June 24, 2013

Dearest Family

on friday we took the two HUGE suitcases of sister Tanner and sister Tanner herself and headed up to the mission office. about 5 hours later i was back on that train heading south with my NEW COMPANION SISTER HILL! she's great and we're learning together and it's always a growing experience. it interesting to realize how different this mission life is from real life- there are so many adjustments and changes and learning experience. i'm praying for discernment so that i can know sister Hill's needs and concerns. i just want her to be happy

this week has been really great. sending sister Tanner off was sad but exciting. i'm sure she's nervous about life back at home but i have faith in her. i am so grateful i was able to serve with her. and now i have my new companion sister HILL!! i'm really excited to be her companion. i think the first couple days have been really overwhelming but i'm striving to help her feel comfortable. our first lesson together went amazing!!! we taught Huang JM (the ward clerk's wife) and read 2 Nephi 31 with her. we had practiced that morning extending baptismal invites and sister Hill was able to invite Huang JM to be baptized. and she accepted!! it was one of the most perfect baptismal invitations i've had on my mission and i'm really grateful that sister Hill got that opportunity. it's crazy thinking about when i first came on island. i'm having flashbacks like every second to my first move call. the stress. the desire to be perfect. feeling overwhelmed. and also just being so grateful that i was finally here and able to teach and talk and be a missionary. sister hill is a powerful teacher and was able to lead one of the lessons already. she shared a scripture and invited our investigator to read daily. i'm grateful for her boldness in teaching and her powerful testimony. i am so grateful for all that prepared me to be missionary in Taiwan. i love the language and i love the people and i love being a missionary. i am so grateful that Heavenly Father let me come and that He's letting me continue to have a wonderful mission.

I LOVE OUR WARD HERE IN NANZi! i am so grateful that i am able to train here because i truly believe that this ward is so fun and this area is amazing. i feel real grateful that i have really been able to be myself in this ward. i have made friends here whom i love. the youth here as so much fun and we're really working on getting them involved in missionary work this summer. having a new sister come in has just made me realize how much i LOVE all the people we are working with. we went and had dinner with a less active sister in our ward and talked with her about obedience and her life and she is just like a mother to me. she reminds me a lot of Aunt Amy in her personality- fun and lovable. she is wanting to come visit us in ShangHai when i go back. hope that's ok :) she is really funny and full of life. she has had some hard experiences in her life that make her have less of a desire to come to church. but she knows it is true. we met her daughter and they love missionaries.

 

sister Hill is from Utah. she is studying at BYUI and is an english major. she has a big family. she is a really soft person (which we all know is what i need to be more like). she has grace and is very patient. i am really excited to have her as a companion. she has a concern for all those we meet with and has a really strong desire to connect with them

i am praying that the wedding and traveling and summer is going well for all of you. can you believe i've almost been on a mission for a year. july 5th marks one year and that is coming. i'm having flashbacks all the time. the mtc was amazing. being trained was so great. my first area was so special. and all my companions have been just what i needed. my mission has been so great and i'm grateful to each of you for your support. i know all the blessings i receive are due to your prayers and the mercy of God. this gospel is perfect and helps a live a more perfectly happy life. we can always have hope and light because Christ is our hope and our light.

i love each of you so much. i was overwhelmed with how many emails and pictures i got this week. you are all amazing

keep the faith

sister Newman