Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Natalie November 23, 2015

The Desire to Serve
What a crazy two weeks it has been! 
We are running around like crazy meeting new people, striving to have lessons with members, encouraging the recent converts, having our days fully planned with more work to do than there is time! Huhh! We're a little exhausted.

I would like to briefly share a few tender mercies or miracles that we had this week. A samll one, a member called us and invited us over to his house for this Thursday for Thanksgiving! To celebrate with him and his wife, I thought it was so sweet. He is really thoughtful. And well when we had exchanges I was with another sister missionary and we found a new investigator who was tending her clothes and asked if she wanted help. (They always say no but we still ask in hopes one day someone accepts our service) Well she said no but said we could enter in her home to share our message. I loved seeing the light in her eyes when she understood and her question was answered by reading, deciphering the scriptures and she was so happy we taught about the importance of baptism and she accepted. We put a baptismal date for the 26th of December and at first she said no but really sweetly explained it was only because she wasn't going to be here for those dates haha. So we're going to be visiting her more, her name is Elda :) 
 
Well as I mentioned, we've been a little tired running around everywhere (our area is a bit large) but Hermana Bloomfield is so amazing and I'm so happy we're companions and together again. We have learned different things while serving a mission and I am so greatful for her grand example and desire to love, serve, do so diligently and obey with exactness. I feel like she is helping me more than I am helping her because she is truly an admirable servant of the Lord. 

We can truly testify that the Lord is hastening His work. And He needs the help of everyone to carry it out! Well, technically He doesn't need us because He could accomplish it on His own but we have the privelage to be a part of it and honestly, we need that. Some may know and others may have yet to recognize it but nevertheless, it is a commandment to be obedient in all that the Lord asks of us and that includes sharing the gospel in however way grand or small. And as we serve others, we love them and are able to obtain that testimony and witness of what is true and as we love and increase our faith, so does our desire to serve. And I'm not talking about having to be a full-time missonary to do so either. 
But by being an example and doing our part to follow the Lord, we are able to walk in His ways. After all, that is the ultimate goal. So I challenge you to think about how you can serve as the Lord would have you serve. Ask Him, what He would have You do and testify that He will let you know, He will answer you, through the Holy Spirit who, if you listen, and obey, will guide you in all you do. Be safe and have a great week!

 
With Love,

  Hermana Newman 😊

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Natalie November 17, 2015

Each week I await that first email from each of my missionaries.   It brings their old dad comfort in knowing they are alive and well.   I can't imagine how my parents did it for me.  So when I don't hear I anxiously await again the next day and sure enough, my mind is put to ease. Such was the case this week with Natalie.   

Hi daddy! Sorry I didn't write yesterday it was a long story but im alive and well and am just writing to let you know im fine :) so glad jason is home. Love you! Have a great week!

Your Hermana Newman❤

Now I want to hear what happened.  😏

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Natalie November 9, 2015

I'm Alive, I'm Well, but a little Tired!

I'm alive haha sorry it's so late writing today but all is well however I'm a little tired haha but then again I feel that way often now and then again :)

 

So today we had transfers! That's in part why it was so stressful. And because of transfers that's why I'm writing super late, it's a long story but it was also stressful because we had to view the travel plans for the sisters in our area and we were making calls for that at 6:30 am, shopping for groceries and helping my companion with her luggage at the same time finding a taxi to go home and such, huh, well that and more is why I have just felt like a chicken running around with it's head cut off haha un poco loca ;) BUT the good news is I stay in my same area called Palmas 2 but I have a new companion, guess who! Remember Hermana Bloomfield? My companion from the MTC? We're back together again! And as Sister Training Leaders :D

I am really happy, really excited actually to be with her, she has so much animo and it will really help the sisters. I am excited to get the chance to work with her again and now that we have adjusted to mission life and everything. It will be different but better :) We have already talked about some goals and that we are anticipated to work and work hard. 

 

And I am soooo so excited Elder Hart will be in Barrio Palmas with us because he is awesome, really good missionary who has that spark and knows how to work. We are going to put the members to work. I am so excited about the new, haha ''new'' key indicators and I know it will change the mission because it will push us more to work harder and with the members; to get them involved in the missionary work, serve, and to help strengthen their own testimonies.

 

We recently have had new instruction to have a different emphasis or focus with the Key indicators and that's why I say they're new but they're not really new simply we are changing the focus and our plans are to work more closely with the members because that is really how missionary work is supposed to happen. Missionary work isn't about the ''missionaries''. It's about the Lord and His children. Every single member is really a missionary simply the title we have recieved is full-time missionaries and we are nothing more than an instrument, a tool in the Lord's hands for the work to press on. I know it's true and I hope we can all see more miracles as we are obedient to the Lord's commandments of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. Love you all! Have a great week! 

 

Hermana Newman

Jason November 10, 2015 Final letter from the field

Hello family!!

well, I am very grateful for these 2 years that i have had to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in this formal way. to be totally honest, i don't really know what to write right now...we are currently in the mission offices, waiting for our final interviews with President Chavez. I am "companions" with Elder Smith, one of my best friends in the whole mission, who fortunately also lives in Lehi, Utah...so those of you who will be in the airport to greet me will also be able to meet him. But yes...we are here in the offices, and today i think is gonna be a looong day of reflection and laughs with those of us who are departing from this labor of Love. 

I know this may not be a long letter, because just as John wrote with the miracles of Jesus, I too feel the same in regards to the Mission memories and experiences, that "the which, if they should be written every one, i suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written". Simply put, I testify of Jesus Christ and of the divinity and reality of his Great and everlasting work of salvation. The Mission truly changes one, and i think the biggest change I saw in myself is really having in mind the eternal perspective of things. I have grown closer to my savior more in these 2 years than ever in my life, and I know that he loves me. Jesus Christ truly did appear to Joseph Smith, along with our Loving Heavenly Father, and through a series of events, the Gospel and the Preisthood Keys which govern this earth, were restored, and that allows you, me, and all our families to participate in authorized ordinances and return to the presence of the Father. Please, make it the most important thing in your life to obtain a testimony of Jesus Christ and His atonement, and stay true to that testimony. I have recieved it, and am excited to preach it to all. Thank you all for your infinite love and support. 

 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season;reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.

 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

......In the sacred name of our Master, Jesus Christ, Amen. 


-- 
*Elder Newman*
Misión México Chihuahua
November 2013 - 2015
Alma 26:12

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Jason is coming home.

One week from today  Jason will be back with us.

He flies in at 5:21 PM Wednesday, November 11, 2015

We are so excited to have him back.   

Monday, November 2, 2015

Jason November 2, 2015

I'm Here is my son, elder Johnson...he had transfers, and was sent to the sierra (the area of the misison thats like a 2 year camping trip), to be SECOND COUNSELOR in the branch presidency!! his comp is the branch president,and so in a few months he will be the Branch president!!!!! wow!! so proud of him
1. a cool catholic church building in our area (still in use!)
2. lunch on tuesday, celebrated at a members house with my favorite - cheesecake!
3. my companion using his talent to strengthen the relationship with some investigators
4. our friends who came to church with us yesterday: angel, alejandro, diego, and jose

Natalie November 2, 2015

Believe in God, Belive that He is
Hello everyone! 

How was this last week? For us it was hot.. again haha looks like the raining season has past. I figured out that instead of ''April's showers bring May flowers'' in Cancun it's October's rain brings more heat and then ''cold''. From the humidity it gets more hot but afterwards more into November and December is what here they call ''cold''. It's that time of year again where we will see hoodies and sweatshirts and coats and gloves and hats not from the tourists but the people who live here in CANCUN! It's crazy to me, their Winter is like our Spring lol

In other news, things are better with our recent converts, their all attending church again wahoo! Hermano Mauro and his wife are doing good and we are finding more investigators. Still no one who accepts a baptism date but at least the majority accept baptism :) We're still working on that. 

This is the last week before transfers again and I have no idea what will happen because there are so many options, I could stay in my same area again and with my Hermana Carrasco again as Sister Training Leaders but we have had now 4 and half months together or one of us could leave, it's my companion's last transfer and sometimes President grants the wishes of a missionary if they want to be with a specific companion or in a certain place for their last transfer. Then again, I could train someone because I still haven't had that opportunity so who knows! 

What I do know is that if we want to survive in this life it is to rely on the Lord, have faith in Him, beliving that He is as King Benjamin teaches us in Mosiah 4:9. He is the only way to true happiness. This life is not easy, it's supposed to be hard. But if we lose our faith, it will be difficult to keep going. I hope each one of you can give yourself TIME to read, study, ponder the scriptures daily, and seek the Lord in sincere prayer. He will tell us what it is we need to do, afterall, the prophets have promised it themselves that He is there and He will listen if we will just believe in Him and submit ourselves to His will. I know we can do it! And perservere until the end, endure to the end. 

Lots of Love,

Hermana Newman :)