Week 9 - Happy Halloween!

This week has been absolutely fantastic! I'm slightly concerned that I've already hit the high point of my mission, because I can't imagine missionary work getting any better! I've seen miracles and felt the Spirit so strongly! First off, the Meridian Temple open house went into full swing this week. Last Monday, Elder Bacon and I were disappointed because we didn't think we'd be able to go with anyone to the temple this week. We prayed for opportunities, and God answered. Tuesday through Saturday, we found opportunities to visit the temple every day, each with a new investigator. Walking through the tour of the new temple, I felt and saw the beauty and sanctity of the temple, and saw it change the hearts of those we went through the tour with. Here's an example:

Tuesday: We meet a family outside after we leave an appointment. The daughters are interested in learning more about the church, but the mother is quite against it.

Wednesday: The parents "coincidentally" have errands to run right next to the temple, so we go through the open house with them. The Spirit is strong, and the mother really opens up.

Thursday: The mother sends us a text to ask if we're free that evening. She loved the temple so much that she wants to bring all of her children and show them. The children visit the temple, and "want to become Mormons."

Friday - Present: Mother texts us daily to invite us over and asks if there's a limit on the number of times families can visit the temple. They're going to attend the Trunk or Treat and we'll be teaching the family this week.

Seeing families become closer and happier this week has made me soooooo happy. I know the temple is the House of the Lord and it allows families to be together forever. I'm so grateful for the Meridian Temple and I'm excited to see it change lives.

Elder Doyle and Elder Bacon at the Meridian Temple open house

Here's one little story that totally blew my mind: I've been cutting my hands up whenever we do service projects cuz I don't have gloves. I could've gotten some at Walmart on P-day if I remembered, but I never did. Anyway, One morning after a wood-cutting service project, I just mentioned in my prayer that I needed gloves. That night, we walk into our room, and on each of our beds is a pair of gloves. We asked the people who we're staying with if they knew where the gloves came from. The wife said that she had thrown our clothes into the washing machine (cuz she's awesome and does our laundry) and there were no gloves. But a couple hours later, when she opened up the washer, two brand new pairs of gloves were sitting on top of the load. She has no idea how they got there. AHHH IT'S SO CRAZY! We're seeing little miracles like that all the time and it's blowing my mind. Exact obedience really does bring miracles. 

This weekend, Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited for our stake conference. I learned so much from both him and the Spirit, and there were words said in the talks that were exactly what was needed by certain investigators that we had invited to attend. After the meeting, I was able to go up and thank both Elder Stevenson and the member of the Seventy that accompanied him for listening to the Spirit when preparing and giving their talks. They had literally changed the lives of some of our investigators. Elder Budge of the Seventy let me know that he had no idea what to say when he stood up to speak, and the Spirit had directed him to give that message. He didn't know why. That experience strengthened my testimony that these men are called by God, and God knows what His children need. 

Weekly Challenge: This week, focus on strengthening your relationship with your family. Spend time with each other, be kind to each other, and serve each other. God places us in families for a reason, so figure out one of the many reasons that you were placed in this specific family. 

Have A Great Week,

Elder Doyle

Week 8 - One Transfer Down

Ladies and Gentlemen, it has been a superb week! Elder Bacon and I have been able to interact with some awesome people and we've seen a lot of success sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. I've continued to see how God has been helping us do his work, and it's cool to see that people in the community are really getting excited to help us as well. This week, I'd like to share a couple experiences that were pretty fantastic.

This first one was pretty nerve-wracking at first, but looking back on it now, I just laugh. An older man called us and let us know that he had a friend that wanted to meet with us, and he gave us the friend's address. We drove to the address, pulled into the driveway, and got out. Immediately an older gentleman ran out of the house and started yelling. "Who are you? What are you doing on my property? Get out or I'm going to shoot you!" I was starting to freak out, but I asked if this gentleman knew the man who had called us earlier that day. He stopped yelling and said "oh, are you guys Mormons?" After responding affirmatively, his tone changed. "My Brothers! Welcome!" He gave us big bear hugs and we've been meeting with him and eating lunches with him ever since. Gives you a little taste of the awesome people we meet in Idaho haha.

A new LDS temple was just finished in Meridian, Idaho, so we've been inviting people to attend the public tours and have been able to hear some awesome stories about the temple. Here's one of my favorites: The baptismal font in this temple is larger than any baptismal font previously built inside a temple. So it was obviously quite a difficult construction project, and the project manager was having a tough time figuring out how to complete it. On his way home one day, a name popped into his head that he didn't recognize. He looked it up when he got home, and found out it was an 80-year-old, retired concrete worker in a small town nearby. The project manager traveled to this older man's home and asked him if he would be interested in helping with the project. The older gentleman, who was not a member of the church, agreed. He had been suffering through some health issues previously, but as soon as he began working on the baptismal font, his health recovered and he was given strength he said he hadn't felt in the last 40 years. after a few weeks, he ended up completing the font perfectly. However, once the project was completed, the man's health issues returned and he passed away 2 weeks later. On his death bed, he made his wife promise him to meet with the missionaries, be baptized, and then be sealed to him in the Meridian temple. Because of his service and example, the First Presidency has reserved his name to be the first baptism completed in the Meridian Temple. 

 

To see the Meridian temple check out :

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/meridian-idaho-mormon-temple-open-house?cid=HP_MO_16-10-2017_dPAD_fMNWS_xLIDyL2-4_

I wish I could write more, but I'm just about out of time. Keep praying, keep serving others, and keep learning more of God's plan. This week's challenge is to study the scriptures. Read the Bible and/or Book of Mormon. If you haven't read either of them before, try it. If you already do read them, increase your efforts. I've seen more and more peace come into my life as I've sought direction in these two sacred books. 

I love you all and pray for you! Chao!

Sincerely,

Elder Doyle

Week 7 - My hair is finally curly again!

Hola mis amigos!

It's really amazing because you spend the whole week thinking to yourself, "wow there's so much to tell about this week in my email on Monday!" And then Monday rolls around and you've forgotten just about everything you wanted to share in your email! So I apologize if my emails are lacking. This week has been pretty fantastic though! My companion and I are finally not sick, so we've been able to get out and do a lot of work! We've met tons of new people and feel like we're really starting to be effective servants of God out here. Here are a couple highlights of the week:

Friday: All the missionaries in this area (about 80) got together to run a 5k. Running ain't exactly my forte, and I was just getting over my bronchitis, so a 5k wasn't my ideal way to spend the day, but it ended up being a blast! Yes, I felt like death, and I'm still feeling it 4 days later, but it was really nice to meet some new missionaries and get out and exercise. I just realized I didn't get any pictures, but some of the missionaries wore costumes for the 5k, which was quite entertaining. The last missionary to finish the race was one wearing a huge blowup T-Rex costume. What a champ.

Saturday: Elder Bacon and I decided to drive way into the middle of nowhere to meet some people that hadn't come to church in awhile. We turned into a driveway whose mailbox had the address we were looking for and turned in. It was a long, skinny, unpaved driveway with fences on both edges of it. We started driving down it, and after about a half mile, we're starting to wonder where this house would finally be. But instead of a house, we eventually just hit a dead end. The fence came across the driveway, and we could go no further. That would have been fine, except there was nowhere to turn around, so we got to drive backwards up toward the road, narrowly avoiding the fences on both sides. It was actually pretty hilarious in the moment, and I'm sure the cows in the fields next to us were quite entertained. If you're ever in the middle of nowhere in Idaho, don't drive down mysterious driveways that lead to nothing.

A new LDS temple is being built in Meridian Idaho, so that has been a really cool opportunity for us to answer questions and tell people what a temple is all about. When a new temple is built, it's open for the public to take tours for the first few weeks, so we've been able to invite people to go see what it's like. I haven't been able to go see it, and will probably only get to go through the open house tour once, but I hear it's absolutely gorgeous. I'm excited for people to feel that special spirit that resides in the House of the Lord. 

Weekly Challenge: This week, use social media to brighten someone's day. Post a positive comment or picture, and see what kind of positive response you get. I've heard stories this past week of social media being used to really change people's lives, so try it out, and let me know how it goes. 

Sincerely,

Elder Doyle

 

 

Sometimes Elder Bacon and I practice teaching and talking to people as we study. When at home, we practice teaching Sprite (pronounced SPREE-TAY). He's very receptive and loves to participate.​

Whenever we leave the house, Annie runs up and sits on my feet. It's actually pretty nice as the mornings get colder and colder.

 

Week 6 - Snow has fallen!

Happy Columbus Day! 

This past week has been a rollercoaster! My companion and I have been juggling various sicknesses this week, so some days we stay in, and other days we're out meeting and helping people. The days where we stay in tend to consist of a lot of sleeping and taking medicine, and the days where we go out have a lot more variety. We often do little service projects in the morning like moving wood or helping out on farms, and I'm proud to say that I haven't yet stepped in any cow manure. I'm sure that will come soon. In the afternoons we have a couple different options: we can either walk around the more tightly packed neighborhoods to knock on doors and meet new people, or we often have appointments set up. We usually get invited over to someone's house for dinner, and then we have more appointments in the evenings.

We have quite a few people that meet with us pretty regularly to learn more about our church, and we also have a lot of members of the church that invite us over to meet them and eat with them. I've really enjoyed getting to know people here! They're super down to earth and are willing to give you the shirt off their backs. Since my companion and I have been a bit under the weather, we've had tons of people offer to send us soup or give us baked goods. I'm definitely getting fatter. I can feel it. My companion says I'm just imagining it, but don't be surprised if Elder Doyle comes back looking like a balloon. 

Yesterday we took a trip up north to hike with other missionaries in the area, and it was gorgeous! The part of Idaho that I'm currently in is technically a desert, so there's very little rain and very few trees. But up north we hiked through a beautiful forest, and there was a fresh layer of snow! I think I finally figured my camera out, so hopefully I can add some pictures. 

Weekly Challenge: This week, try to find out something new about your ancestors. It could be as simple as calling up a grandparent and asking for a story about his/her family, or it could even be finding out where your name comes from. I've really seen the benefit of feeling connected to your family, even those members who you may have never met.

Thanks for all you guys do! I pray for you and hope you have a fantastic week!

Sincerely,

Elder Doyle

The view from basically anywhere in this part (the southwest) of Idaho

A hike in the mountains with forests and snow!

Hike in McCall Idaho (Elder Doyle and Elder Bacon...being goofballs!)

I purchased a Kangaroo Onesie at Walmart. Possibly the best purchase I've ever made.

Week 5 - One month out!

Howdy Ya'll!

I apologize in advance if I start using Southern slang more and more over the next few months. Elder Bacon, my companion, is from Texas and he insists that I'll be talking like a true Texan by the time he's done with me. I'm trying to resist. But life here in Fruitland, Idaho is great! Everyone is so nice here and sometimes we'll have people of other religions call out to us on the street and ask if we want water or anything. I'm starting to know my way around a little better, and that's been super helpful. We have a GPS in our car (our car is a 2015 Chevy Equinox btw) but it usually says our destinations are a few blocks from where they really are. Still better than nothing though! There are a couple things that have made this week especially great:

1. We were fed pizza 3 nights in a row. That's right. Pizza. My favorite food. 

2. Plenty of people play volleyball here! In fact, I think I'm going to play after I finish writing this. 

3. General Conference happened! For those of you who don't know what that is, it happens every 6 months, and it's a big televised conference where the leaders of our church speak. It's always super inspiring and uplifting, and this one seemed to be even more inspiring/uplifting than usual. 

I don't have tons of time, but I wanted to share that I've really felt God's hand and influence in my life this past week. These first few weeks have had a lot of ups and downs, but it's felt like God has known that and has given me exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it. Sometimes it's a song that will come on in the car when I'm feeling down, or sometimes I'll get a card from someone when I'm feeling a little homesick. Hopefully that makes sense. I know God is looking out for all of us, and everyone can receive that same help from Him. Look for the little things God does for you. 

WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Hopefully these things aren't totally weird, and I hope people are having good experiences with them. This week, I challenge you to write in your journal. And if you don't have a journal, start one. I've written in my journal a lot recently, and it's been a huge blessing as I've been struggling with some things. So try it out, and hopefully it can help you like it's helped me. 

As always, stay in touch! I'd love to hear from you all. Letters probably work best, just because I don't have much time on email. The address to send any mail to should be in last week's post. I think about you and pray for you daily! Stay classy.

Love,

Elder Doyle

 

 

Week 4 - Emailing From Oregon!!!

Howdy Y'all!

I finally made it! On Tuesday, I left the MTC (missionary training center) at 4 in the morning, and landed in Boise, Idaho around 10 a.m.. After meeting with other missionaries and the Mission President (the guy that kinda oversees the whole mission) I got assigned to serve in Fruitland, Idaho. We drove there that evening and I've been here ever since.

Fruitland is a little town right on the border of Idaho and Oregon. We cross the border a couple times a week. In fact, we email from computers in Oregon. Everyone in Fruitland basically works at 4 different places: you either farm, you work with potatoes in some fashion, you work at the prison, or you work at the hospital. There are a few exceptions of course. A lot of people work graveyard shifts, so schedules around here are pretty difficult.

People out here are super nice and friendly, and members of the local Mormon congregations feed us every night. There are 4 wards (or congregations) in Fruitland, and my companion and I cover two of them. We have a car, so we travel around meeting with people and trying to help them in any way. That might include doing yard work, teaching them more about God and Jesus Christ, or helping them eat their food haha.

My companion's name is Elder Bacon, and he's from Texas. Cool last name, I know. He's been here in Idaho for 6 months, but neither of us had been to Fruitland before. We're the first missionaries to be assigned to this specific area, so there's lots of organizational and logistical stuff we've had to do. I'm still getting to know him, but Elder Bacon finished college already, so he's quite a bit older than me. He loves to dance and went to school for applied mathematics and physics. He's got a lot more experience than me, so it's been interesting to learn from him. I would send pictures, but I'm still figuring out how to hook my camera up to the computer.

I don't have tons of time today, but I wanted to start doing something. I thought I'd end my emails each week with a little challenge or commitment. It'll just be a little thing, and shouldn't take much time, but I'd love to hear from people about how their experience with the commitments go. And feel free to share this challenge with your friends! This week, find someone who is struggling. It could be with school, work, family, health, etc. I challenge you to pray for them, and then find a way to go out of your way to help them. It might be to drop off cookies or mow their lawn, or maybe just be a listening ear. Can't wait to hear your responses!

Oh, one more thing! I can respond to letters a lot more easily than emails, so feel free to write! The address to send any mail to is 1370 Caldwell Blvd. Ste. 300 Nampa, Idaho 83651

(Jack only has one hour a week on the computer so he can't always respond to every email. He can however write and receive letters every day.)

Thanks for being awesome,

Elder Doyle

Week 3 - Hello Idaho!

Elder Doyle did not have a regular P-day (Preperation Day) this week because it fell on the day he was flying out to Idaho. His P-day is the day he can email and catch up on laundry, shopping etc. so he was not able to write a big email but he did get to call home and we got an email saying he arrived safely in Idaho.

He did want us to say "hi" to everyone back home. He was excited to get out to Idaho and meet his Mission President. He loved the training center and the friends he made there but is ready to get to work! :)

In his arrival email we learned that he is in a small agricultural community called Fruitland on the border of Idaho and Oregon. It is named after the many apple orchards that surround the town and is known as "The Big Apple" of Idaho. :)  His companion is Elder Bacon from Texas.

His P-days are on Mondays now and he can only respond to emails on P-days.


He is grateful for all of the love and support coming from home. He loves the emails and mail he has received and wants you all to know how loved he has felt.