December 24th, 2012

Merry Christmas everyone!! This has been such a unique Christmas and I am so grateful to be a missionary. This week has been so amazing and crazy...i feel like i write that every week. But it is true. the Lord is in this work and with Him, nothing is impossible. i love doing this work

we picked up our new companion this week. sister zhu is a powerhouse missionary and we are loving working together. she has been praying to come to nuntun and is so excited to be in this area. her english is perfect but she is really helping me with my chinese. i really want to use this time to improve my chinese. she likes to take advantage of my not-yet-perfect-chinese and make fun of me in front of the members haha!! she is the best. i have been working so hard in this area to get to know the members and earn their trust. i love the people in our area and i really feel a deep connection with them. it's amazing how going that little extra mile to say hello to a person or sit and chat can help develop a friendship. i really feel like one of the reasons we moved around so much growing up was to prepare me for a mission. i love getting to know people and i am so comfortable talking to everyone. i love it. i am so grateful.  

the baptism was perfect. we had a little trouble with the drain....like it didn't work. so we grabbed some tape and plastic and fixed it haha. Lin JM's husband and whole family came. The spirit was so strong as we talked about baptism and conversion. us three sisters sang a primary song and Lin JM was really touched. the ward was so great about talking with the dad and serving the family . i am so grateful for the wards here. i love this area so much. Lin JM's testimony was so wonderful as she testified of the light and hope that this gospel has brought into her life. we went to their house earlier this week to do FHE (so much fun!!) and there was a picture of the temple on their wall. this gospel changes life and i am so excited to help Lin JM continue to prepare to go to the temple. she has that goal and i am so excited. i will be able to attend the temple with her if she goes within the year. her husband, who isn't really interested in the gospel, came to church the next day for all three hours. we're continuing to pray for him. this work is so wonderful! i am so grateful for this chance to serve taiwan. Lin JM has become my mother here. i set up with her at about 3 tomorrow to skype you all. we might be a little early so be prepared :) i am so excited to talk to you all. you have no idea how much i love you. it is because i have such an amazing family that i decided to serve a mission- i want to help others have the same blessings. it is amazing to see the blessings of the gospel for families. 

being in a threesome has been crazy but so fun! our apartment is kinda small...too small for 3 women. especially the kitchen. haha but we have made it work. i am grateful that both of my companions are patient and so charitable. we are loving this work. i really felt like i was sent to this area for a reason and i think that reason was to help build relationships with the ward. the Lord has blessed me so much as i have tried to show others His love. i have been praying for chances to serve and they have fallen into our laps. i really have gained a testimony of Christ's love

the christmas activity was amazing. seeing everyone again was so much fun. i saw sister chord, my MTC companion. she says HI! there is such a special bond between mtc companions and districts. it was great seeing the elders from my mtc district. they are all doing so great. we went to an amzing little wood shop village and then to an all you can eat buffet (not like the one in china town in sanfran that dad took us to). this restaurant was SO GOOD! we're going there someday. it was so fun to hear about all the amazing work going on all over the taizhong mission. my heart is here in taiwan. i love this place and i love these people. one of the member in our ward, Zhou DX, told me that i am like ammon in the book of mormon. he sought to serve the people and be one of them. i want to be asian!! haha he told sister Zhu she is amulek- the native. together we are going to do miracles. i love this area. 

i am so excited to talk to you all tomorrow. you have no idea. i am so grateful for skype and for LIn JM. you all get to meet her tomorrow. she is beautiful and you will love her. i am so excited to talk to you tomorrow! i love you all so much. and WANG AYI GOT BAPTIZED!! why did no one tell my last week?? that is such a miracle story and i am so excited to hear more about. i am so grateful to be serving with my family in this wonderful work. i miss you but i know this is so important. i know that this is where i am supposed to be. i love this mission!

i will talk to you...when? TOMORROW!

all my love to all of you. 

sister Paige Newman  

December 17th, 2012

MOVE CALL DAY!! it has been a crazy amazing week and we just got some great news about move call. sister vandegrift and i will be in a threesome with a sister Zhu for the next 3 weeks until sister V leaves for home. and then it will be sister Zhu and i. she is a native taiwan sister and i'm really excited to meet her and learn from her:):):):) sleepover every night! haha i'm kidding. i'm really excited for this opportunity and i'm really grateful that i will be passed off from my first da tongban to my second da tongban. i was really nervous of sister V leaving. it has been so great to serve with her and she seems to know everything. God knew my worries and has answered my prayers. this way, the three of us can work together and get sister Zhu oriented to the area and then we can power team it. i am so excited for the next couple of weeks. we have a baptism this saturday and we could not be more excited. Lin Jiemei came to church this week and attended an 8 year old's baptism with her two kids. she was so prepared and it has been amazing to watch her faith grow. we're having FHE with her this week and she has almost finished reading the book of mormon. i'm excited to get the ward involved in the new member lessons and help her receive a calling. we've been doing the 12 days of christmas for her- which i'm learning is really hard when a person lives in an apartment. we can't really ding-dong-ditch because of the guard at the entrance. but it's been really fun any way :) it reminds me of the real meaning of christmas- service, and love and letting the light of Christ into our lives.  

last monday, we had a wedding. it was a very very. very. small wedding but it was great! the couple met us and arranged the wedding in our area but then they moved. they are continuing to be taught by another companionship of sisters. the wedding was great and some of her friends came- i really felt the spirit as the bishop talked about marriage and performed the wedding. it was fun!!! its so strange the things that sometimes happen on a mission- many things that you really dont expect. haha they just get thrown at you and then you just have to learn from it and keep going. i'm learning that attitude is so important. as long as we stay happy and faithful and charitable, everything will be fine. the end of every day, no matter what has happened, i feel peace and happiness. i'm still striving to know where to improve and what more i can do. i really want to work this move call on taking advantage of every moment. the time is going by so fast!! 

we just learned that all the return dates and move call dates for missionaries will all be affected because of the new age change for missionaries. we're all still really excited to see how this new rule changes the work here in taiwan. we just got about 6 new sisters in the newest group of missionaries. HOW FUN IS THAT? i love being a sister missionary and teaching moms and sisters. its so much fun to see how this gospel can truly change lives. i felt humbled this week as i again realized that this is the Lord's work. it really has so little to do with me. the Atonement really changes people and helps them become better. through repentance and baptism, people can start on the path that leads back to God. what a blessing to know the way! 

we had an amazing christmas activity this week. there was so much practicing that went into this event and so many people showed up. it was a music extravaganza!! the missionaries got to sing a couple songs and it was great practicing and performing with the member in our area. this is the best time of the year! it was wonderful to feel the spirit so strong. 

we had an investigator come to church yesterday who has been coming the past couple of weeks but didn't really want to set up with us to teach her. i think there was some miscommunication but after the gospel principles class this week, she turned to me and started talking to me about baptism. i looked at her and asked if she wanted to get baptized. she said she did!- she wants that new start, she wants to better understand, she wants to learn. we are meeting with her every day this week to prepare her for a Christmas baptism! i can't believe it! she has faith in Christ and a desire to repent and be clean. her name is He JieMei and she is an older woman- she lives alone and i think she has had a hard life. i'm excited to see how the blessings of the gospel bring light into her life. the ward has been great about welcoming her and it will be exciting to have a baptism on Christmas. what a miracle right!? our district is seeing many miracles this week and we are so grateful. it's so exciting!

dad- thank you for your clarification. i have heard about those rumors and i'm grateful for your instruction. i'll say something to president bishop- i'm sure he's aware of the situation. i love you so much. i'm so glad the family is together for christmas! i'm so glad that i get to skype you all. when would be a good time to call? would like 3:00 be ok? i'm using Lin Jiemei's computer so i need to get things figured out with her

mom- dad said the chirstmas party went great as well. i'm sure it did. you are an amazing missionary and mother. i'm so excited to get your packages and TALK TO YOU IN A WEEK AND A DAY!! christmas kinda snuck up on us. haha i love you. you are my best friend and i feel such strength from you

all my love, 

Sister Newman 

December 10th, 2012

ALMOST THE END OF MOVE CALL 2!! where on earth does time go?! i really can't believe that i have almost been in Taiwan for 3 months. time goes by so fast and i am loving everyday. we have started doing a Christmas miracle list and it's amazing the little things that God puts into our lives in order to help us see His hand. We are completely dependent on Him and His mercy and i'm so grateful that He is a merciful God. i was reading in Mosiah 3 today and i was just amazed by the Savior's humility and love. i have been studying the Book of Mormon, seeking to better know Christ. Christmas time is the best time of the year. mom, i am so glad that the open house went well!! it sounds like an amazing success. we have been visiting members, less actives and investigators this past week, sharing the story of Christmas and helping people see the reason we celebrate. for so many people here, Christmas is all about the presents and the decoration. we couldn't even find a nativity. the world doesn't understand sometimes and tries to block Him out, but Christ is the Light and the Life of the world, a Light that will never be darkened and a Life that will never end. He brings light into my life and has brought eternal life to all those that will follow Him. Christmas time is amazing. 

i have seen the light of Christ in the life of our progressing investigator Lin Jie Mei. She is getting baptized on the 22! i am so excited and i feel so lucky to be a part of her conversion. words cannot express my love for her and gratitude that i get to be her fuyin Jiemei (gospel sister- what they call the sisters that teach you here in taiwan). she has been struggling the past week about some life decisions and she has been praying and reading the Book of Mormon looking for guidance. she has so much faith and i have loved seeing her change. we are so excited for her. We are doing the 12 days of Christmas for her family and had all the sisters in our ward write her a note. we're going to go drop one off daily with a little treat. her little family is wonderful and i'm excited to see her continue to change and grow in the gospel. She is taking the first step- baptism! and i know that the Lord will bless her. we are so excited. we prayed together about her baptism date and she said that later that day, she had a friend call and cancel an appointment so she could come to church. i am learning the power of prayer and seeking to be humbly dependent on Heavenly Father. i feel Him so close and i know that He loves all His children personally. He hears us and loves us infinitely. turn unto Him and the plan of redemption will immediately be brought to pass in your life (paraphrase from the Book of Mormon). Christ knows how to succor us and will not let us sink- we just need to call to HIm.

this week, we had sister exchanges and i stayed in my area with a sister yen. wow- she is amazing. she has so much faith and is such a diligent missionary. she's the kind of missionary that quietly influences everyone around her to be better and reach higher and work a little harder. she wrote a note to an LA in our area that wasn't home when we went to visit her. she took her time to help me learn how to be a better planner. she has a lot of love and a lot of patience and i'm so grateful for all i learned from her. i am a little nervous about getting a new companion but as i have talked to the Lord, i have had a peace given to me. the Lord knows me and knows what i need. i am praying for Sister Vandegrift as she gets ready to go home- i want to help her end on a high. we are doing so great :) i love being a missionary. i feel like i learn something new everyday (sometimes the hard way) but the Lord is helping me become a missionary and a disciple. i am striving to improve something, some-one-thing, daily and focus on staying close to the spirit. something i really learned this week is the power that comes from performing the invites from our leaders. the mission president, zone leaders and district leaders give us invites weekly. they are inspired and as i strive to act on my commitment to their invitations, i know i am blessed. our church is guided by inspired men who love and obey the Lord. as we follow their counsel, we cannot go astray. general conference is amazing and the opportunity that we have to read and study the words of living prophets and apostles is a blessing that only our church offers. the priesthood is an amazing blessing.

mom- i love you so much. it was so great to get your email and hear about all that you are doing. you are an amazing mom with so much love. all of us kids love you so much. you tie us together.

dad- thank you for your guidance and leadership in our family. i love you so much. i am so grateful that you are a righteous priesthood holder and that you seek the Lords will. seeing your example has brought me to where i am today. ps- we're about to go to costco to get a COSTO CARD. ohhhhh yeahhhh :) i loveyou

thank you to everyone for your prayers and your support. i truly feel it. i was praying last night and felt so much love. i know that love comes from the Lord and also from all of you. i am so grateful for our family. we are eternal and that is the best blessing. i know that Christ lives and that through Him, we can change. we can bless the lives of others by following the Spirit's guidance, and we can be worthy of the spirit through repentance. the way is prepared for us. Chist is the way. i love Christmas time

all my love

Sister Newman  

paige's address :)

HEY! paige is still in taiwan and still has the same address :) fancy that! it's christmas time soon! you should write her a little christmassy letter :)

Sister Paige Newman
404-46
Taiwan Taichung Mission
No 498-11 Wu Chuan Rd.
North district, Taichung
Taiwan, ROC

pictures of thanksgiving

December 2nd, 2012

DECEMBER!! when did that happen? where did november go? time goes so quickly and i can't believe i've almost been in taiwan for 3 months. one part of me feels like i have always lived here and another part of me feels like i just got here. i love taiwan so much and i am loving serving the Lord and seeking to do His will. sister Vandegrift and i have rededicated ourselves to giving missionary work 110 percent. our days are so full of finding and teaching and serving and i love every second of it.

the thanksgiving party was wonderful :) it was so fun. wednesday night, we started baking with a bunch of women in the singles ward. the elders showed up for a time and helped us peel potatoes. we had some investigators come as well. it was so great to be in the kitchen again!! i really missed that this thanksgiving- i hope the turkey was less of a hassle this year at midway :) it was great to feel that sisterhood with the women here. i am learning that the most important thing is helping people FEEL something different. if they feel that love and that peace of the spirit, that's not something they will forget. i think the key is creating an environment where the spirit can come. mom just told me about her experiences teaching english and i am so inspired!!

we spent most of friday baking as well, with members and investigators coming and going, helping us pick things up and get things ready. we were blessed with so many miracles as we prepared for this activity. and then the party was that night :) we had about 100 people show up. everyone loved the food. i think they were a little scared of the stuffing at first and the green bean casserole, but once you pop you can't stop! they LOVED it. everyone was coming up to me and telling me how i am going to be such a great mom. i wish they could see my mom- she puts me to shame :) all things that are good about me i owe to my angel mother and her example. mom and dad have helped me become who i am and they continue to influence me. i love you two and i felt very close to you this week as i celebrated thanksgiving as we do at home (ok- not exactly similar. our turkey usually doesn't have its head STILL ON). after we were done eating, we all went upstairs and had a mini church tour. our relief society, YW leader, Bishop, and family history consultant were able to talk a little about the different organizations in our wards. it was great and when the bishop talked about the sacrament meeting, he read the sacrament prayer. i felt the spirit so strong as he talked about the cleansing power of baptism and sacrament. it was great and we met many of the member's friends. we ate leftovers with some members yesterday after church for dinner and that was super fun. i love the wards here. it's incredible the strength i have felt as i have tried to remember and get to know people in our three wards. they are so wonderful. we are trying now, under the direction of the bishop, to do some training with them about how to share the gospel with their friends. we invited them this week to pray for the desire to share. i know that as we pray for and seek missionary experiences, the Lord will give us the desires of our hearts. i have seen this in my family as they have had opportunities to bring others closer to Christ. the Lord is giving them opportunities to be examples of Christ in China, where they are not allowed to openly proselyte. surely, if He can help them have missionary experiences in a place where they can't even teach than He can help us have missionary experiences in a place that has religious freedom (taiwan, american, europe). nothing is more important in the world than this message of the Lord's gospel. i love the joy that comes from learning about and sharing these "glad tidings of great joy"

i was able to receive a blessing this week from an elder in my district. i felt so much love from my Heavenly Father and so much support. our district right now is really fun. we are supportive and service oriented. i love it. being a missionary is such a unique experience. i am so grateful for the power and authority of the priesthood. i want to help families see the blessings of this gospel. i want to help fathers see how it can help them preside and protect. i want to help mothers see how it can guide them as they nurture and teach. this gospel is for families!! i love it.

i am so grateful for sister Vandegrift. i have felt a deep love for her and a desire to help her continue to be the best missionary she can be. she has taught me so much about diligence and charity. we were able to have a really wonderful conversation about the spirit and the gospel of Jesus Christ. i am grateful that i was able to be her trainee and i am grateful for all the times i have been able to serve her. she has been patient with me and helped me smooth out my rough edges. i love her.

all my love to my family and friends. i love this missionary work and i am so grateful for your support. Christ lives and guides us. He is our Master.

yours,

sister Newman