Goodbye Cabanatuan, Hello San Jose! 2/27

Dear Friends and Family,

This past week was a very crazy week! This past week was transfers and as it turns about I got transfered. I am now in San Jose zone in Ward 1. I am still a zone leader and my new companion is Elder Adao from san Paublo Laguna When I opened the Transfer announcements from the assistants I felt that pang of saddness when I read that I would be transfered. Over the past 4 months I have really grown to love Cabanatuan. At first I didn't love it... I had a hard adjustment at the beggining but now I really love it. I have gain a real love for Cabanatuan, the members, the investigators and the area. It was also pretty sad to leave Elder Casilac. We really had a great companionship. On the other end of thigns coming here to San Jose has been great. I felt a sense of peace knowing that the Lord wants me here. Most of the zone is very rural. However in our area we have part of the San Jose city, which is pretty small,along with some bukid areas. It's a beautiful place. Right now we have some awesome missionaries in the zone and I am very excited for this transfer! We have a lot of work to do and we are excited to do it!

This past saturday we had a baptism. This is the first time I have coming into an area and had a baptisms that fast. Sister Bade was baptized by here husband who is a recent convert. It was such a powerful baptism! The spirit was so strong. Baptisms are so much better when a family member can do the baptism. It helps brings families together better. The Bade's were sad that the missionary I replaced left, but they warmly welcomed me. Our ward here is one of the best functioning wards I have seen in the Philippines which makes me really happy. It makes cordinating with the members much easier. In our area right now we have some strengths and weaknesses but we have a lot of places we can improve. I just know that it's going to be a great transfer! There are 4 missionaries in my new house and I am the only American. I love the Filipino Elders and we are getting along great. In my last two areas we had a nanay who washed our clothes. Here we don't, so I washed my clothes early this morning by hand and I gained a much bigger appreciation for all of the nanay's who do laundry!

This week I have loved my personal study. I have learned so much! I love how every time you read the scriptures you learn something new no matter how many times you have them. I read one of my favorite chapters of the Book of Mormon in Alma 5. I love how Alma talks about the need for a mighty changes of heart and if we have felt a change of heart, can we feel it now? This is such a great explaination of conversion and faith. To experience conversion we need to change. This change starts because of our faith, however once we have changed we need to continue to strive for greater conversion through exercising our faith and following the commandments. If we don't do this we will lose the change of heart we have experienced. It's so important that once we are converted we stay converted. Also once we are truly converted we change. We become "new creatures" through the atonement. What a joy the Gospel is. This was a great tool for me to help me in my quest for greater conversion and in helping my investigators and less-actives gain a mighty change of heart.

I love this Gospel. I love my Savior. This is the only true church on the face of the Earth.

mahal ko kayo

Love Elder Leishman

pictures. THe first picture is of my last day in Cabanatuan. That sign means I am a cabanatueno which means resident of cabanatuan like American for someone from America.

The second picture is of a family home evening we had with the caluza family on my last monday. The last picture is from the baptisms last saturday.

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!