Ryan's Entire Mission

Ryan's Entire Mission
ryan is in the far right corner

Ryan at a Zone Conference...

Ryan at a Zone Conference...

Ryan and President Brubaker

Ryan and President Brubaker

eating raw fish -- eeewww

eating raw fish -- eeewww

Ryan at temple - day before MTC drop off

Ryan at temple - day before MTC drop off
handsome guy!

Ryan and President Smith

Ryan and President Smith
getting set apart as a missionary

Welkom all friends and family of Elder Ryan Leash

We welcome you to the first edition of Elder Ryan Leashs' missionary blog. We hope that you will find the information included fun, informative and memorable. Please make comments and show Ryan your support by writing him often!







Saturday, March 27, 2010

Musings from the MTC

March 24, 2010

Dear Family,

Mom – thank you for keeping up the blog…it is so helpful, and is keeps everyone updated on the ‘goings on. Things are going really well, it is becoming second nature to say how I am doing in Dutch now. I feel good about everything as a whole. To answer your questions about what I might need – ties would be o.k., but you don’t have to send any of the ‘CTR’ ties or bookstore ties in general as you usually do..l.o.l.

I get up at 6:15 every day, go to the gym, shower and to breakfast. It is a beautiful day, and we are going on another English fast, which is where we have to speak our new language, no English. These days are usually very quiet days. I must say that I love our schedule. I thrive on organization and planning.

Mom, yes the sisters are very nice! My comp and one of the sisters are a little too friendly at times, at least in my opinion. We don’t hear from the MTC president much, although he seems to be a nice guy. I am very impressed with our Branch President, President Laugherty. He has such a great spirit about him! He makes me really want to be a better person! The other day he pulled me aside; he didn’t say anything extremely profound - it was more feeling behind it! He said, “Elder Leash, I just want you to know how much I appreciate you; you always have a good spirit about you and all in your district testify to your diligence…you are a good young man.” Again not so much the words, but the sincerity behind it that meant so much to me; this makes me want to be a better man! You don’t have to put this in my blog.

The devotional last night was great as usual. Brother Robbins of the 70 spoke. Here are some things that stood out to me:
-anything we do for the Lord will be paid back tenfold – not a sacrifice, but an investment.
-fight fear with faith and love
-you can’t gain a testimony through the five senses,
-you obtain a testimony by doing!!
These were the highlights – my p-day is coming to a close…I will write after laundry, my work out at the gym, my spiritual work out with the scriptures…and then the temple (best part of my p-day) I love you.
Later,
Another devotional I was going to tell you about…our Director of Training at the MTC spoke – Brother Mark Jarmin. He and his wife gave us general missionary advice; his wife also spoke. He had some great insights. Here are the bullets points that stood out:
-forget yourself and go to work (classic advice, but key)
-commit 100%, I thought of this as not having one foot in the world and one foot in the work; I don’t need to keep track of who is in the world.
**the submission of oneself is all we have to give! Everything else in not ours to give!
-work, give time…I like this one a lot.
-mighty prayer – usually comes from trials – it cleanses the soul!
Mighty prayer=pouring out your whole heart to the Lord, baring your soul and pleading with the Lord!
It was a great talk!

Oh, you talked in your letter about blessings we do receive every day. I know we all take them for granted. Something that I’ve started that I’m going to try to make a habit of is in my journal, every night, writing/listing the blessings that I have received that day. I read a talk about this recently – I think it was Brother Bednar who referred to these blessings as the Lord’s tender mercies, this seems really fitting – to think of blessings as the Lord’s tender mercies.

Mom, Dad and Danielle – I love you three so very much and I just wanted you to know that! We are in the Lord’s course which is one eternal round that we are in together. I take great comfort in that thought.

I love you all very much!

Elder Leash

Monday, March 22, 2010

March 16, 2010

Dear everyone,

I am glad that you are enjoying my letters because your letters are definitely the highlight - the ‘top ten’highlights of my day! I know that the Lord is hearing your prayers on my behalf and I am thankful for that. I am very thankful for them!
I am really excited to be leaving for Holland in one month. I will be getting my flight plans soon so that is soo exciting.
Thanks for the scriptures and tips you sent on obedience! I can definitely see how important it is, especially in missionary work. I heard an analogy I really liked. Basically that obedience is like a kite – the rules that bind you also set you free and you can fly!~
Dad, thanks for your promise re: the Lamanites and how true growth comes when you think you can’t take any more! I know at times I will hit a brick wall…and then a great devotional comes along or I receive a great letter and I am renewed and things look a lot better.
Speaking of devotionals, last evening was our devotional and we were able to hear Quentin Cook. Most of what he said pertained mainly to missionary work, but I figured I might as well hit the highlights for you.
Sister Cook spoke first. She spoke of her love for music, that the Spirit speaks to her through music! I love this part: she said that she tries to link each Christ-like attribute to a hymn. Like this: Obedience – “I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go”
Humility “Let The Holy Spirit Guide” and “Be Thou Humble” Patience “Be Still My Soul”

I enjoyed her appreciation of hymns. Each week we try to focus on one Christ like attribute to work on. I plan on picking a hymn each week to hum or think on whenever I can. Music is amazing!

Next, Brother Cook spoke: I thought it was very interesting that he said he had an outline or plan of what he would say, but on arriving he knew he should talk about something else. He had no notes! This meant a lot to me and testified of the fact that his words were an inspiration from Heavenly Father; his words were specifically for us, for me!

He spoke about D&C 112; he said that Pres. Hinckley told him it was his favorite chapter of scriptures! That all the apostles love this chapter (I don’t know about you, but I am definitely going to study it!) He said that in the verses 30-33 it talks about how we are teaching in the last days and this is the last dispensation. This is the time of gathering.

He also told an interesting fact: that he and President Holland served as companions on their mission! Imagine their presence on your doorstep!! Wow!

He gave an amazing talk; I am only hitting the highlights.
He closed and left us with a blessing. He told us of the sacredness of our call and he bore his testimony. In his blessing he said that regardless of what is going on at home, we are where we ought to be. We are blessing our families here and now and soon to come; that this mission will bless me all the days of my life! He spoke of the fact that even as an apostle he has doubts about his call and then said, don’t doubt yourself, I am adequate.
Then, he shared the 6 d’s: Doubt, Discouragement, Distraction, lack of diligence, disobedience and disbelief.

Don’t fall down this path – do not doubt yourself. I am so glad that I was able to have this experience! Wow! I love you everyone and I hope all is well!

Sincerely,
Elder Leash

Saturday, March 13, 2010

March 9, 2010

March 4, 2010

Dear mom/family,

I was just reading my scriptures! It seems like the more I learn and read from them the more I realize how much more there is in them. Same thing happens with the language, the more I learn the more I see that I still need to acquire. The scriptures are beginning to give to me soo much more now than I have ever seen in the past…its amazing what is in them! I hope you are all taking advantage of these awesome blessings that I know people members take for granted so often.

Everyone knows about my past life as a body builder. They are asking for a lot of advice about body building. Yes, I am reading the thought book you sent me! Only a page a day though, if I start to read much more I begin to get homesick! Two days ago I read the last few pages and began to cry…if was if front of my roommates and I was extremely embarrassed. There is a lot of insight in it and I love it! Thank you so much, I know you worked hard on it.

I found my favorite missionary scripture. It is D&C 84: 77-88. In verse 77 it says that I need to be Christ’s friend as a missionary – it is a commandment. In 79 is says He sent me out to prove the world. In verse 80 he promises that if I am faithful as a missionary, He will not let me be weary in mind, body, limb, or joint. And that not a hair on my head will not be lost without Him knowing it. I take a lot of comfort from the fact that the Lord is keeping such close tabs on me.

There is an awesome image that I have put in my mind - that goes along with verse 82. I like to think of myself as a lily – growing, not turning to and fro with the ways of the world. Glorious in testimony, in the clarity that I need to have.
Verse 85 says that I should not worry or think about what to say and that if I’m faithful the words will be put in my mouth.
Verse 88 I love how this verse reads! Essentially it says that He will be with me protecting me; so not to worry mom – Heavenly Father and his angels are my bodyguards!

I am so grateful for my district – I honestly think that we are at least in the top 10 most unified district here at the MTC. I was really blessed with them all!
We had devotional earlier in the evening. It was Bruce Hafen of the 70. I received some great analogies and insight from him. Something that pertains to you all are two things he said would increase kids/teens changes of staying active and getting married in the temple; those being:
Marriage of parents in the temple 2) Parents who have a testimony

Way to go mom and dad! Boo Boo I hope you know that mom and dad have a testimony! I know they do! You ought to ask to hear it sometime. Here are some other gems: these are things about testimony: the pre-requisites for a testimony are: desire and worthiness. The analogy is of a stool. The reason are the one leg to hold it up. The experience is the other and feelings are the last leg of the stool. For a testimony, we need to find or have a reason to have a belief or know. The feelings include being receptive to the feelings we get and the experience includes studying it out and pondering on it – to test the truth of it. This analogy can also be applicable to love. If ye have not charity, ye are nothing!

Mom, sometimes I really do miss everyone so much, but I know I’m where I am supposed to be! Please pray for me to learn this language – it is very hard!

Much love,
Elder Leash

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

March 10, 2010

March 10, 2010

Hello everybody!

I have a kool quote to share, ".. sitting in church won't make you a saint any more than sitting in a garage will make you a car." lol I really like that one; you have to take action! On that subject, Dad, I just want to thank you for the work ethic you have given me! I have a little bit of a slower learning curve and I am sure I would have fallen really behind if it hasn't been for my working so hard. It seems I get compliments on my dilligence and hard work literally 2-3 times a day lol. I know I owe that to you and I am so grateful for the time you took with me on that. lol I love you all! My time on the computer is up in 30 seconds lol so I have to go, but I love and miss you all a ton

Elder Leash!
P.S. I wanted to let Aunt Rosemary know how much I loved those yummy, healthy cookies - I need her address to send a thank you note!

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Learning Dutch...Feb. 27, 2010

2-27-10

Dear Family and friends,

In class I was just thinking of you all! As for my language skills – up to date they are pretty good. Vocab: 300-600 words and some simple phrases. The cool thing is that I am able to string some sentences together! Actually my district and I are on a ‘district fast’. It is helping us learn more so that is a real positive!

My companion and I have taught and become very comfortable with teaching the first lesson! We teach the second lesson on Monday in the TRC – a place where members come to volunteer to be investigators for a little difference, but so far all good experiences! I always feel the spirit very strongly while teaching there. Tomorrow is Sunday – Geveldik! (smashing). I LOVE Sundays! Later tonight my comp. and I are teaching a progressing investigator on the existence of God (he isn’t sure there is a God). The really ticky part of this is that we have to teach him in Dutch – Jammer (bummer).

My teacher told us that we are ahead of his past group by two full weeks!!! This is very reassuring for me to say the least l.o.l. Our teachers are great and we are learning quickly. I think my companion and I have been blessed with the gift of toungues during the last discussion. Oh, interesting fact (depressing for me) – the average height in the Netherlands is 6 foot 3. It is the tallest group of people in the world.

Please let Amy know I love her letters very much – I appreciate them to no end! I am proud to have a cousin (Chelsea) who is a chess champ from the 5th grade!

Guess what? Mitchell Vest is working in the MTC (from our home ward). That was a great surprise! I was able to catch up with him.

Mom, I miss you very much! I am beginning to miss you more and more!~ I miss the ‘boo boo’ and dad too!!!!

Sincerely,

Elder Leash

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

More positive news from the MTC

March 3, 2010

Well, today is p-day we get to get out of the stuffy classroom and do some laundry and go to the temple :) Tonight at 6:30 p.m. on the dot its back to work! I have this great feeling that I have recognized lately, and the only way I can describe it is -- clean. I just feel so physically, and emotionally, and mentally so clean – it’s awesome! Last night we had a district devotional and our President was talking to us about an experience he had where the spirit was so strong that he was fatigued and tired and kind of hot or burning... when he said this I thought of the first vision and how Joseph spoke of this experience and how the leaves and the very trees themselves - he thought would catch fire...I think that burning and that spiritual fire is a cleansing fire, that it burns the evil impurities from us -so to speak....I then thought of the phrase 'burning in the bosom' and how that correlates with the cleansing fire too. I have felt while teaching - that burning in the bosom and a feeling of almost/kind of floating kind while in lessons, its is a crazy feeling and sensation. I have also felt really tired, fatigued, and really hungry afterwards lol (I think these were a kind of cleansing experiances :). I hope to have more of them! I love you so much mom and hope all is well! I love you too dad and you boo boo I miss you three a ton! Oh and btw about the email it’s a lot easier and simpler if I write my letters out like a little each day, last p-day I was writing letters for probably 2-3 hours no joke so I’m way sorry, but I think you should just hit the high points of the letters you shouldn’t have to type them all out!
Anyway,
I love you all ----- Sincerely, Elder Leash

P.S. I love the health food!!!!!!!!!!!