9 Months Out----Ummm... THROWBACK!!!! 9 MONTHS?!?!?!

Ok, well the truth is that I don't have much to say this week, but it has honestly been a pretty hard week. We have been going out each day and talking to people and seeing what's up. We talk to lots of people, but this week we didn't have to much success with investigators. We had 2 this week and when sunday rolled around no one went to church. We have decided that now is the time to change. We have decided that we need to be more bold with the people because too many people here think  that we are just here to help them understand the bible... We are going to be more direct with the people because if they don't know what God wants of them then they will never progress. Our Zone Leader said something that really hit me today in our zone meeting. He said that if we cannot look our investigators and members in the eyes and tell them the truths of the gospel, we don't have a testimony of the Gospel.... Pretty strong right? But true! We need to be the disciples that Christ needs; the ones that will tell other people what the truth is even though the people may not accept it so warmly. I have been reading a lot of "our search for happiness" by M. Russell Ballard and he shared an experience that really got me pumped. He said that he recieved a call from some missionaries that sounded really excited. He asked them why and they told him that they had got him the opportunity to speak at a college of theology to help a bunch of ministers know why our church is true! He went in and had 45 minutes to talk and then the minister and people would ask questions. The first question was about the gold plates (book of mormon). The answer... READ IT! The second question "if we aren't baptized in the mormon church then we can't be saved?... Ok now you can probably imagine what he was thinking sitting in front of 45 leaders of other churches, but he said " thankfully god will decide who does and doesn't enter his kingdom, but i must be honsest in telling you that whatever eclesiastical authority that you profess to have in your church... is incomplete. WOW!!! I know that that question was meant for me because I have heard it so many times! The question that I now have is "are we willing to tell the truth to people about the gospel even though maybe they won't be so warm to the answer?" Tough question, but one we need to address. We need to focus on building a testimony of the truth! I know that a testimony is so important because it is th motor to our spiritual life!!! I know that God has given us the means to strengthen our testimony and then chances to build and share it! Ok, now I'm down (step down off my soapbox)

This week has been good! Elder Cuscagua loves salsa music and he is always dancing. WE have gotten so much closer and it is really as if he is my brother :) He is helping me learn how to dance salsa and then we are going to work on bachata, but I'm just sayin PREPARE YOURSELVES! I don't dance well, but who knows! :) haha

I can honestly say taht I have no idea what day we did  what this week. The weeks and days just blend into one! I wake up, do exercise, iron my shirt, make a smoothie, study for 4 hours and then we go to work. We eat at 2 and at 9 we get home. We plan for the next day and I shower and get into bed. Look at my journal and say "tomorrow". Wake up and here we go again! i can't even remember if the things that are coming to my mind we did this week or the last week! haha

I have decided that yes I want the days to pass quickly because that means I am working and will be able to be with my family, but I am really starting to understand how short the time is in the mission. My comp shared a comparison with me. There are 24 hours in the day and 24 months in the mission. We sleep 8 hours a day, eat an hour, prepare and hour and a half and study four hours as welll as walking like 6 hours a day. If we make the connection, then 8 months of my mission i am sleeping, 1 month eating, a month and a half preparing and doing exercise, 4 months studying the scriptures, and 6 months walking. That leaves us with about 3 months preaching the gospel. WHAT HAPPENED TO 2 YEARS??? I really had my eyes opened in that moment. We really need to use each day as much as possible!

So, now I have 9 months and I opened up my journal today to the day before i entered the MTC. I said so many things. I expressed my love for the gospel and my excitement to be open and spiritual about the truths I have learned in my life. I talked about wanting to be a warrior of the lord and I really can't believe how much time has passed! I need to be better! I know that we can do more! I am about running out of time, but you all know that this next week I will be calling the fam, unable to speak engish and crying, but that's ok! Just so my entire family can know. We will call on sunday in the afternoon. I don't know what time it is in vegas now that we had the time change, but we are planning like 5 or 6 in the afternoon. Hope everyone can get ready!

This church is true!!! I know it and I will say it in the eyes of anyone who asks! I know we need to humble about the things we do because the Lord doesn't just see what we do, but how and why we do it! God lives! Christ is his son and he lives and guides his church today!!! I love my family! Each and everyone one of you! The gospel changes lives!

Have a great week and know I love ya guys!!!!

Love Elder Norr

P.S. yes mom, they are apples in carmel with grape jello powder, a cup of sugar with raisins and dried apple chunks with who knows what else!!!!

These are the new omega 3 pills that i take to help with the change in climate in mexico to help me focus better and prevent problems with blood pressure. Only problem.... They are ENORMOUS!!!!!... More pictures next wee! Oh, and by the way, i found a new place to buy good knee bands, and what's better? they cost 6 bucks! SCORE!" Love ya bye

 ok, well my camara is being weird so here are some pics! This dog is awesome, but the family leaves is up on the roof all day and never plays with it.... We love playing with it each time we go to the house to wash clothes and it always comes running out from under this cement thing because it is excited to see us!!