26 August 2013 "See Potential in People"

26 August 2013

Fantastic week. I had two exchanges this week that were really good. For those that don't know what an exchange is, it is when we switch companions for a day, one companion will go into the other Elder's area. We normally do it for training purposes.

On the first one I went with Elder Wardle, my trainer, into his area. It was really fun to see the growth we both have had since the beginning of the mission and what we have learned as well. We reminisced about the good old days of when we were together still. For most of those that have had to be around me for an extended period of time you may see that I like to talk about deep topics. Deep as into who someone is.

With Elder Wardle we talked about how to motivate people to be more than and average Joe going through the motions but someone that strives to be better and better each day. It was kind of difficult to answer at first but over time we had some thoughts.

One was that we should first ourselves try and see the potential in people, who we see them becoming. (as a person not a profession) Then out of love for their benefit we tell them and show that we want to be there to help them get there. The important part is to show your love for their wellbeing.

We are both trying it out. If you have any other thoughts of how to do this let me know.

On the second exchange I went with Elder Bartleson into his area and at night we had another great conversation.

We talked about who we want to become and what we want our mothers to see in us when we return home. We both shared our thoughts and found a lot of common desires. We talked mainly that we wanted our mothers to not have to worry about us making mistakes and stressing out over us but rather that we can help them. So mom, do I stress you out? If so good, its healthy. Just kidding. But seriously, it is to a point then it just gets old.

Both exchanges were really good. The best part was when I got back to my normal companion I noticed the growth in him more than what I had before. We have made a lot of strides in who we have become and the people that we have been able to meet with.

We have been working with a lot of youth in building their testimonies and answering their questions about scripture and doctrine. Because we have been doing that, they all ask when they can come out with us and how we are doing. They are so welcoming and nice. Almost seemed as if I were an older brother to some.

This week I got the chance to join an Elder and Sister missionary couple in a lesson over facebook to a 16 yr old girl who is in a childrens hospital and can't see people because of her health. She is fighting Leukemia. It was really nice seeing that we could answer some of her questions and talk with her about the strength she has in the Gospel of Christ already. We can't have missionaries meet with her in person but we can still bring the spirit to her via internet. It was great and I will have the chance to do that more often starting next week.

We are having a Zone Conference on Tuesday to talk about some of this and other things as well but soon I will be able to share the gospel with people over the internet.

One more thing, I finished the New testament of the King James Version of the Holy Bible and I loved it! There is so much knowledge and guidance in there that I have learned. It has definitely strengthened my testimony. I know that Jesus is the Christ and we are saved by His mercy. And true Joy comes only in and through Him and his atoning sacrifice. God is our Father and the creator of our Spirits. I am so thankful for the love they have in me and the rest of you for without it we are nothing.

I also wanted to give a quick shout out to my home boy Tyler Fish as it is his Birthday This Friday, Happy Birthday Tyler!

(forgive me if I have forgotten yours, limited memory space)

Anyways I love you all and I hope that sunshine is raining down on you this day!

Love Elder Caleb Leonhardt

                                                       Me, I had too. "Marco Polo"

19 August 2013 Pictures

                                        Elder Wolfgramm, my trainees trainee, Elder Empey,
                                        Elder Leonhardt (me) and Elder Wade

                                                            Elder Nokes and me

                                           Sunburnt  Elder Handy (the Neopolitan look)

                                                                 Awesome Sunset

                                              Church members gave us food--heavenly.

                                            Food! Elder Wade, Elder Moore, Elder Handy

                                                      Elder Handy the BBQ Ninja

                                                                  Elder Moore

                                                                       Elder Wade

                                                      Mustang for my brother Peter

19 August 2013 My First District Meeting

19 August 2013

Hello All!

This Friday I had my first District Meeting where I had to conduct the whole meeting and direct the conversation in the learning aspect of the meeting. It was different. This is the weird thing about the Spirit and the promise that the Lord gives you that when you are in difficult situations that the Lord will help.

After the meeting and the lesson part I felt that it went really bad and that a lot of people didn't get much out of it and very few will become better missionaries from it. But to my astonishment people liked it and thought it went well. They could have been saying it to make me feel better but people aren't like that these days...I believe them. It was a great experience to see what it is like being a head of things, normally I have been a reserved leader.

I got my glimpse of the way our Father in Heaven looks to us in our lives when we grow. I went to a transfer meeting, kind of a big thing. It was nice to have a change of pace with the meeting. Normally when you get asked to go to the meeting it means that you are being moved to a new area but this time I enjoyed it because I knew I wasn't going anywhere.

At the meeting I met a lot of missionaries that I know and miss. It was great getting to see everyone again. This is where I got the glimpse of Gods view. I found out that Elder Empey, my first trainee, is training! He said he was nervous about what to do but knew the Lord would provide. And when he thought about what to do in some situations he thought about what I would do and that he appreciated my example. Then he told me that he understands why its so important to be exactly obedient now that he is in my shoes. Then I saw the growth he had. He is steadfast and strong in the faith, confident and able to overcome many situations on his own. It brought me to tears to see where he is now and the potential he has. I felt as if my son was all grown up and facing adversity without another's help. It was the happiest I have ever been in my whole life! I can't wait to see that in children of my own someday and hope that I am able to give that joy to my parents now.

This was then followed by getting a number of letters from the youth of the stake back home That just added to my happiness to see that young man change. Man am I glad I get to say that now that I'm 20!!!, and how much they care about me and for that fact, others. I love seeing drawings that kids do, whether they are good or bad.

We had a lesson with a man and his fiancée of 3 years. They are an older kind of couple with the father not wanting to commit to marriage because he was married twice before and both ran off on him with no notice and he doesn't want that to happen again. Before this lesson I was praying hard to know what to say and how to help him and his non member girl friend. She would get baptized if they were married but since he is unsure it puts us in a pickle. At the beginning of the lesson I didn't feel the Spirit there and began to be worried a bit. I started to pray hard for the Spirit to be there. Because of our inadequacies we didn't feel we would be able to break through the wall he had up. After I said that mental prayer I felt comforted. Then the lesson changed. I knew the Lord answered my prayers because both mine and the other member we brought with us, our minds were enlightened with things that related to them and the struggle he can overcome. My companion and I didn't know really what to say but our mouths were filled with words that applied to them both. The lesson went fantastic and we felt that the Lord was pleased.

Later when we got back to our bikes we gave a prayer of thanks and I could feel the Lords love he had for us and those we taught. I am so grateful for the Lords promise that when we are in troubled situations he WILL provide.

I love you all and may you depend on the Lord when the going gets tough, I promise you He will be there.

Love Elder Leonhardt

August 13, 2013 Pictures

                                       Where I call home. 20707 N 67 Avenue, Glendale, AZ

                               A member gave us 120 bottles of Gatorade. Death by Gatorade.

August 13, 2013 Asked to be a District Leader

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Members in the ward that are good at sewing. Fixed my ripped pants luckily.

I don't have an ipad but sometime in the future I think, before I am done.  Something that I did hear that this year, nation wide, was one of the coldest years on record, global warming, huh, well down here I still believe its going on.

This week was great! I had an exchange with our District Leader. Miracles were performed as we ran into people on the street that were in need of help both temporally and spiritually.

We were in one side of our area and a member texted us that they just got home from shopping and invited us over if we wanted a brake from the heat and some water. Didn't really need it but thought that we should anyways. On our way over we talked to Robert. His whole family are members, he goes to church every week in some other place of the valley, and is not a member. He said we could come back to see him and set up a time.

Then we found an investigator outside his house when previously we had no idea where he lived. Talked to him and things were and went great.

Then my tire popped. Everything went terrible after that, 8 months without a flat and now I get one!

Actually we weren't far from a members home so I called him up and he feed us and gave us a ride home.

Had to do a baptismal interview with a person that was being taught by our Assistants. We had a really good hour long conversation, which never happens here because there is always something that we need to be doing. I miss long conversations.

One of the Elders was going home is a couple of days and it was really cool to see how that thought hadn't effected him at all. He truly was working to the end. I will miss him.

I talked to one of the youth in my ward about a negative accident that happened recently. One of his former best friends committed suicide. He explained that he heard rumors about him attempting to do it and failing a couple times. He texted him asking if it was true and whats been going on. They use to hang out all the time and everyone loved him. His friend said they were just rumors and weren't true. He didn't feel that it was right. That week before it happed he tried to hang out with all of his old friends and see them, but no one thought it would be the last time they would see him. They found a note saying he was curious what the other side was like and took his life. It was sad to think about that and the fact that he was one of the last people to text him before it happened, never giving up on him.

There are a lot of mysteries about the other side. A lot of things we want to know and trouble us all the time because we can't find the answer. I pray all the time to know what will happen to those I know that aren't here. I find peace in the scriptures and as I pray but for some reason its not always satisfying. I want to know more. I would say that I need to know more, but I don't. I have faith in Jesus Christ as my Saviour and because of him there is an answer to those questions but He asks us to press forward. We will get the answer and we will eventually be satisfied but at the moment there are people that are in need of a faith or a stronger faith in Christ before they can understand. We need to help those to understand. We shared our testimony with him about God's plan for us and the faith He requires. All will be well and all will be accomplished. Pray for peace, answers will come. In time.

I love you all and hope that the summer sun is forgiving to you because its NOT to me! Love you, take care.
Love Elder Caleb Leonhardt
PS: I just got asked to be a District Leader. A little nervous, but excited as well.

August 5, 2013 Pictures

                                          Elder Kamysoko From Northern Africa goes home
                                          next week, August 14, 2013

                                           Elder Campbell from Cali goes home next week
                                           August 14, 2013

August 5 2013, Embarrassed

August 5 2013

Check out this link:

http://azphoenixmission.blogspot.com/2013/08/an-online-proselyting-mission.html

Hello Family and Friends!

We ran into this India lady, 30's, and had an interesting conversation while we walked together. She is a single parent of two, moved to America because she was disowned by her parents. She started off talking about how much she dislikes men, that was fun. Then went into not believing in religion but she believes in God. Eventually asked my companion what his type is. Awkward, yes I know. But after that she opened up as we talked about why we are helping people. She told us her life story and her personal struggles in life. She even ask us personal questions that it looked like wouldn't even trust her closest female friend if she had one. We were able to help her through the Gospel that we have been taught. The way that we hold our youth to such standards was one of the things that she was most impressed about. We set up a time to come back with one of the youth from the area we serve in to explain more about the why.

We even got to help a man that had no belief in God with the struggles in his family. He was from Vietnam and older. Rest of his family is Christan and he doesn't understand why his son, when he got into difficult situations, would pray instead of working hard to solve it. At the end of the conversation he even mentioned that he believed in a God out there and sometime when his heart is ready he would like Him to be apart of his life. Though he may not talk to us again at least we were able to help him and his relation with his son.

Thats all I want to do, help people with their problems and I am so thankful for the gospel in my life so I can do that.

At church one of the youth stood up and publicly, not needed but appreciated, thanked us for the work that we were able to do for him in doing missionary work and teaching others about Christ.

Now for something funny. A member asked us if we could help with moving some wood that he cut down from his tree to the curb. He said it would only take 10-15 mins so we came in our suit and tie thinking it wouldn't be much. We were there for 1.5 hrs. We got so dirty that we had to go back home afterwards to change but that wasn't the main reason that we had to got back. Trying to lift a heavy bag my companion bent down and split his pants wide open, like 8 or 9 inches wide. He was so embarrassed.

Oh yeah and last week I split my pants open, not bad though. Either our legs are getting big because of all the biking or we need to be doing more biking to counter the food we eat. I like to think its the first idea. Anyways I love you all and the work here is going great, ALMOST DONE WITH THE SUMMER MONTHS!!!!

Love Elder Caleb Leonhardt

July 29, 2013 Found a Wisconsinite in AZ.

Dear Home,
This week seemed hectic. We kept getting into situations where we would be on one side of our area and then have a lesson on the other side in the next 20-30 mins which would be about 4-5 miles away.

Of course God wanted to play a joke on us in this tight situation. Every time this happened the wind would pick up in the opposite direction that we were trying to go. It would turn a 25 min ride into a 35-40 min ride with burning thighs accompanying it. We got so tired one day when we had to do it twice. But of course when we aren't in a crunch and we have time to ride the wind in normally going with us, we figure God is trying to tell us to slow down and enjoy what we can.

On Tuesday we were riding and saw this 16 yr old kid walking his bike without a shirt on. We stopped and talked with him. Asked him where he was headed and if he was ok. Found out that his bike tire popped and he had been walking the bike for 2 miles or so with 1 more to go. Then he needs to find a ride home, which home is about 8 miles away. I felt bad for the kid. I gave him my 2 water bottles and gave him a card with our number on it if he needs a ride somewhere later. He told us that he appreciated it and we began to talk about his beliefs. He said he found God and has been attending church by himself for awhile, Christan just trying to do whats right. After talking with him we rode off with such a pleasant feeling in us knowing that we were able to help him the best that we could do. 

Ran into someone from Wisconsin on Saturday. We were out visiting people and after knocking on a door and no one answering we saw a man with a Green Bay college shirt on. So me with not having the opportunity to speak with a fellow Wisconsinite went straight over to talk with him. He was putting groceries away so he invited us inside to talk. Normally people use that as an excuse to tell us to get lost but of course being a brother he wouldn't do that to me. We had a good conversation and he invited us to come back again to talk with him and his wife about the church. I love Wisconsin citizens! 

This week we had interviews with our mission President and this time it was different then before. He came to us with 3 questions and see what you would answer to them.

What is something you are striving to be better at or working to improve?
What would be something your companion would suggest for you to work on or to improve?
What would be something the Savior would suggest for you to work on or to improve?

They made me think about enduring, improve  how I ask people questions and have real intenet with things.

Try answering these question and see what you think of.
Love Elder Caleb Leonhardt