"I hear roaring laughter and run back in to see that she has sat on the cake!" (Hilary)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HILARY!

Hi everyone! Hope you have all had a great week! Thanks for writing!

We have had a really great  week and I am feeling much better than I was last Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I mentioned to Sister Berrett (the new mission nurse) that I had been struggling a little emotionally for all that had been going on with my health. There have only been little problems, but I have felt sad and frustrated at times. But I have seen a few little miracles this week and I feel that the Savior is aware of my small problem and helping in my situation. I have really felt that He is lifting the load and that He is also making me stronger to be able to bare. I recognize that my problems are so small. I know there are others that are working through SO much more. I am just grateful that Heavenly Father knows me and is willing to provide me with the challenges and the solutions that I need to grow.

I have always felt very strongly that Heavenly Father puts certain people in our paths so that we can grow and learn. I love the quote by President Kimball that  says, "God does notice us and He watches over us. But it is usually through another person that He meets our needs." I have felt that Sister Irepan has been an answer to a silent prayer. I am so grateful to have this time with her and I know I will be able to finish strong and happy. She is an excellent missionary. She knows what she is doing and she is thoughtful and obedient. I am grateful to have her as my companion. Each one of my current companions has been a huge blessing for me at this time. The other day an elder mentioned that if I were still in the other mission I would be getting home this week. Later Sister Irepan mentioned that and was like, "These two extra weeks of your mission are like a gift to me! I know there is so much I need to learn from you." It was really cute.

We had a stake activity this week for our investigators and it turned out really well. A lot of people showed up (many more than we were expecting) and everyone seemed to enjoy it. We are working hard as a zone to be able to have a "Noche Blanca" this month and have been seeing the fruits of our labors.

Friday Sister Bastidas and I did divisions with Sister Ortiz and Sister Palau. It went really well. We had very little time because of their mini-conference, but we were able to accomplish so many things and it was a real testimony to me that when we do things the Lord's way He helps to accomplish much more than we could ever do on our own.

This week we have a family of investigators that are progressing which is a blessing to be able to see. The Pillajo family has a baptismal date for the 16th of this month. We have been fasting and praying sincerely for this family and I know we will see miracles.

Okay, my birthday was so great!! I received three cakes, so I think Ecuador likes me. I will send pictures. So much fun. One of my companions had a birthday last month and we did a lot for her so I think there is now this mentality that we have to do bigger and better every time. My sweet companions did so much for me this week. On my birthday at midnight they woke up and got out of bed and  brought in a cake and balloons and a little gift and were singing happy birthday. It was so hilarious because I was so tired and confused at first then just felt really grateful. We were all laughing when I set the cake down on my bed to grab my camera in the other room. As I am searching for my camera I hear roaring laughter and run back to see that Sister Irepan had sat on the cake as she was trying to set up her camera. Hahahaha it was soo funny. She was just so tired. Anyway, that day we had our District Meeting/Mini Zone Conference and after the meeting the zone leaders came in with a giant cake and a card that everyone from the zone (of like 30 missionaries) had signed. The tradition here is to "bite" the cake and people always shove your face into it as you are biting it. We enjoyed that as well. I know if I have skin problems this week it is because of all the icing and sugar that had been smothered all over my face again and again. Then we had lunch with a super great family (last name Ocarez) that is from Chile. Sister Ocarez cooks really really well and had invited a few people over that shared the same birthday. So we had an awesome lunch and it was so fun. That day was the stake activity for our investigators from the whole stake and it turned out really well. A lot of people showed up and we had a lot of fun. I will attach pictures with explanations.

Sounds like you are having a lot of fun with "Yasu." I laughed out loud when I read the story about what he and his friend said to Adam. Haha Adam is a good sport. I am glad he has a brother/friend for a week. Tell Adam I can't wait to see him in a couple weeks! I hope he and I can hang out a lot. He is the greatest.

Sister Maza got the packages and she loves everything. She is so grateful. 

Okay, I have a good amount of time left. Respond if you can! Love you all!

Sister Norton

Long distance Birthday wishes

Watch till the end ... it's worth the wait

Handmade by Elder Norton :)

and my sweet Hermana :)

"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

"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

Happy Birthday Branson!

Our second grandson, Branson Steven Rice, just turned 3!

hmmmm, not sure what happened here ...

here he is with his big brother Caden

and talking to baby sister Sienna

This guy packs a lot of personality into that 3 year old body! He makes us SO happy! We love you Branson!

which is worse, beetles or green beans? You be the judge ...

 Sam has eaten octopus and Hilary has eaten beetles. But that's nothing compared to this ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdFbTyAHYes

Happy Birthday to my sweet 4 year old grandson!

"withstanding trials without getting bummed is like trying to swim without ever coming up for water!" (Hilary)

Okay, thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes! I love you all and had a really great week!

So, I realized one of the great things about November (I had to search out pros to the fact that October had to end) is that soon we will get the Liahona with all the conference talks!! I am dying to receive it. There is so much more I am going to get out of these talks once I read them in English :) I loved all the photos of the pumpkins and costumes. I literally have the cutest niece and nephews. I miss them so much! But WOW, Friday was my six month mark! I only have a year left! WHAT? I know everyone says this, but I seriously still feel like I just got here. I keep thinking I am still a new little sister missionary. Which I am. But I need to remember that we are always in the middle (like Uchtdorf said in a Liahona hace unos meses).

So this week, for the holidays here in South America we make bread and "colada morada." I just sent a picture of Hermana Marca and me with our investigator L and a couple of bread dolls he made for us. So great. Okay, so Wednesday was super great. The letter (from Dad) was amazing and an investigator called me and wished me happy birthday and Hermana Marca gave me this cute pen she wrapped with floss and put my name on. Thursday we had our meeting and afterward, Elder LeBaron and his companion ran out and brought back a giant chocolate cake and a piñata! Okay, I attached pictures. They are so great! (Also I attached an old picture of me and Elder LeBaron and Elder Meriles at a service project)


Okay, here is what I wrote to President:

President Ghent,

Hope all is well. This last transfer seemed to fly by and yesterday Hermana Marca were both super happy to find out that we get more time in Imbabura. I have been feeling like there is a lot of work left for me to do here and I am working on a lot of new goals to be able to accomplish what Heavenly Father needs me to do here.

We have been working a lot with our investigator L (lots of lessons and days of reading the Book of Mormon and service projects)and we finally were able to put a baptismal date. Yesterday he attended all three hours of church. He told us that In Priesthood some of the jovens were listening to music with their headphones in and texting. That was a bummer to hear after we had been working so hard all week. Hermana Marca and I have been brainstorming on how we can help him to be able to keep attending church.

In one of the wards we cover (Cotama), there are about just as many inactives as there are actives. We spend a lot of time working with them. Although we haven't had as much success with investigators, I am able to feel good about what we have been able to accomplish with the inactives. We have really done a lot to search for each and every one of them and bring them members and remind them of the blessings they're missing out on. We have quite a few inactives that are being reactivated and working toward worthy goals like receiving the priesthood and going to the temple as a family.

One inactive we have been working with is named J M. He has lots of things he is working through.... (edited ) He doesn't understand Spanish very well so we have resorted a few times to acting things out to help him really understand what we teach. The other day we drew a line on the dirt floor of their home and Hermana Marca and I explained to him how when we make certain decisions, we are putting ourselves on the side of the enemy. It stuck and he hasn't drank in about five days. Thursday he aksed us to help him to fast this Saturday/Sunday. I really love being able to figure out the individual needs of each person and help them in a very personal way. It was neat to see that he really wants to be able to do what is right. All of these people have really good desires.

So, not one missionary in our zone had transfers! Which is super exciting! We are really having a lot more success than our zone has had previously, so we are really happy to be privileged with more time here. I just can't leave! I love it here!

Okay, so yesterday, like I mentioned to President, was a really really tough day. I felt like we had been fighting all week long to make things work for our investigators with baptismal dates. Of the four with baptismal dates, one was able to attend and didn't like it. I was trying to be tough like Sam when he mentioned in his email the other day about that family of his . But it just felt like a daggar(sp?) to the heart. I wanted to cry. But then I was trying to keep the faith and positivity. But then I felt like withstanding trials without getting bummed is like trying to swim without ever coming up for water! Wow, yesterday was tough. But it ended well when we found out we didn't have transfers. 

OKAY THANK YOU I LOVE YOU.

Are Matt and Emily okay? Did they have to evacuate? Where are they? What is their housing situation like now? Please update me about the presidential elections. I am so anxious. Elder LeBaron and Elder Maughan and I have been talking about it all day today.

OKAY I LOVE YOU BYE!

Hermana Norton

Happy Birthday to our sweet Hilary!

this photo was taken October 2011

Hilary and her beautiful grandmother, Bonnie, 

share Halloween as their birthday. 

We love you both and hope all your wishes come true!

"The Lord's way is not hard. Life is hard" (Hilary)

It arrived on September 29th! A personal birthday/missionary message for each day of her birthday month!!!

Dear everyone,

Happy October!! Do something awesome today in honor of the greatest month of the year. I love you all. I hope you all know that life is so good. Realize that, okay? Sometimes we get so caught up in the little things that we forget how blessed we are. If you think life is good, keep thinking that way. If you don't, refer to the quote at the bottom of this email.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

Thanks for writing. Mom, I received your packages :) and I met Sister Hess the other day. She is so sweet. Tell her thanks for me once again. And thank YOU for everything you have sent. I got my birthday package Friday and this morning opened the first envelope! WOOOOO. A letter with a whole bunch of fun stuff from Jesslyn. I felt like I spent the morning hanging out with her. She is so great. She sent me a ton of quotes and a picture and a few missionary comics and fun stuff like that. Oh. How great. I can't wait to open the rest. But I will. But it will be hard. 

So, not too much happened this week. We haven't had too much success, but we are working on finding our flaws and weak spots and improving there. My companion is great. She is so sweet and has taken really good care of me this week because I have been super super sick. Mom, remember that one time that I was so sick and Dr. Seamons said that some of his nurses had been sick with the same thing and they explained it as if they felt like they were hit by a truck...? That is exactly how I felt Saturday and Sunday. Saturday my companion was able to go out and teach and I stayed with some members, but yesterday we were basically stuck in the house all day after church. I literally could not lift my head or walk or talk or eat without a lot of pain. My companion has been super helpful. Friday President Ghent and Hermana Ghent and Hermana Hess were here in Otavalo and he gave me a blessing. I am definitely getting better now. And the elders in our zone have been so concerned. This afternoon they knocked on our door with a handfull of balloons and this box of a whole bunch of chocolates and confetti and random stuff like that. They were like, "Get better! Be careful! Don't work if you shouldn't! Take care of yourself!" That was so so sweet. These guys are so great.

Here is part of my letter to President from this week.

Saturday and Sunday I was super sick, and was not able to go out and teach. Hermana Marca and I were able to find members to do splits with us so that she could accomplish something Saturday, but Sunday we were both stuck in the house. We didn't have the weekend that we were hoping to have and numbers-wise it wasn't so great. But I finally feel like I am getting better and I am really ready to be able to work. I have already learned a lot from Hermana Marca. She is loving and caring and willing to do whatever she needs to to get this work moving. She has a lot of enthusiasm and I am really grateful to be working with her.

At the moment we don't have any investigator with a baptismal date, but we are working on that. We have a few who weren't able to attend church yesterday because they were traveling and we are going to put more baptismal dates this week. That is one thing that I have learned the importance of. I remember before the mission I wondered why people always talked about "numbers." I remember thinking that I wasn't going to put so much focus on the numbers, so much as just helping the people here. But early in my mission I realized why the baptisms are so important. We're not just helping people here, but we're helping them to make saving covenants. That is why there is nothing more important. There will be nothing more important that they do, than to be baptized.

I know there was more I wanted to say, but can't think of it now, and we're out of time. I love you all. Hope all is well. Thanks again for everything.

H. Norton

"The Lord's way is not hard. Life is hard, not the Gospel. There is opposition in all things (2 Nephi 2:11), everywhere, for everyone. Life is hard for all of us, but life is also simple. We have only two choices. We can either follow the Lord and be endowed with His power and have peace, light, strength, knowledge, confidence, and joy OR we can go it some other way, any other way, whatever other way, and go it alone - without His support, without His power, without guidance ... in darkness, turmoil, doubt, grief, and despair. And I ask, which way is easier?" - Elder Lawrence C. Corbridge

Yeah, life is hard sometimes. But I can't imagine how much harder it would be without the gospel.