There´s a First for Everything; Familia Eternas; e A Vacina Mais Rápida do Mundo

District Pic

 Temple trip with Elder Souza, Kevin, and Solange

 "Genealogy, I am Doing It"

 Last Pday in El Pinar with Elder Souza, Kevin, and Solange

 Getting ready to leave El Pinar

Hello everybody! As you all know, this week is changes, and I have learned that I am leaving El Pinar. I am sad to be leaving the area where I experienced so many miracles, but I am ready to go where the Lord needs me. I will be serving in Toledo A in Maroñas (really close to Montevideo) and will be serving as district leader! Excited for the opportunity to serve and love the members of my new district and my new comp, who will be Elder Mereneles (or something like that) from Paraguay! Elder Souza is staying in El Pinar and receiving Elder Wheat (I think) as his new companion. El Pinar is in good hands!

Bahahahahaha! Dude, that rip in your pants is epic! Dude, it is so weird to see Nancy running slick, know that Powell is coming, and not be there. But I trust y'all will have fun the same. Dude, the temple is coming quickly! Let me tell you, the endowment experience is incredible and unforgettable; the Spirit is so strong and your mind is truly opened. Don't have any fear or nervousness, just focus on the Spirit you feel and the covenants you make, and it will be the experience of a lifetime. And the Melchizidek Priesthood will be so amazing for you, especially in the mission. Best of luck with Graduation! Live it up, my brother! Love you Christian!

Emma! You jumped on the wakeboard! Man, how I miss boating... Haha no worries, we all have bad test days at school. Makes me think of Calculus... Hey! Tell Sami Jo hi for me! Espero que las cosas te vayan bien. ¡Te quiero muchísimo, mi querida hermana! (I hope things go well for you. I love you very much, my dear sister!)

Bear! May 15th is probably the latest I have heard of snow in Utah, so I don't blame you for being angry. Nice work in soccer! I have been so impressed with the way you've played and the opportunities you've received. Way to go! Haha you need to send me tons of photos of Lake Powell and Clear Creek. Love you Bear!

Way to go on the big kid rides! Have fun with Lake Powell and Lagoon! Always choose the right! I love you Callie!

We had found a youth way back named Fernando who had a little contact with the Church and we taught the Restoration. Afterwards, he disappeared for 3 months, and we found him this week. He was not a very firm believer in God 3 months back, but when we found him this week, he told us that he prays every night to God! And he has accepted the invitations to read the BoM and pray, and to be baptized the 15/6/17!

We went with Kevin and Solange to the temple this week to show her what the House of the Lord is like, and it was perfect! She was absolutely amazed by the peaceful Spirit there and was enchanted by the white temple dresses in the distribution center. Solange has been rock-solid since her baptism; she has faced her challenges with faith and courage and also has been helping out in activities. So wonderful to see the happiness in her life that Christ has given her!

There's a First for Everything: Well, I've always had a slight fear of dogs, but until this past week, I had never been bitten. We went to a lunch in Pinar Sur (South), very far away, and as we entered in the gate, her dog jumped up and went for my arm! He only got sweater, and after a second I finally realized that there was a dog biting my sweater. I yelped, shook him off, and then the peachy went straight for my ankle! The poor sister was so embarrassed.

Familias Etarnas: We recently had a multi-zone conference with Elder Packer of the Area Presidency, and a big theme of the conference was thinking differently and using different tools to find investigators, one of which was... family history. When we talk about our families, we naturally feel the fruits of the Spirit, "love, joy, peace," etc. And when an investigator feels the desire to provide his ancestor the ordinances of salvation, he naturally feels and thinks, "Well, if this is important for them, even more so for me." Putting it to the test this week!

A Vacina Mais Rápida do Mundo: (excuse my Portuguese) After the conference, we received vaccines for the flu (I think), and as you all know, needles and I do NOT get along well. I naturally stepped in expecting the worst. The nurse came up and started rubbing my arm with a cotton swab to prepare and said, "Uno, dos, tres, puede salir." (One, two, three, you can get out.) I then realized that she had given the shot very discreetly in between rubs and that I had not felt a thing. Now THAT's professional.

Love you all; always choose the right and look to Christ, and you will feel the most pure joy possible in life, no matter the trials. ¡Vamo arriba! ¡Os quiero muchísimo! (Let's go upward! I love you very much!)

Con amor,

Elder Newman :)

Mom’s Questions:

1. How did the transfer go? Are you staying with Elder Souza? 

Nope; I am heading to Toledo A in Maroñas.

2. Did you get your package from Claudia? Were you able to give Solange her envelope from us? Do the shoes fit ok? 

I did receive it, and Claudia couldn't stop raving about how beautiful our family is or how young you look; she thought you were my sister! I am giving the envelope to Solange today. And the shoes fit amazing; thanks Mom!

3. Any updates on your investigators?

 Darío and Joanna have reduced to only 1 cigarette a day and are about to kick smoking for good! :D They were recently introduced to FamilySearch and are so excited to continue! We found the Fernando that we taught in the park, 3 months later! He has gone from almost athiest to praying to God every night, and has a baptismal date set for 15/6/17!

Healing Water, Pozo Negro round 2, and Happy Mother's Day

 Solange's baptism

 Visit with a Uruguayan family

 Zone activity

 Mother's Day call via Google Hangouts

Hello my beloved people! What an incredible week it was for us: Solange was able to enter the waters of baptism and make the first covenant. She was then confirmed and received the Holy Ghost, which will be of vital importance to her now, because her family has not supported her even one bit. But she is more ready than anyone I've seen to take on such challenges; ever since her Alma 18 experience, she has been tranquila (at peace) and unshakeable. The Lord truly walks hand-in-hand with those that serve Him, as well as those who are coming to Him like she did; there was always such a strong Spirit in our charlas with her. Now we just need to help more people get there!

Hey dude, your senior pics turned out really spectacular! Elder Souza looked at them and called you a capo (boss). The graduation is coming! Holy cow, it already marks almost a year since I did so! Haha I dug your Grad Announcements: #3timechamp Love you buddy, and see you in the field in 2 months!

Hey Em! The cold has definitely taken a toll on me (humidity is the killer) but I have adjusted much better than poor Elder Souza. He's in for an interesting first true winter of his life.  I will admit, the slope of the mountain to the G is brutal, but at least you did it! True pride looking out from the G into the beautiful city of Pleasant Grove. You will do great as a historian for drill team! I always receive opportunities to talk about your amazing photography skills when people comment on my own skills. Haha I basically learn everything I know from my little sisters. ¡Te quiero, mi hermana! (I love you, my sister!)

Nice work in the basketball championship, Bear! 15 out of the team's 34 points is no small contribution. Haha official goalkeeper jersey, nice! Small tip, however, that helped me in sports: when you focus more in the game than on your uniform, you play better and more relaxed. Not that you have any problem with that, just dwelling on my experiences. Love you Bear!

Callie! Congratulations on graduating! To answer your question, I don’t have a puppy. Sadly we are not allowed to have pets. But I do love sausages, donuts, AND chicken enchiladas! And today was my 2nd time cooking asado! Meat here is expensive, so we don't get to do it often. And spaghetti and meatballs are SOO YUMMY! Yes, there is a playground close by our house, but I have never used it because I'm kinda old now.  In El Pinar, there are LOTS of forests and pine trees; that's where El Pinar got its name. My companion is 19, and 7 months younger than I. Love you!

Thanks for the photos from the Mother’s Day call, Mom; such precious memories with American family and Brazilian brother through the amazing means of technology. I’m excited for the package you sent with Claudia. Thank you! Kevin is an elder, so he and we Elders did the confirmation of Solange with him as voice. He truly has a power with words that he doesn't know yet; incredible brother. Crazy how the year has flown! Love you Mom, I hope you had a divine Mother's Day!

Lemme tell you Pap, I surely have been blessed with my Spanish progress. It has come through prayer, the gift of tongues, and practice. Your Spanish wasn't half-bad either! It was a little funny to listen to "yo (iou)" in place of the Uruguayan "yo (sho)", but you were able to communicate well with Elder Souza; he was really impressed! Love you tons!

“Healing Water”: This is an EFY song by Feli Ika that y'all need to listen to; it is so calm, beautiful, and talks about baptism, the Holy Ghost, and the sacrament. And in light of Solange's baptism, fits. Google it!

Pozo Negro: Well, the septic tank overflowed again this Saturday night, and since we couldn't pay Sunday to get it emptied, we had to use the capilla's bathroom until this morning. I thought I'd seen the last of that!

Happy Mother's Day: Such a great day being able to talk with my family yesterday. As Jeffrey R. Holland has said, the only earthly love that comes close to the Savior´s love is that of a mother, and I testify strongly of that. To every mother, grandmother, or woman who has helped a precious child of God to grow, I say thank you. You are more powerful and impactful than you will ever realize, and please know that I and others around the world salute and thank your countless sacrifices for our generation and all generations. Thank you all.

I love you all dearly, and I know that the Lord is with us wherever we are. He can never leave us; it is only us that reject Him,  and may we never do this, so that we may joy in His love and power. ¡Os quiero muchísimo! ¡Vamo arriba! (I love you very much! Let's go upward!)

Con amor,

Elder Newman :)

Tie Probs, The Restored and Continuing Word of God, and The Final Countdown!

 Lunch!

 Elder Newman's Favorite Drink

FHE

¡Opa, mi querida gente! ¡Fue una semana increíble, y esta semana, ¡viene mi primer bautismo de mi misión! Honestamente, no puedo expresar ni mi ánimo para Jueves ni mi gratitud a mi Padre Celestial y a mi Hermano Mayor Jesucristo por todo que han hecho para mí y mi compañero. ¡Vamo arriba! (Translation: Opa, my dear people! It was an incredible week, and this week, my first baptism comes from my mission! Honestly, I can not express my encouragement for Thursday or my gratitude to my Heavenly Father and to my Big Brother Jesus Christ for everything they have done for me and my companion. Let's go upward!)

Callie, I don't like corn dogs, or hot dogs anymore, but I LOVE bacon! And I don’t know, peanut butter just never tasted good to me. And I LOVE puppies, gatitos (little cats), and little animals in general! I'm rather soft and easy to please on the inside. My house is little and a bit old, but very comfortable! And yes, we have a pariyero (par-ee-sheh-ro), which is a little brick house where you make asados (Uruguayan barbeque). Love you Callie!

Game-winner! Nice, way to go! I will tell E' Souza about your soccer game, don't worry. And he is VERY strong! He weighs 100 kg (220 lbs.) of almost-all muscle, and he did martial arts in-between high school and the mish (he finished high school at age 16, WAYY early). Love you Bear! See you Sunday!

¡Hola Emma! ¡Las cosas andan muy bien aca en El Pinar! (Translation: Things are going great here in El Pinar!) And HEY! You got your aerial! I remember watching you attack it and attack it and get frustrated because it was so darn difficult. But in the gospel or in sports, never giving up is CRITICAL. And now you can do an aerial, and now I have finally gotten to the week of a baptism without an investigator falling through at the last minute. Diego looks like a genuinely good kid; glad you scored big with your Prom date. Haha, allergies and sicknesses are no fun; I had to give Elder Souza a blessing yesterday. He's from a place where the coldest it gets is 20°C (around 75°F) and the cold was KILLING him, and his teeth were hurting. Today he's much better. I will tell him thank you for the letter. Love you Em!

Bro, anytime; glad you enjoyed all the Spanish stuff I sent you, especially the ring.  And let me tell you, that sweet Spirit is so strong in the field; I'm stoked you were able to feel it in Seminary. I thought I recognized Ethan in the photos from Prom and was about to ask how that happened! Make sure to tell Ethan that Elder Newman says #DINGERS! (and hi). And just like that, your last Prom! Who ended up taking Prom King and Queen? (My bet is Ethan Conlee and Brielle Fowler). Glad y'all enjoyed the Paso and the alfajors; I truly was addicted to those darn things for so long. Actually, I'm still addicted to Paso... You'll see in the photos... Anyway! Love you Christian, and we'll talk more this Sunday!

Mom, Sunday at 5:10 your time, and let's stick to Google Hangouts. It worked perfectly last time and if it ain't broke, no need to fix it. And the grandparents may come again, yes please! BTW, I finally learned how much better it is to wash dishes in the moment rather than wait until a huge pile stacks up. (I actually learned it early on in the mish, but just remembered now). Use this as ammunition. But it really is SO much easier. I'm glad you enjoyed the visit from Claudia Acosta and all the treats; putting a little Uruguay in the home. Love you tons, and see you Sunday!

Pap, it is so weird to know that y'all will be down at Powell w/o me; my first year not going! But oh well, I'm sure you all will have a blast anyways. Haha, you sure do need to practice your Spanish so that the Newman boys can sling down some mad Spanish in the future years.  Love you so much, and I just might put your Spanish to the test this Sunday; study up!

Final Countdown: Solange is going to be baptized this Thursday at 6:30 PM here (3:30 PM back in the Grove) and she has been absolutely gold since she received her answer! Not only is she completely ready to follow the commandments, she understands the why of each one and is excited to keep them and start a new life; her smile and the light in her eyes are monumentally different from when we started charlas with her. Today we have our final lesson, Wednesday the baptismal interview, and on Sunday she will be confirmed a member of la Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Últimos Días y ¡recibirá el Espíritu Santo! Crazy to see how an answer concerning and testimony of the Book of Mormon changes everything in your life.

Tie Probs: We were heading to a menos activo and were about to cross the Ruta Interbalanería when a friendly young man in his 20's came up to us and asked us a very interesting favor: teach him how to tie a tie for his upcoming wedding! It made me think back to the time when I could not tie a tie to save my life; Mom, Dad, and even Christian would do it for me. But as Phil Collins once said, "In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn."

The Restored and Continuing Word of God: We were in a visit with a wise old member this week, and we had an amazing conversation about the Word of God. I feel so blessed to not have to trust in just a Bible that has been subjected to the hands and changes of man, but to have the Bible correctly translated by Joseph Smith by the power of God, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, AND the words of modern-day and living prophets. I testify that the windows of heaven are open, that God speaks lovingly to his children today, and that His written and spoken word has not ceased and will never cease. Please, set aside fixed time to enjoy the Word of God in your life; perhaps you'll find yourself like me, when the time passes by WAY too quickly reading the scriptures. And it is possible to get to that point, for I was not always like that.

I love you all soo much y ¡espero que tengan un feliz día de las madres este domingo! ¡Os quiero muchísimo a todos! ¡Vamo arriba! (Translation: And I hope you have a Happy Mother’s Day this Sunday! I love you all very much! Let's go upward!)

Con amor,
Elder Newman :)

Mom’s Questions:
1. How is Solange doing? Amaros family?

Solange is going to be baptized this Thursday! I'll make sure to tell you all about it in the Google Hangouts call this Sunday. :) :) And the Amaro's are progressing very well, making more member friends. Nicol and Damian came to church again! And Darío said that in 2 weeks, he´ll have all his teeth replaced and be ready to attend.

2. Do you have any nuevos? 

We found an 80+ year old señora named Rosa who lost her husband years ago, along with her (I think boyfriend) Ricardo, who is a long-time inactive. Also, Santiago got us another reference, his 13 year old friend named Manuel, who now has a BoM! Santi's father still didn't bring them to church, so we're trying to find something that will help them out.

3. Would you like me to also send you some long, cold weather garments for the winter in 
Uruguay? I’m sure it’s starting to cool off a bit now. Is it also rainy? 

That would be nice! I actually already bought 2 long bottoms for winter, but don't have any long tops.

4. How is the walking going? The sister visiting Utah said that El Pinar is a pretty large area and 
that the buses are pretty expensive so you two just walk everywhere. 

Her name is Claudia, and the walking is alright. Haha poor Elder Souza was SUFFERING in the first couple weeks, but he got used to it.

5. How many pushups are you up to? Do you ever challenge Elder Souza to a pushup competition? 

Up to 105! And I have not thus far...

Sr. Diablo, cállese; Venganza de los Mosquitos, and Tackling the Amazonian

 Tackling Beatris' lawn, took two days of service to tame the "Amazonian"

Wow. Just wow! This week had been absolutely incredible. My dearest friends and family, so good to be able to talk with you! We truly saw the hand of the Lord in our labors this week; absolutely incredible! Truly amazing to see such profound changes in the lives of our brothers and sisters here in the land of asado, dulce de leche, and mate.

Callie ¡¡¡1st Grade!!! How exciting! You need to send me pictures of your kindergarten graduation! Yesterday in church, I learned about the priesthood and how it is organized, and also about the blessings of attending the temple, being self-reliant, and finding delight in the Sabbath Day. On Mother's Day, the gift I am going to give Mom is... a Skype call! That's right, you are going to get to see my face again! My favorite holidays are Christmas and Easter, because I get to celebrate what Jesus did for me, and do it with family. Thanks for praying for me; I also pray for you and the family every night. I love you, Callie! I miss you!

Bear! Nice win against the top dogs! Recently, I've done very well at goalie in futsal here and whenever the Uruguayos compliment my game, I always say, "Aprendí de mi hermana menor." (Translation: “I learned from my younger sister.”) Good luck in basketball! Never let up or ease off; play your aggressive game and you will dominate. Well, you were able to plant the seed in your friend, and that will affect her for the good from now on, even though she has moved.  Love you!

Emma! ¡Feliz Prom; ¡estoy muy animado para ti! ¡Buena suerte con AP Física! ¡Estaré orando para ti! (Translation: Happy Prom; I'm very excited for you! Good luck with AP Physics! I will be praying for you!) Haha, so glad that you had a ball with Spirit Bowl! And you better win in 2 years, we need to keep the Newman tradition strong! Service is truly sweet; I love reaching down from my own struggles to lift up someone even more burdened than me. I felt a strong spirit of love serving Beatrís this week and am so happy that you had the opportunity to serve too. ¡Te quiero muchísimo! (Translation: I love you so much!)

Bro, nice work. Spirit Bowl champ! What was the theme this year? Haha, nice eyebrow; you got even more stitches than I did! Just make sure to not bust open your chin too, because you can't exactly hide that one...  Ughh, you're bringing back so many of my fond senior memories. Live it up man, it's all coming to an end. Only getting faster and faster; I know how that is. Love you Christian!

Mom, they have released details for Mother's Day; we can use the computer in the chapel or a member's computer. I was thinking of calling y'all around 8:10 my time (5:10 your time). Let me know how that works out for you. I absolutely love the Sabbath Day; it has truly become a delight to me, and sends me into the new week refreshed. Love you Mom!

1 mile shot! Holy cow, I'm gonna have some catching up to do! Such a sweet prayer by Callie. All is well and looking upward! Love you Pap.

Solange has received her answer! She was studying the Book of Mormon on her own and came across Alma 18. Later she opened up her BoM again to... Alma 18. The next morning she went to the scripture we had marked and left for her (which was not Alma 18), but somehow the bookmark had shifted to - you guessed it - Alma 18. Thus, she decided to read it thoroughly. Upon reading it, she felt the Spirit and began to cry, and then called Kevin and related her experience, and Kevin read the same passage and also began to cry. All this was told by Kevin, and then Solange told us, "Me quiero bautizar." (Translation: "I want to be baptized.")The Spirit that filled that room took my breath away, so much that after setting a date and attempting to testify, the joy I felt choked out any more words, and Elder Souza had to speak up. Since that point, she has participated MUCH more in the lessons and came again to church and understood and absorbed everything.

The Amaro family has had some struggles, but are looking forward with faith and hope. Dario and Fernando gave in to smoking again because 1) Dario is getting his teeth removed and replaced, and the cigarette calms the pain for him, and 2) Fernando lost his job in a very unjust way, and smoked to calm his frustration. They were probably expecting a cane drop from us and were a little bashful, but upon us showing our love and support for them, something miraculous happened. Dario said, “I will make the changes I need to. This is different than the baptism and church that I had in my mind, and I will get baptized in this church with my family. It might take time, but I’ll do it.” This coming from the man that was offended when I asked him to quit smoking and challenged us in our first lesson!

Sr. Diablo, cállese - Recently I read an interesting article in the Ensign/Liahona about the war against Satan and ways we can counterattack his tactics. One way that we can use is simply tell him in the name of Jesus Christ to go away, and quote commandments and scriptures. We have that right, and not only does it make the devil tremble and flee, it invites the Spirit. Matthew 4:10-11; Moses 1:12-22; and James 4:7. Heber J. Grant, when he was young and recognized the whispered temptations of Satan, simply said, "Mr. Devil, be quiet."

Venganza de los Mosquitos - Normally the mosquitos come in heat, but this cold week, they came out of nowhere, de la nada. They are literally everywhere, and are absolutely relentless; only killing them will stop them.

Tackling the Amazonain - We saw the large grass of Beatris and put in action a plan to serve her. No small task: 2 days of cutting and sweeping. But the end result: pleasure to serve, and a happy Beatris.

Con amor, Elder Newman :)

Mom’s Questions:
1. Which package did you get? The one from Grandma (also had sunscreen and jelly beans from me) or the one I mailed?

The one I mailed when I track it still shows as being in Uruguay customs so…not sure if you’re going to get that. I didn't see sunscreen, but I did see jelly beans, so I'm not entirely sure...

2. What is the most unusual thing you have eaten so far? I ask this because Elder Dibb in Bolivia sent home a picture of him holding a headless, three foot crocodile which they ate for dinner. Crazy!

The most unusual thing I remember was cow intestine. And even that was pretty darn good.

3. How are your investigators doing? Are they still on target for their baptism dates? How is Solange? I saw a picture on FB with her and Kevin both wearing CTR rings.

Solange is doing absolutely fantastic; 100% committed. Amaros all fell through for their baptismal dates but are progressing really well.

4. What are some of the fun zone activities you have done on pdays lately?

Fútbol, basketball, volleyball, Signs group game, other group games. Very fun.

5. How many missionaries are in your district? And in your zone?

6 in district, 18 in zone