This week really started off so amazing. Last Monday we went to see John, and I really have been praying for him so much that he will be able to progress so that he can be baptized on the 17th of this month (which is on this Sunday). So we went to his house on Monday and we planned on teaching him the word of wisdom so as we taught him the word of wisdom we found out that he smokes about a half of a pack a day and that he has drank coffee everyday since he was 8 years old. So yeah, that is a typical New Yorker for ya. I felt that when we taught him the word of wisdom, at first he was very disappointed so we explained to him that the word of wisdom is a commandment from God, and the reason why God gives us commandments is because he loves us. We can find that eternal joy that comes as we live by them and apply them to our lives. After we taught him, I felt the Spirit come to me with such a great force that I had to get rid of the temptation that is placed before him and take his cigarettes from him. So I explained that we needed to eliminate the temptation and to take it out of his house. He was so willing when I said that to him it was like a child listening to his father. He gave me the pack of cigarettes and put them in my hand and told me to get rid of them. Up to this point he hasn’t had any coffee or any cigarettes for one week now. We have been visiting him every day his substitute for coffee has been hot chocolate. He is so amazing I know that God is blessing his life with so much love and happiness. John is now totally a different person than who he was when we met him. We now get to hear him laugh and smile. I love him and care so much about him and his eternal salvation. This week on Wednesday John wanted us to go with him to the Catholic Church, because they give him food because he doesn’t have a job. On Wednesday morning we had another appointment scheduled with one of our other investigators. So we called Bro. Keith Barton to see if he could help us out and take John to the church to get his food, and of course he was so willing to help us out, as well as helping John out. So how it works is that when you arrive at the church you draw a number and that is the order in which you go to pick up your food. So John he drew number 272 and they were on number 61. After he drew he began to cry he was so upset because by the time it was his turn to go pick up food he knew that most of the food would be gone. He was so upset, so when Brother Barton noticed that he was crying and upset, he asked John if what he was here for was food? He then told John to get in his car because they were going to the store. He got John a ton of groceries to get him by for a good while as he is going through this hard time. They also had such a good talk about trials in their life, and Bro. Barton compared their trials to what Joseph Smith went through as he was in jail. They both had a great experience together. Bro. Barton called us right as he dropped him off and explained how it was such a good experience for him to help John out. I look up to Bro. Barton so much not only as a member of the ward in which I attend, but as a ward missionary. He goes out and teaches with us once every week and he gets to know our investigators. That is a person that strives to fulfill his church calling. Yesterday we had 7 investigators that attended church. It was such a blessing in my life to see the people that we have been working with and that we love so much to have the desires to attend church. I know that the blessings that I receive are fully predicated upon my obedience. These past few weeks I have been focusing my thoughts towards applying my life to live at a higher standard of obedience as a missionary. I know that when I am obedient I feel and see the many blessings that come from that, which then create a desire within be to be more and more obedient so that I can receive more blessings and grow much more as an individual. I truly have such a great love for the gospel and the love that I have for it is real and the gospel is real. I know it is true, and I feel it everyday through Gods love and power. Now I must live by it and be an example to others in anyway that I can.
I hope that I am not starting to slack on my weekly updates, I am sorry if they haven’t been as good lately, but I promise you that the work here is amazing. This is the work that we have all come to fulfill is to help others come unto Christ. God loves each of his children and his Gospel is for everyone. There is no other way to gain a true testimony of its truthfulness than by reading it and praying about it.

Elder Doyle