April 22 2014 "Transfers...."

April 22 2014
I want to apologize for not writing last week. I came to write an email and I could think of what happened that week so I decided not to write. Hope you all had a wonderful Easter!

Well I found out today that I am being transferred to a new area so we will have to see where I end up. I am a little sad that I am leaving a lot of people that I like and have gotten to know well but I am also happy to move to a new area and get to know more interesting people. Change is hard because I am also leaving an awesome apartment where we all get along and love each other a lot, it's like leaving my little family. Things will go well though.

(new address: 220 W Bell Street, Apt # 2125, Phoenix AZ 85023)

This past Wednesday we had zone interviews which happens once a quarter. This is where we each get about 5 mins with our mission president. Each time I have used my interview well and asked him lots of questions and I used this time well too. But he asked me a question that I wasn't expecting
to get while there, "What should I keep in mind for transfers?" My first thought was why are you asking me? It's all lead by you, what say do I have? But it was nice because it gave me a different
perspective on input. Whatever I could have said may or may not have changed anything but it put into my mind that he values my opinion.

Alexa Flores was baptized recently and we have been working on getting the family to prepare to go to the Temple. Since we have given them that idea we have seen a switch go off in a number of the family members. They have a desire to go there and feel the spirit. There is something amazing when you invite someone to an ordinance and to do service.

We were invited over to President Page's home, first councilor in the stake presidency, for a BBQ on Easter. The food was amazing and the conversations even better. I have looked up to President Page a lot because of all that he does in his life and still puts a focus on missionary work and family. His family is amazing and it shows why, amazing parents. We got onto the topic of raising kids and the things they did that their kids now thank them for. Later that day we went to another members home to share a message when we found out that there were a couple other families there too, actually 5. We shared an Easter message and the real meaning of Easter. At the end one of the families came up to us and gave us both a bucket full of prizes and candy for Easter. It was so kind of them!

There was a lesson we had at the Strode's home and before going in we had a game plan of what we wanted to share there and were prepared to have a lesson more focused on the member family. Right before we entered the house they said their daughter invited friends over and they were going to hears the message too. We quickly thought that the original message wasn't appropriate for that setting so we both weren't really sure what to do being blindsided. We had but a few seconds to talk to each other and get on the same page of what to share. We said 3 words to each other and that was it. Then we presided with what we had.

Lately I have had the thoughts of becoming a dad in my mind and how much I want to have kids. I also have been thinking about what kind of style of parenting in mine. We were over at a home where their kids were pretty crazy and all off the wall, literally. We tried to share the message but it was very hard to do so. I have so many great ideas of parenting that now I want to put them to the use. Most of this desire has come from the great understanding of the roles of a father and how important it is. The effects of a father last a life time and that in itself is amazing!

Love Elder Leonhardt