Monday, May 19, 2014

May 19, 2014 "Using the gifts and talents God gave me."


Hey ya'll! Today we are playing some games as a young adult congregation and the games on the menu today are themed Fruit Olympics. So far what I understand of what we are doing is we will be playing ultimate Frisbee, bowling, basketball, and baseball but instead of the regular things your play with we will be replacing them with fruit. For a baseball, an apple. For a Frisbee, a banana. For bowling the bowling ball will be replaced with a watermelon. It sounds like it will be fun so we are pumped to see how it all turns out, hopefully I can get a picture of it and send one home, if not we will just have to play it!

On the subject of games we are also having a Zone Activity, meaning all the missionaries in this part of the mission will gather together to play some games. Today we are trying to play milk-jug La Cross again. Well it will be the first time any of them have played but the second time I will. It is so simple but yet so fun!

We had two lessons with Kyle this week and both of them were unique and fun. I was only at one of them though so I will only talk about that one. A little of his background is that he is dating a lady in the ward that just joined the Church about 2 yrs ago. He has now been meeting with missionaries for about a month. Lately he has been having a number of questions about the church and not just regular ones but specific and good truth seeking questions. Some have been about temples, priesthood, the importance of why we need the Book of Mormon, marriage, family sealing, pre-mortal life and about after life. This time we focused on the Book of Mormon. He himself is a quite guy when he asks a question and ponders a lot while you talk, sometimes we're not sure if he is connecting the principles taught, but in the end he understood and the excitement to learn filled the room, aka the Spirit. He wanted to search the scriptures more and seek what knowledge was inside.

Had an exchange with Elder Weiler this week. I have served near him before so being with each other again was awesome. As we were out working we knocked on a door and no answer. We then see this lady on the second floor of the complex, smoking in her pajamas and looking like joy wasn't in her vocabulary. While walking by we wanted to talk with her and starting asking her how she was doing, if we could say a pray with her and her family. She responded with a short no but said she wasn't feeling good. We asked if there was anything we could do for her to help her feel better and she said we shouldn't come up because she has the nova virus or flu, something with a nova. As we talked for a little bit more we got to understand her a little and her situation we offered to get her a can of soup. She smiled! Though she said she was OK she smiled and we were able to brighten her day, that's all I asked for :) We later got a phone call for some people that were moving into our area and wanted some help. Their names were Niki and Lee. Lee is a member and Niki is not but is interested. They are both going to the motorcycle school here and seemed very nice and interested in getting involved more. We are excited to see what comes from it.

I have had a focus of urgency lately. Wondering about what gifts we all have been given and the talents we have that God has given us makes me often reflect on the question of "What am I doing with the talents and gifts God has given me?" It reminds me of a story from when I was younger and in my skating years. My family bought me a pair of really nice and expensive roller blades because that was what I wanted for so long. While looking at them I dared not take them out because they looked so nice, cost a lot, and I didn't want to be "that guy" that when he gets something good he destroys it. As I grew up my feet grew larger, some may ask how because I am still short but I promise you I grew and so did my feet. I out grew them and could no longer use them. I think of the end of being able to wear my roller blades as the end of life where I have run out of the time given to me to use my talents(roller blades). I know that God has blessed me and you with different and extraordinary gift that make us all unique and grand. Why wait to do your best in all the opportunities God gives you, to excel, to embrace, to master. Life is short, but can be amazing if we make it so, but it is a choice.

Love Elder Leonhardt

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