Week 101 - SEE YOUS NEXT WEEK!

Well this is weird. Next week I will be Brother Newman. But until that day I am still Elder Newman, so here is what happened this week.

We did finding as usual and visited some members and set up visits for this week. It’s going to be a full run around week, probably the first one where I will have to make time for finding, haha. What a big change from the norm.

We did not get to see our investigator this week. She had car trouble. But we will be a shoo-in to teach her next week!

That’s all I have for this week. Today for PDay I am going to break my high score at bowling. That’s all we are doing, I think. I don’t know, nothing set for today yet. Have a great week. I will see yous when I get home.

Elder Newman

Taught primary this week!

Week 100

Well this week almost took a step back in the wrong direction, but because of Sunday we finished off the week with a win! The less actives that we were working with dropped off, but we were able to make contact with an investigator that had been on vacation for the past 6 weeks. And then on Sunday there was a missionary’s homecoming, and he smashed his testimony. (He was from the North Mission)

Then after church we had an awesome lesson with our investigator. She just keeps gaining more and more confidence to pray. This week she said the closing prayer. She wants change in her life, and she wants a good path for her son to follow. She knows the answer in her heart. We are now just waiting on her to decide when she wants to make the change in her life.

Other than that this week was alright. Nothing else to report on.

I love you all. Have a great week!
Elder Newman

Human Foosball at the local park...

Costco for lunch with Elder Olsen and his companion...

 A day of service... helping a ward member move...

Week 99

This week was a little rough. We weren’t able to go inside and meet with this less active that we were trying to work with. But he did promise us that he would have someone for us to teach next time we came, so that was a good thing that happened.

Well this week I guess was pretty good. We did get back in contact with an old investigator, and we are meeting with her this Thursday night.

We also had a great lesson last night with our other investigator. I think that she is starting to understand. She still won’t accept a baptismal date, but she said yes to baptism so that is great. She had an experience with prayer that really helped her in her progression. Things are looking up!

That was our week, talk to you next time.

Love you all!

Elder Newman

My comp fell asleep waiting at the bus stop.

Week 98

Not really a whole lot to report on this week. We weren’t able to meet up with our investigator this week, but we did pick up a new less-active that we can work with.

The work is going slow here, but the YSA are great at wanting to come out and work with us. It’s good knowing that if you call them, they will drop what they are doing to help the missionary work progress. It really lifts the load, even if it’s just for an hour.

Most of the week we were GQ'ing [general questioning] around the Station, and we realized that we need to find a new spot to find people because everyone there had talked to missionaries before and weren’t interested. So we might try next to the river in the park this week.

But that’s all from this side. I love you all. Have a great week!
Elder Newman

Bowling and Laser Tag with the Zone last week...

 Elder Crowton (Utah), Elder Hideshima (Japan), Elder Newman, and Elder Hau (Netherlands)

Week 97 – What a Week!

Man I feel like I am finally figuring things out in this ward and starting to build a great relationship with all the members.

This week my companion gave a great talk in Sacrament meeting, and he couldn't even make it 5 feet before someone else wanted to talk to him because he was Japanese, haha. It was funny to watch because he just came out of a branch that has maybe 20 adult members max, and then he gets swarmed by everyone because they all know someone who either served in Japan or is learning Japanese. He loves the ward and city and is adjusting well to his new area, and he is helping me stay sane by helping me stay busy.

We have been working a lot with our less actives, and have been really starting to get super busy, like hardly any time to travel in between. That was basically our week. Today is Elder Hideshima's birthday, so we will be going around with what he wants to do today. But as far as the work, it’s been progressing... new people and new progress. It’s great!

Elder Newman

Week 96 - Transfers!

This last week we didn't focus too much on finding because we realized that our member connection wasn't there. So we focused on building relationships with the ward, and guess what! We finally got a new investigator. Haha! All those doors and nothing.. and working with members for one week we already have an investigator with a great support system. That shows us how important members are to the work of salvation.

Elder Ferris got transferred to Canberra Zone and was replaced by Elder Hideshima. I don’t know too much about him, but he is my same age and he is from Japan, just like Elder Iino. I am looking forward to this transfer. Hopefully it will be good, and we can see success!

Love you all!
Elder Newman

[Pictures from last week's Pday BBQ.]

 

Week 95

It was a good week. We still are finding heaps and got like 2 potentials this week, but no investigators. But the zone is doing great this transfer. We have had 2 baptisms this transfer, and we are leading the mission with 8 on date. So even though it’s hard for us, there are still blessings, and the work is still progressing.

This week there was a funeral of a dad of one of the missionaries in the mission. That was pretty tough because last transfer his grandma had passed away as well.

Then my companion had a birthday, his first on the mission, and we had a good time making an ice cream cake for him and had a good day. That was all for this week besides finding everyone.

Have a great week!
Elder Newman

[Elder Newman made these cinnamon rolls from scratch last week for FHE.]

 
Elder Tiatia, Elder Crowton (front), Elder Ferris (birthday boy), and Elder Newman

Week 94

Another week has gone. This week has flown by. This week was pretty average again, except we were able to have a baptism in the Tongan ward so we went and helped the sisters with that. I gave a talk on baptism for their investigator that was getting baptized. Then after that we had a fafanga (feed), heaps of food. It’s the islander culture, so there was heaps of food there. I think they bought up all the chicken from KFC, then we had Chop Suey (rice noodles and soy sauce and meat), and taro (really dense potato on steroids).

We had a Tongan culture night too. [It was the night before the baptism.] Other than that we have just been shaking members down for referrals and tracting as usual.

I love you all, have a great week!
Elder Newman

Week 93

Well this week I am not really sure what we did. This week we knocked heaps of doors; that was fun. It’s fun keeping track of how many you knock.

We were able to teach our investigator this week. We taught about modern day prophets and apostles and got to testify about that. We are still trying to figure out what she needs. She says she believes in everything that we teach, but there is something inside her that is a personal struggle that she isn't letting out. Me and Elder Ferris have a plan though. Other than that, nothing else stood out to me this week.

I love you all, have a great week!
Elder Newman

Elder Ferris wanted a Picture with the Ferris wheel, haha.

We were out of money this week because we didn't know how to budget I guess, but a member came in clutch with a miracle of food. A little side note on the member... We had eaten all of the canned food and noodles and had no money. The member went with us on splits, and after gave us $120 just for us to eat something for dinner. He didn't know about our situation like we had no food.

A quick drawing of the priesthood.

Week 92 - Miracles

This week was crazy. We had a lot of fun, tracted about 300 doors this week. [We got] 5 potentials from that and one less active that we will start working with this week. We had an awesome experience with finding her, heaps of promptings that were followed, and she has also been prepared. It’s been a great, hard week.

We have reached our limit on how far we can drive the car, so we have been biking this whole week. It’s been fun, and my legs have been sore. It’s the first time in the mission that I have had to walk or bike the whole week. It’s crazy that Riley has to do that for his whole mission. Idk, I would have probably gotten used to it though.

This was a poem that my flatmate made for this week. It’s pretty good.

'Twas the week of an elder whose last name is Crowton

This week was a lit one, you know I'm not boastin'

Here's an account written by mine own hand

Of how my life fare's whilst I'm in this great land

Monday

Today was a beauty, just like my mom

It's also her birthday so sing her a song

We did all the normal, shop, email, and such

Then strapped on our boots and hit the field to play touch

Came back and changed and then hit FHE

"Hey you go home soon," was a very constant theme

Now 10 p days left wow and that's how it stands

Hectic as but, I can count it on both hands

Tuesday

Our day started good and we made a man cave

Included: 2 chairs, couch, plus one microwave

We also did service, yard work, what a day

She then gave us shave cream, Vanilla Olay

We hit up the chapel with Terry at 5

And played some piano, my holla and drive

Headed over to dinner with Helen Pene

Ate food then we talked 'bout that gospel, hooray

Wednesday

It's Wednesday today and we visited our 'gator

Stan is his name and you know he's no hater

During tracting today we knocked on a steal

Met a lit dude named Semi who plays for the Eels

Found out he's a star, so you know that he hustles

He gave us some protein to get shredded muscles

Finished off our day with a meeting, great 'twas

Pres Boden presiding to lead the stake cuz

Thursday

Meeting today, with Pres Back and his wife

Gave us some counsel on the way to live life

Went to the library, girl yelled "SECURITY"

Because of a man who stared at her curiously

Then we went knocking to plant those seeds mate

#KnockedEmDead now we've knocked two-twenty-eight

Went to the Mu's for a feed, got some grub

Homemade mac & cheese was the dish that's whaddup

Friday

Today I turn 21, Newman as well

So many months down the drain, oh how that's swell

Went to the chapel to meet up with Terry

Talked about how we can pray when life's scary

Then went to Sifa's, he was cutting hair doe

Dude getting cut sounds like Bruce from Nemo

"Don't lose your faith..." starts a quote that's so true

"...Just know that the Lord has not lost faith in you."

Saturday

What a day, what a day, 'twas a beaut after all

Woke up at 5 cause you know we got ball

Today we biked heaps, better workout than burpees

Then Ferris came in with a clutch shout of slurpees

Then we knocked doors, "how many?" you wonder

42 mate, what a beaut of a number

Met up with Sanches tonight what a lad

With Tiatia's smiling face he couldn't be sad

Sunday

Sabbath day plus church day I'm all the way up

Fariba and Marco at church that's wassup

Dunk date was set for my soa for Marco

Then had Ward Council to start off our arvo

We went to the Ormsby's for lunch and a chat

Ate, talked, then hit the bikes quick like a cat

Biking so fast you'd think we're on a chase

To Gomez for Za, with a nice tomato base

And now we see just how great life can be

Over down under where it's cold as can be

10 weeks to go never felt any better

I finished my poem, time to put on a sweater

--

Haha, hope you enjoyed the poem. I had a great week. Talk to yous next week!

Elder Newman

Cheeto and the Boyz District

Biking to service.. had to bike like 45 min straight.

Week 91 – What a Week

We have 1 investigator, and she is solid. She already believes the Book of Mormon, but we are just waiting for her to feel like she is ready to make the next step. Other than that, we are trying to knock 1000 doors this transfer, and that is kinda hard because we are still trying to get to know the ward. So we have to spend some time to build the relationships, and then we have got to focus on the investigator that we have, and also help Elder Ferris get through his 12 week training. So I think 1000 doors is a good goal. That’s really all that is from us this week.

Love, Elder Newman

 

Week 90 - New area New comp No problems

I got transferred this week. I liked my last area, but I am now in Oatlands in the Fairfield Stake. I have a greenie as a companion. He has been out about 6 weeks, so I am follow-up training him. He is a great guy. He is from New Zealand. His name is Elder Ferris.

The first of the transfer didn't start off too great. I have been sick since Monday, and now he is starting to get sick. So hopefully he can recover soon, but we are doing good. This area just opened last transfer, so we don’t have a lot to work with. We will get the area figured out and get things moving.

Before I moved we were able to do some service, and I got to see a blue tongue lizard, which was pretty cool. I will send a picture of it. Other than that we just went around the area visiting members trying to get some referrals and following up on the 300 Book of Mormon challenge. So far the challenge is halfway done, and we have about 50 handed out within the ward. Hopefully they pull through, but I won’t know because I am now in a different area.

But nothing else to report on this week. I love you all. Have a great week!

Elder Newman