really short one! Happy new year!‏

Well, this is oging ot bbe about three lines! Christmas was good! We had crapes and I got to talk to my family! Gotta love my peeps! We really didn't get a lot of days to work becuase of the rules down here in mexico, but this week we are hoping to get better! Hope everyone has a great new year!   I can believe tht we are already in 2015! I don't know why I am writing in italics now, but anyways.... We got to have an awesome lunch on christmas and we are planning on baptizing the familia orihuela hernandez this saturday!!!!! yay!!! IT should be awesome ! Please pray for them: Gerardo, Concepcion, Belen, and Miguel so that everything goes smooth for this week! I love you all! thanks for reading this weeks addition of "Mexican Memories" by Elder Norr! We hope to see you on this same page at this same time next week! Remember thtat God loves you and the christ died for you! Stay strong, and stay worthy of the blessings and protection that the gospel provides, because trust me, I know that it has great power! 

Elder Norr

Feliz Navidad‏

Well, it's beginning to feel a little bit like christmas!!!! Finally we are gtting some cooler weather down here in mexico! This week was sweet! First, serviced project! We ripped out some trees and got some sweet pictures, but I don't they were saved to the camera.... lame, I am gong to have to check that! Also, we found some of our other investigators! The familia lobaco!!! They are so great and we were in a lesson with the dad just answering questions that he had about the church and religion. That was cool!

I feel like we were vrey blessed this week with some awesome miracles! We went with quite a few people that said they had been praying that we went to their houses to see them, and we ended up showing up! :) Those were some really cool experiences!

Ward christmas party! So, we ( the elders) started off singing the "first noel" and then we shut the curtains. I jumped off stage to the piano and the curtains opened up with the other elders in santa stuff and we cranked out mariah careys "all I want for christmas is you"! It was SWEET!!!! Then we were voted by the audience to participate in the last act with the young men dancing to "I love it" by icona pop. That was an interesting experience haha 

Ok, so I don't really have much more to say because we need to run to see if we can find some peeps in their houses, but I know that christ lives. I just LOVE CHRISTMA!!!!!!!!! It truly is a time for love and service. And in mexico their may not be as many lights, but I still feel like I am home. I love the savior. I am his representative. I know that he came to this earth among the humblest of circumstances so that he could show us that even though we may be at the bottom, we may rise above the world and become like unto our father in heaven! I testify that this church is true! Share your testimonies!!!!!

Love Elder Norr

Short One

Wow, we are almost at christmas! This week was really cool, but we didn't work too many days... ;/ We had the mission activity on wednesday and that was awesome! All the missionaries singing and being happy! It was such a strong spirit! Then we played sports and watched............FROZEN!!!!! but I didn't see hardly any of it cause I got sucked into a basketball game.... maybe someday! 

So this week we had some awesome spiritual experiences! Last monday we went with the familia orihuela and it turns out they have been having some family troubles... :( we were just talking to the dad, and the elders quorum president gets there. YES! So we had a pretty franc talk with the dad and I truly testify that it was a time of revelation, where the words weren't said, but they truly fell out of our mouths as the will of the Lord. It was such an AWESOME EXPERIENCE!!!! 

We found an incredible woman named Batseba and she is so awesome! She has awesome questions and we have a cita with her tomorrow!!!!!!

We have a ward christmas party this saturday so we'll see how awesome that goes! 

I think that's it for now. Changes are this week, but not for me or my companion!

I love the gospel! This church is true!!!!!!!

Elder Norr!

eating canelitas edicion navidad! Been looking for them for a month!

 My comp and I in our jammies!

 Me fixing our christmas tree!

Inventory report! How are your shoes??????

16 months... am I dead?

I think this one might be a short one! This week we had lots of cool experiences! First off, the christmas devotional! It was awesome! Wasn't it! I just love hearing the leaders of the church speak! Even though it isn't their voice and it's in spanish! I just felt the spirit sooooo strong! So, this week was good one, but it has had it's struggles.

Our investigators are doing good: They are as follows!

Familia Horihuela Hernandez (4) they are awesome and we have a family home evening tonight!

Familia Pineda (4) they are also sooo great, but we are working with teh dad on some addiction problems. 

Alejandra: She is like 40 and her boyfriend is 25. They are working on getting married so she can get baptized!

Miriam: She is struggling ot read and pray lately and hasn't wanted to go to church... 

I'm sorry I don't really include much about our investigators. It's just that we normally see them each 2 times a week and it's a lot to write down. We invited lots of less actives to come to church this week, but only 1 came. We have an asistance of 50 or so people including our investigators, and about 500 hundred members in our ward boundaries, so we have some work to do, but we're working!

We talked at a funeral last monday night and it went good! I felt the spirit super strong and we shared a nice message and sang a couple hymns for the people. 

We haven't had too much luck finding new investigators this week, but we just need to work harder! 

it's beginning to feel like christmas, but the mexican sun doesn't let us enjoy it too much, it is still pretty hot outside, but it's awesome in the mornings! 

What is that smell? Am I dead? Nope, that would be my clothing because I haven't washed it in 3 weeks... haha So in the mission, when people are "dead" it is because they have lots of time, or they don't really work well. We couldn't go with teh sister to wash last week so we have been out of clean clothing all week. I have never understood how incredible clean clothing is.

Spiritual Experience! So, we were just knocking on a door because we were thinking about where to go, when all of a sudden "sister seja" comes to my mind. va, so we go and she opens up the door. "ELDERS, I'm so glad you guys are here! My neighbor and I were just talking about you two! Could you please explain to him what you 2 do?" That was really cool. we had an appointment on saturday, but he wasn't home! We'll see if we can get him!!!!

So I think that's it! I love you guys! Don't doubt the testimonies that you have. As soon as we stop fighting, we stop winning and and satan then has a place to start causing mischeif! Be strong! May we lift up our head in faith, and lift up our prayers in humility so that god may lean us through out problems! I know the church is true! I know that no matter what our circumstance, our weaknesses, our shortcomings, as we live the gospel we will be blessed and strengthen! PLEASE! Share the video of "he is the gift" and if the people don't speak english, share "Él es la dádiva!" People will love it! You will be able to invite them to hear the gospel!

Go to mormon.org/christmas 

 I love ya lots!
Elder Norr

Dirty Jobs with Elder Norr

Ok, so we had lots of cool experiences this week, and also some weird ones. 

I went on divisions with my son Elder Chico (who is now my zl) and we burned his shirt for him completing a year in the mission. That was interesting :) Then we were out working the next day and this lady let us into her house. the spirit was super strong, and when we went to leave you reaches up and grabs my head and tries to kiss me. After fighting with her for a couple minutes, she lets go of me as I try to explain to her that she can't kiss me.

We have a family (the familia Orihuela) and he wanted to know who were the names in the book of mormon. I told him to read the introduction and then we would talk abou it the next time. The next time we go we are on splitz and I am with the Elders quorum pres and his wife. I ask Brother Orihuela to explain what is the book of mormon..... OH. MY. GOOODNESS. This man profetized. He explained exactly what the book of mormon was, down to explaining about the nephites and lamanites! I was so happy I almost started to cry in the middle of the lesson! The spirit was SOOOO Strong!

We were on our way home from our junta with the zone leaders to report, and also after having a ping pong death match and we were walking by this man, I felt the strongest feeling: "GO TALK TO THAT MAN." I stopped in the middle of the street and told me companion we needed to go talk to him. We went and talked to him for a minute, and he told us his name was Jose Luis, we asked if we could go visit him and he said "yeah, follow me, I'l show you where my house is." ok, so we go. He gives us a drink of water and we offer a pray with him, and then he keeps talking to us. HE explains to us (he doesn't know what church we are from), but he tells us that his brother, IN UTAH, gave him a copy of THE BOOK OF MORMON! He hasn't ready to much, but we are going to go see him tomorrow! It is gonna be sweet! 

Here in about an hour we are going to do something that I have never done. We are going to be speaking at a funeral of the grandpa of a family in our area. I don't really know what I am goign to say, but I pray that the spirit can help me bring peace and comfort to thse that are present.

Well, my hands is killing me because this keyboard is really tough, so there probably won't be any more capital etters. i know that the church is true and that thomas s. monson is our prophet today. i know that god loves his children soo much that he has prepared a plan of happiness, a plan of salvation by which we may recieve knowledge, peace, and testimony during hard times. I love jesus christ! I love this work! The time goes by sooo fast, but it's time for us all to pick it up! God is with us as we strive to keep his commandments. He will help us be strong! Hope you all have a great week!

Chao! Que tengan una bonita semana!

Elder Norr

good week

As you have probably already noticed, I am starting to lose the catchy email titles... I think about the week and I honestly cannot remember if the events happened this week or last week or really what happened! The weeks feel like they don't go by that fast, but at the end they just have gone by TOO FAST!

Well, this week I gave a talk in our ward and I talked about "supporting our load with ease" using the talk by Elder Bednar. I talked about how our load as member of the Church of Jeus Christ is missionary work! We have the celestial mandate to take the true gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people! What a great blessing! We also had an awesome lesson with a family of saturday. We watched finding faith in christ and the dad at the end just broke down crying saying how awesome the sacrifice of jesus cristo was! It was an awesome experience! He came to church with us too! 

Does happiness really exist? That was a question that I got this week. We were presenting ourselves to a less active sister and I told her that I was a happy person, she then looked at me funny and asked "is it really possible to be happy? Doe happiness really exist?" I told her that it does, and that by living the gospel we may receive it forever. To anyone who may be reading this email: Living the gospel brings true happiness, and peace, and Joy in an evermore unstable world. I know it. We also had a really cool lesson last night with a family that has been having some issues. The brother is an ex-missionary and asked us to share a message about missionary work. We felt that we should talk about the atonement. The spirit was really strong and the brother is goign to come with us on wednesday to do splits! super excited!!!!!

Well, I don't know if there is really too much more this week. I will try to remember more things for the next letter!

I know the church is true. I know it, and i don't dare deny it. God knows this and will give us confirming testimonies as we diligently strive to live the gospel in our lives and share it with those around us. We need the loads in our lives to give us traccion to some day be able to return back home to our father in heaven. I love you guys lots! I hope you guys can all talk to at least one person about the gospel this week and tell me how it goes!!!!! 

Elder Norr :)

Short One...Picture Overload

ok, so I kinda got sidetracked today, but this is going to be a short one. I got transferred to aztahuacan in the Paradise stake. Up til now, I LOVE IT! The weather in the morning is always overcast and cool, and our house is nice! My companion is de Guatemala and has about 8 months in the mission. His name is Elder De Leon! He's a cool kid! we have lots of awesome investigators and I will include a little bit more about them this next week. i will also take more pictures so you guys know who my comp is. we found this awesome lady when we went to visit an investigator, selina, and we have a cita tomorrow to teach the plan of salvation. SUPER PUMPED!!!!! I love this work, and even when it's hard, and even when we aren't seeing tons of success, I remember that I am still blessed in that I am set apart as a representative of the lord to preach the true and everlasting gospel to all of these wonderful, sometimes grouchy, sometimes shy, sometimes "why is this white boy talking to me"-faced children of God. I know this church is true! Learn it! Love it! Live it!

Elder Norr !

The family carrasco! I love these recent converts!

Elder Ocampos last day in the mission. he is now back in peru!

Us with the family Nava! They always invited us over for awesome food. Their home is and was a paradise to be in! 

 Jesus, and I in a random picture!

me with Esteban (the proffesional chef) He's so awesome!

Us with Rocio and Esmeralda! Clarke decided to pick the dog up, an this is how it came out!

I love these 2 ladies! This is ofelia and her daughter rocio! She did so many things for us and is just so great!

we made these with the chef! They are called "garanpiñados"! They are delicious! They remind me of christmas! 

me with the bishops wife! She saved my stomach with awesome food!

My mugshots with the ward secretary! haha I love this guy! he has super classy hair!

we went with the chef from the MTC and made belgium waffles! They were delicious!

I went snake huntin in our house! This really is a cobra that was killed and made into a belt... haha

 Brother Ignacio! I just love this man! He's like my mexican grandpa and I love him to death, he came to church in his pancho.

Last week in Xochitenco...‏

What up!?

This is officially my last day in xochitenco, so I won't be writing too much because we are going to go say goodbye to a couple of families. Today has been awesome so far. There is a professional chef in our ward that works at the mtc here and he invited us over this morning for BELGIUM WAFFLES!!!!!! They were sooooo delicious, and then we made some "garanpiñados"! They are super easy and they are delicious. THey are toffee covered peanuts!
I will send the recipe later on!

Ok, so just a quick update on our investigators: Karina and Alexis! CHOSEN!!!! They are so incredible and they accepted their baptismal date for the 20th of December! They are such champions!!!!!

We had a couple chances to do service this week! FINALLY! President Stutz is really putting more emphasis on us serving in our areas. I think this is really important because not just teaching shows our love for the members, but serving and taking the time to help them temporally too!

I'm sad to be leaving elder clarke, but I am super excited for a new adventure! Who knows what's going to happen! This week was really pretty uneventful, but i enjoyed it. I can see why the older elders in the mission say that sometimes the body starts to get tired, but we do our best to keep going and work hard in the service of the lord!

This church is true. I love the savior and am so grateful for loving parents who raised me in the true gospel of jesus christ. But just as important as teaching by word, we must also teach by deed. Living the gospel is the greatest teaching that you can give to the people and family members around you! I hope you all have a great week and look for ways to serve others!!! Love ya! BTW, not going to be many pics this week because this computer is a little lame...

Love Elder Norr

15 Months Out!!! Awesome week!!!!

Well, let me start off telling you that this week was so awesome! We had a really cool district meeting last monday and went to talk to the ward mission leader to see what we could do to get the ward more invovlved and committed to missionary work.

So, let's just start off with the miracles:

1) we were walking by this house (huge, green, white door) and I really felt the need to knock on it. A couple of ladies walked by and we waited for them to pass to knock; turns out, they went in... Bueno. So we go knock, a woman comes out named lorena, we say our names and that we are representatives of the lord Jesus christ, and then "do you guys want to come in?"  US: ummm.....? HER: Come on in! US:ummm.....ok.....

It turns out that it is a family of 8 and two of the kids are married! We only got the chance to talk to 3 (mom, dad, and one of the sister-in-laws) but they told us that we were allowed to come back whenever. We had an appointment on friday, but they had to leave so we didn't get to go with them again last week.

2) We were just walking by a lady's house that we had contacted a couple weeks ago. US: Hey, let's go see if she's home. She wasn't, but then We decided to know two doors down. Eva paz comes out (that's her name). We tell her who we are, and she asked us if we wanted to come in and eat with her because she was just getting lunch ready, and then said we could go by on friday. We went by on friday and she was there. She really liked the message, and she seems interested. We have a cita with her on martes (tuesday)!

3) Yazmin and Alfredo. A couple that has had some difficulties (from last week's email) we taught them on thursday night, and Alfredo is already in 1 Nefi 10 and says that the Book of Mormon has already answered a couple of his questions! YES! I testify that it is a true book, and it has been tested and retested by millions! They are doing great and want to be baptized!

4) I was on divisions with an Elder from our district (elder paredes). We walked by this lady on the street, and as we walked by I glanced over at her. We kept walking, but I just felt aweful for not talking to her, so I told Elder Paredes, I turned around and we went to talk to her. Her name is Karina and she said she wasn't really too religious, but she wanted to know more about the message (we talked about eternal families). We had a cita with her yesterday after church at 1. and her oldest son was there Alexis who has 17 years. We taught them and asked to come by tuesday or wednesday. She said she was really liking the message and that we could come by wednesday. She said, you can come by the day you want, but please just keep coming. I AM SUPER EXCITED FOR THE AWESOME PEOPLE GOD HAS BLESSED US TO FIND THIS WEEK! 

Obviously there were more miracles, but those are some of the ones that stuck out more.

This week has 3 holidays: Halloween, Day of the dead for kids, and Day of the Dead for adults. 
MEXICAN CULTURE TIME!!!!!: Day of the Dead is a day in which mexico remembers their family members that have passed away. They do this by putting up pictures in their homes and surrounding the pictures with fruits, candles, breads, and the other things that those people enjoyed while they were still alive. On saturday (the day for niños) all the little kids dress up and go around asking for treats just like halloween, and then on sunday, the adults and families go to the cemeteries to clean the graves and decorate them with flowers and fruits and things. It really is a cool thing!

Good News/Bad News: Elder Clarke is going to train! I therefore and probably going to have transfers this next tuesday. I have loved this ward, and I am really excited for the people that will be taught by whatever missionaries that are here!

Ummm.... I think that should be it! I'm just lovin it down here! Fall is definitely in the air. It's not as hot, the nights cool down, we have a nice breeze going most of the time. It's awesome! The smell here really reminds me of lake powell, especially when I put sunscrean on my face before we go out! Random fact!

I know this church is true. I know that Jesus Christ lives and is our savior and redeemer. God gives us commandments to help us recieve according to our needs, including the needs that we ourselves cannot easily identify. Read the book of mormon daily, pray often, go to church regularly, do family home evenings, because in these things are safety and peace from the problems of the world. I testify of these things and invite you all to pray to see if this message, this church are true(even if you have already done so). God will answer you in a personal way that you will be able to identify.

I hope you all have a great week! Love ya lots!

Elder Norr!

Miracles do continue!

Well, things have been a little tough around here in Xochitenco, but we're still going. I read a quote by President Henry B. Eyring “So, the great test of life is to see whether we will hearken to and obey God’s commands in the midst of the storms of life. It is not to endure storms, but to choose the right while they rage. And the tragedy of life is to fail in that test and so fail to qualify to return in glory to our heavenly home. Everything that we go through in life is for a reason. We are really having some tough challenges here in this ward, but it is simply another test that the lord lets us have to help us learn to stay faithful during times of trial. I don't want to sound like I am perfect, because I got pretty frustrated yesterday, but God really does continue to bless us; in big ways, just as often as small. So a recent convert that has not been able to come to church in a long time came to chruch on sunday. Her daughter Esmeralda was giving a talk, but they didn't come alone. They brought her other daughter Jazmin and her husband Alfredo (both nonmembers) they want to be better. They have had some tough trials and now want to talk to the missionaries! we have an appointment on thursday in the night, and I am super stoked about it! The talks were so great and I feel that through the youth that spoke, God also had a special message for me!

So, we found Rafael, and we gave him a book of mormon. He's really straight-forward with us, and told us that it would take him some time, but he was going to start reading it and then he was going to let us know what he thought!

we can do more! I think that is something that everyone, ESPECIALLY ME, can apply. We can do more because the Lord has promised us that through him, and by our faith, that we "will have the power to do all things according to the will of the lord". This is a church of progress. I love it! I love the challenges (probably jinxing myself with this)! I love to work in the lord's vineyard! I love the lord! I would like to invite/ ask you all to include our investigators in your prayers. we leave cards with our investigators names on them and I would like to leave their names with you all as well! Rafael Luna, Dalila, Jazmin, and Alfredo. I know that there really is power in prayer! 

I hope you all have a great week! Love ya lots!

Elder Norr

this is our area, it's kinda small huh?

this is my awesome comp Elder Clarke!

Us hanging at a member house to drop of clothes! (she always gives us juice boxes)

 We found and made Mac N Cheese! Wasn't really worth it.... haha

 The old Juan Escutia Crew at the mission conference!

 Eating tortas de Tomal (tomale sub) with members on P-day! So delicious! We need tomales in the states!

 Just chilling here eating a big piece of deep fried big skin!

This is pan de muerto (bread of the dead) it is only made for a couple weeks of the year to commemorate the day of the dead (november 1st and 2nd) and it is delicious!

I think that's all the photos for this week... It won't send anymore. I will have to send the deep fried pig skin picture next week! Love you guys!

miracle in xochitenco

This has been a good week. we got to do some different stuff. to start the week off, we had interviews with the president on wednesday, we found a new investigator on friday, and we had a mission conference on saturday.

things were pretty calm. elder clarke is just full of energy. he is so funny. he saw this cat on the side walk and starts tip toeing and then tells me to get ready. i was like "what is my companion doing?", then Elder Clarke takes off trying to catch this cat i can't help but laugh when Elder Clarke and I are out in the streets :)

I just love our president and his wife. they just love the lord so much and want us to come more unto christ. In our mission conference, the president had told everyone to bring all there contraband items (ipods, ipads, iphones, movies, cds, books, fireworks, etc.) and promised that they would not have problems for just this time. He stood before us, and he explained "what I say is the will of God; and I do not excuse myself. I will probably say some hard words, that I do not excuse myself." He then proceeded to give an incredible talk about repentance and the importance of being worthy, faithful representatives of christ. then sister Stutz, not knowing spanish, got up and gave her talk in spanish that explained the relationship between faith and obedience. I just loved it. they love us so much, and you just feel it as they talk to you, as they shake their hand. I'm so grateful for the chance to serve in this mission :)

So, we were walking up a long street looking for an address of a new investigator. We couldn't seem to find it, but we passed by the home of a man that we had supposedly missed a couple of days before. I said to Elder Clarke "hey, lets just see if this guy is home." we knocked on the door, and he came out, opened the door, told us to come in, and then as we walked in he said "I thought you guys weren't going to come.". we then sat down as he told us he didn't know anything about our religion. we then talked for the next 2 hours as we explained the restoration and answered his questions. we invited him to church, and he told us directly "I go to church to change. If I go to into a church and come out feeling the same, i don't go back. but, I'll see if i can go this week." Ok... So sunday morning I sent out a couple of messages inviting nonmembers to come to church with us. about 45 minutes into sacrament meeting, i look and that man, rafael Luna, walks into teh sacrament hall. I go shake his hand an we sit down. Long story short, he stays for the second hour (gospel principles. the lesson on sunday was the restoration of the true church of christ) and then has to go, but before he goes, he tells me "I think i am going to be here with you guys next week." YYYYEEEESSsSSSS! We have an appointment with him on wednesday and I'm really excited to talk to him again. 

other than that, I'm pretty healthy. I gained 5 pounds. No, I don't have a foot fungus for those that saw the pictures last week. It rained early and I was walking around in titanics all day. the dye from my socks rubbed off on my feet. 
I love the gospel. I love the savior. It's very important that we learn how to look at ourselves and ask god "lord, is it I?" The book of mormon is true and there is no other book like it in this world. God Lives, This is his church. Please, search for a testimony because it is the only sure thing thatwill keep you safe in this world of constantly changing values and standards. God loves you. remember that. understand the atonement. Love those around you!

love Elder Norr

crazy week...

ok, so this is going to be a quick one. So, highlights: Almost got robbed...again. but they were drunk, so this time we just dipped. 

second: i didn't see noah, but I was worried we were in for a rough one. It rained so hard. We had to goback home to change,and that was 4days ago, my shoes still aren't dry... 

third: We found 3 new investigators! they are awesome,but information will be withheld for now.

Fourth: My kid isn't coming.... He hurt his knee in the MTC and has been released so he can get surgery probably... :/

Fifth: I'm staying with elder clark! he's a champ!

Sixth: Saw a 75 year old man named ignacio break into his own home. He's just a small skinnyman, but he locked his house from the inside by accident. So he grabs a hammer and busts out one of his door windows that is filled by thick cardboard. then,he jumps up grabs the frame of the door and ninja swings in through a hole thatisprobably 15x 12 inches. Itwas sweet!!!!

so, Idon't really have much to say this time, but I hope you all know that i love you. I read areally interesting talk yesterday from the may 2013 conference. It talked about a man who served in the war in vietnam and was taken prisoner. he did not talk to his family for 2 years, and they didn't know if he was still alive. finally, he was able to send a message of 25 words or less. I am going to do my best to write this next message in 25words....

Live the Gospel. Study the scriptures. go to the temple. Live and love like Christ. Never Settle. Families are forever. remember I LOVE YOU!

Elder Norr :)

YOLO district!!!!

Hmmmm.... I think I have an idea haha

this is me 2 months without getting a haircut...it's worse than I thought....

 this is my candy bar!

everything you see is a small part of the ward(not sure this is what he meant to send)

PURE POWA!‏ 14 Months Out

ok, well this is probably going to be the shortest email I ever written in my mission, but it is going to be awesome,and i hope you guys can feel thespirit!

So, sad news.... My schedule to give birth has been pushed back til next week... apparently he hurt his knee in the mtc (kinda ironic) but he'll be great for me then! haha I am currently with Elder Clarke, he is from Latin Ut, and he isawesome! this week has just been PURE POWA!!!!! we are eating healthy, and we have already found 3 new investigators!!!!!!!1 they are great. First off, Isela. we taught herthe first time and she was just like "in theend, we are all going to believe what we want to".Soiwaspretty  bummed, but we got a return visit, and she had changed! we explained the book of mormon, and we invited her to read and to pray again, and thistime she just asked "how will God let me know?" well, we explained a little bit, andthen we just promised her "you will know". AWESOME!!!!!

Other than that, I am healthy, everything isgoing well, I love you all lots.

Something important and then we have to bounce. I realized something: every time we have struggles, we don't have to return to square one and doubt the church. I'm done with that junk.This church is true. I know it, God knows it, and if you ask, you too shall know it! the atonement makes possible repentance unto the cleaning of our souls. I would love to write more,but the keyboard iskinda wigging out. I love you all andhope you have an excellent week!

Chao!

Elder Norr

week 6‏

HMMMM...... Are we really in october already? dang.... The time really does just go by soo quickly... I can't believe that this week with Elder Harper is already gone. Things have been pretty rough in xochitenco. We are trying to work hard, but our investigators for some reason keep disappearing and we haven't been able to teach them as often as we would like, but we keep working because that's why we are here! 

This week was pretty good, but it was hot! it is staying up in the 80s but with the humidity and the lack of protection due to all the pollution, it gets pretty hot. We have mainly just been trying to swing by with less actives and help them come back to the gospel that they once loved. It's crazy down here in our ward. Our ward directory is 52 pages long and if all the members were active, our ward could be it's own stake, but so many of them have fallen away and it's hard to find them again. But this week is going to be great!

Yes, we do have changes this cycle therefore "los guapos" will no longer be with each other (elder harper and I) haha but I know that this is part of the lords plan to help us be better. 

This week in the training meeting, president told us some awesome stuff. I just love him and his wife and the love that they have for us! The sister doesn't speak hardly any spanish and I always see her go straight up to the latino elders and, in spanish, ask "hola elder, como està?" (how are you) and then i watch as they respond in normal spanish as she obviously works very hard to try to understand a small chunk. When I asked her if she needed help, she said "nope, I'm getting a little bit." She really is such a great lady and she has such a great testimony of the gospel!

Sad news. My kid will not be getting here for another 2 weeks, so tomorrow in the changes I am going to get a temporary companion for a couple weeks until my AMERICAN SON gets here! I am pretty nervous to have to teach spanish, but it is going to be great! I am really excited for whoever it may be!

I think that might be it! I am so excited for the General conference so that we may here the voice of the Lord through his beloved prophet and other leaders of the church! I am so grateful to have this gospel in my life, and even though we are imperfect, because of the atonement of our savior jesus Christ, we may be be made better and cleaner amidst all the filth and iniquity that surrounds us. I lvoe the lord, this is his church, and this is his work. If you don't know when the conference will be, I invite you to look at "lds.org" or ask the missionaries, and I invite you all to invite one friend or neighbor (preferable nonmember) to watch it with you! Hope you guys have an awesome week!

Love Elder Norr :)

Not Much Time....

Well, I don't really have much time but I will be quick about things.

First, our investigators Deisy and her daughters Jimena and sofia. They are SO CHOSEN! I was on divisions with an other elder in the district, but they get there, and they ask "did you read the book of Mormon chapter we left?" (3 nefi 11) She says "not much, sorry....". "ok, well what did you understand from what you read?" "well" she says, "God the father introduces his son Jesus Christ to the inhabitants of the americas through the holy ghost, and then Christ calls a man names Nefi and names him the prophet and gives him the authority to baptize correctly; then he establishes the true name of the church..." 

US: ................... WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?! SO CHOSEN! They are so great and they are planning on getting baptized this saturday and being confirmed on Sunday!

Second, I would like to invite everyone to try something. Every morning after starting your studies with a prayer, open the book of mormon, the bible, or the ensign (preferably conference edition) to wherever it happens to be. God WILL GIVE YOU A MESSAGE. I had an AWESOME experience this week and i would love to have to guys be able to feel the same! 

Third, I'M PREGNANT! yep, baby number 3 is on the way from the MTC this next tuesday in the changes! I'm sad that Harper and I are having changes, but it is part of the mission and I know it will continue being a great learning and growing experience for the both of us! :)

Finally, We went to a stake mission activity on saturday night and it was awesome! We got to do guidedc visits of the church and explain about the baptismal font and how there we can perform our first covenant with God! I will send pictures because then there were native mexican performances by the wards and then a huge dance party afterwards, but it was an awesome chance to talk to people and have fun! :)

Well, I think that's it for now. We have to get to the district meeting and then we are going with a sister to find out how to make white flour tortillas! Turns out, there actually isn't any white flour.... But I'm going to be a cafe RIO expert before you know it!

Every day is a gift! Every day is a chance to make our lives and the lives of others better! Let us use the days that we still have wisely so that we may be tools in the hands of God! :) LOVE YA!

Elder Norr!

A couple of native mexican dance numbers 

 Elder Harper us with Hermano Villaseñor in his matador suit! SWEET!

Quick Week

Hijoles! Esta semana fue, pero se fue con un rapidez impresionante! (Elder Cuscagua aka my colombian kid's favorite word)

This week really went by quickly! We started off last week with a zone conference! It was so great! The president stutznegger and his wife are gust so great and they love us soo much! Every time we get out of a zone conference with them, I just feel a higher level of the spirit and i just want to go preach to the peeps on the street, mototaxi and all! 

We FOUND SOME NEW PEOPLE! First off, Luis. He is 20. He goes to a christian church and he's a little hard to get a hold of (especially when we don't have a phone...) but every time we are with him, the lessons have the strongest spirit, I JUST LOVE IT!

Second, Brenda. She's 29. has 3 kids. We taught her and after explaining everything I asked if she had a question. She was like "nope. I'll just have to keep having you guys over and I'll go to church and I think I will be able to get a hold of things after a little while.... (jaw drop9 she didn't come to church, but we are going to pass by with her early this week!

Ok, well anyways, Daisy. We contacted her on friday morning and put an appointment to see her in the afternoon on friday. We went and she said "I thought you guys weren't going to come...." But we did! We taught the restoration and the spirit was really strong. We asked her to be baptized and she said YES! We then invited her to church and she was ready.... at 7:15 in the morning!!!!!! That's right! Let's us all take some notes because the lord knows that even we have problems with that :) haha on sunday, the stake presidency came and they talked all about self-suffiency... for the whole 3 hours... Afterwards I talke to daisy (like 35, 2 kids, married) and I asked her how she liked it? She said" Wow, that was awesome, I loved it!"..... The is so great and we have an appointment tomorrow with her!!!! :)

This week i got thinking about the temple. By the time I go home, I won't have gone to the temple in almost 2 full years. I am saying this because the temple really is SOO IMPORTANT! It is where we become more one with God and learn his teachings at a level that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. I hope that each of you who has a current recommend is using it often to go visit the house of the Lord because there is no other place like it in this world.

So, this week Elder Harper finished building our home gym. We go through about 2 gallons of milk....each week. and we have been filling up the milk jugs with water and we use a broomstick for a bar. we then have a rope to do other exercises with the jugs. I am currently up to lifting a gatorade bottle... lame :/ but the shoulder therapy will pay off someday! 

I have really enjoyed this week and the sweet spirit that has been present in the work. I know that this church is true and that our resurrected savior Jesus Christ stands at its head. I know the book of mormon is true, and if you are feeling like you need a special message from God, offer a prayer, open it up to whereever and start reading; GOD WILL SPEAK TO YOU! I know this. I know that the holy ghost really is a sacred privelage that we only recieve by living worthily and keeping the commandments. I love the Lord, this is his work! I hope you all have a wonderful week! love ya!

And thank you for all the letters! I love getting emails and pictures; it makes my monday! Oh, and tomorrow is MEXICO'S INDEPENDENCE DAY! Should be sweet!

Have a great week!

Love Elder Norr

Finally, DAISY.,..... buh buh buh buh, CHOSEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ok, so this computer is being stupid and I don't want to wait 50 years for it to load so here is elder harper and I today in front of our new curtain! VIVA MEXICO! :)

13 Months Out...Building up to Saturday

Hola guapos! Como estàis? Espero que todos estèn bien! Esta semana estuvo CHIDA!!!!!!

Well, how do we start things off. I will probably put in some random stuff that doesn't make sense, but it will all fall into place at the end. Sale? Ok, so this week has really been a week of small miracles that have been given to us from a loving father in heaven. We started this week without investigators, and we haven't had investigators that have progressed in almost 10 weeks... Pues, NI MODO! We stacked tuesday with 8 set appointment with potential new investigators to go teach! They all fell through.... We stacked wednesday with another 8 set appointments to find some new investigators... they all fell through... Thursday we had 1... nope. Friday we hade like 4 or 5.... nope. Saturday!

Backstory: So we went with the familia Mendoza to visit on Monday night. We shared a spiritual message and then they invited us to eat dinner with them. we ate ham and cheese sandwhiches with onion, tomato, mayonaise, and cheese, DELICIOUS, and very popular here. They had one of their daughter's friends over to do math homework named "rubi". I helped the girls with their math homework while we were eating our sandwhiches.

ok, so saturday we had 4 plans to find new investigators. One of which was "javier". We contacted him friday night and he told us to come over saturday at 10 in the morning. DEAL! Alli estamos! We get up on saturday, and everything was normal, but I just had a weird feeling, wasn't sure why, but i did. We called Javier about 9:40 to see if he would be home. yep! Sweet! We did our hair, put on our shoes and left. We get to his house. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.... no one. Again, KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK, but again, no one. This guy comes walking up the street smokin (not javier) and asks us who we are and what we were doing. I replied that we were missionaries and that this man had asked us to swing by to share a message of god. He just keeps talking to us for a minute, and I just decide to contact him, give him a plan of salvation pamphlet, and invite him to read it.

Long story short, this guy tells us some pretty strange stuff, and it just never really clicked that this guy wanted to rob us... I finally just leaned into him and asked "are you trying to rob us? do you want our money?" 

Just so turns out that he did. So I gave him our phone and the 20 pesos I had in my pocket and he took harpers watch and wallet (which included his idaho driver's license, his mexico identification, his temple recommend, his insurance card from home, and his missionary insurance card). I told the man to have a nice day and we kept knocking on Javier's door. he didn't ever come out. Elder Harper and I were laughing that i had to ask the guy if he was robbing us, and it was really calm. Nothing happened. we are completely ok, and we kept working like normal. But then I asked harper what he had in his wallet. he told me. OH NO. So, we just happened to be on the other side of our area and swung by the store to break a bill we had to have some change for the day. We looked around for a minute and then went to check out. We were checking out when rubi (the little girl from monday night) comes up behind Harper and taps him on the arm. We turn around and in Rubi's hand are harper's things from his wallet! MIRACLE ALERT! We got robbed on the completely other side of our area, but this little girl and her mom just so happened to find harper's things thrown on the street and then they ran into us. harper had told me that he prayed, and IT WAS ANSWERED! 

So, we went to eat tacos with the same familia mendoza from monday because they have a breakfast taco stand. We went to english class at the church and then went to wash a dog! The little girls in this family are so cute, and when i took out the camera to take a picture with them, the 2 that are always pretty rambuncious and fighting started posing! (i will send a picture) So, the rest of our new investigators on saturday fell through until we got to our last appointment at about 8 with a lady named "lluvia". She ACCEPTED THE BAPTISMAL INVITATION! WE HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WEDNESDAY AT 7:30!  I am SO HAPPY! This week was just so full of little miracles and fun experiences, including getting robbed. I am ready for another great week!

I really do knowt hat this church is true. I can't believe that I already have 13 months! The time really has went so fast. I testify that my redeemer lives, and that he stands at the head of HIS church: The church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints! I know the book of mormon is true and I know that it holds of special message for each and every one of us each time we upen its pages! I truly do love my family and I know that we will be together forever! Thank you for all that you guys do for me!

have an awesome week!

Love Elder Nathan Norr

us with them and the dog we washed!

us with them and the dog we washed!

a couple shots of the area.

The huge mexico flag that harper bought on thursday because independence day is next week!

Flu bug... great leadership meeting

hello there everyone! How have you all been doing?!

Well, by now I know that you all know that "the mexican adeventures of Elder Norr" just so happened to be out of comission this last week. I apologize for that, but we had district meeting in the morning and afterwards, my companion was shaking saying that he was freezing. We got him home, and he just crashed on the bed all afternoon. Then, at about 10 o'clock on monday night, "hey, elder norr, could you go grab me a bucket? My stomach is a little upset." I went, got a bucket, give it to him, and lay in my bed...one... two.... BLLLLAAHHHHHHHHH! cough cough cough BLLLLAAAAHHHH! Harper starts throwing up... So the next day I get up and harper still isn't feeling good. He threw up again during the night, but we had some important citas so I went to the doctor in the morning to have my last checkup for my UTI and then I go work with Elder Puello for a couple hours. We get back, I get some food in me, and then I realize "hmmmm, I'm not really feeling so hot either. Before you know it, I went to bed with a fever and chillswith my stomach not knowing what was really happeneing either. Long story short, the 24 hour flu bug hit our small apartment, but thursday we were good to get working again! :)

 

So, we had a leadership meeting a 2 weeks ago on thurday. Elder Valenzuela, a member of the area presidency, came to talk to all the zone leaders and district leaders. It was so great, and I absolutely loved it! He shared the question if Abraham had told his wife when he received direction from God to sacrifice his son Isaac. He explained the importance that we are all "one" in the mission, in our districts, n our companionship! We talked a lot about love, patience, understanding. I truly felt a very strong and sweet spirit in that meeting!

You guys probably want to know about our area. Things have been going a little rough lately... We haven't had a new investigator (we had 1, but after the first visit, we never found her) in the last month and a half. The work here in our area has been a little slower, but I know that this week is going to be SO GREAT! We just need to show our desire and faith by action and diligence! I heard a quote this week that I liked in church. " When much is given, much is required. When much is required, much is given." I think that is a big thing in missionary work. We are fighting for the most precious thing on this earth: Truth. We need to show how much we are willing to do to help God establish that truth here in this part of mexico!

I really don't know what to write this week. Things have been a little frustrating lately and I am trying to work out how things are going to be smoother in this next week...

I'll just end with my testimony,

I just hope you all know how much I love you all, and how much I love the gospel. It has truly changed my life, and my being. I pray that it keeps on doing so because i have a long way to go to one day become like our savior and redeemer Jesus Christ! I know that this church is true, and I know that God has a very special, perfect, and timed plan for each and every one of his children. Each second of every day is part of it! I know that christ is our savior, and only through him and by him may we once again return to the presence of our beloved Father in Heaven with our loved ones for eternity. I heard that the mission is like ice cream: If you eat it,enjoy it, and savor it or not, it is still going to disappear. May we all look for the most in each day, and look to our savior for the perfect example of how to do so! Such is my prayer! I know that this week will be a great week! I may be a little down on my weight, but the Spirit is going to be way up this week! Love you all!