12/15/2014 - Mazatlan Letter

Hey Everyone,

   So this is going to be short, i am sorry. words can't express what i am feeling and the experiences that i have had. I really hope that i can express what it is that i am doing here in Mexico, for 18 months.

   I am learning, that's just it. Learning. I am learning who i am, the people around me. Learning to understand trials and challenges that have come into my life. I am learning how to share, how to be more patient, how to have joy and love for little things that mean so much to other people. I am learning how to see others and what they feel, and not only for teaching but for knowing who they are.  I am learning there is something more for me, something that i don't know but there is a bigger picture and someone has the missing piece. I am learning who is Jesus Christ. If you learn it, live it, love it, you will be happy i promise you!

I want to share a story with you. It was raining and really cold actually, and i had my jacket and umbrella, warm and dry. We were in the church and we were gathering materials for our proselyting, and a woman entered into the church and started asking for help, she didn't have a jacket or an umbrella, she singled me out after talking with all of the elders and sisters there, i don't know why she singled me out but she did. i know what you are all thinking now, did i give my jacket and umbrella to this woman?  she was poor and was going from house to house just asking not working for anything, and just living off of the people. How can i help someone who will not help themselves. it's not fair, i worked and paid for my umbrella and jacket, why should i give her my things and she will just continue to keep asking and not work for anything in her life........ Then there was a nagging feeling, a feeling that tears at your heart, and you start to feel something, you don't like it, but you know what you need to do. I gave her my jacket and umbrella because it is what Jesus would do, he is mercy, he is kind, he is giving, even when others do not deserve it. After i entered the church i felt good, all the other elders and sisters were there and looking at me like i made a dumb choice. One elder even said that i did not need to do that, she will continue on doing whatever she wants, asking for everything. I felt awful, here i did a Christlike thing and i am getting reprimanded for doing so. I later went to the bathroom and cried to heavenly father with all my heart to know if what i did was right, and that i was sorry for ever thinking selfish and let him know that all that have, all that i will ever be is for Him. I will serve Him to the end and give all.

Love,
Hermana Newmeyer

12/8/2014 - Mazatlan Letter and Pic

Choir, Patience, Throw-Up

Hey Everyone,

  So this week has been great! We were able to teach people and let them know more about Jesus Christ and share the video of "He is the Gift" so powerful, I love it! We also have run into some members who have not been to church in forever and we brought them back and one of them is a young man named Jesus, and he brought three of his friends to church for the Christmas Devotional, granted they came late but they stayed when we practiced the songs for our Missionary Navideña. And they were really amazed in the messages and the spirit that was there. It was great we were able to put meetings with them. 

  So for our Zone we were asked to put together a choir and we were all together and our Zone leader asked if there were anyone of us who knew how to direct, they asked a couple of people and they said no, so i volunteered, :) perhaps not the best idea but hey i got everyone laughing and they all participated in singing the songs. It was cool, anyway, so i am the choir director for our Zone and they all sound great. i love them all. :) We have a couple of practices this week planned but we also have transfers this week and i really don't know if i am leaving or not, i don't think i am, but i believe that most of our choir will be leaving. uh oh. O_o 

   So we headed out with a family from my companion's old ward and about halfway through the drive her little son that was sitting on the lap of my companion and Hermana Castillo, decided to throw up, we took pictures and he continued to throw up all over the hermana's until we pulled over and opened the car door. It was hilarious, the poor little guy was a little car sick from the ride from Culiacan to Mazatlan. We all piled out cleaned and then headed back the way we came and ate lunch instead of going to the marina. It was great. 

   This week has been great, and full of changes and things that i am learning everyday. Its amazing to see the progress of where i started one year ago in my house to where i am now, in Mexico, teaching people about Jesus Christ. To not speaking or understanding Spanish at all to being able to joke with someone and talk about their desires and wishes. To see where i was and thought that i was okay, to now where i know i can grow more, see where Heavenly Father is molding my life to help others. I have read a scripture in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, where Peter is asking Heavenly Father to take away his weaknesses and help him to become better, After talking with him, Peter says in the last verse, 

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

   Well I know that this is true, i have seen it shape my life through the thick and thin, i know that no matter what we think is impossible or hard, we can achieve it with Heavenly Father near our side. I love you all, thank you for your letters and I hope that this year we will be able to look back on the things we have learned from Heavenly Father and not what we have accomplished.  I love you all again, thanks for everything, Feliz Navidad!

Always Happy,

Hermana Newmeyer

12/1/2014 - Mazatlan Letter & Pics

Thanksgiving in Mexico!

Hey Everyone,

    So this week has been altogether too short but awesome, there have been some ups and downs and then some retracing and going full speed ahead. This week we have started with a program in our ward to have a night of fun during the week and the ward just gets together and do activities we did "Ganar a Minuto" or "Minute to Win it" Super funny and great. We were eating with a member and her dog attacked one of the Elders it was super hilarious it was biting into the pants of the Elder and just growling the whole time! Next we had lunch with another member and Chicken soup here is really popular especially with the whole chicken in the pot. We were eating and the husband was eating the chickens foot, i think i ate some lungs and the kidney, it was purple so yeah i ate it. Tasted like chicken jejeje. We also helped with the Primary made two pinatas and practiced a song to sing for the Christmas Pageant that they are going to do, will be awesome!! 

   So i was a little discouraged this week, we had the opportunity to talk with the Presidente and he explained that in the ward that i was in last was going to have a baptism. I was excited for the baptism but also a bit hard on myself, i thought why can't i have success and why can't we have a baptism, we are working hard and we are doing what we need to do.  We also had a really sad parting of one of our investigators, she was progressing great and was going to get baptized this last Saturday but we passed for her this last Sunday and she wasn't home, so we waited and passed later in the week, only to find out through her neighbors that she had packed up and left, we were a little shocked. We worked so hard to explain the gospel through the scriptures and we gave books to read so she could find out herself and then she just left. We also lost a family that we were teaching and they just lost interest so it was a really hard week as well for us. 

   I was feeling sad and explained my feelings to my companion and she said that even if we don't help convert people here through baptism we will help others through our examples through our efforts and through our intentions. She explained that Gordon B. Hinckley didn't baptize anyone in his mission but he became a prophet and baptized millions. I felt better but still determined to do the best that i could. 

    So i have thought about this for the past four months and i hope that this will be able to have some affect in a way that will help you to know how to love something with all your heart. There are four steps. Simple steps. However, require something a little of yourself. 

   First, Faith, believe that you can do something, believe in yourself and believe that through His help you can do all things. Alma 32:21

   Second, Hope, hope that you will be able to accomplish and do things that are impossible to think, to wonder, to achieve. Moroni 7:48

  Third, Desire, my favorite because this is where you take action in yourself and give more, you want to do more to achieve and aspire higher than anything, to soar above the clouds and to run faster than you can run. 

  Fourth, Passion, Love, Charity, you are completely and wholly involved in what you have become, who you are and what you will be. Knowing that you are where you are, because someone Believed in you. Moroni 7. 

   These four principles can be applied in our lives in every aspect and nook and cranny, we can find happiness and success,  hope and life, Passion and Love, all because we applied principles that were taught to us by Jesus Christ. This month i would like all of you to think why we have Christmas and find a little faith, that will lead you to hope for something good and in turn become a Desire to do something and in the end, i believe with all my heart you will find the Passion and love of Christ in your life. It has changed mine and i could never be happier. He is the Gift! www.christmas.mormon.org. 

       I love you all thanks for reading my emails, hopefully i can help others that are not here with me to come unto Christ and see the hand of God in our lives. I wish all of you a Feliz Navidad, prospero año felicidad, i wanna wish you a merry Christmas...... hahaha you are all singing the song in your head, jejejeje. Love you all. Merry Christmas.

Always Happy,

 Hermana Newmeyer

Minute to Win It at the Night of Fun

Hermana Newmeyer's Caricature's

Minute to Win It at the Night of Fun

Dogs love the Elder's pants

Mazatlan at Night

Hermana Power - Shades of Tan

Primary Group

11/24/2014 - Mazatlan Letter

Hey Everyone,

   So this week has been great and yet hard, our investigator that we have been teaching for the past three weeks, and had a baptismal date for this Saturday, didn't go to church!! oh it was really sad she had all the lesson`s and put a date to go to the temple and was really excited to be baptized, and yet did not go to church. I can't express the feelings or emotions that i felt, sad, let down, discouraged, upset, a great desire to do all that i could so she could go to the temple, all these feelings all at once and then i had to give a talk in church. in a different language. yeah. I really can't express the importance of going to church. There are three important things that every person in the Church of Jesus Christ has to do.......

     1. Pray everyday,
     2. Read your scriptures,
     3. GO TO CHURCH!!!!!

  Its been a long week for me, ................ These three things are different but they all have the same purpose just like the trinidad, all three personas are different but they have the same purpose "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man," to return to our Heavenly Father.  These three things help us to feel the Holy Ghost, when we feel the Holy Ghost we feel, happy, it so says in Galatians 5:24-25 and when we feel happy we find out that we learn something and then understand a bit more what Heavenly Father has in plan for us, our prayers get answered through the Holy Ghost, we receive counsel and guidance when we read the scriptures through the Holy Ghost, and then we feel relieved of our sins when we partake of the sacrament every week in church, through the Holy Ghost. Because the Holy Ghost always, helps us to learn, remember, and testify of Jesus Christ! John 14:26.

   I love this week, hard and challenging but rewarding and eternal in the things that i have learned, which i can apply in my life to understand more the will of our Heavenly Father. I love you all, thanks for your support and the chance to share my testimony and what i have learned in my mission. Go to church please, feel the saviors spirit and know that he loves each and everyone of you!! 

    I also fell down this week it was hilarious, i limped over to a bench and the whole time i was like ow ow ow ow ow, jejeje my comp just laughed, i laughed too, we also had a junta this week and we were able to listen to our president and assistants it was great, i also raised my hand to share something and our Presidente said that i should go to the pulpit, oooooooo so scared and yet calm it was amazing, i'll write about it the next week. Happy Thanksgiving, eat more tamales!!!!!!!!!! 

Always Happy,

Hermana Newmeyer

11/17/2014 - Mazatlan Letter & Pics

Hey Everyone,

 So this week was awesome, we had some really good lessons and a trip to the hospital for my companion, ha i seem to always go but never for myself. Thats good right? or did i just jinx myself? oh well it was good, anyway, we have a lot going on and we are working pretty hard. We have been contacting quite a few people and ever Sunday we have mission activity and it is really awesome, we have the ward members and we teach them what missionaries do and we do practices. Hopefully the people will be able to see how they can share the gospel with people. It was really awesome!

   This week we had our water fixed and now we have hot water, wow i never knew how amazing hot water was, i have been taking cold showers for about eleven months, its amazing. I am so happy to have just the little things, its been a really great blessing to realize all that i have and what i miss most. We have a junta this week and the Presidente of our mission is going to talk to us. So excited for the meeting always great. 

    I don't really have that many stories this week but we did find a huge rat in the street and we pranked the elders, it was hilarious, they gave us the keys to their house to get a memory card for a sister, and so yeah the pictures should do justice, ha this was for the hour change that they did on us about a month ago, we slept in an extra hour and missed a lesson, crazy elders.  oh i also got a picture of a dog biting the pants of Elder Palacios, its true, dogs do not like mailmen and missionary's. we were walking down the boardwalk and saw a man jumping off of a really really really high pinnacle, it was awesome but scary at the same time. 

    Well that is all that i have this week i will have more this next week, thanks for everything, also thank you for the people who have sent me letters, i truly enjoy reading them and knowing more about you and your families and everything. i love you all. Thanks.

Always Happy,

Hermana Newmeyer

Dog attacking Elder Palacios' shoe

Hermana Newmeyer

Helping the Elder's decorate?

Do you have toilet paper?

Edler's walking the street

High Diving

11/10/2014 - Mazatlan Letter

Woohoo!

Hey Everybody!

  So this week has been amazing and wonderful all at once! we have three investigators that are progressing and have baptismal dates. One of them is really awesome, she grew up with the belief of Jehovah's Witness because her mom is one. And we have been teaching her for one week and have had multiple lesson's in which one of them we left the Book of Mormon and she read all the way to the end of Mosiah (200+ pgs) in one night!!!! wow, we were shocked that she even read that far. Mostly people forget about and put it on their shelves. We were excited, she went to church and loved every moment. Its amazing to see the light of Christ enter peoples lives and see it change them from something good to something better! they are more happy, more excited, more filled with joy and they know that Jesus and Heavenly Father Love them. 

  We had transfers and i am still in the same area with my companion, thank goodness, because we have so much to do here and the work of the Lord never ceases. I love teaching someone about the gospel and what Jesus established here on the earth! His Gospel, His work and Love for everyone of us. I don't really have that much to say this week, we have been working hard. I love you all! The gospel is true, like what my seminary teacher says, "if you learn it, live it, love it you'll be happy, i promise you"

Always happy,

Hermana Newmeyer

11/3/2014 - Mazatlan Letter & Pics

Patience

Hey Everybody,

    So this week has been wonderful! we were able to help a recent convert move houses and clean. Funny guy, so he had us mop the same floor about 5 times to clean, to soap, to wash, and to disinfect. It was crazy! Anyway we were able to eat pizza later, super good!  we also had divisiones, where we change companions for one day and the Sister Leader can talk with us both and see how we are doing! it was fun because i was able to be with Hermana Fernandez again, the one who was in the wheelchair and i pushed her around everywhere, she was a good companion! and funny.  Anyway, all of my companions before are now Sister Leaders, Hermana Ruiz, Hermana Vazquez, Hermana Fernandez, Hermana Brown is with a Sister Leader training, so yeah that should be good, and my companion now will most likely be a Sister Leader, i am so grateful that i could have all my companions and learn from them all, its amazing to see where they are now and how they have progressed in the Missionary Work. 

    We changed houses! super excited, we had Elder Palacios and a Brother from the ward come and take a huge table full of things and walk about 3 blocks down the road to our new house. And Elder Jones took two small tables, it was hilarious, but later helped take a whole bunch of stuff up the stairs and move beds around. They were awesome! Our New house is definitely a blessing from Heavenly Father, we are so blessed to have  two bathrooms and a kitchen with living room and we are truly blessed to have a washer and dryer. I put my clothes in, and 1:30 hour later everything was dry and folded in my room, where as if i washed by hand, 3 hours later, with sore hands and sweating and all of my clothes still wet hoping that i was able to clean them efficiently. So when we changed houses i usually am fine if we both planned and know together where everything goes, it fine. Well, it didn't quite go that way and i started worrying if there was something wrong. My companion was putting everything in a place where she wanted and i just sat there waiting and i didn't know what to do or how to help. I was getting upset and thinking this isn't fair i want to put things where i want to and not just her. Well sitting in my attitude i remembered a quote Attitude determines Altitude. I realized i was in the wrong, i should help my companion with anything and if its just moving some things, who cares, there just things. I learned a valuable lesson, i just needed to change my attitude.

  We headed to Bolichi this week! Bowling! super fun with the whole zone! and then later we ate at Carl's Jr. Remind me next time to order with out grease, but so delicious i loved it! I love doing things with my zone super great! We were able to wear jeans! i love serving a mission it is amazing, there is always a lesson to learn and a principle to apply! There were so many times this week where was frustrated and i really didn't have patience and was upset because it was not what i wanted. We are so blinded when we only think of what we want, sometimes we hurt other peoples feelings with out knowing it. Or let down expectations of those who look up to us. I love what Jesus Teaches us about Patience, Alma 34:40-41, Romanos 5:3-5. Love, Patience, Attitude, three things in life that are necessary to live with yourself, others and Heavenly Father. 

     Well that is all for now, i love you all, thank you for your support and those who send letters. i love you!

Always Happy,

Hermana Newmeyer

Elvis (family dog) likes it when I rub his back, so does this dog

New apartment, so roomy and nice

Hermana's Having Fun

Bowling with the Hermana's

10/27/2014 - Mazatlan Letter & Pic

Cucaracha and KFC

Hey Everybody,

  So this week has been amazing! we have had miracle after miracle, way cool. One of those experiences way awesome. We worked all morning and we were super tired and my feet were hurting really bad, we headed home to change shoes grab some water. While we were there we decided to pray and ask for help that we might be able to find someone. So we left and worked for about three more hours, while we were walking down a street we saw a girl sitting on the side of the road. This is not unusual as everyone here in mexico is outside of their house, sitting down, talking with their neighbors and having a good time, this miracle usually happens between 7-9 at night. The perfect hour to contact :) awesome experiences! Anyway, we sat down and talked with this girl, 22 and lives alone, with a desire to know what to do with her life, right now she is in a factory canning tuna for her work. We talked about everything with her, she had question after question of who is God, what do we need to do here on earth and in general what is the gospel of Jesus. Amazing, we were able to explain about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, how we can return to him, we all felt the spirit. It was amazing!

  This experience happened about 3 more times during the week and we could see that certain people were being prepared for us at times during the week, we also were able to help with service this week, really awesome, painting a kitchen! from lime green to lime yellow, super great! Anyway, we are going to change houses this week yeah! no more spiders and cucarachas in your bed! oh funny story, so last night i was sleeping and woke up to a clicking noise, i thought to myself "oh no the air conditioning is broken", after hitting it a couple times and the noise continued i was too tired to do anything so i went back to sleep with the ticking in my ears. In the morning when i raised my head from my pillow i was greeted by a lovely cucaracha right where i had my head. I know now what that clicking noise was in the night. Thankfully it wasn't as big as the spider.

   So today for "p" day we headed to the church and played the famous questions and answers game, it was great later we all headed out to KFC yeah they have it here in mexico!!! the only thing that caught my attention was that the intestines were still inside the bird, and i was the lucky one to have that one piece, to have everything inside! Super good, still tasted like chicken! Well, that is all for this week i love you all thanks for everything. So one last thing that i would like you all to do. Read 1 Nephi 8:10-12 and think "how can i apply this to my life?" Well this is all, thank you so much for everything and all of your letters! i love you all.

Always Happy,

Hermana Newmeyer

Missionaries at KFC a la Mexicana

10/20/2014 - Mazatlan Letter & Pics

10 lesson day!!!‏


Hey Everybody!

  This week was especially awesome and one to date. Mi and my companera opened a new area and are slowly learning the streets and people that live here.  We also have the ocean in are area! definitely beautiful and love to watch it. 

   So one night me and my companion wanted to go contacting for people because we haven't been having success this week with numbers and people who want to hear about Jesus. So we decided to pray specifically for a colonial and a street we both felt impressed for one street in specific and a colonial, it was awesome, we both felt the same thing. So the next day we headed out and looked all up and down this street contacting people and giving very brief lessons in the street. We worked all morning in this street and we really didn't find anyone who wanted to hear the Gospel. Me and my companion felt a little desanimada, or in English 'with out excitement' or 'put down a bit' anyway, we both discussed what we needed to do better and how we can improve our contacting skills.  I was still put down a bit and then a thought came to my mind and said 'it does not matter where i send thee, so long as you are doing My Will'  hopefully the people that we contacted in that day were touched by the Lord and we were able to show the Love that Heavenly Father has for us. 

  Later that week we had found out that we had scheduled 10 lessons in one day, it was amazing and fantastic. We had a lesson every half hour from 3:30 to 8 in the night. We were so pumped and ready, we headed out and taught very short but powerful lessons, we were able to teach about the sacredness of talking with our Heavenly Father through Prayer and that we can receive revelation and answers to every prayer. We also taught about the Word of Wisdom and how it helps us to stay alert and with our free agency. It was a really cool day! Later on Sunday we were able to bring 5 people to church and they were able to feel the Spirit and the Love that Heavenly Father has for us. Awesome!

   Another day we headed out to contact and look for some people and we were walking along the boardwalk next to the ocean and i noticed a fisherman and he was pulling in his line, in which there was nothing. I then observed the carefulness that he took with his line and then proceeded to walk into the ocean. The waves came crashing on him and twice he fell but got back up and continued to walk into the ocean. Here i am thinking, 'what is he doing?! he is going to drown, he shouldn't go out that far' he kept on walking until the water was just below his armpits and then with all his might he flung his fishing line out to sea. And then proceeded to walk back to the beech falling again because of the waves that came crashing down.  

  I thought to myself, why is it so important for a fisherman to have his line out as far as he can? its dangerous, he could die, and there might not be any fish. I then thought about what Jesus said to Peter and James saying 'follow thou me and i will make thee fishers of men.'  It is not enough that we just fish lazily on the seashore, hoping that something will happen. What we need to do is actually go and look with all out might, flinging our line out as far as we can with the water to our chins. Knowing that there might not be people to teach, there might not be people to contact, to share, to bring to Christ. We might not ourselves come back, beaten down with every wave, with our beliefs criticized, judged, and smashed against the shoreline again and again. And yet we persist, because we know there are fish out there waiting to be caught to come unto Christ. Being a missionary, or a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is more than the fisherman who sits on the shore. 

  I know that this Church is the true church of Jesus Christ. He is our Redeemer and loves us. He wants us to come unto him, and partake of Eternal Life with Him and our Heavenly Father. I know that My Redeemer Lives! I love you all thank you for everything! Have a Good week and don't wait by the seashore!

Always Happy,

Hermana Newmeyer

Missionary Zone Mtg

Postcard Perfect - Ocean view near our apartment

Bowling with the missionaries

10/14/2014 - Mazatlan Letter & Pic

Miracles!

Hey Everybody,

   This week has been amazing and i have loved every minute of it. So living underneath the Elders is not that bad, but having a small rainforest on the side of our house is not too nice, since that is where we have found all of our eight legged friends. We also have found a couple of people who want to hear more about Jesus Christ and how to come unto him. We also had a search this week for a new house, since with rules of the mission we can't live under the Elders, and with spiders.  

    So a couple of nights ago, me and my companion finsihed looking for all the people that we had listed for the day, and we had about an hour and a half left before we needed to go home, we didn't know quite what to do. So we headed home and started our planning for the next day, when we started to pray, i had a feeling that we needed to go out one more time and look for people. My companion felt the same way and so we grabbed a couple pamphlets and cards of Jesus Christ and headed out. At first i had no idea and my companion said lets go to this one street we headed over and started walking down, then down another street and another, the third street i had a prompting to return back to the other street. We headed back and by now it was quite a bit dark they had the street lamps on and house lights on. We continued to walk and i saw a single man sitting down on the curb and we walked up and started talking with him. We found out that he was divorced, single, works in the hospital, quit drinking and is looking for another chance, and has a name that means alien in Spanish. It was amazing to find him, he was really interested and wants to hear more, we have a lesson with him tomorrow! Miracle! The Lord wants us to work to are full potential and when we say that we have done all that is required in our agendas we think we deserve praise, when really we need to focus more on the Lord's Agenda. I was so excited afterwards i wanted to shout out and do everything! i can't really explain the emotions that i felt only that it was amazing and i knew that i was doing what Heavenly Father wants me to do.

   So my birthday was this last Thursday, and it was awesome! i was able to receive a package from home on that same day! miracle! so excited i was able to share my candy with my companion and the elders that live above us. The rest of the day was normal and we had found a couple of apartments that the Zone Leaders needed to check, while we were waiting for the ZL's we received a call from them and they had asked that we go to the church immediately because there was a problem with one of my investigators in my other area, i was really nervous and wondering which investigator it was. Anyway, we showed up and and they explained everything again and we headed to a room to talk well when i opened the door the whole district was there and they had made a sign that said "feliz cumpleaños" and there was a cake! cheesecake with strawberries, delicious. It was awesome! first surpise birthday party! anyway we continued and took some pictures with the cake and everybody.  Well, this is the slushy story of my life, kinda like dads story about the frosty. I was kneeling down with the cake in my hands and i don't know what happened really, i started to get up and the cake just kinda slipped from my hands and fell to the ground. The whole cake just kinda splatted and the Strawberries went everywhere, everyone was saying "sass" and "la fresas!!!" or in English "snap, oh no" and "the strawberries!!!" Least to say it was a fantastic party!

    One elder was able to take a picture right when it fell it was hilarious. I wasn't able to put up any other pictures because my camera ran out of battery, oops. Next time guys, sorry. Also this week we were able to find a new apartment that has 4 air conditioners, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, a front room, and here is the bonus! a washer machine and a dryer! miracles do happen!! we were so excited, we also were able to rent the apartment at 2,500 pesos ($179), per month, and the landlady said she could pay for the water as well, we just pay for the electricity. It was amazing, she is a die hard catholic and is so sweet, when she found out that we were needing to move soon she offered her personal house for us so that we had a place to stay, while the apartment was getting cleaned. 

   This week has been amazing and wonderful, i love my companion she is amazing and in a way a lot like me, we are able to communicate and talk to each other without any confusion and she is amazing! I love Mazatlan, we are in the ward called Albatros. I love it here, thank you everyone for your support and letters i love them so much!!! take care this week and remember always that He lives and loves us!! i know its true!

Always Happy,

Hermana Newmeyer

10/6/2014 - Mazatlan Letter & Pics

Light House! Aquarium! Spiders!...Oh No

Hey Everybody,

   So this week has been hilarious and amazing! First off, me and my companion are opening a new area and so we have no idea where the streets are or who the people are, everything, also we are living in a very small living space, underneath the Elders. Yeah i never believed that i would be living anywhere near the Elders. They are looking for another house and are moving at the next transfer because they had already paid the landlady for the month. 

  So the elders said that they cleaned our apartment and that there are no animals in our house. well about 1 in the morning i had to go, so i went and closed the door of the bathroom and there was this huge spider on the back. about the size of my hand. I would definitely say it was the spider of all spiders, hairy, long legged and had an evil look in all of its 8 eyes.The picture does not do it justice. I freaked out. ran out of the bathroom got my companion up and we both spent about an hour watching it just trying to figure out where it was going. It also carried an egg sack with it. We were scared to kill it so we left it in the bathroom and closed our door and just hoped that it would go back outside. We still haven't found it. Needless to say that i don't really get any sleep at night. keep dreaming of spiders. The Elders tried looking for it as well, they couldn't find it either. 

   So today we headed to the Lighthouse, so beautiful Mazatlàn, took about 20 minutes to climb it and sweating the whole way but refreshing up top, we had all of the missionaries in two zones at the lighthouse. Awesome. We then all decided to go to the aquarium, it was legit! we watched a fish presentation, a man in a tank, normal. We then went and watched a sea Lion show, it was awesome, i got kissed by a sea lion! and i thought i had to wait 18 months for that! it was awesome. lots of whiskers. We then went to a bird show, and they asked for volunteers to come down and feed the Guacamayas the big Colorful Parrots, i volunteered! i went down and the guide said to put the sunflower seed in my mouth and the bird would take from my mouth, that was exciting definitely not expecting it at all. Super fun, we then headed to the animal show, and they brought out an iguana and i was able to feed it a grape.

  Today was awesome! definitely one of the times i will remember. So one lesson i learned is to have fun. I love you all.

Always Happy,

Hermana Newmeyer

Lunch Time

Super Big Spider with an egg sack full of babies

Zone Conference Photo

Hermana Newmeyer and her new companion

The bay near Mazatlan

9/29/2014 - Mazatlan Letter

Hey Everyone!

   So we had transfers and i am now in Mazátlan opening a new area, so that means we have no cell phone, no map, no folder with investigators or anything, and we are next to the beach!! yeah, 

   So sometimes you have no idea how much you are loved or wanted until you leave, as i was saying goodbye to the ward that i worked so hard with and helped them with their trials and challenges, they all came up to me and said goodbye and how much they will miss me. I was touched, i didn't think i did anything or helped in anyway. After the meetings the young women's presidente came up to me and gave me a wad of letters that they had all written. I then stopped by all of the members in the ward and took pictures with them it was amazing! i love them so much! we had to go home and i packed and got everything ready! so tired didn't really sleep at all like 3 hours. 

  Well i can't put pictures up just yet you will all have to wait next week and when i have time. I love you all thanks for everything.  Remember that everyday is a new day and we always have a choice, i know that this is true, i love it here in the mission, hey i can understand my companion! yeah, there are still words and phrases that i don't know. I love you all. Trabaja duro, Hacer lo mejor, y Nunca te Rindas!!!!!!

Always Happy,

Hermana Newmeyer

9/22/2014 - Los Pinos Letter & Pics

Hospital! Stake Conference! Hot!

Hey Everyone,

  So this week has been wonderful! we prepared the week for the Stake Conferencia and the talks were truly inspiring. So Mormon Standard Time really hasn't changed i thought it was just for Utah and Arizona, well that changed, everyone here in Mexico is late. like 20 min late. Our Speaker was Elder Viallabos? i don't know, anyway, he talked about how important the sacrament is and how if we show up late its like us saying "i don't care about you" and this is to Heavenly Father, oooooh everyone was super quiet during his talk, and then he talked on the importance of being reverent during the sacrament and the whole meeting. It was awesome!

   So Earlier that week my companion was sick again, this is like her 10th time going to the hospital, and they put an IV in her and ran fluids through her for 6 hours. While we were there they had a patient come in and was in cardiac arrest, and they worked on the person for about an hour, and then they declared that they died. That was all new to me, i remember sitting there and thinking, what would the family say, would happen to the family and things just piled up in my mind. i opened the hymn book and began flipping through the songs and i found 'God be with you till we meet again' one of the blessings of learning another language is understanding the songs differently, In spanish it says 'Para siempre Dios este con Vos' in english it means, 'Forever God is with Us' I read the song and it brought comfort to me, it wasn't until we met again, it was, He is here with us! forever! right now! and we only have to look to let him in. 

   This week has not all been to easy or wonderful, there are always hard trials and difficulties along the way. And we always, always have Heavenly Father with us in that hour, in the minute, and the moment when we need him the most. I love being here and serving the people it has been a wonderful experience, especially one that i will never forget! I love the Lord, I love Jesus Christ, I love my Family, I love my Companion, I love the work of the Lord, I love the moments when i can see his hand in my life, and i can say, Yes! this is what he wants me to do, I will go, and do everything. I know that this church is true, i know that heavenly Father Loves us and wants us to live with him forever! Thank you for everything.

Always Happy,

Hermana Newmeyer

Culiacan (Hermosa) at Night

Studying the 10 Commandments while my companion sleeps

Companion in the Hospital

Elder Viallabos?

I can make a cake a la Mexicana

9/15/2014 - Los Pinos Letter & Pics

Noche Mexicana!!!!

Hi everyone!

    So Noche Mexicana is like our 4th of july,..........but way better, We are not that great at parties, wow, they can have fun!!!! and that was before the actual day of independence for them. It's today, and we are definitly going to have fireworks and parties in the night, but don't worry we are not going to any of them. ;)  They had a performance of folklore dancing it was awesome all of the youth did it! I have videos!!!!! but i can't put them on so you will all have to wait till after i get back from my mission. It was a lot of fun! they had food and drinks and everything, the missionaries ate free! it was great! 

   This whole week has been wonderful, we taught a whole bunch of people and we took some to the Noche Mexicana and all of them were doing alright and then Sunday came, we passed by a whole bunch of investigators and we ended up not bringing anyone to church at all i was a little sad. We tried so hard to bring people to church and we teach them through out the whole week and then they don't show up at all. bummer, oh well, maybe next week. 

  So we have a huge hurricane coming for us and we have a whole bunch of rain and its really cloudy, and they cancelled school today because of the hurricane. I don't think its going to hit us, it will definitley hit cabo but we don't know for sure. Its super hot and muggy and we have to let our clothes air dry inside our house, wow its super hot and muggy inside.  Well not much else to say, we have only two more weeks till cambio. I don't know if i will go or not. we will see. 

   Well love you all, don't forget to go to the temple and read your scriptures!!! 

Always Happy,

Hermana Newmeyer

 

Missionaries Festive Style

Noche Mexicana Party

9/7/2014 - Los Pinos Letter & Pics

Complete Happiness!!!

Hey Everybody!

  This week has been wonderful and amazing. We were able to witness the baptism of the daughter of the family that we had taught earlier and she was the last one in the family to get baptized and they are all together now. They are putting a date to get sealed in the Temple next year! We had Fast and Testimony meeting yesterday, and its the opportunity for the congregation to go and bear their testimony about Jesus Christ or principles they have learned or a truth that they know, and the Father of this Family got up and bore his testimony about how he knows this church to be true. It was amazing, he didn't say anything about the missionary's that had visited him for the past 6 years or how they were invited from time and time again to activities.  He said it was the only church that he knew that brought you closer to Jesus Christ. 

   This is our goal, this is who we are, children of the most High, we are made of eternity, we have the potential to become like Jesus Christ, it so says in the scriptures "become perfect even as your Father who art in heaven is perfect" It was amazing to see the spirit testify of the truthfulness of what he was saying. I was so happy, they are a wonderful family. 

   So this week was amazing, we made chili mexicana style, yeah! we also found a scorpion that was about half the size of my companion's shoe. Thankfully it wasn't in our house.  We also had relief society night where one of the sisters comes and shows us how to make something quick in our kitchen, it was the sister missionaries night so we made no-bake cookies yeah! it was great. I love MEXICO!!! we have the independence day coming up this next week but we are celebrating as a ward this Friday, missionary's eat free ;) hehehehehe should be fun. They have folklore dancing and salsa and games and everything i am so excited!  

    Well that's my week, till next week! Always Believe! 

Always Happy,

Hermana Newmeyer

All the family are now members of the church

Scorpion a la Mexicana

Salsa

Members of the Ward

Newly Baptized