August 14th, 2012

Hello all!

wow- this week has been a crazy one. this letter is going to be a little shorter than usual. It was really great to hear about all the family reunions and gatherings. i loved getting messages from my cousins and aunts/uncles (plus that guy that married jennie). i am so proud of luke and mason- all the elders in my district told me about getting their eagle and they said that they are super impressed with you two. i'm glad everyone is safe and that the ATV incident turned out ok. the Lord is protecting us and He loves us.

i have felt overwhelmed by the love and prayers that i feel from everyone. prayers really mean so much to me. i have never felt support like this before. i know it is BECAUSE of your prayers that i am doing well. everyday, i feel more and more grateful that we are an eternal family. i was at the temple and we stopped to peek into a sealing room. i thought about when mom and dad were married (we were probably watching from heaven) and when we were sealed to luke. the sealing power is incredible. i remember doing sealings with grandpa Blake and just feel so much respect and gratitude for that sacred power and blessing.

for releif society this week, we had the general primary president come to speak to us. wow- i have never felt so much love and joy from a person before. she spoke about needing love. that is so vital to this work. if we don't have charity, we are nothing. she also spoke about our calling, which i think can apply to all callings in life. she said "we are not called because of who we are or what we can become. we are called because of what i WILL do and who i can BECOME." God sees in us our potential. He knows us better than we know ourselves and He calls us according to that knowledge. i was so excited to hear about my parents new calling to be ward mission leaders in CHINA. that is such a sacred calling. i have seen their love for the Chinese people- that is all you need. love and the spirit. God will direct us through the spirit as we open our hearts to HIm and to those we are serving. the spirit is such a sacred powerful tool and it can lead us to do more than we could do on our own (elder Scotts talk from last conference)

i wore out my first pair of shoes this week. SUCCESS!! i am buying more today at the bookstore. so my sister chord has a huge blue laundry bag. and we thought it would be really funny if i hid in it in our neighbor's apartment. they turned off the lights and left me in there- waiting for the sisters to get home. they walked in and said- there is a body in that bag!! it was so funny and the best part was trying to get out of it. haha i am loving all the sisters in my zone. we have three new sisters coming in tomorrow and i am excited to love them like our older generation loved us.

i testify that the atonement is real. Jesus lives and knows us. i am learning a lot about weaknesses but i am also learning about changing. seeking to become like Christ is the pursuit of a lifetime but everyday we can work on that goal. it just takes giving one day our all. and then the next day. there are times when i know it is not my own power that is keeping me going. as we strive to serve God everyday, we can have His power and spirit in our lives. i love you all. thank you for your support. i am so grateful that we can be together forever.

love,

sister Newman