Family, 

Crazy to hear about you week and everything that happened. That is so awesome for Leianne I am so happy for her. Seems like it was so great! Happy Birthday Keira!! 3 years old!! Holy smokes you're growing up!! Don't grow up too fast!! Happy Birthday Dad on Sunday!! 50!! Wow. Half way there! Ha ha i hope that you enjoy your birthday! 

Not a whole lot to tell about this week. I don't know where it went and how it went by so fast. There was a death in the ward, one of the older men in the ward passed away. Last week he had a diabetic coma and then we went and gave him a blessing and he overcame that, but then they discovered that he had cancer and there was little that they could do. So he passed away and then they needed help with a few things. I helped with the piano. They sang Be Still My Soul but with the Spanish lyrics and so they needed my help. But the problem was that we were going to be in Antofagasta for the day of the funeral for the leadership council. So I ended up recording the song on the piano and then they used it for the musical number. 

I have been playing the piano more and have been striving to improve. Yesterday I played in sacrament meeting. I am really working or sight reading and i have really gotten better and have been blessed so much it has been fun to see my improvement. I will practice if we ever have a spare second before or after a district meeting or when there is time. 

Thursday we went to Antofagasta for the leadership council. We talked a lot about the goals that we wanted to set as a mission, and the whole mission did a fast last week seeking inspiration as to what the Lord wants us to accomplish by the end of President Dalton´s 3 years here in Chile. These are a few of the goals that were put. 

- Double Baptisms to 240 per month

- Double Church Attendance to 11,000 in the north of Chile

-Teach in a way that those we teach can be baptized, reactivated and prepare for the ordinances of the temple. And eventually have 4,000 people with current temple recommends. 

-One of the side goals that is something we want to see in the future is a temple built in Antofagasta. While i was in Antofagasta someone had told me that the church has already bought land but they just need more people paying tithing and more people with Current Temple Recommends. 

Those are a few of the goals that we talked about in the council. It was great. Oh mom so you know i did get my package with the contacts in them. I was super happy Thanks so much! 

The highlight of the week happened yesterday. So a few weeks ago Javier and José the sons of Sister Alina were baptized. They have been coming every week and are doing very well. The dad is also a member. And the very first time we met him he said that anyone that is Mormon he doesn't get a long with. He was against the church. But the miracle happened at the baptismal service of his kids. When he entered he was still hard and unkind, but when he left he was happy smiling and changed. The spirit touched his heart, and since that baptism miracles have been happening in this family. We went to the house last week and he was there and just talking with us and sister Alina about the bible and other discussions and it was great. 

Yesterday at church, he showed up with his family!! It was crazy! The gospel principles class was on the atonement and it was so awesome. The teacher did a great job, and he left that class saying how much he loved that class and he told me as he left that he hadn't been to church in a very long time, but he really liked it today. He said that he needs to keep his kids going in the church and progressing, and he wants to help and convince his other child who is almost 17 to be baptized. Javier receives the priesthood in 2 weeks because the dad works in the mine so he wont be back for 2 weeks so we are going to wait till that time. But he said that he is going to come again in 2 weeks. Elder McCusker and i were flying on cloud 9. I almost started tearing up. Miracles. The Lord is working miracles in that family. Sister Alina is so happy. We are excited for what lays ahead. We have a Family home evening with them tonight. 

Anyways we are doing super well. Today are transfers so we have some missionaries to send and to pick up. It is getting hot up here in Calama. The sun is hot, yes mom i am putting on sunscreen ha ha. Last night we left the window open the whole night and almost the whole night i slept on top of the covers in shorts and a t shirt. It felt perfect. Anyways this week we have to train the zone on the council that we had and we will also go to Tocopilla to train them. This transfer they put 2 sister missionaries in Tocopilla so now there are 6 missionaries! The work is Hastening! I love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Newman