Family, 

This week we spent up in Iquique. It was super weird to return back to a city that I haven't been to for 1 year. It was great and as I walked through the streets it seemed like all of the memories i had there were like a dream. We arrived in the late afternoon on Monday and that night we were able to visit a few people. We passed by a few converts and at the end of the night we passed by the Bernal Diaz family. They were a family that we worked with and helped them in the process of reactivation and the daughter was baptized. They actually moved to a different area and live in a different ward so we had to take a taxi to get there. But it was so great to see them. They are still super active and are doing great. He has a great job now, they live in a great apartment, and just recently had a baby boy. They both have callings in their ward as well. It brought me such a joy to see them how they were and to see the change for good that they have gone through. I couldn't stop smiling. They are trying to prepare to go to the temple with their two daughters and their new son. The first daughter is named Monserat and she is 10 now. But she is the one that was baptized and the one that learned how to read by the Book of Mormon. The other daughter is Camila and she just barely turned 8 and this next week the dad is going to baptize her. It was a special experience. 

The day after that I worked in my very first area in the mission. Lynch. It was great and I had a great exchange with one of the missionaries that lived with us in Calama. The day after that we worked in another area in Iquique with a different set of zone leaders. I worked with a missionary who is from my group of missionaries from the MTC. On Thursday we had to take a bus to a city that is up the dirt mountain a little bit. It is called Alto Hospicio. I was able to work with Elder Christianson. He is from Provo and went to Timpview high school. He has been here for just over a year and he is a fantastic missionary. He is one of those missionaries who just "gets it". I had a blast working with him and he is one of my close buddies in the mission. 

We left yesterday afternoon and then got back to Antofagasta last night. Anyways i had a great time working with the missionaries this week and it is always super great to get out and to see what we can improve on and the success that we are having. This week we are going to work with Calama and i will see Elder McCusker. Then we will come back and help with transfers. we are already in to the last week of the transfer. I don't know how the time has flow by so fast this transfer. 

But I hope that you have a great thanksgiving week. I have really seen the importance of gratitude and the change that it has had in my life as a missionary and as a son of God. I hope that each of you will sit down for a bit this week and reflect on the many blessings and the goodness and greatness of our God. Here are a few things that I will list. I am grateful for a family who supports me and loves me. I am grateful for the plan of salvation and that we as a family can live together forever. I am grateful for the priesthood and its keys and inspired leaders who have blessed my life. I am grateful for my companion and the many things that he teaches me. I am grateful for these people who surround me, and the love that the Savior gives me for them. I am grateful for the priesthood and the saving ordinances that are performed by it. I am grateful for a Savior who knows me, understands me, and loves me. I am grateful for His Atonement, and the blessings that it gives me to be sanctified from sin and become like Him. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who always watches over us and takes care of us. I know that gratitude is a virtue of Godliness and by doing so  will help us come closer and align ourselves to the Lord`s will. I want all of you to know that I love you and am grateful for the impact you have had in my life. Have a great week! 

Elder Newman

Family, 

Another super busy week. Monday I was able to see Elder McCusker!!!!. He came down with a missionary that has been having some back problems so that the mission doctor could see him.

We went to TGI Fridays with all the other elders for lunch. We had a great time. Later that afternoon we left to the south of the mission to be able to work with there  We arrived to Chañaral that night and then slept there and that next day we worked with them.

That next morning we spent some time helping some missionaries who are struggling a little bit the best lesson that we had was to a youth that just submitted his mission papers. He was inactive But some missionaries about 5 months ago were able to help him reactivate. The young man wanted us to explain how to use preach my gospel and so we got there and we began to talk and teach a little bit about preach my gospel. However while we were teaching I could tell that something wasn't just right.

We finished the introduction from preach my gospel and I started to ask him some questions about why he wanted to serve a mission and if there were changes that he had to make in his life. We turned to Enos and shared about how Enos also had a change of heart and felt the power of the Atonement and then love for those who surrounded him. The young man began to say that he had felt this before, but he hasn't felt it for quite a while and that lately he had been doubting his testimony and if he even wanted to do this and many other doubts he was having. 

We had found his need. We then turned to 2 Nephi and talked about opposition and how we face it especially before great things are about to happen. As we continued to teach a strong spirit filled the room and his countenance  changed. We returned back to Enos. The spirit was powerful. As we continued to talk he said that he was again feeling the spirit and love for others and that he knew that this was what he needed to do. It was a powerful lesson. I am so grateful for the spirit that led us in the direction and helped us recognize what this young man needed. The rest of the night we taught some progressing investigators who are preparing towards baptism. It was a great exchange. 

The next day we went took a bus to Copiapo and it was awesome. It is super green there!!!! There are 2 zones there so we stayed there for 2 days. I also had some great exchanges there. The last day we were in Vallenar which is the city furthest south in the mission. It is even more green there than Copiapo. But overall through the week we had some great exchanges. I was able to observe and see how things are in different zones and notice some of the necessities and things to improve upon. 

This week we have 2 general authorities coming to the mission. We have Elder Soares from the presidency of the seventy and then Elder Ceballos from the presidency of the area south america south. They are going to be here to interview an area authority and so while they are here they are going to speak to some of the missionaries. Only the zones from Antofagasta and Calama are going to be able to attend because the mission boundaries are so large. But I am super excited to be able to hear from these special witnesses of the savior and to be able to hear what counsel they will give to the mission. 

I hope that each one of you is well. Life is great!!. There are many things that pass by us each day that are waiting to be noticed that will increase our gratitude and our joy.

Our happiness in life isn't determined by the big events, but the small opportunities each day to laugh, smile and express gratitude. We just have to work each day to recognize them. I love you each one of you. You are all so important in my life. Keep working hard and doing your best.   

Elder Newman

Family, 

The week went super fast. We were super busy but I loved it.

Monday morning we left to go to Arica and we were on the bus for about 12 hours and then arrived that night at 10pm.

Tuesday morning we went to the district meeting of one of the zones and then that night we worked with the zone leaders. I worked with elder Hart. He went to Davis high school and he played football up there. He is a great guy and a great missionary. We had a great exchange and we were able to participate in various ways

One thing that I have started to do with the missionaries is before we start the exchange I teach them about a principle from preach my gospel. Something that we are really trying to implement into the mission. While working we looked for opportunities to apply what we had talked about and we also worked in various parts of the work

There are 3 zones in Arica and we worked with them on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and then Friday we returned to Antofagasta.

The best exchange I had was on Thursday. We had some great teaching experiences and specifically in one lesson the spirit was powerful. We were teaching a man whose family are members of the church, but he is not a member. We had a great lesson with him as we finished the lesson about the plan of salvation and eternal families. He accepted to be baptized, and we could see tears of joy coming down his face. I felt so much love for this man and his family and I wanted to help them in anyway possible. As we left he was asking us with excitement when we could return, and if we could return tomorrow. It is awesome to see the spirit work in the lives of the people and for them to desire to have that same feeling more in their own lives. 

It was great to get out and work with the missionaries. I felt like I was back in my own groove again. I had a great time doing intercambios and I also had a lot of time on a bus to get to know my companion better.

During the week we had about an hour and a half break before leaving to the other sector. Elder Villarroel said that we could go and visit some of my converts. So we went to the first in Arica. His name is Jorge. He was baptized in January. He lives with some family friends who were less active. We walked over to the house and there were some dogs that were new in the front porch. I thought to myself that they had probably moved to the south of Chile because that is where they were from.

I knocked on the door and no one came to answer. I then knocked the neighbors door to find out if they knew anything about this family or if someone had recently moved in. The neighbor told me that there was a new family that moved in about 4 months ago and I was a little bummed to hear that,  knowing that I probably wouldn't see this family again. I went back to the first house to knock again and suddenly I hear "Elder!", I turn around and I see the Mom of the family in her car with her two kids. I was so happy to see them and they were really happy to see me. They said that they had moved to another ward in Arica and that they thought i had already finished my mission and returned home. I was shocked of how she knew to drive pass by her old house and she said I was driving up the street next to our house and then looked down the old street to where we lived and saw the missionaries knocking the door and then I flipped around and saw that it was you. I was so happy and grateful to Heavenly Father for letting this experience happen and putting me and her in the right place at the right time. We were able to exchange information. It was definitely one of those tender mercies. 

While working this last week with Arica I had such a great experience. I felt so much love for these people. Stronger than I have ever before. I feel like the spirit had increased my capacities to be able to be a more effective tool in the Lords hands.

I love this work so much. Life is great and I am enjoying every minute. This next week we are going to the south to work with 4 zones in the south. Chañaral, Copiapo, Atacama and Vallenar. 

Love you all 

Elder Newman