"and then we turn and look at each other and laugh, cuz thats us!" (Sam)

I found this old Photo Booth picture on my computer and had to share it 

Hello to one and all!

   I´m not going to be able to write a lot this week, but know that all is well. We´ve been able to have several really good lessons with people and it feels so good to get out and teach. We met with the estonian family again and they´re doing great. They read, pray, they have questions for us. I think the mom and the two older sons are coming to church this sunday!.. Its exciting!! We´ve completely lost contact with the german man we had set a baptismal date with. We´ve gone by his house (house... I say house but its honestly a poorly made long wood shed.. that doesn´t even really belong to him) several times and he´s never there... We´re worried they kicked him off of that land cuz its not his. We´ll see.

   The piso hunt is going well. I got in contact with like 4 more this last week. I´m finishing them up and I honestly feel like such a boss sometimes.... :) cuz i´m working with all these real people and dealing with such real situations. I know that sounds weird but the Lord trusts us with such important things.. and sometimes it just hits me about how real our work is! I got a phone call today from and Elder that had been pick-pocketed on a train and his two credit cards and his passport along with a bunch of money were stolen... And he called me! :D So we´re helping him get new cards and a new passport and everything. Hah sometimes we joke about when there's some big job or big assignment that has to get done... my comp and I look at each other and say... "oh no! Problem, we´ll just call  the mission office elders and they´ll take care of it" ............................ and then we turn and look at each other and laugh cuz thats us! We´re totally learning the ins and outs and little itty bitty small details of the office and how to run an organization. It is amazing how much goes into it. The mutual goal of ours, as well as the office couple, is to: save/take care of the street missionaries time. We want to do everything we can so that all the other missionaries don´t even have to worry, and so they can just work work work. I feel fulfilled getting to do things like that and help missionaries with those kinds of things. And, at the same time, i´m learning more about myself... for example, how I wouldn´t like to have an office or even a sit down computer job for my career. Cada persona tiene su manera. The people say that a lot. "everyone´s got their own way" basically... their own way of doing things. I´ve realized I like to be with people more and I like hands on tasks. Things I can start and finish, and things that allow me to help people be happy.

   I don´t know if I ever mentioned this family I worked with in Málaga... a family of romanians that the parents couldn´t get married cuz of the money issue but the kids were all baptized except for the youngest cuz she was like 7. Well, now that i´m back in the málaga fuengirola area... p-day mornings we play soccer at the same court we played at when I was serving in malaga ... and I saw that family today. They´re doing great! They are active, the youngest one is getting baptized tonight! Its fun. They´re so happy.

   The APs mentioned something the other day... I don´t know how legit it is yet.......... but they said that president has been thinking about testing some iPads in the mission and would probably start with the APs and probably the office elders! :P :P :P I´m pumped! It will not only make teaching more fun for us but soo much more interactive for the people and way more effective. Really! So i´ll keep you updated on that one. 

   Well I love you all! Mom, I agree with you one hundred percent about the Holy Ghost. It is often the last person we recognize when in reality it is the source of so much help from heaven. I have been receiving lessons on his role a lot lately. I think about teaching situations as missionaries. Honestly one of the hardest things for missionaries in general is sharing the teaching time. I am the biggest victim... I can speak when I want ... but sometimes I get carried away Because I Can say what i want... you know? So many times my companions bring that up with me and its something I´m constantly working on. But think about it... How often does the Holy Ghost get his chance to teach a little, and explain a little, and maybe share a spiritual experience or two........... never! And too often do we exclude his clear teachings just because of pure ignorance... when in reality we need to try to have those ´´awkward silences´´... because that is the moment the Spirit confirms the message to the investigators mind. It is true for Any teaching situation. 3 seconds minimum after teaching any principle for that principle to STICK... Interesting thoughts. LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT. HAVE MORE ´´down time´´ TO JUST MEDITATE. 

 Mom I got your letter and your talk! Read it that day and used it in the lesson with the Estonian family. M., the mother, was having those exact questions. THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING THE SPIRIT AND SENDING THAT TO ME.

Love you all!

BYE

Élder Norton