"We had explained everything we could and then just left it in the Lord's hands, and He worked things out. He always does, right?" (Hilary)

Um ... no thanks

Well, GOOD NEWS!

This last transfer was shorter than usual, because of some timing with the MTCs and all the new missionaries and I don't know. So, yesterday were transfers and ... although Hermana D had already had three transfers in Ibarra (and she had literally already packed everything but her sheets and her clothes for the following day and she had said goodbye to everyone and everything), I WAS TRANSFERED TO QUITO TO BE COMPANIONS WITH HERMANA ELLIS. Yes, you read right!  I had had such a hard time for a couple weeks. I have been working so hard to be a good, humble, loving companion. I have been working on being the person that lets things go and keeps moving forward with a good attitude. I felt like I had done my part and fallen to pieces a few times just praying for the strength to move on. Of course, Heavenly Father always blessed me with what I needed. I had to keep reminding myself that He wouldn't give me these tests if I couldn't make it through them. It was a great learning experience and I feel like I am becoming a different person.

2 of the 3 amigas ... together again!

Well, now I am in C. Quito. Hermana Ellis says that the members are so great. As we started arriving to the area in the bus, I just became overwhelmed with a feeling that there are people here who need this. Looking at all the houses I just thought "we are going to have a good change". So. I am going to keep striving to do everything I need to do to be the missionary this area needs and the companion that Hermana Ellis deserves! She is the greatest and I feel like I am dreaming a little bit. I am having a hard time comprehending that we get to just be companions and have so much fun doing this awesome work! It was funny - when my zone leaders told me who I would be companions with, they were like, "The assistants told us to tell you 'No pajama parties.'" I just laughed. Tras muchas aflicciones vienen muchas bendiciones.

Well, thank you all so much for everything you wrote. Tell Sister Jaccard thank you so much for the email. I really appreciated what she shared. And it is true. The mission wouldn't be the mission without the hard times! I love you all and I pray for you daily as well. And I want you all to know, I have felt your prayers this week more than ever.

I didn't hear about the new missions, but they did tell us that our mission is being split. How weird! I might finish in a different mission than some of my companions or President and Sister Ghent. They're so great! We will have to see what happens!

Well, not yesterday, but the other Sunday was elections day in Ecuador, so we weren't allowed to leave. We could only attend church and then we had to stay in the house. I spent a lot of time reading my notes from talks and my study journal from the MTC. It was really cool and gave me a new desire to work. I was so excited. I love this work.

The other Thursday we had a training from President Ghent, Sister Ghent, and the assistants. It was really good. Super powerful. It wasn't a super èxitoso week in the mission numbers-wise, but I felt like numbers can't show all the we were able to learn and do. It was really cool.

I have been really worried about F. lately. When I left he wasn't attending church because he was working to pay off his mom's debts. A few times I have seen the sisters there in Imbabura in trainings and interviews and things and they can't find him. The newer sisters there don't know him, so I think they don't feel the drive to search for him as much as I would. I dream a lot about the people I have gotten to know here in the mission and just wake up worried about them! I want the best for them. Please pray for the people here in Ecuador.

The other day we went to the market to do our grocery shopping and there was a kid standing on the corner with a group of goats, selling goat milk. Hermana D was so excited. She ran over and he pulled out a plastic cup and just milked the goat right there in the middle of the street and she just drank it straight up. It was bizarre.

I wanted to include a little miracle that we were able to see the other week. Like I said a couple weeks ago, A2 had a really tough experience and was convinced she would not return to the church for a while. Right after her baptism. It was so sad. I just felt like a huge failure. I knew there were things I probably could have done better and I just felt horrible. Well, we spent the week just praying and praying for her and that Heavenly Father would change her heart. And He did. She was so convinced that she wouldn't return for a while, but a few days later she told us that she realized she needed to return. It was really cool. We had explained to her everything we could and then just left it in the Lord's hands, and He worked things out. He always does, right? And something I love that Elder Eyring taught in his October conference talk was that, even when the Lord's timing isn't the same as ours, it should be enough for us, because we know that He has our best interest in mind.

Well, that is all for now. I love you all!

Hermana Norton

... the envelope, please

Did you watch the Academy Awards last night?

well... neither did I

but ...

I did catch a couple of the highlights on the news this morning:

In the category of MOST DAZZLING BABY GIRL the winner is...

Baby Sienna!

and

In the category of MOST CHARMING SIBLING DUO the winners are...

Caden and Branson!

I MISS MY GRANDKIDS! :(

"The Only Reason that we do not progress or learn something new EVERY DAY, is because WE have chosen not to... or because WE have missed our daily lesson" (Sam)

Hello, the church is true!

   Things here in Sevilla are going well! The zone leaders here had been working in their area and in our area and so when we got here we already had several people to work with. It was really nice. And the Lord has blessed us a ton with interested families and creyente (believing or faithful) people. I really like Sevilla.

    Sevilla is huge! Its the biggest area in our mission.. and the only way you can get around here is my bus.. Sometimes we walk to citas but the capilla for example is on the other side of the city.. hah so we have to take a 40 minute city bus ride and then walk five minutes to get to the capilla.. kinda chungo. This area is a lot like Malaga just cuz its big. Alcoy was kinda like Huercal overa cuz it was small but it was full of spaniards instead of south americans.. I like sevilla a lot.

   Elder Martínez grew up in the states. His father passed away when Elder Martínez was 13.. so thats bascially when he stopped speaking spanish.. Its getting a lot better though! He is amazing. He is a convert as of a year and a half ago..... WOW. so his testimony is so new and so powerful! When he speaks about his life and how the missionaries found him (5 minutes after he had prayed for God to send them), it brings the spirit so strongly... so strongly at times that I don´t want to try to keep teaching cuz its gonna break the mood....... I just feel the spirit so much and I just wanna say...... ´´¡A LA PILA BAUTISMAL, VÁMANOS!´´ (to the baptismal font! lets go!) Haha he's a really good guy. Learning, like everyone, and a really great guy.

   Mission calls! I love hearing about mission calls! The church is so true! :) ¡QUE NO TENGAMOS MIEDO DE NADA! ¡PREDIQUEMOS EL EVANGELIO! Keep the updates coming please.

   Mom! I´m excited for you and your spanish classes! Even though you only have one class a week, be constantly thinking about spanish. ALWAYS have a little pad of paper or somewhere in your iPhone to write down english words you don´t know, spanish words that you hear, or new definitions you hear. And then impliment those words into your life... even if you end up saying a weird irrelevant sentance just to practice a word.. :) I do it all the time!.......... Hoy, quiero comer....... GUSANOS! :) por ejemplo.... keep going! Don´t stop studying! And learn with adam as well!

   I´m happy to hear that all is going well in your new calling. The spirit is an interesting teacher. I have found that when I don´t listen to his promptings he stops giving them to me. And when I do, even if it doesn´t result to anything, he is more willing to trust me with promptings that DO result in something...... :) The spirit rocks! I am also convinced that The Only Reason that we do not progress or learn something new EVERY DAY, is because WE have chosen not to... or because WE have missed our daily lesson. This is a life of learning, change, and repentance (which is change). God gives us daily opportunities to expand our understanding THROUGH EXPERIENCE, to deepen our trust and faith THROUGH TRIALS, etc. The list is endless and IT IS ALL DEPENDANT ON US......... he is waiting, arms open... we just need to listen and learn daily. The question... ´´Have I changed today?´´........ I have learned to LOVE questions on my mission. Questions are a much much better way to teach than by talking. I would endeavor to say that questions are a better way to teach than teaching is to teach....... does that make sense?? When someone makes their own realization about something, THAT is what is going to stick with them.. not what you have said to them.... "Have you changed TODAY?" THAT is how we use the atonement.

 I have pictures.. I´ll send the card next letter.

   Hey, gotta go. Tell EVERYONE I say hi! De verdad! I wish I could say hi to everyone! but I can´t so you´ll have to do it for me. :)

-Elder Norton

"Never feel you are too unworthy to pray" (Hilary)

Hi, Family,

 The week has been super eventful. I have so much I want to write, but the next Monday will have to do. Like I said, I am so sorry that I can't write much. Thanks to everyone who wrote! I love you all so much! I saw that you mentioned something, Mom, about more clothes. Don't worry about sending it at this moment. I will write more Monday. Please tell Adam that I am praying for him. Tell him to be strong in every moment. Also, please have Mitch write me. I haven't heard anything about NJ. I love you so much. THank you for listening to the Spirit in every moment. Mom, I am going to send you something really cool. Study a lot of the talks by Elder Scott. Almost always talks about revelation and inspiration and the Holy GHost.

Please pray for me and for my companion and for this work! 

Hermana Norton

Since Hilary didn't have much time to write I thought I'd share this message from Elder Richard G. Scott, who she had referenced.

How to Pray and Seek Answers

Prayer is a gift of our Father in Heaven to every soul. Prayer is most effective when we strive to be clean and obedient, with worthy motives, and are willing to do what He asks. Humble, trusting prayer brings direction and peace.

Don’t worry about your clumsily expressed feelings. Just talk to your compassionate, understanding Father. You are His precious child whom He loves perfectly and wants to help. As you pray, recognize that Father in Heaven is near and He is listening.

A key to improved prayer is to learn to ask the right questions. Consider changing from asking for the things you want to honestly seeking what He wants for you. Then as you learn His will, pray that you will be led to have the strength to fulfill it.

Should you ever feel distanced from our Father, it could be for many reasons. Whatever the cause, as you continue to plead for help, He will guide you to do that which will restore your confidence that He is near. Pray even when you have no desire to pray. That is when you most need to pray. Never feel you are too unworthy to pray.

Often when we pray for help with a significant matter, Heavenly Father will give us gentle promptings that require us to think, exercise faith, work, at times struggle, then act. It is a step-by-step process that enables us to discern inspired answers.

His answers will seldom come while you are on your knees praying, even when you may plead for an immediate response. Rather, He will prompt you in quiet moments when the Spirit can most effectively touch your mind and heart. You should find periods of quiet time to recognize when you are being instructed and strengthened. Be thankful that sometimes God lets you struggle for a long time before that answer comes.

It is so hard when sincere prayer about something you desire very much is not answered the way you want. The Savior taught, “Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you” (D&C 88:64; emphasis added). At times it is difficult to recognize what is best or expedient for you over time.

You are asked to look for an answer to your prayers. Obey the Master’s counsel to “study it out in your mind” (D&C 9:8). Often you will think of a solution; as you seek confirmation that your answer is right, help will come. It may be through your prayers, or as an impression of the Holy Ghost, and at times by the intervention of others.

An important aspect of prayer is gratitude. When we contemplate the incomparable gift of prayer and the limitless blessings that flow from it, honest appreciation fills our mind and heart to overflowing with thanksgiving.

Learn more about Elder Scott HERE

"we basically got dropped into Sevilla with a map and a pat on the back........" (Sam)

Good Morning!

   We´re in Sevilla! And its amazing! Sevilla is the capital of Andalucía.. and its the biggest city in our mission. We went to Málaga on thursday to get our new trainees and then we basically got dropped into Sevilla with a map and a pat on the back........ :) Naaa actually the Zone Leaders helped us ton but its pretty crazy being dropped into a huge city with a new comp relying on your every step... Ha!

   My HIJO! His name is Elder M and he´s 

awesome! His father is from Mexico and his mom is from spain so he already speaks and understands like everything. He´s awesome! His spanish is a little rusty but his gonna learn really fast.. we´re pumped! We already get along well and we´ve set some good comp goals.

   I got one of the two packages before I left Alcoy and Elder Pascua called me and told me that the other one had arrived. He´s gonna take care of getting it to me.. no worries. :) I LOVE READING THE LETTERS EVERYDAY. They are the best! Thank you mom! Pssssssstt!... Mom... (whispered)... elder M´s birthday is the 16th. :) send him something if you can. A letter or something. It would mean the world to him!

 On Saturday, there was a baptism and we got to meet a bunch of members and stuff and yesterday we went to eat with a family in our ward They invited a bunch of friends and family over and we all ate together and when we finished they brought out an awesome cake with candles and everything! :) It was awesome! Prayers are answered mom! Haha I love that we are one big family here in the church. Everyone worries about everyone. We are 

constantly thinking about others. Its how Christ would want it to be.

 I´ll fill you in more on my comp and stuff another day.. our piso is alright. Its good and it was really clean when we got there. The ZLs are treating us well. :) Anyways, our new address is.......

         Elder Sam Norton

C/ Alcalde Juan Fernández

               #25, 8°C

           Sevilla 41005

                España

   Sorry this email has been a lot of nothing... Sevilla is awesome and next week I´ll be able to update you on a lot of people we´ll be working with.

 I love you all!

-Elder Norton

"they have thrown water balloons at us and flour and sprayed us with foam" (Hilary)

Monday already?! It is so hard to believe. (A Colombian is skyping next to me. I LOVE their accents. Ibarra is full of Colombians because we are so far north.)

I loved getting Sam's emails. Reading them fills me with enthusiasm for this work. He must be an incredible missionary. I wish I could just watch him work sometimes. I'm sure he is a great example.

I am so glad that the two of you are enjoying your callings so much. I love thinking about how focused we all are right now on what is REALLY important. THIS is how life should always be. Even though we are all so far away, we are all happy because our lives are full.

No one had told me that you bought a motorhome! Wow. I want to see a picture. That should be fun. 

 Tell Adam hi, I know he is so strong and doing so well. I admire him so much. Probably more than anyone.

And funny to hear about the deer dying in the backyard.. I mean, that is not funny, but more just bizarre. I guess my point is keep writing me the little random things. I like to read them.

Hermana D and I loved the Valentine´s Day package, thank you SO MUCH. THAT BOOK is absolutely the greatest ever. It made me cry, along with your sweet letters. Thank you so much, Mom.

Well, right now we are in the middle of "CARNAVAL," which is a holiday that everyone in Ecuador plays where they throw water balloons, eggs, flour, and paint at each other. But it is not like a party thing. It is literally anyone on the street. So as we are walking down the sidewalk they have thrown water balloons at us and flour and sprayed us with foam. So we are only allowed to leave in these four days if we have a planned appointment. We can't contact or go visiting or anything like that. So we're bored (I HAVE ATTACHED EVIDENCE OF THE BOREDOM).

So something really cool about Hermana D is that she requires a lot from the people we teach. I have learned a lot from her in that sense.

A2, who was baptized the other week, was offended by something the other day and now doesn't want to return the church. We have been working on teaching her about forgiveness and the personal nature of the salvation. Hermana D and I have been working on reminding her what she loses when she chooses not to attend church. I feel like had her conversion been deeper, this wouldn't have had such an effect on her. Obviously we are partially to blame. We are working really hard to help her return. It has been a humbling experience. I feel horrible. But something I was thinking about the other day was the story of Aldora Landrum Yarn. I love how converted she was that even though she was the only member in  the whole STATE, she stayed firm. It didn't matter what everyone else said or did. I want to share the story with A2 the next time we see her and help her to become strong like Aldora. Sometimes, when my companions share their stories of how they are one of the few members in their family or something, I feel lessened. But these past couple days I have been reading all the family history stories and I am so impressed. I love my heritage and I am so grateful for all they have done.

Well, for the moment that is it. I love you all! Keep writing!

Hermana Norton

"The Priesthood is Real ... wow...miracles!" (Sam)

Elder Norton received his package of birthday letters.
A BIG thanks to all you you that helped out!

Hello!

   Sorry its taken forever to write; this week has been crazy! I got the package with the letters and the suckers. :) The best. Ahh and thank you for putting money in my account, you guys are the best!

   SIGH.... ok a quick update on whats happened lately.. President called us saturday morning and informed us that I was going to Sevilla to train and REopen an area that has been absorbed into another area for now. There are two wards in Sevilla and the elders in Sevilla 1 are working in both areas so its more or less ´´closed´´.. and President also told us that Pascua would train and whatnot. 

Saturday, we had an awwesome noche de hogar with this part member family! Ahhh fantastic people. They are from Bolivia and the mom is a member from when she was little. Most of the brothers and sisters(now all grown ups) are less active. Well she, Aa, is married to Cs and the have a son named C as well. He has had word of wisdom problems but he was able to quit when he listened to some Jehovah´s Witnesses. Its interesting how the Lord prepares people... :) So anyways, our awesome líder misional called her one day and invited her to church... and she came and brought her husband and son! So anyways, we had an awesome Family Home Evening on saturday and then Sunday was testimony meeting. I gave my testimony and basically my ´´last words´´.. haha and then Sunday night we had a charla fogonera or a fireside. It was an hour long and we (Pascua y yo) taught for like 50 minutes. We were given all the time and it was awwesome! We spoke on la obra misional, the missionary work, and we involved the members and watched a video from the Preach My Gospel dvd´s that train the missionaries and then we did practices on how to talk with their friends and introduce the Gospel in the conversations. :) We enjoyed seeing members practice and repractice and get down how to speak  fluidly about the gospel. I ended up saying "goodbyes" again though.. hah kinda awkward.

   Monday, instead of P-day, we went to Alicante and listened to the Europe area Seventy Elder Tiexeira ?... And it was amazing! We left that building with soo many new ideas that we´re already putting into practice.

   Yesterday and today have been a lot of goodbyes. I have never liked goodbyes.. I always feel like they're weird.. and awkward like.. ok well, thanks for everything.. it was great to meet you.. thanks for all the food you made us... and well thanks.. and add me on facebook, I´ll accept you in a year.. and.... well ok bye! Hah :) We´ve been taking pictures though. A lot we´ve taken with other cameras cuz my camera is junky. I need a new one. I´ll send you some of the pictures next p-day... IN MY NEXT AREA. 

Wow. I just got here! Hah sorry, the mission is just rough.. always meeting new people.. putting so much energy, thought and worry into them, and then they change you... I guess its a good thing that the Lord has a purpose for everything.

   Anyways, I´m rambling now.. To answer some of your questions.. I have mixed feelings about leaving Alcoy already. We have soooo much going here. We honestly have set up an immense train of "dominoes" here. Someone will be baptized and it will set off the huge train and honestly like 8 people will be baptized! Ha! This always happens to me! :) But it makes me so happy to see people get baptized and receive the blessings of baptism. Anyways, Elder Pascua and I have really been led by the Spirit to start this place off well and leave a good name and work here for other missionaries that will be coming. This will not be a dead area. I´m very proud of our work. Its a hard, hard area but it will be changing. I know very little about Sevilla. It won´t be nearly as cold there!.. thats good! and I THINK.. i think... I´ll be with my pops! Elder Jones! I hope!

   Well, we have to go and give a blessing before our english class... I love you all so much!! The Priesthood Is Real. We have given like 4 or 5 blessings in the last week and a half.. and WOW.. miracles! I´ll fill you all in one day! Love you!

-Elder Norton

ps: sorry this message was so scattered... ha!

"... or the girl with the carrot hair! ... What color are the carrots here in Ecuador? " (Hilary)

"Hey Carrots! ... Carrots!"

Dear Family,

Happy Monday! I hope you all have a fantastic day!

Thanks for writing, everyone! I love hearing from you all! It is so vital to my sanity. Jaja. But seriously. I got goosebumps reading about Wes. Tell him I say congrats! That is such a cool story! Thanks, Mom, for the thought you shared. Today I needed to hear that. Something that is funny is I have shared that thought with many in lessons, but forget sometimes to apply things like that to myself. So, thanks. 

Mitch, how did the move go? Are you all settled? I can't believe how quickly that all happened. I am praying for your family. I hope you are all doing well.

Well, the other Monday, Hermana D. was crying after we wrote home. She later told me that her brother and sister are inactive. Hermana D. is the seventh of ten children. Of the twelve in her family, four are members, neither of which are her parents. It is hard for her, but her mom has been a good support, even though she is not a member of the Church. Well, we have been praying extra for her family and she wrote them and they said they are going to start going to church again. But a few times during the week the thought crossed my mind of how tough it must be to have inactive family members, or worse, family members that are not members of your same religion. I can't imagine how tough that would be. I am grateful for the circumstances in which I live.

Funny Story: Wherever we are, there are always, always men calling, talking, and whistling at us. It is something you become accustomed to in the first week of your mission. Well, often they try to say things in English or make comments about my hair, etc. The other day, a man made a comment about "la chica con el pelo de sanahoria" ... or the girl with the carrot hair!!!!!!!!!!!! JAJA. I laughed so hard. 1. What? What color are the carrots here in Ecuador? 2. I just felt like it was a scene that came straight out of Anne of Green Gables. I couldn't wait to tell you, Mom.

Sunday we had a baptism before the sacrament meeting. It was of A2 and P., the mom and sister of Ax It went really well! And I am so happy for their family because they are soon going to ALL be members. That's where the greatest joy is. I am attaching a couple pictures.

Today I bought some shoes. They are great. Yesterday was a really hard, long day, but a little retail therapy was just the fix. (Some things will never change.) (Although a LOT of me has changed.)

Well, one of our investigators, E, isn't progressing much, but I just want to mention how much I love her. It is cool how this all works out; the connections we make with these people are what Heavenly Father had planned. Anyway, she and I have become good friends and I want so badly for her to accept the gospel. She is one of the investigators that I feel like I know I was sent to (and not any other sister missionary) for a reason.

Well, that's all for the moment. I love you all. Please keep writing and reading and praying.

H.H.N.

Hilary mentioned the book "Anne of Green Gables" by Lucy Maud Montgomery... we LOVE that story and I think I've watched the PBS version of it more than any other movie. (save the PBS version of Pride and Prejudice) If Anne Shirley were a real girl I just know we would've been "kindred spirits"!                   joanna

Great Quotes from "Anne of Green Gables"

“It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will.” 

*******

“Life is worth living as long as there's a laugh in it.” 

*******

“It's not what the world holds for you. It's what you bring to it.” 

*******

“It is ever so much easier to be good if your clothes are fashionable.” 

*******

“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” 

*******

“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.” 

*******

“I've done my best, and I begin to understand what is meant by 'the joy of strife'. Next to trying and winning, the best thing is trying and failing.” 

*******

“Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world. It wouldn't be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There'd be no scope for imagination then, would there?But am I talking too much? People are always telling me I do. Would you rather I didn't talk? If you say so I'll stop. I can STOP when I make up my mind to it, although it's difficult.”