"they returned to church and it was exactly what they needed in these difficult times ( no surprise there, really). " (Hilary)

Listo, ¿cómo están? Happy Monday! 
It is a raining here right now, which is typicle for Quito. The mornings are super hot and sunny and then the afternoons are dark and foggy and rainy. The other Sunday basically all the members stayed after church because we literally couldn't leave in the rainstorm.

Thanks for writing, everyone! I love you all and pray for you daily and it is so good to know that you are all doing so well. Being far away helps me gain a greater perspective on my family and friend relationships and I am so grateful for everyone I know. I am grateful for your support and your prayers. Thanks to everyone for everything.

G was baptized Saturday. It was so great. She was so happy and crying. Friday and Saturday we went to another sector to help some hermanas that are struggling. The assistants asked us to go work in their sector with a couple other companionships of hermanas. It was about a two hour drive from our sector and we made it back an hour before our baptism. We had informed our mission leader that we wouldn't be able to fill the font so he said he would. Well, we got there at the same time and poor G got there early and had to wait a while. There is always opposition the day of the baptism. Anyway, as she was waiting, she was trying to pay her tithing and a couple members were like, "Tomorrow, hermanita." It was cute. She was so prepared. I am so grateful that we received the prompting to contact her. I really care about her.

The family from Spain is doing so well. This ward we are working in is super great and the family received a warm welcome last Sunday. Tuesday we visited them and asked how it went Sunday and they both teared up and couldn't really speak. Then the hermana said, "Phenomenal. (sp?)" It was cool because they had gone inactive in Spain and moved here about three months ago. We found them contacting and they returned and it was exactly what they needed in these difficult times (no surprise there, really). 

Y is another investigator we have been working with. He is progressing slowly and steadily. Hermana Ellis and I contacted him. Anyway, he is really enjoying studying the Book of Mormon. Every time we visit him he has passed the chapter to a journal and highlighted the parts he likes and written down his questions.

Yesterday was another great Sunday. We had a few investigators attend church and they had positive experiences. We have been working hard throughout the week and it feels great. The only thing that doesn't feel great is that the time is passing so quickly. I have learned so much in this past year and I could never have imagined what experiences the mission brings.

Okay, so glad you got the package. Thanks for your help! I got Dad's package today with the Asea (as well as other gifts). THANK YOU SO MUCH, DAD. I appreciate your help. I love you and love hearing from you.

Cool to hear about everyone with their mission calls and everything! I love it! Tell Stacie I say congrats and good luck! And tell Allie Howe and Kassie the same!

Adam, congrats on your basketball and baseball successes! I love hearing about it. The other day we had perfect sunny/breezy weather and I remembered sitting at the ball park watching my little brothers play baseball. I love those memories.

Tell Jonny and Bradin hi and congrats! The bummer is that I am missing so many weddings! I think Caitlin gets married in May! I have been thinking about going to visit Mitch and his family after I get home and visiting Caitlin in the same trip (she and her husband and moving to NY).

Mom, how is your ankle/leg?

I got a letter from Abby today! I love her and love hearing about her in the mission! Also, Kenz and Cam have been writing me which is so great. I have the greatest friends.

Well, I have a few more minutes online. Write me if you think of something else!

Love you!

Hermana Norton

WHAT E'RE THOU ART, ACT WELL THY PART (Hilary)

Hi family! Love you.

Okay, Conference was so great, right? We feel that way every six months. I love Conference as a missionary; it is a very different experience. We had a couple investigators who were able to attend. They really enjoyed and are really committed. They're progressing and it is so cool to see.

Okay, I loved the talks by Elder Holland, Elder Scott, Sister Dalton, Elder Perry, and also President Monson. I loved the talks about the restoration (sp?). I felt like the main themes were repentance, obedience, and focusing on the home. Anyway, I really loved President's talk because generally his talks are stories, but this time it was doctrinal and really cool. I love conference. What a privilege.                CLICK HERE to learn the secrets of this historic stone

Okay, we have been working with a lot of new people and it is so great. We have a few new investigators every day and we are really stepping it up. I love it. A few people I will quickly mention: G, M, Familia B, Familia G. Please pray for them! I don't have much time to write about all of them, but they are all great. 

Okay, so glad you met Stacia! She's literally the greatest! I miss her a lot, but know she is where Heavenly Father needs her to be. I was thinking about her as Sister Dalton spoke about the people who "acted well their part". Sister Ellis came to my mind. I know that Heavenly Father is pleased and grateful for all the she did. 

Hermana Rodriguez's family has visited the states a few times and she is showing me pictures of her in the Bean museum right now! (Hermana Norton used to work at the Monty L. Bean Museum on the Brigham Young University campus in Provo, Utah)

We got our water back about mid week! Don't worry! Thanks anyway. Please let me know when you get the package with the SD card.

Okay, I apologize, we don't have much time left! I hope you are all doing well! Please send me Sam's email!

<3 Hermana Norton

for Sister Dalton's message go HERE

"Well, since Friday we have been without water ... " (Hilary)

Okay, how is everyone? You all sound like you are doing well! I love hearing from you! Thanks for updating me and keeping me in mind. Know that, even though sometimes I can't respond, I am always so grateful for your support and thoughts! From each and every one of you!

So much has happened this week. I thought you would have found out by now. I'll start from last Monday.
We finished our p-day early because Hermana E had a medical appointment. They were doing some physical therapy on her and it caused her a lot of pain, so we couldn't work that night. We had to go back to the physical therapist Tuesday and Hermana E was miserable afterward....  it seemed to be making her worse. She couldn't really walk or stand up. So Tuesday we couldn't do much and Wednesday we spoke with President. We expressed a few concerns and he told Hermana Ellis that she should go home so that she can get well. We went to the house of the stake president for lunch and there she Skyped with her Mom and they got things figured out. That night we stayed in the nearest sister apartment to the airport and Hermana E left at 5 am Thursday Morning.

My new companion's name is Hermana Rodriguez. I am finishing her training and I will be with her until she gets her visa because her mission is Argentina Cordoba (!!) and she is just waiting in her home country until they get her visa problems worked out. She is excellent. She is a really great missionary, super smart and funny. We are having fun. Things have been a little tough in the work and just in general, but everything is going to work out! Today we headed to the offices and ran into Hermana Marca and Hermana Samantha Harris. I was having a really hard day then they walked in and I remembered how much Heavenly Father loves me and is aware of every one of his children. Hermana Harris is the greatest and we talked for a long time and went to lunch and it was so good. We are planning to be companions someday. If we have enough faith, it will happen, right? :)

Well, since Friday we have been without water. All of Calderon. It is interesting. Luckily we had a couple big bottles of water here (that Hermana Ellis and I had felt impressed to buy a couple weeks ago) so we have been bathing and washing the dishes with those. Saturday Raquel was baptized because the church is really on the ball and although the whole neighborhood/city is without water, the font is connected to a reserve. The water was cold and dirty and yellowish brown, but she was baptized and loved it and is so strong. It was a really special baptism. I love her a lot and am so happy for her!

Dad, HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK. I have sent a couple things your way and I pray that they get to you in time. Dad, just know that I love you with all of my heart and I look forward to a lot of good daddy daughter time in about seven months. Hope you have an excellent week!

Love you, Adam!  Hope all is well with Mitch and Jen!  I love hearing about the calling, Dad! How cool that you spent the weekend w/ Mel. I hope that Bryce gets to serve a mission! What an incredible story! I'm so glad that you've been able to have these experiences. I learn so much from you! And glad that you're having fun with the Elders. Don't let them get too comfortable :) 

Well, we didn't do much for Easter, but I did a lot of meditating on my own. I am very grateful for Christ's life and His sacrifice and His love for us. We really can't comprehend it all, but I try really hard to be as grateful as possible. As everyone in Calderòn has been outside with buckets waiting for a big truck with water to pass by I think about how Christ is the living water. Si fuera asì la misiòn con gente esperando en una fila para recibir el agua viva. No tendrían sed jamàs. Really, His gospel has all the answers. It is the what and the why and the how. There is no complete happiness without it.

Well, I love you all. And I love this work. Thanks for everything! Keep writing. Keep moving forward.

Hermana Norton

Extra Prayers Please!!! (Hilary)

Well, good news! Now we can write to whomever we would like to (Friends, family, recent converts of the same sex) and we have two hours on the computer! Unfortunately, our two hour thing will start next week because Hermana Ellis has a medical appointment in like 30 minutes. But, to those of you who are reading (Veronica! Caitlin! Sarah Law!), feel free to email me! I will now be able to respond by email.

Okay, so things are going well. Hermana E is still very sick and we haven't been able to work much, but it is good that our sicknesses are overlapping, right? We have spent a lot of this week in Quito in the hospital doing tests and seeing different doctors. They can't seem to figure out what is wrong, although we are convinced it is something simple that they are just overlooking. Keep her in your prayers!  Quito is so beautiful. It has been raining a lot here and it gets foggy, so the city is just right in the middle of this valley of beautiful green hills full of trees. I really love it! I love Ecuador!

Our awesome district leader has been so helpful and understanding. The other day he and his companion visited a couple of our investigators when we couldn't have our appointments. He is a great kid. R. will be baptized this Saturday. She has family members that are members of the church, but it just hasn't been her time. Now she is accepting everything really well. She is an awesome girl and will be a strong member. Things aren't progressing as quickly with the rest of our investigators, but I have a feeling this week will be better. We have a great group. Please pray that we can get out and work! We are getting stir crazy!

A couple random things. I lost my flashdrive with ALL  my mission pictures on it. :( Please pray that I find it. No, I am not joking. It is important! Also, Mom, what should I do with these extra scriptures? I just need to make a decision and get it done. Dad, one case should be enough! And I would really appreciate that. But is it really heavy? Could you send the bottles seperately so I don't have to pay a ton for the weight issue? Mitch, I got the pictures. And thank you so much for the responses. Your advice and opinion are of great value to me (What? My English is so awkward.). Adam, keep rocking at sports. Keep yourself involved always and be positive. I am going to write you Monday. Is Sam District Leader? Cool! Congrats kid!

Well, things are good here. This weekend we attended a couple really great baptisms. I mean, every baptism is great, but they were just extra special. One was of a girl and her mom. It was the girl's birthday, she was turning ten and her older brother who was baptized in Feb. baptized her. She was scared of water and had a hard time and after they got it right she just cried and hugged him. They bore sweet testimonies and it was a really neat night. Baptisms make everything feel worth it.

Okay, I have to go. Thanks for writing. Pray for the work! and for my companion! Next Monday I am expecting emails!

Hermana Norton

"I have definitely found myself grateful for 'the furnaces of affliction.' " (Hilary)

Samuel Norton - Mr Viking 2011

Happy Monday everyone!

How is everyone doing? How was your St. Patrick's Day? Sometimes I feel like that might be the most worthless holiday, and then I remember that two years ago my little brother was crowned Mr. Viking on St. Patrick's Day and I remember it was good for something. Speaking of Sam, I got a letter from him this week! Super cool to hear from him. He is such a fun person. I am glad his mission experience is going so well for him. Mine is also going well. I really know I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Well, this week, I am getting over my problems. I have been prescribed a whole bunch of things, so I should be healthy and happy soon enough. I don't know if I mentioned in my last letter, but Hermana Ellis is sick as well. She has been having a really hard time lately and the nurses today figured out the cause of her problems. The medications they gave her have been making her really off. We weren't really able to work a whole lot this week. As for those we are teaching, we have quite a few investigators who are doing well, though not one attended the stake conference this Sunday. That was a bummer because I was counting on the idea that Heavenly Father would provide the help we needed this week considering that we weren't able to get out and do as much as we would have liked. But, He has something else in mind. I am determined that this week we will be 100% worthy for Heavenly Father's help in getting our investigators to church. In all honesty, Sundays are different on the mission.

I have been studying a lot extra lately and I everyday feel more and more grateful for the 

scriptures and the teachings of our church leaders. Yesterday I began a fast 

(a 40 day fast - see page 324 of the 'Norton Wisdom Book') 

and I am working on purifying myself and putting Heavenly Father 

and His work in first place. 

This morning in my personal study I was impressed by Enos's example. In verse 26 he explains how devoted he has been to the work and the gospel. He says he has declared it all his days, and "rejoiced in it above that of the world." I love that statement, and have seen the changes and conversion that the gospel and missionary work are bringing to my life. I hope to come out of all this more like the person God needs me to be. I have definitely found myself grateful for "the furnaces of affliction."

Well, Hermana Ellis and I are good. We have been going to see a doctor in Quito a couple times lately and the other day we were caught in a huge rain storm. It was hilarious. About twenty minutes of trying to get a taxi in the pouring rain. I will send pictures. Another funny story. There is an hermana here who has a washing machine so every once in a while we drop off our clothes and she throws them in the washer and then she hangs them up to dry and we go by the next day to pick them up. This week, when we went to pick  them up, there was a small problem. She and her husband were cooking beans, got distracted, burned the beans, and now their whole house smells like smoke. Well, so does our clothing. We have washed it a couple times since and cannot get the smell out. Our apartment smells like we are smokers. It is hilarious.

We won't know in which mission we will end up until the beginning of July. They will give us our transfers and depending on where we go, that will be our mission. I imagine we will be training a lot. The line is drawn right after my first sector, Santa Ana. Technically we are in Quito North right now.

Beauty and the Beast - Hilary's favorite childhood movie

Well as we have been sick, we have found some ways to entertain ourselves. We have read like hundreds of pages of the Book of Mormon, as well as made each other word searches, played Battleship in our notebooks, and resorted to the movie quote game. It is important that I mention that she guessed my first quote immediately ("If she doesn't eat with me, she doesn't eat at all!"). Hermana Ellis is the greatest. I am really grateful to have her as my companion!

Will someone please send me the Tyler Norton family's address? As well, Rachel Miller's and Lisa and Justin Allen's? Thank you :)

Mom, I hope your ankle surgery goes well. I will continue to pray for you. Please be good to your body. Don't push yourself too hard. It is against the Word of Wisdom.

Dad, the scripture you shared has always been one of my favorites. (D&C 78:18)

Kenz has been writing me a bit lately. Apparently they had a bridal shower for Caitlin the other day! I am so happy she is getting married. I want the best for all those girls. I love each one of them. Also, Jesslyn wrote me! I loved hearing from her. She is the best! It is so nice to know that others are willing to take a couple minutes to see how I am doing.

Well, that is all for now. I love you all! Choose the right and keep pressing forward.

Hermana Norton

* Hilary mentioned the "Norton Book of Wisdom".... It's a 500 + page book that her dad compiled full of the very best quotes, stories, poems, and life counsel.  He spent countless hours gathering, studying, and editing as well as adding stories from our own ancestors.  It is a real treasure ... a priceless gift from a dad to his children.  The "40 day fast" story is about a challenge from a mission president to his missionaries. It is not a typical fast (no food or drink for 24 hours) but rather a call for change. The following is a short excerpt: 

"I invite you to fast this Sunday, to ask the Lord what things you should stop doing and what things you should start doing. I invite you to write a list and take that list with you to your morning and evening prayers. I invite you to envision the temptations in the morning while on your knees and to commit and ask for help before you actually go out and face them. In the evenings I invite you to report in, give thanks and ask forgiveness. I invite you to engage in the process of changing your own desires." 

I'm sorry I don't know the name of the mission president so that I could credit him for coming up with that amazing challenge.  I'm looking forward to hearing back from Hermana Norton about her

"40 day fast" experience!                                                                          

joanna norton

"I think it is important that they recognize that we are a happy people. We have the full truth; they should be able to tell." (Hilary)

Hi fam

Hope you are all doing so well! We have had an eventful week.

I am still pretty sick. Monday, the mission nurse told me I had parasites. She gave me a few medications but nothing helped. It was really debilitating our ability to get out and work. So Thursday I went to a doctor in Quito and he did a few tests. I have a stomach infection and ... anemia! They said the normal iron level is between 25 - 200 and mine is .7 ... So the nurses complimented me on my work performance while living almost completely without iron in my blood. (I told Hermana Ellis I don't really know what it even means to be low on iron anyway and she told me it means that if Ironman were to come to Ecuador he would have no power over me.) Haha. Anyway, iron pills are expensive here. Is there any way you could get some sent out here to me? That would be deeply appreciated.

So how is everyone? Did you enjoy Italy, Dad? Please keep me updated on how Adam's baseball tournament goes! I would like to hear from him... Looking good without the braces, big guy! Tell Trevor and Heather I say congrats! I wish I could have been there. I hope she is just as great as Trev.  Dad, were you able to play in that golf tournament in Italy? Where do you go next? Or do you have a little break?

Dad, thank you so much for the thoughtful email. I really appreciated all you said. It is so true and although I don't look back on it fondly, I know it was good for me to have that experience to learn from. I might not have been the most tolerant, patient daughter of God before my mission, and I am aware of that and I am trying to improve. It is true what you said about us being our own agents. Alma 41:7-8 I really like because they teach us that we are our own judges. It is all up to us. WE decide if we choose eternal life or eternal misery. It is simple. I hope I am living worthy of eternal life.

Mom, I love hearing about your Spanish. And don't worry, it will come, you will get a hang of it. And please tell Jake Lee (if you see him again) to write me. He is such a good kid.

I received an email from K today. A and C had both written me about how she got sick and came home :(

I hope she is doing okay. I just mailed her a letter. But I am going to include something really sweet that she wrote to me in her email.

"Hilary, Thank you for your confidence in the Lord. Thank you for showing me what it is like to have true faith in Him. I'm really having to learn where my faith stands, and as I look back, I could tell where you stood."

The sweetest comment ever. I know I made mistakes in my past and I wish I could erase them. As I read what she said, I felt grateful and unworthy all at once. "And remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved" (2 Nephi 10:24) We got the good end of the deal, didn't we?

 Well, I hope you are all doing well. Hermana Ellis and I are really enjoying the work right now. I love working with her. We are always laughing and having fun and I think it is important because people need to recognize that we are a happy people. We have the full truth; they should be able to tell.  Today we went to a really nice mall, and I found a million things I loved but I didn't buy one thing. I am looking forward to doing a little shopping when I get home instead of here. If any of you ever feels tempted to spend money on me right now, write me a thoughtful letter, put the money in a jar, and we will spend it together when I get home. Thank you :)

We have a few people who are progressing toward baptism. P, R and a few others. They are so great and working through some trials but doing what they should to come out on top. We are also teaching a lot of other people who are interested. We will see if they are willing to act. Our mission has set some goals and is making a few sacrifices and exercising much faith to be able to see miracles in this month. Our district leader and his companion are doing so so well. I am so happy for them. I pray for their investigators every night. They have about 12 at church yesterday (which just doesn't happen regularly in this mission).

General Conference is coming up! Who's pumped?!

Well, thanks for writing. I love you all. Keep me updated in your lives. 

Hermana Norton

CLICK HERE if you're curious about GENERAL CONFERENCE

"I love this gospel ... It is the most beautiful thing." (Hilary)

"There are feet to steady, 

hands to grasp,

minds to encourage,

hearts to inspire,

and souls to save."

"Willing and Worthy to Serve" – President Thomas S. Monson

Have you seen this? Click the link below to watch

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/mormon-messages?lang=eng&start=61&end=72&order=alpha#2012-01-008-rescued-by-christ

QUÈ TAL. ESPERO QUE TODO BIEN. LES AMO DEMASIADO.

Okay, everything is so good here in the mission! I am happy as ever. Hermana Ellis is the greatest companion. I have never felt the spirit so strongly in the mission. I think because we are working so hard and feeling so humbled (by the fact that we are two gringas), the spirit is really with us in every moment. I haven't cried many times on my mission (go figure), but we have had a couple really cool lessons this past week when I was not able to hold back tears. 

I feel so strongly about what we share. I love this gospel. I love what it has done for my family and my friends and me. It is the most beautiful thing. Heavenly Father has really blessed me in so many ways, but one thing I am so grateful for is that He helps us feel His love for His children that we meet.

Well, I am a little sick right now. Since Saturday I have just been feeling really awful. I spoke with the nurse today and she took me to get some medications .... So I hope I get better! Mostly just because being sick is so frustrating during the mission. At home, you can rest. But on the mission, the last thing you want to do is rest! We have a lot of investigators that are progressing and I just feel so anxious to get out and help them! Also, the mission nurse just told me that Hermana D. is in the hospital to get her appendix out!!! Please pray for her!

So Calderòn is great. We share the ward with a pair of elders because it is really big geographically and there are a lot of people. The elders are great. We are having a lot of success here as a zone and I just feel so excited to be a part of this work.

Well, I can't think of much else to say, and I am going to write a couple more emails. We have a conference at 4:30 and we don't have any idea of why. I will let you all know next week! Thanks for writing! I love you! Keep praying! (Don't forget me and my investigators please!)

Hermana Norton

"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