Tuesday, April 3, 2012

4/1/12

Dear Mom
We had a great week here, I'm sorry to hear that people are sick.
That's cool that you have seen the Shaw's blog but try and find the
Bonemorts blog, that will be more about this side of the mission. The
Shaw's are not here very often and I'm not ever going to be in the
Marshall's. But actually you remember my MTC comp, Elder Green, he is now
in the Marshall's and will probably finish from over there, he is an AP.
Like I said we have had a great week, we had a baptism which was
probably the highlight and we also had quite a few people at church
which was really cool. But we do need to work on finding people. We had
a person move and haven't found anyone new for a little while. Elder
Hosler has been really cool to work with, I hope we are together for a
while.
How has conference been? I am really excited about next week to
listen to it. Elder Hosler's dad told him Pres. Monson mentioned the
Marshall Islands. I'm sure everyone will ask about it, it's funny how
many people still think I'm in the Marshall Islands, any letter or card I
get from ward members they ask how the Marshalls are even grandma
Starkey in the birthday card I just got from her. If people ask just
let them know I'm in Kiribati. It's just funny.
I can't really think of anything else too interesting, If you or
anyone has any questions about Kiribati let me know. It will give me
something to write about. Love you heaps.

Elder Norton

3/25/12

Dear Mom

Tell Sam I feel sorry for his suffering, hopefully he will be over
that soon. Have none of the other kids had the chicken pox yet either?
I actually just got another box this week, the one you sent at my
birthday. Thank you very much, me and Elder Hosler actually used stuff
from the Christmas boxes for dinner a couple nights, we made PIZZA!
That was really fun we also used those microwave dinners. It was pretty
lucky that I was in this house, it's one of the only ones with a
microwave.
Have you had a chance to check out those blogs yet? I'm just
curious. It's crazy to think that conference is coming up again. We
were talking to a guy in our branch who works in the translation
office and he said they have gotten all the talks except the prophets.
I'm really exited to get to listen to conference again, I always love
it. One crazy thought that just hit me, this will be my last conference
here in Kiribati, weird.
Could you do me a favor and give me grandma Richardson's email. I
will try and write a letter to her next week as well but I would like
her email if she has one. Call me a missionary but we need to get her
baptized. I was actually thinking about her the other day, you said the
missionaries gave her a blessing, is she taking lessons currently?
Tell her I love her and I hope she gets doing better and I will be
praying for her. Everyone else in the family doing alright?
Well I am doing great and I hope everyone else is as well. I
think that's about it from me, talk to you next week.

- Elder Norton

3/18/12

Dear Mom

Its really great to hear from you too. I didn't exactly get in trouble after April's letter but it was the first thing he said when he saw me. He said that he had gotten an email from my sister and i told him i had already heard and written back and that was it. Things are going great in my new old area, we actually had branch conference yesterday as well, it was pretty good. I am actually really excited to be back in Temaiku. There are four elders here again so it just got split when I came. Because of that we don't have tons of people but we have worked hard and we have found a few new people to teach this week. My companion is awesome he is a hard worker and really wants to be obedient. One thing I want to tell you before I forget is that I just found out that the Shaw's have a blog its called "the best three years" and also a senior couple here in Kiribati has one. I don't know what it's called but that one would be all about Kiribati so you would probably like that one. Their name is Bonemort I'm not sure on the spelling. So definitely check those out.
As for stuff you could send I just today got the boxes you sent at Christmas. I got two from you and one from Emily, if there is anything you sent after Christmas it has not come yet. But some stuff I would like are some deodorant and a calendar. That's all I can think of at the moment, both those things you can't really get here. But thank you for all the Christmas stuff, we had Christmas in March. Tell grandma Starkey thanks for the shirts, I had needed them because I gave a couple away in Butaritari, but I think those and the ones have should last me. If I don't get an email off to Emily tell her thanks a ton as well.
So you are going to have a chicken coop, that's pretty cool, out in Butaritari and here a little you see chickens running all over the place and you find out that roosters don't just crow in the morning they crow whenever they feel like. That's cool that you are working on self sufficiency. One question, in one of your old emails you said grandma Richardson was in the hospital, is she doing all right now? Let her and everyone else know I love them. Well I think that's all for now if you have any questions let me know.

Love ya all
Love Elder Norton

3/11/12

Mauri te utu ae moan te boboto iaon te aonaba,
(hello the best looking family in the world)

Mom, I need to start off with a huge apology. I was horrible about
writing letters out in butaritari. I'm so sorry if you worried but for
some reason I had a really hard time getting a letter out. I got one
letter from you in January that was from November. It's just so slow out
there. But as you apparently already know I just got back to Tarawa on
Thursday, I haven't seen the mission president yet but I'm sure he will
have something to say to me after April's email but I deserve it for
not trying harder.
But yea I am back on Tarawa and the funny part is I am also back in
Temaiku my first area. My companion is a new elder I will be training
named Elder Hosler. He is from Blanding Utah. I'm actually really
excited to be back in Temaiku. It's a good area and this time around I
can actually speak to the people here. Butaritari was really good but
also really challenging. The work was pretty slow, but there are lots
of really great people and it is beautiful. I read through all the
emails people have been sending, it seems like a lot has happened. I was
excited to hear about Lucy's birth (but she was supposed to be born on
the 11th) I hope she is doing great. And tell Sarah congrats on her
decision to be baptised. I would like to send everyone an email but
the internet was being really slow and I had to do an online survey
for missionaries that took a little while. So let everyone know that I
love them and appreciate everything they have done for me. As for
stuff I need I don't really know right now because the zone leaders
haven't gotten me my other bags or the packages that have been waiting
here so if you could wait till next week I will look at that stuff and
see if there is anything I might need. And the last thing happy
belated birthday to everyone especially to you mom. I love you so much
and I'm so glad you are my mom thank for your prayers. I heard a song
from one of my comps Cd's about a mom praying for her son on his
mission it reminded me of you, so just thank you for being my mom.
Well I think that's it for this week I'm really excited to hear from
you all next week. I love you all heaps.

12/28/11

Hey Mum

Just gonna send a quick email. I am going back out to Butaritari tomorrow so I wanted to let you know how great it was to see you all at Christmas time. And also you asked if there is anything I could use, really that extra camera battery and also a couple packages of aaa batteries would be nice. That's all I can think of for like a birthday box if you send something. That's really it, I'm doing good and I'm really excited to get back out to Butaritari. I sent a box of stuff today so that should get there eventually, there is a letter explaining what's in it.

Well I think that's about it, love you mum tell everyone hi for me.

Love Elder Norton

11/2/11

Dear Mum

Thanks for telling everyone, I got emails from Emily, Erica, and
April. I will be leaving tomorrow and working with one of the elders
there for a couple weeks and then Elder Foast who just came today will
come out to Butaritari as well. So yes my new companion has come I
just won't be really working with him for a little while. I don't think
I will be able to email so I will try to get letters out every week
but you know how slow that can be so the next time you hear from me
could be at Christmas time. As far as I know we are for sure coming in
for Christmas. You don't need to hurry the box you will send, it doesn't usually
take too long.
I am really exited to go out again. I know a bit about it, Elder
Rameka actually served there so I have known about it for a while and
have always kind of hoped I could work there. So don't worry about me I
will be fine. I will write and I will see you all at Christmas.
I love you heaps mom.
Love Spencer.

11/1/11

Dear mom

Hey just a quick email right now, I just wanted to let you know there has been a change in plans from the last time I emailed you. Turns out I am going to be sent to outies again. Butaritari is the name of the island I will be working on. I hope to be able to write again tomorrow so if you see this write me back before then and tell the rest of the family to as well.
That's it for right now i will write again tomorrow.
Love you,
Love Elder Norton