guess we're not going to the beach today

We had plans to go to east coast park today to have a picnic with F for my birthday, but a huge thunder clap woke all of us up at 5:30 this morning. Three of us sat up in our beds at the same time and just sat there quietly until Sister Wong said the plans were not looking so good. It was a huge storm! So now, seeing as it's too "cold," we're going to have the picnic indoors. I'm still excited though.

It's been a rough week but there's been so much love coming in the mail...it made it a lot easier. I got a birthday package from mommy, daddy, and daxy and it was so great! I know you guys miss birthday month :) It's low key this year anyway, we'll resume in 2012. The emails from Jillian were such a blessing. I love that girl. I'm so happy that one of my best friends is out here with me. And Sarah is joining the ranks today! Then I got a letter from Sister Jensen that just made me bawl. She's incredible too. I also got an email from my Grandpa Merlin telling me happy birthday...and it made me cry even more. Oh, and I got a birthday card in the mail from my Grandma Dionne and Grandpa Riggs. It was SO sweet. Thank you everyone for remembering my birthday. It really meant a lot to me! Basically I just have awesome people in my life. They're all angels.

The expat ward is officially split, giving us three wards to work with. It's going to be crazy busy. But we were reminded that the split put us one step closer to a temple here in Singapore. I was thinking about that a lot this past week. We're trying to build the Lord's kingdom out here, and bringing people to the gospel is wonderful, but we need a temple. The temple is like the crowning glory of all the work. The temple is what will seal families together for eternity and endow the members with priceless knowledge. Knowledge really is power in this life. We come across a few very skeptical people that kind of approach religion the same way Marx did, "an opiate for the masses," but I'm coming to realize that just the knowledge of what our purpose is in this life, what will happen after it, that's enough hope to get me through anything. Joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will not take away your problems. Your life will still be hard because that's the only way we can grow. But the knowledge given us through the gospel sustains us in our trials. And I believe that it gives reason to hope and have immense joy in this life too. I'm so grateful that I do know that.

I've really been struggling lately, feeling like I don't have the same passionate testimony that I used to. Sister Howard and I were talking about it yesterday and basically compared it to a relationship...it's fireworks at first, but once it calms down and matures, there's a deep love and that isn't anything less than the excitement at the beginning. That's how I feel my love for my Savior is becoming. I used to be quite emotional about it even, but I'm not very often anymore. I don't follow the path that I'm on because I'm controlled by emotions or caught up in any hype (although that may have been a starting point for me), but I follow it because it's the only logical thing to do. I know the plan that God has for us is real. Why would I not follow it?

We are teaching a new girl from China, YL. She is so hilarious. And so smart. It's such a treat meeting with her. We were talking about faith yesterday and we showed her a scripture in Alma 32:21 and she flipped out saying that's exactly how she would describe faith. It was cool. She likes The Book of Mormon. So we're happy about that :)

Still haven't seen NG :( B is still on date for 8 October. We'll meet with L & E tonight. N finally realized the magnitude of the message that we've been sharing with him for months, that we do have a living prophet. He was taken back a bit, but he wants to pray about it and gain that answer for himself, so that's progress.

It's crazy to think that Jilli, Kimmy, Jenna, and I were all living together this time last year. Now one is in Texas, one in Provo, one in Denver, and one in Singapore. 2012 will be such a fine reunion. I love you all! (Kimmy...I NEED to hear from you soon. Love you!)

I think that's it folks. I love you! I'm going to go party for my birthday now. Thank you all for the love!

Sister Norton

HFI

I froze Sister Ferg and Sister Wong's nametags

because they put my bed on my desk

then they decorated my door for my birthday :)