President Sperry shared this:

“When we obey Satan, we give him power. When we obey God, He gives us power.”
 
Mommy,
You are such a babe! I think you look way good. I love you so much and I am glad you have the opportunity now to help people find the place where they can raise their family. I don't know if you realize this but it all starts in the home. Who people become, the way they treat others, how they show love and emotion it all starts in the home and you are so lucky to have the privilege to help get people into the right one for them. I hope you know I love you a lot and I am so proud of how are you are working and all the things you are accomplishing while I am gone.
I am going to share a secret with you. I am going to be staying in Baliwag for two more transfers that is until almost the end of April. You may wonder how I know this. Well I know because I will be training a brand new missionary how to be a missionary here in the Philippines!
Love,
Sister Newman

Mommy,
I don't know if you got my other email or not but I sent Sister Loreto home this afternoon and will be with Sister Nunez until transfer meeting when I will get my brand spankin new baby missionary fresh from the mtc. Boy is she in for a wake up call. I remember my first few weeks...well months and I will try to make it the best experience I can for her. I don't know who she is or what nationality she happens to be, but we are all pretty sure I will be getting the American. I hope McKayla's new beginnings goes well. I am pretty jealous because that sunds like so much fun, but I will be able to do that too someday. I don't have to worry about it right now. I love you mom and I am way excited for your new calling. I miss hearing you play the piano. Maybe my new companion will know how. Won't that be wonderful! I love you so much!
Love,
Sister Newman

Thank you for the great email, Daddy. I love hearing from you. I am sad to hear that you had a headache and Nathan had croup, but I hope that you are both feeling better now. I am guessing that was on Friday? Are you sure all the stamps I have will be ok or do I need to put two little ones on letters I send when those way cute ones run out? Tell mom I am pretty excited for her new calling. I bet she is happy and will love being able to play again. Cause you know thats the thing about calling and commandments, God has to provide a way for us to be able to accomplish them. You know, I firmly believe that He gives us commandments so He can bless us and show us miracles. He loves us so much! I hope none of us forget that.
It would be really awesome if Lilly got a job wouldn't it. I think it would get her on a better schedule and help her to start seeing life through more mature eyes. She is a good girl and it made me happy when I found out she worked so hard and really enjoyed her cna class.
My stomach is causing me problems again, but I just got a new calling that is going to take a miracle. I am going to be a trainer. And she i\will most likely be an American and I am scared but I know it is possible through the help of my Heavenly Father.
I love you so much daddy! I am excited to receive the family's little packages that will be sent each month. It is weird to think of the rest of my stay in transfers. Yes I still have many months but after I am done training I will only have 4 transfers to go. 4 transfers is nothing. So weird how time moves so quickly. Especially when you wish you had just a bit more. That is why we have to make every moment count, because we aren't going to get that moment back. Have a good week!

Sister Newman

 

Skype was pretty awesome wasn't it. I am glad you enjoyed your Christmas card I want to know what everyone thought of their individual cards. I really did pick them out special and I hoped you would enjoy them and some of you get a good laugh out of them. I hope you all keep them so I can tell you exactly what went through my mind when picking them out. IT was pretty funny. Lets be honest, getting a peek into my mind is pretty hilarious, so much more interesting than getting a peek into Bella's mind.

If we got fireworks I would be so happy I think I will be going through withdrawal and missing the Philippines when I get home and fireworks would just be perfect. There was so much food I didn't know what to do with myself. I have pretty much become a garbage disposal when it comes to what I will and will not eat...but I still struggle with mushrooms...go figure.

I will keep working hard and make this year the best one yet! President actually said something in my interview that kinda scared me and leads me to believe that I may or may not be training next transfer and that really freaks me out but I have learned to trust the scripture Alma 26:12 "Yea, I know that I am nothing, as to my strength, I am weak. Therefore, I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God for in His strength I can do all things. Yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land for which we will praise His name forever.

We can do whatever is asked of us. I love you Daddy and I miss you a ton, but when I had the stray thought come into my mind that I could go home I just wanted to cry because I can't I can't leave these people. I love this place so much. My heart is here and I am going to break in two when I have to go home. I love the gospel and I am so happy I get the chance to share it. I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Love,
not so Baby girl, Sister Newman

 Thanks for the email mom. This might be short because my elbow is hurting so bad today and it is ridiculous to move it. I am pretty sure it is arthritis but I don't know. I can't believe Uncle Steve passed away. Was it from the tumor that he had when I started my mission? How is his family doing with it right now? Is Grandma struggling. That is so weird. He didn't live very much longer than his dad. I will keep you all in my prayers especially their family.

This is going to be an amazing year I am sure of it. We are all going to do amazing things, and you and I are going to perform miracles on our bodies by eating right even when it is hard because everyone around you is eating what they want when they want. We can be strong!

This week has been pretty awesome. We went to the temple this morning and I was in the Celestial room for a long time thinking about life and being a missionary and about how I can make myself better right now and how I can make myself better for the future. Sometimes I find my mind wandering to things I want to do someday or to songs I use to sing and I have a hard time focusing on the things that matter most. My new year resolution is to stay focused on the things that are most important right now. Not get lost thinking of another time whether in the future or the past I need to focus on what He needs me to do this moment.

Did you enjoy the Christmas cards that were sent? Nathan said he liked his. I am glad for that. Did Kristina resend that email that she as complaining didn't come? Because I still don't have it and I want to see it.

I sent two stories in for next transfers newsletter and if they get in you will know because I will probably send you a copy because my little heart will swell with pride because I grew up to be such a good girl... just kidding!

I hope you enjoy all the pictures I have to send to you. I am having such a good time and yet we are working our hardest. I love that I have so much fun with Sister Loreto and I am going to miss her when she goes home. We had a spectacular New Year with our neighbor sister Lesly and there were fireworks and firecrackers and so much food I thought I would die! I can hardly believe it is already 2013 but I am so excited to work hard each day to change myself and help those around me change as well. This life is about change and we can do it!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY VERY MUCH!!!!!!

Love, Sister Newman

For Christmas they received permission to tour an above ground cemetery. Our History lover was in Heaven!!!

Emails we received on Christmas Eve for us, Christmas Day for Brittany. We were surprised because we knew she would be skyping the next day so we didn't think she would be sending email. Merry Christmas!!! 

I miss you very much this Christmas day. I loved your little jibjab! That was something I needed today. Can you believe as of today I have been a missionary for 8 months. Does it feel like it has been that long? Does it feel like I am technically almost half way finished with my mission? I will be here for almost 19 months, but all is well. I just miss you because it doesn't feel like Christmas without our family here with me or without me there with you. I have been doing ok not getting sad, Heavenly Father is helping me, but now it is getting pretty difficult, but I will be ok. I will just keep working hard. I LOVE YOU!!!! Be happy and have a beautiful Christmas for me. And thanks for the money to go to the temple with our people it was very fun. Exhausting but fun.
 MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL MY BEAUTIFUL FAMILY!!! Have a great rest and enjoy your Christmas. Know that I love you so much and I understand that I am where I need to be and I really am grateful to be here.
I am so excited! This is going to make everything all better!

 

The one being baptized is Sister Janice and yes she is actually taller than I am! Crazy! But her story is the most amazing. She started listening to us because she knew that the Catholic church was wrong to have idols and the people she works with told her to listen to us and find out more. She was just being nice \, but she really did her assignments and she prayed and when we taught repentance she went home and had a good talk with her father in heaven. She hadn't done anything evl or anything but she was angry with him for talking away her parents when she was so young and she finally let go of that and let go of all she has done that wasn't good and she felt so close to heaven. Her conversion happened in 5 weeks from when we met her to when she got baptized. And as she says it is just going to keep going. We love her!
Yesterday for our district meeting I actually made blueberry cheesecake and the Elders loved it. The so miss American desserts and cheesecake is amazing and very pricy to make but it was so worth it to feel a little piece of home in my mouth for Christmas.