October 20,2013

Hello family!

Thank you for all your emails this last week, those we so uplifting to me. Especially to you mom with sending me your impressions from general conference, i really appreciate that. And Dave sounds like he's doing great! And Demi. Happy birthday to drake! I hope he likes the picture Elder Peralta and I took this morning, i can't believe you're 18 now buddy! Sorry this email will be a bit shorter because we gotta make calls and what not for transfers this week.

I just wanted to let you all know, there's no such thing as a missionary leadership ladder in the mission. It doesn't matter where i serve, it only matters how. After where i have been assigned now, i may go be a junior, or a district leader, or anywhere. That's something we're really trying to establish, and a false tradition we're trying to blot out here in the field of missionary work. I know my calling as a full time representative of this Restored Gospel, and that's what i'll do till the day I'm released. Here as an assistant, we are full time proselyting missionaries! It's such a blessing, we're out on the streets talking, teaching, and baptizing! President Lopez told us this is one of the first missions to start this new concept for the assistants, to get out of the office and hit the streets! It's a blessing, because we're able to live what we teach in training. Sometimes we have special assignments we take care of, like making phone calls for transfers, but President told us he never wants to see us in the office. Isn't that great? Keeps us focused!

Last week Elder Brent Nielson of the seventy came and visited our mission. It was such a blessed and sacred opportunity to listen to him, and to listen to the Spirit for what the Lord wanted to reveal to me. of all the things i could share to you, i just want to share you a short experience. 4 months ago when i was preparing myself for one of our zone conferences, i had the question, 'how can i improve my personal study every day?' and i was seeking for more counsel on how i can do that. After the 2 days of the mission tour, Elder Nielson got all the mission leaders together, and just started teaching out of nowhere how he does his personal study every day. Studying by topic, by gospel principle, and preparing as if he were going to give a lesson on it, digging into the scriptures and expounding on each one of them. He also talked about setting goals and making plans to what we're studying. As he was teaching, i reviewed my notes again 4 months ago, and saw that question i had prepared, and knew that this was the Lord answering my question i asked Him 4 months ago. I shared to him after, "ELder Nielson, what i learned from this zone conference is that God is my loving Heavenly Father. He loves me so much, that He answered my question that i asked Him 4 months ago, and didn't forget about that, and He used you as His instrument, so thank you." Then he replied, "Well, i wasn't planning on teaching that before we met Elder." I know God answers prayers. Whether now, later, or 4 months from now He will answer us, in ways we don't expect. Every time we pray we just need to stand up with full faith in Him that the answer will come while we are 'on the run' and going about His work. I love you family, and thank you for your support in this great work! Always remember our baptismal covenants, and our great role in hastening the work of salvation (Mosiah 18).

Elder Doane