Elder Tanner Leishman Serving in the Washington DC South Mission: Week #18 (In the Field)

This week has been pretty busy! We have been visiting Mike and Tamika
everyday and teaching them a lesson everyday as well. They are
progressing super fast and are really soaking up everything that we
are teaching them! Every lesson we have with them, we commit them to
do something and when we come back they are keeping all of their
commitments. It's been amazing to see the change happen in them since
the time we put them on date, till now. But, Mike and Tamika aren't
married yet. They have been together for 10+ years and just have never
seen the point in getting a piece of paper that tells them how much
they love each other. Just recently Mike has really seen the
importance of getting married and starting his eternal family. So we
have been working crazy hard on getting Mike a new ID and a marriage
license, which have to happen before they get married. Then we have to
have the actual wedding ceremony. We are hoping to have the wedding on
Wednesday or Thursday. It all depends on when Bishop can get certified
to marry them. There have been a lot of ward members step up in really
fellow shipping Mike and Tamika and show them a lot of love. Many have
opened up their homes to them and invited them over for dinner. Some
even told them they could have a little wedding reception at their
house. I feel like I have had a million and five things to do since we
put them on date and my life has just been all craziness and running
around like a chicken with its head cut off. I'm go into continue to
pray my hardest that I can get everything done this week that I need
too.

On Tuesday night we were able to go up to the temple visitors center
with Mike and Tamika and their family. We were able to talk to them
about temples and family history and how our families can be together
for eternity! After we finished there, we were just walking around the
temple grounds and I got the idea to ask one of the people working in
the front lobby if we could just come sit in the lobby for a second.
He let us go in one of the side rooms in the temple lobby and we were
able to sit in there and feel the enormous spirit that comes with the
temple. We were probably In there for about 10 minutes and nobody
really spoke the whole time. Towards the middle of our time in there,
I asked Mike if we could say a prayer with them and he agreed. While I
was saying the pray I felt the spirit so strong, more than I've ever
felt before and I know that Mike and Tamika could feel it as well. It
was such an amazing experience. As we were walking to the car, I asked
Mike what he thought about the temple and he said, "that was a feeling
that I've never felt before in my life, a good feeling." It was so
awesome to see them feel the spirit so strong in the temple and really
come to know that Heavenly Father loves all of his children.

Oh, and there are transfers this week and I'm not sure if I'm going to
be staying in Falls Church. I have a pretty strong feeling that I'm
going to be leaving which I absolutely don't want to do. I love Falls
Church so much and I love all the ward members here. But, "come what
may and love it" will be my motto for this next transfer. I'll let you
guys know what happens!

This week I've been really reflecting on how thankful I am that I have
parents that really taught me how to buckle down and get a job done.
They really taught me how to work hard. They taught me all the things
that can't be taught just by working a regular job or going to school.
They taught me how to be personable and to love everyone that you meet
because we are all God's children. I have also been pondering the fact
that I am so grateful for my trials. I've learned that Heavenly Father
won't give me something that I can't handle and when I do handle my
situations and endure them well, I will be so much strong in the long
run. Yes, it's very hard to have that pint of mind in the moment.
Trust me it's hard enough to notice it after the whole situation, let
alone during it. But if you really reflect on it, there are so many
things that push you to your limits and our of your comfort zone. Many
trials that we have are made specifically so Heavenly Father can teach
us a lesson or help us grow. Im thankful for parents who taught me to
embrace opposition. Embrace the grind. Only when we experience
opposition can we grow. Face your trials head on and put your best
foot forward. It's impossible to fail if you are trying your best to
be like Heavenly Father. You only fail when you give up. Motto of this
email: Embrace the Grind!!!

I hope everyone has a great week and you see the Saviors hand in your
life! Peace and blessings!

Love,
Elder Leishman

P.S. We are switching our pday next week because a general authority
is coming to visit the mission. So I won't have pday next Monday. It
will be next Thursday, November 5th! Talk to you all then!