Well, as you all know that I am currently in a area where there hasnt been missionaries for awhile due to violent actions towards the missionaries. So yeah I dont really know the area very well, but that didnt stop us from being guided by the Spirit as we were sincerely seeking for his guidance to direct us towards his prepared Children. So yeah I am in an area that is living in poverty. A few transfers back the missionaries that were in this area left the "Area Book" in the clerks office and all of the papers in it were completely shredded. Those of you who know what the area book is, knows that it would be rough with and area book with nothing in it. So yeah that is what we are working with, but we have reorganized everything that we have to make it the best that we can. We also completely organized the entire area. We have about 300 Less Active members that we are going to be visiting, and I am sure that we can bring people back to church and baptize those who are living with these less active members. We are also doing all that we can to find people to teach as we travel, by talking to as many people as we possibly can. I absolutely love talking to people on the trains, buses and on the streets it is so much fun. You seriously meet so many awesome people here, everyone of them with different life experiences and stories.This past week my new companion Elder Jones, from Kentucky, who just recently got here to NYC straight from the MTC. We had a great first week together. We had a miracle happen this week as we were out looking people up on our 2nd night together we heard a man yell out to us "Elders!" We looked out and noticed it was a younger man in a wheelchair with his wife pushing him as they were walking their Dog. Their names are Guiseppe and Natalia, they invited us to turn around and go back to their home, we headed back to their home, which had very little inside, but they are so thankful for the little that they have. SO yeah we talked to them about what we do and they told us about their life story, which was so touching. I don't have much time to explain about that, but anyways we have been meeting with them everyday pretty much. They are truly feasting upon the words of Christ and are hungering to know more about the restored gospel. We invited them to be baptized for September 11, and they were so willing to accept that invitation. They even want to be baptized sooner than that, but we feel that gives us more time to work with them and gives them more opportunities to come to church. They came to church yesterday and absolutely loved it. After we met them the next day someone stole his wheelchair, but he said that he will walk to church, which he can barely walk. We picked them up to walk with them on Sunday, but I called a member to come pick them up as we were walking and it worked out perfect. They seemed to enjoy church and we are going to be meeting with them tonight.I am almost out of time, but my first week as District Leader was great I was asked to speak in Zone Meeting and I feel that I shared a very spiritual talk on how we can have the Spirit to be more with us in this work. A lot of the missionaries enjoyed my talk. Well I am about out of time so I have to go, but I still have more to say, but that's ok I write all of the other details in my journal so that these experiences aren't forgotten. I love you all Thanks for everything. Elder JD DOYLE

Wow, I have a lot to talk about today.... I am so happy to have this blessing that I am able to e-mail home once a week. This week we weren't able to have any baptisms so yeah... But it is OK sometimes people just aren't ready. So for Lee we decided to just give her some time. She knows it is true but it is just hard for her to live the standards, she still wanted to get baptized, but we told her that she cant, because she needs to make some changes in her life. I will just keep praying for her and hope for the best, that is for her to make those changes in her life and be baptized. This week Sister Bradford, Jhole's and Rudy's mother went to the hospital and she had to have a blood transfusion. We were all worried for her, but we definitely had the faith and hope that she was going to be OK. Before she left to the hospital she asked us to give her a blessing, and fix her front door that was kicked in by her x-boyfriend. So we went to the hardware store and picked up some nails and found some wood that was in the abandoned building next door. We hammered in the nails with a rock because we had nothing else to use. Also Anitra our recent convert stayed at her home over the weekend to watch over her house and kids. That was good for the both of them. On the next morning we went to go teach Anitra and we noticed that the door was kicked in again when we got there, and sure enough it was kicked in by Sister Bradford's Daughter Chantel her friends boyfriend kicked in the door because they were fighting. He walked in and put his hands on her and everyone in the house gained up on him and whooped his but. Ha ha ha it was funny, we saw the boyfriend the next day and I gave him a hard time about it, but he loves us we are boys with him. We went to go see Sister Bradford at the hospital luckily it was in our area. She turned out to be good, and everything went well. This week President Nelson called me in to his office to meet with him Friday morning. So we went to the office and he talked to me about this new transfer. He told me that he wants me to train again for the 3rd time. He then said that he needs me to be "District Leader" here in East New York, and that I am going to be working in the ghetto of all ghettos here in NYC, "Brownsville" (The Real Hood) it is pretty gangsta over there. People say that Brownsville is the worst city in the NYC, it is a high crime area, heck yeah I am way excited to be sharing the gospel with all the "homies" over here, they need to know the truth too. In this area I am going to be starting from scratch, because missionaries haven't been working over there for awhile, so we have 0 investigators, but that will change quick. So we are going to be doing a lot of finding this week. My new companion's name is Elder Jones, I will meet him tomorrow for the first time. President told me who my companion was going to be, which usually you don't know your companion until transfers when you are training. So he gave me the inside scoop. I know that I have a big responsibility being blinded into an area, which means an area that my companion or I don't know at all. So yeah, its time to buy a map! Also I am going to be training a new missionary straight from the MTC who arrives here to NYC today, and on top of that I am District Leader. It is going to be a busy transfer for me, but I'm so excited, I love this challenge that I have been given. I know that I can only be the type of District Leader, Trainer, and missionary that the Lord qualifies me to be, but one thing that I do know is that I am going to give it all that I've got and do my very best exercising my faith and putting my full trust in the Lord. This week I am going to the Temple for my half way mark on Wednesday the 18th. I am so stoked for this. I have been waiting for this day for a minute (a long time). I feel like it has been too long since I have done a session in the house of the Lord. I am excited to feel the great and powerful spirit that I feel, and will feel when I am in the house of the Lord. So yeah I cant believe that it's been a year (10 more days) that is crazy stuff. Tonight Bro Amato is taking us to a way super nice German restaurant called "Zum Stommtich" I am stoked, he does so much for us missionaries. The food that you can find here in NYC is so much different than what you can find back in UT. It is fun to eat all of these unique authentic foods. I love you all and I am almost out of time, so yeah its time for me to go. Love, Elder Doyle

08/09/2010

Today is really going to be a short one, this time I promise it wont be long. A lot has happened and I have a lot to talk about, but I was in the middle of e-mailing my family and I got a bit carried away with the time that I have. This past week I have had once again many experiences. It is funny, because things never seem to go as planned, but in the end it always seems to work out as you are giving it all that you've got and doing all that you can do. I remember mentioning last week that Lee Serrano was going to be baptized this past week on the 7th. Well... She needs a little more time, she tells us that she wants to be baptized and that this is what she knows that she needs to do, but she is struggling with a few things that withholds her from being baptised. We will continue to work with her. Who knows she might be baptized this week. As for Anitra the one that said she wont be baptized because she doesn't feel comfortable with the baptismal interview. Well we talked with her on Wednesday night and I mentioned that I failed to mention the importance of why we have baptismal interviews before one is baptized. She felt much more comfortable, and knows that the Book of Mormon is true. She said that she wants to be baptized, but that she wanted to be baptized on the 7th. So yeah on Saturday I was able to baptise Anitra and Elder Palmer confirmed her a member of the Church. So yeah it all worked out. Now since I have to cut this weekly update a little short, I will tell you all about some funny experiences that I had this past week. Elder Palmer and I were discriminated on for being white twice this week. We were on the bus and of course we were the only white people on the bus. There was this man (one of the biggest men that I have ever seen) this man must have been raging from all the steroids (no joke). He was huge, literally huge. He was getting loud on the bus and said in his words, " I need some men, some real men, black men. I am sick of all of these white crackers in my neighborhood." He then turned to me "What are you doing in my Neighborhood?" I replied, "This is where I belong, God sent me here." He was out of hand there was a black lady that was mad at the things he was saying and he got in her face and was trying to put us down. It was crazy. He got off at the next stop and I told him that I love him, he didn't believe me though, but its true I do love him. That story that I shared is without all of the foul language that he was using towards us and towards others, it was crazy. It is my Dads B-Day tomorrow, I love you Dad. Well I wish I had more time to type but I only have one min Left so I have to go now. I love you all! Love, Elder Doyle

I truly am and will be eternally grateful for this spiritually rewarding experience that I am currently having at such a critical point in my life. The experiences that I have had thus far on my mission have been life changing experiences. Words cant explain how sincerely thankful I am to my Heavenly Father for giving me this opportunity to serve amongst these precious souls that I have been called to serve.

This past week I have encountered a few challenges that I would like to talk about. First I was a little sick the last half of this past week, but I endured the sickness to best of my ability to do this sacred work. We turned out to have a very productive week despite the illness issues that I was having which brought much fatigue into my life as a missionary. Another Challenge that we encountered was with Anitra, one of our investigators that was supposed to be baptized this coming week on the 7th. The thing that prevented her from getting baptized was such a small issue but a big one for her. It is simply the fact of a "Baptismal Interview", who would have thought that a baptismal interview would prevent someone from being baptized. She is just very nervous about making this drastic change in her life, but she knows that it is the right thing for her to do. She wants to continue to meet with us, which is great. So we are going to talk to her about it this coming Wednesday. So we are currently shooting to have her baptized the following week on the 14th of August. So yeah those are a few of the small challenges that we encountered. ha ha ha.

This week my companion and I also had the rewarding experience to go eat at Elder and Sister Adolphson's home, they are a senior couple that I came out with, and they are going home on Saturday. They served a 1 year mission. They mentioned that they have only fed missionaries one other time on their mission. I was happy to hear that I was able to be one of the few missionaries to have that experience with them. They are a couple that I truly look up to in a lot of ways. They are also currently serving in the East New York Branch, but yesterday was their last Sunday in the Branch. I will miss them, but soon enough I will be visiting them in Alpine, UT when I return.

Yesterday I had to opportunity to Confirm Nicholas a member of the Church and confer the Gift of the Holy Ghost upon him. He is such a good kid. I am thankful for those opportunities to utilize the truly sacred authority of the Priesthood. The desire of my heart is full to utilize the authority of which I have been given to bless the lives of others. Wherever and whoever they may be. I am always continually seeking for opportunities to serve those around me.

Earlier in the week, I had an Interview with President Nelson and he talked to me about having me stay here in East New York, but to take over the other area where their are currently no missionaries, due to the fight they had weeks back. There is nothing to worry about though, I am sure that I will be getting a huge companion, and if not I will be fine either way. All it takes is someone with confidence and with the ability to talk to everyone around you. SO I am going to be saying "hi" to everyone that is placed on my path as I already do. He is not certain yet, President Nelson said that he is going to continue to pray about it, but for now that is what he is thinking about doing. So yeah I am positive that this is what is going to happen. The only sad part about this is that Elder Palmer and I are going to be split up, we had such an amazing time together having much success, but we are going to finish up this transfer with hopefully 3 more baptisms in these next 2 weeks.

Last night we went to Lee's home and visited with her, and she said that this is what she needs to do and be baptized. We are planning on baptizing her this coming Saturday on the 7th. So yeah next week I should be including in my weekly update the fact that Lee Serrano was baptized. I am so happy and excited for her, I know that this is a critical turning point in her life. It is a time to separate herself from all of the negative influences around her. She has made such a change in her life thus far and it is amazing to see this noticeable change in ones life as they intently seek to know the will of our Father in Heaven. I know that the Spirit will bring so much comfort and lead her to experience a continual change throughout the rest of her life.

As for Ella a.k.a. "Star" she is still working towards being baptized on the 14th. She expressed her sincere thanks for all of the things that we have done for her. I am honored to serve such a great women who is currently in the midst of so many challenges in her life. She is a fun person to work with. A good ol' Jamaican lady that she is.

Well that is about it for this past week for me. I am again so very thankful for these experiences that I've had. I would also like to express my happiness and excitement that I have for my little Bro, Tyler Doyle. He was able to go through the Temple this past Friday and receive his endowments. I know that his spirituality will be significantly enlightened because of these new covenants that he recently made with his Father in Heaven. I am proud of you Bro, I love you so much. You are my best friend. I LOVE YOU. I also want to mention that I love each of you individually especially my wonderful family and extended family that I have been blessed with in my life. I also love each of my friends, I am sure that there has been a drastic change in the each of your lives since I have been out on my mission. "Change" is the essence to Life. I love you all.

Love your brother, friend and son. ELDER "JD" DOYLE