Elder Tanner Leishman Serving in the Washington DC South Mission: Week #11

This week was a pretty typical week in the life. Just your normal
missionary stuff. Checking on people, them not being home, people not
showing up to lessons. Just the whole 9 yards. On Tuesday night we
were able to play some basketball. We were supposed to have 3
investigators come but you know how it is, none of them came. So we
texted a member from our Ward who is a senior this year on the local
high school basketball team and told him to come play and bring some
buddies. They came! It was a lot of fun to be able to play some ball
with them. I hope we get to play again this week.

We got to go over to a family in our wards house two times this week
for a lesson. The Jardine family! (I made sure I mentioned their name
this time because Sister Jardine said she reads my blog(: !!!) they
are awesome! Probably the most missionary minded members I've ever met
in my life. Brother Jardine is the old Ward mission leader and is now
the stake high council member over missionary work. He is a stud and
there is an amazing atmosphere in there home that really invites the
spirit. Even with the kiddos and all! They have 3 kids. Jarrett,
Quinn, and Darin. Awesome family! They are always willing to open up
their home to missionary lessons which is always a plus!

We were able to do a lot of service this week. We helped a potential
investigator move stuff from his house into a storage unit, we did our
weekly service at the Baptist food pantry, and we helped out our
friend Kevin continue to haul the trees he just got cut down away. The
moving and hauling trees is brutal. We did that two days in a row last
week for probably two hours each day and I would say we aren't even
half way done. There is still a lot to do. Its fun though. Hopefully I
don't get a tick or something from being around all these tress and
landscaping stuff.

Oh, something else cool happened this week. We were at Applebee's the
other night. I think it was Thursday. And we were eating with one of
our investigators and the Utah vs Michigan game was on. And normally,
I wouldn't even watch a Utah game but I happened to glance up at the
same time they showed a #18 on Utah with the last name Covey. And once
I saw that I was like freaking out telling everyone around, "HEY I
KNOW THAT KID! THATS MY FRIEND BRITAIN COVEY FROM BACK HOME! WE HAVE
BEEN BUDDIES FOREVER AND NOW HES PLAYING AT UTAH!" When I saw Britain
on TV, it made me super happy! But then I started to miss home and
watching football and so I had to like snap out of it but it was
really cool! Man, the stuggle of not being able to watch college
football. Oh well, I'll live.

This week should be a pretty fun week, we have a lot of meals with
members and it's mine and elder mcinernys birthdays! Mine is the 10th
and his is the 12th! Crazy that our birthdays are so close together!

This week I've been able to do a lot of reflecting on topic of
persecution. There are so many things happening in the world right now
and so many different countries, groups, and societies persecuting and
belittling one another. It has really made me think about the early
stage of the church. It reminded me of all the trials and persecutions
that the early saints had to deal with, up until they moved west to
Utah. The strength and endurance that those pioneers showed while
traveling across the plains to get away from religious persecution is
so motivating to me. All they wanted to do was practice their religion
and live the commandments that God has set forth. Yet, the adversary
found a way to try to prevent them from doing that. I guess I kind of
went off on a tangent but what I'm trying to say is Jesus Christ
commanded us to "love our neighbor as ourself." I know I'm not the
perfect example of this nor will I ever be. My fuse is sometimes just
a little too short to be like that, but I can try the best I can to be
like that. Imagine that Jesus Christ was standing right there next to
you in everything you do, what would you do differently? Would you
treat people differently? Would you be a little nicer? Do. Little more
service? Why can't we just be like that all the time? Because in all
reality, Christ is with us in everything we do. I'm grateful for the
example Jesus Christ gave me on how to be a better person and to love
one another. I know I was kind of all over the place with that, but I
hope you guys understood what I am trying to convey. If not, just be
nice to everybody hahaha. I love you guys. Have a blessed week.

#Blessed

Elder Leishman