I'm training...not exactly what I was anticipating

March 4 2013,

Dear Home,

Yup I'm a training...not exactly what I was anticipating but with the large number of missionaries coming to the mission they really had to scrape the bottom of the barrel for trainers. It was not easy for them to extend the assignment nor was it easy for me to say yes with a smile.

The first couple days were the worst because I was so used to teaching with my old companion that I forgot that I was going to have to do both parts of teaching the lessons until my companion picks it up. I wasn't ready for that. I prayed HARD those first couple nights asking for help with the lessons that I could teach the lessons effectively and that I could teach my companion how to teach. Good thing God answers prayers! The next day we had 2 lessons that we taught and they went surprisingly well.

There are always going to be struggles that I'm going to have with training but our mission president said that being a trainer is the first glimpse you are going to see of being a parent. So, if I do a good job here it means lots of females will want to marry me because I'll know what to do right? But then again if I do bad girls won't want to be around me and I won't have to worry about the drama that comes with that, so now I have a dilemma...

My companion is from Idaho Falls, Idaho and comes from a family of 11! 6 girls and 5 boys. Oh and his name is Elder Empey. He used to wrestle, run track and CC so the first couple days of morning workouts I went on extra long runs to test his limits. It wasn't a good idea. I became more tired and had less focus on my studies as well as we were putting 20-30 miles on the bikes a day. I still think I was beating him in the mornings but the rest of the day I was so tired that I repented from my challenge.

The work has started to pick up in both wards that we cover and we are getting lots of opportunity to teach people. It is so interesting to see what kind of people have been prepared to meet Elder Empey. I have really seen a difference in those who we have been running into. We are preparing 4 people for baptism. It is very exciting to see some of our hard work begin to pay off.

We got to take part in a spiritual experience yesterday as we were out at 730 pm. We prayed with a member at his house who hasn't been able to get to church for awhile because of work and really needed a prayer at that time. He said we made his week. We asked him if there was anyone else that he knew that we could pray with and he secretly pointed us to some other members down the road. We went and prayed with them right away. They have a son who just left for a mission and needed comfort on what was going on with him and what things a mother and father could do in support for him since it was their first kids going on a mission. They were also having some family problems with a 18 yr old daughter and we were able to calm their fears with that. They then gave us 5 referrals to go pray with and that never happens. We then thought we wouldn't have time to go pray with some other members but quickly tried that they sent us to their neighbor for a pray. They were home and asked us in sincere desire for a blessing over the home and the moment the prayer was over she felt the spirit come into the home!

Love this work and Love you

Love Elder Leonhardt