April 13, 2104

Dear Family,

What a week! Elder Perez was transferred last week, he’s now the new assistant of President Lopez, I’m so happy for him, he’s such a dedicated and powerful servant of the Lord. We were getting really close too together as a companionship, so the transfer was destined. My new companion is Elder Barangay, he’s so awesome! He’s such a humble missionary, willing to learn so much. I’ve known him for a while in the mission and worked with him before, so we have no problem working together. He’s actually a year older than me, but he goes home next year. We’ve had a great first few days together, and I know we’re going to have a great companionship learning a lot of things from the Lord.

General Conference! We watch it here a week late because we’re on the other side of the world, but wow was it so amazing! We watched it in our clerk’s office at our chapel, because all the members watched it in Tagalog and we wouldn’t be able to understand well, but it was definitely the greatest conference I’ve had as a full time missionary.

So many impressions! But my favorite highlight had to be Sister Linda S. Reeves, about avoiding pornography, she was so bold and loving in delivering her message, and I was so inspired with many thoughts and impressions from the Spirit. I thought, what can be the ‘pornography’ in my life as a disciple of Jesus Christ that distracts me from fulfilling my purpose? Or for all of us as members of the church even? It’s not always the typical pornography that is poisoning the minds of so many in our day, but it can even be the small things like our own slothfulness, it can be our jobs, our hobbies, our friends, bad habits, etc. There are so many things that can blind us of our real purpose in this life, to ‘prepare to meet God’ and ‘have joy’! We need to identify these things in our lives, and follow Sister Reeve’s advice and make ‘filters’ on all these things in order to protect ourselves, and our families!

I testify to the words Sister Reeves shared, that the best filter that we can put on all of these poisonous distractions in our time is a burning testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This will blot out all of our desire to do evil, and replace it with a desire to follow God’s commandments and keep our sacred covenants we have made with Him. The question is, how do we gain this burning testimony of the great and eternal sacrifice? Like what Sister Reeves said, “It doesn’t matter if the dishes aren’t washed yet, or if some laundry hasn’t got done, or if the kids are already in their pajamas getting ready for bed… we NEED daily family prayer, scripture study, and weekly family home evening!” How simple! The only hard thing here is keeping consistency, but we as disciples and especially as parents need to be the first ones to act and not be acted upon, and call our families together to participate in these simple yet powerful family necessities! This will create a greater spirit of love within the home, where in the Spirit of the Lord will abide and create a strong filter against all distractions including pornography.

I truly do testify of these things! I’ve learned so as I’ve applied them here to myself on the mission, I feel like I’m so close to my Father in Heaven as I seek to follow the small and simple things such as prayer and scripture study. I’m so excited to be able to share My Vision with you all family when I get back, the Lord has been so merciful in revealing such things to me! I’m so excited and full of hope for the future.

I know time is so short! But we just need to keep pressing forward, keeping our covenants close to our hearts so that we may glorify our Father’s name in Heaven when we receive those special blessings He has in store for us. I can’t wait to see you soon family! Let’s keep on keepin’ on!

Elder Doane