welcome home elder JD doyle!

Weekly Update 08-22-11

As of right now, it hasn't quite hit me to accept the fact that i am going to be home on Friday. Oh by the way the computer that i am using it's shift button is broken and it only works when it wants to, so please bear with me. My mission has been the most real experience that i have ever had in my life, i know that this work is real and true it is truly the work of the Lord.  i am going to miss the people here in NYC the most, i have truly grown to love the people here so much.

My experiences that I have had here have shaped me and molded my life from being a boy to now being a man, a man built upon the teachings of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. I look forward to sharing my mission experiences with each of you when i return. I am going to miss some of the people that I have been recently been teaching, it looks like this next month we are going to be having about 5 baptisms, so that will be great to hear about, but sad that I wont be able to see.

I look forward to seeing the family at the airport and there may be some people that I have come to love on my mission such as some recent converts that have moved to Utah after they joined the church, one of them will be Josh and Lenni Vargas, they are such a wonderful young married couple that i love so much, they will be friends of mine forever. i am sure that i will be nervous with the whole coming home thing probably the day of or the night before I leave. i will see some of you on the 26th, and some later on, but I do look forward to seeing all of you.  i really don't have much to write this week, as i know I left a promise that I would, but i have a lot to say when i get home and I can tell you the stories instead of typing it. I love you all! see you this week. Invite whoever you want to my homecoming that will be this coming Sunday!

 

 Love Elder JD Doyle

Weekly Update 08-15-11

I am truly touched by the spirit in my life and filled with so much gratitude to my Father in Heaven. He has truly poured out blessings upon me in my life as I have been a missionary for these past 2 years. I know that this change that has taken place in my life will continue to carry forward as I press on in my life always observing the commandments of God and living them. The joy that I have experienced these 2 years are inexplicable, but are feelings that I hope to posses in my heart eternally. Also these 2 years have brought much heartache, sadness, pain, and sorrow. It is something that is expected as I am here laboring for the salvation of souls. My joy is full, I know that I will be home next week and it is a bit crazy to me, but as my mission president has told me this past week. He said that the Lord has given him the sacred opportunity to look into my heart and he knows and is certain that I am ready to make the next step in my life. Hearing him say that filled me with an increase of hope for my future. I know that I am ready for this next step. The foundation of my life has been built, and it has been built strong upon the rock of my savior Jesus Christ.

I look forward to seeing your familiar faces. I know that it will bring great feelings into my heart when I meet my family at the airport. The only thing is that I am not going to be able to see my best friend in the world, my great brother Tyler, I love you bro! I know that he is still embarking in a great work, and in some ways I am sad that I am about out of time doing this work 24/7. I have made some great friends here in NYC, and have brought souls unto Christ. That alone makes it worth it even if it was one soul that I have brought unto Him, but my joy is immensely filled as I have brought many unto him through repentance and baptism. I really don't have much time, but I love you all. I will try to make my next weeks a bit better. Right now I am at a Chinese place and it is all in Chinese so I cant tell how much time I have left.

 

LOVE YOU ALL!!             Elder JD Doyle

Weekly Update 08-08-11

I truly dont have much time for todays update, but I will do my best. Lately has been truly a rewarding experience for me I have been reflecting upon the many miracles that I have been a partaker of throughout my mission. This week has helped me with that as I had my departing Mission Home stay with President and Sister Nelson and the missionaries that I came out with. I love the people here so much that is one thing that I am sad about, that I have truly come to love the people here soooo much and now I have to leave them soon.

I will not miss the loud noise that NYC brings, I wont miss the heartaches that come into my heart when people just wont accept the gospel and we have to let them be. I have noticed the ones who are the hardest to love on my mission have been the ones that have needed it the most. I never would have thought that my mission would have been such a battle, but it has been one that I am willing to fight any time because of the joy that it brings. Despite all of this I will remember all of the many people that I have taught. This weekend I was able to attend a baptism of Shaneeza Dass, Kevin and Melissa's mom from Jamaica, she told me that she misses me the most and she thanked me for the blessing that the gospel has brought into her life, but I told her to thank God. I talked to her husband Andrew, he told me that he was going to be getting baptized, but he needs some time. The family is almost complete, when I was in Jamaica we baptized Kevin and later we baptized Melissa, now the Mother is baptized and soon to be the father. The great reward will be when they are all sealed in the temple and become an eternal family. 

I will always remember these people here, I will miss the NY Pizza, I will miss making friends with the homies on the streets, I will miss declaring the sacred gospel message all day everyday, I will miss the diversity found here in NYC, I will miss spending time with my companions. I can go on and on, but most importantly my mission has changed me it is a miracle. I know that I am not the person who I once was.

As of right now for the work here in Flushing, the family that I was supposed to baptize just left to Florida for the rest of this month and they will be back in September so, I will just have to hear about the news when I get back to UT. We still have a few others that we are working with, but I am going to just keep my faith and keep working hard and I know that the Lord will make up the rest, but most importantly I will be happy as I am working my hardest. My studies have been my favorite part lately I have been loving the spirit that comes as I diligently seek the scriptures.

Well I am like out of time for this week now and I have to go. I love you all!!!

 

Elder JD Doyle

Weekly update 08-01-11

Everyone here has been constantly reminding me that I am going home from the members to the missionaries, I always feel sick whenever I hear about it. It is just so hard for me to let this full time service come to an end real soon. It has been an eternal blessing in my life, I know that I have changed so much as a person. The spirit will continually be my influence in my life in all things that I do. I really dont have that much time to e-mail today, but I am going to finish strong.

Elder Munday and I are loving our time that we have to serve together, I seriously love him so much. This week I have eaten a ton of fun stuff like Jelly fish, snail, and octopus. I love that about Flushing. The members are throwing a going away party for me on the 22nd, I am happy to see their appreciation for me as I have served here. I am staying in the mission home tomorrow night because the first group of missionaries are going home on Wednesday, so I am doing all of my departing stuff early. Well I am out of time I love you all. See you all soon!

Elder JD DOYLE

Weekly Update 7-25-11

This past week has been a big week of reflection and satisfaction from the Spirit of the Lord that has carried into my heart with feelings of love, joy, peace, and pure happiness. This past week we had our departing temple trip in which we usually don't have those until the end of the transfer right before we go home, but the temple is going to be closed for cleaning. As we were within the temple with President Nelson, he told our group that we have all served honorable missions. It was weird hearing those words, because I went into the temple more pondering about these next 5 weeks that I have left.

I am so happy to be back in Flushing, and to be received by the members with such great love, they seem to be so happy and grateful to have me back. I love the work here so much. I was able to go to the temple for baptisms for the dead with my recent convert from Egypt Abdel Wahab Ahmed Muhammad Ahamed known as Bob Tut. He is doing so well it was so great to see him here staying strong in the church, and was blessing the sacrament. It was also great to hear and see Anita Ngo my other recent convert fulfilling her calling as Secretary of the Relief Society. They are both doing so well, I love them so much. This is truly some of the greatest joys that I have ever felt in my life to see the Spirit of the Lord enter into ones life and change them forever.

Right now my companion and I teach so very powerfully together there is something very special about our companionship, at transfer meeting Elder Doxey (one of the assistants to the president) pulled me aside and said if there is any companionship in the mission that was inspired it was yours. It felt great to hear that, I have not only seen that in the way we teach together, but he is good friends with Jake Cooper, and he knows Tyler, my little bro. They have hung out quite a few times. He would have never thought in his life that he would be companions on his mission with Tylers older Bro. We have a lot of fun together, and are excited to do the work. We both feel that we have been prepared in our lives spiritually to now be companions on our missions at this point in our lives. He is currently on his 3rd transfer and still has a lot of time left, but it is my desire to teach him everything that I know about the work to help him be the best missionary that he possibly can become in these next 2 years.

I was given permission by President Nelson to go to Melissa Dass' surprise B-day party, her mom really wanted me to be there because I was her first missionary, and I baptized her. She is amazing, her and Kevin have completely changed. There was a lot of members from the ward at their home with all of the missionaries in the Jamaica area, it was great to be there and to see them. I had to say bye for now,  but I will have to see them when I make a trip back out to NYC in the hopefully near future. I will miss all of these wonderful people here, but I will do my best to stay in touch with all of them throughout my life.

I know that this church is true, I know it. I am so grateful to know these things, I know that there are many people that are hungering for the truth, and know not where to find it. I have found many people on my mission who are as them, but I am continually seeking to find those who have been prepared in their lives to receive and accept the fullness of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Christ is my savior that his very drops of blood was spilt for me, and for all of us. I truly feel his love in my life so powerfully and I have changed forever, and will never be the man who I was when I left on my mission, but continually strive on this uphill progression to enter in the presence of my Loving Father in Heaven. I love you all and wish you all the best!

 

Elder JD Doyle

Weekly Update 7-18-2011

I am almost out of time for today, but let me give you all a quick update about what has been going on here. Well For me, I received a phone call from President Nelson, he told me that the Lord needs me to go back to Flushing. I know that President Nelson is truly an inspired person of the Lord, that His work is being directed through Him directly to my mission president. When he said that I felt the Spirit strongly, so I am going back to my old area "China Town" here I come. I get to go back to Bob Tut, Anita, and Samantha three of my recent converts whom I love so much. My new companion is going to be Elder Munday, he has a strong british accent, he is from England, but now lives in Utah, his dad is an Area Seventy. I am excited to serve with him he is just finishing up his second transfer so he has a lot of learning to do still, but I know that I will learn a lot from him as well and we can really help each other out a lot. I am going to be a single Zone Leader, so I am going to be the only Zone Leader; Meaning that my companion will not be a zone leader.

My time here in Midwood was short, but I was truly able to get close to a lot of people in the short time that I had here in the area. Last night I had a famous Hatian dish that is called Legume, I am sure that Elder Tyler Doyle knows what I am talkin about, it is some good stuff. I will miss a lot of the people here, but I know this is what the Lord wants me to do is to go back to Flushing.

This morning we woke up early with the zone and went to Coney Island to watch the sunrise and play ultimate Frisbee on the beach. It was a blast... We had fun.

Well I love you all here are some pics for you all as well...

Elder JD DOYLE

Weekly Update 07-11-11

> I have truly been filled with blessings from on high as I have been
> striving diligently to bring His gospel message to the world here in
> NYC. My heart has changed in so many ways. I will reflect back on the
> experiences that I have had here for the rest of my life.
> This past week Manolita was confirmmed, it is so great to know that
> she has entered onto the path that the Lord desires of her to travel
> for the rest of her life. I am going to be a little sad if I am going
> to be leaving this area already, because my companion and I are both
> going home next transfer, but it is looking as if I am going to be
> staying here in the area and getting a new companion. I will know
> everything at the end of this week. I am thinking that I am going to
> get the companion that I have been wanting to serve with forever,
> Elder Kinikini. He is the man, him and I have such a great passion for
> the Lords work and we have the same style of how we do the work. We
> will see how all of that works out.
> Today we went to the Statue of Liberty and to Ellis Island, it was fun
> going with the Zone to go check out Lady Liberty. We took a lot of fun
> pictures, and we had a blast. I would send you some of the pictures
> but I left my USB, so I will have to send them to you next week.
> I am still loving every moment of doing the Lords work, it is a work
> where great power is found, a work that has nothing to do with myself
> but all to do with others and with His children. I am loving NYC, it
> is going to be a special place that I will have in my heart for the
> rest of my life. I have learned to love His children, love is what
> generates the most power in this work. Love is why I came on my
> mission in the first place, it was because I have a great love for the
> Lord. It is through His love that I am able to stand here and bare
> witness of the Living Christ. That He lives, that He has called a
> prophet Joseph Smith to assist in the great work to restore His true
> living gospel in its fullness back to the earth. I know that Christ
> truly guides and leads His church here on the earth, I know that He
> has called me through a living prophet to come here to NYC to be a
> missionary. The Book of Mormon is true, I know that if anyone reads
> the pages therein with a desire to act, by applying the principals
> taught in the Book of Mormon to their lives that they will know
> through the great love and power of God that these things are true. I
> invite all to read and they can find out on their own from the most
> Powerful Being himself if the Book of Mormon is true. It is true and I
> know it, I am happy to share it and eternally grateful for the sacred
> experiences that I have had as I have been here on my mission. I will
> hold them dear forever. I love you all, remember the Lord and His
> work, you are all a part of it!
>
> Elder JD Doyle

Weekly Update 07-04-11

Today is going to be a short update for you all, because today I am going to go hit some golf balls at the driving range. It has been such a great week for us here in Brooklyn, Yesterday Manolita Chenet was baptized. She has been taught by a lot of missionaries in the past, my second week here we invited her to be baptized and she accepted, and we helped her to prepare herself to be baptized. She is from Haiti, and has made a lot of great changes in her life to enter in to the covenant of baptism. 

This past week I had interviews with my President Nelson, and when I sat down with him, he straight up told me that we don't have to talk about missionary work today, because he knows that I am going to work hard and finish my mission strong. It was great to see the trust that my mission president has in me. He said that we need to talk about what I need to do when I get home he told me to show him my schedule for my classes at BYU Idaho. He gave me some great pointers. I absolutely love President Nelson, he has spent a lot of quality time with me as I have been here. I know that I will stay in touch with him throughout my life. I have had a lot of General Authorities come to our mission and they have all said that we are so very blessed to have President Nelson as a mission president and that he is among the very best of all mission presidents. I believe that to be true, the mission has completely changed from when I first came out here until now. 

I know that this is the time that the Lord has prepared for me to serve a mission, it truly makes so much sense to me, as now I am coming to the end of my mission. As for now I commit myself to work my hardest to the end of my mission, I am not sure what is going to happen with transfers and all, but who knows I might go somewhere else for my last transfer who knows? 

Well.... I love you all so much. I am grateful for the knowledge that I have of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, it has changed my life eternally and I look forward to sharing it for the rest of my life.  Have a great week!

ELDER JD DOYLE

Weekly Update 06-27-2011

My dear family and friends, this work will never stop until our Father says His work is done. This work is truly incredible. This week we had 3 Investigators at church. This next Sunday one of those 3 will be being baptized, she has been meeting with missionaries for about 3 years. Her name is Manolita, she is from Haiti, she is great and she knows that this is the right decision for her to make in her life.

There were two ladies that I "fearlessed" at the beginning of the transfer who both came to church yesterday for the first time. Laura is also from Haiti, she has a lot of great questions about her salvation. She called us this past week and told us that she received an answer that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. We also had Aileen, she is from Jamaica, I was able to introduce her to a lot of great members at church. She absolutely loved church yesterday. She is excited to learn more, she told me that she feels at home when she was at church. The spirit is truly working within our investigators.

I really am almost out of time, I am currently at a members work using his computers that he has in his office, so I just don't want to be a burden to him. I love it here in Midwood Brooklyn, it is full of Haitian people, I know that I have said that before but it just makes me think of my little bro Tyler it motivates me so much. Well... I love you all so much have a great week and always remember who you are and the great things that the Lord has blessed each of you with in your lives.

 

                   Elder JD DOYLE

Weekly Update 06-21-11

All of my good friends and family, I am indeed grateful to share some wonderful experiences with you all. The Lords work here in this part of the world is expanding as my companion and I are working with all that we can offer to the Lord. We have been striving to fully consecrate our hearts to the Lord in fulfilling our missionary purposes. We have been blessed with an abundance of His spirit as we have been teaching his children and as we work together throughout each day.

Monday is normally our P-day, but yesterday we had a mission conference and we had 2 General Authorities come and speak to the mission. We have Elders Gong and Christensen from the Quorum of the Seventy come and speak to us. I was called on to give the opening prayer, it was a great honor to have that special privilege to do so and to get up and pray unto our Father in our behalf. I was nervous when I was called on to pray, but as I pondered about our Savior Jesus Christ I was filled with faith and was able to express my heartfelt feelings to Him.  The conference was great, I learned a lot from these chosen servants of the Lord.

Here in Brooklyn I am continually growing so much as an individual, I am also grateful for the much prayers that have been offered by each of you in my behalf, I feel the influence of the Spirit daily in my life as a missionary. I know that he guides and directs us in this work. These are the best 2 years of my life, but I know that even the best years are what lay ahead of me.

We are working with a lot of great people, we continually seek for the Lords guiding hand in helping us bring others unto him. I know that this guidance can be given to all who have the desire to bring His gospel message into others lives. As we act on the promptings of the Holy Spirit we are then able to be living witnesses of His love and power to bless the lives of His precious children whom he loves incomprehensibly. It is my invitation to all that have obtained this sacred knowledge of the Lord to share it with all whom we know have not yet received the divine witness from our Loving Father in Heaven. This Gospel is true and I know it, it has changed me and this change will continually occur throughout the rest of my life as I build my life upon his Gospel.

I want to wish you all a belated Happy Fathers Day, and Dani I hope you got my card that I sent you Happy B-day I love you so much!

As for now it is my turn to depart for this time being, but until next week remember the Lord your savior, and find a way to come even closer unto him than you are now, it is not out of your reach because His hand is stretched out always towards each of you, He is quietly whispering unto all to "Come" and he will set you free from all burdens and sorrows that we all may be facing. Bye for now!

 

Elder JD Doyle

Weekly Update 06-13-11

     I am indeed grateful to have this sacred opportunity to serve amongst such great of people who have been truly humbled by their life experiences. Here in Midwood Brooklyn I am sharing the gospel with pretty much only Hatian people. So I have to make sure that Tyler comes out here with me when he gets home from his mission. I get sad when I cant share the gospel with these people because they speak Creole/French. I do try my best though and I keep talking to them as long as I can before they just walk away but I always make sure that I give them a card just in case.

     Right now I live with the ASL missionaries, one of them is deaf, he is such a cool guy he can speak great and he also reads lips very well, so I can communicate anything to him and he will understand and respond. The ASL missionaries are so great, I love them so much they are fun to have as "Pad Mates." This week we found 7 new investigators as we went out and I fearlessed seriously every person that I could possibly talk to. We had some great meetings with people, we invited 3 people to be baptized and 1 of them accepted and will be baptized on July 3rd. The other two are going to pray to know if the 17th of July is a good day for them. We will continue to work with these great people and continue to find and teach these people. I am here to declare the gospel with boldness and strive to take every opportunity that I possibly have to share the gospel. I love talking to everyone, it brings so much joy into my heart.

     Last night I had my first Dinner Appt. with a Hatian family. Bro.... The food was sooo good, I am sure that you are loving the food in your mission. The ward that I am serving in consists of 90% Haitians. They are going to be starting a Creole program here in the mission this next transfer the church is now training missionaries in the MTC to learn Creole, and we are getting a new missionary next transfer. He will most likely be in my zone.

     My companion Elder Yancuba is awesome, he is a fun missionary to serve around he is originally from Africa and lived there for 13 years of his life. He is a funny Elder with a lot of love and care for the work. He has been wanting to be my companion from the begining of our missions. We have seriously been working so hard, we came out together and are both coming to the end of our missions and we have the sincere desire to sprint to the finish giving the Lord all of our hearts in helping His children come to the knowledge of the truthfulness of this restored gospel.

     Ok so now I am going to announce to all of you, I havent said anything regarding this matter, but I am going to be attending BYU Idaho this fall when I get home. I am going to be home from my mission on August 26th and I will be starting school on September 9th. I am excited for my future and the rest of my mission, I know that I am going to work my very best and finish strong. I am looking forward to this next week and very excited to see some great success and miracles here in Midwood, I know that there will be miracles here as I give my heart to the Lord in all that I do.

     I love you all and hope you all have a great week. Oh and I am also grateful as Tyler was for the wonderful map from the Doyle family with the kind words of encouragement and love that have been shared. Keep up the good work that you all are doing and always remember your savior Jesus Christ.

 

                          Elder JD Doyle

Weekly Update 6-6-2011

Hello everyone, It is now time for me to head out to another area. I am sad that I have to say goodbye to all of these wonderful people, I absolutely love the people here in Jamaica Queens. At the same time I am excited and filled with faith for what lies ahead of me. I have been filled with a great brightness of hope for this last part of my mission. I am satisfied for the great effort and hard work that Elder Yau and I put into the work this last transfer that we've shared together. We worked as if we had no time to waste, it feels great to be able to say with complete honesty that I have done my very best throughout my entire mission.

It is amazing that I am leaving because this past week, I felt the Spirit whisper to me that the work that I was sent here to do has been fulfilled and my purpose here has been completed, not only with the people that I've been called to teach, but also with the missionaries that I've been called to serve.

I am going to be serving with Elder Yancuba as my companion he is originally from Africa and now is from Chicago, he is a missionary that I came out with. I am excited to serve with him I know that we will work well together. He is an exciting person to be around and full of love. I am going to miss Elder Yau, I learned a lot from him, but I must do what the Lord has called me to do.

I hope that you all enjoy the pictures that I sent. I loved the children here in Jamaica they were so fun. I am going to miss the Haitian family at the end, I taught the Older daughter and they will be friends forever, I sent his wife a French copy of the book of Mormon in the mail, and she has now read almost the whole book, she is going to be baptized when she comes here at the end of the month. Well I am running short on time and I have to start packing up to move tomorrow, and tonight I am going to go out with the new missionaries to go out to fearless people on Jamaica Ave. I love you all and I am sorry that this weeks update isn't all that great.

Love Elder JD Doyle

Weekly Update 6-2-2011

Well everyone, today is my P-Day because we went to the Mets game, I am out of time for e-mailing so they are kicking me out of the mission office. I will talk to you all on Monday, I love you all so much the Mets game was great the Mets beat the Pirates 9-8. We got tickets from a member so we had 24th Row seats it was fun. I love you all so much! OH and I caught a shirt, ha ha ha. That is just my luck. I wish I had more time. OH yeah I will talk to you more about it on Monday, but I am out of Jamaica I got a phone call from President Nelson and he wants me to do to Midwood, Brooklyn for my last area. I have served in all of the Haitian areas now so now my little bro can come and speak to all of the Haitian people that I've met on my mission. I look forward to going to Midwood, I know that I am going to love it there. I only have 12 weeks left, Holy cow! That is crazy, I just barely thought of that. Well I have to go I love you all.

Weekly Update 05-23-11

     My good friends and family, it is an honor for me each week to have this opportunity to share with you a portion of the miraculous life-changing experiences that are found in this marvelous work as I am here serving the Lord with all of my heart. Some of the experiences are some that I love to share, and others are very personal between the Lord and I, where one day I may share some of these experiences if the Lord permits me to do so at some point in life. It is my prayer that you all may be able to feel of the significance and the need that we all have to share the gospel with everyone. I know that I have been called to serve as full-time missionary for 2 years, but when I was called I know that I was called to serve forever. I will soon one day be released from the mantle of a full-time missionary, but I will serve forever. I may leave the field but not the missionary will not leave me.

     Today I am short on the time that I have to type up this e-mail to you all. The work here is moving forward, the Lord is watchful of His children as he is for each of you. It is amazing how our role as missionaries comes into play in others lives. I love to hear of the great work going on in Orlando with Elder Tyler Doyle, my best friend in the world, and the great work that is happening all around me.

     I am not sure if you all heard about the "end of the world" that was supposed to happen, but it was a big deal here in NYC. The "End of the World" was on May 21st, well I am still here alive and spreading the gospel into the lives of my good brothers and sisters here in NYC. There were people that have taken this false prophecy serious some have sold their houses and spent a lot of their money on advertising this false prophecy. It was great because on Saturday the 21st we got all of the missionaries in our zone to go out to Jamaica ave and set up a table and talk to everyone that passes by on the street, there are too many people that we didn't have time to talk to every one, but it was fun. I love this work and there is nothing greater than this. I have to go now, I love you all!

 

 

           Elder JD Doyle

Fwd: Weekly Update 05-16-11

     The miracles that are found in this work are incredible. We have been blessed through the hands of the Lord placing His prepared children on our path. This past week as we were going forth to visit a less active member, we saw these two young ladies sitting out on the stoop of a house. Whenever I am walking and I see people I will go talk to them to invite them to listen to our message. As my companion at the time was Elder Moore(we were on exchanges) we went and talk to these ladies. As we were talking to them I noticed that one of them was intently listening to what we were saying and very interested in the message we share. As we were talking to them the gal who seemed interested said that her mom was now home and she pulled up in her car and was about to walk into her house across the street. I was quick to run over there and talk to her about what we do as missionaries. I was able to get her to listen to us and allow us to come and teach her and her family. We went over to their house yesterday to meet with them. They are all excited to listen to more of the message that we share. I know that this gospel will bring a great change into the life of their family.

     We are still working with Shaneeza she has a baptism date set for the 29th of this month, this week it was her Birthday and she invited us over for dinner and we taught her about the Word of Wisdom, we haven't taught her that before and we knew that she drank coffee. This week she called us and was excited to tell us that she hasn't drank any coffee after she has been drinking it for her entire life since she was a little girl. It is great to see what power the Lord can give when one is willing and wanting to make a change. We are excited for that wonderful family to continue on the path of righteous living for the rest of their lives.

     I am grateful for this time that the Lord has blessed me with in my life to have this opportunity to come and serve His children. This is a time that I will treasure for the rest of my life, and reflect back on the experiences that I've had forever. I have had so many life changing experiences. I know that the Lord has taught me much in how to be a better person. I was able to learn a lot of patience here in the mission field. That was definitely something that I have struggled with throughout my life, but now seems to be one of my strengths. I really am just about out of time and I don't have much left to say for this week. I do love all of you and am grateful to have each of you be a part of my life. One more thing that I would like to mention is that I am the absolute worse writer ever when it comes to writing letters, I sincerely ask for each of your forgiveness with my lack of effort put into writing letters. Please forgive! I love you all and have a wonderful week.

Elder JD DOYLE

Weekly Update 5-09-11

My dear family and friends, it is my sincere prayer that you may all be able to feel the Lords love today as you read this update for this week. My desires for you all to feel this way is that you may feel a portion of the love that has filled my soul. I know that I have been called to declare His gospel message to the world, and I feel that I have felt the power that has been given by Him to me, power of which is not known among man(D&C 24:12). This power comes as we open our mouths not knowing beforehand the things that we shall say, but by putting our trust in Him to carry this message into the hearts of the Lords precious children. 

This past week I have had many opportunities to open my mouth and to declare the truth unto others of my brothers and sisters, now they may not all have accepted the things that I have shared, but I strongly believe that I have helped them come closer unto Christ. It is amazing, as I have been here on my mission I have taught and baptized people who have met with the missionaries or had encounters with members of the church in the past. Yet these people who have opened there mouths to speak to these people in the past have no idea the impact that they have made on these individuals who have now decided to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized into His true and living church. It is my invitation to you all to seek for missionary opportunities to share His gospel. It is my promise to you that you all may be able to feel this power of which is not known among man(D&C 24:12), but only by those who seek to declare his gospel with intentions to help them come unto Him. As I have opened my mouth to declare this truth to others I am not always aware of how many will act upon the words that I share with them. It is my hope with everyone that I talk to that they may be able to one day come to this understanding through the Spirit of God, that these things are true. 

About a month and a half ago, I invited a member to share the gospel with one of her friends and she did. I was able to hear her get up and bare her testimony that she acted upon the words that my companion and I shared with her, to share the gospel with her friend, which has now lead to her friend being baptized, it is incredible the way the Lord works. Who would have ever thought that that my companion and I inviting her to share the gospel with her friend would have lead to her friend being baptized in Brooklyn. That is a miracle in itself. This is a work of miracles and of blessings. Miracles are awaiting each of us as we choose to share the Lords gospel with our friends and helping them experience the joy that we all feel!

This past week we had another baptism, Melissa Dass was baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday. We also invited her wonderful Mother to prepare herself to be baptized on the 29th of this month. She has accepted the invitation and is going to prepare herself to be baptized on that very day. I am happy for her and her inner commitment to follow the Lords example, and to keep His commandments. I am so happy to be a missionary, coming on a mission has changed the course of the rest of my life and many windows of opportunity have been opened to me in which I will pursue and continue to declare the Lords Gospel for the rest of my life and hopefully even beyond the veil throughout the eternities. I love this work and I love you all! Have a great week!

Elder JD Doyle

Weekly Update 05-02-11

This past week has truly been a defining moment in my life. I am so grateful for my new companion Elder Yau. Elder Yau is from Hong Kong, he has been in the Chinese program for his entire mission, he now has 2 transfers left. He has been a leader in the Chinese program for the past while in the mission, and now he has been put in the English program for the first time. The work here is a lot different from what he is used to. I am learning a lot from him, he has taught me a lot about the importance of goal setting and fulfilling the goals that we set as a companionship and with our individual selves. I have developed a deeper understanding of the importance of setting goals and reaching our goals that we set. As I was getting ready this morning I was pondering the thought in my mind of how much better I would have done on my mission if I would have known these things that have now come to me with conviction from the Spirit. As that thought came to my mind the Spirit was quick to reveal to me that I am only ready to receive the spiritual knowledge of things that I am spiritually ready to receive. I was not spiritually ready to receive the knowledge that I now have received. I was able to learn a lot from this meaningful experience that I had. This knowledge that I now have I want to share with all of the missionaries in our Zone, and with everyone. I talked to President Nelson about it this morning in his office, and we both had a great talk about it and president wants me to talk about it tomorrow in ZLC (Zone Leader Counsel) with all of the Zone Leaders.

Last week I was asked to speak to all of the Leaders in the mission about "Fearlessing", as I prepared my talk that I was assigned to give I know that I received revelation in behalf of "Fearlessing." Fearlessing is what we call going up to people on the street, train, bus, in the store, or wherever we may be; opening our mouths to share the Lords Gospel message with others. As I spoke I know that I was moved upon by the Spirit my message was carried into the hearts of the Leaders in the mission. President Nelson now wants me to give that same talk to all of the missionaries. I will just have to wait and see how it all works out, but I am excited about the missionary work here.

This past week we had Bettina and Kevin confirmed in church. We also had a miracle this week, we went to the Dass families home and Melissa said that she wants to be baptized. So she is going to be baptized on this coming Saturday. We are working with a lot of great people.

I am excited to call home this coming Sunday to speak to my wonderful family.

I dont have much time left, so I have to get going, I love you all and I hope that you all have a great week.

 

     LOVE ELDER JD DOYLE 

Weekly Update 04-25-11

I don't have much time to e-mail this week so let me give you all a quick update. This past week has been a remarkable one, we had 2 baptisms. Bettina Audain and Kevin Dass they are both amazing. We are excited and Kevin's family is still learning so we are hoping for the best and having the opportunity to baptize the rest of the family.

Transfer calls came and I am going to be staying here in Jamaica, and my new companion is Elder Yau, he is from China. I don't really know him very well, but I will get to know him as we serve together for these next 6 weeks, I will officially be his companion tomorrow. I am excited about the great things that are in store for us in the future. 

We have a busy week ahead of us, we are going to be moving to a new place, because of the Sister Missionaries getting moved out of their place because of those creepy guys trying to get into their apartment. I am sad that I have to move because I love the place that I am living at right now, it is a house above the Senior Couples, and they are always taking good care of us. 

I wish I had more time to talk, but I just don't. I love you all and the Church is true.

Love Elder JD Doyle