Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Four Dinners for Thanksgiving

Hola,

Thats too bad that you had to have separate Thanksgivings but thats good you were able to have one. We had a great Thanksgiving and had a lot of fun this past week. We were able to go play football with an english ward up north about 45 minutes from here and it was a shock to see a bunch of white kids and youth playing with adults. It was a great game though and it snowed a little bit too so that was cool. Then we had four dinner appointments that we went to and only ate at two of them. It was really fun though and we had a good time with the four different families. Afterwards though when we got home I wasnt feeling good at all and so I tried going to the bathroom but that didnt help, we didnt have any peptobismal so then I just decided to throw up. So I threw up and that made me feel a lot better. But then in the middle of the night I woke up and was feeling horrible again. So I went to the bathroom and made myself throw up again and this time it was a ton of stuff that came up. I felt so good afterwards though so then I just went back to bed and we had a regular next day.

We had a ward Thanksgiving Dinner on Friday and that was great also. We had some of our investigators come and they had a good time. It was great though to be with the members and recent converts and eat a lot of food. Things are going really good though and the people we are teaching are doing really good. We are going to have some changes though in the future with three companionships here in the ward (all spanish ward) so that means that I could be moving to another area in a couple of weeks. I got your package last week mom, thanks, I havent opened them yet except for the shirt because it was already partly opened. Things are going really good and we had a great last week. It was fun playing football though and being outside on a grass football field. It took us all a few dropped passes and duck throws to get back in the swing of things but it was a good time and no one got hurt so all is well. This week we are going back to Reading for an exchange and so that will be good to see some people and the area. We went to Bridgeton, NJ this past week and did an exchange with the Elders there. It was really good and had some good lessons learned and good Mexican people. I'll write a letter to you mom about the differences between here and there for Christmas. This morning we went to the Rocky Steps for exercise and it was great. Have a good week and take care. el amor de fily

norman

Monday, November 22, 2010

Thanksgiving Plans

Hola,

Thats really neat that its going to be so cold over there. I'm hoping for the snow to come soon because now the city is really dark and ugly. It isnt that cold but you still need to wear a jacket.

This past week was awesome with all the things that we accomplished. We really focused on committing people and we were able to see the fruits by a ton of miracles. The best part of the week was yesterday when we were at church one of our former investigators who was progressing randomly showed up to church. I saw her son of 8 years and asked him if his mom came and he told me yes. I looked up and there she was walking in the door just glowing with happiness. It was such a sweet feeling and when I shook her hand I just wanted to give her a big hug because she looked so happy. It turns out though that she came to church finally because she never had a skirt before. Then she somehow got a skirt and came to church yesterday. So we're going to start working with her again and helping her get baptized.

Things are going really good though and I realized yesterday how much this ward has become a part of me. The members are awesome and this has been an awesome area. We have two dinner invites for Thanksgiving and some other invites so it will be fun. I tried yesterday to try and organize some kind of football game or soccer for thursday morning but the leaders werent interested so we're going to go to a English wards game and try and take some less actives with us.

Things are going really good though and Im grateful to be from a family that farms and does a lot of different stuff. Being with my two new companions and other Elders here in the mission helps you see how grateful you are for the things you've done. Instead of wasting your time with computer games or video games or having some flea as a girlfriend you can do so many other things to spend your time. So thanks guys for being active and having fun lives. Have a good thanksgiving and keep up the good work. el amor de fily

norman

mom if youre going to send packages, send em to the office address instead of my apartment. If you send em through UPS I have to travel all the way down to South Philly to pick up the package.

Answers Some Questions

Hola,

1. Our schedule is now a lot better as to we are not traveling as much. They cut down the exchanges we do because we did so many last transfer. We did just as many exchanges as the Assistants and it was 11 I think. But now we only are on one exchange a week and so we are working a lot more here in our area.

2. New Jersey is pretty. Delaware is flat and the people are all interesting. There are no mountains so its kind of weird but thats how it is here in Philly.

3. I dont know about NASCAR, if I was from Delaware or Maryland I would probably like it because everyone there does.

4. Plans for Thanksgiving are go eat and play football and study. We dont know exactly what our plans are yet.

5. 1- maybe four pairs of new garments (cotton-poly long neck medium). and thats it. I dont want anything else. I know you dont like to hear that, but really I dont want anything else. Let me know if you want anything though.

6. I dont plan on spending more than 50 dollars so I dont think so.

Things are going really good though. We have some sweet investigators and are teaching a lot of people here. We taught almost 40 lessons this past week and half were with members present so it was great. We are in a three some and this greeny takes a lot of patience. He asks a lot of stupid questions and doesnt listen very well. We have a great companionship though things work well. But tomorrow we have a meeting with Elder Ellis from the 70 and then we'll be working here in Philly all week. Thanks you guys youre great. El Amor de Fily.

norman.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

HURRAY! A New Companion!

Hola Nielsons,

Well all is well, all is well. I am still here in North Philly with the same address and everything, but my companion is Elder Morrison from Shelley Idaho and he's the man. He is a really good missionary and good with spanish so it will be a good transfer. The only difference is that he likes video games a lot and I dont. But we get along really well and have known each other for awhile now. I have to say though that my last companion was the hardest one I've had in my mission so far and I survived without killing him.

Yesterday was awesome because we had a good time at church and then we went to this special fireside by Elder D. Todd Christofferson where he talked to the Philadelphia Stake. But before the meeting I was going to kill my companion and this other Elder who's Mexican because they were making all these comments to me, acting like I was some idiot from Idaho who had a 4th grade education. So I was about ready to kill the Mexican Elder and then we get to the meeting, we had to take them to the meeting, and we get to the meeting and I see my good buddy Elder Stroshine and we talked and made each other smile and it made me forget about all that stuff that was going on in my head. So basically I am grateful for good friends that are good people and help you out when you need a smile. But the meeting with Elder Christofferson was awesome. He had a great talk about serving others and preparing our homes and families for the Temple coming next year. It was really sweet and I learned a lot. Then afterwards I was able to go up and shake his hand, havent washed it since. Not really, but it was really cool to be there with an Apostle of the Lord. He really is called of God and the Spirit was very strong at the start of the meeting because I was searching for answers to my questions. It was a really great Sunday though and I felt like giving everyone a hug afterwards.

Then today we had our meeting this morning in Broomall and I got my new companion, but also we will be training an Elder this transfer. So we pick up our "Golden" on Wednesday and my companion will be the official trainer. Things are going great and this is going to be a good week. We are still "Language Trainers" or zone leaders for the spanish, except for we dont have a zone, but we wont be doing as many exchanges this transfer so that will be good. Next week Elder Ellis from the 70 comes to do a mission tour and then before we know it its Christmas Zone Conference. Time is flying and you guys look like youre doing good. You guys need to keep practicing on skiing so that you wont get beat so bad through the powder by "the norman." Tell Curtis that I'm a little ticked off right now that he is doing that. He better do the wedding after I get home. Have a good week, el amor de fily.

norman

Monday, November 1, 2010

Great Hispanic Halloween Party!

Hola Familia Mia.

Those are some good pictures. I dont know how well that shed is going to hold though if Blake and Brooks are making it, and Sarah you look good for an interview or somethin. No you guys look good, those are good pictures.

Well this was a good past week. We went down to Delaware and Maryland and it was a great trip. We had Zone Training in Dover DE and there they have a race track for Nascar. We had to pick up some Elders from the Pepboys in front of the track but we got there early. So we had some free time and walked over to the track and it was amazing. It was huge and the track is steep. I was a foot away from touching the track so it was pretty cool. Then afterwards we went down to Salisbury Maryland and had an exchange with the Elders down there. It was really good and we learned a lot together about how to teach in unity. Elder Bateman and I, one of my former companions, taught this lady and it was awesome. So good things learned and we had a good time too so it was a success. Then driving back I was able to see some combines cutting the soybeans and all the pretty trees. It was really cool and the trees were better in Delaware than Pennsylvannia, I took some pictures so dont worry mom. But it was really cool being down there and being with members that were white and from the country. You could see the difference in the people and it was clear to see that the people from the country are a lot better than those from the city.

Also for Halloween we had a great party in the church that the ward did and it was a great hispanic party. The music and dancing and costumes were pretty neat and it made me realize how great these members are here in the ward and how they care for you. Halloween wasnt crazy at all though, there werent that many people out yesterday.

This is the last week of the transfer and I will be staying here in Philly again so dont worry about changed address or anything. We had an exchange with the Assistants on Saturday and they let us know what was going to be happening. So things are going really good in the mission right now and we are helping out our ward grow. Yesterday we had a great lesson in church by our Bishop and he talked about the Plan of Salvation and how we have the great responsability to do the Temple work for those members of our families that have past away without the Gospel. Also how we need to do Geneology for our families to tie us all back to our first parents Adam and Eve. So things are going really good and we have another busy week with a leadership training tomorrow and Wednesday in Broomall and then exchanges in Camden and Lindenwold. Thanks for your support and tell Grandma and Grandpa Wilson thanks for the cookies and also Don and Lisa for the candy. You guys are awesome, keep it up. Les quiero mucho.

El Amor

Norman