2015!

Where oh where has the time gone. It seems to me like I was just in my first area with my trainer in Lake Stevens. So many wonderful memories there. It was so crazy this week to look back on the past year and to think about 2014 of me being in Washington on a mission. I still have those moments where I have to really stop and think to myself... "wow is this real?! am i really a missionary" oh i just love every moment out here. The lord has blessed me in so many ways and I have been able to see the power of the gospel in action. The statement is true... The Gospel Truly Blesses Families. There is a family that we have been able to teach and every time we go over it is a wonderful experience. This week another one of their daughters joined us which was a tender mercy from the Lord. I have been thinking a lot about the whys to missionary work and why missionaries really go on missions. They go on missions to help their brothers and sisters have a better understanding of who Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ truly are, to help them understand that there is a way to receive peace and happiness and that is only through the gospel. Then after all of that and after you do those things in the end you become changed and you become truly converted to the gospel. You begin to understand why you love the gospel so much, you begin to feel the saviors love not only for yourself but for so many others. When you dedicate yourself to the work of salvation and you give everything that you possibly can you in return gain so much more. I love this work. I love it and i know that it is true. Just as we learn in the scriptures.. without charity we are nothing. Developing Charity is a LIFE long pursuit and it is something we should always be doing. I love when people grasp on to the idea that there really is a God and that he really is their father and he really loves them. Last night Sister Johnson and I randomly in one of our lessons felt like we should read a story in the Book of Mormon to a family. IN Alma 18 we read of a story about a missionary named Ammon and how he teaches King Lamoni about the gospel.. get this... we acted it out. OH it was so fun but after it we were all able to have a better understanding of who God was. 

With all that being said..:) I just sort of rambled on... Life is great! Washington is beautiful and we are so blessed here in Everett. We got to ride the Ferry on New Years day because we got he rest of our Pday. It was a picture perfect day. WE live in such a beautiful state. I feel SO LUCKY! The ride to the island was so beautiful and so peaceful. 

I love you all. I love the gospel and i know it is the way for us to gain Salvation. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR! this is such a wonderful time to reevaluate ourselves and see where we are really at and see how we can improve because we each can. Set some goals and make some plans o achieve them and i will do the same, with the lords help we can do hard things! \

Love, 

Sister Norton:)