Jason July 27, 2015

well....where to?

Hey everyone! 

so, i was thinking on my way over to the cyber cafe what i was gonna write, thinking of all the cool things that have gone on in this past week, and of the exciting things that are going on...then i get a call from the assistants literally, like 5 minutes ago, and they told me i have transfers and need to be at the offices as soon as possible. #supernervousandkindafreakingout  . i have no idea where i will be going. 

of what my mind does let me remember, i remember that Marco antonio, an investigator who we have been working with, said that he recieved an answer in church. its hard to get him to come, and sometimes hard too to have him stay there, but he has now come four times in a row and will hopefully be able to get baptized in august. 

um...ah! Elder meyer turned 20 on saturday! we had fun opening his birthday package, and he is happy and doing well. he really is one of my best friends, and i am sad to have to go to another area. but, as jesus christ put it, "not my will, but thine (The fathers) be done"

I will let everyone know how the transfers are, and everything. remember, everyone, to keep the commandments, remember Him, and to be willing to take upon ourselves His name. the church is true, i know it. 

love, 

Jason 

--

*Elder Newman*

Misión México Chihuahua

November 2013 - 2015

Alma 26:12

Natalie July 27, 2015

Los Milagros Existen!

Hi everyone! :) So I had a great week well it was okay but at the same time it was great! It was just okay because we still don't have many new investigators BUT it was great because of the investigators we have found they are awesome!! For example Mauro, like I mentioned last week the missionaries had tried to teach him and visit in times past but he didn't want to listen. It was a miracle how we found him.. and as it turns out that he is interested in listening and learning about the gospel. He wants to change and be better for his family. He asked so many questions and even said to us, I want you to tell me about baptism! We had about 2 maybe 3 different lessons with him last week and he is just amazing! Although it is wonderful, true we know that the adversary is at work too. This weekend he was excited to go to church he told us when we sent him a message on Saturday night but come Sunday morning his son got sick and his mom, his parents (who are the best of examples) invited him over to watch the big soccer game and well, he decided to go instead of visiting with us for our appointment:( So that was a bit discouraging and Yanette was sad because she doesn't want to pressure him but at the same time wants him to make good decisions and she knows it's supposed to be a bit difficult; she told us she knows its part of the process. I know it is part of the process too but he will make progress.. last night he sent us a message when we got home saying he's sorry he wasnt there but that we could visit him tonight so we'll see how it goes! I'll keep you posted :) 

We also met a young girl of 16 her name is Berenice. We taught her maybe 3 or 4 times last week and she too is just prepared and awesome! Her boyfriend is a member and she accepted baptism :D 

Well that's the main update for this week! Look for the miracles in your life because they are always there because Heavenly Father knows us and loves us and remember that Los Milagros Existen! (Miracles Exist) Have a terrific week and keep enjoying the normal summer for me while I keep roasting here in Cancun! lol

Hermana Newman

Jason July 20, 2015

not too much...just a TON of work!!! 

WOW, what a crazy workload! this week, i could barely remember what had happened from one day to the next because my companion and I worked SOO hard! we were able to actually achieve a lot of our goals, yet our zone is still struggling a bit so we have some big plans to help them. One thing that i definitely remember is the fact that Elder meyer and i did this leg workout on tuesday that caused me pain untill...well, still feelin it actually! lol, they were air squats: he did one, i did one, he did two, i did two, he did three, i did three....all the way up until 25! so, in total, we did 325 air squats that morning, in the time of about 15 min. crazy, huh?

um...not too much new in our area. we met some really cool people, and are hoping to go back with them this week. 

I am so grateful for the book of Mormon. we had a sweet training meeting with our mission president, and we learned so much about the book of mormon. I love how much i learn when i read and study it, and I am grateful to know that so much blood and tears went into preserving those records, so that we would be able to have them today. The book of mormon was literally wrote for US--OUR DAY. the bible, yes, is scripture and applies to us, but it was of gods dealings with the jews and the inhabitants of that part of the world. where do we live? in the americas!, so which book applies to us more? thats right, the book of mormon. im grateful for the scriptures, for they truly do testify of Christ. fun fact: the bible says the word atonement one time, and in the book of mormon it is mentioned 52 times. (according to elder nash, a 70). 

thank you all so much for your support, i know this letter is a quick one, but know that I love you all and pray that we all may continue to work in the Lords Vineyard, until he says "the work is done". adios!!

love, 

Jason

-- 

*Elder Newman*

Misión

November 2013 - 2015

Alma 26:12

Natalie July 20, 2015

Preparation and timing is Everything 

Yay! We had a baptism! It was super stressful because of some details of things that didn't happen ahead of time but in the end it all turned out great. I'm grateful that we were able to arrive in the area and help Sandra take the final steps to be prepared for baptism. She was so ready and now the journey continues as the next step is to prepare her for the vicarious work for baptisms for the dead in the temple :) The temple is amazing. It truly is a little piece of heaven on earth. To be prepared to enter into the temple, to have that recommendation to enter and participate in the sacred saving ordinances, is a good indicator that you are fulfilling the will of God and He will bless you. I hope and pray for each one of you to be in that direction to know you are ''in good hand's'' with the Lord. 

I have included pictures of Sandra's Baptism and one of my new companion Sister Carrasco and I. This week was better than the last but opening an area can be a bit challenging and difficult as we aren't familiar with the places and addresses and people but along the way we are slowly but surely finding new people. 

I have another neat, little experience that I just want to mention real quick.. On Saturday we were on our way to pick up Sandra to go to the church but we still had plenty of time even though my companion said we should stop by her house. Something told me just try to find one more person. 

When the Elders, missionaries left, as I briefly explained before they left a bit of information on who they were visiting before and some had baptism dates and some were new or other investigators and some were less-active members. Well the block/manzana of apartments where we were at we happened to have one address from the list of new or other investigators and I thought hey it's worth a try to see if we can locate this one last apartment. 

We found the apartment and the woman was super nice and with a slightly confused expression on her face at the same time gladly, and with a smile invited us in. Now, normally we have to explain we're the missionaries and especially if there were Elders they get confused there are Sister missionaries too so for us it was weird it was like she knew or remembered... 

We greeted her Hermana Yanette and her husband who was about to leave for work and we started talking to her. Well it turns out she is a member and has been asisting little by little again to church but her husband isn't a member. It was funny because she asked us who had sent us and we replied no one haha but simply it wasn't a coincidence we were there especially because her husband Mauro said he normally is there at home at that time either when we showed up.

Well Yanette started to open up to us completely and expressed gratitude that we arrived and hope for her husband who in times past didn't want to meet with the missionaries but this time she said it was different when we entered and greeted them. 

Last night we met with them and Mauro said he actually wanted to go to church with Yanette and his son Mauricio (3) but he was embarassed because he didn't have a ''white'' shirt. Aww we felt so bad but it was sweet. We assured him that it didn't matter as long as he was there and well, the visit was amazing and simple and my companion and I know he is ready to hear the message of the restored gospel. I know that the Lord works with and prepares the hearts of His children. And things do happen all in His time. We just have to be extremely patient. Haha Have a great week and don't forget to look for the good moments and tender mercies.

Sincerely,

Sister Newman :D

Jason July 14, 2015

"And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the vineyard..."

this email may be a bit short... 

This week was great, and SO full of work! i think i slept in my bed a total of 2 times this past week, because my companion and I were always on exchanges with other companionships in our zone, doing interviews and what not. It was fun though, and we had great times bonding and getting to know our missionaries better. The weather is still crazy hot here, and im sure in pictures i look super sunburnt! There was this one MASSIVE thunderstorm on thursday, and boy was that an experience! i just wanted to comment on it because it was the biggest rainstorm i have ever seen in my whole misison. but im fine...no scrapes or bruises. 

The mission is going super well. I know that i didnt write everyone yesterday, but its because President held a mini leadership council, and we werent given time to go after cause we had our district meetings. But it was great, because we could all feel the love that President Chavez really has for us. Im so grateful to have a mission president who loves me and helps me progress spiritually, and i know that ALL of us as missionaries are not only assigned to a mission, but also to a misison president. 

In regards to our labors, we definitely saw in what we did well and what we need to improve on. I just want to bear testimony on my favorite missionary scripture, Jacob 5:71-72 - 

71 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the last time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me , ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come.

 72 And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things.

If we labor with all our might and with the Lord, (principle),  then we will have joy and delight in our results (doctrine). I was able to share this with our zone yesterday, and the spirit really helped me to bear testimony on this. I know that The vineyard belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore, everything that happens in it is his and his business, including our own selves. Therefore, we need to be exactly obedient to every command that we are given in the vineyard, so that we may bring forth fruit unto Him. The fruit, the trees, the tools, the time, the labors, the servants -- it all belongs to the Lord. But heres the catch: most missionaries or even members forget this, but once we enter the Vineyard to participate in this great work, there is no leaving it. There is no leaving the Lords Vineyard. So i know that as we end our missions, we do not "leave the field/vineyard" like most may feel, rather we are just called to a different part and are given sdifferent responsibilities. I love my savior and will praise his name forever for having given me this blessing to work in his Vineyard, and i dont ever want to leave it. 

I love you all, and pray that we may all be able to continue hastening this work of salvation, making it our TOP priority, so that we may be able to kneel at his feet and hear him say "well done, thou good and faithful servant". 

con amor, 

Jason 

--

*Elder Newman*

Misión México Chihuahua

November 2013 - 2015

Alma 26:12

Natalie July 13, 2015

Wrong area?

Hello everyone!!! Wow what a change of pace again. New area, new companion, new investigators, new apartment and even though it's all in Cancun it's completely different from my area beforehand when I was here! There are a few things I recognize from the last time like where the stake center is but that's about it lol

My companion's name is Hermana Carrasco. She is from the Estado de Mexico, in a place called Ixtapaluca (eeks-tah-pa-luca) :D Her previous area was in Tizimin, Yucatan so this week we had an adventure trying to familiarize ourselves with the area. We get along great, she is hilarious and I think we're going to have a great time together. -Of course with a few challenges and trials because it's part of God's plan but nevertheless wahoo! It's a change and change is always good, more than anything for the better. 

And this week we have already see miracles. One in particular I will share is about a young woman named Sandra. Sandra is an investigator whom we found in the Area Book who had a baptismal date but it didn't say exactly when because well long story short we just had her name and address and normally there is a teaching record linked with the information of how all the visits with the missionaries previously went. Well we don't know what happened to that record but as I said we had her name and address and no appointments so we went to go and find her!  

When we finally found her apartment her sister Alejandra opened the door and hardly said anything to us but that her sister was indeed home. We introduced ourselves to them both and Sandra invited us in, we started talking, come to find out her sister Alejandra and her husband were baptized three months ago and barely talked to us because she told us she thought we were Jehovah's Witness and then recognized the nametag and it threw her off because she didn't know the missionaries weren't just Elders but can be Sisters too! 

Both of them began assisting church almost a year ago! but Sandra couldn't get baptized because she was living with someone and not married. And it was about 2 weeks prior since the missionaries had visited her but last Friday July 3 she said to her sister I think I'm ready to meet with the missionaries again but her sister said it would be difficult since now that she had separated from her boyfriend, the Elders couldn't enter into their home unless another adult male is there and Alejandra's husband works all day. 

SO on Sunday July 5, Alejandra said to Sandra, don't worry the Lord always accommadates a way for everything, everything will work out. Then this last Thursday is when we had shown up on their doorstep. Two sisters that could enter into their home to teach her. Coincidence? AND about 30 minutes before we found them, our mission President informed us that we moved into the wrong house into the wrong area and doesn't know how that happened so I was worried did we really move into the wrong area or the right one? 

Well, as we were getting to know Sandra we talked about the baptismal interview questions and asked if she would prepare to be baptized next Saturday. I was struggling with two dates in my head, 18th and 25th, praying in my heart to know what to do because I wasn't sure if she would say yes or if she was ready but remembering we talked about the questions and felt everything was fine the spirit whispered to me, just ask about the 18th. And I thought, true why shouldn't I? The worst that could happen is that she would need more preparation. So when I asked if she would be baptized Saturday the 18th she paused, a smile grew on her face and joyful said OK! and then she opened up even more and well long story short, that's how miracles happen. So we're going to have a baptism this week! :D 

This was an experience that increased my testimony of miracles and not just that coincidences happened. Everything happens for a reason.. Everything. Happens. For a Reason. 

Love you all!

Hermana Newman 

 

Jason July 6, 2015

happy 4th of july!!!! 

Hey everyone!! 

woohoo, happy 4th of July!!! wow, what a crazy full week of work! I am loving the mission more and more everyday, but i am seeing that a lot of what a zone leader 

does is just going around and teaching/interviewing/baptizing all the investigators in the zone. We do have our own proselyting area, but it was just harder this week 

to work in it because we were constantly in the areas of the other missionaries. But, hey, i love it! something that was really cool was that in our area this week, 

when we were actually able to work, we had a great lesson with Juan, who is 21 and really just wants to know the truth. We taught the restoration, and i know that by 

the power of the holy ghost he was able to understand it. He was really excited about the book of MOrmon, and so i let him borrow mine for the day (cause we didnt have 

one on us...were gonna work on that), and then later went back and gave him his own copy. Love him!!

Other than cool lessons with investigators in our area, as well as the whole zone, we also had Leadership council, which for those who dont know its a meeting with the 

mission president and his wife, the assistants, all the zone leaders of the mission, and some of the sister training leaders (i think just the ones from chihuahua). 

Its something that lasts almost the whole day, and we have them once a month. I really enjoyed it and we learned a lot of valuable truths. (and all of what we learned 

is what we taught the following day to our zone in the zone meeting). One of the assistants Elder Mckay trained us on the difference between a tool and an 

instrument. an instrument is any object that is used as a means to complete a certain task. many tools make up an instrument. In alma 17:11, it tells us how we can be 

an instrument in the lords hands in this great work of salvation. if we just go among this people, presch to them, have patience, and be good examples, then we will be 

instruments in the hands of the Lord. I loved this training and am excited to continue to apply it in our labors here in our zone. Presidente Chavez trained us on Desires, 

and it was based off the talk on desire from Elder Dallin H. Oaks. the main thing was that Desires dictate our priorities, our priorities will lead us to make decisions, 

and our decisions will lead us to action. So, because THe Lord gives us time to have and desire certain things, while it is a good desire to go to the temple again, to 

have my own family and spouse, and graduate from college, etc., it is not the time or place for us in the field to have those desires present. Rather, we should have 

desires that we can actually act upon, such as baptizing and confirming, inviting others to come unto christ, to be exactly obedient, etc. Anyway, after we had food and 

then returned to our area. the next day, thursday, we had our zone meeting, as mentioned, and we got the zone really excited and pumped to press forward. nothin a few

motivational movie clips cant fix :)

lets see...ah! ok, so for some interesting experiences: this week my comp and i tried oysters for the first time. It was so funny to film it, because of the faces we

made as it went down. they were so gross!! nevertheless, we had a great time trying something new. actually, im just now remembering that that same day we also tried this 

chili, that was about the size of a peanut, and let me tell ya i was able to breathe fire for a few minutes--it was so stinkin hot!! literally, my tongue hurt soMey bad and 

i felt like it was on fire. quite interesting, because to take away the bad flavor of the oyster and the burn of the chili, they gave us cubes of cheese covered in maple

syrup. quite a fun eating experience! Also, it was really funny how this week, We left our keys in the padlock of the gate at the chapel. Dont ask me how my comp forgot 

the keys in the lock, but he did and so when we got home and realized we didnt have them, we called one of the district leaders who lives right there next to the chapel. 

all was well and he got them all right, but we were then in the pickle of how we were going to get inside. fortunately there is a window in our bathroom and we had a fun 

time getting through it. once inside, because of the lock on our door, we were also locked in from the inside. so, putting two and two together, the next morning to get 

out of the house...yep, you guessed it, we had to climb back out of that window, which was harder than getting in it. haha, #missisonexperiences . 

to close, just want to make a tribute to my companion, Elder Meyer. He is such an amazing, well spirited missionary. He is an example to me in many ways, and I love him. 

He really is my best friend here right now and is SO FUNNY!! he is one of those guys who everything that he says I laugh at. I am grateful to have a companion who is on 

the same page as me: who is desirous to work in the vineyard of the lord, and who wants to be here to bring others unto Christ. we have almost too much fun together, and 

i am so happy here in this new area and zone. though the work load may be tough, and the responsibility is definitely a lot more, we love our savior and trust in him always. 

I love Jesus Christ. I serve him and the people he has comissioned me to preach unto. I know that he Lives, that our Heavenly Father lives, and that throught the atonement 

of Jesus Christ, we can be made clean and be freed from sin and captivity, which if we endure with faith, will allow us to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. May 

we all act as our God needs us to act, and do our part as both members and missionaries to save souls and participate in this great work of salvation. 

Love, 

Jason 

-- 

*Elder Newman*

Misión

November 2013 - 2015

Alma 26:12

Natalie July 6, 2015

7 months left!! Where did the time go? 

Hey everyone!!! How was your week? How was the Fourth of July? It was so weird I forgot it was the holiday until about 8 o'clock in the evening and then I remembered. We didn't do anything special. I didn't even wear red white and blue I forgot lol :( 

 WEll the good news is that we had our baptism of Abraham and he recieved the Preisthood too all this very weekend. He is so awesome and was so super prepared. Especially by the Lord. He really helped him with a change of heart. All we did was guide him, helping him with the necessary steps to know more about the gospel. He was a simple reference from a member here. It is a testimony to me that the Lord is preparing people out there, ready to accept His will and follow Him. I encourage each one of you to think about those who you associate with and invite them to meet with the missionaries with you! You never know who is ready to hear and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. I once saw that reminder too in the Liahona church magazine: Don't judge who is ready to hear about the gospel. 

Someone may be right in front of your eyes and all they need is a simple invitation. Let go of the fear of rejection, I'm learning how to do that too because it only holds us back. 

In other news, I am once again back in Cancun! We had transfers today, I had to say goodbye to the town of Carrillo Puerto and back in the busy city of Cancun. Who knows what the Lord has in store for me here. 

I want to thank each one of you for your support, however you want to interpret how big or how little it's appreciated and especially your prayers. I am so thankful that the Lord trusts me to constantly be on my toes about my actions, thoughts, and deeds so that I be and live worthily to not only help other but have many learning opportunities along the way. I know this is what He wants us all to do as well, live worthily to make Him proud and use the Atonement of His son Jesus Christ, really truly apply it in our lives. 

Enjoy the pictures! And talk to you all next week!

Love from Cancun,

Hermana Newman