November 25, 2015
Wednesday, Day 43
Day 30 in NY
PDAY!
I don't know how many times more I can say it! I just love pday!
It's the best; the activities and things we choose to do during that time are
so good for relieving any stress or bad vibes. It even makes sick people feel
better, even if they are just at the church watching the rest of us. It gives
them a good attitude and brings up their spirit.
DAILY SCRIPTURE:
We felt like it was a good idea to start sending a scripture daily
to our investigators. So today we sent: Omni 1:26 "And now, my beloved
brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of
Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea,
come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue
in fasting and prayer, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth you will
be saved." We sent this scripture at 10 AM after comp study, to about 20
or so of our investigators/members. And soon after it was sent we were getting
texts through out the day, thanking us for that scripture, telling us it was
exactly what a few of them needed, and so on. Since that experience we've been
sending a scripture every morning. This is something I encourage ALL to do!
It’s so easy. Everyone knows it can be hard to bring up the Gospel to people,
its "scary" or something. But it’s so easy to share something you
love with someone you love. So I invite all to find a scripture this week that
they love or feel that it would be perfect for one or more people and send it
(just like above, the name of the book section chapter and verse(s) then quote
the scripture.
1. It’s so awesome, people love this! They recognize that you care
because you’re sharing something important to you, with them.
2. If you chose to send it to someone who isn't a member, it could
bring up a conversation. They might love the scripture and ask where you found
it. That then gives you the perfect missionary opportunity to share with them
The Book of Mormon.
OBEDIENCE: (it's key to survival in the mish)
We have 1 sister companionship in our district, but 2 in our zone.
The companionship in our zone has been sick on and off for the past month or
so. (NOT to call them out, but just to share with you, here’s an example).
They've been sick with the flu the whole time I've been here. 1st Sister Ballou
was sick for a couple weeks, turns out, after going to the Doctors, she has
asthma, so once she got an inhaler she was better. Then Sister Morgan got sick
with the flu and has been sick for 3 weeks now. These poor 2 Sisters have been
in their apartment the majority of their sickness. Rarely leaving the house
because of how bad the flu is this year. I think she was almost sent home
because she's been that sick and no work has been getting done in their area.
Sister Smith, (President Smiths wife) said, the reason both these Sisters are
sick is because neither one of them got their flu shot... "They don't like
needles..." GET YOUR FLU SHOTS!! The FLU is horrible this year! We have a
good handful of missionaries in NY who are sick, and the ones that are sick
were the ones who didn't get their shot. So be obedient! Even the lame little
things we are asked to do, like getting a flu shot. I thought about just
skipping the shot. But I'm glad I got
One because everyone who hasn't gotten one, got sick really bad. Not
that these Sisters are disobedient, because they aren't they are such amazing
missionaries, they just chose to skip over a little rule and its caused a lot
of pain and misery for the both of them.
PDAY:
After we did laundry and grocery shopping we went home changed into
pday activity clothes and went to the church to play gator ball. When we got
there, I was prepared to give another Elder a haircut. While waiting for them
to show up, I began to catch up in my journal. During this time, other
missionaries began to show up. So as enough showed up they started playing
gator ball.. I was still writing my journal email, and had been for over an
hour.. After about 30 minutes of hearing the missionaries yelling to me to get
off and come play. I wrapped up the end of my journal, sent it off, and began
to destroy in gator ball. The 2 Sisters (Morgan & Ballou) that had been
sick, left the house for the 1st time in about 4 days and came to the church to
get fresh air. To our surprise, one, they showed up and two, they both played
with us. (Even tho Sister Morgan sat in the chair (the chair is the goal) and
played goalie). Lol Her spirit was lifted and she did seem to look a little
happier.
APPOINTMENTS:
We met with 3 people tonight. We came home from the church, around 5:30PM.
We hurried to get ready and ate. Then got out the door by 6PM. We thought that
we would go stop by this investigator’s home. So we got to the project and the lady
we were there to see is standing there in the "lobby" waiting at the
elevator. So we only had a few minutes with her because she was getting ready
to leave. We just decided to review the Daily Scripture that we sent out this
morning. Her name is Alexis, so the time that we were with her we were able to
start with a prayer review the daily scripture with her, answer her question
about the scripture, share our testimony on it, invite her to read some of the
Book of Mormon, close with a prayer, and make a follow up appointment. The
awesome things you can do in 10 minutes. After Alexis, we left and went to
David Urbina home, not sure I’ve mentioned David before. But David is a very
knowledgeable man. Growing up in high school he realized he was able to learn
and remember things that he cared to learn about. (That makes perfect sense).
So he studied a lot of different things he became interested in. Science being
one of them. Around the age 18 he was converted into the church and was
baptized. After some number of years he became inactive. He's now about 38 and
loves meeting with us. He loves learning so he's always so open to meeting with
us. We teach, he understands, we invite, and he commits, lately he hasn't kept
up on his commitments to read the Book of Mormon so when we meet with him we
read with him the scriptures we invited him to read and we discuss what its
about. It's
super awesome! This time that we met with him he had a friend over that
used to meet with missionaries. So together the 4 of us took turns reading the
Book of Mormon. Towards the end his friend bore his testimony, which was super awesome
and unexpected. Even David was surprised and loved it. Super cool experience! After
meeting with David, we left and went to look up this lady named
Mildrige (or something like that). We knocked on her door, never met
her before. So we introduced our selves and she wants a Bible so we ordered
one, she was in the middle of cooking so we didn't stay long.
November 26, 2015
Thursday, Day 44
Day 31 in NY
Happy Thanksgiving!
THANKSGIVING:
We had weekly planning to do this morning so after that we went over
to this lady's home. "Sister Cruz" she's a less active, she called us
yesterday out of the blue! We have never met/heard of her. But she was like,
hey elders, I was just wondering if you had any plans for thanksgiving we told
her we did but that we were available during lunch around noon. So we set an
appointment yesterday.
After we planned, it was about 12:30, so we took off and went over
to her house. Met her for the first time, met her sister, and her son (who was
in his 30s). We went in and she sat us at the table. We sat down and she asked
us what we'd like to eat, she immediately after said I'll just give you a
little bit of everything.. So of course I was nervous, because all her food was
covered. So I had no clue what any of the food was... As she started uncovering
the food, at times I felt relief and other times felt uneasy... To say the
least it was quite an experience...
But I can't leave you with the least, so we blessed the food and in
my heart I was praying to be able to eat it all... Just so I could be polite...
Most of the food wasn't the best, the turkey was dry, and she had a lot of
different Spanish looking food, which just wasn't good to me... So with her
standing right there in the kitchen, I'm
just stuffing my face with a variety of all of it, so it didn't over
power with flavor of one food. Besides the fact of the amount of food being so
much (2 full plates side by side), I couldn't always swallow what was in my mouth..
So I had to drink the Coke she gave us with every bite.. The food wasn't
horrible, just so much of so many different things..
I WAS WRONG:
Leaving, with disgust from never before feeling so full from one
sitting. I found myself terribly wrong, as we then made our way to our next
meal appointment...
THANKSGIVING#2:
To the Danquah's. The Danquah family is member family in our ward; Brother
Danquah is the 1st counselor in the Bishopric. We can tell we are his favorite
missionaries lol. He hasn't said it, but we know it. He always comes to us for things
he needs. So as full as could be, or so we thought, we began our next meal. I don't
know if it's culture or what, but they cooked a ton of food... So of course
that means we have to eat a lot. Round 2 killed us... We thought we couldn't
eat any more, but we managed to shove most of our plate of food down our
throats. The left overs on our plate, we starting planning how to get rid of
it... So thinking of the stories I've been told, I started to consider, shoving
food into my bag, throwing it out the window...
1. I didn't have enough napkins to cover the food to put it in my bag..
So that didn't work.
2. I wasn't sitting by a window... So that didn't work either.
Running out of ideas, my eye was drawn towards the red solo cup I
was drinking from.. So I was just barely able to drink the rest of what was
left in the cup. When I finished I found myself with the perfect opportunity
when no eyes were on me... So with the cup in my hand I started to scoop the
rest of the food on my plate. Then stuffing napkins on top to cover it.. It
worked! Mission accomplished..
Let's just say, I've never in my life, never not been able to touch
my toes till this day...
THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS ENOUGH:
They knew that we had just gotten back from a meal appointment, but
we ate their dinner too... But of course that wasn't enough to them. Well duh!
What's Thanksgiving with out dessert!! After stuffing what I could into my cup,
and thinking I was in the clear.. They insisted that we eat pie... But not just
one slice, and not just the pie.. They wanted us to try their homemade bowl of
whatever it was... So the Lord being so merciful, then answered our prayers in
allowing us to eat more food.. So we managed once more to shove pie in our
face..
DON'T COMPLAIN: (it's thanksgiving)
I think that was my punishment for being "ungrateful",
because we never get fed by members.. Lol
RATS:
Ratatouille is not a fake movie; it's an animation of what NY is really
like.. There are rats everywhere and they are huge!!!
THE BRONX:
Lying in bed we heard some gunshots and then screaming. Super dope, or
so everyone else thinks lol.
Don't worry! We are safe here.
November 27, 2015
Friday, Day 45
Day 32 in NY
PRESIDENT SMITH:
He reminds me of dad, he's like the father of the mission so I look
to him as a father. The reason I think of dad when I see president smith is
because he restated something dad always told me. "Do your best to be the
best, so when the time comes that you are called to a position in the church you
can accept it. Always accept every calling you get, because the Lord qualifies
everyone that is called."
November 28, 2015
Saturday, Day 46
Day 33 in NY
PRAYER:
It's impossible to go a day without prayer; it's just always
necessary! I love the song Did you think to pray.
1. Ere you left your room this morning,
Did you think to pray?
In the name of Christ, our Savior,
Did you sue for loving favor
As a shield today?
[Chorus]
Oh, how praying rests the weary!
Prayer will change the night to day.
So, when life gets dark and dreary,
Don’t forget to pray.
2. When your heart was filled with anger,
Did you think to pray?
Did you plead for grace, my brother,
That you might forgive another
Who had crossed your way?
[Chorus]
Oh, how praying rests the weary!
Prayer will change the night to day.
So, when life gets dark and dreary,
Don’t forget to pray.
3. When sore trials came upon you,
Did you think to pray?
When your soul was full of sorrow,
Balm of Gilead did you borrow
At the gates of day?
[Chorus]
Oh, how praying rests the weary!
Prayer will change the night to day.
So, when life gets dark and dreary,
Don’t forget to pray.
November 29, 2015
Sunday, Day 47
Day 34 in NY
CHRISTMAS IS UPON US:
Love the season!!!! The church came out with this new Christmas
video "A Savior Is Born". It's the most beautiful video ever!!! Watch
it!!!! Share it!!! Post it!!! Spread the
word!
Christ was born so we can be born again!
A SAVIOR IS BORN:
Watch it! Post it! Hashtag it!! You can find the video on
Or in the gospel library app. download it!! I can't say it enough; I've
literally watched it over a hundred times!! We share it with EVERYONE we see on
the street, bus, train.. I Bluetooth my speaker and just play it loud! The
church has promoted it in Times Square there's banners posters and signs
everywhere of A Savior Is Born. This is the best time to share the true
meaning.. It's the easiest way; having this video!
SURPRISE TALK:
About to walk out the door, we receive a call for, brother Danquah,
he has asked us to give a talk in sacrament meeting.... So last minute! We were
on our way out the door to Church, but of course we accepted. And I gave my
talk on repentance and the atonement. At the end of sacrament, the sister
missionaries came up to me, they said thank you so much for your talk.. It
touched on exactly what
we've been teaching our investigator. (Who was sitting with them during
sacrament) they said I made her cry, she felt the spirit so strong, and felt
like it was exactly for her. Miracle of the day, I was asked to give a talk and
inspired to talk on repentance just for that investigator who is now getting
baptized this upcoming Saturday!!
November 30, 2015
Monday, Day 48
Day 35 in NY
SPLIT:
Just another day in the mish, we prepared me for a split. I was
going to take over the area this time.. So I was going about the day leading.
Elder Tabor helped with whatever I needed. I was more confident after today.
THE SPLIT:
We met at the church and the sisters asked us to come early, they asked
if we could give the same investigator (Denise, who was at sacrament) a
blessing. So we get there and out of the other 2 elders, Elder Tabor and I, she
asked me to give the blessing. Haha I feel like a blessing magnet. So we
explained to her what a blessing is, asked her how she was, and what she wants
the blessing for. So I gave her a blessing of comfort and counsel. She loved
the blessing and of course that makes me feel great! Because after giving a
blessing I always forget what was said, because it's not as important for me to
know, it's the words of the Spirit.
After the blessing we then split, Elder Sorenson and I. So I had the
keys and the phone for the companionship. Which was different, Elder Tabor and
I usually switch off, he has the keys and I have the phone or the other way.
But I took on both this time. Then also had to lead the day because he doesn't
know our area, but I felt like I didn't either.. Thankfully we never got lost,
I just never knew where we were. Lol but of course we were always lead to the
right direction.
It was a really cool experience to be the leading companion in the companionship.
Making all the decisions with the input of Elder Sorenson, but he doesn't know
our area or investigators. That's why I was in charge of making the decisions.
I apologize for the shortening of my emails haha I'm sure you can imagine
how busy I am. But I will write about December 1st and today next week!!
Love you all thanks so much for everything!
Patience. Love. Faith
Much love,
Elder Newbold
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| Ricky and Joel |
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| Ward Halloween party |
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