Weekly Update 11-01-10

     Wow, I cant believe that it is already November, it is so crazy the way time has been moving by. This week was such a very special week for me and for my whole entire family, I was able to talk to my little bro on the phone for a bit as well as to my family. Having been given permission from President Nelson to do so... I cant explain in words how much my heart has been filled with such a great joy and comfort knowing that my little Bro is in the service of our Lord. He is going to do so great out on his mission. My final words with Tyler on the phone were filled with so much power and love of God that I know that he has been called by a prophet of God to take His gospel message to the Haitians over there in the Orlando Florida Mission.

     I was able to go on exchanges with Elder Rudaz, he is one of the Assistants to the President he told me that I am going to love my next area, and that he knows that there is a lot of great work for me to do there. He told me that I am gone so yeah this is going to be my last week in this area. No more "hood" for me, but who knows I might be going to the other "hood" in Jamaica, Queens. He told me that I am not going out on the Island, and that I am going to be staying in the city, he says that I am a city Missionary and that I might not ever go out on the Island or he could have just been saying that you never know. We will find out hopefully by the end of this week. Elder Rudaz also had the opportunity to speak to Tyler and to tell him some things about the mission, his counsel to Tyler was to work hard and to love the people. It is so true that you have to love the people or else nothing is going to happen.

     This week us missionaries were asked to be in charge of the Haunted House for the Halloween Activity at the church, we set up the best haunted house ever, it was so good, it was fun as well. I love it when the presidency of our branch gives us certain responsibilities. I always like to fulfill them with excellence so show them that I am also here to serve them and the branch. We had so much fun doing it, it was a great success. Our voices were all gone at the end of the night from screaming at people in the haunted house.

     The bad thing about our voices being gone was that we were also asked to sing in church yesterday. We sand "We'll Bring The World His Truth" a primary song, it is such a powerful missionary song. We had people in the congregation that were deeply touched with their eyes filled with tears. Yesterday my companion and I were invited to the Nedd families home for an early dinner because we had to be inside by 5 o' clock because of Halloween, which Halloween is crazy here by the way. The Nedds went all out on this meal for us, it was a goodbye meal for me, they made me cards and wrote me letters and bought me a Cheesecake from the world famous, "Juniors." It was so nice of them doing that for me. I am definitely going to miss the people here in this area. I love them all so much. I have enjoyed my time here in this area, I had a lot of success and experienced a lot of change within myself as I have been here, I will never forget these great moments that I experienced here in this area.

     Today is Elder Palmers B-day, I love my boy Elder Palmer, Bro. Amato is taking us all out to Dinner for his B-day. We are going to a Greek restaraunt, I've never had much experience with the Greek foods, but I know it will be good. He does so much for us missionaries, I hope that one day I can pay him back for all that he has done for us, but he always says that we have already done it, by talking to him about the gospel and sharing our testimonies and great spirits with him. Whenever he mentions the missionaries in church our to others he always gets emotional. He is such a great guy and I look up to him in a lot of ways.

     Well This week was a big week for us and for my family back at home. I want you all to know that there is truly no greater work that we can do than this and by serving others. We don't have to be full time missionaries to serve the Lord, we can always look for opportunities to serve those around us and to reach out to them in love by serving them and sharing our testimonies with them. Sometimes we don't always know or understand how much we can help others just by little kind acts of service. I love you all so much and I am grateful for each of your support with me serving my mission here!

 

ELDER JD DOYLE