Week 4

November 3, 2015
Tuesday, Day 21
Day 8 in NY

Got up and got ready for studying and planning. Studied for an hour, then had companionship study and planned for an hour.

1st SERVICE "PROJECT":
Our landlord is this little old lady named Claudia. She knocked on our door yesterday during planning; she lives in the apartment right above us. She was telling us that she had been working so hard to clean the back yard because she had a warning from the inspector. But she worked too hard; we told her she should have told us, we could have done it for her. But we told her we make our own schedule plans so we can be free anytime if she needs any more help. She said that she needed to do the front yard. We told her we would do it for her, she just needed the leaves raked and garbage picked up. So we planned that project for the next morning, (which was today) so we got up, studied, planned, and met her out front. We finished it all in about 45 minutes.

SERVICE ISN'T SERVICE: (if there's money involved)
We had explained to her that we would be willing to help serve her on any way she needed. So raking/cleaning was our s rice to her. We had gotten all cleaned up and ready for lunch and we hear another knock at the door, so I grab the door and little Mrs. Claudia is standing there with a 20 in her hand... As she reached forward to hand it to me I backed up with my hands in the air, haha I said oh Claudia! Thank you so much but I can't take that.. She being the sweet old lady she is kept insisting me to take it. (With all the commotion) Elder Tabor finally walks up to the door and try's to explain that it was our service to her and that we can't accept it. So she came in threw the money in the room and said buy your self lunch, hahaha and she walked away!

PERFECT OBEDIENCE:
We strive so hard to be the most obedient missionaries we can be. So Elder Tabor being so worried about "accepting" the money, he called the zone leaders haha and he asked what should we do?! Haha he's so funny, I had already explained that we did our best to explain that we can't accept it, now it's ours and we can buy lunch haha. The zone leaders said the same, they said well you said what you could but she insisted.. So take it and rejoice over it with some ice cream! So we consider it a blessing and thanked Heavenly Father.

FBI: (or the FIB)
So people easily mistake us all the time for cops, and it's hilarious. We were in this one apartment standing outside a door to one of our investigators room. His names DJ, I haven't met him yet. But Elder Tabor says whenever he's had an encounter with him at home he's always high. So we knocked on his door and five little kids were playing kick ball up stairs, and the ball rolled down to our floor, I grabbed it and they all ran down after it. When they saw us they all stopped and with a look on their faces one said "are you the FIB" haha so I went with it, and said "no but we are the FBI" and the little girl next to him said "yea you idiot he's the FBI". I gave them their ball back, and they asked, "Did DJ do something? Is he going to jail" but what was so funny was they said it so calm as if it's happened before. So we just said no, we just wanted to talk with him. But he wasn't home so we left and the kids went back up stairs.


November 4, 2015
Wednesday, Day 22
Day 9 in NY

PDAY!!! My favorite day haha I get to sit back and email. It feels so nice to be able to relax for a bit. My legs ache from walking millions of miles each day.

LAUNDRY:
Went over to the laundry mat first, out in our loads. Went across the street to this store called Deals, dirt-cheap. Bought some detergent, went back over started out load.




GROCERY SHOPPING: (like a mother)
Right around the block was a grocery store. We went in I pulled out my iPad cause I had a list of things I wanted and needed. My companion was like "Holy cow, your so organized and prepared all the time!" Haha I laughed and responded, I had a lot of time with my mom back home, went shopping together all the time. So I know how it goes. So thanks mom!!

AFTER:
After all our chores, we went back home to fold and put away our clothes. Once that was done then we sat and emailed for a while. Ate lunch, and emailed some more.

EMAILS:
Like I've said before, I reply to emails throughout the week, as I receive them. But I save them as drafts because I can't respond till PDAY. So I guess I had 45 drafted emails... Holy cow! Haha I have so many fans back home! Thanks for the love!

My companion on the other hand... Had 2 one from mom and one from dad. He says that he's glad he doesn't get so many emails, because it's nice not having to worry about it. But I like all the emails, it doesn't distract me, and I don't worry about it. But I stay updated when I can check so I love it.

MACY'S:
It's supposed to start raining again and snow by next month. So we went to Macy's and went shopping. I found some boots, a sweatshirt, and a windbreaker.

MAIL: (none)
Went to the church, cause that's where they drop off mail every Tuesday. And we didn't get a chance to go so we went today. No mail for me.. I guess the packages mom sent weren't there. So till next week.

THE WATERMANS:
Sister Waterman, goes to the church to make sure it's locked and the lights are off, when she came into the relief society room. She saw us there looking for mail. (That's the room they drop it all off at) so
she said "just the Elders I need!" She asked us to come back to her apartment and help move a heavy suitcase and boxes. (Because their 1 1/2 year mission is over, so they are moving out). We walked a couple houses down to theirs, went in through the front door. When I saw Elder Waterman 1st, he was sitting sideways on the couch with this massager machine, he was rubbing out all his sore spots in his feet and legs cause he's a runner. So we went up stairs, brought down some boxes, put them in the car and when we came back in... Elder Waterman, was upside down on the ground with his legs up on the couch. It was so funny to me.(so I had to take a picture)

OUR JOURNEY TO DINNER:
Brother Danquah, on Sunday invited us over for dinner for tonight at 7:30... I waited from lunchtime till then to eat... So we went home after the Watermans, dropped off some stuff, then went over to the Danquah's home. From home we walked to the 2 Train, on our way this guy comes out of nowhere, just yelling, dashes right at us! And Elder Tabor jumps and hid right behind me! Hahaha! Elder Tabors a big guy, was a football player, Olympic weight lifter in HS, he's like 220 lbs and he hides behind me! I didn't move, I just kinda watched this guy run right through where Elder Tabor WAS standing. Once the guy passed us he just casually walked by... It was so weird; the dude was totally on something.
Elder Tabor, about a minute later, says sorry for hiding behind you, I'm easily startled. I said, "I noticed" haha. He reminded me of Dillon at the time haha big, tough, and could totally protect himself, but easily startled. Haha love you Dillon!! We got off the train, went over to the bus stop and missed the bus by a minute; total trip from home to their house is an hour. So I said lets just walk until we see a bus. So we start walking, and walking, and walking, for about 30 minutes. And we have a 45-minute walk to go till we would be there but we only had 15 minutes to spare. Just minutes later a bus comes driven by out of now where, (we had been looking behind us the whole time to see if s bus was coming) so we just take off running, we ran for half a mile, just following this bus to its next stop. The bus closes up the doors and waits at the red streetlight. We get up to the bus and signs, him to open up. He does, and says I saw y'all running from back there. (In my head I'm thinking and why didn't you stop?!) he then said and there's another bus right behind me.... I'm like seriously... So we sit down. Sweating bullets, with less than 10 minutes. (Thank you for those handkerchiefs Grammy!!) we get off about 3 stops later. And have 5 minutes to find the apartment building. Get in go up to level 10 and knock on the door. We got to the door right at 7:30!

WORKIN UP AN APPETITE:
Haven't eaten since lunch, walking all day, ran half a mile, I sweat all the water out of my body, and we get there just in time for what we thought was dinner time.... But no, they let us in we took a seat on the couch. And we talked. And talked. For I believe 40 minutes... I thought they had forgotten about making us dinner.. Then brother Danquah calls us into the kitchen, he said have a seat. The table was empty. And I was hungry, confused, and just praying to make it through... He then starts pulling out food from the kitchen and placing it in front of us. I was so relived and thankful. By then it was about 8 and I thought how ridiculous to have family dinner this late... Oh it's not family dinner, it was just dinner for Elder Tabor and me. We just sat together at the table me Elder Tabor and Brother Danquah... So I start loading my plate, I took half the rotisserie chicken, salad and this good lookin rice... After we said a prayer I dug right in. Ate some chicken, then some rice.... Then, my mouth started to burn... Uh great! I came all this way, haven't eaten, ran around like crazy, and for dinner I get spicy food... I don't like spicy, I like to enjoy my food... So I grab some ranch and just dump it on my plate, dressed my salad, and my rice haha. What a day... So because they talked for so long when we got there we ate fast. Went back to the family room shared a video and a message on the spirit. And took off. It was now 8:50 and we still had to walk to the bus, then a train and walk home... Again an hour trip... So we took off out of there after saying goodbye.

DISOBEDIENT: (harsh way of saying it)
We hate being late or off time when it comes to our schedule, we got home around 10... When we should have been home no later then 9:30, poor planning with time coming home. So of course we got down on our knees for nightly planning and just asked for forgiveness and promised to be better.
Repentance is not s bad thing, it should be apart of our everyday lives. I repent every day and it's been so helpful knowing that I can.


NOVEMBER 5, 2015
Thursday, Day 23
Day 10 in NY

Woke up earlier then usual, like 5:30 got ready and left around 6:30. We had to meet the other Elders because I was going on a split with Elder Hughes and Elder Nalaza, while Elder Tabor went to a meeting with the zone leaders and President Smith.

So I'm hanging out with the Elders and I'm talking with one of the Spanish Elders, Elder Gallardo. He was saying how NY reminds him of home in Mexico. It's trashy haha.

1st SPLIT:
Went to their apartment. Elder Nalaza is an amazing cook! He made me the best meal I've had since I left home. He stacked my plate with rice and I think he called it pork curry. It was pork, baked potatoes,
and this sauce it was cooked in. I ate so well! After lunch, they showed me this car hood that Elder Hughes and his last companion dragged up the street, in the elevator, and into their room. Haha so I signed it (I'll show pics) then they showed me this Pelham Parkway sign that was found after the Hurricane sandy storm, it was brought into their apartment. (I signed that too) haha.

K.O: (knock out)
So I've had this lame cold the past week... And I've just been exhausted with working so hard and being sick. I was sitting on their couch while they did their companionship study and I passed out... My
head was hurting so I took ibuprofen then just passed out on the couch. Haha then woke up to Elder Hughes whispering, "Elder Newbold". I guess I was out for 20 minutes. So that was nice..

TRACTING:
We went out and they had some people they were going to visit... We walked for a few miles and no one answered... Any of the doors we knocked on. No one was there.




NOVEMBER 6, 2015
Friday, Day 24
Day 11 in NY

Woke up early... 5:30.. 2 days in a row. But it was a god day! We hopped on a train and took off to Scarsdale, the area of the mission home where I stayed day 1. We got in a van with other missionaries and went to the church to have "the new missionary meeting" we watched some videos and learned about driving. We all got out "tiwi login card".

TIWI:
Tiwi is the "GPS, driving correction notification device" that sits on the windshield of mission cars to keep missionaries driving safe. It will alert you if your driving to fast, it'll tell you if your accelerating to quickly, if your going over speed bumps or pot-holes to fast, if your turning to sharp, and so on... And if you do any of these too often it send a notification to the mission director in charge or driving and he will know, after too many of these "notifications" we could have our driving suspended.

NMM: (new missionary meeting)
We got to hear from president smith, his wife, and the AP (Assistant to President) elders. It was really good! One of the AP's talked about loyalty, he served for a year in china town here in NY so he specks
Mandarin Chinese.

CHINESE:
忠言成 this is Loyalty in Chinese. There's four parts to these characters. The first one is 中 (Zhōng) is how its said. It means (center). The second part is 心 (xtn) is how it's said. It means (heart). The third part is 言 (yān) is how it's said. It means (things you say). The fourth part is 成 (chēng) is how it's said. It means (accomplish). All these different characters together make loyalty. It's super interesting how it works out.

After all these people spoke we had lunch in the building, sandwiches and mallowmars, it's a NY "cold" s'more. It's a chocolate dipped graham cracker and marshmallow. Pretty good stuff!

WALK:
After the meeting was over, my companion and me started walking to the train. It's so beautiful in Scarsdale, it's not ghetto or trashy, it's colorful and just so beautiful. Leaves cover the ground.

We got on the train and headed home, then got ready for our next appointments.


NOVEMBER 7, 2015
Saturday, Day 25
Day 12 in NY

We had a long morning/day. We got up at 6:30, got ready. Had personal study for an hour, then companionship study for a outer hour. Then daily planning for an hour. Then weekly planning for 3 hours... And then lunch... Then we had 12 week, which is this booklet "program" kind of thing that the trainers go over with the new missionary's. We finally finished around 5 and ate dinner then went out to some appointments.

LUNCH:
My companion said to me, "hey do you want to listen to a story?" I was like what? Listen to a story? From who? About what? He said there's this story I have recorded on my iPod. It's super awesome and it's about this guy who becomes converted to the gospel. So I said yea for sure, I'll listen while I check emails, during my lunch. So I'm listening to this guy tell his story and it's life changing...

WHERE IT BEGINS:
It was during my lunch at 12:30PM here in the Bronx of NY that my perspective of my mission, of a mission changed. I felt the honest truth of this gospel through this story.. Through the recording on an
iPod of a man telling his story, I feel like my life was changed.

Bill Carpenter - The Bill Carpenter story

I know it's early on in my mission... But I believe that this story, is the answer to why I'm on my mission. Find this story, maybe it's on YouTube. If you have to buy it somewhere, do it. This story will
change your life.

ILL NEVER FORGET: (WARNING, readers discretion is advised) we were walking home after a long day and as always we say hi or have a good night to everyone we see, well I didn't see this one lady. But my companion did. He was to the left on me and she was on the right about 6 ft. from me standing in the shadow at the corner of a wall. As he said, "have a great night" she responded "thanks, you too" as I looked over to see who he was talking to... This lady, as she responded to my companion, began to pull her pants down... That night there were 2 moons out.(One white moon and one dark moon
hiding in the shadow) I then began to pick up my pace and walk with purpose. Hoping the faster I walked the faster I'd forget that image. When my companion realized the pace I began to walk, he asked why. I began to stutter, as I couldn't quite describe what just happened. I managed to say "Elder I'm scarred for life" he asked why? At that moment I realized he had no idea what happened.. A minute later when I regained my focus. I began to tell him after he said, "have a great night" to that women, I turned my head at the wrong moment. To see the dark moon escape the eclipse.

MY QUOTE OF THE DAY:
Miracles are constant, but you won't see them, unless the Lord Himself opens your eyes.


NOVEMBER 8, 2015
Sunday, Day 26
Day 13 in NY

Stake conference:
So our building in Cali is the stake center so everyone meets there. But the building we meet in, here in the Bronx isn't, so only our ward meets at this building and we watch conference on the projector
screen... So not knowing what our conference would be like, I just pictured what ours is always like... Well to my disappointed surprise, we had about 36 people in chapel... And our chapel isn't any regular chapel, we don't have pews, we have fold up chairs, but they are the comfy ones, so that's one thumbs up.

PRESIDENT SMITH:
Our mission President spoke and that was awesome, he said a couple things that stood out to me. One thing he said was something I've read somewhere before but I really like. He said "the prophet calls who the lord qualifies" and that's for everyone, not just missionaries, but also bishops, and all the callings under them.

The other thing that stood out to me but have never heard till he said it was when he was talking about spreading the word he said "Teach the gospel always and when necessary use words." Just let that settle in for a minute. Always teach the gospel, however you take that. Teach by example, though service, by showing love, you can share the gospel in so many ways, but when necessary, use words. Share the gospel to everyone but to those who really want it speak it. Serve those who may not be ready for it. But teach those who are. That's what I get from that quote..

MEALS:
We've had 1 meal from a member while serving here these past 2 weeks... No body in the ward has missionaries over for dinner. So that's why we get paid like $40 more than other missionaries per month, so we can afford more groceries and fast food... Which there's like no fast food in our area. We have a McDonald's that we would take a train to get there, or a Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, which is
walking distance... But I won't eat at Mickey D's and Popeyes will get old fast if I go to often. There always is pizza, but that's all that's good here, so since I'll be living here the next 2 years I'd
rather not let myself get bored of pizza so quickly. I hear upstate missionaries get member dinners, like more than once a week! So they get fed really well. Unlike us, we have too cook and
find food where we can.
With all this walking I'm burning off more than I can put in. (The continued story of my life).

MOST NIGHTS:
I come home hungry from appointments and make my self either grilled cheese sandwiches or quesadillas! Haha



NOVEMBER 9, 2015
Monday, Day 27
Day 14 in NY

Every morning I slide out of bed, make my bed, get on my knees, and begin to pray. With my knees on the floor, my elbows on my bed, and my hands folded together I speak quietly the words, which I feel I should express to my Heavenly Father. I thank him for so much, I thank him for my family daily, the people in my life that support me, the comfort that he provides through the spirit, and so on. I express my gratitude for everything that I feel that the Lord would appreciate. I share with my Heavenly Father the miracles and blessings, which I have noticed the day before, and I thank him for those. I then ask for the spirit and its constant comfort and love. I also ask for my father to bless the lives of my family, those in my life, my investigators, my companion, and all other missionaries. I pray for my family by name, I pray for people who I'm inspired to pray for, the close friends I have at home, my mission buddies serving else where, the people I meet here, and so on. With out even realizing it till recently, my companion told me that I pray for a half an hour every morning.. By the time that he prays and works out I'm done. What's funny is that he thinks I'm sleeping the whole time I'm on my knees, but I'm really praying.

GEORGE'S SPECIAL:
We had our district meeting this morning, and it was good! But after we went out to eat lunch, cause we finished around 1:30. We went out to this place called George's. I guess if you serve in this area other missionaries will ask if you've been there and if you haven't then they think you haven't experienced anything. So my companion, Elder Tabor, and Elder Sorenson and Elder Buckley went to this restaurant. It's super cool cause the owner I guess loves/respects missionaries, so he says "all drinks on the house" for missionaries. So that's super nice. Then they have this breakfast special, called Georges special, which I didn't order. They ordered for me, and it's ridiculous! It's this FAT pancake the size of a big dinner glass plate, then a piece or 2 of French toast, 4 nice pieces of bacon, 2 thick pieces of sausage, and on the other plate a big pile of French fries, and a few cooked eggs.
So much food, but I ate all the breakfast food on the one plate, not a huge fan of eggs so elder Buckley gladly ate them haha and we all fedora each other’s fries. I was going through what they call the missionary "Itis" like you have this "disease" after you eat, it makes you tired and you don't wanna work... Yea so basically s food coma... I felt it. But we went on with our day!

STREET MEAT:
We were on our way home for the day and as always I'm hungry. So I'm trying to figure out what to eat, but there's like no good restaurants or fast food. All we have here is subway, Popeye's, and pizza. The other food marts are just so unpleasant to look at. They are gross and messy. "The deli/grocery" are most of the food Marts on street corners. But there are cops around them and tons of people smoking so we don't bother going to any of them. So my companion introduced me to street meat. It's like a taco truck. But it's a stand that sits on the corner of the sidewalk. They make a bowl of meat and vegetables and cook it all together right there in front of you. It's super good! While ordering the lady that works there asked if we were Mormon, and she said her mom is Mormon and we talked for a bit and she said that's she's Catholic, her husbands Muslim, and her moms Mormon. So she likes to stay natural and learn about all of them. So we told her we would come by again and talk more.

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY:
"The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor
is humility." -proverbs 15:33



NOVEMBER 10, 2015
Tuesday, Day 28
Day 15 in NY

We took the train to Kingsbridge because that's where the Church building that we were meeting in was, and on the way there we drove by the Yankee Stadium!! Oh it's beautiful. I was like a kid at Christmas, it's been a dream to be in NY but it's always been a dream to go to the stadium... And to see it was just awesome! I got a glimpse of the field through a small opening in the stadium as we drove by on the train! My pictures will show you exactly what I got to see... My dream will be to go there for a game on PDAY!

ZONE CONFERENCE:
The Sabbath day was our topic.

A lot of things that were said and the talks that were given were definitely inspired. I learned to think of church in the way I see my mission. "A mission isn't the best 2 years of your life, but they are the best 2 years for your life." So when you think of church think of it the same way. "Church may not be the best 3 hours of our week, but it's the best 3 hours for our week." So take advantage of it in the most appropriate and spiritual ways.

I also realized that before I came out on a mission, back home I was given 1 day to the Savior and 6 days to myself. But now out on a mission, as a missionary, I am given 6 1/2 days to the Savior and 8
hours to myself. That 1-day to the Savior was the Sabbath. But now I give everyday to the Savior and the time I get for myself is PDAY, those 8 hours to do what I need to for the week.

I say we but maybe it's not all of us, but, When we think of the Sabbath day we think of it as the day of rest, when that's not the case, we should think of "what more can we do to be Christ like." The savior didn't take a break, even on his day. He was out serving and healing people. So we need to be more like him and find ways to help ourselves be better.

I've been reminded that it's a commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy. The commandments are not ranked; they all stand in the same importance. We were told to keep all commandments. We don't get to choose which ones seem less important. Because none are less important than another. Keeping the commandment of "thou shall not kill" is just as important as "keep the Sabbath day holy."

APPOINTMENTS: (fall through)
So we had 2 appointments fall through, the first appointment we had, I knocked on the door and a lady from the door opposite of this door came out looking outside for who knows what reason. Turns out the family we were supposed to meet with weren’t home. So we talked to this lady instead. We explained whom we were and immediately became interested. We asked if there was an adult male home, she said her 35-year-old son was. He was getting ready for work. So we had just a few minutes. But we came in and were able to share with her our purpose as missionaries. This lady is handicapped, she has some issues with random muscle spasms that caused her legs to give out and her to crumble to the floor. We just talked about how Jesus Christ is the center of our message. She went on about how she's looking for a church to join, because she doesn't think any of these churches have all of what she's looking for. So just like Joseph smith, she has the same question, which church do I join? I invited her to read the Book of Mormon and pray about what we have said to her, and to pray to know the truth of it. Then at the end I said, "When you receive the answer that what we've said and that the
Book of Mormon is true, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone who holds the proper authority of God." She said well I've already been baptized? Would I need to be baptized again? We were running out of time, but we briefly explained the importance of our baptism and that she would need to be baptized again. We scheduled to meet with her again, invited her to church this Sunday. And left. It was awesome

The second person we met, when our second appointment fell through was this lady who's about 50 something, she told us we were a blessing, she had lost her way in life. She had been smoking and drinking for about 30 years now everyday because she works 2 jobs and is just so busy with other things that she lost her way from her church and has deep down been wanting for someone to help her back. So she told us again that God sent us here and we agreed, we didn't tell her that our appointments fell through, but my companion and me were both thinking this is the reason they fell through, so that we would meet these 2 ladies. While we talked to her for 15 minutes in the hall we exchanges numbers and she gave us some fried salmon that she was cooking. And gave us Gatorade. She was so sweet! When she first answered the door she had think unhappy look to her, she said that she never answers the door to missionaries because she was always just so busy, but this time she said she'd open the door, and when she did, as we talked her face showed her sincerity and happiness. We gave her a Book of Mormon and asked her to read a chapter. She said she would. She has a busy schedule but told us to call her whenever so we could try to work something out. Then we left with a prayer, and headed out with a successful night.

Patience. Love. Faith

Much love,
Elder Newbold

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