Elder Joe Leishman~Philippines Angeles Mission

January 2011-January 2013

Monday, August 8, 2011

Magandang Araw sa inyo!




Dear Family and Friends,

This past week has been an exciting one! It was fun to head back to the mission home to be trained and pick up my new companion. My new companion is Elder Tating. He is from Laguna, Philippines. He is awesome! I am so excited to be his companion. He is so excited about the work, our investigators and area and really just about everything! He is very happy and our companionship is off to an awesome start! Right now there is a brand new program for Trainers and trainees. The curriculum in the MTC changed and so now starting this transfer around the world there is a new training program for the field. For the first 12 weeks for a trainee and trainer they have an extra hour of personal study everyday and there is a guide for what to study for that extra hour. The goal of the program is to have the trainee ready to train a new missionary by the end of 12 weeks. The program is awesome. I have spent time studying it and I know it's inspired of the Lord. I have already seen the benefits of it. I know that if we follow it with exactness Elder Tating will be ready to train a new missionary in 12 weeks. I am really excited about the next two transfers! We have had to do some adjusting to our schedule and have lost some proselyting time so our hours of work are fuller than before which I didn't think would happen. We are really busy right now which is the best way to do things!

This past week there have been two bagios so it's been raining a lot! Despite the rain the work continues and we have had great things happen in the work. Right now we have 3 investigators with baptismal dates on Aug 13 and more on the way. It seems that the closer that investigators get to baptism the harder Satan works on them. It's so important to follow up with investigators, strenghten their faith and be there for support and encouragement as they prepare to covenant with the Lord We have a new chapel being built in our are right now and it should be done this month. I am so exctied and so are the members. There are lot of new investigators by the new church and the work is really going to blossom when it opens!

This past week these scriptures really stood out to me Mosiah 27:25-27. When you have time read them. They talk about how we must be born of God and changed from a carnal state to spiritual state become new creatures. It says if we don't do this we can't inherit the kingdom of God. This helped me realize that to return to our father in heaven we have to have a "mighty change of heart". We have to literally beocme "new creatures" This is only possible through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Only through the atonement can we experience this change. This change doesn't happen all at once, but it occurs as we repent everyday, and strive to become disciples of Christ. Let us all strive to become new creatures by become disciples of Christ, putting off the natural man and striving to be a little better every day.

I really am very happy and I Love being a missionary!

I love you all!

Love Elder Leishman,

The pictures are of Elder Tating and I, new zone Jerseys:), and Elder Calianga and I on a pogpog or hand tractor!

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