2 more Great Members in Burgos!

Dear family, friends and loved ones,

I need to start off by saying that being a missionary is great!! This past week has been a successful one! The highlights of the week for me were Nora at Ronalyns Baptisms and confirmations. They were so spiritual. We had to have their baptism at the stake instead of the river and everything went perfectly. We only had two tricycles for transportation but lot's a members who wanted to come so we ended up with 14 people on two trikes. It was pretty impressive! On sunday Nora, and Ronalyn were early to church and excited to be confirmed. The spirit was very powerful during their confirmations. After their confirmations they were beaming the entire day. They still seemed to glow as we went and taught they last night too. Sister Nora also gave an amazing heartfelt prayer expressing her gratitude for the savior, and that she was able to be baptized. It has been such a great joy to see Nora and Ronalyn accept the Gospel. They have grown closer as a mother and daughter, and have experienced a "mighty change of heart". They are real converts.

This past week we also found some awesome new investigators. One of them is family and one of the daughters is named Cindy. She is deaf and teaching her has been, very different... but very wonderful. She communicates through sign language and her siblings only know a little bit so we are really trying to find ways to help her understand. We have been using my little whiteboard, pictures, and body language to help teach her. I know that she has felt the spirit and has understood parts of our teaching. This has been awesome because I have been reminded that it's through the spirit that we are converted. The spirit can speak to anyone. As a missionary you don't need to use extravagant lessons and fancy words to teach people the Gospel. The spirit will testify as you are worthy, follow promptings and teach simply and clearly.

This past week we also had a zone conference and one of the focuses was using the Book of Mormon to rescue less-active members by teaching the atonement. This focus was a good reminder to me of how the Atonement is central to every aspect of the Gospel. It is so important to teach other the atonement. We can teach and testify of the atonement as we teach any principle of the Gospel. The Book of Mormon is the best way to do this. There are sooo many references to the atonement in the Book of Mormon but one of my favorites is Alma 7:11-13. I love the word "that" in these verses. It shows us that everything that Christ suffered and did but for us. The atonement is all about love and only Christ was able to atone for our sins. I am thankful for the atonement everyday and the power it has in my life everyday.

The work is going great in Burgos right now. I am still loving being a trainer and a district leader. Elder Tating is great. I don't feel like I'm his trainer. He is a great teacher and is becoming an awesome missionary. We get along really well and have some good laughs everyday which brings a good balance into our work. One of the things I have loved these past couple months about being a district leader has been the opportunity to teach in District meetings. It's a great opportunity to serve others and show my love for my district.

I attached a couple pictures from the baptism.

Mahal ko Kayo

Love Elder Leishman

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!

A rainy pday in the Philippines

Dear Family and Friends,

Right now it's a very rainy P-day. It's rainy season now so it rains a lot. The good part about rainy season is things are starting to cool down. My area is also getting very green and beautiful. As usual this past week has been a good one! It has been different to lead the area and to have a new companion but things are good. Elder Calianga is from Quezon City. He is really serious and doesn't like to talk a lot but he is a great teacher. We have only been together for 5 days and one of them was a split so things are just beginning. It will be a good transfer for sure. Right now our baptismal goal for this transfer is 6. I hope and pray that our investigators can continue to progress and gain strong testimonies about the gospel. This Saturday we have a baptism for Pepito and next saturday hopefully we will have 4 more. I don't know how much I have told you about Pepito but he is awesome. He has been the most prepared person to here the Gospel that I've taught yet. Before we met him he had been praying to find the religion with the word of Christ. A member casually introduced us to him as we were leaving an appointment and we decided to OYM him. From there on he has kept every commitment and has gained a testimony that this is the true church. The Tanedo family has been his fellowshippers and without them his church attendance wouldn't be possible. I am so grateful for the help of the members here in the work. I have realized that every investigator that we are teaching that is really progressing has some connection to the members. Members are so important in missionary work. Without them conversion and retention is very difficult.

Because the zone leaders are in my district, my companion is automatically the district leader. Because Elder Pioquinto and Elder Calianga have been district leaders I go on a lot of splits with the zone leaders. I even had a split with the AP's. Companionship exchanges are such a great opportunity to learn. I have been grateful for the opportunities to see other missionaries teaching styles, get feedback and set goals to improve.

Right now one of my barriers in my teaching is my Tagalog. It's coming slowly and surely but it's not where i want it to be. I can say pretty much anything I want to but not in the way I want to. I want to teach in clear simple terms but it's hard in Tagalog. However I have to say the gift of tongues is very real. There have been times in teaching situations where I have taught and said things I didn't completly understand in Tagalog but later learned the meaning of what I said and realized how it was what the investigator needed to hear.

This past week while studying about the atonement the phrase "infinite sacrifice" really stood out to me. I thought about how I have found comfort through the atonement in my trials and pains. I then thought about the pains and trials of the people of the Philippines, then the people of the world then about all the "living creatures" to ever live on the earth. I can't even come close understanding the magnitude of the suffering and sacrifice that our Savior Jesus Christ did for us. This helped me better understand that Jesus Christ knows our pains. Every single one of them.

Things are good in Burgos. I love the work. I love the Gospel.

Mahal Kita

Love Elder Leishman

ps. about the second picture. can you say zone jerseys?

Happy Easter!

Dear Family and Friends,


LDSmail was down so sorry this is short. This past week has been a good one. It was Banal na Araw or Holy Week. Holy Week is a big deal here. Biernes Santos or Good Friday is the big day not easter. It slowed down the work a little with days without any Jeeps and some of our investigators leaving but it was good. Right now we have four investigators with a set baptismal date of may 14 and 7 others with Baptismal goal dates next transfer. One of our investigators with the BD of may 14 is Tatay Tanedo. I have talked about him a couple times. This past week when following up about his prayers he said that he "prayers for a fighting spirit to resist temptation". He emphasized fighting spirit a few times. He helped me realize that we all need a fighting spirit to resist temptation. In the hymn put your shoulder to the wheel it says "the fight with sin is real". It's true. However how do we get a fighting spirit and fight sin. Like tatay Tanedo we need to have faith to overcome sin and exercise our faith through prayer and obeying the commandments. As we constantly exercise our faith and ask for help we can all have a "fighting spirit".


A few quick words of business. Firstly next week is transfer week so P-day is on Wednesday. So don't worry when you don't get an email on monday! Also, if you by any chance send a package don't itemize it. On the description be general, for example "birthday present".




This past week I spent a lot of my personal study in the Book of Mormon studying the atonement. What a blessing it was to study the atonement and get to know my Savior better. In my five weeks in the field I have really come to love the Savior like I never have before. He knows all our trials, difficulites and pains. He felt them all. He was the only person to ever walk to the Earth who could atone for our sins. He wants to help us and give us comfort but first we must have faith in him and go to him. As I have been able to get to know my Savior I have found comfort in the trials I have had big or small. Now it's my resposibility to help bring others unto Christ so they can find that same comfort and joy. This past week I have realized more fully what it means to invite others to come unto Christ. It's more than teaching lessons. It's helping them go to their Savior and find joy and peace as they feel his love by living his Gospel Everyday as study I realized how I am nothing without the Lord. As I study preach my gospel and interact with other missionaries I feel in many ways like a child in the mission. I'm new and I have so much to learn and so many skills I need to develop. The only way I will be able to learn and grow will be through the help of the Lord. I know that as I trust in the Lord, have faith, work hard and am obedient I'll be able to do all things I need to do and become an effective missionary.




Mahal Kita




Love Elder Leishman