A flooded trio teaches Preach My Gospel

TEMPERLEY, Argentina — Hello my lovelies! How is everyone doing this fine Monday? This is the last week of this transfer. I cannot believe it! Yet again, another has whizzed by!

This week has been super interesting because guess what?!?! I have another new companion! Yep, we are in a trio right now. I have never been in a trio yet in my mission so that is very interesting. Her companion got sick, and had to go home, so she is here with me and Hermana Ruiz Diaz in Temperley. 

L-R: Hermanas Newman, Kent y Ruiz Diaz

 

She is brand spanking new.... so I get to train again :) Woooo!!! Her name is Hermana Kent. She is from Utah, but her family lives in Iowa. She is 24 years old and is also a nurse. She went to school at UVU. Her calling here is not as a nurse, just normal missionary, but it’s been interesting to talk with her and hear some of her experiences. 

I love both of my companions. So different but so great. They absolutely love being in a trio. Funny story: hermana Ruiz Diaz doesn’t speak any English. Hermana Kent? Almost no Spanish sooooo I get to be the translator for my companions so they can communicate. bahaha :) gotta love it! 

With transfers coming up and all, we don’t know what will happen, but for sure hermana Ruiz Diaz is going home and as for me and hermana Kent? We will find out next week. 

The Hermanas with an unidentified sister.

This week has been great. I have been learning a lot about how to be a better missionary, friend, companion, daughter, sister — all of the above! I love how much I am blessed with and get to learn out here in the mission field. I honestly don’t think a day goes by that I don’t learn something new. 

We had an investigator come to church on Sunday. Her name is Debora. She is awesome. I KNOW she felt the Spirit this weekend at church and at the baptism of the Elders. It's fun to see her changing. She told me she feels something ¨weird¨and doesn’t know how to describe it: like a pressure in her chest... Boom! Espiritu Santo! :) We are taking it slow because she told us it’s a lot to take in, but I am hoping she will be progressing towards baptism soon! We are working with some others as well that are progressing... slowly but surely :) I LOVE THE GOSPEL!!!

We had quite the exciting night and morning. I just have to tell you this story real quick. We were all getting ready for bed yesterday. Since there are 3, one of us needs to shower in the night and 2 in the morning. So, hermana Kent was showering and me and hermana Ruiz Diaz decided that we would go downstairs to brush our teeth and get ready. We walked out of the bedroom to water all over the floor and running down the stairs. As you can imagine, we were panicked. We ran down to get buckets and towels and hermana Ruiz Diaz started yelling ¨hermana Kent... para para para para!!¨ I about died laughing because hna Kent didn’t understand. So I yell ¨Hermana Kent, stop and shut off the water!¨ Needless to say, we were a little late to bed last night. We are not sure what happened, but we got it all cleaned up so everything is good. 

This morning, hermana Ruiz Diaz went to shower and I was downstairs eating breakfast when I hear "HERMANA NEWMAN!" I booked it up the stairs to find my companion in a tub of water up to her knees and water all over the floor. We had to bucket the water out so it wouldn’t overflow. I think there is something wrong with the plumbing. We tried cleaning it out but are still having problems. I sure hope that we get it figured out today, because I would really love to take a shower tomorrow! ;) I hope you are smiling and laughing as hard as I was because it was too funny!

Maybe next week Hermana Newman will tell us what this means

Last week of the transfer and we are pumped as ever to work hard and invite everyone to hear the precious word of God. Oh how I love being a missionary! This week I have been studying a lot of how to be a missionary. 

We are helping a lady in our ward with Preach My Gospel and how to use it. She is an inspiration to me. She is 80 years old and ready to get to work and use Preach My Gospel to help out with this great work. It got me thinking about how important the work is and that everyone can help out in someway. So... My commitment to you this week is to get out your Preach My Gospel (everyone) and get to work studying it so you can either help the missionaries or help out your friends. 

I am excited to hear your stories next week. I know that if you study and pray diligently that you will have a missionary experience this week and will be able to share what you have learned from PMG. 

Email me and let me know how it goes! I hope you all have wonderful week! Love you to the moon and back! 

-Hermana Newman :)

Jesus Christ, Holidays, and inactives

TEMPERLEY, Argentina — HAPPY MONDAY!! Craziness here, but everything’s all good. 

We had more ¨visitas¨ or guests come from the coast to stay with us, but this time for a whole week. That was interesting. One of the poor sisters is pretty sick and has to go home tomorrow. I have been with her in the house all day today but she said I need to get out to write my family so here I am. :) 

I sure love my family! You are the best! How was your week? How was Easter? I hope so good! 

Holidays here are so different than in the States, but my favorite thing is that no matter what day it is we get to teach people about the gospel of Jesus Christ. How cool is that? 4th of July... Halloween... Christmas... Easter... No importa! I love teaching my brothers and sisters here in South America! What a blessing.

Brittany said something to me that made me laugh and think about me pre-mission and now. I have always loved talking to people, but before my mission, I was pretty shy and made Brit take the lead with everything up at BYU.... Now? I don’t care if I have to chase people down the street to talk to them. ;)  Why? Because the message we have to share is SOOO important we gotta share it with the world! 

(Yes someone ran from us this week. No idea why but it was pretty funny)

Our week was great. We are still have some trouble getting our investigators come to church, but no worries — I have faith that it's gonna happen one of these days! :) 

Yet again, we are trying to work with less-active members. I think that is a huge part of my mission personally is to help the less-actives come back, because no matter where I am, South America or North America, I always find the less-actives and love helping them. All in the Lord's timing of course! My testimony of this has grown 100% in that. Everything truly is in the Lord's timing and we just have to learn how to wait.

We found a new less-active member this week. His name is Daniel. He has about 50 years mas o menos. He has been away from the Church for quite a long time, but the first thing he asked me was, "Do you have family home evenings still?" Why yes we do! His simple questions impacted me a lot. 

I love how everything in the church is so important. Doesn’t matter if its something small like FHE or something huge like baptism — all of it is important and matters to the Lord! :) All of it has a purpose, even if we don’t understand why. HE does! Nobody is perfect, but I sure know I can do a whole lot better when I get home!

We also have a new investigator named Debora. I am teaching her English. I asked her if I could also share a message with her about Jesus Christ, and she said yes. She said yes, but that she wasn’t really interested in religion. We continued to share with her, and right now she has lots of questions and hopefully is coming to church next week. It’s interesting because she wants some of the lessons in English, too. Bah!! I don’t know if I remember how to do that ;) I love how the Lord works. Throwing rocks at doors, playing basketball, teaching English.. what’s next? :) I love to see what the Lord has in store.

Well, I have talked your ears off yet again ;) I will let you get back to your day. I hope you have a wonderful week and find some way to help in the work of salvation! Seriously, it doesn’t matter what you do, but get down on your knees tonight and ask how you can be an instrument in the Lord's hands this week. He needs YOU... every single one. It’s that important :) Have a fabulous week! I love you!

Con Amor,

Hermana Newman

Running — and standing — alone

TEMPERLEY, Argentina — Hola Feliz Lunes para todos! :)

Random, but President asked us to copy and paste this note to our family this week:

Due to the constraints imposed by the government of Argentina for imports, we are having trouble receiving packages from other countries. Because of these constraints, we recommend that the next time missionaries communicate with their families via email, that they ask them to not send any more packages.

If packages are sent, they will probably remain in customs and never reach their destination.

We want to clarify that there is no malice in this, but removing these packages from customs is a costly process for the Church and can be avoided, if appropriate measures are taken.

So... yeah. Please don’t send packages to Argentina!

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This week was great again. Crazy, but great. We had interviews with President Thurgood again, which went well. He is awesome. It’s funny to think he was my Book of Mormon teacher at BYU-Idaho.

This week has turned into Fall for sure. I don’t know what the temperature is, but it’s getting chilly. Everyone keeps telling me it’s the winds from the south. For a moment I was so confused because always its the wind from the north that makes Utah so cold... oh wait... I am in the opposite side of the world ;) ha makes sense! How is the weather there? Do you still have snow or has it turned into spring yet? Okay, enough about the weather.

This week was a little crazy. We were running all over the place. Seriously running. Just imagine two young girls in dresses/skirts running down dirt roads as fast as they can. One of them saying ¨fly fly fly¨ over and over again. (I taught my companion how to say ¨we need to fly. ¨ but she prefers to just say fly!) Ha oh dear. 

Yes we are quite the sight to see. People were staring at us like, ¨Who the heck are these crazy girls?¨ Yep, we are the missionaries who need to get to our next appointment! I don’t know why, but we were running between appointments for two days straight. I can only imagine how funny we looked. And then, to top it off, silly Hermana Newman tripped and fell twice. I couldn’t stop laughing. I love my life! Oh, the things we do as missionaries. Anything to help the work move along, right? :)

We were visiting some of our investigators one night before it was time to go home: Familia Lera. We were getting ready to start the lesson, and the family asked me if I would be willing to offer the prayer. I started praying and felt like someone was standing next to me. (We were giving the lesson outside). As I ended the prayer and opened my eyes, sure enough there was an old woman standing next to me. I, of course, greeted her and asked her name. She replied and asked me who I was. I told her I am Hermana Newman, a missionary from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She replied... ¨ahh... mormona! ¨ Yes, that is one of our nicknames. 

She seemed like the nicest sweet little lady, which I am sure she is. But I soon found out that she is the Pastor of the Church that our investigators are attending. Let the drama begin. 

She looked me in the eyes, and began to tell me that my church is a cult, that what we teach is wrong and that we need to stop confusing people. She told me that I need to invite people unto Christ, not turn them away. Then she told me that I was too young to know much about the gospel. 

It’s interesting to respond to people who are contrary to your church. My poor companion was trembling, and didn’t know what to say. To be honest ,I was sure what to say. But all I knew to do was to bear my testimony to her and tell her what my purpose was. I bore a short and sweet testimony of what I know to be true. I told her that I am young, and I may not know everything, but I do know that we are called of God in this time to help invite everyone to come unto Christ, and that our message is special and for everyone.

Sadly, she didn’t listen. She basically laughed in our faces and told us how silly we were. My poor companion looked like she was about to cry. But all I could do is smile. I am sad for this dear sister. I am sad she does not want to listen, but I am sooo grateful to have to truth in my life. And it’s true, a lot of people won't listen to us and often will TRY to tear down our faith, but if we can stand strong all is well. It’s like the Mormon Message: Dare to Stand Alone. Do people know who we are? If not, they should. We are different. We are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

¨Day after day, on your path toward your eternal destiny, increase your faith. Proclaim your faith! Let your faith show!" (Elder Russell M. Nelson)

I hope you all have a wonderful week! I am excited for this next week to look for those who are waiting for this great message of hope. Thanks for your love and prayers. Go have some fun and smile big... Life is Good!

Con Mucho Amor,

Hermana Newman :)

"There's something special about you"

TEMPERLEY, Argentina — WOW!!! Conference was sooooo good!! :) What did you all think? What conference talks did you all like? What themes did you notice? 

I am excited for the Liahona to come out so I can re read all of the talks!!  How it works here in Argentina is the same as there in Utah. But different timing, obviously and we watch it in the stake center. The sessions here are 1-3 and 5-7 and the priesthood at 9 pm. Crazy, right?

Conference is a special time for everyone and I just love listening to the prophet, apostles and leaders of the church. I love to listen, but even more I love that my investigators can listen. 

We had 2 investigators come for the last session on Sunday, and they loved it! It is a little miracle. The husband is excited and wanting to learn more about the church, but the wife is angry with God and does not want to learn anything more. She told us not to come back to her house. But we had the idea to just stop by one day this week for a friendly visit and invite her to the conference.  Well Sunday, rolled around and she came to the church! I was so stinkin´ happy to see her and her husband. 

The first thing she did was give me a hug and a kiss and said, "I don’t want to be here but I am doing this for you, hermana, because I know there is something special about you."

Nope, nothing special about me. But the Gospel in my life? YEP!!! Absolutely special! :) 

Hermana Newman y Ruiz Diaz caught in the rain.

 She came to the church grumpy and with a frown and left after conference with a grin on her face and invited us back to teach her more. I LOVE THE GOSPEL. Yet another testimony to me of how powerful the Spirit is. It can soften and change people's hearts. I am sooo grateful for that.

I loved all of conference and honestly have a hard time deciding which talks were my favorite because all were good and had different messages. But as a missionary I really enjoyed Elder Ballard's talk and President Monson's. 

Elder Ballard spoke yet again about missionary work and how we ALL need to work together. How true that is! It made me think of when I am home and back in the states that I need to get it together and do missionary work there, too. Before my mission I had a testimony of missionary work and always wanted to serve, but never understood how much we need to work together. Elder Ballard is absolutely right. The missionaries can’t do it with out the members and the members can’t do it without missionaries... the solution? WORKING TOGETHER!

I know it can be hard, but the invitation is for us to pray to have a missionary experience. I invite us all to pray this week to help the work of salvation move forward. The way you help doesn’t matter... whether big or small... what matters is that we are involved. And the most important thing is LOVE. 

Happy to find "United States" Street

Like President Monson said, we need to love our brothers and sisters. We need to love them into the gospel of Jesus Christ! I believe that with all of my heart. 

I am excited to continue my missionary service here in Argentina and of course in Utah when I get back. What a blessing we have to be missionaries forever! :)

This week has been great. Hermana Ruiz Diaz and I are working hard and searching for those who are ready to teach and helping our less-actives feel the Spirit and come back. 

She is awesome. Only 18 years old,  but boy does she have a strong testimony! We definitely have our differences, but I am enjoying learning to work with her. God knows me well and knows that she has something to teach me, so I am excited to learn from her in the next couple of weeks we have together. She wants to serve next year, so this is great preparation for her! 

Learning to make empanadas

What’s new this week? hmm.. Not sure what else. The weather here is crazy and can't decide whether it is summer or fall. We have had some cold rainstorms and then smoldering hot humid days too. Gotta love it :) Keeps me on my toes! 

I hope all is well there in the States for you all! Hope you know how much I love you! Praying for you daily! Thanks for being so awesome and great examples to me! Keep it up! 

-Hermana Newman