The Spirit of God Like A Fire is Burning!

With my buddy, Elder Ware.

Dear family,

Hope you are all in high spirits and rejuvinated after a nice, peaceful spring break. I write you today from Coban where we are having a small p-day activity. All we did basically was come here for breakfast, to buy some things that we need and to print some photos. Was it worth waking up at 2 am to get on a cramped bus and drive 3 and a half hours to get here? 2 delicious McGriddles tell me, definitely yes!

This week has been a pretty good week. We've seen some answers to our prayers and some disappointments as well. But things are for the most part working out for all of our investigators. Oscar, the husband of Juana, one of our investigators that is determined to be baptized, fell this past week and broke his leg in the capital. He came back home near the end of the week. We think that the Lord is providing the way for him to have his heart softened so that he and his wife can get married in April and so that she can get baptized. Please pray for Oscar so that he will decided to get married, giant leg-cast and all. So that was the answer to our prayers. The disappointment was that Miguel, our other investigator that we are planning on helping to get married and baptized, got drunk this past week and we went to his house every other day (he's only home every other day for his work) but didn't find him even once there. We talked to his future wife a little bit and she told us that he's got some friends and family members that are giving him bad advice and that he says that when he's ready to get married that he will tell us. So we're a little worried about him. Please especially remember him in your prayers. But he at least came to church yesterday. He told me that he wants me to give him a tie for him to wear to church. I told him that at his baptism I'd give him two. 

Other than that things are progressing along nicely with the rest of our investigators that have baptismal dates. Alicia is AWESOME and super faithful. She is finding out for herself every day more that this is really the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. She reads the Book of Mormon and she is praying and says that she feels in her heart that it is true and that she needs to get baptized. Now we are just getting everything figured out with the marriage and the baptism. We decided to move all of our baptismal dates back a week so that we won't have any problems getting our investigators confirmed because of the General Conference that will be the 31st of March and the 1st of April. (SO excited for General Conference. Kind of nervous though because I just know that almost all of the talks are going to be about marriage...) (haha just kidding. I'm excited for all of the counsel that I'll get about coming home and staying true to the faith.) The children of Domingo and Rosa are also all on track as well to get baptized the 7th. It's just too bad that Rosa is about to have her baby now too or esle she could get baptized right now too. Oh well, she'll just have to wait until May probably. Things are going well. The mission is really changing a lot right now, starting with the Polochik. We are leading the mission right now. We have 40 baptismal dates right now as a zone and that's after having just baptized 20 last week. "The Spirit of God like a fire is burning..." Things are going great with everything- the people, the comp, the language, the area. I'm loving everything. I'm feeling a lot like Elder Woodward after reading his letter. I'm to the point where I don't like telling people that I'm going home soon. I'd rather not think about it for now. Leaving behind such a wonderful, crazy, unique, silly, fun culture and people that I have come to be a part of will be probably one of the hardest things I've ever done. AH!

Ok anyways. Here's some shoutouts for y'all.

Dad- alright dad here are my thoughts: first of all about classes. I'm definitely down with taking Spanish with Twoody and that will be just perfect. In fact any other classes that he is thinking about taking as well would be nice to be able to take together if possible. I received I think what you could call a revelation this week that I want to study Hebrew. I'm decided about it. I think that it would be awesome to be able to understand more the scriptures and understand the Jewish culture more since it is a pretty predominant culture and religion where we live. So I really want to do that. As for the schedule of things, I think it would be best to have them all earlier in the morning to get them all done with. I would like to work it out so that I can have a work schedule as well at the MTC possibly or at any other place. Other classes that I would like to take: I think I told you my last email more or less what I think I should take...possibly some kind of fitness class to help with posture or balance things like that. I've heard that those classes exist at least. As for what you said about "becoming Guatemalan" yeah I think that materialism and technology have part to do with how my perspective has changed a little bit. I'm not really exactly sure how to explain it I guess. All of this time being without any sort of technology or cell phones or computers has helped me to just detach myself a little bit so that I'm not really as into it anymore. I feel like now I'm more down to earth I guess you could say. That's just how the Q'eqchi' people are. Down to earth. They don't need anything fancy to be happy. In fact, as soon as a lot of technology and stuff are introduced into their lives, their is a definite change in most of them. I'm not sure how to explain it really. It will probably be better to explain to you over the phone I guess. But I just have the feeling that I just want to kind of keep myself detached from everything for a while. It's just more fun that way. Technology is cool but there are a lot better things. Thanks for everyhing dad. Try to give me a rough outline of a schedule next week would you? Love you! ps- I'm excited for the time we'll get to hang out together and I'm really looking forward to it as well. I feel like our relationship will get even closer as we try to spend more time together doing fun things and talking about life and experiences. Love you!

Mom- sorry mom my time is running short but I think that for the most part the places that we would go to see wouldn't be very long visits. My areas would mostly just be pass through and make short visits. haha well mom just make sure that you remember that iFamily will never exist. I know you guys know that but it's easy sometimes to get caught up in the "coolness" of technology. Don't worry though I'll make you put that iPad down when I get back :) Love you Mom!

Alright, well times up guys. Love you all tons. Can't wait to hear from you all next week!!

Love,

Elder Norton

PS- Jack- thanks a lot for the drawing haha :) miss you too buddy. I can't wait to see you again soon!! Love you!!