October 6, 2013 in Bacolod

Family, thank you so much for all your emails. It really makes me happy to know that you're all doing so well and my prayers are being answered from my Heavenly Father. Dad hope you got the email about the shirts, just go 18 on all to be safe. And any color of ties, doesn't matter, my ties right now are just getting old and thrashed up. Thanks so much! I got new pants, and got my shoes put in today so i really appreciate it. I'm so glad you all got to watch conference, I'm so excited for next week. As you know we get it a week late here in the Philippines, so this weekend is the big day! I'm so excited to receive revelation, especially for what more i can do to improve myself as His servant.

This last week just blazed by, Elder Peralta and I gave trainings in our mission leadership council with the zone leaders, and the Sister training leaders. It's such a blessing, all these missionaries really know and understand their purpose, and it's such an uplifting experience to stand up in front of them and share things the Spirit has taught me. We trained on harnessing the power of the members, as we all know that's the only way to hasten the work of salvation. It was very great and edifying. We really gotta help the missionaries out as members with preparing our friends and loved ones to hear the Gospel, through small and simple things are great things brought to pass!

I gotta keep this one short because we have some work to do, but I just wanted to share my testimony of the sacrament. Last week was just another killer one, I felt how weak I am as a person, and how much i really need to rely on the merits, mercy, and grace of the Lord. Countless times i found myself on my knees pleading for forgiveness for the things that i do and don't do that hinder the Lord's work. Then came sunday, and we were waiting for the sacrament. When i lifted my head up from the prayer, and saw the priesthood holder approaching me with the bread, i felt my soul hunger. Like Enos, I literally felt a scream inside me that needed to be filled. I remembered all the mistakes i had done, and the things that i needed to improve on and do more.. i felt like i was going to jump i was so excited and anxious to take those sacred emblems. Then when i partook of the bread, and water, i really did feel those holes inside of me be filled through the Holy Spirit of Promise. It was the most wonderful and uplifting experience i've had at a sacrament meeting, and it increased my testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and the Restoration of His Gospel. I know that authority was restored through a living prophet, and because of the eternal sacrifice of the Atonement, i have a chance to renew my covenants with Him every week. How wonderful. I know if we prepare ourselves and keep ourselves worthy to partake of the sacrament every week, we can progress as we let the Atonement work with us. This church is true. We will continue to progress as people as we follow Jesus Christ and His teachings. I love you family, keep enduring till you reach the tree of life, then share that wonderful fruit!

Elder Doane

September 29,2013

MOTHER!

I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday! I know it's not till the 24th, but i just wanted to let you know i didn't forget! It's funny because my companions moms birthday is the 22nd! Isn't that weird? 

Mom i just want to let you know how grateful I am for the choices you have made in your life to bring you where you are now. Especially the choice you made when the missionaries invited you to be baptized. I bet you didn't know how big of an influence it would have, but i can say that it has influenced every life i've came in contact with here on the mission. You are always there for me when i need someone to talk to, and i will always appreciate that mah. Even if it was late at night, or you were super tired, you always took the time just to sit down and listen to me. That's something i've learned and am applying to all these investigators we are teaching, just listening to them, what's important to them, and connecting the Gospel to their lives. Thank you so much mom for showing me how to trust in the Lord, and follow His example through loving others. When i get home, i will not be the same person before i left!

I love you meem! Happy birthday liwat!

Elder Doane

September 23, 2013

Hello Family! Thank you so much for all of your emails. I was so uplifted by the things you shared with me, especially the pictures and drake's email. Happy anniversary mom and dad! And hopefully mom you got my birthday email? Happy birthday just incase! The shirts, ties, and socks, should be just fine for that box, Could you send 2 long sleeves? Mine is getting old. Size 18 neck would be good, just to be safe. If its too big ill get it fixed.

This last week was so great. We had zone conference, with about 200 other missionaries! Elder Peralta and I got to attend both sessions, and got to give trainings in each as well. I just love being up in the front of so many people sharing my testimony, i really hope i can get into CES when i get back. That's my dream job now, to become an institute teacher. If not, maybe to get into elementary school teaching or something, i just love teaching! We'll see what i have in store for the future.

This last week i really learned as well about my need as a missionary to repent. Whenever Elder Peralta and I work, we make mistakes. Just like all of us do. But lately, i've really been noticing those little mistakes i've been making, and sincerely repenting for them. The Lord has really extended his hand to me through that repentance. He has 'enabled' me through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We think all the time about the redeeming power of the Atonement, but we don't always think about the enabling power. Elder David A. Bednar explains it so great is his talk, "The Atonement and the Journey of Life" that our mission has been studying. It's really beginning to change me as a missionary! And to not pray that my circumstances will be changed, but that i will be strengthened to change my circumstances. I really encourage you to read it, and live it. It has a quote in there from President McKay, "The Gospel is to make bad men good, and good men better." It's not only to make bad good, but it's to strengthen all of us and make us better people! I've really felt the powers of the Atonement are being unlocked upon this work because of my living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's all so true. The Vision of weekly baptism, Preach My Gospel Scholar, and exact obedience is real! We're living it! I love you family!

Elder Doane

September 15, 2013

MOTHER!

I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday! I know it's not till the 24th, but i just wanted to let you know i didn't forget! It's funny because my companions moms birthday is the 22nd! Isn't that weird? 

Mom i just want to let you know how grateful I am for the choices you have made in your life to bring you where you are now. Especially the choice you made when the missionaries invited you to be baptized. I bet you didn't know how big of an influence it would have, but i can say that it has influenced every life i've came in contact with here on the mission. You are always there for me when i need someone to talk to, and i will always appreciate that mah. Even if it was late at night, or you were super tired, you always took the time just to sit down and listen to me. That's something i've learned and am applying to all these investigators we are teaching, just listening to them, what's important to them, and connecting the Gospel to their lives. Thank you so much mom for showing me how to trust in the Lord, and follow His example through loving others. When i get home, i will not be the same person before i left!

I love you meem! Happy birthday liwat!

Elder Doane

September 9, 2013

Hello family! Thank you so much for all of your emails, it really is uplifting to hear from you every week to know you're doing well, especially with living the Gospel. That's way great that Nana and Barbara are closer to us! I really want to talk to Nana about doing some family history work after the mission. Demi sent me a bunch of pictures she just looks so much different! But i can tell she's very happy, which makes me very happy. She shares with me about her Book of Mormon reading too, it's so awesome, she's really gaining a solid testimony! Drake is still funny as ever no? Let Sam know i love him too, and to shoot me an email i'll try to reply to him. I would love to see Drakes senior pictures too, i bet he looks great!

This week is transfers again! This last transfer was definitely the fastest that's ever happened. Elder Peralta and I are the only assistants now. I'm so excited as well, we've worked together before and I really felt the Spirit strong working by his side. Elder Rakuro was a great companion as well, I definitely had a memorable 3 weeks with him, we saw miracles in the work, especially with finding new and prepared investigators by the Lord. We are right in the middle of making all the calls for transfers, calling the missionaries and telling them where they will all go and meet up. We don't make any decisions with the transfers, President does it all himself between the Lord, we just make the calls. It's been such a great blessing though lately to get to learn more about how to administer as a leader, it's been a great learning opportunity. We have lots of trainings coming up soon with the new missionaries coming in, very excited. I love welcoming the missionaries and listening to their burning testimonies.

The work is still hastening! We are really focusing on involving the members, and the Lord has been blessing us for our efforts! Last week we held a movie night, just kind of put it together in 2 days, and 35 people came! With 10 investigators! It was truly a miracle. We also have all other sorts of ideas to present to the ward, to really get them involved. We are also visiting their homes in short amounts of time, just trying to leave the Spirit in their home so they really will recognize us as servants of the Lord. I feel like thats something i really have understood on my mission, the power and authority of my calling. That's what Dave taught me before i left on the mission, and that has become the core of my mission. Every training i give, every other missionary i talk to, that's really what i base everything off of. Dave said to me before, 'You know Dal, every missionary is given the authority to preach the Gospel, and administer the ordinances.. but not all missionaries are given power. You can receive power through your obedience.' Those words have just been super glued in my head my whole mission, and I've seen the fruits of it for sure. I really know and understand that through exact obedience i show my faith to the Lord, and that's when we receive miracles. I will be forever grateful for what Dave told me that night we were up in our room, i will never forget it.

One miracle that happened last week was the baptism of the Tan Family, and Bolonia. They're all children ages 9-14, there's 5 of them. They were actually former investigators that just lacked a follow up, and the Lord guided us to them a month ago. They progressed so fast, and were baptized this last saturday. The miracle here, is that the 3 bolonia children were abandoned by their parents when they were babies. Then they were taken over by their aunt and uncle, and raised in their home. Even though they were abandoned, they are the smartest children i've ever met, and their testimonies are so strong. One of them, Johna Mae (9) stood up on fast sunday, and bore her testimony. And it wasn't just a 'i'm thankful i was baptized' one like the others, but the first thing she said when she stood up was, "Kabalo ko na matuod and Book of Mormon.." I know the Book of Mormon is true. She went on and bore the rest of her testimony, and half way through, she began to cry and testify that this church was true. I was overwhelmed with tears. I just put my head down and watched the puddle build up on the floor, i couldn't hold myself back. That this abandoned little girl, who probably felt like she wasn't worth much at one point of her life, came to the point to where she knew with out a shadow of a doubt that the Book of Mormon is true, and that she is a daughter of God, a potential queen in His kingdom. When we followed up with them as well after their baptism, they said they all want to serve a mission when they grow up.

I just have such a great testimony that Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of His children so much. I don't understand fully how much He really does love us, but i'm getting there. I'm so blessed to be sent to this mission. A member of the seventy came here last year and told President Lopez, 'Your mission will become an ensign to the entire Philippines.' I believe in that 102%. Many say that it's strict, or there's no fun. I do agree, there's no fun, but there's complete joy. I don't need to have fun here, i just need to forget about myself and the Lord has promised the joy that will come through embracing this great work (D&C 18). I love these people so much. If you ever have a doubt of how much Heavenly Father loves you, read, ponder, and pray about the Book of Mormon and you won't worry any more. I love you family, I know Heavenly Father will watch over you while I'm in the service of Him.

Elder Doane

Ps- this is the Tan+Bolonia Family. Johna Mae is the 2nd girl from the left in the picture without me.

September 1, 2013

Dear family,

Thank you so much for all your emails, you all sent me an individual email and it made me so happy. I'm so happy the Lord is blessing you all while I'm away in His service, I was really brought to tears of joy when i read some of the things i read in your letters, so thank you so much. As for a xmas package, maybe just some socks, and some more shirts? I really like this new kind one of the couple missionaries gave to me, but i forgot the brand. I'll let you know in the next email what kind and what size. Other than that, just peanut butter. I really love peanut butter now, I don't know why haha. And family pictures! That's all I really would love, just pictures of our family. If anything else comes up ill let you know. Sorry dad i'm taking some money from my personal, i'm getting some pants done here, they're like 10 dollars a pair and they're tailored to the fit so it's really nice.

I'm so full of the Spirit right now, even just as I'm typing this email i just feel so happy that i have a loving family supporting me here in the service of the Lord. I told myself this morning, i think this is the first time in my whole mission that i can say that I am 100% focused on my purpose, and don't care about anything else. Just last week i lost my usb and my memory card to my camera, and i really was not phased at all. Those things have no eternal value, and are just wants, not needs. The Lord is really helping me work out my weaknesses, He really shows me what i need to work on and is trying my faith to see if my desire is real to improve. I'm just so happy being here on the mission, in service of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Last week i got a new companion, Elder Rakuro. He's from Fiji, and he is the most humble missionary i've met. We have experienced so many miracles together and we've only been together for 5 days. He's obedient and submissive to the Spirit, which is really what i've been waiting for in a companion. I love him so much. President told me to give Elder Rakuro the best 3 weeks of his mission, and the first time i saw Elder I promised him that these 3 weeks would be the best of his mission. We had a baptism last week, sister Bebe. She's 10 years old, and she is so awesome. She was literally jumping up and down she was so excited on saturday. This saturday we have 6 baptisms, one group of cousins who are ages 9-14, and also brother marvin (13) who has been an investigator for a few years now. I'm just so excited for all our investigators who are progressing towards baptism, it's such a miracle.

I was reading in Helaman chapter 8 and 9 the other day, and was really pondering about the Book of Mormon. Nephi had such a hard mission, preaching to all these Nephites who would not soften their hearts. He was spit upon, rejected by the people, and pretty much suffered every trial you can in the mission. Until the end of chapter 8, he gives them an evidence to try and see if he really is a true prophet, to go and see if their chief judge is dead just like he prophesied. In chapter 9, the 5 that were chosen 'run' to see if the judge really was killed, because they did not believe that Nephi was a prophet of God. When they arrived on the scene, and saw their chief judge lying in his blood, they believed, fear fell upon them, and they fell to the earth because of the prophecies that were fulfilled.

This is the Book of Mormon, the prophecy of many prophets of old. It is the evidence of the Restoration of the fullness of the Gospel, and the priesthood authority that Christ administered to His apostles when he was upon earth. If one will 'run', just like those 5 did, and read, ponder, and pray about the Book of Mormon, they will not be able to deny that it is of God, and they will arrive to the scene just like the 5 did, and believe that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, and that the Lord has restored His church on this earth because of His everlasting love for His children. Even if one does not believe, just like those 5, all they need is a desire to believe. Those 5 that ran to the scene showed their desire by running with hasteness to find out if Nephi really is a true prophet. I know and bear testimony that anyone who reads that Book with a real intent to know if Joseph Smith is the Lords prophet seer and revelator in these latter days will come to know through the power of the Holy Ghost that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the Lords kingdom established upon the earth, so that we may become ready to enter into His kingdom at the last day.

I love you family, and pray for all of you every night. Continue in obedience to His commandments and we will be eternally happy.

Elder Doane

August 25, 2013

Dear Family, 

Thanks for all the emails. It's so amazing and it makes me so happy that Justin and Jacob are serving missions, I know that Heavenly Father has such a great plan in store for their lives and the lives whom they will all touch. Good to hear you're all doing so good as well, Drake's doing senior portraits?! That's so awesome, he's growing up! I saw the pictures of Demi and was shocked! She's growing up so fast! Hows dave? Tell him to shoot me an email next week i miss him.

This last week i went on lots of exchanges with many zone leaders of different zones. Its such a great opportunity to get to learn from all them, and to help them out in their areas as well. I got my philippines license as well, we took a 2 hour drive to cadiz zone leaders last week and had exchanges with them, that was awesome to go back to my old zone and see the progression. The days are just flying by faster and faster, because we are so busy with proselyting! I don't know if you know or not, but we spend no time in the mission office. We are 100% full time proselyting missionaries. Before the assistants did lots of office work, but now the Lord has us out on the streets setting the example for the mission! It's so great as well, i'm really doing a lot of self evaluation and  trying to find what more i can do to improve. Our investigators are progressing well! Especially the Occianas family, we are really helping them recognize the Holy Ghost answer their prayers, and its so powerful when they realize that those good and peaceful feelings they have are the Spirit of God testifying truth to them. We also have been teaching Venus, she is progressing so well, and accepted a baptismal date for Sep 21st last week. She is very noble, and ready to receive this Restored Gospel.

President also said next transfer Elder Peralta and I will be the only 2 left here in the area, so we know we've got lots of work to do. I have so many things that i've seen that we can improve here, to really make our area the model for the whole mission. I know the Lord can do it through us, because Elder Peralta have had many talks and discussed that we are going to be humble to the Spirit, and not be a hinderment to the Lords work here in Bacolod 3rd ward, we know miracles will come. He's a really great missionary, very humble and submissive to the Spirit, and I know that's how we're going to be successful. Keep reading the scriptures family, of old and new. Holding to the rod is the only way we will make it to the tree of life! And how great will be our joy, if while we are holding onto that rod, we are also holding the hand of one of our family members, friends, or someone that needs help to make it to that tree of life. I know the Book of Mormon is true, and I'll keep sharing it every day with my Filippino brothers and sisters.

Love,

Elder Doane