February 3, 2014 "Tranfers and New Companion, Elder O'Neal"

So we had transfers this week and my new companion is Elder Adam
O'Neal who has been serving is a place north of here called Prescott.
He is from Treeport, Louisiana and is related to the big basketball
player that many of you may remember as Shaq...I'm just playing. He is
as country as someone can get with a cool southern accent. Since
I have been with him, he has brought out a Wisconsin accent that I
thought was gone. It's really funny to talk to other people when
that pops in because we don't sound like or act like what your typical
Utah or Idaho LDS missionary would sound like.

Elder Wardle was just transferred to a zone just south of us that is small in
size as well. It's funny because he just crossed the street into a new zone
and is still really close.

Elder O'Neal and I were talking to a man from Shanghai
China that was visiting family here and it was so interesting to talk
about his view on religion and how it's not allowed in main land
china, well Christianity anyways. He said he was very interested in
church and wish it was allowed but explained why the government won't
allow it yet. He said he would join a church if he ended up living in
the USA.

On Tuesday we went by our Ward Mission Leaders house, Jason Fifield and
talked with the family saying that Elder Wardle was being transferred.
It was a sad experience. One of the girls, and there are 4 girls
total no boys, Jada answered the door and said in her 8 yr old voice,"
Why do YOU (Elder Wardle) have to leave? I liked you the most out of all of the
missionaries that have been here." We didn't know that they knew yet
but they found out. They expressed their sorrow and all gave him a hug
and a secret handshake. Took a picture with them and we left. When we
got home later that night, we are allowed to check our facebooks to
see if we got any messages that would effect our plans. We saw a video
posted on his wall from the family of the girls all saying goodbye. It
was heart warming. The whole ward misses him but is excited to have
Elder O'Neal here as well.

On Thursday we had dinner at the Bonnels home where there are 3 boys
about 7,5,4 and they are everywhere. They have so much energy it's
crazy! It reminded me of back at home when I was younger and we all
ran around playing games in the house and throwing each other around.
Good times! It was cool because when we left, their neighbor Brian
Cammack said that was the best those kids have ever behaved and
cooperated. It's so interested the things we don't notice because we
are new to an environment or only see something once. Without him
telling us what he saw from a previous time we would have thought they
were always like that but with his comment we now know there was a
change/improvement.

Of course yesterday we heard about the Super Bowl, people on the
streets were telling us all about it and what was going on. Go
Seahawks! First Super Bowl game where it wasn't much of a game. I hope
the commercials were good this year, I love watching them.

I have made a goal that I will start once off of my mission that I am
excited for. I feel that one learns more when there is repetition
added to it so I am going to read through the Book of Mormon
completely through each month for a year, then do the same with the
New Testament 12 times in a year. I am excited because I know that in
reading we often can get caught up in a lot of the small things that
we can miss the big picture idem. The small things are important as
well and I will study that as well but first I need to swim across the
water before I start to scuba dive. Try it out with me.

Thank you again for allowing me to occupy some of your time this week
and let you in on my life in Arizona. I hope all is going well with
you and that life is being lived to the fullest! I love you all!

Love Elder Caleb Leonhardt