November Photos

David eating pizza at a youth activity.

 

Seeing his last companion, Elder Bills.

 

Thanksgiving Day feast with a family!





A Story That Could Be In the Ensign

Fast forward to Wednesday and Thursday when I was on exchange with Elder Taylor, the freaking man. He really helped me out with the whole stress of Boston and my comp. We did lots of finding but didn't find anyone.  I just needed someone to tell me that I can do it.

 

So Friday I'm back with Elder Webster and I just made up my mind I’m going all out today. So I start talking to everyone. I'm chasing them down like I was back in Coventry. I just had elder Webster point the way and I would go and stop everyone in the way.  We met some really good people. One guy was like “I got 10 minutes starting now...go.” So we taught him and got his details...fake details.  I was bumped but oh well.   

Later that day I see two black people so I leave Webster and run up to them.  Get this they know elders from the past and they play basketball.  I was like dude no way I do to!! So we are going to play with them and a few others this Thursday. One of them is going to play for the under 18 UK team. So should be fine.

 

Saturday morning (this is the great story part) I was like I don't know if I can do that again.  I need some help. It’s 7:45am and I get a call from some guy in Nottingham.  He tells me how he was in Boston working on the chapel and a lady drove up asking if the church was open because she was trying to "find God".  Long story short: she was stressing out about her childhood and how the doctor gave her some pills and she went crazy. The guy then gives me her details and tells me to go see her. So that's what we do. She invites us in and tell us I don't think you can do anything for me. She tells me the same story really. I have no idea what to do. So Ii just pull out a picture of Jesus Christ in the garden during the time of the atonement and bear my testimony to her about how she can get that healing which she is looking for. She asks how and I tell her it is through something called baptism.  We talk more and walk out 50 minutes later with her on a date for baptism on December 14 and her to come to church on Sunday.

 

Sunday comes around and she comes for two hours and we are seeing her on again on Tuesday. It was such a crazy story and feeling when I think about it. Out of all the churches here in Boston how is it she comes to the church of Jesus Christa of Latter day saints. The ward helped out a lot with fellow shipping her. I was a bit shocked of how well they did really.

 

Also along the way to see her I was hit by a car haha. I'm just walking, just chilling and this car’s mirror clipped me going about 30 mph. He just drilled my elbow and didn't even stop. I was shocked like what the heck. I’m still a bit sore but it’s all good.

 

I have kinda figured out how to work with elder Webster.  We will see if we stay or I stay in Boston.  Transfer is the 11 of Dec. Oh the lady’s name is Donna.  Hope for another good week.   Love you all and miss you all,  Love Elder Doty

Novber 18th

Crazy to think this week on the 22nd marks one year of being a missionary. The time really does go by fast. I think on Sunday (a year ago) was when I bawled my eyes out while giving my farewell talk. I still try to forget that haha.

This week kinda sucked because of how my companion is I have to do all the finding all the teaching and everything. I feel like sometimes a mom who is babysitting a child. I'm just hoping I get a change in a few weeks. Transfers are the 11th.  Can’t come any faster. Our only investigator Gary dropped us this week. He won’t change even if he came to know it was true. So we are back to trying to find people. We have like a high school in Boston so we are trying to find people around there.  It’s going alright.  It’s  kinda nice to talk to people my age and I can just be real with them. But I'm kinda doing it solo. My comp is just too shy to gq anyone.

We had Elder Dykes of the 70 come and talk to us. He talked about setting goals and using time as best as we can. which is something I need because I’m running out of time here in England.

Other good news in Evesham, Angie met with the missionaries and came to church!! Highlight of my week!!

A member took us to a castle that was destroyed in the England civil war. I will put some photos up.

Hope this week is better miss you all and love you all!!  Happy birthday week Rachel!!

(Photo with Elder Higham.)

November 11th

It was a busy week.  We kept riding trains over and over again and that just takes up our whole day. But it was an alright week

Monday night we had FHE at the bishop’s and they got to meet elder Webster.  They like him which is good.

Tuesday we did finding and my role is I always stop blonde girls... Don't ask why I just do.  So there was this blonde girl with a group of friends and I stopped them and the blonde girl was like I want to know more! She later lied to me and said she doesn't have a phone but would call us if she was interested. She then texts me in like 20 minutes saying I went to Mormon.org and want to know more so we made a time to meet her. She flogged us and won't text us back. I was crushed. But life goes on.

Wednesday I went to Lincoln on an exchange for his birthday and we had a fun time. We put 3 people on a date for baptism.  They are teaching so many people. It was fun to just teach and not find.

We saw Elaine this week.  She is good and doing alright.  She came to church on Sunday and met with the bishop. Doing very good. We also met and are teaching a new guy named Gary.  He is bipolar and has had a crazy life but he seems alright. I have met my share of crazy people on the mission, so nothing new.

The bishop’s 11 year old kid went tracking with us. His 4th door this old man yells at us and like chases us off his drive. It didn't help that I was cracking up laughing. " You kids get off my bloody drive!"  I tried to be kind and tell him to have a wonderful day.  He then says this, "I will have a great day once you get the hell off my bloody drive." The bishop’s kid was like elders what's going on haha.

Well thanks everyone for the letters and emails. You guys are the best.

Nottingham Zone Picture



November 4th

This week was just very long. Elder Bills left and went to a place called Stamford, which is like 30 miles south of Boston.   So he didn't go very far.

My new comp is Elder Webster. He is from Las Vegas just east of the strip by the temple. He is very, very nice and has a heart of gold. He is very shy and doesn’t like to talk much. Sometimes it feels like I'm pulling teeth. But he is very happy to be here in Boston. I met him when he was first in the mission. He was in Coventry the same times I was.

The finding effort is a bit odd.  We go to talk to people and get nothing, but when I am just walking in the farmer’s market a former stops us named Gary and he asks for our number and wants to see us this week.  Pretty cool stuff. Also the bishop met with a former who had loads of anti Mormon questions.  And the bishop called us and said he is coming with us to see the former.  His name is Ashly.  His wife is a member but doesn't come because she doesn't feel it’s right to go without her husband.  So 2 birds with one stone??  I think so.

The members are having us over almost every night this week to feed us So I'm very happy about that because it’s starting to get very, very cold at night and the wind comes right off the coast and gets VERY cold and the thing is it’s not even the heart of winter. But I’m working on getting my driver’s license. I think I’m ready to leave Boston and go back to a city. I figure the only way to get out of Boston is to go zone leader and go back to a city because I really wanna go back to a city. Like Nottingham or even Coventry. I had such a short time in the city I just wanna go back. I told president I wanted to go to a city. He just didn't say anything back but he really never emails me back, haha.  He is just busy.  He has like 280 missionaries to look after.

Love you all so much and miss you!!  Love Elder Doty