Whoooopsies.

Querida Familia,

How's life? It sounds like you're doing well! Kimmie, I wish I could have been at your dance recital! How's TDT going? I can't believe you've already signed up for 11th GRADE?! When did you grow up?? Bud, I'm glad to hear your doing well in tenis! Wish I could be there to watch you play! :) Emily and Craig...welp...I don't think mom told me anything about you...but I'm sure you're doing great too:) Hope school is going well! Haha.

Well...this week was interesting. Let's start with Monday cause that's the only day of the week that I can separate from the others. In the cyber here they play non-stop Bruno Mars...for some reason people here in Argentina really like him. I've never been much of a fan...but what can you do? We had asado with Maria and Marcelo. It was really good...I'm starting to like meat. Don't judge me...I am in the beef capital of the world...Argentines know how to cook meat right. Also...the best part? They had ABBA playing the whole time...it was great. Dancing Queen, Take a Chance on me, chiquitito, Fernando...good times. After lunch...and some ice cream for dessert...we went to the church where all the Elders were playing futbol. 4 on 4. Gringos vs Latinos. HILARIOUS. Hermana Tumbaico and I watched safely from the sidelines. The gringos won...but only because they got lucky. Haha. I think the plan is to re-match today. Hermana Tumbaico and I will be the goalies because it makes the Elders play a little softer. I'll let ya'll know how it goes.

Well...the other six days of the week blur into one big proselyting day...so I'll just start from where I can remember. On Tuesday we had a zone conference. Elder Julcahuanca and Elder Elliz talked to us a lot about contacts. Elder Ballard in the mission presidents conference in Chile talked about contacting...and President Rogers gave every missionary the challenge (in other words...a new rule) to contact 10 people each day. So, in the companionship we have to do 20 contacts every day. It can be knocking doors or talking on the street...but si o si...20 each day. Elder Ballard promised us lots of blessings...as Joseph Smith said, "When the Lord commands, do it." So...we've been doing lots of contacting this week! The zone conference was great...I love love love learning from my leaders.

After the zone meeting we went to lunch at a "restaurant" as a zone. 14 missionaries. We ate pollo and rice. It was actually really yummy. It was lots of fun. I love missionaries. It's always a blast being all together:)

Oh, and yesterday wanna know what we ate for lunch? COLE SLAW!! Reminded me of Grandma:) Well...we also ate meat and rice...but the cole slaw reminded me of home!

This week I had the craziest dream! I had a dream that I wasn't baptized because the church didn't have my baptismal record...so naturally Hermana Tumbaico and I flew to Ecuador so that I could be baptized...not sure why we went all the way there...oh it was because you can't be a missionary if you're not a member! Well..that doesn't explain the ecuador part...but it was a dream! Anyway...I got baptized in Ecuador...but then we realized that Ecuador is NOT part of our mission boundaries and so we hurried back to Argentina before President Rogers found out and sent us home. Unfortunately we got back to Argentina and still didn't have a baptismal record. I woke up extremely grateful for my baptism day 12 years ago:) What did I drink before going to bed? ...oh...speaking of that...I may or may not have accidentally broken the word of wisdom this week. Whoooopsies. We were with an investigator in the morning and she gave us coffee..only we thought it was malta...which is practically the same thing (same smell and similar taste)...but it's not against the word of wisdom. Well...we drank it...realized that it WASN'T malta and yeah. Don't worry...I repented and told President in my email this morning. I can only imagine the cackle I'm gonna hear in my interview with him next week. He has a cackle that beats all. It's the best. Hahaha...how are we gonna teach the word of wisdom to the investigators though? That's gonna be awkward. Hahaha...the good news? I like the taste of coffee just about as much as I like the smell...in other words not at all. Hahaha:)

This week we've also had a few run ins with some drunks and some creeps. On Wednesday night I think it was a guy stopped us on the street and asked for our help. He needed to get to Rio Gallegos and didn't have money. Since there's an Hermano that is incharge of helping with those circumstances, we took him to the chapel to figure out what we could do. Only when we got inside the chapel and out of the really strong wind could we smell the alcohol on the guys breath. We did what we could and then chau. Then last night we had a creeper following us. He stayed close behind us for 5-6 streets even though we did everything we could to lose him. He wasn't being very sneaky...when he started to say stuff we hurried and turned up a street...he didn't follow us that time and we booked it to the pension. When we arrived we called the zone leaders and they just told us to stay in the pension instead of finishing the last 30 minutes of proselyting hours. The bad news about winter here is that it gets dark early. Good times. Now, Mom, I did not tell you this story to freak you out...don't worry, we're fine...the creeps that follow us are few and far between:)

My companion almost got bit by a dog this week. She screamed really loud. The people on the other side of the street stared at us funny as we cracked up laughing. The dog wasn't that big and only came running at us because he was being a bone head as dad always says. No harm, no foul, right? Hahaha...there's so many dogs here.

This week we ate lunch in our pension a lot. Hermana Tumbaico took naps after eating really fast...I somehow never got around to it. Probably for the best though...if I take a nap I will not be waking up 20 minutes later. The mission is the best..but its exhausting! :) The days we did eat lunch with members were freezing so we showed up at the houses like popsicles. We stand for a few minutes next to the space heater to get the feeling back in our fingers so we can use a fork properly. It's sooo cold. Luckily..the last two days it hasn't been windy. Tender mercies of the Lord, people. You wanna know what song I've been singing the last two days? ..."somewhere in my youth or childhood...I must have done something good!" Yep, sound of music! Haha...It's true though. I don't know what I did...but it's been so nice without the wind...still cold...but we only leave with one coat instead of two!! :) It only rained in the mornings twice this week! And...why didn't I get a coat with a hood? Go me. Hahaha. When there's wind, I always come home with my hair full of dirt. It's gross.

This morning while walking to the cyber a guy was walking 7 dogs. Crazy Argentines. There were actually like 10 but only 7 of them were on a leash.

This week I've been studying a lot in Preach My Gospel. Chapter 6 is AWESOME! :) Christlike attributes. Best missionary tool ever. I LOVE that book. Also, have you all seen the video "only a stonecutter?" Well...if you haven't...it's time. John Moyle...I think is his name...what an incredible example of faith and service! 

Here in Rio Grande we're working on finding new investigators. It's a process. As my companion always says, "Hay mucho oro..pero esta muy muy escondido." (There's lots of gold here, it's just hidden really well.) She's right! There's always people who are ready...we just have to find them! When was the last time you gave the missionaries a reference?? :) Think hard and pray for Heavenly Father to help you know who those people are that are ready:) Remember, this is HIS work. He ALWAYS helps us in His work!

Okay family...I have to go! Have a fantastic week! I love you all and you're always in my prayers! :) Don't forget to read your scriptures and say your prayers!

I love you soo much!

Hermana Heath