April 11th 2011

¡HOLA MI FAMILIA!

Happy birthday Aunt Lou Ann! Sounds like life is progressing amazingly over there. I`m so happy that there`s still snow. I hope there`s plenty in January. Can you believe that? 9 more months. And Alex only has 7. What?! We just started!
I actually was just barely able to take it out today, it was about 50 bucks. The results will be here at about 5, then I`ll send that to Sis. Jesperson, and she`ll send it to the doctor to get it taken care of. I think Mexican needles hurt more than good old fashioned American needles.
Geez, Japan got hit again? Some members have described a little about what`s going on in the world. I`m so happy I have the gospel in my life. This life would be very scary and horrible indeed without the guide of a loving Father in Heaven, and the promises of an eternal rest for all those who are faithful afterwards.
I actually don`t know how they will celebrate Semana Santa (muy bien madre!) this time around. Last year I really just remember a lot of reenactments of the cross. They get pretty real. Like, criminally real. We`ll see what happens this time around. I`m in an even smaller town, in the booneys, and there are two cathedrals in the same relative area. Should be fun.

This week went really well for us. We got to know the ward on Sunday. I love them all. Every single one is full of a life and energy so unique and strong that I have not seen for quite a long time. I truly do love this town. We also have two families looking to be baptized in these next couple of weeks. Martha and Concepcion. Martha is amazing, we discovered she only hasn`t joined the church because they live on a block where every single house is a super catholic in law. That makes it kind of hard. But she knows it`s true, and knows it will help her and her children have the life that God wants for them, we just have to keep strengthening her faith in Christ until she can make the firm decision.
Concepcion is actually the wife of the cousin of Enrique who has by now crossed the border. Her and her husband, Ignacio, listened to the missionaries years ago in Wisconsen, and were almost baptized. They told us they still want to be baptized, so we are just teaching them what they have forgotten over the years, and giving them time to get to know the ward a bit, and they`ll get baptized the 22nd.

I hope Than can keep up with Chi for the wedding preperations. I still can`t believe he`s getting married, hahahaha, good times. It still feels like yesterday he was heading out to California, and talked to me the night before while I played Deus Ex. I beat it the day afterwards, and I remember being so proud when he came back to be able to tell him I beat it and he hadn`t yet. Time goes by so quickly.

I hope all stays well this week, and that your joy and peace abound upon each one of you. You`re in my prayers, and in those of Elder Cervera as well. I love you all so much, and know this church is true. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, and that he truly was called to restore His great church to the world so we find solace in times of hardship, and comfort and counsel when things are their bleakest, to be able to have a perfect hope that we might erupt forth in the resurrection in all brightness and glory.

I love you all,

¡ADIOS MI FAMILIA!

Elder Newell