Fourth Time's a Charm

 Pizza with the Alvarado family

 BBQ and party with the Zone

Hello  Friends and Family!!!

Well, it was a pretty run of the mill week, so this week's update won’t be nearly as extensive as the previous weeks, but we will go ahead and give the rundown of some of this week's highlights.

So this week we have been working with the Light the World campaign, doing services, Family home Evenings with the members, and just trying to spread some Christmas spirit with everyone that we can. It’s been really awesome, and we can feel that the ward is really excited and is trusting us a lot. It seems like EVERYONE wants to accompany us right now, which is a nice change from some of my other areas. Right now we are planning a big Light the World activity with all of the organizations of the ward. I can see what some of my friends here in the mission were saying that the best part of the mission starts right after hitting a year. I am loving this so much. Although everyday Im still learning, it’s nice to have a handle on the language and the doctrine and to be able to focus 100% on the people. It’s a great time to be a missionary!!!!

So we had an interesting fast Sunday. One of the sisters decided to get up front and tell the story of her conversion. Actually, it was not as much of the story of her conversion as it was the story of how she swallowed a bug before her baptism..... Yeah, a liiiiiiittttle cringy, but made me laugh!!

Well, here are some of the scriptures I liked from my personal study this week!!!

Jacob 4:10
D&C 64:33

I hope you all have a great week, remember to Light the World this week!

Love, Elder Newman

Mom, 11 years without a dog, and now that I’m in the mission we FINALLY have one? Well, darn. Guess I’ll see it here in eight months. Sounds like the girls were really excited to see her! Love you Mom!

Dad, Sounds like an eventful week for you! WOW, Sarah is looking really good in both soccer and basketball!! Hope you get feeling better, and thank you for the advice dad, Love you so much!!

Jackson, wow, crazy week with not a lot of sleep, but sounds like things went well! I did see the celebration, and I’m down to do it when we see each other in the airport for the first time in 3 years! Love you dude, enjoy the snow!!!

Emma, sounds like you had quite the week! I bet you will have a blast at Preference and sounds like you had a really fun time on Saturday and being with your drill team again! Love you sis, have a great week!!

Sarah, don’t worry, I’m not mad about the puppy! Sounds like she will be quite the addition to the family. Well done in your game against Lone Peak, way to get the W, and 2 goals scored as the goalkeeper is pretty impressive!! Well done! Love you Bear!!

Callie, It was a really good week! We do eat barbeques as well. We actually just had one in our zone activity! Sounds like you had a good time at your friend’s house, and in your first activity days! Love you Callie!!


Mom’s Questions:

1. Tell us three interesting things about your new companion. 

Elder Yucra is from Cochabamba, Bolivia. He is 20 years old, his birthday is the 21st of August. He has 5 months in the mission, this is his second area.

2. What is the funniest thing that happened this week? 

Probably the bug story in our Fast and Testimony meeting.

3. What is an interesting Bolivian Christmas tradition that you are looking forward to for your second Christmas season in the mission? What about for your birthday? Any flour plans for this month?

We are probably going to spend Christmas with our pension, which is where we are going to do the video call :). The Familia Alvarado already invited me to come over for my birthday, so we should have a good time for my 20th birthday and second one here in the mission.

4. For Light the World, do you have any suggestions for us on ways we can light the world in another part of the world for this first week? 

Simple acts of service are always some of the best ways we can light the lives of others. Doesn’t have to be something big or super extravagant :)