Week 39!

Hey Mom!

Well, this week wasn't perfect, but it was 100% an improvement!  It'took a lot of talking, and studying, and thinking.  But we made some changes in our approach, and I think it will help.  

I think with the rainy weather, people got colder, haha, because no one will let us come in. So we spent personal and comp studies, and even weekly planning just trying to figure out how to make our contacts better. We came up with the idea that people here really don't get the point of another church (because there are TONS of churches down here) so we decided we were gonna start bringing around a little DVD player we have with us, and when people try and deny us, or give us a "Hmm...does it take a lot of time?" we say "Hey well we have a 7 minute video that explains a lot about our church, do you have 7 minutes?" and they always say sure. So then we just watch the video, and then ask if they liked anything, and almost every time, they open up. Especially since the video talks a lot about happy families and people love that stuff.  So we have been contacting a lot with that.  We are still studying every day ways to make our teaching and contacts more simple so that even small children can understand.  Hopefully we are getting somewhere.

So that's about what we have been up to this week! Still having a lot of fun.  That's something Elder Pond has taught me about contacting. Contacting kind of sucks, so you just need to have fun with it.  We have realized that when the people see us having fun with is, they see that we are just normal people, and not just robots with ties.

Thanks for everything mom! Thanks for the letter.  I hope everything is going well at home!  Sorry that Collin turned 18, I'm sure he didn't mean to.  Don't worry, I'll be home in no time, and I'll hang out with
you guys.  Love you! 

Week 38!

Hey Mom! Thanks for the update.  I appreciate it!

This week was another tough week, but it's all good.  Like you already know, we spent a few days in Bogota for a training.  They make us go up to Bogota quite a bit for how big of a pain it is.  We all have to take a flight up there and spend like 3 days out of our area.  But i'ts all good, Bogota is cool and the trainings are always great.  

During this training the presidente talked a lot about our studies and how to make them better, and more focused on our investigators.  It was pretty cool.  President Baquerizo and his wife ALWAYS give really good trainings.  We learned a lot about how to organize our study time better and more efficiently to get the most out of it.  He used the example of Moses when he received the law from the Lord.  He had to "climb the mountain" to speak with the Lord.  The law wasn't just a "hey this could work...ah maybe this is better."  He had to climb the mountain, and spend a ton of time up there to make sure they got the perfect thing.  Then he used the example of Alma and Amulek.  It says that before they went out to teach the people, they spent a lot of time in the house preparing.  So the President explained that every morning during our studies, we need to be climbing the mountain in our studies to make sure we are planning exactly what our investigators need.  He used the phrase "receive the revelation first, and then go out to share it with the people."  I liked it a lot.  Real nice training.

Then we got back from Bogota, and we were missing half of our stuff, and we still didn't have a phone.  HECK.  So we just tried to endure this week.  It was tough because a lot of appointments fell through that we would have known about if we had a phone, so we spent a LOT of time walking around, haha.  We even spent 2 days STRAIGHT knocking doors, and with not a lot of success, hahaha.  We are entering the rainy season so maybe the rain is freezing peoples hearts, because dang, we don't have much.  But the truth is, I don't feel all that bad about this week.  Although our success was low, we worked hard and diligently so I can't be mad.  We just gotta keep going and not mess around to make sure we do the best with the little time we have.

The real good news is that the Zone Leaders flew down to Leticia today, and they managed to get a hold of our bags.  So we have all of our stuff back.  YYEESSS.  We were stressing out a ton over them and we got everything back and all is well so we are pumped.  

Today for P Day we went back into Brazil to buy some cheap groceries.  It was good as usual.  I got to practice my Portuguese, although it's not very good.  Haha, one lady goes "Do you speak Spanish?" and I said yeah and she went, "I'll understand your Spanish," so I must not have sounded very good, hahaha.  I can't complain, it's coming and I'm not really studying so it's all good.  

Happy birthday shout out to my bro Collin. Love you dude, you are number one.  Just so you know, being 18 doesn't mean you are an adult.  You can still do stupid crap, but you just can't get caught.

Thanks, Ma! I don't know if you received a call from anyone yet,  but there is a guy from Texas who is headed down here on a fishing trip and wants to bring us some stuff down.  I gave him your number so you could talk to him.  All the elders down here were thinking some homemade American stuff like cookies and scotcheroos would be super rad.  But you really don't have to send anything if you don't want.  I know you guys have already sent a ton of stuff.  Thanks for the write, love you!

Love - Elder Leishman

Tanner and his new companion, Elder Pond

Happy birthday celebration, courtesy of Mercedes, for Elder Argye!

Week 37!

Tanner let me know that he did actually send a letter last week . . . but I never got it!  It seems to be lost forever. 

Hey mom! Truth be told, not a very exciting week.  We really couldn't get much work done because we were in a trio, and my comp came down to Leticia about 3 days late because he had to do some training.  We did have a training in Bogota today so that's been good (ya know, pizza, McDonald's, Starbucks. . .dope American stuff).  We learned a lot about how to study better, and how to make sure we are making good lesson plans for our investigators.  

Sooo....things have been a little complicated.  Elder Pond and I had to come up to the offices from the airport so he could leave some stuff there, and when we got out of the taxi, we totally forgot our luggage.  So Elder Pond and I have been without our crap for this trip.  Were not sure what to do but we are hoping that the taxi driver drops our stuff off at the airport and we can just grab it all tomorrow.  But who freaking knows.  I lost all my dang shaving stuff, freaking chaco sandals, and a tie, and some garments.  Oh well.  Shiz happens.

BUT.  My package did get here and its super awesome so thank you so much!  Super rad.  It was exactly what I needed to leave behind the shizzy luck we've had lately.

So I know I didn't have much to say, and it was late, but hey, we're in Bogota so I can send pictures ;)

Love - Elder Leishman

  (thanks again to Mercedes for sending pics!  Soooooo appreciated!)

Week 36!

No letter from Elder Leishman this week!  His companion was transferred, so he must have been busy with changes happening.  But he did send a few pics.  And Mercedes sent some too!  Love to see that he is smiling and happy.

Famous reggaetone singer (Manuel Turizo) we met at the airport (listen to "Una Lady como Tú") he actually turned out to be super cool 

Peace out Elder Nielsen