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

Mighty Change of Heart, equipo de fútbol del siglo, y Mighty Change in Body

HELLO my family and friends! Don't have a lot of time today, but this was a great week and a great setup for this week to come!

Mighty Change of Heart: The Amaro family has progressd very well, and Dario has turned really happy! Big contrast to when we met him. Dario, Joanna & Fernando are currently working on trying to quit smoking (which has gone VERY well!), Fernando is trying to change his work schedule to be able to go to church, and Dario and Joanna are trying to finish up the new house and find money to be able to get married. The kids, Nicole (10) & Damian (8) came to church with us this week and absolutely enjoyed it! Amazing to see the change so far in our new friends, and I am excited to see the progress hereafter!

Equipo de fútbol: We brought Dario and Fernando to football night in the church court Saturday night, and it helped them to get to know some people and break the ice, and also see the sacrament room! We started off a little rough, but afterwards, we won 5 games straight. Elder Souza and our friends were making all sorts of ridiculous goals, and I had a ton of saves, let in very little, and almost scored on a boomer from my end!

Mighty Change in Body: Photo with mate was in Chuy when I had a belly and had lost muscle. But it pays to obey and exercise! (See pictures above)

Callie! That is so exciting that you got your own Book of Mormon! I am extremely excited for you to be able to read the Book of Mormon; I absolutely love it! I learn so much about Jesus, and I feel such a sweet, calm Spirit. In our church today we learned about eternal marriage and why it is so important and wonderful. We also learned about the priesthood. Love you!

Bear! Tell Ms. Connell that I say hi too! 39-4!? Ayayay, THAT is a beatdown for a basketball game. How is your new friend doing? Did she come to activity days? I love you!

Emma, how surprised was I that you made DanceCo? NOT AT ALL. How surprised was I that there is a guy on the team? A tad.. Who is this springing young fellow? Haha Josie pulling in for the save paying for breakfast. Breakfast in the morning when it's dark out is always fun. Now you just gotta do it at 2 AM like I did in high school. Love you!

Christian, tell Jake that I am super proud of him and that he is gonna do awesome in Chile. Dude, same flight, same MTC. WHAT ARE THE ODDS!?  I will take your tip on the Israeli food, just need to make sure they remind me or I remember by the time I get home. Way to be a great support for 

Pops; I would have fared worse with only 13 miles. #DistanceWasNeverMyStrength Congrats on the Eagle, Christian! Way to tackle the beast once and for all! Continuing the Newman tradition! Let me know how Spirit Bowl goes and send me photos, if you can. Love you buddy!

Mom,  that is a very good idea with the Books of Mormon! Crazy to think how fast the time must be flying for y'all back home; here I am with almost 9 months! Time flies when you're busy and happy. Can't wait to see what your new calling is. Love you!

Pap, it wasn't pretty, but you finished the marathon, and that is what counts. Haha next year perhaps you'll be better prepared!  Love you tons, and happy recovery!

Love you all soo much! Here's to a happy, full week and more time next week to share about it all! ¡Ciao, mis queridos!

Con muchísimo amor,

Elder Newman :)

Mom’s Questions:

1. Mother’s Day is coming up in a few weeks. Any word on the guidelines for that? Are the rules the same as Christmas?

No word still. But I think they'll be talking about it soon

2. Packages?? I’m worried that since I sent a box, maybe you won’t get it. That makes me sad. Maybe I should stick to padded envelopes…

Getting it tomorrow! We always get our packages, its just that the Uruguay delay is real, and they also only give out packages in Zone Conferences, intercambios, or conferences in Carrasco (mission home).

3. How is Solange doing? Kevin sent me a pic of you on FB today. And it made me think of how things are going with his girlfriend. How about the Amaro family? And Santiago?

Solange and the son & daughter of Amaro came to church yesterday! Santiago no; we are trying to get his dad or another member to bring him now, because we've been the only ones who have brought him.

4. Christian and I are going to start shopping for his mission soon. What feedback can you give us on the clothing/missionary items we sent you with? What has worked well and what would you recommend us changing?

I honestly can't think of anything I would change! You did a masterful job with me. :)

Agua Tónica, Abe & Joe, Pescando Tiburones, y la Arma Secreta

 Fishing for the first time since being in El Pinar

 We didn't catch anything.

And just when I thought it couldn't get better! ¡Hola, mis queridos! ¡Que semana que fue ésta! (Translation: Hello, my dear ones! What a week this was!)  Miracles have been happening at greater and greater frequency, and I have seen hearts change. What joy! I hope you all had a very tender Easter this Sunday. What gratitude I have for my Savior and everything he's done for me.

Dude. Your leaping picture. Is the best. Elder Souza literally laughed for a full minute upon seeing it. I loved missionary season at PG even when I was a sophomore; the halls were alive with the Spirit of Christ and there was a palpable joy there. When you go to Santa Cruz, you will come to DEEPLY love them, every one. I am also beyond excited for July 25th! See you then, Elder! Love you buddy!

Haha Emma I'm right there with you; I'm much better with real guns than laser guns. But I did make quite the good sniper. I wish you luck in Physics! I remember the crazy stress that always prevailed in AP season. ¡Te quiero mucho!

Hey Bear, no worries; I always had fun playing against the older guys. Haha I still cannot believe that the Grovecrest I knew is gone; so crazy! Here the Uruguayans celebrate Easter, but there are less hunts for hard boiled eggs, and more chocolate eggs and Easter Bunnies for sale. I love you!

Callie, did I ever tell you how much I love Easter? I LOVE EASTER! I feel so happy and loved when I think of what Jesus did just for you, and just for me. He loves me! He love YOU! And He's alive once again! I missed you all in the Easter Egg Hunt but was happy to see you all so happy as well. I love you!

Mom, Elder Manzanares called me as well to let me know he was going to train; he was pretty excited too.  The temple and Easter this week were incredible for me; thinking about the love Jesus has for me is almost overwhelming. Soo soo happy for Gabby right now, and I can't wait to meet my new uncle.

Pap, haha I wish you luck at Salt Lake marathon; this will be tough!  I wish for photos of the solar! Tell Gavin and Adam that Elder Newman sends his love and support from Uruguay! Love the quote.

Arma Secreta: This week, we had quite a few charlas with members, and it sure made a difference! We had Hermano Dominguez, a convert and ex-bishop with a kind heart and a Jehovah's Witness past, accompanied us to Margarita, Valentina, and Aldana. Margarita has loved to listen to us but has not read the BoM or come to church. And this is her 3rd time talking with missionaries. Dominguez did a masterful job in answering questions she had, explaining the benefits of the auxiliary organizations, dropping cane on the JW's (you read that right. it was epic), and inviting her to act on the 3rd sign and visit that God had given her. Margarita seemed to connect a ton better with him than with us; what a help! We also met this wonderful family that recently moved in to our ward and are preparing to get sealed in the temple; Quintana! Capos, and with a pure love of the gospel; they are converts of 2 years, and they helped us SOO much in our most recent charla yesterday with flia. Amaro, clarifying doubts, telling their story, and inviting them to a Family Home Evening tonight at their place!

Abe & Joe: We often do practices with one being the missionary and the other investigator, and in a practice on introducing el Libro de Mormón, I asked Elder Souza to think of an investigator for me, and he said... Abraham Lincoln. Thus, I was Abraham Lincoln learning about the Restored Church and the recently-assassinated Joseph Smith. Truly epic

Agua Tónica: There is a carbonated water here that tastes like Sprite but has a very strong grapefruit aftertaste. Most people hate it, but I actually loved it.

We also went fishing this morning; my first time in a few months! We went on the hunt for sharks... and didn't catch a single fish in 3 hours. Turns out everyone went yesterday and caught just about everything. Etee…But it sure felt good!

Wellup, that's about it!

Con amor,

Elder Newman :)

Mom’s Questions:

1. Did your investigators come to church? How was Easter Sunday?

Santiago did!

2. Are any of your investigators still on track for their baptismal dates? How is Solange? And Damian’s family? Do you have Santiago back on board after his discipline from his mom?

Santiago and Solange need to set a new date, but all of Damian's family are set for the 13th of May! And we are back on track with Santi! Solange has been busy, more than anything, but still appears to have desires to continue forward. Another charla set!

3. Are you using your jump rope? How’s the fitness coming along?

Yes, and I now have almost a month straight of exercises in!

4. Did you get the package one of the members brought back from Utah when she visited a member in Grandma’s ward? How about the package I sent you in the mail?

Nope, and nope

5. What is something that made you feel joy this week?

Seeing the change in the Amaro family. A light is coming into their eyes that wasn't there before, and Dario has a little hint of a smile during the lessons!

Finger Snaps and Beat Boxing Videos

Temple Joys

 First temple trip in Uruguay

 Cool old car

Uruguayan Sunset

Hello dearest friends and family! Another change come and gone, and I will be staying in El Pinar to finish up Elder Souza's training. Man, I honestly believe I am the luckiest trainer ever; I have learned and grown sooo much with him, and we've seen many, many miracles together. We have some lovely people preparing for baptism (although we need to move practically all the dates now) and I am so excited for round 2! I feel very strongly that someone, if not more, will be taking their steps into the waters of baptism in these next 6 weeks!

Well, even though our charlas with Santiago have come to a standstill (see questions below), his 2 references he gave us were absolutely amazing! We clapped at the designated house and Damien (one of the 2) came out and told us that his parents said to come in. (normally kids are sent out to say that their parents are gone or busy). When we arrived at the front door, they were all seated already and invited us to take a seat! The family is Dario (Argentinian dad), Joanna (Uruguayan mom), Fernando (bro of Joanna), Nicole (daughter, 12) and Damien (son, 8). They have been all ears from the beginning and have expressed their trust in us and willingness to help us! We currently have parts of the Plan of Salvation and Restoration in because they had many questions in the first charla, and then we read 1 N 8 (the tree of life) together the 2nd charla. They have lots of promise!

Solange - even though she didn't attend this past week and we have to move the date - has been golden from the start, and Kevin has been the secret weapon for us! He sent her the link to the GC talk by Joaquin Costa, which almost made her cry, and has continued to share powerful, rich testimonies. She is soo close! We can see her conversion in her eyes. :)

Currently, we have been in the process of trying to find some of our investigators with whom we've lost contact, and as always, finding new people to share this joy with.

Temple Joys - Today we got to do a session in the Montevideo, Uruguay Temple for my first time! Such a beautiful temple despite being small; I felt such a sweet, strong Spirit. Lately in the scriptures I have learned much about the temple ordinances of salvation and that added knowledge made this experience all the sweeter. Please, set aside as much time as you can to attend and do vicarious work in the temple; once a week at the very minimum. It is such a sacred privilege to participate in the work of salvation, feel the Spirit of the Lord, and escape the dangers and evils of the world.

Christian, glad you had such an incredible time in Israel! When we ponder on the Savior's Atonement, it's always incredible, but MAN; when you consider it in the very place that He suffered infinitely, you can't even fathom the love He has for us. This will be of great value and strength to your testimony as you share the Savior's love with the people of Bolivia. You'll remember that trip forever. Can't wait to be reading your experiences in the field! BTW: when you get to the MTC, look for Hermanos Tapia and Hernandez. They were my ¡CAPO! teachers. Love you buddy!

Emma, hmm, scared easily.... that's what you get for watching Supernatural. Haha glad to see you girls had such a fun time for Spring Break. The weather's been that way for me in Uruguay; couple days of cool and rainy, and then blazing hot again. So I feel you in a completely opposite way. ¡Te quiero!

Sarah! I know how you feel about breaking the window; ask Christian about the two doors I broke! I think the talk you mentioned might have been by Gary E. Stevensen. Haha I cannot bowl to save my life. Tell Mrs. Allen Jackson says hi!

Callie! I am so jealous; French Toast and orange juice are THE BEST! Make sure you thank Grandma!  Man, that is a lot of birds! And I am surprised that Rafiki is still alive! I love you and miss you!

Mom, Israel looked absolutely amazing; I would love to go too! Glad to see y'all had such a great time. Tell Isaiah, word for word, "ISAIAH! That's my boy! Now don't be too tempted to go tackling kangaroos while on your mission in Australia!” Oh btw here's a bombshell for you: I want you to teach me piano again when I get home. I've repented.

Pap, it truly is amazing to walk the steps He walked and read about His life, and contemplate the wonder, agony, and joy of everything that happened to Him (and everyone before, of course). And then to imagine everything He went through there, and know that He has conquered it all and lives today just for us, there's absolutely no way to describe it. And we better talk up some mad Spanish when we're all home! Preserve it for generations!

Mom’s Questions :

1. How did transfers go? Do you get to stay and continue training Elder Souza? 

Yup! :)

2. What's the weather like? Is it starting to turn colder? 

Yes indeed, we've had a few rainy, chilly days this week.

3. Is Santiago still on track for his baptism this week? That would make for a very happy Easter. 

Nope; he has been temporarily suspended from charlas and attending church because he's been disobedient to his parents. Currently trying to start the charlas back up!

4. Did your Easter package arrive yet? 

Not yet, but fingers crossed!

P.S. Oh, I forgot! Everyone: if you have not seen the #PrinceOfPeace Easter videos on Mormon.org, PLEASE. DO IT. THEY ARE AMAZING. And then afterwards, share it with everyone; flood the Earth with the peace that only comes from the Prince thereof (John 14:27). Share it with your dearest friends; share it with the ones who need this peace the most. And then do whatever you do best to flood this war-filled Earth with His peace. May you all have an incredible Easter and feel His love and peace in your lives.

Con Amor,

Elder Newman J

Santiago, el capito; 5 vs. 5; y ¡profetas, videntes y reveladores vivientes!

 Pictures from our pday zone activity

¡Hola mis queridos! ¿¡Como os fue la Conferenica!? Fa, ¡yo amo la Conferencia más que yo pueda decir! Revelación un full, y amor más profundizado para el Evangelio eterno. :) Yo he incluido mis apuntaciones para vosotros; ¡disfrutad! (Translation: Hello my dear ones! How was the conference? Fa, I love the Conference more than I can say! Revelation a full, and deeper love for the eternal Gospel. :) I have included my notes for you; enjoy!)

Santiago, el Capito - Our little friend Santiago now has a baptismal date! 15/4/17! He told us that he knew the Book of Mormon was real and everything that happened in it and accepted the invitation without a hitch. Not only that, but he has been quite the little missionary for us! A while back, he introduced two new friends to the BoM, and he's given us 2 references in addition! That's what I call conversion! :)

5 vs. 5 - Not only have I learned the finger whip thing like you saw last week, but now I have mastered it. See vid.

Scriptural challenge! I invite you all to deeply study 2 Nephi 27:6-29 and see if you can find out anything interesting! I received some pretty mind-blowing revelation about the Book of Mormon this week reading these verses, and I want to see if anyone else can learn what I learned, or even something new! Let me know how it went next week!

Also, y'all need to listen to Forever by Nathan Pacheco this Easter season. I heard it a short bit ago from one of my zone leaders and man. The Spirit I felt was soo strong, and the song was absolutely gorgeous.

I love you all sooo much! Hopefully General Conference was all you wished it to be; now go and act upon the answers you have received, and you will see an even greater power be unlocked concerning Conference and revelation! The Book is Blue, the Church is True, and God loves every single one of you! ¡Así como yo os amo! (Translation: Just as I love you!)

Con amor,
Elder Newman :)