March 14, 2016

Couch Potato for Eternity?

Hello everyone!  How are you all?  I really wish I could see everyone but still pressing on in the great work that is the Lord's.  So I have finally moved areas as I think I mentioned last week but I am now currently in Mission, TX. The name of the area is La Homa and it is very well known throughout the mission.  Lots of baptisms have happened and the members are all so nice and amazing.  Church was really great yesterday and the Spirit of the Lord was certainly present amongst us.  But still taking in the change.  I am now companions with Elder Spencer.  He is great, dedicated and diligent.  Were going to have fun and success together. 

Dont have too much time but the enabling power of the Atonement is a part that sometimes Id imagine we overlook, or at least I do every now and then.  The Atonement is amazing because yes, it allows us to be forgiven to try again but the other part of it is the try again part.  God, our Father in Heaven can see our divine potential, heck, He made us so of course He knows what His creations can and will become.  Upon coming to this earth by our choice, our goal is to become what we once were and grow and learn and master all things that would have us stay comfortable and undeveloped down below where He wants us.  This is the power of the enablement of the Atonement of Christ.  Every trial we're given we already knew how to overcome and succeed and our spirits have this capability.  But once we understand and receive confirmation by the Holy Ghost, then are we much more able to endure well, and joyfully.  Never give up on anything.  We can either be "immortal couch potatoes", or become Eternal Beings just as God is and fulfill what our divine potential was before again.  I know this to be the truth.  Everything we want to be really does depend on our choices, for actions, moods, and what we believe/know is the truth.  As a fulltime 2 year missionary of the Lord I testify of this and as a forever child of God, I will say this forever.  Christ lives and is the Savior!  Did more for us than just die for our sins.  Made the way possible for us to grow and become like God.  But choose to do so, or its the couch for eternity, never able to get up again.  

Elder Newman

March 7, 2016

Transfers!! First time packing!

Well would you look at this? 

I am being called by the Lord to move areas.  After 5 transfers which equals out to 7 1/2 months, I will be leaving Donna and my little orange apartment.  Im sad, but this work is more important to worry about than those little things.  But I fear not, for I know that the Lord is on my side and this means new members, new locations, new everything!  Im excited, Im told that it is very rare for a missionary to have stayed this long in their first area so this is to be expected.  Nevertheless, always something special about first area.  I will greatly miss the members here in Donna and Weslaco.  

But anyway, I love you all and still hope everyone is doing well in their lives, making those little choices every day to shape their futures and being tested by our Heavenly Father along the way.  I love this scripture about why we are tested with many trials in John, 15.

This is the Savior talking:

 "2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branchthat beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 

5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned."

Pretty simple and direct but the emphasis is on verse 2, how we are expected to develop and grow and all these things that we endure will be returned unto us a hundredfold in blessings si perseveraremos hasta el fin gozosamente.  But it is 100 percent our choice to choose to be happy.  Something our President teaches all the time, "Tome la Decision", "Disfrute Su Mision"   It is true, we can choose what to do, but never can we choose the consequences.  A wise purpose in the mind of God to give us our agency.  Entonces ahora, what will you choose to do?   

Love you everyone, miss you, have fun and be happy always!

Elder Newman