Week 11

December 22, 2015
Tuesday, Day 70
Day 57 in NY

Last week I wrote about the night before, Elder Tabor and I went on a split. So Elder Hughes and I woke up this morning, he likes to cook, so while I was in the bathroom getting ready he was making eggs. That was super sweet! After I was ready we ate breakfast then he got ready.

JERMAINE:
Went by the shop to see Jermaine, he was helping some customers and so we waited for a bit. When he was done he brought up a couple of chairs for us to sit on. Before we started our lesson he got a call from one of his buddies telling him they needed to meet up. So hearing his conversation, we told him we just need a couple minutes. So we gave him the Gospel of Jesus Christ pamphlet. He read the first page and we very briefly talked about each point. Faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. When we got to baptism, he immediately said "ahh ya, that's what I'm missing, I need to get baptized, huh?" I had planned to give him a baptism date during this lesson, but before I even opened my mouth he said "when are y'all having a baptism, when can I do that?" Totally caught off guard, but responded with "we are going to help prepare you for baptism on January 23." He said awesome and looks forward to it. Since he was in a bit of a hurry having to leave to meet his friend, we asked him to pray, and he did. It was so awesome! Jermaine Is prepared. Heavenly Father has prepared this man for us.

BROTHER FORD:
We went and visited Brother Ford just had a quick spiritual thought with him we read proverbs 17:17 and just talked about it. Short and sweet.

POST OFFICE:
After Brother Fords, we went to the post office so I could send off some Christmas cards I wrote to less active members in the ward.

NELSON:
We left the post office and went straight over to Nelson’s shop to see him. He wasn't busy so we sat down and taught him The Gospel of Jesus Christ. He loved it and was really into it. He was answering and asking questions, it was a really great lesson.

GRACE:
Grace is a Media Referral. Which means she went online to one of the church websites and ordered something. We then get an email because she's in our area. So we went over to her apartment. Hit the call button, she answered and came down to meet us at the door. We told her that we got an email that she had ordered something from the website but it doesn't show us what she ordered. She replied that she ordered a Bible. We didn't have any on us, so we asked when we could come by next to give that to her. She said next week same day and time. Then we left.

DINNER:
We came home and had dinner. I told Elder Hughes we could make whatever he wanted. He said how about Mac N Cheese. I said sure! Then just in time yelled to him… wait! No Mac N Cheese! We don't have any butter.... So sadly we didn't have butter so instead he made Turkey Stuffing and that's all we are for dinner, lol! (He's allergic to chicken so we didn't make chicken…) it was hilarious, to look down on your plate and see a pile of stuffing.

UNSPLIT:
After dinner we walked over to Ricky's, talked with Ricky for a little while and then left to the train. We went over to the church to meet up with the Elders to switch back.


December 23, 2015
Wednesday, Day 71
Day 58 in NY

PDAY:
Same old same old PDAY! Studies, then rush around the apartment to get what we need to go do laundry. Quickly load our clothes, and then write emails. After we switch our clothes to dry we go shopping get what we need, come back and then unload our clothes and fold them. After laundry and grocery shopping we take off to the apartment, we unload our pushcart, unload groceries and put our clothes away. Then we eat and take off to the church for some gator ball!

REFERRALS:
Looked up a referral and she opened up the door. Turns out she had just had a chemo treatment, she's been tired and so we told her it'd only be a couple of minutes, we showed her the Christmas
video and she loved it. She said we made her day! Also, that she'd like us to one back.

SCOUTING:
We went to the church and helped Sister Salinas with the scouts. The kids are crazy and never sit still so we tame them. She appreciates our assistance ha ha.


December 24, 2015
Thursday, Day 72
Day 59 in NY

Christmas Eve!

Woke up, had our studies, left the apartment, went to the church, had ward correlation, talked about our investigators, (all good things). After correlation we came home and had lunch! I LOVE EATING... Ha ha I'm always hungry. I'm not going hungry, but I'm hungry.

NATIONS:
Stopped by the Nations, it's Christmas Eve, so we didn't want to take much time from their games night so we just said hi, talked for a little. Tiwanca offered us some food. We had just had dinner so we
were okay, but to be nice I said sure. She came out with a tin foil tray of just fish heads and tails! Ha ha yes! The whole fish! I don't remember what fish it was, but they were big, like the sergeant fish we ate in Hawaii. Super good! The eyes were staring right back at me, which I don't mind, but Elder Tabor couldn't take it so I gave him the tail.

CARLITO:
We stopped by Carlito’s shop, every time I walk in I do my bird whistle and everyone looks around for "the bird" ha ha once I told them it was me, they all asked how I could do that. I told them I grew up on a farm. Ha ha they thought that was cool and asked what else I could do, so did my pig noise, my chicken, my bird whistle, and my dog bark. It's hilarious. Every day after, I walk into the store and Rafael stands at the door and barks so that I bark back ha ha it's great!


December 25, 2015
Friday, Day 73
Day 60 in NY

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Woke up this morning, 4:45am. Got up and took off to the church for some morning exercise. We played gator ball. Elder Tabor’s mom sent us a package and it had mini Bows and arrows in it. So we brought them to the church and shot at missionaries as they came in.

HOME:
After gator ball we came home, got ready, had studies, opened gifts and had lunch! *Thank you all for the letters and packages this last week! My apartment room is filled with boxes! Ha ha the gifts are awesome and have tasted good! Thanks again for the treats, and of course for thinking of me! You’re all in my prayers!

FACETIME:
After we ate at home we came to the church... I don't know why, but the last couple days I've felt strangely nervous for this day. So this morning I was feeling off. I was excited but totally nervous to see my family... I wasn't sure what I'd stay, or what. It was just weird. Then I'd think to my self, it's my family for crying out loud why am I nervous?! I guess after your used to not seeing your family for so
long, you just don't know what to do or how to feel when you see them. Well, we went up stairs and picked separate rooms to FaceTime in. (This is the only other time besides going to the bathroom that we can separate our companionship.) I was so mixed with emotions and weird feelings, I went into the room I chose to FaceTime in, got down on my knees and prayed. I asked to be nothing but excited to see my family, I didn't want the weird nervous stomach feeling. I wanted it to be a good experience. After I prayed, I got up from my knees, sat in the chair turned on my iPad went to the FaceTime app and clicked on dad’s email. When the iPad started ringing... I was excited! A little box in the corner of the screen appeared with my face and the big screen filled with the face of my mother and my father. And immediately I heard the voice of my mother, "there he is!! Awww" (sniffling to catch her breath, from fighting back the tears), my mother again exclaimed, “there he is!" I can definitely say that out of the 18 years of my life, I've never before been filled with such joy to hear my mother’s voice… (Of
course, after calling home before leaving to NY). After she explained my appearance the screen filled with members of my family. Smiles all around. My eyes filled with tears and my throat choked up, with excitement to see my family. It's definitely been the best Christmas.

IT’S A GIRL: (not sure who knows)
During this exciting FaceTime experience, I had the opportunity to open a gift from my sister Courtney and my brother (in law) Dillon. This gift would be the answer to my question. Boy or girl? After cutting open one side of the box and pulling open the flap inside, was filled with pink confetti and a pink tie!
It was awesome! I'm an uncle!

This is what Elder Newbold looks like when he has to walk from the church to his apartment with lots of packages.

Elder Newbold and Elder Tabor

Our family Christmas photo

The tie that the Telford family sent Elder Newbold

Sadly I only had time to finish writing about these past few days. But I'm making the goal to give you a better weekly journal next week!


Love you all and I am so grateful for everyone, you all are so wonderful to me. Thank you for your prayers, letters, emails, and gifts!

Love you all so much!! Till next week!

Patience. Love. Faith

Much love,
Elder Newbold