FELIZ NAVIDAD FROM ARGENTINA!!!!!

Wow being on a mission sure helps us keep a focus on the Savior at the Christmas season. It may help that the baking, shopping and decorating has really been kept to a minimum, and sharing the Gospel has been pretty much full time. We are having four missionaries over on Christmas day to call their families so a little cooking and gee its not eazy to shop for missionaries;, socks ties and toothpaste. We did decorate a gingerbread house for a little family and wrapped up a few things for them, and our porteros(door men) at the apartment building, and birthday cake for Marcela and Guido, and the little neighbor kids next door, and Don found pretty choclate candy for about 40 office workers in our area office and we are having a surprise bridel shower at work today for Marina who is getting married and a few little things for Veronica and Ardrian and little Federico. Oh I quess we have been doing a little shopping. Don really wanted to make popcorn cakes for all our Couples after little Lucy and Mayce should us Ashlees popcorn cakes on facetime, but after not finding any marshmellows we may have to give up on that on. We recieved this following note from one of our mission presidents, as shared by his  open chapel coordinators. The miracles of these wonderful events to share the Gospel with the world are coming in daily. These wonderful results help me to always realize it is worth it to leave all our family and comforts for awhile to help build the kingdom. Because as all missionaries know there are days when Satan gets in your head and you are not sure if all your work is what the Lord wants it to be. 

tonight was a miracle night  ...

To begin with ... as we began the evening, it was raining cats and dogs.  A single adult returned missionary from the district ( there were six that came to help us ), suggested we kneel in prayer and ask that the rain stop.  We knelt in prayer as the rain "beat down on the roof".  It was a sure thing no one was going to be out in the rain.  Today's forecast was 90% chance of rain. Bryan, a young man who just got his mission call offered the prayer (a member from Sarandi Grande Branch).  After the prayer the rain had slowed markedly, but within minutes the rain stopped completely.  These young single adults then hit the road and brought in investigators one after another.  

Our full time missionaries we're all teaching at the same time.  One companionship was at the baptismal, and two others were taking groups through one right after another. We barely had time to take their names and address before another group was finishing with their tour. We were very blessed with the following results:Missionaries present: 8

District Single Adults : 6

Members present:  12

Less actives:  3

Investigators:  23

(many promising investigators)

An answer to prayers and fasting!

Love the work!!! 

A young man named Angel had decided to take his life because of drugs , alcohol and family problems, he had given up hope. He said a prayer to God for help, and shortly after the missionaries came by inviting to the open house at the chapel. He went  to the chapel open house and stayed all two hours feeling the love and encouragement. He attended church and is now having the lessons. He is feeling hope again.

These are but two of the special results of our big Christmas campaign to hold many christmas open houses and invite all to come and get to know the Mormons. Weve let off thousands of balloons in parks and plazas with the Christmas passalong cards  tied to them taking people to Mormon.org to use the advent calender to learn what the Savior did and how we can practice following His example. I think we have all had a very focused December as we have served and helped to bring His light to others. We have had over 6000 visitors come into our chapels and generated over 1,500 references  for the missionaries to follow up with visits; and all the reports still are not in. Since we started our mission we have had 18,691 come to our events, 3,762 non members, 1,033 less actives attend and 5,186 references  generated for the missionaries. Its an organizational feat that only God  could orchestrate and the reporting for 28 missions is another  miracle. And we have now had 3 successful youth treks in Cordoba and two more to go, one in February and march. The hot months. We are heading up to Salta the first week of January to do five trainings and its about 115 degrees up there in the very north of Argentina. We will be on a 6 hour bus ride to some of the far out districts and I always pray for airconditioned buses, as they still have some that are not.  So far so good. You would think We would loss a pound or two with all this sweating. The work and the people are wonderful and the Lord is teaching us so much about our character defects and we are getting better and better at repenting when we treat each other sharp or hurtful. We had no idea it would be so challenging working together as a team, but so rewarding when we keep working at it. How could two people be so different and yet one in purpose? I surely know why marriage is ordained of God. To really have a good one requires us to develope all the qualities we need to get back to Father.

Love to each of you and have  wonderful Holidays.

Elder y Hermana Norton

Don and Rhonda

Mom and Dad

Nan and Pop