Week 60 - Happy Halloween!

Tree of Life Pumpkin Carving

Never have I ever been so excited for Halloween! And no it's not for the candy or for the costumes or anything shallow like that. My reason is much more fulfilling! I'm so extremely excited because... Elder Mumford and I are judging a chili cook off on Halloween night! And if you know me well at all, you know that I couldn't ask for a better thing to do on Halloween.

This week, although it contained no chili cook offs, was AMAZING! 5 miracles I want to share:

1. We got a referral from a returning member for her friend, and he wants to be baptized! And what makes it even cooler is that his first name is just his last name spelled backwards (pretty sure I can't put his full name in here due to data privacy laws, but just know that's he's awesome).

2. One of my favorite little people, Kali, got baptized! Weird to think I met her almost a full year ago. I'm getting old!

3. We're cruising down the road in our sparkly clean red minivan (we take good care of her) and we see a lady raking leaves in her front yard. Both my companion and I think about stopping to help, but don't say anything. We visit some people, then drive by again. Same thing happens. We visit some more people. The third time, the Holy Ghost finally slaps me hard enough that I stop the van and we offer to help. Miracle part A) she takes a picture of the nice boys helping her rake her leaves and sends it to her friends. Part B) she asks us to help carry some pumpkins, then gives us water. Part C) she asks if we have some time to talk with her, then proceeds to tell us that our church is true. Part D) brings out her own copy of the Book of Mormon and shows us that she's read up to the beginning of 3rd Nephi. WHAAAAAAAT? I was literally looking around to see if there were cameras filming this because it was all fake. But no cameras in sight!

4) Justin Stringer, who I was sad to say goodbye to last month in Weiser, got baptized! So many people showed up it was standing room only. That's what I like to see!

5) Another one that just blew my mind. We get a referral from a member of one of our wards for a family. The dad is a returning member, the wife and kids are not members of the Church. So we knock on their door last night, and the wife answers. Before we can say anything, she says "I was just about to call you guys! I want to know what I have to do to join your Church." Holy guacamole! God prepares people! Missionary work is all about being a good person, doing what's right, and being willing to act. And God will place people in your path!

I love my mission. I love you! Have a fantastic week.

Sincerely, 

Elder Doyle 

Week 59 - Random Pics

My mission Dad (right), my mission Son (left), and Kali the Photo Bomber.

Last pday was a blast! Went swimming in the corn pool!

The Man, The Myth, The Legend...Justin.

Plate # 5

Me, My Comp and the Assistants (our adopted Companions)

Week 58 - A Living Church

Bonjour!

Last week I mentioned some changes that were announced in General Conference, which I am super pumped for. Implentation of those changes will happen over the next few months, and I'm excited to see how the Saints benefit. The Nampa South Stake, the stake I serve in, decided to jump on board with the change idea though, and made a new ward yesterday! The new ward took pieces from a couple of our other wards, so there was some expected crying and sadness as people were moved out of the ward they've attended for so many years. But to me, it all testifies that this is a living, breathing church. There's a living, breathing God that leads it!

This week we had many opportunities to minister to missionaries and to people the missionaries are teaching. I've given more priesthood blessings this week than ever before, which is a great feeling. We did a couple of exchanges with some Elders that have some tough stuff going on in their lives. I feel blessed to be in a position to provide some comfort and love in times like that.

We also had MLC this week, which is my favorite meeting! About 6 months ago, I suggested to the MLC that we could pray as a mission at a predetermined time every night for our monthly baptismal goal. The goal that month was 32, so the whole mission prayed at 9:32 every night for our goal. We've continued doing that every night for the past 6 months, and it's been really unifying. This month, we've decided to take it a step further. We're now inviting every member in our mission boundaries to pray with us too! So that's probably around fifty thousand people (rough estimate) all praying for one purpose! It gets me pretty excited. I'd like to extend that invitation to anyone that's still reading at this point. Our mission goal this month is 25 baptisms. I know prayer works!

Love, 

Elder Doyle

Most Sunday nights we visit with a bunch of youth from church and any friends they want to invite!

Last night I ended up doing a little unplanned concert!

Week 57 - Nampa!

Happy P-Day!

 General Conference was AWESOME! If you didn't get a chance to watch it, I would highly encourage you to do so. And if you did watch it, I would highly encourage you to follow the invitations and commandments of the Lord! The blessings of doing so will be enormous, I just know it. I also know that the changes that have been made to the Sunday schedule will benefit us if we put intentional effort into bettering our homes and families. If you have no idea what I'm talking about at this point, go to lds.org

It's been a wonderful first week in Nampa with Elder Mumford! He's from South Carolina, and we actually have some mutual friends, plus a bunch of common interests, so we've been able to connect really well. The members of the church here are so supportive of the missionaries. I've never been fed so much! We live with Brother Marshall (Bromar) and he spoils us way too much! I'm not too familiar with the people we're teaching yet, but I'm excited to work with them and hopefully help them progress in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So there ain't much meat to this email! Still kinda getting my bearings here. But again, I encourage you to watch/listen to/read the talks from General Conference. And then do it again. And keep doing it until next Conference. You can take eating and sleeping breaks if necessary.

Love ya, 

Elder Doyle

Week 56 - Final Pics from Weiser

Sometimes you just feel the need to dress up like ancient apostles, ya know?

District hike up in McCall, ID last Monday

Elder St. Peter: "How mad would you be if I left your window rolled down during the car wash?"

Me: "that wouldn't be much fun."

*the window jams*

Me: "okay we're about to go in! You can roll it up any time!"

Elder St. Peter: "No, I really can't!"

Dinner date with Washburn

 As suspicious as Elder Washburn looks, "we didn't start the fire."

Old companion as we say goodbye

New companion as we steal the sisters' bikes

Week 56 - Off to Nampa!

Happy Transfer Day!

We got word on Saturday that I'm being transferred to Nampa, Idaho to be companions with Elder Mumford! This will be my first time actually serving in the city that my mission is named after! I don't know Elder Mumford very well, but I'm excited to serve with him and work with the people of Nampa. 

It was a great week to end off my time in Weiser with Elder Washburn. We found some new people for Elder Washburn to teach with his new companion, and some people came to church that hadn't ever come before! We also had a great P-day on Monday and went on a few exchanges! So it was just an awesome week. I'll try sending a bunch of pictures to give you a little glimpse.

General Conference is this weekend! For those of you who don't know what that means, it's when we get to hear from modern-day prophets and apostles! Definitely one of my favorite times of the year, so I would invite any and all to tune in on the TV or online, Saturday and Sunday. 

I love you all! Thank you for your prayers!

Sincerely,

Elder Doyle

Week 55 - Random Pics

Tom and Barbara's baptism

Pday last week (we had a flour war)

Weiser District Council