July 22, 2013


Family,

Seems like you all had a great week with trek. Hearing of your experiences makes me happy. I am so happy that you had a great experience and the things that you felt and everything. Trek was so awesome when I went I just loved it.

I am so happy for Leianne. That is so great. When is she getting married? I am glad to hear that you are all doing well. Crazy to think that your summer is going to be winding up soon. It is starting to get warmer up here in Calama we had some beautiful days this week. I love it here in calama, honestly when i first got here i thought this place wasn't pretty at all. I would hear Elder McCusker say things like elder those mountains are so pretty or look at that those clouds. I kinda thought he had gone kinda crazy. But i have come to find the beauty of gods creations. Calama is a beautiful place! I have learned to open my eyes, and really see what there is before us and find beauty in everything. Now Everyday i look up and see the mountains, or look at the blue sky and think wow, that's beautiful. I am so glad to have come here :)

We had a great week. We have had a few issues with missionaries being sick and things but now it is pretty much taken care of. During the week we found the family of Sister Alina. We were able to teach a quick lesson and set an appt. for another time. On Saturday night we went there and taught a quick lesson and invited them to church. The great part is that they already have 2 active cousins who go to church. So the kids came to church and the cousins took them all over, and introduced them to other people and made friends in there quorums etc. It is so wonderful when that happens because it helps us so much as missionaries. 

The mom couldn't come yesterday but she said that she is definitely going to come the next week. We also taught them again last night. We had a family home evening with them. Ha ha we played don't eat Pete. It was awesome. Elder McCusker actually had the game too and he had a laminated one. All of the kids loved it and they were having a great time. Actually the night before when we were there we met her neighbor and invited her to the FHE and she came and brought her 3 kids. I made pancakes while Elder Mccusker was playing the game with the kids.

After we taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We set baptismal dates for the 10 of August. We are really excited and the kids loved church.  The mom is so great. She also has a great desire to reactivate.

Our interviews went super well. Elder McCusker and I were in the church all day long. We got there around 11:30 to prepare the church and we left at about 7:00pm. Ha ha president Dalton talked to us for about 3 hours about the vision and what we are going to do here to continue to baptize, baptize more, and do it better. The assistants also gave us a training and Elder McCusker and I were the last to be interviewed. The interview was really simple. He just asked about me, and my family, and then we just talked about the his vision and I just let him know how on board I was with everything and that I am 100% with what he is doing.

As I was sitting in my interview, I kinda had a revelation come to me as one of the reasons why Elder McCusker and I were put in this difficult sector. At times we got frustrated because it was so different and we couldn't be as successful from the way that we had been working before. It is so that we learned how to work with members, get references, and baptize more and better through them. 

We have learned how to work even better with the members, and I know that the Lord helped put us a step ahead so that we can help the rest of the mission catch the vision because we have already had experience doing it.

That was one of the things President Dalton asked me to do. As we left the interviews and were walking, I said to elder Mccusker, "Elder I know one of the reasons why we were put in this sector"  and I explained to him what happened. He then said "Elder, i had the exact same thing happen to me while I was in my interview." It was cool. I love President Dalton. He is really a great man. I am so excited to be able to learn from him and continue to improve as a servant of the Lord.

Yesterday we had a big stake meeting with all of the ward councils and we had a training and then the stake explained the goals that they have for the work and it was awesome. There was a great attendance and there is a new energy and excitement for the work. The work is truly hastening. 

President Dalton is going to do great things. I can feel it. We are going to see great results, and better growth here in the north of Chile.

I am glad to hear that you are doing so well. I hope you know how much i love you all. I am sorry that i am not very good about getting personal letters out. We are just consumed in this work. I really love it. I feel like great things are going to happen in these next 10 months. 10 months. Sheesh I don't like saying that. I know that our Savior lives and loves us. I hope that each of us can really "Open up our eyes" and see the beauty and wonderful blessings that encircle us each and everyday. I testify that as we do so, we will truly walk with joy, and be able to really minimize our worldly worries, and we will be humbled as we are grateful for the many wonderful blessings our Heavenly Father bestows upon us each day. I love you all. Keep a smile on your face what ever ya do.


Elder Newman