Week 55 - Random Pics

Tom and Barbara's baptism

Pday last week (we had a flour war)

Weiser District Council

Week 54 - Miracles Have Not Ceased!

Happy Monday!!!

I always think it's funny to hear non-missionaries say comments like "oh no tomorrow is monday!" I remember when I used to say the same thing. But now I'm like "WAHOOOOO TOMORROW IS MONDAY!" It's funny how the mission changes you. 

Well it has been a fantastic week, as usual! Last Monday, we took a hike up in Baker City and it was gorgeous! I love going up there and actually seeing trees again! We had Zone Conference on Thursday in Nyssa, Oregon. Elder Washburn and I had to give a 20 minute training on Studying and Preparing to Teach, which sounded a tad bit boring. So we made a hilarious video with some help from a couple other Elders to spice things up. It was a big hit! I warned President Sorensen beforehand that the video might completely ruin his opinion of me. But he assured me with a smile on his face that his opinion of me can't sink any lower. I love that guy!

Friday was filled with teaching appointments, and they were amazing! We walked into a house to teach two families that live there, and found both moms basically bed-ridden with back pain and migraines. We explained and offered priesthood blessings, and they both accepted. All I'll say is that the lesson went wonderfully, the Spirit was super strong, almost everyone cried, and the two ladies walked us outside when it was time to go. 

Saturday was another amazing day! We got to see both Lala and Diego get baptized. Although we didn't teach him, I got to interview Diego for baptism, and his story blew me away. Hopefully I can keep it short. About a month and a half ago, Diego was released from jail. He had no one to pick him up and nowhere to go. So he just started walking. As he walked, he prayed that he could have the kind of life he always wanted. As he was praying and walking, a car pulled up and a man stepped out. That man happened to be Brother Ross, the Sunday School President in the Fruitland 3rd ward and the father of Diego's ex-girlfriend. He told Diego to get in the car, and he took him to his house. He set up a tent in the yard for Diego to stay in until he could get a real living situation figured out. That night, Brother Ross's 10 year old son Cooper slid a Book of Mormon under Diego's pillow. Diego found it, and read about 40 chapters that night. He felt something. So he went to church that Sunday. He felt something again. So he met with the missionaries and accepted the invitation to get baptized. Now fast-forward a month and a half: He married the Ross' daughter on Friday, then got baptized on Saturday. He never thought that his prayer on the side of the road would be answered so quickly and so perfectly. 

Love ya,

Elder Doyle 

Acting out Elder Washburn's favorite scripture story with some members the other night

A companionship that exercises together stays together.

Beautiful lake we visited last Monday!

Week 53 - Home on the Range

Howdy folks!

This week was a week full of meetings, and I surprisingly loved it! First up was the Mission Leadership Council, where the leaders in the mission meet for 6 hours to set goals for the whole mission. It's always been my favorite meeting out here ad it didn't disappoint! I especially love it when the Spirit testifies that the goals we set are really what God wants. Anyway, on Wednesday we went up to Baker City for a district council, and I bawled my eyes out. We watched the church's Bible Videos of Christ's Atonement, and they get me every time. It didn't help that one of my best friends out here on the mission, Elder Williams, went home that afternoon for back surgery. The next few days had a few more meetings, and we got to witness 3 wonderful baptisms on Saturday! 

Then we got to Sunday. Elder Washburn and I had been asked to speak in the Council Ward, and they allowed us to choose whatever topic we felt inspired to speak about. I had prepared and felt like I had a good talk ready, but when I woke up that morning, I had the strong impression that what I had prepared was not what God wanted me to share. So I scrapped my original talk and had faith that God would help out. We got to church and found out that we were the only two speakers, so "hopefully you have a lot prepared!" Elder Washburn did a great job, and then I walked up to the podium with nothing but a missionary pamphlet. And I can honestly say that was the most comfortable I've ever been giving a talk! My mouth was filled with the words God wanted me to speak. It was a miracle.

Well, love you all so much and I hope you can feel my love as well! Keep being a light o those around you.

Sincerely,

Elder Doyle

 

We like to do the Weiser District Council "high on a mountain top."

 

Me and Elder Wheeler, one of my old companions. Couple more weeks until he goes home!

What do you do when no one showed up to fill the baptismal font? Go to a member's house and baptize them in a pool of course!

 

 

 

Week 52- Another Grande Week!

Lights, camera, action... 

And we're live, coming atcha from beautiful Ontario, Oregon! In recent news, Elder Doyle had a fantastic week traveling all over Western Idaho and Eastern Oregon. And here he is now, ready to tell you all about it..

Last week we spent pday (Monday) in the mountains of McCall, and it was a blast! We started hiking in the state park, and by the time it ended, we had been soaked with rain, pelted with hail, and even had some snow flurries. It was super nice after the weeks and weeks of hundred degree weather we'd been having. On Thursday, we had interviews with President Sorensen in Ontario. It's always nice to sit down and talk with him. When they were done, he and his wife drove Elder Washburn and I up to Baker City to meet up with the La Grande District. Since a few of us hit our year mark that day, we decided to do the half gallon milkshake challenge (my 2nd time). In the words of President Sorensen when asked to do the milkshake challenge for a second time, "I only do stupid things once." He wasn't overly impressed by me doing it again.

We drove up to La Grande and spent Thursday evening to Saturday morning there. It was a ton of fun and that area is gorgeous! It was also nice to spend time with some missionaries that we don't get to see very often.

During the few days we got to spend in Weiser this week, we saw some amazing things happen. Corina accepted the invitation to be baptized, and the Thompson and Guzman families came to church! I feel so blessed to be here. Life is good.

One thing that we discussed in our District Councils this week was the importance of effective study, and I've been thinking about that throughout the week. As missionaries, we have a couple hours each day to study the scriptures personally and as a companionship. I don't think it's solely for the purpose of gaining information. What I think is one of the biggest reasons for why we study is so we can gain an abundance of the Spirit. That Spirit can testify when we speak, make complicated topics be easily understood, and touch even the hardest of hearts. That's the only way that uneducated, immature, and inexperienced young people can do the work of God.

Love ya,

Elder Doyle

Week 51 - It's almost Hump Day!

That's right folks, in just a few days I will have been out for a year! The time has flown by, and I'm sure this next year will fly by even faster. I don't have much time to email today: but here are a couple cool highlights from the week: 7 people accepted the invitation to be baptized, we met with a Eastern Orthodox priest and his wife (they actually want to be baptized as well, but that's a long story), and we helped remodel a burned out kitchen! Tons of cool stuff! The work in Weiser is really exploding.

Sorry this isn't longer! But I love you all and I'm grateful for the examples you are to me!

Sincerely, 

Elder Doyle

Week 50 - Pics of the Week

This super cute puppy wanted us to focus on him rather than the kitchen we were remodeling... and we gladly obliged.

 

 

 

Sometimes we do our district councils up in the mountains! We found our new favorite spot this week.

 (ignore my sun-deprived white legs) The mosquitoes are HUNGRY!

Week 49 - One Transfer Down in Weiser

Howdy Folks!

I know I've said this before but golly gee, time flies! It feels like I just got to Weiser and it's already been 6 weeks! And it's been a great 6 weeks! We just had a wonderful baptism this past Saturday for Zoe Garcia, who will be starting her senior year in high school in a couple days. She's such a great example to her family, who have been going through a lot of tough stuff. 

Zoe's is awesome! I'm so honored to have been a part of her journey!

I think I mentioned a few weeks ago how there are a bunch of fires burning in the area. Bad news: they're still burning and it's pretty smoky everywhere, but Good News: We had like 10 minutes of rain the other day for the first time in months! Man, I miss the rain. And trees. But dead grass is cool too! Haha the wonderful people make up for the lackluster landscape!

Okay cool story from last week: One of the people we were teaching was having a bunch of back pain. It was keeping her from work and she was worried she might lose her job. Well we went over and explained priesthood blessings to her, and asked if she might like one. She said yes, and as we did it, she visibly relaxed. It was pretty awesome! When the blessing was over, she looked at us with huge eyes and said "I feel so much better!" The pain wasn't totally gone, but she felt peace and relaxation, and she got out of that chair a lot easier than she got into it. Miracles really do happen! I'm so grateful that God allows lame 19 year old kids like me to help do his work and see the blessings that come from the Gospel of Jesus Christ! 

Love you all,

Elder Doyle