Letter from President Fife & trying to adjust

Dear Brother and Sister Leatherow,

We are happy to inform you that your son, Elder Leatherow, arrived here in the Australia Perth Mission and we thank you for sending him to us.  We are glad to have him here and have confidence that he is going to be a fine missionary.

His companion in the Girrawheen Area, Elder Ho, is a strong and faithful missionary. He will play a vital role in the adjustments and training process your son will go through.  We encourage you to pray for his success and happiness and to write letters of encouragement and support.

It is our privilege to have Elder Leatherow serve with us.  It is a great trust that you and Heavenly Father have placed in us to assist him in realizing his full potential as a servant of God.  We will assist in every opportunity to help him grow in the gospel, to bless others and to invite all to come unto Christ.  He will truly be an instrument in the hands of the Lord.

Should you change address or contact details during the term of your son’s mission please notify the mission office promptly.  We would also be grateful if you would advise us of any change in your email address.

May the Lord bless you to experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from having a son serving in this sacred responsibility.

Sincerely,

President and Sister Fife

Attached are pictures of Elder Leatherow at the Australia Perth Mission

Hey Family,
Sorry this one will be short. I got to Australia and Wednesday at 12:15 local Perth time. I spent the night at the mission home. The next day we all went to the mission office and got our companions. My trainer is Elder Ho he is on his last transfer and is from Hong Kong. I am in the Girrawheen suburb. The members here are really nice. I got to teach a couple of lessons but not much so far. Again I'm sorry about the length. I love you all.
Love,
Elder Leatherow

My area is crazy and the streets make no sense here. My area has a lot of poor mixed in with the rich so it's weird.

This is Elder Shingelton. I met him in the MTC. Me and him got close in 12 days. He is serving in the Okland San Fransico Mission.

I'm Here!

I have arrived in the land down under. I had some long flights and am suffering from some jet lag but I am doing great. It is great down here I love it already. I don't have much time the APs are teaching us right now. I love you guys and I'll talk to you when ever my P-Day is.

Love,

Elder Leatherow

Feeling under the weather

Hey Family, 

I know I said I would write on Sunday but some plans changed so I'm writing today. My week has been a roller coaster!

Tuesday- This was my P-Day.I got to go to a devotional that Elder Echo Hawk of the Quorum of the Seventy spoke at. Him and his wife shared some amazing incite. I also had the opportunity to attend a session at the Prove temple. It was amazing I'm really sad I will not be able to go again before I leave Monday.

Wednesday- We found out that the other two missionaries from my district did not get their visa and had been reassigned to the California Riverside mission for a transfer. This was a bummer because we all have gotten so close. Luckily my visa came through and there should not be any delays on my arrival.

Thursday- I woke up feeling horrible. I had caught the nasty cold going around my zone. I had a really hard day with this cold. my throat was killing me and I was coughing like crazy. I was super tired as well which made for a long day in the in field orientation course I had to go through. This course was nine hours long. I was very helpful and I learned a lot but I felt like it would never end.

Friday- I woke up feeling a little better but not to much. The day was normal I taught my TRC Investigators for the last time. 

Saturday- I had class till 4:15 since then I have been doing laundry and packing in preparation for Monday.

So my Flights end up like this. 

Flight           Airport                         Time

637              LV: Salt Lake               5:05 PM

                    AR: LA                         6:05 PM

17                LV: LA                          10:19 PM

                    AR: Sydney                  6:20 AM

7283            LV: Sydney                   9:35 AM

                    AR: Perth                      12:45 AM

Photos from MTC:

Week 1

Hey Family, 

Day 1: After I left the truck I was taken to get my name tag, card key, and ect. Then I was taken to class to meet my companion, who is amazing. His name is Elder Harward. He stands 6'10" and towers above me. I was in class all day then had to go meetings and more meetings so the day was super busy. I had no real time to feel sad or homesick.

Day 2: I woke up and went to district study. By the way I love my district they are amazing and I'm really sad to leave them. But I take 3 of them with me To Perth along with 3 more Elders and 2 Sisters in other districts. 

Sister Olsen- From Minnesota she is amazing she converted when she was 18. She is 32 years old now and like our mom in the MTC she is going to Canada 

 

Sister Thomson- From Alberta Canada also amazing. Really Funny. Going to Canada

Sister Buchanan- From Alberta Canada. Very quiet but her testimony is amazingly powerful. going to Canada

 

Sister Lofgran- From Riverton Utah Has a weird sense of humor but is the nicest person you will ever meet Going to Canada

Elder Larson- From Alberta Canada he is the district leader. I get along really well with him. Going to Canada

Elder Kleinklopf- From Arizona He is great. when he talks the whole room goes quiet to listen. Going to Canada 

Elder Denning- From Elkridge Utah he is great he look very similar to Sterling its king of weird how much they look a like. Going to Perth Australia

Elder Parry- From Morgan Utah he reminds me of Zach Bell in the ways he talks. Going to Perth Australia

Elder Harward- From Orem Utah. He is simply the best companion I could of had here at the MTC. Going to Perth Australia

Elder Leatherow- From Ogden Utah. Hey this is me 

Well that is my District

 

Then breakfast and lots of class time. I met my Branch Presidency. They are amazing men who have already taught me so much. Met my Zone who are a little weird. Most of our zone left today.

Day 3: Got more of a regular MTC Schedule. Found out they moved my departure date up by two days. I leave on the 24th now. the Air conditioning broke in our building and we almost died sitting in our class room.

Day 4:  Same schedule that I have learned to love. Lots of class time along with some role plays.

 

Day 5: Sunday was finally here. It was amazing to be able to partake of the sacrament and listen to some amazing talks in sacrament meeting. We mostly just study all day but we had a Sunday Devotional. It was truly amazing an all LDS band came. They are called the Nashville Tribute Band. They were amazing. The spirit was so strong as the sung about our church, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, missionaries, Jesus Christ, and more. I encourage you all to look them up if you don't know who they are. We then watch a video of a talk the Elder Bednar gave at the MTC a couple of years ago called the "Character of Christ." It was amazing and super powerful. Sunday was definitely my favorite day.

Day 6: I was back to the regular schedule. We got our TRC investigators and they are both amazing. TRC investigators are people who may or may not be member but they act like they have never heard of our church and we teach them. 

Day 7: Hey that's today. Its my P-Day. I have jsut been running around doing laundry and trying to write email in between.

Well I will write again on Sunday since I leave on Monday. I want you guy to know that I know that my redeemer lives the tomb is empty.The only way back to our Father in Heaven is through our Savior. This church is true. Its is the only church that has the whole truth and the Priesthood authority to act on it.I love you all. 

Love, 

Elder Leatherow

Dear Mom,

I have not met Elder Ellsworth he must be the last missionary I have not met that is going to Perth with me . There is 9 of us total. 7 Elders and 2 Sisters. My mailing address has changed here at the MTC it is AUG24 now because the moved my departure date up to the 24th. which means I have less than a week till I fly off. The work is amazing and I love it but it is definitely the hardest thing I have ever done. As for the email address for you I don't know. I love you and want to thank you for all you did for me growing up. There are lots of Elders and Sisters in my zone that come from broken families and had a not so easy up bringing. I was truly blessed to have you as my mother and dad as my father.

Love,

Elder Leatherow

Dear Dad,

The MTC was a bit of an adjustment but not too bad. I love the work even though it is the hardest thing I have ever done. I'm sorry to here about the blender at your work. I'm sure the parts will come quickly. I will send pictures in my main email to everyone. I hope Garett can get in on a deer that would be amazing. I just want to tell you that I'm so thankful for everything you and mom did for me. I was truly blessed to have you and mom as parents. The food is really good actually. Its all you can eat so I always eat until I'm stuffed. They changed my departure date to the 24th. so I will leave next Monday.I'm super excited to go out in the field and can not wait.

Love, 

Elder Leatherow