Date
February 18, 2019
Area
Elizabeth City
Companion
Elder Zack Johnson
No Expectations!
Well I guess I just wanted to email y’all and worn you that this will probably be the last email, I guess I will be just calling home! It is going to feel like Christmas every week hahaha! CRAZY! I think we should all just get on a big conference call and catch up on life, just kidding!! I think the change is cool, I'm excited to Face Time or call. I feel like I am just getting use to emailing though and now I have to learn a new normal! I think it will be good to get to call for birthdays and special events so I guess every Friday night I will be on a Face Time call with my family so I can watch my brother play ball, I count that as a special event haha. Some of the thoughts in the mission field is that when missionaries come home they feel like it will be as special, my companion and others said they don't want to call because they are almost home. What are your thoughts about it?
Things are still going good here! We had to postpone the baptism another week due to no interview and we need to teach them a couple more things, they are amazing though! I'm so happy for them because they have come so far. We had a member call us regarding this family, I am glad that they had faith that we could help. The son has had a hard time with depression and suicidal thoughts, the gospel can change people, it has changed him. When he came home from school and started having suicidal thoughts they were scared he was going to hurt himself, we went over and talked to him and gave him a blessing!! It was a super cool experience.
We had zone conference this week!! It's fun because I actually knew people and they knew me lol. I'm taking over the area and I drove up there, it was kinda crazy, it was like I was driving in Las Vegas. Dad, now you can trust me and let me drive to Vegas haha!! The Weed’s (my Mission President) are great, they love us and will do anything to make us better people. They are all business but it's good because I hold a powerful calling right now. Sister Weed gave a lesson on keeping the daily schedule. President says, “If you keep the daily schedule you will be a successful missionary.” President Eyring said, "When you figure out who you really are you wish you would've tried harder." Think about that, what a powerful statement!! Apply that in every aspect of you life: work, school, tests, sports, studying (oh man I didn't do very well at that one) It really made me look at trials in a different way.
Elder Johnson and I were talking and he said the happiest time of his mission was when he got rid of his EXPECTIONS! We need to try to be happy and not except anything. Don't go into an area with an expectation, don't be expected to love this person because others said you will or vica versa. After he did that he was happy with himself and didn't want or have huge expectations because we really can't expect anyone to follow the commandments or go to church. I am learning a lot from Elder Johnson!
Things are going great, I’m happy and I don’t want you all to think I don't want to talk to my family because I love them and they are the best ever. (Jordan didn’t call home this week) Everyone is so jealous of my family! Every missionary loves my mom and wishes she was their mom. Dad, I love it, people say you just look like a stud and could just beat up anyone hahaha. I tell them some awesome stories about us. Reg and LC, I love you both so much, you are amazing. I look up to both of you so keep fighting the world is tough. I am blessed to have all of the support from everyone! I love all my cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents. May the lord bless our efforts!!
Elder Newby