He Made It!

Elder Doney with his Mission President

Philippines Cauayan Mission

Mission Map

The Philippines Cauayan Mission takes in most of Region 

2 in the wide Cagayan River Valley stretching from Santa Fe,

 Nueva Vizcaya in the south to Alcala, 

                                                                                 Cagayan in the north. 

                             The Mission Home & Office are located in the very center in Cauayan City.

And He's Off!

Brother and Sister Doney,

I work at the Salt Lake City International Airport and was able to see your son off this morning. I was a neighbor of his travel companion Elder Heumann and was able to drop off a few donuts for the first leg of their trip to the Philippines. He looks great and is excited to serve. I wanted to share with you the photos that I snapped of him and his travel group.

Last week in the MTC

Hey I got my flight plans. I leave the MTC at 4 AM on Monday. My first flight leaves Salt Lake at 7:58 then I arive in San Francisco at 9:06. Then I leave San Francisco at 10:14 so I will be able to call home in San Francisco for like an hour. From San Francisco I fly to Guam. I will get there at 6:00 pm on the 26th. I am so exited to see Guam and where Luke went on his mission. Then from Guam I go to Manilia. In Manilia I have a 10 to 12 hour bus ride to my mission, but i heard yesterday that they are starting to fly people to my mission. I am hoping they do that. I am so ready to get out of here, but i will miss some of the kids. I have become really close to them. Things at home sound like they are going really great. I got the package you sent thanks so much I love it. Tell Reagan the book is awesome I read it all the time. I got an email from a friend that is in the Philippines right now and he said that at the end of the day as he was taking everything in as he walk home. He looked up for a few seconds and fell into a man hole. I was laughing so hard when I read it. This week is going by so slow, but once I get to the Philippines it will go by so fast- I cant wait. The language is still hard. Sometimes I feel like I know a lot then at times I feel like I don't know anything. I have really enjoyed reading the Book of Mormon. I don't like to read, but I have really liked reading it. I am trying to finish it before I leave the MTC. I miss and think about you all the time. Keep writing. I will send pictures of the Philippines. I love all of you. 

Love you,
Elder Doney 

Me and My Companion Elder Heumann

The Tongans 

Hey, I already miss the little girls. Nothing ever happens here. We do the same thing everyday, it sucks. The language is so hard and we can only talk in it when we have to teach which is hard. I love most of the kids in my district. We have two Tongans in my district they are so funny, and they eat so much food. I can't believe that the church still has money because of how much food they eat. They are the happiest people. They are always yelling and having a good time. One of them in our district is named Elder Havili, he is a way good singer. He will start to sing during study time and everyone tries to join in, but I tell them to stop because I want to listen to him. The other Tongan is name Elder Aho, he is way big, but not the biggest, it is hard for him to talk in English but when he does it is way good and some kids will start to cry. The Tongans love to play volleyball. When they get a good hit the whole gym becomes really loud and they are all jumping around yelling, even the other team. It is awesome to watch. They care about everyone and will come talk to you if it looks like you are having a bad day. I have a sister in my district that played basketball with Elise. her name is Sister Foster, she is way cool, she has it hard. She is the sister that is in charge of all the sisters in my zone, and her companion is from Samoa and she is having a hard time, but she is way strong and is always happy. We have one kid that went through a really hard time before he came here. I won't go through it, but I am so proud of him for coming on a mission. He had to work really hard to come. One Elder is named Elder Hallmark. He is a bigger guy. He is about 21 years old and he is awesome. He will make everyone cry. He is awesome and he is way funny, but he knows when to stop. I think I already told you about Elder Black. We are getting way close and we always have a good time together. He is going to come live in Logan with me and Jacob when we get off our missions. I like him, we get along really well. It is going to be sad when I have to leave all of them behind, but we have all talked about getting back together in a couple of years. I love all of you and am always thinking about you. Keep telling me whats the 411.

Love you,Elder Doney 

Some of the kids in my district.

 In the middle standing is Elder Havili. The one bending down is Elder Aho. To the left is Elder Black. Then Elder Powell. To the left is me then elder Roberts. 

This is  Elder Vea and Elder Marx. Vea is awesome 

and a really good drawer. 

 Elder Marx was my roommate and he was awesome.

Me and Elder Marx playing chess.

       Something Elder Vea drew for me in my journal. 

Another thing Elder Vea Drew in my journal

                        

Some Elders in my district trying to talk with a little kid it was way funny

Havili and Aho. They would walk up to random girls and ask
 if they could be in a picture with them. It is so funny they
 love to take and be in pictures. 

                            

MTC Fun!

Tiff, 
I leave around the 25th of March so I will be in the Philippines for Easter, but i just got some cadbury eggs today! When I get to the Philippines I go straight into the field. Tell Reagan I love those books and to keep reading them. Laundry here is crazy there are so many people here. I still don't have new roommates, but we have an Elder that  couldn't leave because he has pneumonia, so he has been staying with me and my companion.  He should be leaving this Thursday. My best friend here is Elder Black. I will send you some picks of us later when I get more. The language is still really hard and know we have two investigators, and they are way hard on us and ask a lot of questions, but other then that things are good. Hope everything is going good. Keep telling me everything that is going on.
Love you,
Elder Doney

Mom, 
I don't know my flight yet but I should be able to call, I will email you when I can. The language is still really hard but I am getting more and more of it. I am not home sick at all!  Some kids are so they will ask if I am and I always say "No I love it here!"  I want to go to the Philippines so bad! I still hang out with Elder Black more than anyone and me and my companion are really close so we are like brothers. We fight then we are nice to each other you know how that works. I still see Jacob almost everyday it's way good to see some people that I know.  I also see Alex White and all those kids that left at his time and talk to them. It's good here but crazy. Keep telling me everything that is going on.
Love you,
Elder Doney