"Get over yourself"

COLUMBIA, Md. — HELLOOOOOO again. Another week, Already?!? Crazy business. 

Thank you thank you thank you for the birthday wishes, letters and package. Loved it! You all are the best. Thanks, Mom and Dad for the package, you sure spoil me :)  I had a great birthday. Hard to believe I am actually 21! Where did the time go?

I am not even out of the country yet and they already have me eating weird foods. I can’t remember what I have or haven’t told you already, but if I repeat, sorry just pretend I didn’t.

Fish, anyone?

This week,  I ate chicken intestines (yum) and some mystery organ meat (gross). But don’t worry, I made it through like a champ. To be honest, chicken intestines, not so bad. Mystery organs? Almost gagged but I managed to get it down with some rice and beans and hid the rest in my napkin. Missionaries gotta do what a missionaries gotta do, right? Hopefully the food this week is a little more normal.

Maryland and Latino meet in a crab tostada

The past two weeks were a little rough with finding people to teach and such. It’s hard because you do everything you can, but then you just don’t see the results. Well my big sis wrote me the best letter ever. She told me to "continue doing the little things, obey exactly and do what the Lord asks. If the Lord wants you to walk around in the hot sun for hours — do it! Do everything he asks because he knows best." 

I am here to tell you that God definitely knows what he is doing. Even though we may not understand, He has got everything under control. This week was FABULOUS! We taught sooooo many families, did a lot of service and were able to find new investigators to teach. Our mission president always reminds us: "Get over yourself" — how true that is: forget yourself and get to work! As missionaries, there is much work to do all around us. We just have to forget ourselves and listen to what the Lord has in store.

We had our first investigator come to church this week! :) I might have written about her last week as Maria, turns out she likes to be called Soledad. Anyways, she came to church and enjoyed it a lot. It’s hard, because we have a tiny branch, but they all worked together to welcome her and be her friend. We are continuing to teach her and hopefully everything goes well. She has a lot of potential, just needs a little bit of help.

Hermana Newman y Hermana Casas

I also went on my first set of exchanges this week. I went to an English area, which was definitely new for me. I could speak English and people understood me... what?!! It was really fun and a great experience. I met a family that has been less active for 40 years and is now coming back. God loves his children and wants us ALL to return back to him. Miracles all over the place if you just look!

"Sé lo que el Señor me ha mandado, y en ello me glorío. Y no me glorío en mí mismo, sino en lo que el Señor me ha mandado; sí, y ésta es mi gloria, que quizá sea un instrumento en las manos de Dios para conducir a algún alma al arrepentimiento; y éste es mi gozo." Alma 29:9

There is SO much work to be done. And the cool thing is, we all get to be a part in it! We are all working for the same cause: to bring others unto Christ. What a wonderful thing! We are servants of God! I love this work! The Gospel changes lives! Go out this week and help the work move forward. Be instruments in God's hands. Ask for missionary moments and I know you will find them!

I love you! Be safe, smile and laugh lots. Life is good! Give 'em Heaven!

Con Amor,

Hermana Newman :)