandpa living in one house they had only 4 muffins and that's all to eat. the oldest went without eating to the kids could. How could anyone let anyone suffer like that. Ask and I will do all that I can but somethings people won't ask so we must find. I love you all and hope all is well!

Love Elder Leonhardt