July 30, 2015

5th week complete!

¡Hola todos!

Este semana fue un poco interesante.  Hay muchas cosas diferentes ha pasado.  Primero, fue una virus de gripe en el CCM y muchos misioneros llegó a ser enfermas, incluyendo mi compañero.

Whoops   sorry   Lo siento

Hello everyone!  

so this week was a little interesting.  a few different things happened.  First, there was an epidemic of the flu going around.  Im glad though that i didnt get sick, but unfortunately my companion did.  so monday we stayed in our apartment so he could sleep while i studied and read.  he slept for 33 hours with 3  1 hour breaks for the meals all throughout monday.  Crazy

This week´s devotional was really awesome because we had a visit from Brother Mills, who apparently is the head of all the 14 MTC´s in the world (Provo is not included in this number)  He talked about how missionaries always cant ever tell if they have changed because we are always so focused on others.  but others can always see the difference for them i guess.  when we cant remember the last time we thought about ourselves, that is when we know we are doing the lords work with all our hearts.  and if we want to recognize in ourselves the change we need to try to see that change in others first and help guide them to find that light.  then that change and light will happen to us without us knowing it.

Another thing is that every Sunday and Tuesday we have choir practice which is also really fun.  music is the language of heaven.  the spirit is always present when we sing the music of our Heavenly Father.  With the power of the voices of these young elders and hermanas, it is a marvelous spectacle of faith and love for the Lord and His church. 

Also we have every Wednesday something called TRC which is where we teach members of the church and also real investigators.  this is a great and needful time where we need to rely on the spirit for the things Jesus Christ would have us teach.  there is no greater feeling then to see the spirit work through their hearts as they are feeling the confirmation of the truth being made manifest unto them.  There is a girl and her mom we have been teaching, Jacquelin and Nancy.  they read the Book of Mormon and prayed and they made the decision to be baptized two days after we invited them and first taught them.  this is evidence that we can all receive the answers to our prayers just by asking in faith.

The time to enter the field is almost here.  We have 11 days left here in Mexico!  In contrast to the MTC life, it will be simply teaching, teaching, learning, more teaching and loving the people all day everyday, the children of our Heavenly Father and nothing could be more worthy to be super excited for (at this moment of course).  I still remain ever eager to just move forward and to do the things the Lord will have me do   

"I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it.  I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance, and this is my joy." Alma 29:9, BoM

We always need to pray with sincerity and real intent to know if the gospel is true or not, and it only is either all true or not.  But I testify to all of you that it is and the book of Mormon is the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  And this is the fulness of times preparatory to the second coming of the Savior.  We will see Him, with our families for eternity.  

This is great, being here, on an errand of eternal significance.  I´m thankful to have you all be in my life and I love you all.  Until next week!  

Elder Newman II

A note from Brandon 's MTC teacher.

Hello!! My name is Sister Hilsie Alonso, and let me tell you that i have the pleasure and blessing to have your son as my student here at the MTC....i´m Elder Newman´s teacher. I hope Elder Newman had told you about me. I just want to tell you that your son is an amazing boy. He is so diligent and reverent. He is working so hard and his spanish is improving so fast!! And when he teach, He teachs with power!. 

I´m so greatful for the opportunnity that i have to serve him and his companions. All of the missionaries of the district are perfect!! I REALLY LOVE THEM SO MUCH!. He wrote me a letter a few weeks ago, and he told me about you. Thank you for prepare your son for this incredible work. I know that he is such a good person because of you. Thank you so  much, because you teach him The Gospel of Jesus Christ and he demosntrates what he have learned at home. 

I DON'T KNOW YOU BUT I LOVE YOU BECAUSE I KNOW YOUR SON AND I LOVE HIM SO

MUCH. THANKS FOR BEEN AN EXCELENTS PARENTS FORM HIM. 

 

HAVE A WONDERFULL WEEK.

 

WITH SINCERE LOVE 

SISTER ALONSO. 

PS. SORRY FOR MY ENGLISH.... I SENT YOU THIS 3 PHOTOS. WAS FROM THE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY HAVE 2 WENEDESDAY AGO TEACHING MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH. AND 2 MORE FROM ME :) 

Lic. Hilsie Yesiah Sierra Cerecedo

Cel. 5513599431

"Ciertamente mi causa está ante el Señor, y mi obra con mi Dios."

July 23, 2015

Halfway over with the CCM!

 

Hello everyone!  This week's email is really short.  Im sorry, but I will say simply that this week was a trying one. My companion has been very supportive and helpful and loving in helping me become better.  We can do all things that we are commanded to do in this great work with the help of our fellow brothers and sisters and we can always do all things with the help of the Savior.   I know that when we excersise our faith and call upon heaven to our Father there, He always hears and will always answer.  I know this is the truth as a missionary for the Lord, we will always have Him to be on our left and right and in front of us in all the challenges we will learn from in this life.  Im so thankful for everyone´s support and I love you all and miss everyone but I will press forward and I just pray for the spirit to touch the hearts of those that we will teach.  The gospel is true.    Pray always and for all things.  I love you all.  

Elder Newman   (Elder Hombre Nuevo)

Happy Birthday Brandon.

Officially 26 years old today.  Love you son! 

July 16, 2015

Week 3 !!

Hola from México!

Wow, on our third week already, after this Sunday we are halfway over.  Now the time has been flying for sure.  Im sorry there were no pictures las time I forgot to bring my cord but now there will be pictures.  Thank goodness for my compnion.  Anyway life here has been great and awesome.  We have taught one investigator already and now teaching two-one in the morning and at night.  We also get to teach members once a week too, similar to home teaching visits.  One family was a mom and her two little kids.  They were so cute and funny.  My spanish has never been more fluent and my confidence to do so has been at its highest.  The blessings of the gospel are real and only with help from Heavenly father can we be His servants ready to go forth to find His children to teach and help them come unto our Savior.  I am so happy and thankful to have my agency, to have chosen to serve a mission for the Lord.  This work and learning and studying is not easy, nor is it suppose to be. But it is for our purpose here on earth.  We are here to learn and progress in our Father´s plan of salvation.  I know where I came from and why I am here.  I know where I will go.   The plan of salvation is true, and there is happiness always found in the gospel.  

I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon, that it is the word of God and it was written and preserved for our instruction and guidance in these last days.  The spirit of the Lord and his power are contained in its sacred pages.  If you have not ready it, please please do so.  There is no other book that with more truth and I promise and testify that anyone can and will get closer to God and Jesus Christ than by any other book.  If you have read, do it again.  There is always something to be discovered and pondered about each time we read.  A fountain of knowledge is worth more than any physical thing on this earth.  I miss everyone at home. But I love being here and love to learn the work of the Lord.   

I hope everyone at home is doing well and please, email me if you wish.  I would love to email and hear from you.  Until next week, I say goodbye to you all!!

Elder Newman

 (the second)   haha   

July 9, 2015

First week complete!!

 

Hello everyone!

       Well, my first week here is complete now.  I feel it has been more than that though.  Everything has been great!! The schedule was very demanding the first 2 days.  The entire day is filled with the things to be done and the class to study and learn the Spanish and the gospel in Spanish also!   The MTC is everything people always says it is.  Full schedule every single day, lots of food to eat during the mealtimes, lots of to studying reading, and praying every day but I wouldnt want to be doing anything else.    93 acres of land dedicated to training the servants of the Lord to go out and to preach His gospel when that time comes for us all.  I actually forget every once in a while that I'm in Mexico because its always very well kept beautiful and I'm still around other Americans. Haha.  But the CCM, Centro de Capacitación de Misional, which is what it it called down here, is really awesome and already feel my testimony growing moreso because of the spirit that is here and how all currently 500 missionaries are all united in one purpose, and one purpose only, besides to learn spanish, and that is to testify everywhere and everytime that we know Jesus is the Christ and our Savior, and that this is His Gospel and it shall and will be brought to all the corners of the earth, to everyone in their own nation and tongue. 

I know that this is the truth, and families can be together forever and that we are all children from God, and he is our loving Heavenly Father.  I know the book of Mormon is true and that it is for us to read, learn from, apply to our lives, and to bring to others in these days.  It was written and meant for us and we must read from its sacred pages every day.  I know that Jesus Christ lives today.  After any of my family or myself or anyone leaves this earth, I know I will see them again.  This is the truth.  

Until next week, I miss you all but will be home soon (apparently time goes by really fast according to other missionaries so 2 short years) 

Élder Newman

CCM, Mexico City

Texas Mcallen, USA  ('Muricuh)

He made it safely!

Llegaró!!

I have arrived here safely at the CCM México!  Just finished eating dinner and now going to continue the registration and orientation and stuff.  But the plane has landed safe and loooong process through customs and immigration.  The weather here is very cool but still humid.  This apparently is the rainy season here and boy, does it rain!  I love you all and my pdays are on thursdays.  Except for tomorrow, they start next week.  This is the address in case you wanted to send letters.  No packages though!  I'll write the first email next week during the pday.  

Elder Brandon Jeremy Newman

10/08/2015-6B

Carretera Tenayuca-Chalmita #828

Colonia Zona Escolar, Gustavo A. Madero

07230 Mexico, Distrito Federal

Mexico

July 1, 2015 - Day #1

Off to the MTC in Mexico City. 
Delta Airlines flight 641 leaving Salt Lake City at  10:05 am.