Feast or Famine?

Me and my companion

Feast for me....famine for Mom!

Sorry not any time this week. I am well, exhausted and loving it still.

Hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!!! Eat lots of candy for me!  Glad to see that you all made it home safely!  

Thank you to my Mom, Dad and siblings for the package!!!! SO HAPPY!!! I almost cried when I got it.

Love and miss you all! Read your scriptures and say your prayers!

Hermana Norman

my zone with Pres and Sister Chapparo

We have fun at zone conference

Got Funyuns?

My first package in the field!

Are you sleeping?

It is so hard when people are so close to opening the door of baptism and Satan gets in the way.  This has been the case with all of our investigators lately.  It is SO HARD.  I can see the light that the gospel brings into their lives, and then Satan works his way and they begin to doubt all the feelings and answers that they have received.  Despite losing a lot of our investigators, I continue to strive to remain positive and do my part in this work.  

I gave a talk this past Sunday based on the conference talk titled ¨ Are you sleeping through the restoration?¨ by President Uchtdorf in May 2014.  I LOVE THIS TALK, and I encourage everyone to read it.  But in this talk it talks about how being a disciple of Christ is not an effort of once a week or once a day.  It is an effort of once and for all.  Isn´t this a great reminder?!  It also talks about how we can combat selfishness, addictions, and and competing priorities. I love how in the mission, I have learned to manage my time, and to truly focus on the needs of others.  I am so much happier when I apply these principles in my life!

It is hot here in Argentina, and also the Siesta here is crazy.  Everyone sleeps for hours in the middle of the day after lunch.  So it is so hard to work during this time, but we still manage to find people to teach.  I truly believe that the Lord places people in our path.  

Thank you for all the love and support!

Con amor,

Hermana Norman

WHAT A WEEK!

First of all, it is so hot.  Currently dying of heat. 

Second of all, it was quite the emotional week for me.  We had a baptism planned for this past Saturday, Ivan, and the day before his baptism as we were waiting for him in the church for his interview, we recieved a text from him saying that he didn´t want to be baptized.  I was obviously devastated, and I was a little discouraged after that. Since then we haven´t been able to get ahold of him.. it breaks my heart to know that Satan got ahold of someone who was so ready to be baptized.  But I still have faith that he will be baptized.. just not right now.

Next is Carolina, yesterday we went and picked her up for church, and when I say picked her up I mean we walked to her house, and then walked to church together.  But Carolina is the sweetest girl, and she went to listen to general conference a few weeks back and she didn´t have the greatest experience.. she felt so excluded, and felt like people were judging her because she went in pants.  And so I was determined to make sure that she had a better experience in the church, and she did! She loved church yesterday, but what made a big difference was the members... it is so important that as members of the church we welcome investigators with a huge smile and make sure that feel welcomed and loved!  

Carolina is the one to my right in the white shirt

Also had an amazing lesson with a less active member.. she has been super sad because she has been thinking about her mother who passed away last year.  We had a powerful lesson about the Plan of Salvation, and I cried as I bore testimony.  As I bore testimony I was thinking about My Great Grandma Norman who passed away this past year... and I KNOW that I will see her again.  How amazing it is to know that we can see our loved ones again who have passed on, and that we can live with our families forever.  

Studied 3Nephi 13 and 14 a lot this past week, and invite everyone to read these chapters too!  

Thank you all for your love and prayers!

With love,

Hermana Norman

Primary program was yesterday....love these cute kids!

Its crazy but 1 of the Elders in my district was on a Humanitarian trip with me to Belize back in 2014

My district celebrating Elder Boren's bday

The gospel is for everyone...and every thing?

Hola!

So this week has been craaaazy!  Monday I was with the Sister Leaders in their area... and I had an amazing experience with them!  So I was freaking out a little because I was sooo nervous for my new companion and to be the lead in our area.. but I remained calm and focused on every lesson that we were in.  During one of our lessons, I felt the spirit so strong. As I taught and bore testimony I felt different, I truly felt like it wasn´t me that was speaking. At the end of the lesson the woman asked if I would be staying in that area for awhile.. The other Hermanas replied that no I would go back to my area Tuesday.  Then the woman looked at me and said, ¨you are different.  When you spoke, it felt like your spirit was speaking to my spirit.¨ And in this moment, I feel like Heavenly Father was answering my prayers. I couldnt help but get emotional because lately I had been feeling like I wasnt as qualified as the other missionaries.  But this was a reminder, that yes, I am different, and I have something to offer to the people that I come in contact with.  I know that everyone is blessed with certain traits and talents, and we need to use those talents to bless the lives of other people.  

Met my companion Tuesday evening, Hermana Bustamante from Peru.  She is basically 4ft tall, and I look like a huge giant next to her. She is really a great missionary, and I am excited for this transfer with her. We don't seem to have a lot in common, but all we need is the gospel! So we have purpose and strive to work as one. 

Also had the weirdest lesson of my L.I.F.E!!!!!

As we were walking down the street in our area, a man approached us and said that he would like us to teach his children and his mother.  So we thought, "wow okay, perfect!"  So we went to his home...very modest.  And there he introduced us to his children....which were CATS!  His mother was a real human, but his 5 children were cats, AANNDD his sister... a DOG!  He was completely serious, and he even talked to them like they were his children.  Needless to say, we taught him, his ¨children¨ and his mother! But definitely was very interesting.

Thank you all for the love and support! Hope everyone has an amazing week!

Con Amor,

Hermana Norman

My zone

Missing Hermana Melo

Momma! look at my cool llama ring

HOLAAAAA

So my training is officially over, and I cant believe it.  Hermana Melo left this morning to go home. I am currently staying with the training sisters and tomorrow I will meet my new companion.  All I know now is that her name is Hermana Bustamante and she is from Peru! Excited and nervous for this next adventure!

WOW! 

How amazing was conference? It was definitely the spiritual reboost that I needed!  I loved the talk by Elder Nelson about how we need to have JOY.  It is so true, that even though we will have trials and challenges in this life, we can always have joy through Christ and His Grace.

We have three investigators with a baptismal date, and Im super excited for them.  We are currently teaching a woman and her 16 year old son, and it is so amazing because they both want to change their lives, feel free of their sins, and come unto Christ!  

I dont have a ton of time to write today, but I hope that everyone was able to enjoy the conference weekend, and I hope we can all take the counsel that we received and apply it in our lives.  

This is HIS church! I am proud to be a witness and representative of HIM!

With love,

Hermana Norman

This is a taste of all the dogs EVERYWHERE! And those who know me well know how much I love dogs! jajajaja

No showerhead and so water comes out like a fire hose!

Excitement in our fridge!