Weekly Update 11-15-10

     I feel like I have stepped into a complete different country and into a complete different work in my new area, but I am loving it here in Flushing, Queens. I am surrounded by Asians, and I love them so much they are such neat people to serve. I am grateful to be here in this area. I feel that all of the ghetto people in ENY turned into Asian people, I think that was just my mind playing tricks on me because I was in the Hood for so long. There is nothing to worry about as I am here. I am totally good. I am actually above average when it comes to how tall I am, I feel tall for the first time in my life, ha ha ha. It's so true though. This area is so crowded with people I really do feel like I am in an Asian country, even the signs are in Chinese, and I have no idea what they say, it is funny.

     When I got here in the area, I had to get some things organized with my companion Elder Pickering. We had a lot to do before we get to work and see the miracles that lie ahead. I am grateful to be here and to have this time to serve with Elder Pickering, he is on his last 4 weeks on his mission he goes home before this transfer ends so we will have to see how it all works out when time gets closer. He has served in all of the areas I have served, I haven't served in Bermuda or Jamaica though, other than that we've served in the same areas and know the same people. He loved it in Bermuda, but I am not going to have that opportunity to go there, but I love it here in the city.

     Right now there are a few people that the missionaries have been teaching here before me. They actually already had a baptism lined up, her name is Gem, she is supposed to get baptized this coming Saturday, but I haven't even met her yet and we still have a lot to teach her. So I am not quite sure if it is all going to work out for this coming Saturday, but we'll see. There is someone else that the missionaries have been teaching her name is Samantha, I absolutely love Samantha so much she is so great, she is from Malaysia and her parents aren't very accepting to have her join the church. I feel that I have made such a spiritually powerful connection with Samantha, she is so great. We met with her 2 times this week and I feel strongly that she is going to be baptized soon.  She says that she believes in the Church, it is just her parents that are making it hard on her for joining the church. Her parents are coming to visit her in December so I look forward to meeting them, and I am hoping that we can baptize her when her parents come, so that they can experience that sacred moment with their wonderful daughter. 

     This week I had the special opportunity to go back to East New York with President Nelson to witness the baptism of "Star", she is someone that I talked to on the bus my first week with Elder Palmer about 6 months ago. We worked so hard with getting baptized, but she had a lot of things holding her back, Satan worked hard on her. I was so happy when I received the call that she was getting baptized. She called me and told me that I have to come to her baptism and that she wants me to speak. She told me yesterday that she misses me so much, and that I am like her son. She said that yesterday at church everyone was talking about how they are going to miss me over there in the East New York Branch. I will miss them too, but I am grateful for the time that I had to be there and share those great experiences with them for the past 7 months. 

     Here in Flushing we have to travel about 30 minutes on the bus to get to where the English people are found. We have such a huge area, because we are the only English companionship in our Zone besides one other area and that is a car area so we couldn't cover that, because we don't have a car. I love traveling on the bus and talking to people anyways, it is always so fun.  I know that there is a lot of great work and great experiences that lie ahead of me here in Flushing. I feel so much more comfortable here in this area than in my last, I don't have to always be looking around to make sure no one is going to come jump me, but seriously. Life is good for me right so much, my testimony is firm in the faith of Christ and following his teachings. I love this work and I know that there is nothing greater that I could be doing in my life. I know that everything is going to work out for me in my life. I love you all,now, I am safe here. It feels extremely less stressful here. 

     My heart is full of love and gratitude to my Father in Heaven for giving me this sacred experience in my life to be here. As I have been here I know that my personal testimony has strengthened  thanks for all the things that you've all done for me. I miss you all so much!

      

       LOVE, ELDER JD DOYLE