Diligence April 2

Dear Family and Friends,

It's crazy how fast time flies. Right now it's the last week of the transfer. We have transfers on Thursday so I'll let you know what happens next week. This past week has been an awesome week! We had 2 exchanges this past week which went really well. The hardest thing about exchanges is leaving your area. Even if it's for a day I can't help but think about what's going on in my area and how my investigators are. It's sometimes hard to let someone else teach the people you love so much.

This past week we were teaching an investigator and I made a very simple mistake in Tagalog, and the investigator got pretty offended at what I said. I didn't have any bad intentions in what I said but the investigator didn't see that. I felt really bad after the lesson, but that experience taught me a lot. Since then I have a new desire to master Tagalog. I can speak Tagalog pretty well but sometimes I make stupid mistakes and i am still working on my accent. I know that I need to keep studying dilligently to recieve the Lord's help through the gift of tongues. However don't be to worried about the investigator. We went back and taught him and everything was good. He is the part member father I talked about last week and he is making awesome progress! He is slowly recognizing learning to recognize the spirit and is excited for conference this upcoming week.

One of the things that I realized this past week was the need to focus on Preach my Gospel. Sometimes I get so focused on the scriptures that I forget about Preach My Gospel. Preach My Gospel is such an amazing book and I know that every page of it was inspired of God. It's our guide as missionaries and we need to study it. When I started to study it more in depth this past week I learned so much and was reminded of so many important principles of missionary work and of the doctrine in the missionary lessons. We are so blessed as missionaries to have preach my gospel.

This past week has been a great one! Sorry if this email is pretty boring. It was a really good week. The picture I sent is of a spider we caught in the house the other day... It's pretty good sized. As far as god stories go. Last week we were walking through the ricefields to one of our apointments and I had to jump to another dike where I we could walk and I when I landed I slipped and fell flat on my back. My pants but super muddy but it was so funny. I laughed really really hard. Gotta love it!

I love being a missionary! This is such a rewarding work. I am also excited for general conference! I have been preparing for weeks now and I cannot wait till this sunday. I figured out that a lot of what you get from general conference comes from your preparation so I ahve been trying to get really prepared.

mahal ko kayo!

Love Elder Leishman

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?

Pumping Time

Well this past week has been a great one! Some of our investigators have made some great progress. Currently we have 5 investigators with a Baptismal goal date of May 14. I hope and pray that they can continue their progress in coming unto Christ. We also have a lot of other investigators but the speed of learning an progress if different for all.


I'm starting to feel a little more comfortable in the language. I am doing many things to learn and study the language but I have learned that the most helpful thing for me so far has simply been talking. Talking to members, talking to investigators, talking to someone sitting next to you on a jeep talking to anyone. It still is hard sometime to just open my mouth because I know my Tagalog isn't perfect and people often times laugh at the things I say because of my Tagalog, however I never regret talking to someone after it's done. I am trying to speak to as many people as I can.


This past week we had a great experience with a new investigator. His name is Tatay Remegio Tanedo. He is 67 years old and his children and wife are members. After 12 years of his wife being a member he finally decided to listen to the missionaries for the first time. The second time we taught him we asked why he decided to listen to our message. 12 years of seeing how the gospel had had blessed the life of his family finally softened his heart. He realized the mistakes he had made and he now has a strong desire to change. The change we saw in a week with Tatay Tanedo was a miracle. In a matter of days he went from avoiding us like the plague when we tried to visit him and now having a baptismal goal date of may 14. Seeing the change in him was an amazing the experience. One of my most powerful teaching experiences so far on my mission was teaching Tatay Tanedo about eternal families. Speaking of families I loved all of the messages about families in general conference. On my mission I have realized more how important families are and how blessed I am to have the best family. It's been amazing to see the changes that the gospel has made in families lives in the short time I am here.


I also loved the many talks from conference about welfare, service and just doing good. I have learned that you are happier and your work is better when you are looking for opportunities to serve and are thinking about the welfare of others. I forgot who said this in conference but "when you give a crust to the Lord you get a loaf in return" This principal is true as we serve others. As we seek to serve we actually end up getting so much back. Elder Bednar's talk was another one of my favorites. I loved the analogy of receiving revelation like turning on a light in a dark room or like a sunrise. In my life my testimony has come like the sunrise, one little bit as a time. As a missionary it's important to have patience as you learn the language, seek for inspiration, try to strengthen your testimony and try to become a better missionary. So often the change seems like a sunrise where there a little bits of light at a time but as sure as the sun rises and night turns into day these changes occur in us as we strive to be obedient and strive to become like Christ.


Oh yeah quick side note. Something with our water system in our house broke and now we have to pump everything by hand and either use our filter water bottles or boil our water for drinking. It's been pretty fun in a way and has made me gain a greater respect for the people here who pump their water into buckets and carry it to their houses everyday. The people here are amazing and I am begining to really love them.


Fight the Fight of Faith


Love Elder Leishman

PS: Tatay means Father :)

MTC Week 5 already?

Goodbye photo with Joe and Elder Tyson Green

We can't believe Elder Leishman has gone for over a month. Time isn't quite flying, but it is coming along nicely! Here's the latest. We love the Monday emails!

Dear family and friends,

It has been a great week at the mtc! I first need to say thank you for valentines and letters. They put many smiles on my face to say the least! So like everyweek so far at the mtc, this past week has been a week of learning. I think that the most important thing that I learned came from the tuesday night devotional. Kevin W. Pearson of the 70 spoke to us and what he told us what just what I needed to hear. For the week leading up to the devotional I really had been feeling like there was something missing in my missionary work. Elder Pearson words helped me find what I was missing through the spirit. Elder Pearson started out his talk by really putting us in our place a little bit. The first thing I thought of was "wow. This is like a spiritual smack in face." It really was. He told us that most of us are boys that are acting like missionaries. We havn't yet become missionaries. He focused on how we could become disciples of Christ. This comes through exact obedience, faith and hard work. The thing that stood out to me the most was exact obedience. Before this fireside I thought myself to be an obedient missionary, but while he talked I realized all the little things I don't do. The thing that I was missing was exact obedience. After this talk I made a promise to myself to be exactly obedient for my entire mission and to never be a missionary that my mission president would ever worry about. I learned that in many ways I havn't become a missionary yet, I am only a boy acting like a missionary. I learned that becoming a disciple of Chirst and the missionary I want to be I need to stop focusing on myself and start looking for ways to serve and love others. I also learned that I choose whether or not I become that missionary. I think I am finally starting to understand the phrase " if it is to be it is up to me". No matter our circumstances we choose our attitude and what we do. We really can do anything with faith, obedience and the help of the lord. On the subject of obedience, I love Alma 57. What a great story of obedience and the blessings that come from it.

This past week at the TRC I walked into to the language task to see Ty Foster standing in my assigned room. Talk about a small world! It was awesome being able to teach someone I knew in Tagalog. I could tell that Ty was getting a kick out of my poor Tagalog but who wouldn't. We also taught our last lesson in English last week. From here on it's all Tagalog! I'll admit it's not amazing teaching but we can do it. It's hard to belive that after four and 1/2 weeks we are teaching in all Tagalog. In fact everything is in Tagalog now: Our teachers speak Tagalog, we read PMG and the scripture in Tagalog in class, we teach in Tagalog and we are supposed to SYL(speak your language) as much as possible. Lots of Tagalog but we need all of the Tagalog we can get.

Thank you to everyone who sent else Tomasi and not or a card or package. It really means so much to him! Seeing him receive letters is on of the best parts of my day. I know the love and the support means so much to him. Elder Tomasi is an amazing person. I am so blessed to have him as Kasama ko.

Mahal kita

Elder Leishman

Best Week So Far

Every Monday, I try to go to yoga. Now I am finding myself in downdog, looking at the clock, and wondering if I have received an email yet! Time to get my concentration back. Here are a few words from this week's letter:

This past week has been my best week at the mtc so far. The tagalog is coming slowly and with a lot of hard work and my knowlege of gospel of Jesus Christ is increasing. Some of the important things that I have learned this past week from class, study and meetings have about dilligence and obedience. First speaking of dilligence. dilligence is essential every day of your mission. I have learned that there is no time for coasting in any aspect of your mission. To be the best missionary you can be you always need to be working on improving yourself. One way that I have learned this is from Tagalog and teaching. Right when you start to get comfortable with a part of the language or with a certain lesson there is going to be a curveball thrown at you to make you humble and realize how much you need to work to improve. The second thing that I have learned a lot about is obedience. Obedience to rules will make or break a missionary. There are some little rules that might not make sense but they are there for a reason. It makes me really sad to see a large number of elder's break the "little, or unimportant rules". Every rule is important and as we follow them we will be blessed. One way that I have learned this is through quiet time at night. Every night 10:15 is quiet time. A lot of elder's disregard this rule, but as I have been trying to follow it I have been able to have thoughts of inspiration on impressions from the spirit as I write in my journal, read a letter or just sit and think. If I hadn't had been trying to follow the rules I wouldn't have been able to recieve these thoughts from the spirit.

The longer I am in the mtc the more i am begining to realize how much I am learning from my companionship with Elder Tomasi. I feel that we are companions for a reason and we both have many things learn from one another. A day doesn't go by that I am not amazed that Elder Tomasi is on a mission. He has only been a member of the church for a year, most of his family hates him for joining the church and going on a mission. Still he has an incredible testimony and works hard to always serve and love others. It has made me realize what's important and how blessed I am to have the family that I have. A fun fact about elder Tomasi - He boxed in the olympics in China! I love Elder Tomasi.

Speaking of Elder Tomasi, He needs mail really bad! If any of you could send him a little note I know it would mean the world to him! This week a letter to him is more important than a letter to me. Well my time is almost up. I will write you another letter and send it today with some pictures, some fun stories, and with some good tagalog phrases. I wish I could write you more than one time a week.

I love you, Mahal Kita

Elder Leishman

Elder Tomasi
MTC Mailbox #148
PHI-ANG 0321

Letter 2 Week 2

On Monday (pday) Joe wrote a quick note which arrived TODAY! :) Here's a few words from Broseph:

After I wrote the email, I thought to myself I hope you don't think that I'm playing too much and working too little. Well I promise I'm working hard! I am trying to study very hard and learn all that I can. Sometimes I get frustrated because I am trying very hard and am seeing little results. I know that these things take time and the Lord will hlep me when I need it. I just need to have faith, keep working hard and be obedient. The hardest part is learning Tagolog, but you just keep working at it.

If there is one word of advice I can give to you it would be to pray often and try to have the Spirit with you always. It makes all the difference.

You've got mail!

It's time for celebration.... we got a letter! here are a few excerpts:

My first few days at the MTC has been quite the little adventure so far! I cannot believe how much we fit into our days. By the end of a day the only way I can remember everything I have done is by looking in my planner. The spirit here is incredible. It is amazing to be able to feel the spirit in everything you do. The holy ghost is essential to every single aspect of missionary work. Right now it's especially important to me as I try to learn Tagalog. The only way I will be able to learn Tagalog is with the help of the lord and the holy ghost. The first thing I did after I took all my things to my room was go to my first class. I heard about 10 words of English in the first hour. It was a little overwhelming to hear tagalog for 4 hours and not have any idea what was going on, but it's starting to get better. I can finally pray and bear my testimony without notes!

My companion's name is Elder Tomasi. He is from Tonga and is the only member of the church in his family. Before he converted to the church he was a boxer! He is still a pretty big guy. I love Elder Tomasi! He is one of the most sincere, nicest people I have ever met. His testimony is incredible. His primary language is Tongan so communication is sometimes difficult in english and tagalog but we are getting really good at our communication. I also belong to an awesome district and zone.

I will admit that during the first few days i have had many feelings of inadequacy (that's probablly spelled wrong... pasensya) and just being a little overwhelmed in all. I feel like most missionaries go through the same thing. The thought of learning a new language, of teaching real people and of being a representative of Christ hits you hard. Now I am starting to do better and to enjoy everything. Some things are still difficult but I feel very happy and blessed to have this opportunity.

This week I have seen Elder Clegg, Elder Child, Elder Seamons, Elder Winters, Elder Allen, Elder Green, Elder Mcgill (Joanna's Nephew), Elder Hamilton, Elder Green and others from school. It is so great to see everyone! They all look good and it just makes things go better.