October 27, 2013

Family,

Thank you so much for your emails to me! I was just full of laughter, joy, and really felt the Spirit with the things you shared to me so thank you so much. Yes i can't believe Drake's 18 now, thats so great. Tell all the family i said hello when you all get together! Mom thank you so much for sharing that story about the bolonias and tans in primary, it really brought me to tears! I hope those children were touched by the Spirit you brought to them mom, i'm sure you're doing such a great job fulfilling the call the Lord's given you. Dave sounds like he's doing great too! It's so good to hear from him. A lot of the youth here are really short, well most Filipinos are short, but i was comparing some of their heights and i thought, Demi is probably so tall now! Whenever i see a 5'2'' girl i think she's way tall now, then i get around some of the sister missionaries and they're like 5'10'' and i'm like scared of them! I guess i'm becoming Filipino. Yes dad the preparations are great! Elder Andersen will be getting here saturday, we have a meeting with President friday at the talisay chapel, the biggest chapel in Negros Occidental. The other mission presidents will be coming here as well, so it will be a great opportunity to learn from the Lords servant. I'm really trying to prepare myself for this great event to make it one that will influence me for the rest of  my life. That's funny they have me on that list for football, did i tell you about the brother at the MTC that tried to recruit me? Haha, i don't know. We'll see, i just know my priorities when i get home and plan to fulfill those before anything else. I think i weigh around 260 still, not much change! The members here give us food all the time! They're so nice and giving. Especially the really old relief society sisters, they're so awesome!

This last week was one that changed my mission a lot. Sister Rose (13) and Jenny Cordero (18) were baptized on saturday, their testimonies are so strong of the restored Gospel. They both shared in their testimony of how the Gospel showed them how to really repent for their sins, and also how much they love the Book of Mormon. We really know they are converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because they have already brought 2 friends into the church with them as well. Erric Cayao also was baptized on saturday, he's 19 years old. I really saw the power of the Atonement take place in him. He has changed his life completely. He's shared his life story with us countless of times, and has told us how much Jesus Christ has impacted his life to where he has been born again through Him. On sunday after their confirmation, brother Eric suited up in a white shirt and tie and Sister Jenny as well in her sundays best and they came and worked with us for a few hours visiting other investigators. They shared their testimony of how the Gospel has changed their life and showed them the true way to happiness, there was so much power in the things they shared. They are planning as well to come with us in the coming weeks to work as well, it's so great!

Also i really learned this week about being realistic. Can i just say, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we don't do realistic things (according to the world's perspective). It's not realistic for a God to descend below all men, taking upon Himself the transgressions, pains, and sicknesses of all mankind just so that they might return to their Father in Heaven. It's not realistic to send a 19 year old young woman or 18 year old young man out on the other side of the world to teach kings, lawyers, and rich noble people about God. It's not realistic that a 14 year old boy, could see God and His son Jesus Christ. But in this church, we make all things realistic, through His everlasting Atonement. Through the enabling power of the Atonement, we are literally enabled to do whatsoever thing is expedient in Him. No matter how weak we may be, as long as we are humble, He will enable us to do anything. When i got to my 3rd area in Caduhaan, i didn't think it was realistic to have baptisms there because of the history of that area. But i exercised my faith in Him, and those 8 baptisms came in those 2 months. I didn't think it was realistic to baptize 11 people in one month, but through the enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we did it. I realized this throughout my entire reading in the Book of Mormon, mostly everything that goes on in that Book is unrealistic, according to the world. But the Savior will enable us to do those unrealistic things, in order to glorify the Father's name on high. I know, that He lives. He strengthens, guides, and teaches me every day how to become more like Him. I know i'm not perfect and have so many weaknesses, but I know family, that we can do anything through His Atonement. He will literally give us that power (Moroni 7:33). I'm going to forward you a talk that i've read and studied and that has blessed my life to know and understand the Atonement more, and i encourage you with all my heart to read and apply it to your life, and you will feel His love more abundantly in your life! I love you all family!

Elder Doane