Definitely NOT feeling 20... I'm OLD!‏

Well, I am officially not an adolescent.... this is weird. I don't think I have ever used the word adolescent instead of teenager either haha This week was SOOOOOOOOO FASSST. I honestly cannot believe how fast the mission has been going lately. I wonder if life from now on will always be going this fast? 

This week, on my birthday, I recieved a new companion and we are now in a trio! It's different to teach and you can't just talk in between two people to resolve an issue, but we are trying to work it out. Lots of guys trying to do the best they can with different ideas, characters, and experiences definitely makes it interesting sometimes haha 

This week we got to go and see quite a few less actives, and we had to go to Polanco (the fresh part of town) to get a couple of green cards. We went with a brother in our ward and being as my new companion is very open and strong about things, we just got straight into the issue of how long and why he had fallen away from the church. He hasn't went to church in 20 years, and it was for a very dumb reason. You could just feel the resentment in the room as we tried to help this man understand that God has not abandoned him and that he needed to be more patient and be willing to act. It was not easy. There were many things said that literally just left a mark in my brain. As representatives of christ we promised this man, and said the things that needed to be said, and in the end, he allowed us to set another appointment to go back this next saturday. I'm excited for that! :)

Writer's block.... Don't think the email is going to be very long today.... haha

Wait, I got one more story! So, My father in the mission, Elder Lugo, has officially went back home. Elder Schaap (asistent and brother)  and I decided we wanted to go with him to the airport to see him off. We get there, and all (word of your choice) breaks loose. Elders have expired passports,their baggage is overweight, etc. So I am left alone with 25 minutes to get 2 dominicans on their plane. One had an expired passport and needed a sheet of paper from the offices and the other is overweight by almost 30 pounds on one of his bags.,..... UGHHHHH! So I call the other secretaries and I tell them to get in the closest taxi and book it over to the airport in whatever clothing they had on. I see them, run across some of the airport to grab the paper, and sprint back to the airport guy to get one of the Elders on his flight. I give it to him...... the flight had been closed 3 MINUTES before..... dang it! The other Elder also missed the same flight because he didn't want to shave off the last pound or 2 from his bag by throwing out something worthless. Luckily we got them on a later flight and they still got home safe! :) MOM, DAD, just remind me later that if that happens to me, to just leave my luggage and get on the plane! I love my family sooo much!

We are trying to work hard. We are doing our best to be obedient. I cannot believe that in less than 4 months I will be back home. The mission has really gone by sooo fast; life has gone by soo fast. Cherish the moments you have, even when they kinda suck. God just finds it necessary to try our faith, and especially our patience sometimes. he won't leave us though. He is like a parent teaching his child to swim. He lets go sometimes, lets us flail, and sometimes we are going to go under water, but he will NEVER let us drown. He is there for us. We may come out choking and scared, but we will ALWAYS make it out if we trust in him! He loves us. Christ come to this world to save us! Let us learn to lean on him at all times! This is my testimony and I share it with you all in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Have an excellent week!

Elder Norr

Dear Norr Family,

I was in the Mexico City Southeast mission a week ago and I met your son. He seems like a very nice missionary. He was not in his mission clothes that day because he wasn't feeling well.  I thought you might like a picture of him at the desk where he does his work. My son returned from the mission in October and we were visiting the mission last week. I hope this brightens up your day. 

Linda Burt

Letter to Mom

Hey mama! Thanks for the email mom! I love you soo much! I really appreciate you! I never really knew how awesome it was to be around loving people who are kinda like you and like some of the same things and have been taught the same things until I got out here on the mission with people who definitely have not learned what I have been taught in my life. It's hard sometimes being pacient with immature, rude people, including elders. I'm grateful that you and dad always taught me how to try to be courteous and kind. I am definitely working on that now! haha How has maddy been doing? Haven't heard from her in a little while. We will get Joe back mom. We just gotta do our best and let the Lord work in HIS time. I was reading today and I learned something important. Bueno, I learned  something that was really cool. 1) There are thousands of people who can know the truth of the gospel if they only want to. Those people do not depend on us to receive an answer, but they depend on us to teach them how to receive an answer. Just keep being your great loving self mom. Be an example, and the Lord will touch others hearts! :) How is dad? Do you think he will be released before I get back? If there is anything I can do, just let me know! :) I LOVE YOU MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3

Hoping for miracles‏

This week has SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO FASSSSSSSSSSSST! I cannot beliieve that this cylce is already over! Tomorrow we have changes, and my dad, ELDER LUGO, is officially going to end his mission.... Can't believe how fast it's been. I only have 3 cycles left...... Things have went well this week, but I just got kinda tired. 

It's not easy to always try to stay strong. I feel like sometimes even though I am not that tired physically, your spirit just takes a hit every now and again just form trying to be doing your best all the time. I think this is why it is so important to understand that not EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME is work, work, work. It is ok to enjoy yourself. It is ok to do different things. We just always have to understand that we always need to make time for God.

This week, we had some pretty cool things happen. We found some really cool less active families, and some families that have not been to church in years came on sunday!!!!!! Not everything in the work of salvation is baptisms. there are also lots of people who have already been baptized that have fallen away from the gospel.

Cool experience. So I included in my prayer a few days ago that God would help me know who I needed to talk to. I really felt like there were a couple of people that I really needed to talk to, and more than once I was completely rejected by those people. God doesn't always tell us to do things for others so that there will be instant gratification, but rather the Lord has everything so well planned out that he tells us to do things so that he can get the plane back on path one degree at a time.

Also, I pretty much talked to Goliath this week in teh street. WE have an apointment with him on thursday and we will see if we can find him!

I think that is everything.

One more thing. I was reading in the Ensign for March at the end. It says that What is said in the scriptures has no force unless backed by MODERN-Day REVELATION! We believe in modern, continuous revelation that allows the lord to guide his church from the heavens. We must therefore be informed on what our modern-day prophets are saying. I know that the Lord has called his servants in our day and that if we listen to their words and are willing to have faith, we will receive guidance that will bless us for our whole lives! I know this church is true! I know that the Lord answers our prayers!

Have an awesome week!

Elder Norr

Starting with the big on this week‏-19 Months Out!!

This week I am starting with the big letter, or I am almost 100% sure that I won't get it done. There is a lot of stuff we have to get done in the offices, and if we aren't careful, it can be really tough to get it all done sometimes. So, starting with this week, we had a really cool week, but we are also going through some minor trials lately. First, we have an incredible family, the familia Calderón. Nacho and wendy are the parents, and they have 2 kids. We have never really gotten the chance to meet both of there kids, but we ran into Wendy when we walked by her house around wednesday. So here's how the story goes:

Us: Hey Hermana, what's up? how ya doing?

Her: I have been good.

I'm too lazy to do the dialogue, but here is what went down. We asked her if she had been reading the book of mormon, and she replied yes and then continued to explain to us about nefi, how he was the obedient son and how he had 2 older brothers that didn't want to listen to their dad or the lord. She told us about how they went back for the brass plates and everything! SWEET! Then we ask her if she had read 3 nefi 11 (the chapter we had left her) She also replied "sí" and then told us that it explained baptism and that everyone needed to be baptized. DOUBLE SWEET! We weren't able to get an appointment with her cause she was super busy and they weren't able to attend with us this week, but WE'LL GET'EM!!!!!! This family is way to chosen to just let them go!

We have also had some really cool experiences with some less active members this week. So, come to find out, Brother Cruz had been less active for years when we met him, and he has been coming to church with us for the last 3 weeks!!! MIRACLE!!!!! Also, there is this super sweet lady named "marcela" and she has 2 sons that are kind of in that arrogant, "i'm the man" phase, and they haven't really been wanting to go to church. She has had it rough, but she said she wanted to help her sons, and have things "like they used to be". I replied that if she wanted things to be like they used to be, then she would need to do the things that she used to do (aka read, pray, go to church, etc.) and she committed herself to go to church.... and SHE WENT!!!!!!!!!!! So cool! We are really seeing people who want to change their lives, but satan just finds any way possible to throw a rock in our path. We can beat him though!!!!!

Also, this week we got to do some really cool stuff in the street, other than contacting ;) haha We walked by this house and there was a cumbia/salsa/ rock band practicing, but they weren't the type of band that all the neighbors hate, but rather the neighbors were in their windows and in the streets listening. I say hi and whistle at the guy that is playing the bongos (ok, mexican culture time!!!!! When you see someone you know, or a homie, with the wave, there is a whistle. Not like a cat call, but we've gotten those before too haha but just a normal whistle) he whistles back and they start playing even more. On our way back, we stopped by to see if we could take a picture. They said yeah, so i was out on the street trying to fit everyone in the picture, but the singer says "man, come on in": They all grab their stuff and just huddle around us to take a picture. Super cool guys! They gave us their card and facebook and everything! There will be pictures!

Also, Elder Goodman and I made sandwhiches for everyone last night with chapata bread and the works. We dressed up as waiters and served everyone individually in the offices just to lighten things up a bit for dinner! It was really funny, but also really cool to help make food for everyone! 

This week I have been reading in the book of mormon. In the last couple of days, I have really wanted to read more. I have been reading the the first 13 chapters of Mosiah, and it is really interesting a lot of the repeated phrases and warnings from the lord. I think it probably says like 10 times, just between ch.10 and 13, "unless they will repent". Repentance is something so important in our lives. Repentance is what makes heavenly blessings and help available to those who wish to live worthily, but struggle because of our imperfect state. That's what Christ is for! He came so that we may recieve forgiveness if we are willing to repent. I know that the lord lives, and if we are willing to be humble, he, through the holy ghost, will make it known unto us that which we need to do to be made better. I am grateful that he came and that he has made it possible that even int he times of trial and doubt we may find peace and reassurance in his gospel. I know that lord has restored his church, and that he loves his children. Pray to him; talk to him. He listens and answers prayers.

Have a great week!

Love Elder Norr

No Formal Email this Week.....but Lots of Pictures!!!

 ok, so I feel the need to explain the last picture. This is from the slumber party at President Stutznegger's house. One the left, Elder Goodman (Registries secretary) Middle, Elder Hammond (assistant), and right, Elder Vallejo (visas secretary and MY COMPANION)