Helloooooooooooo Family and Friends!!!
My second transfer has ended! Wow that was fast. It seems like yesterday I was driving to Sonoma with Elder Buchan. Now I'm spending the last minutes with him. He will be going to Highlands area, in Lake County as a trainer and a District Leader. What a stud!! I will be remaining in Sonoma for the next 6 weeks. My new companion will be Elder Christianson. I haven't met him yet. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I haven't even seen him or heard anything about him. He will be our District leader in Sonoma.
Things are going well her in Sonoma. I'm so glad that I get to stay here! The work here is picking up nicely. I'll keep you updated as time goes on, I told you about the work last week. Nothing has really changed there. I'm sad that Elder Buchan has to go. But I'm happy for him because he deserves a leadership calling. He's going to teach his greenie missionary how to be a stud just like him!
Elder Pratt, (our former district leader) is also going to train. Elder Pratt is going to remain here in Sonoma, and Elder Polson is going to Vallejo. The whole Napa Zone has changed. Half of the Elders are going to be new to the Zone. It's going to be way different than what I got used to. We have a lot of stud missionaries coming into Napa though. So our numbers should be improving.
We have 17 new missionaries coming in today!! Holy cow!!!!! I'm excited for them. One of them might be one of the Elders that was in my MTC district that had to go home. His name is Elder Marcelo. I told Elder Buchan to keep an eye out for him when the trainers take the greenie's out on their first contacting activity. They would get along SO well.
Well that's it for now. I would just like to end this letter with my testimony and an expression of love toward everyone back home. I know this church is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that this is God's work and it's time that SHOULD NOT be wasted. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that HE SAW God the Father and the Son. I am SO thankful for the sacrifices that he and the saints made to keep God's true church on the earth. Above all, I am grateful for the Saviors atoning sacrifice for us. I know that we can not only be cleansed from sin, but be completely changed by the Redeeming power of the Atonement. I have come to know that our Father in Heaven and Savior are so loving, and so forgiving, Their arms are outstretched toward us, anxious for us to return home. We can return by exercising Faith in Jesus Christ, Repent of our sins, be baptized in His name, Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and last but not least...Endure to the end. The sacrifice that the Savior made can never be repaid. He gave his all for us. It's my turn to give my all for Him.
I know that by serving my mission, it will prepare me for the rest of my life. It will prepare to be a better husband and father and friend. I know that what I learn on my mission will benefit my friends and family and future family and that they will be blessed because of it.
I want to express my love and gratitude for everyone that I left. I thank you for your love and support. For the sacrifices that you have made in my behalf. Most of all I want to thank my Parents, for bringing me into this world, for loving me unconditionally, and raising me in this church. I will never be able to repay the sacrifices that my Mother and Father made. They've heard me say this before, but I am sorry for the person I was. But I thank you for that unconditional love. Now it's my turn to repay that. That's why I'm serving my mission, because I know that my family will be blessed. They need those blessings.
Again I love all of you, from every ounce of my being. I wish you all the best. And I will see you again VERY soon!!
MUCH love from the west coast,
Elder Graeme Newman
