I know that the Atonement is very real.

Jan 7, 2013

Dear Home,

Wow so the first 5 days of this week were pretty slow because people were still recuperating after the holiday's but we were still some how able to teach the same number of lessons, God prepares a way (1 Nephi 3:7). But Saturday and Sunday it really picked up. We first baptized Violeta and had a very nice spiritual experience with that. She is a very strong lady for all that she goes through and has been/ still is excited to use the Atonement of Jesus Christ more fully in her everyday life. Oh and her daughter is very cute, wish I could hold kids!

We also taught this man named Ben a couple times. He is a 50 yr old Mexican who had a stroke about a month or two ago and his left arm and leg don't work every good. He went to Federal Prison for 12 yrs for the taking a life and has had a very rough life. Wife divorced him and she has been trying to take his kids away from him even though she has a couple drug addictions. His mother is taking care of them all. He has been coming to church for the past couple weeks and we talked with him on Saturday and he explained what he has been feeling every time we meet and talk about the scriptures. This is what he said, "I feel like I'm floating like i could fly away right now. I feel so good that I want to cry, I've never felt like this before." Even though he has a long ways to go he is the strongest person ever for making the decision to give his kids a better life.

You know what this isn't even half of it. Before we met Ben. Before I got here, missionaries found his son Mitch on the side of the road walking and was going to teach him and his "girl". For two months they tried, couldn't meet with him. Then me and my companion tried and again couldn't. One night we walked into him and his family after trying his door again and giving up. We said a prayer with him and tried meeting again. Didn't go through. Saw his "girl" on the side of the street a couple weeks later and she said they broke up and he was living with his Grandma. We went there and got to meet Mitch. Ben walked out to have a smoke and saw us. Decided to sit down and listen to us, he was into it more than Mitch. That was the day he got out of the hospital from having his stroke. We couldn't meet with Mitch because Ben wasn't ready yet. God is in the works all around us.

While we were at church for our 3rd sacrament meeting in a row a man and his daughter came up to us and asked if we would come over and teach him and his daughter. We went over that night. He opened up right away. His name is John Johnson, cowboy kind of John Wayne guy. He is living at his ex wifes parents house and had everything taken away from him. Family have been killed and lost. All he has is his 7 yr old daughter. He told us that he was baptized when he was 12, left the church when he was about 15 or so, got addicted to drugs for 20 yrs, son was killed in Afghanistan recently and they sent him the pics of the scene and everything while he was alone he opened them. He tried to call everyone he knew and no one answered, called 911 and they helped him. A week before his son died he told us that they talked on the phone and at the beginning his son sounded concerned, asked him what was going on, said some kids died and couldn't talk about it. at the end said, " Dad those kids that died....I killed them, they were using them as shields and strapping bombs to them and having them run at us, I had to. Dad am I going to Hell?" He looked right at me with tears in his eyes and asked me, "Is my son going to Hell?" This man at the lowest of his lows doesn't know what to do or think. I wanted to cry in his behalf, He told us that we should take him outside and just beat him, all just beat him tell he can't move.

I know that his son is not going to Hell. I know that John is going to be a great father as he follows the example of Jesus Christ. God will help us all. I know that the Atonement is very real and Ben can be cleansed of his sins and all the things he has done in his life. If you have any questions about this write me. I love you all and have a wonderful New Years!!

Sincerely Elder Leonhardt