Family, 

Another great week! Monday we were here in Antofagasta and we were able to work in our own area for a little bit. Tuesday morning we went up to Calama with the Daltons to have their interviews and have a training meeting with them. After we had interviews with them we went out and worked with the Elders in Calama. It was nice to be back in Calama and be able to see it one more time. I really love that place. On Wednesday we were here preparing for the mission leadership council that we had on Thursday. The meeting was wonderful. The best part was at the very end we had a small testimony meeting. All those that finish their mission this next transfer were able to share a 2 minute testimony. A fourth of the council bore their testimony, because they soon finish their missions.  The testimonies were powerful. It was such a special experience to see all of my best friends and too see them bear their testimonies in a direct and powerful way. The spirit was very strong. It was so special.  President Dalton also had a very special message that really touched me and was a confirmation of things that we need to work on as a mission and me personally. It was wonderful and I was glad to be able to hear that. Praying with faith. That is something that we need to work on as a mission to be able to complete our goals. It was awesome. 

Everything is going great family, today we have an appointment with some new investigators so we are excited about that. This next week we have two more zones to do here in Antofagasta with the interviews and training meetings. We have an Area Seventy that his coming to do a mission tour the last week of this transfer. His name is Elder Spannaus and he is from Argentina. We are excited to have him and we will have 3 conferences in three days. The will be in Copiapó, Antofagasta, and Iquique. We are getting ready for that as well. I love all of you and hope that all is well. I know that the Savior lives, this is His great work! Have a great week! See you all next week! 

Love, 

Elder Newman

Family!!

Whats up how are you all doing? I hope that you all enjoyed your conference weekend! It was incredible! The music, the messages, it seems like it means more to me every year! It was so incredible! We had a lot of investigators go to the conference. 2 references that we have received from members went to the conference and then the Salamanca family, and some old investigators also went to the conference. The Salamanca family is closer than ever to getting married. We are still working on some logistical issues but the desire is there and they both want to get married and baptized. I know that the Lord will provide us with the miracles to get that accomplished. 

This last week was super busy but it was a great week i really enjoyed it. I am so happy to be with Elder Gálvez he is such a great companion and we push each other to be our best self. On Monday we had to help a little bit in the office because the old missionaries were getting ready to go home. That same night we contacted another reference that we received from a member. His name is Herbert. We have a lesson with him on Monday. He is awesome! We are receiving so many blessings it has been incredible. I feel like we have done very little to deserve so much. 

Tuesday we got up real early to go drop off the old missionaries. We dropped of 5. One of them was Elder Tymczyszyn who was my second companion. It was sad to know that I will probably never see him again. He helped me a lot and was a great companion. That same morning a few hours later we picked up the 16 new missionaries. Three or four of them told me that the Jones said hi. Haha the Jones are so awesome. It seems like they are doing great things in that mexico MTC. That afternoon Elder Galvez and I took two of the new elders from chile with us to work. The gringos were really tired from their long travel, so they went to go rest. But there were only two Latin elders so we took them out to go to work with us. It was awesome I went out with Elder Ortega. He is from Santiago and was baptized 2 years ago. He is 18 years old and seems like he has become truly converted to the gospel since his baptism. We found a new investigator and we taught a family and got a few referrals. It was so fun to see the glow in his eyes and the enthusiasm that he has to go out and save some souls. 

On Wednesday their trainers got to Antofagasta and picked them up. Elder Mangum is training this transfer so i got to see him and talk with him. He is very humble and asked for some counsel. Haha I just told him to be obedient and to work hard and everything will work out. 

Thursday we had our mission leadership council. We had moved it from last week to this week because of the earthquake and everything. So in the meeting we talked a lot about the emergency plan that was created and how it works and everything. Elder Gálvez and I taught some leadership principles from the scriptures and about how to conduct some of the meetings that we have in the mission. But earlier in the meeting I talked for about 5 minutes on something that i think touched the missionaries heart, and I hope changes will be made. What happens is that there is a bad habit in our mission of calling missionaries only by their last names. I started by sharing a couple scriptures, one is 2 Timothy 1:6-8, and one in D&C 58:16 talking about how we were foreordained to be missionaries and to come to this mission, that we have a great work to do and the sacredness of our calling. I also said that this opportunity is once and we will never have it again. I said to them that "Elder Newman" is only for a small time. "Newman" is anywhere. I told them that my friends call me Newman, and I will always be able to be called Newman. But "Elder Newman" is only for an extremely short period of time. I had them read a paragraph from the missionary handbook that states: 

"Also express respect for others by the way you refer to them. Refer to other missionaries, including your companion, as “Elder” or “Sister”"

I told them that although they may not intentionally do it or think about it that way, when we call

 other missionaries by their last names only, we are disrespecting the sacred calling. The same principle with apostles and prophets. I told them that I have started to feel that when missionaries call me only by my last name, it hurts me. I said that i recognize that the time is short and that Elder Newman is only for a time more. I got a little emotional and I asked for forgiveness for the times that I had maybe called any of them by their last name only. Anyways after I had several missionaries come up to me after thanking me for the talk and later that day when by habit anyone called me Newman, they immediately said Elder Newman and asked for forgiveness. I am so grateful for the spirit that touched the hearts of some of those missionaries and I hope it sends a message to some of the other mission and helps them realize a little bit more the sacredness of our calling. 

On Friday we had a long planning meeting with President and Sister Dalton. As we planned our meeting our agenda really started to fill up for this next transfer and i started to realize that we aren't going to have much time to work in our sector this transfer. We are going to be travelling a lot this next transfer with the Daltons. While president interviews the missionaries we are going to to a training meeting with them and then in the afternoons we will go out and work with missionaries. I then said to my companion that we will need to work with Elder Packard and Elder McConkie (who are the zone leaders that share a sector with us) to show them our investigators and people that we teach so they can take care of the sector while we are gone and help our families and people progress towards the Savior and to those covenants. My heart was a bit saddened to see at first that we were going to have no time to work, but then i had that subtle feeling/reminder, "remember what your calling is". After that i felt better and reminded myself that I have a different assignment and that the Lord is still going to bless us. 

Anyways family, life is great. I couldn't ask for anything else. I was studying this morning about Charity and how fundamental in charity is our ability to see others not as they are, but rather as they can become. I know that is something the Savior saw and sees in each one of us and that is a part of the love that motivated him to perform the Atonement. It is why Heavenly Father would send his only Begotten Son here to the earth, to die, so that we may live. His work is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. He sees our eternal potential, and his work is to help us achieve it. His infinite love is what helps us. The Savior is the great Encourager of men. He loves us so much because he sees so much in us, as literal Sons and Daughters of God. How desperately each of us need this quality. There is so much for us to do. The Lord is hastening his work and there is so little time!! I NEED MORE TIME!!!!! 

The Savior lives, this is his church. Miracles occur as we act in faith. I love each one of you and am grateful for the continual support that I receive from each of you. Have a great week!

Elder Newman

EARTHQUAKES AND GENERAL CONFERENCE

Dear Family, 

Wow what a crazy and unusual week! But full of adventures! Monday was pretty calm, but everyday since then has been pretty crazy.

On Tuesday i had an exchange with Elder Packard from my group. We met up in the office and we went to his area and Elder Galvez and Elder Mcconkie stayed in ours. We share the same ward but we just work in different areas. Anyway I went with Elder Packard and we were having some great lessons. It is so cool to see how everyone has developed as missionaries and as servants of the Lord especially those from my group. Elder Packard is a stud and is a great teacher. He is doing an incredible job in his area with Elder Mcconkie.

We were in a middle of the lesson teaching about the atonement and Elder Packard had put on a small video that shows the atonement.  While we were sitting there watching the video it started to shake.  We were sitting there and then it kept going! Haha it lasted about a minute and then it finally finished. Earthquake!!!!  We finished the lesson and then as we started to leave the house i thought oh boy I am going to have to make a lot of phone calls it is going to be a long night.

Immediately i started calling and I told elder Packard that we needed to go to the church and we went there and our companions also came there as well. We were calling for the next 6 hours trying to get a hold of missionaries and ensure that each was okay and was in the safety zone. There was a lot of people evacuating to get to the safety zone as a precaution for tsunami.

Anyway around 2:30 i had finished a report on the computer in the church and i sent that to the Daltons and then we were able to go rest for a few hours. A few hours later we met with president and sister Dalton to be able to talk a little bit about what we were going to do and some changes we were going to have to do. 

To be honest the news kinda overdoes things so don't worry to much. They show the worst of the worst. I mean there was definitely an 8.2 earthquake but we are OK.  The next day we were able to work a little bit in our sector. It was awesome! We had left a lesson and as we were walking up a member called out to us and we went over to his car and started talking with him. He was with his friend in the car and it was a referral that he wanted to give us that he had talked to us about. The Lord had put us there in the right place at exactly the right time.

After getting to know him a little bit we set an appointment with the member and yesterday we had a lesson with them in the house of the member along with 2 other referrals which became new investigators as well. Jeremy (the member) is from Angamos, the ward where i served in Antofagasta a year ago with Elder Silvester.

Jeremy told us that he has like 3 more referrals that he wants us to teach and they are all men with families. We are so stoked! The majority of them live in our area as well! What great blessings! We had a couple investigators to teach and the Lord just blesses us, just like that! 

From nothing we have all of these people to teach! Obedience truly brings miracles. The Lord is so good to us. All of these men are supposed to come to a session of general conference 

this afternoon. 

Anyways things are great here in the mission and everyone is okay. With the other earthquake that happened, it caught us in the night and we just got up and left the building and then we got in the cars and went for high ground and spent the night in the car. We were with President and sister Dalton and we called and communicated with the missionaries to account for all of them. 

That first session of General Conference was incredible! Wow! This is better than Christmas! So far here are a few of my favorite quotes "Pure Christlike love flowing from righteousness can change the world"-Elder Holland and when President Ereying said something like You hold in your hands the happiness of more people than you can ever imagine. How true is that statement. How many people we can reach with small acts of service, and also the future generations that will enjoy the gospel because of our faithful living. 

The church is true my friends! I love you all! I am so happy!!!! As we maintain the spirit of the Lord in our lives we will be directed for good and will be blessed in many aspects. I pray that you continue to receive guidance and answers to your prayers. 

Oh yeah, this next transfer I will stay here in Antofagasta with Elder Galvez! Yahoo!!!

Onward and Upward, 

Elder Newman

Family, 

We are all alive up here in the north of Chile! Haha don't worry about us! The earthquake that hit was around 50 miles north of iquique and it was around a 6.7. So we are all doing okay and everyone is fine. That was on Sunday afternoon and we were on our way to an appointment and then Elder Mccusker called me to ask me if i was informed about the quake that had just happened. He said that he entered into a members house and then they were all talking about it and everything and that the members had all the news on and had been all worried. Then i got a few other calls from a few missionaries informing me. So then we had to call all of the missionaries in Iquique and Arica and make sure that they were in the safe zone and we had to organize places for them where they would stay . Anyway we later had to create a report of all of the missionaries and their exact location and information on how to contact them. But the next day everything was all ok. 

Things are looking really great in the mission. In part of the zone conferences we talked a little bit about setting baptismal dates because we had more people going to church than those who had baptismal dates. But in reality we should have many more dates than that, we should be setting baptismal dates with everyone we teach in the first or second lesson. Anyways it looks like the south put that to practice because our baptismal dates last week increased 50%. I was super stoked to see that, I hope the north now does the same after this last week of conferences with them. On Monday we did a few things here in Antofagasta and got ready to leave that night. On Monday night around midnight we left on a bus to Arica. We got there on Tuesday morning and then had our first exchange with some elders that afternoon. On Tuesday morning before we had arrived to Arica, the bus workers put on a movie in the bus. Anyways i was just sitting there with my companion and I was studying and usually the movies are in Spanish so i don't really have to worry about hearing them (obviously we don't look ha-ha and usually i have earplugs but i forgot them this time). However this time the movie was in english and it was in spanish subtitles. I was trying to focus on my studying but this movie just had terrible awful vulgar language. I said to myself well i will just try to focus on studying, but it was difficult and so i started to pray asking that i could block the words out of my mind and not really register them. But then i had the thought come, "go and ask them to change the movie". And so i sat there for a second trying to decide what to do, and then I went down the stairs to the first floor of the bus and called the worker and told him that the movie that was being played was obviously in english and had terrible, very strong language, and i asked him if he could change the movie. I was worried to what his reaction would be, but he actually responded very positively and immediately went and changed the movie. I felt so much better as we went on the rest of the trip without having to worry about that. I know that there are many times in our lives and especially in mine where situations come up like this. We know what we must do and the gospel has taught us, it just takes us to act and do. At times we are unsure or scared of what may happen. But we just need to trust in Gods wisdom and that everything will work out. I had a really good feeling that morning. 

We had exchanges with missionaries on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday morning we had the zone conference in Arica. The zone conference was great! We worked with a companionship after the conference and i had an awesome experience. I was able to see one of the guys that i had taught about 5 months ago with some other elders. His name is Rafael. I had taught him in an exchange that i had on Halloween. He is getting baptized today and has made so many changes in his life. The guy doesnt really have a lot and I gave him my mini hymnbook that i had and his face lit up. He was so excited because he had been humming words from a hymn that he loved but he didnt know the lyrics. He is doing really good. I was happy to see him doing well. 

We left on a bus that night around 11:30 pm and then we got to Iquique around 4 am that next morning. We went straight from the bus terminal to the Lynch apt. where I started my mission to get a few hours of sleep before we started to get ready for the zone conference. We had iquiques zone conference and then later worked with the elders last night. I was able to work with Elder Marsee from my group and it was great to be able to work with him. He is an excellent missionary and is doing great things up there with Elder Stratford. For about an hour we went around the area and i showed him houses of people and families that i had taught that were old investigators. I hope that they can find a few. We left last night on a bus around midnight and then we got here to antofagasta here this morning at 6 am and then we went to our apartment and crashed for a couple of hours. It was a solid great week! I am doing great! 

I hope that you all had a great week! I am loving working with Elder Galvez! We push each other everyday to be our best! He has got a lot of energy and is ready to work and I am loving that! Anyways life is great! I love each one of you. You are all the greatest! I got another great week coming up! I hope all you do as well!

Elder Newman

Family, 

I don't really know how to start this letter other than saying that hearing about grandpa definitely was not an easy thing to hear. However the knowledge of the gospel is such a blessing to us with the faith and hope that we will all be together again. 

Last Sunday night I was able to work with Elder Cazier in Vallenar. He is a great missionary and it was probably one of the best exchanges i have had in my whole mission. It is awesome to see the success that is happening throughout the mission as the work hastens. We had our first zone conference in vallenar on Monday and in copiapo on Tuesday. It is interesting how the preparation of the missionaries and those who come really is what makes a zone conference or any meeting we have. If the missionaries come prepared for the zone conference and are ready to learn, there is a great environment where the spirit can teach us great things. There are always some conferences that are better than others.  I had exchanges with missionaries from last Friday night till Wednesday night. But there were some great exchanges that we had. 

It was great to be again with president and sister Dalton and to be able to spend some time with them and get to know them even better while we travel. They are so great and I have learned so much from them. They are doing great things down here in our mission. They were truly called by God to come to this mission. 

Our two investigators Julian and Betty are doing quite well. Betty has gone to church the two past weeks and really likes the church. We are trying to help her keep her commitments so that she can be prepared for her baptism. The baptismal date that we had set for both Betty and Julian is for the 29th of this month. It is hard sometimes because we travel and then have to have the office elders take care of our investigators while we are out of town. It will be that case again this week. 

We are leaving to Arica on Monday to go work with them for 3 days and have their zone conference. Then we will go to Iquique and have their conference with Alto Hospicio on Friday. We will also work with both of those zones. We travel all night long on Friday night to get back to Antofagasta by Saturday. 

One of the less active families who we were working with are now fully active and doing great. They are the Vizcarra family. The father was the one who introduced us to Julian and gave him to us as a referral. Hermano Vizcarra was set apart last week as the 2nd counselor of the Elders Quorum presidency. They are progressing really well as they work to go back to the temple as a family in September. They are helping us find new people to teach and baptize. 

President told me the news about grandpa passing away on Wednesday afternoon. It was really tough to hear that and it did not seem real. I was so blessed to be given such a great grandpa. I cant number the baseball games and football games that grandpa went to, to show his love and support. Grandpa Newman taught me many things. Among them is that he was someone who taught me to just be happy. That no matter what happened in life, we can always treat it with a smile. He taught me how to work hard. I remember going up to grandpas as a little kid and doing errands with him or going out and working in the barn with him. Those are cherished memories. Horse riding, sports, going to golden corral haha, and just spending quality time. But I think more than all of that, Grandpa taught by example of how to be a righteous priesthood holder and lead his family in the right direction. His mark has been left on many and has marked me deeply. I hope to be able to live in a way that I can honor the "Newman" name. How blessed are we to have the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. 

I want to share my testimony that I know that God lives. I know that we will go on into the eternities together as we strive to live the gospel and do what is right. Jesus Christ is our Savior, and he is central in this plan of happiness. He truly went about telling others to "Be of Good Cheer, for I have overcome the world". I believe that grandpa learned that same principle. That we are going to be alright. That we just need to keep a smile on our faces whatever we do, because we are children of God, and we have so many great blessings and things around us if we just open our eyes to look. I know that Grandpa is now working on the other side of the veil, helping others receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I love you all, Have a great week. 

Elder Newman

Family, 

I hope that you are all doing great. This week flew!! Serious i think it was the fastest week in the history of all weeks. I don't know what happened to it. But it was a good one! 

Monday we had to pick up the old mesospheres and take them over to presidents and we were running around all day long with transfers and things. Elder Pinto left to calama in the afternoon and then Elder Gálvez got here to Antofagasta in the night time. Elder Gálvez is from Sina Loa, Mexico. He is an awesome missionary. He has been here for about 13 months now. He is really young but I am so happy to be with him. He is ready to work. We lived with each other in the same apartment for 6 months while i was in calama and then he went to iquique and then i came here to Antofagasta. He just came from Iquique and was companions with Elder Stratford. Haha anyways he got here around 11pm and then we went to bed around 12pm and got up around 3:30 am to go take the old missionaries to the airport. It was sad to take this group home. It was a great group of missionaries. We will miss them. That same Tuesday we picked up the new missionaries. It was a great group that came in as well. When we picked up the new missionaries and while we were taking pictures at La Portada one of the new missionaries said, "Hey! You're elder Newman! Sister Jones wanted me to tell you hello, she said you were in this mission!" They all started talking about the Jones and how much they were loved in the mtc by the missionaries there in Mexico. It was awesome! They were really such great people and so nice. Anyways we were with them and and their trainers Tuesday and Wednesday doing meetings and trainings and things like that. It went really well. 

On Thursday and Friday we had some meetings with president as we planned out a bit this next transfer for zone conferences and things. Elder Gálvez and I were also able to sit down together and establish some goals and plans as we start this first transfer together. We are really excited to be together. We also had some meeting with our new ward mission leader and things are looking good for the new ward that was just created. 

Our investigator Julian is doing very well. He is very sincere and wants to keep all of the commandments. He is going to be a great member of the church. We found a new investigator who wants to go to church so we will see what happens tomorrow. 

This week we have our mission leadership council meeting and then on Friday we are leaving with President and Sister Dalton to head to the south of the mission to start zone conferences. It will be awesome to be with the Dalton's. I always learn a lot while I am around them. And while we drive and things we get to listen to their stories and things. We are going to be on the road for about a week straight doing zone conferences and working with missionaries. But it is going to be great! I love getting out to the field and being able to work with missionaries and see the great people that they are teaching. 

Anyways. Another great week ahead down here in MCA. Keep up the great things that you are all doing! Remember that the only key to real happiness is keeping Gods commandments and serving in His kingdom and helping others to feel his forgiveness and love! I know that this is true and that as we magnify our callings we will be filled with God's grace in our lives. Have a great week! 

Love, 

Elder Newman

Family, 

Its transfers already! Crazy how fast the time goes by. Well, I am getting a new companion! Elder Pinto is going out to the field up to Calama. I am going to miss him but I am also very excited to have Elder Galvez as my new companion. Elder Galvez is from Mexico and he has been here around 13 months. He is very young in the mission but he is super excited to work and is a great missionary. We lived in the same apartment in Calama and we had worked together a couple of times. I am really excited to be able to work with him. He gets here tonight around 11pm and then tomorrow we start with dropping off the old missionaries and pick up the new ones. 

This last week we were up in Arica almost the whole week working and having some meetings up there. We have been teaching a lot about finding through members. We left last Sunday night around midnight and we got there Monday morning to Arica to visit a few people and to have a training meeting with the zones of Arica. It went really well we received great feedback from the missionaries. We worked with 3 different zones while we were up in Arica. It was great and I had a great time working with the missionaries as always. 

On Friday we got back and had a few meetings with president, as we prepared everything for the transfer. Last Sunday in stake conference our ward boundaries were reorganized and we were combined with another ward that is in our stake. The ward that we were serving in did not have much priesthood and so was closed. But we are all apart of the Quito ward now, and the ward is strong. The goal is that with a little bit of time strengthen the ward so that they can split the ward into two different wards. The building that we used to go to is being transformed into the employment center and also in the future they will move the mission office over there. Yesterday we had a meeting with the ward mission leader and I am really excited about the things that are happening. We will be 11 missionaries in the same ward. There are 2 new missionaries coming into the office to be trained in their future positions and so there will be 5 of them, plus my companion and I, and then 4 missionaries who were in that previous ward. So we are a big ward with a lot of missionaries. But with the schedule of the office elders they usually get out around 6pm to go work. We have our investigator Julian who is progressing very well. He will get baptized in march. He is keeping all of his commitments and will be a great priesthood holder. Also the family that gave us the reference for him is doing well also. The dad will be receiving a calling this next week and they are continuing to prepare to go to the temple in September. 

There was a broadcast that we had from the area for all Melchizedek priesthood holders from Buenos Aries. Elder Ballard and Elder Rasband were present at the meeting along with the area presidency. The meeting was awesome and was about the work of salvation. Elder Rasband talked about how the cell phone is a rescuer tool. How through the cell phone he can reach out to every single one of his missionaries that he was president over. He knows which ones are less active and which are active. He says that he has been able to reach out to them through technology like Facebook and things and sends things to strengthen them and now he said that some of those missionaries are active again and doing very well. I was thinking about how we can also do the same with former quorum members and classmates from high school and whatever it may be. Everyone has facebook or some sort of way to contact them through technology. He committed all of those who were there to get an appt. for the missionaries though modern technology. He talked about how things are changing and that if we always do what we have always done we will remain with what we have always had. We need to think outside of the box. 

Elder Ballard talked about the work of salvation as well. He said that how personal prayer is more powerful than any cell device. He told a story about Wilford Woodruff when he was called as prophet he was having a difficult moment and he wanted to talk with the prophet Joseph Smith. Anyways he said that he was looking towards the temple and then saw Joseph behind the temple gate running back and forth as if he was super hurried. He said just one minute Wilford and then walked away. He said that he also saw Joseph's father do something similar. Later the prophet returned and Wilford Woodruff asked Jospeh... Why are you all so hurried? I thought that in the spirit world I would rest from all of my labors. Joseph responded to president Woodruff and said that every dispensation has had sufficient time to prepare for the second coming, but in our dispensation we don't have enough time to do all that we need to do. We have so much work to do here in this earth, that is why the Lord is hastening his work. I know and imagine that on the other side of the veil they are going double time to get the work done, and they are waiting on us to do their temple work so that they can receive the blessings of the Atonement in their lives. How privileged are we to live in a time that such great things are happening and that we can be the smallest fraction of such of the greatest work in the universe. We need to ask the Lord to know what we can specifically do to help hasten the work. Everyone is depending on us. There have been so many prophecies about the time that we are now living. We can help save souls every day. We must set goals and make plans to do so.

We are pretty busy right now but I am doing great! I will be excited to tell you about my new companion next week. I love you all! I have such a great testimony of this work. I know the savior lives. I am grateful to work for Him. 

Elder Newman

Family, 

Well i had another great week out here in the desert! Another fast week ha ha as always. On Monday night we had a missionary who was coming home a couple weeks early for school and there was a sister missionary who had got there that day and so we had a little dinner thing at the mission home and then in the night there was a testimony meeting with the elder and my comp and I with the Dalton's. It was my companions trainer and it was a great testimony meeting I learned a lot. On Tuesday morning we dropped him off at the airport and then we worked in our sector that afternoon. Pretty much the whole week we were able to work in our own sector. 

This past week we had some of our training meetings this week with the zones in Antofagasta. It was great and I am excited to see the results of this technique that president has taught us to find more people to teach through the members. It is fun to see some of the sectors progress and to see the work hasten. We have some stud missionaries. We are very blessed. 

In our own sector we are still working with those 2 families. They are continuing to progress. We are working on helping them being converted to the gospel so that they can make some changes in their lives and get married and then be baptized. The whole family came to church today, and Luis shared his testimony. Yesterday being our P-day we had a small bbq with our investigators and it was awesome to be able to get out with them and have a good time. In the morning yesterday we also we played some futbol and basketball with a few members of the ward and an investigator. 

This last week I was reading in the scriptures and I am right now in Alma while reading the Book of Mormon. I have been reading about Captain Moroni and as I read through and analyzed the chapters I was amazed at the quality of leader that Moroni was. He was a leader who inspired his followers. He was aware of each one of his soldiers and knew them and was worried for their well being. He was one who always stood up for what is right, and had his standards and the standards of the people displayed everywhere. He was a leader who understood the importance of priesthood keys and leaders and he followed and looked for their counsel. He was a leader who feared more what God thought of him than what his fellowmen thought of him. He was a leader that always influenced others for good and influenced them unto the Savior. There are many more things that I saw and I was amazed as I really began to understand the class of a leader that Captain Moroni was. There are many principles in those chapters that we can learn of. 

This week we are going to be travelling quite a bit. We are going to Calama tomorrow and then on Wednesday we will head up to Iquique and work with them and another city right next to them. It will be great. I know this work is true. I know that the Savior lives. There is no greater joy that can come than being obedient to the commandments of the Savior and then bringing souls unto Him. 

Have a great week!

Elder Newman

Dear Family, 

2014. Wow what a great number. 14! The Newman number! This is our year ha ha. I am very excited for this year and have great hope and expectations for the things that will happen in it. There is no better way to start a year than as a missionary.  I hope that you all had a great week and that you were able to set goals individually and as prospective families.

While i have been here in Antofagasta the time has gone so incredibly fast. I assume that it has been because of the busyness of our schedule.

On new years eve, the investigating family that is progressing invited us over for a dinner. We had a great Colombian dinner. Pork with BBQ sauce, chicken wrapped in bacon, rice, and a salad. It was some great food.

It was great to celebrate the new year and to think about the blessings and experience i had in 2013 and to welcome 2014 with open arms. I thought a lot this past week about things that i wanted to accomplish and the growth i wanted to see in myself. I made not only spiritual goals but physical/temporal and social/emotional goals. There is great vision and direction in the goals that we set. Without them we will never achieve our true potential. Just like it says in Proverbs 29:18- "Where there is no vision, the people perish."

We had our mission leadership council this week. It was awesome and the meetings that we are having with the mission are getting better every time. We planned this next transfer a little bit throughout the week withe president. Elder Pinto and I are thinking of ideas and planning for this special training that we probably do in February throughout the mission. 

Yesterday was incredible. We have received so many blessings from the Lord. So we are teaching 2 different families right now in our own sector when we have the time to do so. I will explain each one. 

1. Luis, Lucero, Luisa and Juan

This was a family that we found from a reference. The Luis, Luisa and Juan really want to get baptized. We are trying to work with the mom. She is the key. If we can get her than we will have the whole family. Luis shared his testimony in church today. It was amazing. We are working with the parents to try to help them get married. The dad wants to get married but the mom isn't so sure. But we have seen some great progress so far. They come to church every week and are an awesome family. 

2. Rafael and Diana

They are a young couple who have been together for over a year. Diana is the daughter of a recent convert who also gave us the reference of Luis and his family. Diana is pregnant and they are expecting their first child in about 4 months. They all live in the same apartment building. Diana has wanted to be baptized for quite some time, but her and Rafael need to be married. Rafael a couple weeks ago didn't want much to do with us, but he has been progressing little by little. The other day he cut his long hair and now it is short and clean. And yesterday we were teaching the plan of salvation and we talked about marriage at the end and now that he understands the doctrine, of why marriage and eternal families are important. They also came to church today. We have seen miracles with these families.

We have seen great progress in the ward that we are serving in with the other office missionaries. Life is going great. Last night I felt so much happiness and joy. I was so grateful for the miracles that we have seen in this short time since we have worked in our sector. Truly there is no substitute for obedience and striving to live for miracles. Anyways i hope you all had a great week. There is great hope in creating goals and measuring our progress every day to accomplish them. Have a great week. 

Elder Newman

Family, 

Well it was great to talk to you just a few days ago. I had a great time! It was fun to see all of you and be able to see you all together. I don't know why but for some reason that seems like that was more than a few days ago. Since then we worked with a few missionaries and then we worked in the office getting ready for this next month of January 2014! 

Yesterday was our P Day and in the morning we went to do some service for a family that recently moved in. The dad is a recent convert who was baptized in another ward and the mom is less active. They have started to come to our ward, and we went to help some of the ward members build them a bathroom. It was good I got to get some power tools in my hand again. Ha ha i built a little wall for the kids so it is safe on the second floor where they live. They have 3 kids who have not been baptized members of the church. So we are going to be working with the dad. They all came to church today and they are awesome. We hope to have the dad ready soon to receive the Aaronic priesthood so he can baptize his children. We are also teaching another family who is awesome. We taught the parents this last week and they desire to get married and then be baptized. They have two children. Luisa (16) and Juan(8). Luisa is going to be baptized on the 11th of January. They are so great. Such a great family they have been coming to church every week for the last 3. They are progressing very well. We are being incredibly blessed right now. We are pumped for the future.

I am so excited for this next year of 2014. It is such a blessing to be able to start another year, and to have time to reflect upon this past year. We should look back and reflect upon the year, the things that we have learned, the many blessings that we have received. And then expand our vision, set goals, and hit 2014 running. I am stoked for this next year. That is the wonderful blessing of starting another year is that we feel like we are going to start with a clean slate, and that it will be even better than the past year. 

What a great year this last year has been. As i reflect back it has been such a year of learning and growth. Probably more than any year before. I know that this next year holds great things. As much as for me as for you! I know that this is the Lord`s work. And that great things will continue to happen. There are incredible things and blessings that happen every day. We just need to open our eyes and notice them! I love you all! 

Reflect, Learn, Envision, Plan, and Achieve!  Here we go 2014! Just do it!

Elder Newman