May
12 2014
So
I was thinking about sharing a funny story first as a nice breaker
then get into the spiritual experiences later...with maybe some more
humorous things
For
about 11 days the A/C in our truck was out and we were driving in
what we call 460 air conditioning, 4 windows going 60. So we
scheduled a time to go down to the car dealership to get it fixed, it
took a lot longer than we were expecting. Almost all day! We found
someone to take us out so we could make some more visits while it was
getting worked on but we still had a few hours that we had to wait at
the dealership. While waiting we had a man from All State insurance
come up to us and ask us some questions. We quickly learned that he
just had some relatives move down here to Arizona from Wisconsin. I
asked him what parts because I knew the state pretty well He answered
“Baraboo area but you probably don't know where that is.” He was
surprised when I said “I'M FROM THERE!” He said Nancy Elliegood
moved down here and he was her son. Funny thing is I know exactly who
that is and in fact I mowed her lawn for a summer! Small world.
Well
yesterday was Mothers Day and I wanted to throw a small tribute in to
all of the mothers that may read this. First off I want to mention
that I don't believe that just because we talk about mothers we
exclude other women. It's a day devoted to the wonderful role women
play in this world. Thank you all so much for everything you do
because without you women, men would have no purpose. Women in
society is what keeps it from falling off the cliff when it should
have fell long ago. They nurture and calm a destructive home. And you
all may at times feel low and insignificant but please please cast
that though out because God has given you your amazing gifts for a
reason and a reason that cannot be replicated by man or machinery.
Your Amazing!
Every
3 months down here we have something called a zone conference where
we have 2 or more zones of missionaries. Zones having about 20 some
missionaries. We get together to receive instruction from our
leaders. In one of the topics discussed we read about Alma the
younger in the Book of Mormon and his experience that changed his
riotous living to being a disciple of Christ. We talked about it as
an awakening. We then got a chance to share awakenings that we have
experiences in our lives.
One
awakening that I have had was I had the opportunity to interview
Dominic Therrien in one of the
surrounding
areas for baptism. In the interview I got to learn more of his story.
It started with him going from atheism in 2008 to being baptized last
Saturday. He said he started on the path on coming to believe in God
when his dad died in a motocross accident. His dad was his coach as
he traveled the world competing in motocross. He said a preacher told
him that his dad was in heaven. He got biter about it because he
thought religion was only there to comfort someone with happy
thoughts when someone would die and that there really was nothing
behind it to support it. He went on to tell me that while comparing
evidence to evidence on science to religion one topic came up about
Adam and Eve and how it began. He explained that there is no evidence
in science to explain how no living life became living but that
religion had a plan and explanation with recordings of people telling
that they know from God that is the way it is. He continued with many
other topics of all sorts explaining his change and it was amazing to
see such a large change in a man in such a short period of time.
Throughout
my mission I have learned many different principles that I am
applying to my life now and plan to throughout my life and one I want
to talk about today is celebrating successes. Our mission president
has explained that when we often find ourselves with a difficult
situation on having to correct someone we often just look at what is
wrong disregarding that there is anything good with this situation or
child of God. We can constructively tell them that they can work
better in a curtain topic but forgetting to make known what someone
does well. Don't we want to hear what we do well in? What strengths
we have? Others aren't usually as bad off as what we first think of
in our minds but rather mentally imagine the worst possible scenario
when it isn't so. Look for the positives. Look at life in the
positives. I promise you that the chains of negativity will be lifted
and life will be more enjoyed.
Thank
you again for taking some time to listen to me and check in on how I
am doing Life is going great and I am enjoying every moment I have
to be here. I love you all so much!
Love Elder Leonhardt
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