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