"I have my personal computer/desk... I have like 10 of those wire baskets... I have an ELECTRIC STAPLER... Its the real deal." (Sam)

WEIRDEST WEEKS OF MY MISSION

baptism goal for the month?

   Hello family and friends! Thanks for reading and writing! I love the updates I receive from you guys.

Don´t worry about last week on saturday! It gave me a little extra time to write an email all in spanish. :) It was actually harder than I thought it would be.. but I have to get used to it now.. seeing that its what I do here in the office. A lot of what I've been doing these last couple of ´´weird weeks´´ has been communicating with landlords and companies that are the mediators between the ´´renter´´ (me) and the dueños or landlords. So a looot of phone calls and a looot of emails. All in spanish... all about a stinkin 11 page apartment contract..... :) haha Its veery different than what I was doing two and a half weeks ago.

   Several days ago, we received the ´´transfers´´ from President............................... the BIG FAMOUS TRANSFERS. hah and we in the office received it right when he finished it so we could make the mission travel plans and the new phone lists, etc. Anyways, its been really weird and crazy around here because we HAVE to get some of these things done... like by deadlines is what I mean. So its less ... "go out... and find people... and teach.... and try to baptize monthly..."  but its more like..."ok here´s the transfer information that no one knows about yet.  By saturday midday the travel plans need to be done. By Monday morning all the mission tickets have to be bought. On tuesday, 17 new missionaries will arrive and will meet their trainers and after need to reach their designated areas by midday the next day... and etc..." haha its different. The responsibilities are completely different. I was talking with one of the other office elders a day or two ago and we were talking about how it is honestly like a full time job... hah... I have my personal computer/desk... I have like 10 of those wire baskets... I have an ELECTRIC STAPLER... Its the real deal. :D

   So wednesday started off kinda rough. At 4am we left to take Elder M to the airport........ yeah. My first ´´hijo´´ in the mission. He's been having sporadic health/heart emergencies and he had to be sent home. :\  It was nice to be able to give him one last hug in the airport and hand him a little letter I wrote him and picture of when we met at the mission home. He´s content with what he has done in his mission thus far. Which is important. I just hope he´s alright.

   Anyways, this last week and I think this following week will be the longest and hardest of my mission thus far. O.O... the week before transfer day and the week after transfer day. PRAY FOR US PORFAVOR. hah not to mention that President already gave me the list of the 7 new apartments I need to rent for next transfer. :)

   Although I know it sounds like i´m complaining a lot, know that I am pumped for this and excited !! Talking about it is how I show i´m looking forward to it! I honestly feel so so... useful! or needed! or... trusted! I don´t mean to boast but I´m just happy to be here and happy to give my work and energy. Missionary work on the street can get you down quickly if you are rejected by those you put your hand out to.. but being here i choose what I do and what I do is helpful. :)

I love you all! Thanks for everything again! CHALENGE FOR YOU. Go listen to President Hollands talk, ´´Safety for the Soul´´. We have it playing right now here in the office and its is amazing me. Elder Holland testifies with incredible power. It is each of our responsibility to KNOW with the same surety and testify with the same energy of heart. ´´lift where YOU stand´´

-Élder Norton

Go HERE for Elder Holland's talk 

"Hmmmm i´m gonna keep pondering it." (Sam)

Hello! 

Happy Birthday Mama!! I´m glad you got my letter! :) I figured that just having sent you a letter for mother´s day and having just talked on skype, that you´d have heard enough of my words. :P I´m glad you enjoyed the letter.

While its on my mind, can you send me Elder Holland's talk from conference on a cd? and his talk from grandpa's funeral. Keep me updated on the mission calls from the ward and stake!  Dad! Tu eres un máquina! teach adam well! we´ll go play that fathers and sons tournament! :)   

Oh yeah.......... forgot to tell you guys...... President called me on friday................ O.o....... YEAH.

   We are in the middle of the transfer right now and he called me and asked me if I would be the mission financial clerk.... I leave wednesday for Fuengirola and will be working the mission office in the mornings with the mission secretary as my companion and the two APs in my district.. :D :D:D I´m really excited but tired of "despedidas" (goodbyes)... oh well.. thats the mission right? Elder Larios and Elder Vergara have got this place memorized and under control. I feel very good leaving it in their hands.

   My new address is just the mission office address. 

   Paseo Jesús Santos Reín #2, 3ºD-E

      29640 Fuengirola (Málaga)

                ESPAÑA

   Quick update... Things are great! The ward had great attendance this week including 4 investigators. Really great feeling and spirit there in the church. Its amazing how much investigators can progress in 3 short hours in the church. When we, the members, have true, pure desires to teach the doctrine and help the people, the spirit is felt and the investigators learn and progress. I´m excited to see what happens in this area in the next transfer or two.

   I don´t know if there is some message I have to learn or if there is some purpose behind all of this but I feel like a plant A LOT in my areas... and then just cuz of circumstances in the mission, I have to leave before I can really harvest. The truth is that it doesn´t really matter WHO harvests.... but I do wonder sometimes the reasons why i´m sent to help people FIND the path but that i´m not allowed to be there when they reach baptism... Hmmmm i´m gonna keep pondering it.

   I Love my mission! I am learning so much! Our awesome zone leaders put together a great zone meeting last wednesday and taught us to pray always! Literally! They gave us little stickers to put on our watches so that every time we look at our watch, we see a little sticker that says ORAR.

-Let God guide you. Let God teach you. Speak with Him always. Ask Him for answers and help in situations that you have never asked Him before. You will be surprised at how much He helps and how much closer you feel to Him.

I love you all! Thank you all for you support! See you all soon!

-Elder Samuel THE LAMANITE Norton

To listen to or read Elder Holland's talk

 "Lord, I Believe"

CLICK HERE

"Honestly acknowledge your questions and your concerns, but first and forever 

fan the flame of your faith, because all things are possible to them that believe."

" Faith is knowing that the Lord will hear my prayers each time I pray" (Hilary)

Hi everyone! How are you all doing? I hope you had a great week! It flew by so quickly, didn't it? I don't think time has ever moved so quickly.

We had an amazing week. I am loving my mission so much. We have been working really hard, focusing on doing the "best" things and making the "best" decisions. I don't think I have been happier in the mission or more in love with what I am doing. I really feel privileged to be serving.

We had quite a few appointments during the week and have been finding new people. Saturday and Sunday we fasted and saw the blessing Sunday. Many of our investigators attended church Sunday and they are doing really well.

G will be baptized this Saturday and she is looking forward to it. She is very involved in the Catholic church and was a little hesitant at first to accept the baptismal invitation. But after attending conference and reading the Book of Mormon, she has received a witness of the truth. She was inviting everyone at church to her baptism.

The other day knocking doors we found a family of members that recently arrived from Spain. They had gone less active in Spain and moved here and not taken the time to look for the church. We got them excited to come back to church and the daughter will be baptized in May. Her dad is looking forward to reactivating his family. Yesterday he was interviewed by the bishop to work out how he will be worthy to baptize his daughter. The ward did an excellent job of accepting them.

Another investigator that attended church yesterday is named M. He is a very difficult, hard-headed person who has not been good to his wife (who is a less-active member). They came to church yesterday and had a really interesting, positive experience. I know he will be baptized. If I am not here for it I hope to be able to return for the day they get sealed. He really wants to change. I love their family.

Okay, what else.

Yesterday was also great because we gave talks and afterward our stake president and his counselor complimented me on my talk. It was cool because I really respect them a lot and felt good about how it turned out. I talked about the Atonement and its relationship with the obra misional (missionary work) and afterward many members offered to help us. It was really cool. Sundays are usually super stressful during the mission, but yesterday was awesome.

Okay, I love you all. Hope Adam is doing well. What are Mitch and Jen up to? I think about them so much. I hope they are well. I love you Dad. Love you Mom. Love you all! Thanks for all the support.

Hermana Norton

A letter from Hilary! and suggested reading material

"Quito, Ecuador is a city of heights and elevations. The air is thin, and you may even lose your step for a few days while you adjust to the world’s second highest capitol city. You can ride the cable car, the teleferico, and climb Pichincha Volcano, to a height of 4,100 meters (13,400 feet). If you go on a clear day  you’ll be able to see most of the city of Quito, which sits nicely in a valley among the Andes mountains. If you’re up for it, you can also bike or hike up Pichincha Volcano, but that’s an all day excursion so be sure you’ve had time to adjust to the altitude."        

 info courtesy of FoxNoMad

Hola! 

   Oh my goodness! I miss you all so much! My homesickness spiked when I got to the field and I don't know why? I love Ecuador! I love Quito, it is so beautiful! Hilly and green and the sky is so blue! We're so high up I feel like I'm up in the clouds, I mean, it appears that way. I love the people here. In the streets it seems like people start at me, like I'm a creature they've never seen before. But I can tell it's mostly that they have never seen a gringa before. I smile at them and say "buenas tardes" and they're all so great! I love this work. It's so cool to find people who are interested in listening and want to change. When they say we can come teach them I'm jumping up and down inside because I know that if they accept the Gospel they will have happiness they've never experienced before. They're all so kind, too. They always want to feed us and love just sitting and talking with us.

   Okay so, we had a pretty cool experience the last time we went proselyting in Lima. We prepared to teach a 16 yr old girl who is recently baptized but not attending church. When we got to her house her father, who is a strict Catholic, answered the door. We invited him to join. I'm not sure why she doesn't want to attend, she was just saying things like "oh, I don't know. I get tired and just don't want to go." So, we worked with her a little and her dad the whole time was just completely silent. And then I felt very strongly that I should bear a very serious testimony so that 1) she could know what blessing she could receive if she returned and 2) so that her dad could have a better understanding. After I bore my testimony he started asking questions. He was suddenly interested. We gave him a pamphlet and committed him to attend church the next day with his daughter. I hope that he did. I think that one of the most powerful parts of a missionary's testimony is that he / she is on a mission. In a far away place talking to people they don't know. It is thought provoking - this work means so much to a 20ish yr old person that they left everything to come here and share it... that's pretty powerful. If I were not a member and learned that about the missionaries, I would be curious about what they were teaching. Here in Quito we've had some good experiences too. I'm looking forward to when we can really see the results. I guess it's too early now.

   Yesterday at church a woman pulled out a giant magnifying glass to read her manual. Reminded me of you, Mom. :)

    Okay the food I have had so far in South America is SO good. You need to make Humitas. Its this corn dish. Also we always have grilled banana, soup with corn and rice, its all so good. Also, Quimbolitos! So good!

   Dad, yes, I'm getting your emails, I love hearing about your adventures. Please tell the Tyler Norton family that I miss them! I'm trying to be exactly obedient and only write letters on P-Days. Today is July 23, so I'll finish quickly and get it in the mail.

   Family, for Family Home Evening por favor lean los discorses siguiente (read the following discourses) and stop and discuss every couple of paragraphs:

* "In Tune with the Music of Faith" by Elder Cook
* "How to Obtain Revelation and Inspiration in Your Personal Life" by Elder Scott
* "Willing and Worthy to Serve" by Pres. Monson
* "Mountains to Climb" by Elder Eyring
* "Was it Worth it?" by Elder Evans
* "The Merciful Obtain Mercy" by Elder Uchtdorf

 Okay, no more room or time. I love you! Hope all is well!
Hermana Norton