"I'm walking up to my train … was like 50 feet away … and it starts pulling away…" (Sam)

December 23, 2013

Hello!

So much to tell! Where to start?

I´m so excited for Christmas! We´ll be calling at 6:30pm our time which is 10:30am your time. You think thats gonna work? This will be the first time that I´m gonna call from the equivelant of an internet cafe thing.The last two times we´ve talked I´ve done it from american members house's.. way easier.. but the internet place will work too.

Well, the transfer and this last week has been crazy. I´ll try to explain it all...

I was hoping that monday morning, the packages were gonna get to the office so I could take them when I left tuesday.. but they didn´t come.. so tuesday morning, I finished getting everything ready, we put everything in the car, drove to the post office to check one more time if the packages were there, they weren´t and it took so long that it back up our schedule, we pulled up to the train station in málaga I ran inside, went through, was walking up to my train, was like 50 feet away, and it starts pulling away......... hahah so I turned around and walked out, met up with elder flint and elder crapo, we went over and changed my tickets to the next one that is luckily free of charge, we grabbed some food and then I caught the next train. I got to my area right before 6pm, elder erickson (6 months in the mission-trainer) and elder crandall (3 months-in training) picked me up, took me to the apartment, we dropped stuff off and went out to hit up some appointments and get to know the city. At like 8pm that night, President Deere called while we were talking with a less active woman on the street outside her house. I answered, told him what we were doing and asked it if was alright if I called back in just a minute. He said that was fine. About 5 minutes later I called and he didn´t answer. (Let the phone tag being!!!) At like 10 as we were walking home he called again but we didn´t feel the vibration. We planned that night for the next day and then called him. I talked to him first just for like a minute, he asked how my first day was, I told him good. Then he asked to speak with Elder Erickson....... So I passed it over. He had talked with Elder Erickson for less than a minute and his face totally dropped. hah all we hear is "WOW......Yes president, that sounds alright.... Yeah I think I can.... Yeah.... Well... yeah."

Turns out, one of the zone leaders in malaga had hurt his leg. and needed to be on full rest. a missionary from cartagena was transferred to fill his spot and President needed elder erickson to go to cartagena. WOAH.

I was with elder erickson for 16 hours.... and then he left. That phone call was tuesday night. He left wednesday at 4pm.

Needless to say, its been crazy. He wasn´t been able to say goodbye to almost anyone. A family of converts of his drove across the city and found us when they found out he was leaving just to say bye and to take pictures. The mom was crying. Its been hard to tell everyone cuz they loved him. He started here and has been here for 4 transfers... 6 months... then just disappears. :\

I was really blessed to be able to learn the area and learn the names of all the people we are working with quickly. I feel that the Lord has blessed me and that that´s an ability that He has taught me on my mission. Elder Crandall (now my step-son in mission terms cuz i´m finishing his training) and I have worked really hard and are meeting a lot of members.  I have learned, through companions and lessons from God, to like a different kind of work. Elder Crandall and I have met a ton of members that they never really even worked with before and we´re going to try to meet the others that we haven´t met yet. I don´t have time to explain this type of work but to put it short and simple, it is work that stablizes and slowly fortifies the ward. ANY MISSIONARY OR PREMISSIONARY READING THIS... WORK WITH MEMBERS.

Saturday was the ward chirstmas party. I wanted to forward you some pictures that were taken but no one sent them to me. At the end of the party they needed a "santa" to pass out the presents to the kids and because I was new, and no one knew me yet, they asked me if I would do it. :PPPP soo fun!

They gave me this suit and hat and beard and 

I came out and was like

"HO HO HO FELIZ NAVIDAD!! 

MERRRRRY CHRISTMASS! "

And all the kids just stopped in their tracks ... frozen. Haha, I went over to the seat they had prepared for me and like as if they were all like programmed to at the same time, they all got up and just like ran for me! haha and like attacked me!! haha they like swarmed and crowded around me and the adults had to like push them away hahah so funny! I´ll tell you more about it on Christmas.

Yesterday in church was awesome cuz we were able/I was able to meet tons of new people. I´m really excited for this ward. Big ward with Lots and Lots of recent converts.

Hey we gotta go but I love you all! See you soon!

Élder Norton

Elder Norton's new address!

Dec. 16, 2013

HEY !

I´m going to Jerez! So pumped! I´ll tell you more about it next soon. I leave the office tomorrow morning around 11. My new address is:

   Elder Sam Norton

Calle Ronda del Pelirón Nº53, edificio Renfurbis I, Bloque 2, 1ºD

            11405 Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz)

Spain

"I'm thinking... 'I'm a failure!' ... And then the Lord stepped in" (Sam)

THE WEEK IS OVER!!!! Wooooooooooh!!   

Hello world on the other side of the world!

Things are great here! This morning we had rain and its the first sign we've seen that summer is cooling down. The bummer is that we had an awesome p-day that got pushed back a couple hours cuz of the rain.. It didn't end up causing problems though, we just took advantage of the waiting time to go over and talk about this CRAZY TRANSFER WEEK that we just had!

Monday, about half the trainers came into Malaga for a trainers training, and then left that evening back to their areas. We planned the travel in and the travel out and had a lunch prepped for them.

Tuesday, 36 new missionaries came in. 30 on a train from Madrid that arrived in Malaga at 10 am and the other 6 on a plane directly from the states. Those were 6 of the 7 that were visa waiting.. (the last just got her visa last night and will be coming next week). Before I go any further think with me for a second.. :) I'm sure you've all thought more or less of a group of 35 or 36 people... and how big it might be... well now make all those people 18 and 19 year olds.... and now imagine them after hours and hours of travel time/jet lag... and nooooww... imagine them with enough luggage to last them for 2 years....................... your image has changed a little bit hasn't it?? :D That last group that you have in your mind is the group we have been losing sleep over for the last transfer and its also the group that almost brought us to tears (good ones) waiting in the train station... Yes, they brought quite a few challenges and hurdles... but seeing 30 18-19 year olds get off that train and walk out into the world just reminds you of Helaman and his stripling warriors. It was a sight I will never forget. So anyways, while President starts on a rigorous 12 minute max interview schedule of 36 missionaries, us, the office staff and Hermana Deere, give the missionaries some orientation, some mission norms and rules games/skits, some roll play situations, some question and answer time, and so on.. At this point, counting president and his wife and the office staff with the group, we're 47 people in total. So we had lunch for 47, and then 47 at dinner time, at which point the Malaga church had an out-of-the-blue fire alarm from a random leak dripping onto open wires.... long story..... haha and we had to evacuate the chapel...... So anyways, during the orientation and lunch and dinner and fire in the Malaga church elder Butler and I were preparing residency papers and passports for the new missionaries, and that basically ended Tuesday. President finished all interviews and made decisions to be able to make assignments wednesday.

Wednesday, 16 new missionaries traveled from Fuengirola (where they slept) to Malaga by the subway while 12 missionaries were with my companion doing residency stuff in the city hall and police station.. and 8 others were at the mission home helping prepare food for huge quantity of people that we've been having to house and feed... and during this time the Malaga zone leaders elder Peters and elder Bird and I went to that same realtors agency as before and basically rented another apartment. Total from start to finish on the rent time was about 15 hours flat. MIRACLES FROM THE LORD... other long story that you'll have to ask me about one day... short version is I had two apartments left to rent out of the 20ish I started with to be able to house all of these new missionaries... and it was Tuesday of transfers... so I basically gave up and said, "dang, I wasn't able to get them all rented! I'm a failure!" And then the Lord stepped in and two awesome, new, apartments were rented in TWO DAYS.......... WOW... so anyways, that's what I was up to during that whole morning basically. We all went to the Fuengirola church where we ate lunch and had another workshop/Spanish practice thing with all the new missionaries and some youth from the Fuengirola ward... :D SO FUN! I played as a Spaniard as well and we'd have these little practices where I'd pretend I was an investigator or someone on the street and the new missionaries had to contact me or teach me... :) and I was playing as a spanish person. It was fun cuz I could watch them look back and forth at each other and speak english and say to each other " how do you say that?" ... or whatever, and then they'd turn to me and teach. haha Or I'd speak really really fast to see how they would react and then go back and help them understand the "whats whys and hows" of the Spanish or how to teach a concept or how to get a person's information when you talk to them on the street. :) Super fun stuff. Then elder butler and I went down to the subway station where, in theory, all 21 trainers (that were coming from different place) were supposed to get off the subway to be able to walk with us to the church building.. We were stressing a lot that they were going to miss the stop.. or catch an earlier or later subway and that we'd not catch them or be able to walk them to the church but ALL 21 WERE ON THE RIGHT SUBWAY!! Huge relief! So once again, we had a huge dinner with now about a group of 50 and then a training started with all the trainers and trainees.. and elder peters and a member and I left again and went to IKEA and bought two bunk beds and mattresses for the apartment we had rented (my first time in IKEA btw...) and then they didn't it fit in the van........ so we played tetris for like 30 minutes in the IKEA parking lot... haha and then we took it into Malaga right up to the apartment and elder peters realized he didn't have the key............. hahah so we left it all in the hallway outside the apartment front door. :D and they took care of it later that night.. aaaand that basically ended Wednesday.

Thursday, we were all up and going around 6:30 and we transported the 40 missionaries into Malgaga so they could catch their trains and buses out to their areas. We finished everything about noon. We came back to the office...... and SLEPT.............. :D We were alllll exhausted! and then about 8 hours later a group of missionaries came in to Fuengirola to sleep at the mission home to be able to take care of some residency stuff with elder Butler Friday morning. IT REALLY NEVER DOES END... :P

Since then we've basically been recuperating. Yesterday President invited us all to a restaurant here in Fuengirola to thank us for all of our work. Its been soo interesting to see a whole different side of President Deere being able to work so closely to him. I sat next to him at the restaurant and we all had a really good SIGH and some good conversations. Today's P-day was really nice. Lots of relaxing, we had waffles this morning at the Castillo's house (the same Elder Castillo) that called you, Adam).. and then he took us out to mini golf. Tonight he's taking us to a big meat restaurant... I think it'll be something like a Tucanos kind of a thing... and then its back to normal (as-normal-as-office-life-can-be). We've been trying really hard to stay in contact with our investigators and we're being soo blessed! The English lady, M, has been super super sick recently and I talked to her on the phone the other day and she goes, "I don't even care (if on not feeling well)  I'm going to be at church on Sunday. O.o.... Elder Butler spoke with S, the Filipino lady and she's as excited as ever for her baptism on the 15th. Her daughter just got work! Blessing from the Lord... drawback is that she'll probably have to work Sundays....... :S We'll see how the Lord provides!!

Anyways, I'm happy! I'm healthy! Elder Keller, one of the APs, just hit his 18 month mark so we've had some increased desires to really work out...

Things in the office are going to be changing soon. I've got 2 and a half transfers here already.. and elder Butler has 3 and a half..... which means that the last three weeks of this transfer we"ll probably have another missionaries come into our companionship and elder Butler will be leaving in six weeks.... which also would mean that i'll be leaving the office in two transfers........ WEIRD. I just started here and I'm more than halfway done with my time here!

I hope all is well your part of ZION. Strengthen Zion's stakes. Strengthen Zion's wards. Strengthen Zion's families. Strengthen Zion's members.

I love you ALL!

Elder Norton!

Learn more about Heleman and his 2000 warriors HERE

"Transfers Week! And look who just arrived in Spain!" (Sam)

Elder Norton didn't have much time to write this week but he did send us this great photo! 
On the left is Elder Keller, on the right is Elder Norton and in the middle is a new elder from 
Otavalo Ecuador!!!  ... one of Hilary's previous areas!

"Fighting the Good Fight" (Hilary)

Hi Blog followers! I somehow got behind a week with Hilary's emails so below I'm posting one from last week and then this week's.

JULY 1, 2013

Wow, what a long week. It is weird how the weeks seem to fly but at the same time I feel like SO much happens. I feel like I have had a good amount of time here, but really it has been so little. Today we had to say goodbye to Hermana Cooper. She is so great. It has been such a privilege to get to know her and work with her here. She is a beautiful person inside and out and I have learned a lot from her. We already miss her!

Tuesday we helped out at a training meeting. It went really well. I have so much respect for the Ghents. I am excited to be in this position where we are working closely with them. I am learning so much. It was really sweet though; as we were leaving Hermana Ghent pulled me aside and congratulated me on the assignment and everything. She got a little teary-eyed and was just like, "When President told me that you would be the next Hermana Leader, I felt a confirmation that it needed to be you. ..... You are a light for this mission." and on and on. It was so sweet! It is so nice to have her here!!! Sunday Hermana Cooper had her last interview with President at the mission home and meanwhile we just chatted with Hermana Ghent. It was like a thirty minute break from the mission. I feel so lucky to have her here. I guess now she is not my mission president's wife, but I will keep you all updated for how things go with sweet Sister Richardson.

Which leads me to my next point. We are in Ecuador Quito North Mission, with the new President Richardson and his wife. We met them today in the offices. They seem so great!

Okay, what else? I hesitate to tell these things, but I am sick again. For about nine days I have had a really strong headache and it has been going for 24 hours a day. I know things will get worked out. The nurse here is a sweet girl and she wants to help. It is a bummer because it is making work really difficult. I have tried a few different pills and nothing has helped. Can you all keep praying for my health? I only have like 20 weeks left! I can do anything for 20 weeks! The transfer dates and everything are being changed here in the new mission, so I think I will be getting home mid November. Like the 18 or 19. Enjoy the trip you take in October! And have fun in New Jersey/New York this week! I love you all and miss you so much!

Okay, no time left! I am so bad at this! I love you all! THanks for all you do for me!

Hermana Norton

JULY 8, 2013

Dear Family,

It has been a crazy week! I have so much to write and very little time!

First things first, although I would prefer to write in Chronological order. Another emergency transfer! I am now in IÑAQUITO, aka, the center of the city! A companionship of sisters in Otavalo were having some issues in their zone and President Richardson sent them to PUSUQUI, and sent us to IÑAQUITO and sent the sisters that were here in Iñaquito to the sector in Otavalo. A huge triangle mess of transfers. It was crazy and we spent the weekend doing divisions por aqui por alla trying to get everything worked out. Needless to say, the area book will be my best friend this week. It is a great sector! My companion and I have both received confirmations that we need to be here. President is great. I love my assignment. Working with the hermanas and helping them out in different ways has really been a big help for me this week to remember why I love this work so much and why I am here.

Friday was the first "Consejo de Lideres" (leadership council) that I have attended and I left enlightened and excited. I was really impressed with the "charla abierta" and capacitaciones and the comments of all the missionaries. There is something to learn from everyone and I feel blessed to work in an assignment where I can learn from other leaders and work on improving and developing better skills and qualities as a representative of Christ. I was really nervous going into it, but just left really loving life and the mission and everything. Every month we have this meeting as all the leaders of the mission. President and the assistants train every month, WE train EVERY MONTH, and a pair of zone leaders trains every month. In other words, the responsibilities just keep building up and up. Love it though.

Well, I feel so grateful for what has been happening lately and just wanted to let you all in on things. For over two weeks now I have had a headache that is unbearable and that has not let up. It is all the time. I wake up and open my eyes and just feel so much pain. It has been so weird and nothing has helped. I have had many other problems, but we just haven't figured out what is up. Sunday was hard for everything that we had going on. I just felt awful. But this morning I woke up feeling completely fine, after two weeks straight. It was really exciting and it seemed like a miracle. I remember laying in my bed hearing my alarm go off and just thinking... "Wait, my head doesn't hurt." When I read my your emails, I cried. I am not 100%, but I am amazed at the sudden difference and SO INDEBTED to you all for you prayers and fast. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I care for you all so much and can't express how grateful I feel. All the little things really build up and have great outcomes. I am so grateful for the principle of fast and every prayer that Heavenly Father hears and answers.

I have had a couple moments of reflection this week and have meditated on the Savior's Atonement. I am so grateful for His love that offers and the happiness we receive through Him. I struggle to grasp how great everything is and really how blessed I am. I just want to share my testimony of the Lord's plan. Really Heavenly Father wants the BEST for each one of His children. He offers us so many opportunities and has shown us the way. He offers us the best: His perfect Son. But as God, He has to leave us to choose for ourselves. If we choose to follow Him and keep the commandments, we will be happy HERE and in the next life, with those who we love most! The gospel is so beautiful.

Okay, gotta go! Love you all so much! Thank you once again for your fast!
 

 Can you buy me and send me a CD by Daniel Beck with "God Be With You Till We Meet Again" and "Amazing Grace" and "The Prophet's Prayer" and all that?? I love it! Send pictures of the whole trip, please! I am excited to see! Also, Stacia told me about what the Elders did to trick her! How funny! I hope you are all doing so well.

Hermana Norton

P.s. The address is the same, just have to write "Casilla: 17-07-9921" instead of the other "casilla."

P.s.s Some converts and members from Calderon are going to come visit me this Sunday in the ward over here!

"Choose to have a good week!" ( Hilary )

Beautiful Hermanas!

We didn't hear from Hilary this week but thanks to a couple of friends of hers I have these excerpts to share. 

The first is a little bit of an email from Sister Ghent, her mission president's wife:

Hello Sister Norton,

I just saw Hermana Norton this afternoon and she looked beautiful and is a mighty missionary.  President Ghent gave Hermana Norton the additional assignment of being a sister leader in the mission, so currently she is in a trio and being trained in that assignment.  Hermana Cantos, who is also wonderful, will be Hermana Norton´s companion when Hermana Cooper returns home this Tuesday.  As a sister leader Hermana Norton will attend the Mission Leadership Council meetings, travel and train the other hermanas in the mission.  This Saturday the mission will be divided, the Quito mission and the Quito North mission.  Hermana Norton will be in the Quito mission and President Richardson will be her new mission president.  We have great confidence in Hermana Norton.  She is so thoughtful too.  For Mothers Day she wrote me a beautiful note which meant a lot to me.  We will miss Hermana Norton, she is petite, yet she possess a mighty spirit which lights up a room.  She will continue to do great work for the Lord!

The second excerpt is what Hilary sent to a friend

My assignment consists of doing divisions with each companionship of sister missionaries to help them for a day and train them in what they might need. We help out with any problems and answers questions that the sisters have. It is a very broad assignment, me explico? Anyway, it's super cool and super fun and super exhausting and I love it.

Hermanas Harris and Norton

Ofelia Pusuqui is my new sector and my companion's names are Hermana Cooper (from Texas) and Hermana Cantos (from  Ecuador). They are so great! We are having so much fun. They are really sweet. This sector is literally the middle of the world. It is really hot in the day and really cold at night! Sam Harris started her mission here! Everyone talks about her, I love it! Hermana Harris had to go home sick a little while ago. I hope she is doing well. If you run into her tell her I love her!

Okay, we have an investigator who will be baptized soon who was living with the father of her daughter, but they aren't married. This is a huge problem everywhere.  Anyway, she wants to be baptized (he's already a member) so the other day we explained the law of chastity and the following day we visited them and he was living in a different house on that same property. They are great and both really want to keep the commandments. Saturday we were going to have a baptism, but it fell through. The font was full and everything. That is one of the most dreaded mission experiences and I thought I would make it through without that. R was going to be baptized but there was a whole bunch of opposition suddenly from her daughter and she called us saying she wouldn't be able to be baptized and that she was sick, etc... So sad! I hope we can help her out this week because she had already had her interviews with the district leader and with our mission president's counselor and everything and she was so sure! Pray for her! The good thing was that yesterday we did have a confirmation of a kid who got baptized with his mom and then hadn't ever gotten confirmed. It was like five weeks later, but hey! He had a huge change of heart and is really doing good now!

Be happy! Choose to have a good week!

Hermana Norton

"A little nonsense now and then is cherished by the wisest men." (Hilary)

The Candyman and philosopher Willie Wonka

Hey everyone! Hope you're all doing so well! I miss you all very much, but will be seeing you very soon, and don't want to miss a minute of what I am doing right now. Yesterday we went to Miguel and Evelyn's and her brother opened his mission call. He is going to IDAHO. Ha! How cool!!! Anyway, we did a little family home evening and it was so special and helped me to remember that what I am doing is so special and that I have to enjoy every second because it is what I have been waiting for all my life (and what I will reflect on in the future).

Okay, so the bad news is... I TOTALLY forgot about wishing Dad a happy father's day and Mitch a happy birthday (and McKenzie a happy birthday). I am the worst. I feel so awful and I owe you all apologies (sp?).

The good news is... yesterday were transfers and although I didn't want to leave Calderon because I love it so much and have had the most amazing time in this sector, I have a new calling! A few months ago President assigned a couple sisters to be "leader hermanas" here and one is going home in two weeks and I am taking her place! WHAT? I know, right? So I will be in a trio for the next couple weeks with Hermana Cooper and Hermana Cantos. I am still with Hermana Valera (and we just picked up her new companion, Hermana Quizhpe) right now but in like thirty minutes I will head to my new sector, o sea, Ofelia. It is actually really close, just one zone away. I am bummed to leave Calderon and nervous about my new assignment, but overall, super excited to have new responsibilities and super humbled to be trusted in this calling.

We have had a crazy week. Wednesday we had a conference and it went really well. It was cool and they asked us to participate a bit and I felt like it turned out okay and I really learned a lot. Thursday we had to be in the offices at 6 am to renew my visa. I was there with Hermana Giles and Elder Clinger though, which was way fun to catch up with those two! They're so great. It was a long day. Throughout the week my companion had been dealing with a stomach sickness (it happens to all of us here in Calderon and this is a nicer sector! I am not sure what the deal is.) and Saturday she just couldn't work at all. Luckily she is getting much better now. But the rest of the week was normal and great.
Found a couple new investigators and families and things are going okay in the obra.

Things were good with the Hermana Valera. We only had less than three weeks together, but it was fun. I think we both learned quite a bit and now President is trusting her to train! I hope things turn out for her. We spent a lot of time laughing together; I want to marry someone that likes to laugh. Sometimes when we're walking together we sing and rap. "A little nonsense now and then is cherished by the wisest men." (Name that movie.)

Okay, Dad, know that I love you with all my heart! I am sending letters soon, I hope! Thanks for everything!

Hermana Norton

There are some really great lines in the book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl 

and naturally Hilary would remember one that is very thought provoking. 

I, on the other hand, can only recall the really weird lines ... for example:

Veruca Salt: 

Snozzberries? Who ever heard of a snozzberry?

Sam Beauregarde: 

I've got a blueberry for a daughter...

"Accomplishing things that are easy doesn't feel as great as accomplishing things that are difficult." (Hilary)

Amo lo que hago!

The lovely and wise Jane Austen

Dear Mom,

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
I love you and miss you so much. I have a little time left but when I get back I won't go far. Then when we have rainy days we can watch a Jane Austen film together or sew something or go to Taco Amigo.

Things are going well down here in Ecuador! Yesterday was "cambios" (transfers) and there are no changes for us, which is a good thing. The day before transfers is always full of mixed feelings. I am so glad I get to spend more time here.We have a couple baptisms lined up that I really really want to be here for. Speaking of... M A is going to be baptized!! We have seen such an amazing process with him and I am just so happy for their sweet family. 

He accepted a baptismal date the other day and we left their house singing. I called the district leader that night and when I told him, he was like, "Yes!!" It was so great. It has been a really tough road with M , but I like it that way. Accomplishing things that are easy doesn't feel as great as accomplishing things that are difficult.

Y was baptized Saturday and confirmed Sunday. He is a rock. He bore his testimony about how he knows the church is true. It was a great baptism and we a had a good amount of members (and investigators) there supporting us. His mom went and she got all teary eyed. It was sweet.

J is really looking forward to Saturday. In our Principios del Evangelio class we all introduce ourselves and she stood up, introduced herself and said, "And you are all invited to my baptism this Saturday." It was neat. She has attended a lot of churches and really been searching for what's "right," she says.

Yesterday we were able to have a training meeting as a ward on missionary work. It went well. We were hoping that the ward missionaries would attend, but only a few came. But other faithful ward members were there and really have a desire to help this work move forward. There was an excitement we saw in them as they asked us for folletos  (literature, pamphlet) and they asked if they could practice what we were teaching. Overall it went really well.

Mom, first of all, I am sorry to hear that you didn't feel good about how the piano recital turned out. But just know that what you are doing is so respectable. Like Sam said, you are so humble and that is what makes you YOU! That's why Heavenly Father called you to do all that you do in your calling and as a mother. Because of your willingness and your humility. Mom, I respect you so much. I love you with all my heart. I hope that your birthday goes well. Be happy!

Well, I had written down everything I wanted to write about, but in my last agenda and today I started my new agenda. So. I am sorry I don't have more to say.

Mitch, thank you so much for writing. I love the pictures and the tidbits. Also, I laughed SO hard when I watched the video of your boys singing happy birthday to mom. They're so great and so grown up! They're going to be really different when I get back! How bizarre.

Dad, thanks for writing. Enjoy your "off" time because you do so much and deserve a break. Tell Madeline I say congrats!!!! She is adorable! I am really happy for her! I hope Adam gets better. I have been sick all week again. It is getting old. I have been drinking a lot of Asea. I have strep and I am feeling like I have parasites again. So many people have gone home sick. The idea literally haunts me. When I look at pictures I long to be with everyone I love so much, but I know I truly want to be here right now. Congrats on your golf game. I love hearing about your little adventures and what you're all up to.

Love you all!

Hermana Norton

"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."