Happy New Year from Nevada

Hello everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. I certainly did! We took a little part out of our day on Christmas and went to the small commercial center in our area and passed out a ton of candy canes and pictures of Christ. It was really great to wish everyone I could see a Merry Christmas and have the opportunities to bear my testimony of the Savior. It was great!

Thank you all for your letters and Christmas wishes. I appreciate it so much. It's great to hear that you are all doing well. Keep going and keep the Lord first! Special thanks to all my extended family who sent letters for me to read on Christmas morning. For a little bit there, it felt like I had the whole family right in my apartment! What a great feeling.

This week I had several opportunities to testify and teach about the Book of Mormon. I LOVE this book. It is my favorite book in the world. It has brought me closer to God, given me greater understanding of the Bible, and been an anchor of truth for me. The Book of Mormon is special because it comes with a promise. That promise is that anyone and everyone who reads it, ponders on what it means, and asks God in the name of Christ if it is true, WILL receive a confirmation that it is true. That is a very special promise. It is something I've tested, tried, and invited others to do as well. It is a true book of scripture. It shows us that God loves all of His children in every corner of the world and in every era of time. I'll never forget the feeling of joy I had as my companion and I literally sprinted down the street as fast as we could with a stack of Book of Mormons (Books of Mormon?) to share it with a family. Each time I testified of it, I felt the Spirit confirm to me again that it is true. I love this book. I would invite everyone to read it, to think about it, and especially to pray about it. Even if you've already done it, do it again. The feeling will be there every time. That's how special it is. 

I hope you all have a safe New Year. 2014 is going to be full of miracles. I pray for you and I trust that the Lord will lead you and guide you to where you need to be. Faithfully keep keeping the faith! It will all be worth it in the end. Love you all!
Elder Norton