Elder Norton's Protein shake explosion
Victor and Tawnie
Koina, Elder LUNT
Belinda
September 7
Hello family!!!!
Had an amazing week last week. Don't know where to start. The work has blown up and we are super busy. So.... The baptism in South Weber hasn't happened yet. I don't know how that is going. We started last week with like 3 with a date. After church on Sunday we have 9 with baptismal dates. A couple others too are committed for this month but we haven't counted them yet because of there situations. Our goal is 7. We are going to hit it if it's the Lord's will.
We are teaching a sweet family named the Priests. Chris works for the army as a recruiter. His wife Julia is from Germany. We had a second lesson with them this week. The wife said she is 80% sure she wants to be baptized. He has felt the spirit and feels very good about it. We are teaching them again tonight. She had read the 1st book of Nephi when we saw her 2 days after the first lesson! Amazing! We are teaching another german girl named Julia who's mom is named Sonja, and Sonja read all the way into second Nephi as well in just like 2 days. It was sweet. We are meeting with them tonight too. Hopefully we can try and nail down solid baptismal dates for them.
Preston is doing good. Pray for him. He wants to baptized but wants to push it back. I'm afraid his dad is the problem. His dad supports him but I think his dad wants him to not rush into it. He believes everything we taught him. Joseph Smith, Book of Mormon, baptism. We felt inspired in the middle of the lesson to ask him if he had prayed about being baptized. He said he hadn't and said "I will pray about being baptized on the 18th". He's a sweet kid. I love him. I want to play bball with him because he is pretty good. Speaking of bball, Tom Chambers, the star bball player, his dad sat next to me in the temple this morning. Kind of neat lol.
So our investigators with dates are Carson (this week), next week Scott, Tia, and Preston, and for the 25th it's Anthony, Bro Davis (going to fly to his sons mission and get baptized by his son!), Emily, Julius, and and Shaylee. We have a ton for the 25th. We then have conference the week after! Sweet!
So the kid Julius we started teaching is sweet. His family is from the Phillipines but he grew up in Utah. We had a sweet first lesson with him. We met with him again yesterday. He feels good about baptism and felt the spirit when we read and prayed! Sweet! The Lord is blessing us so much with prepared people. We are praying for it and trying to be grateful. There is more blessings then we can be grateful for!!!!
I love serving with Elder Bogdan. He is the man. We get along pretty well and he keeps me in line. He has 38 days left. I read D+C 77 this morning. We are going to baptize like crazy till the end for both of us.
Had ZLC yesterday. That was good. Received some training and things they want us to implement in our zone. It was good. I think everyone thinks I'm trunky cuz I joke about going home but I'm working my guts out and trying to use everything I've learned in my mission for this last little bit.
Well, there is probably more, but that's where I'm going to end for now. Know that I love you guys. Take care! Hurrah for Israel!
Elder Norton1
P.S. Tell Elder Ricks I met his dad, Bishop Ricks. He is one of the bishops in one of the wards I cover! Crazy huh? Bishop told me his son was serving in Duncan. We flipped flopped places. Kind of cool. Take care, let him know that!
September 14
HEY!!!!!!!
Sorry about writing a day late. They moved my pday this week because I interviews with President yesterday. He said some really nice things to me. It made me feel good about how things have been going.
Still planning on in between 7-9. It will be tough but we can do it. Carson was baptized. Agghhh!!! It was crazy. The ward forgot to fill the font so the baptism started 45 minutes late and they just knelt down to do the baptism. But it was good!
So this week Tia and Scott are getting baptized. Scott might move to next week just because we have to confirm what ward he'll be baptized in. Bro Davis is flying to his son's mission next week to baptized by his son. So cool! Shaylee and Emily are getting baptized next week. So is a super super cool kid named Julius Manubay. We've been teaching him for a couple weeks. He is a freshman at college. Coolest kid ever. On the student council at the college. Way funny. Pray for Anthony and Preston, who are shooting for baptism soon. Also pray for Joe he is struggling with smoking. I fill confident we will have 7 baptisms this month. 3 others who could be baptized this month.
We have 3 already set up for next month. They are excited and ready to do it. One is a couple. Chris and Julia. They have been very prepared and have really felt the spirit.
Something neat I was talking about with Elder Bogdan the other day, I find more people who accept baptismal dates the first lesson because I always extend the invitation the first lesson. I used to be more hesitant to teach and invite people to be baptized. I was worried to offend, or seem pushy, ect.... So I taught people who didn't like talking about getting baptized it seemed like. Since I've made an effort to invite people more to be baptized, more prepared people have been put in my path. I love Alma 29. It tells us the Lord grants unto us the desires of our hearts, good and evil. If you want worldly and sinful things, he will allow you to have it. If you want righteousness he will give it to you. It's sweet.
Chris is the man. So is Dad for his sweet talks. So are you for running every day. I hate running. I'm kinda running twice a week. Working out every day. Have to get buff for all the chicks in the AZ. ;)
Teaching a new family tonight. That should be good. I'm praying for 10 baptisms in October. Our zone is doing well. They doubled the number of baptismal dates from 20 to 40 the last two weeks! Bogdan and I have been putting a lot of focus on Christ and baptism. We are seeing results because of it.
Well I love you all. I pray for you. Take care and find someone for Elder Ricks to baptize!
Elder Norton1
September 20
Fam!
Things are going great. Tia was baptized this last week. We have for sure, Scott, Bro Davis, Shaylee, and Julius for sure. Anthony is a maybe. We have 5 people lined up for the 9th of October. None the 2nd because of conference. Things are going great. We got a whole new family to church this last week. Potentially Active parents with 3 unbaptized kids. The dad even prayed at the end of our lesson this last week. It was awesome! That's ok if you can't keep up with everyone we are teaching. I barely am. Oh, if you could pray for Joe Montroy that would be great. He is quitting smoking but we still have a couple more concerns to help him with.
At Sunday school yesterday, our investigators the Priests, a couple in there 30's, were way involved in the lesson. Bro Priest was like, "I have a question, I'm not a member but I'm getting baptized next month...." It's cool to here investigators announce there baptism to others. It helps you know they are ready and prepared.
I was a little upset when a bishop questioned the readiness of one of our investigators. Sometimes we think people aren't ready to change and we want to see more from them. Our mission president is very big on not adding requirements to what the first presidency and the Lord has required for someone to be baptized. I think it's very serious. The Lord said not to add or take away from his doctrine, the doctrine of repentance and baptism. That's why all investigators have baptismal interviews before baptism, to make sure they are willing and ready. I have really come to understand the doctrines of the church. Not just principles, but the "why" behind things. To many times members of the church take there own personal decisions and teach them as doctrine. No one would listen to us if we came in there home and said, "No tv on sunday, no caffeinated drinks, no passionate kissing if you're single, and you have to read at least a half hour every day from the scriptures, only our baptism will get you to heaven" Instead we teach the doctrine that God has given us and then people understand why they should keep his commandments. We teach the body is a temple, families are ordained of God, showing love through keeping commandments, the need of authority and a prophet. Doctrine is so important. Sorry for a little rant.... haha
Yeah, inviting people to be baptized the first lesson is amazing. It's so important and necessary. The MTC is pushing it with there new points of emphasis with PMG. The problem is people think missionaries commit people. We don't commit anyone. We invite, they commit, we follow up. It's not pushy if you just invite. Same goes for invite friends to learn more. It doesn't hurt anyone if you ask if they are interested in learning more.
I still need to read D+C 64 today lol.
So keep running hard. You can do it. When that one dude broke the 4 minute mile which was supposedly impossible, everyone started doing it. You'll whoop me up right now mom. I'm out of shape. I'm trying to get there. I just decided today no more sugar the rest of my mission. I'm getting stronger but need to burn off some fat. Got get ripped for the ladies.
I'm excited to go home! It doesn't affect my work though. I have to many people to find, teach, and baptize to stop working. The Savior expects it of me. I have a lot of work to do. I set a goal of 80 baptisms the beginning of mission. I thought at my year mark it would be impossible for me to reach. Now it will be close. I wish I set a goal of 100. If I did it over again I would have. The Lord is blessing me. He has blessed me so much. He is blessing my investigators and my area. I love this work so much! Keep praying for my investigators! Love you guys and Hurrah for Israel!
ELder Norton1
September 28
Elder Norton1 with the Hart twins
The Harts live in Utah and have a son on a mission
Elder Hart is serving with Elder Norton2 as his companion in Kentucky. On the table is a picture of Elder Norton2 that the Harts got from Elder Hart. :-)
Hey Family!!!
Things are going great. We had 3 baptisms this week. One was moved to this Thursday. Bro. Davis, he flew back and was baptized by his son in CA who's on his mission. He said it was one of the greatest things in his life. He said the birth of his two sons is the only thing that compares. He told his son me and Bogdan are like his second set of sons. It was neat to hear him say that. I love the family to death. Julius Manubay was baptized too. He's 18 and going to Weber State. He came up out of the water and gave everyone a 2 thumbs up. It was pretty funny. Then Jayson was able to baptize his 10 year old girl Shaylee. I think that was pretty special for him. Scott moved his to this week. He is 18. He wants to tell his dad he is getting baptized and hasn't yet. Pray for Scott. He's worried how his dad will respond but will go forward with his baptism either way.
We have a lot of people looking good for the 9th right now. Teaching 2 new families tonight! Pretty exciting all the work that is going on right now. We had a good talk with that bishop last week and things are good.
I'll vote for you. So why is this such a critical election? I dont watch the news if you didn't know :)
I heard President Monson's talk was one of the best he's ever given, which is saying a lot. I"ll have to print it out and read it.
Yeah, I know about fairlds. It's pretty sweet. Most people who are diggin in the anti aren't honest or sincere anyways. It is a good place to direct people though. I really don't teach people who have lot's of anti or doctrinal concerns anymore. I think I have attracted only prepared people into my teaching pools. Or something. Maybe I just don't have the patience for some of those people and so I don't even go anywhere with them. We are teaching a guy from Pakistan right now. It is pretty interested. It's not easy to help them get baptized, even if they want to. It can be dangerous to there lives.
Still working out every day. Trying to shed the belly I picked up on the mish lol. I've been eating a lot healthier lately. Sunday is going to be my free day every week. I'll be strict and healthy the rest of the week. The funny thing is though when your exercising and eating healthier that sugar bad food doesn't look or taste as good anymore.
Tell Jeff he better win! Me and Joseph have a streak on the line you know??? Haha he'll do great.
My companion has 16 days left! AGHHHH!!!! We're having a ton of fun. I read D+C 56 today lol.
So........ do I need to start registering for school or anything? Could you find out when I should sign up for classes and living arrangements? That would be great. I'm trying to decide what I'll do for work. A couple people from the mission have offered to me to work for them down here in different types of business. We'll see how that goes. I'm trying to decide what I'll do for work when I go home because I'll have no money for a phone, gas, and partying! I'm not worried about. Just starting to think about it.
I love you all. Take care and Hurrah for Israel!
Elder Norton1
p.s. Tell Ricks to bring on the pics!
No comments:
Post a Comment