Hi family! I hope you are all doing very well. This week was incredible! Probably one of the best weeks I have had here at the MTC.

So Monday we got to clean the temple and we cleaned like a trillion lockers but it was awesome! It was amazing how detailed and clean they were supposed to be. Ha-ha while we were being instructed on what we were to do the head guy asked if their mother had every given them a toothpick to clean something and I proudly raised my hand ha-ha I was the only one in the room that raised my hand.

Monday night we had class with Hermano Hallsted and had to teach our investigator Mario. Mario has been the toughest investigator we have faced. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and it was incredible. The spirit was so strong the whole lesson and we could see his progression as we went through the lesson. The last like 2 minutes of the lesson I had this strong impression in my heart that I needed to ask him if he would be baptized and he accepted. It was so amazing and we were so excited. It is incredible what can happen when we listen to and follow the promptings of the spirit

Tuesday we taught some other elders in the Zone and had some great progression with them.  This past week we learned subjunctive form in Spanish, so we have been trying to implement that into our lessons. We conducted a baptismal interview for our investigator Jose and I got to conduct one for the other elders so that was good practice to have to go through the questions and things in Spanish. I got the pictures from the fire on Tuesday. I can’t believe how much burnt. That is so sad.

Wednesday was probably the best day of the week so far. For service that Wednesday morning Elder Van Pelt and I cleaned the drinking fountains and we got to clean the Elevator and we got to ride in it! Woo!! Ha-ha you appreciate the little things in life as a missionary. Ha-ha we take so much for granted because we don't realize what we have.

Wednesday night we had to go to the TRC and teach Gabriel. Gabriel is our investigator from Santiago. He started off with telling us that he found out his Dad had lung cancer and is probably going to die soon. He talked to us of how much he loved his dad. We started from there into the first lesson and taught him about the Restoration. The spirit was incredibly strong especially as I described the first vision to him in Joseph Smith's words. We taught him about the Book of Mormon and the Holy Ghost and it was such a powerful experience. He has such a wonderful relationship with God and is an incredible man. At the end of the lesson I had feelings to ask him if he knew our message was true. He said that he wanted to believe that they were, I then asked him if he knew that they were would he be baptized. He immediately replied yes and it was incredible. We really understand the importance now of asking investigators to be baptized after the first and second lesson because it helps them make goals and work towards something. After we prayed he asked us how we were so good at Spanish for only being here 6 weeks and I told him that is was through the power of God and through the Holy Ghost. I told him that miracles happen when we are performing the work of the Lord. After the lesson he came up and gave us big hugs and it finished off to be incredible. It was such an amazing day on Wednesday.

Friday we had a new investigator His name is Freddy and is from Peru. We taught him the first lesson and the whole time he was trying to prove us wrong and then we invited him to read the book of Mormonhe said that he was sure it couldn’t be the word of God and that he would talked to his pastor about it to see if it was true. I didn't know where to go with the lesson and then I looked down at the ground and felt like I was helpless, then the spirit filled my soul and I looked up at Freddy. I then bore a powerful firm testimony of the truthfulness of the book of Mormon and that I knew it was true with all of my heart, and that the only way he could know was from God. Not from his pastor, or by anyone else.It was an incredible experience as well and the spirit burned within my soul as I stood up for the Book of Mormon and testified him of its truth.

Saturday morning we taught Gabriel again and we set a baptismal date for the 28th of July.

Sunday was great. We had lots of meetings and we started our responsibilities as Zone Leaders. We had a wonderful priesthood lesson about enduring to the end from Brother Jones and President Brown came in and talked to us about the Doctrine of Christ. I am starting to realize how important and how much we really do have to learn about the Doctrine of Christ. It is fundamental in everything we do, our purpose, lessons, district lessons, sacrament talks, priesthood meetings and so many other places. I love our Branch Presidency they are wonderful men. I love this work and the blessings it has already brought me. Although I am weak I can be made strong in Christ. 2 cor 12:9-10. Have a wonderful week family! I love you all so much and I can’t wait to talk to you in 2 weeks from today. Onward and Upward!

Love,

Elder Newman