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