April 21, 2013

My dear family,

Good to hear from you all and stuff, I'm so excited to get that picture from you! If you could send it through the email too I will print it out and get a frame or something, but im so excited! Sounds like Demi's doing well in track, we just gotta get her in the weight room now! I don't need anything else im doing just fine. 

The work is great! And it's hot! It's funny here because it's not just the sun beatin down on you but theres water in the air that sticks to your skin, that's what true missionary work is all about. Haha. Caduhaan is doing well, we have a baptism on may 4th and may 11th, and hopefully on may 18th as well. On may 4th the Panagiton family will be baptized! They're a great family, they don't have much, but they have a love for their Lord and that's what matters. Brother, Sister, their daughter Rodelyn, and their son Marjon will all be baptized! It's so great, first family baptism! We also had a mission President's training on friday, goodness it was amazing, President Lopez is just the best. We really dug deep into Lesson 1- The Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it was great! He really showed us what it means to be a Preach My Gospel scholar. He also asked for a volunteer to stand up and show how to introduce Joseph Smith's story to a family of investigators, and I don't know why i raised my hand but I did. I stood up, and the Spirit just led me. It was all in Ilonggo, because President wants to hear how well we are speaking. As I was testifying to all those Elders and Sisters, and reciting the words of Joseph Smith, it was like we were actually there seeing the first vision. It was so powerful. I testified that our Father in Heaven has not changed since day 1, and because He loves His children He answered Joseph Smith's prayer, and the same thing can happen to them if they will pray with real intent to find the truth. President then stood up with tears in his eyes, and said thank you Elder Doane, I've never heard it done like that, from the introduction, to the recitation, it was all just so powerful. It really strengthened my testimony that if we feel a prompting, to just follow it. Yeah we may not know if it's just our heads having a brain wave, or if it really is inspiration from on High, but the only way for us to find out is to follow it. Then after we follow that feeling, we will know that it was from God, through the Holy Spirit of Promise. I've also learned a lot about agency while being here in the mission, that if we want something, we gotta go get it. It literally all depends on us, if we want something done, what are we going to do to accomplish that thing? The Lord is just teaching me every day, and I know He's just preparing me for something bigger in the future. I love you family, may we lose ourselves in the scriptures, for they will tell unto us all things that we should do. I pray for you night and day.

Elder Doane