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| I love this photo of Hilary (taken a couple of years ago) |
GRACIAS one thousand times over for
your letters. I went to the office today and picked up
letters from Veronica, a letter from Ian, a letter from Joey Norton!,
and Dear Elders from Kenz, Abby, and V. I have the greatest friends and
family. I know everyone feels that way, but I honestly feel that I have
it the best. And the greatest part is that I get to read the testimonies
of my family and friends every Monday. You all don't know how much your
letters mean to me! Mom, thank you for writing so consistently. I love
your letters more than I can explain. Dad, your letters are so important
to me. I am printing and saving all of them because it means so much to
me to get bits and pieces of your wisdom. Mitch. Whenever I have a
question, you're the first person I think of to ask. Thank you for all
of your mission advice. Please keep it coming.
ADAM. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I'M SENDING A LETTER YOUR WAY.
SO SORRY IT WILL BE SO LATE. I love you dude. You amaze me. You are one
of my biggest examples. En serio.
Okay,
another P day. Wow. Things are going by very quickly. And we've already
started to see changes here. nooooooooooo. I'm far away from home and from
all the people I've known and loved, so once I get accustomed to someone here
and then they leave it's so sad! The mission is so bittersweet. It's so
hard to see all the trials that so many people are having to face. I am
literally amazed. But, it also is so awesome to be able to share with
them the one thing that will bring them eternal happiness.
Okay, some business. Can you forward me Sam's emails? I
don't receive them. (Grandma Bonnie, Thank
you so much for the new scriptures! I love you so much and hope you're doing so well!!) I
haven't received any packages from you yet Mom. But my comp says that in the
past, for other missionaries, packages have taken like three months.
So, I'll keep you posted. Also, I
didn't delete my Pinterest. It must have disappeared after some period
of time. Please tell Veronica I'm writing her and I love her. And Abby too. And
I mailed a letter to Caitlin today.
Okay, the barrio Vargas (ward) is doing really well. Our
bishop is so great and he really has a lot of enthusiasm for the work.
We've been working with him a lot this week and it is making a world of a
difference. I feel like I am really starting to catch on and find my
place here in the work. I have been doing what I can to live in the "now".
Sometimes I have a thought about school or family but then I remember
that I only get to do all this amazing work for a year and a half (I'm
almost a sixth of the way in!!! Almost three months! WHAAAT?) and I am
like aaah focus focus focus!
Okay, so many random thoughts. Things have been
going well in our companionship. It's cool to see the fruits of when
we're both intune and working so hard together. We've shared a lot of
thoughts and had moments where someone will ask a question about a
specific verse in the bible that we both read separately the day before
so we were both able to explain. So so cool.
J. P. is doing well. He's progressing, but ever
so slowly. We have three other investigators with baptismal dates, and
they are also doing so well too. Two cute primas (cousins) who are just best
friends (remind me of me and Ran) and are learning so much. They're
seriously awesome. Also, our other investigator is the women we helped a
couple weeks ago with her daughter. Now is her time. She's in such a
hard situation and yesterday after we were talking with her she said,
"I've been trying to find a place to go. I want to leave so badly. But
now I know. I'll go to the Lord."
So, in the CCM I was the unofficial seamstress.
Literally I fixed more pants and shirts than I can count. Here in the
field, I have been helping a lot of people with their English. I love
it. It's fun to be able to use my hobbies. Also, in the CCM, we played
soccer every day! At first I just ran and played volley, but then Hna
Ellis and I got up the guts to play soccer with the elders. It was
awesome and I am pretty sure my brothers and dad would be so proud of
me. I got pretty into it and even knocked a guy over (I didn't mean to
and I apologized) then ran passed him dribbling the ball! Wooooooooo. I
bet you all have a hilarious image in your head now. Oh, and I guess I
talk a lot in my sleep, and often in Spanish. My companion says the
other night I was teaching a lesson in Spanish in my sleep. So. Don't
know what that means. Jajaja. We have a cell phone, but have to leave it
in our apartment. So the other day we were in a cabinas shop and there
was a TV with the olympics! AH. I wanted to watch so badly! But did a
very good job of not looking. But I love the summer Olympics and
London. So, we're the only missionaries to have served in this barrio who
have ever washed the dishes of the members after they feed us... What's
that all about? Come on, missionaries. Step it up.
Things aren't going too well with investigators F, A,
Y, or E. But we're not giving up. And sincerely, thank you
everyone who prayed. I know that your prayers were heard. I think it is
just a matter of timing for some.
Okay, I should go. I love you all. Thanks for everything. CHAO.
Hermana Norton
"Démonos
cuenta de que el privilegio de trabajar es un don, que el poder de
trabajar es una bendición y que el amor por el trabajo es un triunfo."
President David O. McKay
("We must realize that the privilege of working is a gift, that the power
of work is a blessing, and love for the work is a triumph.")
"Freely you have received and our Heavenly Father
will expect you freely to share with His other sons and daughters these
glorious truths." President George Albert Smith
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