Week #68 - "American Loggers"

Another week has come and gone. I can't believe how fast time is flying by. I feel as if my time in the manassas 1st ward is swiftly winding down. Transfers are next week and I'm pretty sure I'll leave. Man, I've loved my time here. 

This week went got take part in Part 2 of our ward's "Day to Serve" (Part 1 was last week, we helped out at that too). For our ward's activity we were able to clean up the manassas church building. There is an area right next to it that has a lot of shrubbery and foliage. There was a TON of poison ivy. Luckily I came prepared with jeans, a sweater, some work boots (courtesy of bishop Dzaran), and some gloves. It was a lot of fun actually. We chopped down a lot of dead trees and threw them into a wood chipper. Our bishop owns a wood chipper, how cool is that? And then for the bigger logs we cut them up and made some firewood. Man, sawing logs is a lot of hard work. My back is so sore but thank goodness there were no casualties in our activities. We are probably going to go back in a couple weeks to finish the job. It's going to take 3 days to finish. 

Last Monday we went to the Masonic temple in Alexandria. It was super cool. We got to go on a guided tour. The poor tour guide had to put up with our 101 questions we asked throughout the whole thing The free masons are super interesting. I was with elder Simpson and elder holdaway. My main homies in the mish, I'll send pics of our experience.  

This week we taught a couple of our investigators and had some great lessons with them. One of our investigators named Briana watched womens conference last night with our bishops wife. She really enjoyed it, she's been going through a really rough time lately and has been needing some good spiritual nourishment. I'm glad she enjoyed the conference. 

I went on an exchange with our district leader this week as well. His name is elder krambule. We came out together. He is a stud. He brought his bike to our area and we took the manassas 1st area on bike for a day, it was so much fun. It made me kind of miss biking. Bit know that as soon as I go back on bike, I'm going to miss my car lol. 

I would like the share a quote with you all that I think is much needed/very important. It comes from preach my gospel. 

"Patience is the capacity to endure delay, trouble, opposition, or suffering without becoming angry, frustrated, or anxious. It is the ability to do God’s will and accept His timing. When you are patient, you hold up under pressure and are able to face adversity calmly and hopefully. Patience is related to hope and faith--you must wait for the Lord’s promised blessings to be fulfilled."

Patience is a godly virtue, let's all strive for patience. 🏼 have a great week. 

- Elder Leish

Elder Krambule and I.  We have a tradition that started when I was with Elder Holdaway that every time we go on an exchange, at the end of the night we go get a little ice cream treat.  Might need to stop that soon though....

Me after a long days work on the chainsaw.  I spent like 2 hours on that thing.  I can barely hear and barely stand straight.

Week #67 - "Alpha"

Wow, another week has come and gone. It was a good week this week. We weren't able to teach a lot of our investigators. Some of them dropped us and others got anti-ed. All that means is that we get to start finding some new people. I'm pretty excited. 

We went on a couple exchanges this week with some other missionaries in our zone. It was good to learn from the other missionaries and find some new ways to do things. It was a fun time. 

We had dinner at the McIllece family's home numerous times this week. They have been such a blessing to us. They are awesome! 

This week I've been thinking a lot about Pride and humility. It's been a life long pursuit of mine to be truly humble. I've been able to see the examples from others around me especially leaders. Pride is really the down fall of all we do. It gets us absolutely no where. It's a lot better to do things of our own free will rather than seeking the praise of man for things we do. I wish I can say I am humble, but I'm not. I'm trying my best though. Humility is something that Heavenly Father uses to teach us lessons. When we are humble, we are more open and willing to take criticism and instruction. If I want all I can get out of this life, I need to learn humility. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

- Elder Leish

Look at this daddy spider that spun a web between our car and the car next to us. I'm done.

Week #66 - "20 going on 16"

Wow! I can't thanks everyone enough for all the birthday love. I can't
believe another year has come and gone. I'm so grateful that I had my
whole 19th year to serve the lord. It was such a great year and I
wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm excited to see what this year has
to bring. But thank you everyone for the birthday love. I am very
grateful!

This week was pretty fun! We met with all of our sweet investigators
that are on date EVERYDAY this week. It was good to help them keep
their commitments with contrast follow up!

We had our zone activity at the mission home today so I didn't have a
lot of time to write. We were able to have a BBQ and play sports and
what not. It was a blast to be with president and sister huntsman. I'm
sorry this isn't a lot But know that I love you ALL!

- Elder Leish

Me and my bro Brian!

The sisters that serve in our ward gave me a birthday present...Haha!

I used Elder Holdaway's sign that he left for my birthday too!

So when you hit your year mark you burn a shirt. Well I've been putting mine off for like 3 months and I finally did it this weekend on my birthday - lol!

Shirt burning

Candid pic that our investigator took while we were hanging with them.

Week #65 - "Young Trappa"

Well first off, let me give my brother a birthday shout out. Happy
birthday, Mckay! 💪🏼😜👌🏼 big 17! Crazy he's getting old. But so am
I. I'm going to be 20 on Saturday...I'm not sure I'm ready to leave my
teenage years behind....jk I am. I'm so excited to see what this next
year has in store.

This week has definitely been one for the books again. Elder Winn and
I were able to see some success with our investigators and they were
able to make some great progress. One of our investigators named
Donnell, came to church and had a great experience. He let us know he
wanted to come like 20 minutes before it started but we were able to
make it work. And a youth in the ward was able to fellowship him
really well and even offered to give him a ride home. It was solid!
Donnell is a junior in high school. He's 16 and is probably my size.
Pretty crazy. He doesn't play sports though. We are trying to convince
him to play football next year. We put Donnell on date to be baptized
on October 8th. So look for great things to come from him.

We met with another girl named Keisha this week. She told us her nick
name is "young trappa" hahah. She's so sweet. Kind of rough around the
edges but is so sweet. She is 17 and is really willing to listen. We
had a couple lessons with her and put her on date to be baptized too.
She is also on for October 8th! When we invited her to be baptized on
that day she said, "of course I would". It was so sick. I'm really
excited for her.

I was reading through some of my notes this week and came across this
story I wanted to share.

The little country schoolhouse was heated by an old-fashioned,
potbellied coal stove. A little boy had the job of coming to school
early each day to start the fire and warm the room before his teacher
and his classmates arrived.

One morning they arrived to find the schoolhouse in flames. They
dragged the unconscious little boy out of the flaming building more
dead than alive. He had major burns over the lower half of his body
and was taken to the nearby county hospital. From his bed the
dreadfully burned, semi-conscious little boy faintly heard the doctor
talking to his mother. The doctor told his mother that her son would
surely die — which was for the best, really — for the fire had
devastated the lower half of his body.

But the brave boy didn't want to die. He made up his mind that he
would live. Somehow, to the amazement of the physician, he did
survive. When the mortal danger was past, he again heard the doctor
and his mother speaking quietiy. The mother was told that since the
fire had destroyed so much flesh in the lower part of his body, it
would almost be better if he had died, since he was doomed to be a
lifetime cripple with no use at all of his lower limbs.

Once more the brave boy made up his mind. He would not be a cripple.
He would walk. But unfortunately from the waist down, he had no motor
ability. His thin legs just dangled there. Ultimately he was released
from the hospital. Every day his mother would massage his little legs,
but there was no feeling, no control, nothing. Yet his determination
that he would walk was as strong as ever. When he wasn't in bed, he
was confined to a wheelchair.

One sunny day his mother wheeled him out into the yard to get some
fresh air. This day, instead of sitting there, he threw himself from
the chair. He pulled himself across the grass, dragging his legs
behind him. He worked his way to the white picket fence bordering
their lot. With great effort, he raised himself up on the fence. Then,
stake by stake, he began dragging himself along the fence, resolved
that he would walk. He started to do this every day until he wore a
smooth path all around the yard beside the fence. There was nothing he
wanted more than to develop life in those legs.

Through his daily massages, persistence, and determination, he did
develop the ability to stand up, then to walk haltingly, then to walk
by himself — and then — to run. He began to walk to school, then to
run to school, to run for the sheer joy of running. Later in college
he made the track team. Later on this young man who was not expected
to survive, who would surely never walk, who could never hope to run —
this determined young man, Glenn Cunningham, ran the world's fastest
mile!

This really hit home to me. I know that whenever I put my mind to
anything. I WILL accomplish it. I know that for a fact. Ultimately,
anything we want to do, is possible. We can do all things have rough
Christ!

Everyone have a great week. I love and miss ya!



- Elder Leish