Thank you all so much for the letters
and gifts you gave me for
Christmas, they were all great! I liked
the gift a day project that my
family did for me and all the effort my
mom put into it, it was worth
it I promise you. This Christmas was
different than the last and much
different than the ones at home but
nevertheless it was still good.
Christmas Day I got to Skype my family!
Which I saw the photos put up
with me on the tv on top on the tv
haha. Since when did you get those
tv's? The weirdest thing about seeing
my family for Christmas was the
feeling afterwards of not being trunky.
For those that don't
understand that term it means that a
missionary is wanting to go home
and is having thoughts of packing his
stuff up in a trunk and heading
home. So being trunky means homesick in
a way. Normally lots of
missionaries feel that way after
interacting with people from home or
when people ask you questions about
coming home like my mother asking
about my flight plans 10 months from
now...I still love you after
Skyping I had none of those feelings
and the same with my companion
who was Skyping for the 3rd time as
well. It was good to see all of
you. Peter you look a lot older! People
are soon going to be thinking
that you are the 8th child and I am the
youngest, not okay
Also that day we played football with 6
other elders in a park and boy
am I not in shape for sprints. We all
were not doing so good because
none of us have done intense workouts
like that so I am going to try
and do better at preparing for that
before my departure. We also went
and ate with a family that day and they
feed us some fried turkey.
When we got there it had 5 mins left to
cook in this large container
full of oil in the backyard. He pulled
it out and it did not look like
a turkey but I sure was good. The skin
on it was so crispy and
flavorful, I loved it and would do it
again in a heart beat. It wasn't
the healthiest but it does take care of
the whole dry turkey
situation.
Went on an exchange with another elder
on sat. and had a lesson with a
man who has had a lot of health
problems in his life such as 3 spinal
tumors, 4 hip surgeries and some other
things all before he was 12 and
has had some other stuff as well
throughout his life. He often asked
the question about why is this all
happening to me and why do I have
to have all of these trials, is it
because I have more to learn or
what? Why did both of my parents die in
the same year and a couple of
other cousins and relatives. He had a
lot of specific detail questions
as well that was hindering his learning
of the simple truths. The
lesson ended on the note that we don't
know everything nor do we need
to. We are to act on faith and allow
God to do the rest, learning on
the way. Many things we don't know why
it happens and we might not
know for a long time maybe not even
until we die. We will someday
learn why though when judgment day
comes and then we will understand.
So for now try and learn and perfect
the basics in life and move from
there.
My companion and I have our talks this
Sunday and both went well. We
both felt like we did to much of one
thing and not the other. Elder
Wardle felt like he used a little to
much personal stories and I felt
like I used a little to much doctrine
and not enough personal stories.
I talked on humbly accepting the
atonement and he talked about
receiving the Holy Ghost. We were both
very nervous before going up
there to speak but afterwards I felt
like writing another talk because
that was only the 3rd talk I have given
in my life. I did ok but I
want to perfect it.
About my plans to send letters home to
the parents of the missionaries
in the zone. I heard some news from the
parents as a couple of them
posted on Facebook about an elder who
wrote them, one asked me if it
was me because his mom didn't put my
name in the post. To let you know
this was NOT for personal recognition
or to "fish for compliments" it
was for their parents to hear from a
3rd party how great their sons
and daughters were doing and what they
were learning. It was a gift
for the parents and because of it I saw
a son and a mother become more
attached to one another, trust be made,
and a heart warmed from a
missionary that previously had some
hidden anger at me. The parents
all received a picture of us as well.
As I look back on this year and what I
have accomplished I feel I have
grown more than I thought possible. I
feel so much more sure of who I
am, what I want from my life,
definitely how to look at people with a
positive image, and have learned how to
listen and recognize what
people are saying. I know I have grown
in a greater love and
appreciation for God and Jesus Christ
and what they have done for me
and for others. I have made some good
friends, but I have learned how
to make friends and be a better friend
even more. I felt like in the
past I was an okay friend to those I
grew up without most of the time
I was pretty weird to them and now I
feel I can be much more loyal to
them and others. I have also grow a
perspective on what matters most
in this life and that is family and
serving others. I plan on
excelling at those areas for the rest
of my life.
Thank you everyone for all of your
support and the love you have shown
me. Thank you for the high expectations
you hold for me and concern
you have for my. I love you all!
Love lots Elder Caleb Leonhardt
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