"we have dedicated our time to helping new members feel the spirit and also help them fill in the little holes of doctrine they might still be missing." (Sam)

"Hastening the Work" takes teamwork, organization, and lots of smiles!

March 3, 2014

Hi there!

Another good week! Elder Hall and I are getting along really well together and working our tails off. The work is going really well here in Jerez as a ward. And its cool cuz the three companionships here are working really well together. 

The influx of missionaries has caused a lot of new "side effects" I guess that I didn´t even think of. More missionaries means more than one companionship in the units and teamwork and humility between companionships. Of the three areas in our ward, the sister's area has baptized 17 in the last 11 months.... and the other two area are slow and producing fewer results. And its not a lack of work or obedience, rather different people and different financial levels and ways of life. We as a companionship have been working really really closely with the hermanas these last couple of months to support them in their work and help and carry the recent converts that they don´t have as much time to visit. These new members are all excited to do missionary work and many new people have been found through them.... ALL of which are living in the hermanas area....... soo.. the hermanas have even less time to visit the many recent converts that all need visits. That is what Elder Hall and I are focusing on. In my opinion, recent converts need the most support and help.. and we have dedicated a lot of our time to helping those new members continue to feel the spirit and also help them fill the little holes of doctrine that they might still be missing.

I received an email from the office with my travel itinerary.......... O.O..... if you didn´t get it i´ll forward it to you. SUPER WEIRD to get that.

Hey, its been kinda short today but there´s a quick update. Hope you´re all well. Pray for the missionaries and the hearts of the people!

Love you all!

Élder Norton

March 10, 2014

Hey mama, fam, and friends!

Good week this week! We´re really working as a team here and the work is moving. I love the members here. I really have been able to create some great relationships and I love feeling the support of the members. Members are so important in missionary work. Although its important and always will be important to open our mouths and "hablar con todos" speak with everyone, that work can often times be very detached and unproductive.. whereas with members, we fortify and uplift members in need while we help them invite and teach their own friends converting the friends into members and the members into member missionaries. That way when we leave, the members themselves and carry the work along. THAT is missionary work.

Thanks for the updates on things. Happy to hear things are going well. Know that I will be praying for Jennica and waiting updates.

I got your letter last week and just this morning I got the little package. THANK YOU. I sent Adam a letter the other day and want to send one to you two Mom and Dad this week. I´ll do my best. Either way, know that I love you! I would like to be able to buy a couple more things before I go but I don´t think I have any money in my account. If you have a second and are able I´d love to be able get a couple more things. THANK YOU.

Love you all! Be seeing you SOON!

Élder Norton

"I will generously give my whole life." (Sam)

February 24, 2014

Hello again!

Transfers this last week! Wow. My time with Elder Crandall, almost 9 weeks, FLEW by. I love that kid so much. I don't know if I mentioned last week or if we even new where he was going last week. He was transfered this last tuesday to Huércal-Overa, my first area and has been there for about a week now. I´ve been emailing him a little and says he loves the people. I wrote a couple of notes for my converts and a couple of investigators that were never baptized. I hope Pepa and Rafa are doing well. I´ll keep you updated.

Each week I feel like I have less to write.. WEIRD.

I hope you´re all doing well. Sounds like you´re all busy and happy. How it should be. Help someone who needs it today. Helping is good.. but a lot of times I feel like we help people that don´t need it that much. Look harder! Look for someone that needs it. They exist. They´re out there.

Things in Spain are really bad economically right now. I´ve heard from people that Spain has like a 30+% unemployment rate.. and then our bishop told us that in this part of spain, the province of CÁDIZ, theres 40% unemployment. He then looked at me and said, "To be honest, I would not be suprised if Jerez had an even higher unemployment rate than that." It´s so so sad. It really is so hard to see families and people that just struggle and can´t make it. I love the Lord´s help system. Those that are obedient and true to the Gospel can receive help to maintain their families. I have a huge testimony of the Fast Offering we give. Not only fasting but the fast offering that we donate monthly. I will generously give my whole life.

My new companion Elder Hall is great. He´s from Salt Lake City and went to a high school called Highland. He´s a great guy and started his mission almost exactly a year after I did so he´s a year in. He was companions with Elder Larios, my hijo, for a transfer. Fun to catch up on how he´s doing. Elder Hall and I are excited to work together this transfer. We have a lot to learn from each other and he´ll do a great job taking over the area when I leave.

Anyways, thats all for this week. Sorry I don´t have much to say. I´m working hard and representing the Lord how he should be represented!

Love you!

Élder Norton

 click below to watch a short clip

Blessings of Offerings HERE

… Just singin', … Singin' in the rain (Sam)

February 17, 2014

Hello hello!

Had a great week here in Jerez. Elder Crandall and I hit a high point together this week which was perfect because it was "week 6" of the transfer-the last week. President called as we were expecting and Elder Crandall is being transferred. We were expecting it cuz since I only have one transfer left, whoever is with me this next transfer will have to stay when I leave. Elder Crandall has already been here 3 transfers and he wasn´t going to stay this one with me and then another one after. Understandable.. So as I said, it was really great to hit a high point together here on the last week of the transfer. This part of this city has really been struggling but we were able to hit 20 total lessons, 10 with investigators (member present or without) and ten with members (active, recent convert, and less active). It felt great teaching the last lesson sunday night in an active member´s house with an unexpected non-member friend present. His name is S and although he doesn´t believe in organized religion, he believes in God and enjoyed our lesson. He agreed to meet with us this week in the members house. Nice end to the week!

Elder Berrett, the Financiero that trained me in the office, was transferred here a transfer ago to facilitate a Zone Leader city change. The funny thing is that he only had one transfer left and finishes his mission wednesday. It was almost hard to believe that he was going to be transferred with one transfer left but the Lord and President Deere know why and the change was necessary and turned out well. He and I have become really good friends and its WEIRD to see him go. He was a great, obedient, consistent missionary. Love that kid.

The weather here has been SO so wet ever since I got here. Elder Crandall and I have this wall right in front of where we study that we put sticky notes on with little jokes or funny things that happen to us and funny memories. :P It has almost 60 sticky notes on it! haha and I put one up about 3 weeks into my time here that was a drawing of Jerez, basically just a bunch of buildings with a burger king in the middle, with tons and tons of rain coming down and then another sticky note next to it with an arrow pointing and words that said... "Jerez since Elder Norton got here"...... :D haha I´ll attach a couple of pictures. We think its getting better though. WE HOPE. haha

Well, Love you guys! I feel like this has been short and kinda empty but know i´m doing well! Pray for our obedience and for the stiff-necked people! :P

Love you!

Élder Norton