Week 2 of "the office"‏

Ladies and Gentleman, could I please have your attention please! This week has definitely been a different week! Started out pretty normal, but FUN FACT #1: As Secretaries, we are pretty much in the offices all day on monday getting everything ready for the week, so we normally take our P-Day on wednesday. So last week we were pretty much in the offices on monday. Tuesday we had to go to Migration in Polanco (aka Rich town). our companion, Elder Vallejo, had to go starting at like 10, but at like 1 we had to go out to meet him and then we had to hang out there til 4 waiting to get green cards. We decided to go out for lunch, and guess what we got??????!!!! PANDA EXPRESS!!!! It's one of the only ones in Mexico city! It was delicious! Then we had to wait forever for green cards, and I got to have an awesome experience as I decided to talk to a family that was waiting outside the migration building. I gave them the plan of salvation pamphlet and just said "i know that your family can be together forever. We know that. If you need anything, we will be around here for the next while." I went back, sat down, and 2 seconds later they were already reading it! It was a really cool experience and I felt the spirit super strong. It was a little out of my comfort zone, but it was totally worth it!

Ok, now going back to monday. SLUMBER PARTY at Pres. Stutz' house! But first..... stitches...... Luckily they weren't mine. I opened the window to the back patio to let some air in. A little while later, an elder went out and then we just here a "thwonk!" and he came in saying "ow, that hurt." Then we see blood running down his head. He had walked into the corner of the window and it had cut an inch long deep cut in his forehead/hair line that was bleeding pretty good. They took him to the doctor and he got some stitches. He's perfectly fine now; no problems nor complications nor anything else!

Ok, now.... SLUMBER PARTY!!!! We went to where president's house is...... SUPER FRESH!!!!!! He lives in a house that pretty much reminds me of the temple. He took us out for tacos at a delicious taco place called "3 coyotes". I ordered a "gringa" (giant delicious quesadilla-type thing) and a tongue taco. That's right! COW TONGUE BABY!!!!! It was soft, and didn't taste that bad. I LIKED IT! Yes, there will be pictures after this! Then we headed back and watched meet the mormons! It was incredible! We watched it in spanish, but that was cool because when the puerto rican woman (boxer) was talking, she was talking in her native language and it was her real voice! I loved meet the mormons. I definitely had a couple flashbacks with the last "missionary" family. Then we slept in incredible beds that the pres has in his house and the next day we had pancakes!

Friday!!!! We took elder bryce to the airport to send him back to his fam in arizona. It was a little different, but I really wasn't sad or trunky seeing him go! He had served the time the lord asked oh him, and now it's my turn to finish strong. It was a little different being on my own in the offices as the financial secretary, but I am definitely relying on Celestial help to be able to do all the things i need to! 

Last thing! We found a super less-active man named Magdaleno Cruz. Come to find out he was a professional boxer and a temple worker! We passed by for him on sunday and he came out super fresh, suit and all! It was really cool!!!!

Been loving the mission lately, but it has been different. I can't believe that I now have less than 5 months left on the mission! I just feel like time is going SOOOOOOO fast lately! If we want to or not, time will just keep moving. It's kinda hard, and definitely tiring trying to keep up with it, but if we just do all that we can and try to be effective and efficient it's interesting to see how everything seems to fit into place. This is a special time to be alive: The dispensation of the fullness of times is a special time for special spirits! We must always remember to be strong and never let go of what we know to be true! 

I know that this church is true! I know that Joseph smith saw God the father and his son Jesus Christ! I know that We have a living prophet in our day and that if we listen to his council, we will stay on the straight and narrow path that leads us back to our heavenly father! I love the Lord! I love his church! i love being a missionary!!!!!! I hope you all have a wonderful week!!! :)

Episode 1 of "The Office"

Hey everyone! Hope everyone is doing great! This week has been kinda crazy.... Last week, on monday, I recieved a call from President Stutz and he invited me to accept the assignment to serve as the Financial secretary of the Mission. Ummm.... I just kinda sat there with my hands on my head and I told him I would call him back. I knew I was going to need to accept the calling, and even though I was super sad to have to leave that AWESOME area, I am really glad I have the chance to be here in the offices. it's definitely different over here. We live in the offices in a pretty fresh part of the the city. We have piped water (no tank on the roof), hot water all the time, washer, DRYER, carpet, a house lady, everything! I feel sooo blessed to be here, but we haven't had a whole lot of time in my area with me being trained and everything. Things'll get better!

My companion is Elder Vallejo de Alpine Utah, and he's a cool guy. Elder Bryce is from Arizona and he is training me before he goes home THIS FRIDAY!!!!! 

It has been an interesting week. We have a pretty cool ward. Supposedly it starts with like 15 or 20 people, but this sunday we had like 70 or 80! That was awesome!!!!!! I am learning a lot. Plus, I am starting to HATE CASH. I am in charge of registering EVERY spenditure in the mission, and I have to keep a pretty clean book of it. I don't think that there is too much to say this week. I have enjoyed it, and i hope to work hard in this area! 

Gotta go! We are going to have a (quoting president stutznegger) "slumber party" at his house and we are going to watch MEET THE MORMONS!  Yes!

I would just like to end with my testimony. I was reading a little more about testimony this week from President Kimball. I liked something he said: "Any minister or Priest can site scripture and then provide an explanation, but not any minister or priest can give a testimony." A testimony is a declaration of what one knows to be true as given by the spirit. There is no need to make it more complicated than "I know....". I know that the Lord lives. This is his church. I know that the priesthood of God has been restored in our day to provide the ordinances necessary/essential to someday return to the presence of God with our families. I know that the Lord loves each of us. I know that we have a purpose here on earth, and I know that if we are humble, God will let us know everything that we need to do! :) Have a great week!

Elder Norr

Hey, il mio compagno è italiano-18 months out

I realize that none of you understand, nor understood, what the title of this email is, so i will now tell you in english......

MY COMPANION IS ITALIAN! yep, that's right, italian

My companion is Elder Lopez, and he is from Italy. He is 24 years old, and has a year in the mission. He is an incredible soccer player, and was training to play for a professional italian team called juventus. But he has a special heart condition that makes his heart inflate, which almost kills him. He is really cool, and luckily he only has attacks like 1 or 2 a month. 

This week was really cool! WE BAPTIZED JORGE VAZQUEZ!!!! He is such an increidble man! Today I won't e sending pictures because I don't have anything to connect my memory with! But for the next week, get ready for another picture overload!

Things have been going really well. Just gotta be yourself and everything else works out. The lord is in charge of his own work, but he lets us participate so that we may learn and grow. I know that this church is true, and hope you all have a great week!!!! 

Love Elder Norr :)

PS Nate has also been made the financial secretary of his mission

ok, homies, it' gonna be quick.‏

Ok, there is not really any time now.

My companion is going ot have changes tomorrow, so we are going ot say goodbye to a couple of families, take pictures, do zumba.... just some normal stuff haha

This week was aweseom! Jorge Vazquez came to church and he is going to get baptized THIS SATURDAY!!! he is such a champion!!!! I just love that man! We had an aewsome lesson about forever families and the temple last week, and the bishop cam with us! 

I have learned this week, and we must be willing to give the best to recieve the best. I know that God has a plan for all of us. We all have different parts to play. We should accept that part we have with joy and do our best to serve worthily! I hope you all have a great week! :)

Love ya!

Elder Norr

Quick one!‏

Well, this is going to be a quick one! This week has been..... crazy. To say the least... But, I learned something important this week! I am hear to serve the lord, and I don't need to be worrying about offending someone. Strong decisions need to be made if we want to make real progress. That is one of the biggest things. 

Also, emotionally crazy! First, Hey Elder Norr! Guess what? YOU'RE GONNA TRAIN!!! 

me: oh.... freak.....  It felt sooo weird to hear that....

Then, when i was getting more excited about it. I get a call...

Elder Hammond (assistent) Hey elder norr, we've decided to hold off on the training for a while, so this cycle you won't be training....

me: oh..... whatever I have to do is fine then.

So, I have officially lost another son, but it's ok. The president does this by revelation, and i sustain our president! God has something planned!

Ok, that's it.

Not too many pics this week! But the work is going good. We have really dropped latedly with new investigators in the mission... But I know that the Lord has something special planned for us. We just have to repent, pray, and then get up and do it! And we can DEFINITELy do it! Hope you guys all have an awesome week! Their are lots of opportunities waiting!!!!!!! Use them!!!!

Love

Elder Norr

first things first‏

Ok, well this week I am going to write the big email first so that no one feels like I have forgotten about them! :) This last week, well.... last 3 weeks. Have been good, but things have been goin down. So, first things first, the familia orihuela didn't get baptized, and they won't be getting baptized... :/ They passed their interview TWICE, and they were super ready, but when we went to see them the next day (thursday) the mom said that she had talked to her family and that she would not be getting baptized nor did she want to... ok. The dad said the same. He talked to his mom and she told him not to do it; that family is very special and they will be baptized, but just not right now. The Lord has a time for each of us. I felt the spiritual confirmation that it wasn't their time and we have had more time to work and find other people which has been really nice!

 No, I haven't been sick, but right now my stomach is a little wrecked. Not sure what we ate, but i'll get over it, just gotta keep drinking water. Ummmm, what else. OH YEAH! Our investiator Jorge is soooooo getting ready for baptism on the 7th of February! He has already asked for prayer cards and has given them to all of his family members and grandkids!!! AWESOME!!!!! Also, we went and did "fat burning" with a family from the ward last monday (I guess it is kinda like zumba, but it's not dancing) and my companion and I about died!.... haha I couldn't do any of the push up stuff because of my shoulders, but it was still fun, we had planned to teach a lesson with the family's daughter who isn't a member afterwards, but she told us "tomorrow would be better." so we taught her on tuesday! Her name is Jenni, and she is super cool! She is 16 and her whole family are converts from the last 2 years! She is reading the book of mormon and has a date for the 31st of January!!!!! 

I don't really know what to write about this week. My "writer's flow" isn't really flowing today, but I just love this gospel. I am learning more about my weaknesses everyday, one of which is being overly self-critical. This week I had a really rough experience, and I just wasnt' feeling very good. I decided the next day I would focus my study on love. I found an incredible scripture in the bible, Romans 8:35-39. It says (i'm translating by thought) "What can separate us from the love of God? Tribulation, hunger, problems, feelings?....." and then in 39 is ends saying "nothing can separate us from the love that God has for us".

I love this scripture, and I would like to end this week with my testimony. The love of God is infinite, and it allows us to become better than what we may think we are. It is like a bottomless pit. If we are willing to throw in our rotten feelings and actions, they will be swallowed, and not returned. Christ loved us so much that he offered himself as sacrifice for OUR sins, our problems, OUR weaknesses. I know that God loves his children (US!) I know that if we let that love guide our lives, we will feel and know of that love and it will motivate us to be more christlike and obedient. Let the love of God fill your lives, and my every action show that we are grateful, and willing to show that love to others! This is my testimony! I hope you all have a great weeek! I) love you all! In the name of my lord and savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Norr!

Stay strong! When we stop fighting, we stop winning!

just letting you know! I have officilly eaten grasshoppers!!!!! They have the popcorn kernal texture, just like think, flaky, and unbreakable..... didn't reallly like it..... haha

Our ward, and the ones that have us hoolding the little white things are little plastic babies that were cooked into bread and we just happened to get them in our slice!

This super sweet orange hot rod truck that we found in our area!!!!!!

Elder Chico and I on divisions! 

I don't remember what other one I put!

This is us eating at the bishops hamburger restaurant, puesto place! They are delicious!, and huge! he has one called the lamanite and it is a half-pound burger with and giant argentine sausage on it and everthing else! And in the last one, that orange thing in my hand is a mandarin orange! Yeah, believe it! It was literally almost the size of my head! I had to pay 2 pesos for it though...

ummm, this is my skinny lady friend ;) 

These aer some piñatas from a lady in our ward!