Wow this seemed like a great week back
at home hearing about Aaron's experiences as well as Mom with the
little ones and other good news! Aaron when did you decide to do a
1/2 marathon? Did I have anything to do with the motive? I
really want to do one with you when I get home. All others are
welcome! I am very jealous of you and your experience with Elder
Eyring. I manage to miss every chance I have of seeing an Apostle.
Mom thank you for the words on the message that the Lord provides a
path and a way out. Always. It really puts things into prospective
that no matter what, the Lord is cheering for us to succeed and will
help to meet our needs. A lot of people that I see have closed their
eyes so much that they don't even have a hope that there is another
way out and therefore shrink. I don't want to shrink or be held back
for what ever reason. I want to progress!
So I mentioned last week that I would
have a lot more to report on this week. I do. I hope you enjoy my
past week.
We had a lesson with two new teen age
ladies that are friends with a few members in our ward. They asked to
meet with us. Then they canceled. We later found out the reason.
It was because they were nervous to meet with us and were scared that
we were going to show up and pull them to be baptized and say they
HAVE TO GO TO CHURCH WITH US. They were just about trembling before
we came. We got talking with them and after a little bit they told us
that they had felt that way but now they didn't as we made them feel
comfortable with us. We heard that they didn't want to talk about
baptism and didn't plan on joining The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. They simply just want to really learn about it
more. The Spirit told us other wise and I am so glad we heeded the
prompting. We talked about the Plan of Happiness and that led into
baptism. You may ask, was I nervous? Heck yeah I was! I have been
doing this for a year and I still get nervous with it because we are
not teaching some lessons a few times a week. We are teaching God's
Children. We better respect them and take care of what they need at
that time. But I also know that because I am one of His sons He will
help me too and He did. I felt the largest wave of peace come over me
as if God was with me telling me “All is alright, you will be
fine.” That means the world to me to feel that. I testify that you
will feel that too as you pray for it. When you are in need He will
answer you. I know these things to be true. We invited them to
baptism when they are ready and they talked about this good anxiety
feeling and peace that they had as we talked about it and want to be
baptized. The Spirit of the Lord was absolutely there. In the next
lesson they accepted the invitation to be baptized in October. I am
so happy for them. They come from a broken home where emotional
damage is present and fear many things but have now felt comfort in
the message of the Spirit and of Christ.
Had the opportunity to do some awesome
service as well. Elder Wade can't smell so he was delighted when
someone asked us to pick up dog poop in their backyard. It was so
funny because there was a TON and he didn't mind. I went out to help
after getting done with another project. Don't worry I was still in
sight and sound of him. Boy did the poop smell. The flies were a
buzzing around like crazy! Fun... We also got to help another person
move. 20th one in the past 4 months. I swear!
I have found a new focus in life.
Personal focus. If it doesn't build my faith or edify someone then
there is not a need for it. That goes into talking with people about
religion and other things. There are a lot of weird things out there
that I don't understand. So first I try my best to understand it and
where someone is coming from and see how it will strengthen my faith.
Also another phrase I have been using a lot is "Just repent bro"
I love it! Seriously whats the big deal with repenting? You feel good
afterwards. You're closer with God. You get blessings, understanding,
and a greater love for others. So if you don't want that, why are you
here? Anyways I like it. Don't make repenting difficult on yourself.
Another learning of mine this week was
about judging others. This is now one of my favorites and I'll
explain why. Matthew 7:1-2 talks about judging others. The first line
says not to judge. The next verse says that the way you judge others
is the way you will be judged. Normally I thought of this as a
negative verse saying judging others is terrible. But its a neutral
comment. So if you judge someone wickedly of course you will get it
back in the same way. Let's face it, we all could find something bad
about someone. But on the other hand if you judge someone and look at
them with the potential God has given them and with righteous eyes
then you'll get the same kind of judgment. That's awesome! In that
respect we control how we want to be judged in the end. So look at
others with the most positive attitude you have and desire to make
them a better person.
There was a primary program in one of
the wards I cover and boy was it funny. It was written by the kids
and performed by the kids. I love kids and it nearly made me cry to
hear some of the ways that a babe could feel the spirit. I say nearly
cried because Men don't cry, I can't...
There were a few other things that
happened this week but for the sake of my carpel-tunnel and now
exhausted mind I will let you go. Thanks for all the prayers and
support. I love you all, heard and unheard.
Love Elder Caleb Leonhardt
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