Mom: Thank you for your fun little package. Sister Crotzer and I had fun with the stuff for sure.
Juli: Loved your letters and blog and pictures. Gracias. I especially loved the picture of your baby belly. Ha soooo cute! So weird to think that I will have another niece or nephew by the time I get home.
Thank you everyone for your letters and support every week. You are the best and I LOVE hearing how everything is going.
Everything in Maryland is going well. We are having lots of success with our less active members. We have one whole family who have been to church 4 times in a row and are receiving callings! Happy day for sure.
We are still working with a few investigators as well. Some are more prepared than others, but they know the Gospel is true. They just have to take it step by step and gain that conversion and testimony for themselves.
It sounds like you are all doing great with missionary work as well! Wahoooo! Keep it up! I love hearing all the stories.
We have been having some weather that can't decide what it wants to do. It was super hot and then the last couple of days have been rather chilly. But you won't hear me complaining, I am loving chilly... very nice change for sure! :)
I am still here in the good ole' Columbia 3rd Spanish Branch and I am loving every second of it. No word on the visa, so I think I am still needed for someone or something here in Maryland. It's weird to think I have been here so long. I sometimes wonder why I am still here but, I just have to trust in the Lord. Everything in his timing for sure! Best way to go, no doubt. He knows what he is doing!
We had a man from the high council come speak in our branch yesterday, and it kind of went along with what I just said. He was a great speaker and I — as well as many people in the meeting — needed to hear his message! He was talking about how everything in his life never went according to plan. He liked having a plan and was frustrated that everything never worked out. He gave some examples from his life, like not getting into medical school his first try, or not getting the residency he wanted, etc. Long story short: Nothing went according to HIS plan. But it was according to the Lord's plan.
He had an experience in Haiti, doing an operation on a young boy's femur where he discovered how amazing the Lord's timing truly is. If all the things he wanted to do went according to his plan, he would have never had the opportunity to go to Haiti and help this young boy.
It got me thinking a lot. I know we all do it. We get frustrated or bummed out when things don't "work out" but, I promise that things will work out. The Lord is just making it work out the best way possible. He knows what needs to happen, who you need to help, who you need to meet, who you need to say hello to or give a smile to. Don't ever doubt that the Lord knows what He is doing. He definitely does! I know that I am supposed to go to Buenos Aires, Argentina! And I am SOOOOO excited to help my brothers and sisters there. But I also know that someone needs me here too!
What a blessing to have Heavenly Father's hand in our lives. If you are confused or need some reassurance, just get down and pray. He is always willing to answer and listen to you. He is our Father, and we are his Children. Like the saying goes: "when life gets too hard to stand... kneel!"
We had some interesting experiences this week for sure. Hermana Crotzer and I were going to visit one of our investigators. We started walking towards her apartment when, in the distance, I saw some Hispanic ladies sitting on the sidewalk. We started to head over to them, and it turned out to be our investigator and her friend. They welcomed us and invited us to sit down. We gabbed for a bit and then the friend asked if she could paint my toenails. HA! What? That's random and ridiculously awesome all at the same time :) Of course you can paint my toes! So, yes, I had the opportunity to get a pretty awesome lil' pedicure and talk about the Restoration of Jesus Christ. Ya, don't have that happen everyday, that's for sure.
That's a silly little example, but it kind of helped me realize something. You can bring up the Gospel to people always, no matter what you are doing. Sometimes it seems a little easier as a missionary because we have the name badge and that is our job 24-7, but anyone can do it. You can bring up the Gospel at church, at school, at the grocery store, in the neighborhood, or even while you are getting your nails painted. ;) The Gospel is for everyone. God will help us know who is ready. If we are willing to open our mouths, He will fill them! D&C 84:85!!!
The work is moving forward here in Maryland Baltimore Mission, as well as all over the world!! How cool is that to think about!?! I have people ask me all the time. "Is your church only here in Maryland? Oh, then only here in the U.S." You should see their faces when I tell them there are missionaries and members all over the world spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. All so different too: young, old, black, white, Asian, Hispanic, tall, short, English speaking, Korean, Finnish, French — the list goes on and on. We are all SO different in everything! But the cool thing is that there is one thing that unites us as one. WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD AND WE ARE ALL THE SAME IN THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST! We are followers and disciples of Him. And we are here to help ourselves, our families and everyone else we meet and share the message we all know to be true.
We have a saying in my family: "We are Newmans, and we can do hard things!" Well I would just like to rearrange it a little and say, "We are Mormons and we can do ALL things!" Or again, in the words of Sis. Dibb, "I am a Mormon. I know it, I live it, I love it!"
Don't forget who you are, who you represent and whose help you have! We are soo blessed to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Keep being awesome and working hard! Have a great week! Give em a little bit of Heaven!
Con Amor,
-Hermana Newman :)
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