FELIZ AÑO NUEVOO!

Hey family...

It was sooo good talking to you all on Christmas! I was suuuper happy I got to talk to Matthew...err...Elder Heath too:) That made my day. I didn't think I was gonna get to talk with him:)

This week for new years we're gonna be with the same family...the only difference? The four Elders from our branch are gonna crash our party! Puuuucha. All six of us are gonna be together which will actually be really fun. I love this time of year in Argentina:) Oh...and we're gonna watch Monsters Inc 2...I'm super excited. I've also never seen that movie. Frozen was sooo cute. I've been singing the songs all week long.

This week we've got some more service planned as a district:) We're really excited. Yesterday was Elder Boyd's birthday so we had a small party in the church...we told him it was a meeting with the Elders quorum president. It was fun. After we played that game where you tie the balloon around your ankle and have to pop other peoples. It was fun...I took second place:) Hahaha.

Sooo...I think I pretty much to you everything on Thursday. But...I'm sure you've all seen the video the church made this year for Christmas..."He is the gift" Remember, Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. He is the gift. I love the video. It's really powerful:)

Yesterday as a district we took some time to share with each other our favorite scriptures...it was really cool. I came across seccion 31 in D&C...the section mom shared with me before the mission. Last night I read it again... inserting my own name and remembered lots of promises and blessings from my setting apart. How quickly this year went by! Puuucha. I'm not ready to come home yet friends. I'm determined to stay foreverrr! :)

Well..have a very happy new year! I love you all! Em and Craig...watch some good disney movies for me...it looks like you got a pretty good colection:)

I LOVE YOU ALL! Have a great week:)

Hermana Heath

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!

Hola Familia,

¿Como andan? This week is Christmas!! Can you believe it?! I sure can't. What happened to the year...I think we skipped half of it. But anyway...I hope ya'll have a very merry christmas this year. We'll be talking soooon!

So...this week was crazy. Remind me one day to tell ya'll what happened cause I don't have much time. But basically Hermana Rodriguez didn't end up leaving until Tuesday morning. On Monday night we were at the pension of the zone leaders until about 11:30PM with all the missionaries wrapping up suitcases in plastic bags and tape from the missionaries that had traveled north...the people from the colectivo wouldn't let them take more than one on the bus. Anyway...we had like 30 extra suitcases to deal with. Then we ended up eating hot dogs cause we hadn't eaten anything all day. We didn't end up going to bed until like 2:30AM that night. I love transfers. Let me tell ya. Earlier that day we played soccer at a field that we rented for two hours. It was fun...and Hermana Heath scored two goals. Ya buddy! It was a good day... Tuesday we got up at 5:00 so that my comp could be at the terminal at 6:30AM. Then  I was on splits with the other hermanas until that night when I got on the colectivo and couldn't sleep due to the man next to me snoring suuuuper loud. On Wednesday morning I was in the pension of the hermanas in comodoro for about 3 hours...there were 7 hermanas training...we had a great time talking and toward the end we started stealing each others phones to call people from our old areas. I got super lucky because Hermana Salazar is currently in my area in Rawson and Hermana Villela is in my area in Caleta Olivia so I got to call Mariela, Agustina, and Maxi!!! :) Then with Hermana Zanuttini we called the familia zampa. It was sooo good to talk with them. They're all doing great:) At about noon we went to the offices and met the new missionaries. 5 gringas and 2 latinas. My new companion is Hermana Solorzano from Guatemala. I'm soooo glad she speaks spanish. As of right now...training is NOT fun...but my companion is great so we're doing good. We had a looong bus ride back...somehow I was able to sleep for most of it. Then we worked in our area the rest of the week. We put 4 new baptismal dates this week and found two new investigators! I'm super relieved because we lost pretty much everyone we had last week and the week before. Anywayy...on Saturday morning we did service in san benito as a zone. We had to clean out a garage..it was filled with lots of...well...the only word I can come up with is crap. Yep...it was filled with crap. I'm pretty sure this lady is a hoarder. There was an opened bag of lays chips from 2008. Puuuucha. There were also car parts...couches...baby strollers...clothes everywhere...anything you can think of was in that garage. I impressed everyone with my ability to carry heavy things. It was actually just because the Elders never let us do anything so they're always surprised when they find out we can open a door by ourselves and everything. Who knew, right?! Hahaha...the Elders are great! Such gentlemen. Hahahah.

Well...that was my week. I left lots of things out...but that's all I can come up with right now and my time is running short...like always. But...on Thursday we'll talk! :) I LOVE YOU ALL! MERRY CHRISTMAS! :):):)

Hermana Heath

TRANSFERS CAMEEE! ...por fin! :)

Hola Familia,

Soo...I'm pretty much out of time. Again. How does that happen so fast?! Beats me. Anyway...this week was really long...but it was good. We had lots of fun activities in the church. On tuesday we had district meeting which was awesome. I had to talk about christlike attributes...I've learned a lot about them this transfer. On wednesday we went christmas caroling as a district...an hermana in the branch made us santa hats and everything :) On Friday we had our christmas dinner as a branch. We did the live nativity...but it looks like you already found that out...the members here are really good with facebook apparently. hahaa. Anyway...I was Maria...and i got to hold a baby...for all you RM's you know that we're not supposed to hold babies...but what was I gonna do? Make Joseph hold it? No way Jose! I definitely took advantage of that opportunity...and I loved it...i almost didn't give little baby benjamin back. he's the son of the elders investigators. Soooo cute. I was in heaven. Best day ever...it made the embarassment worth it:) On saturday as missionaries we sang at seminary/institute graduation. it was fun! then they told us transfers. I'm gonna be training. I go to comodoro tomorrow night to pick her up...another loooong bus ride. wish me luck! Hermana rodriguez is going to ushuaia with hermana reyes. she's got awesome zone leaders down there so she'll be okay. Well family...I don't have much else to share this week. Griselda and Miguel didn't end up getting baptized. Puuucha. They're soo close. keep praying for them. the elders are gonna take over now...so i've gotta find new investigators!! I love rio gallegos. the families here are AMAZING! There's one family in particular the familia fernandez that takes such good care of me. I LOVE THEM! :)

Have a great week! sorry for the short unorganized letter. I love you all...next week we're gonna skype! shoot. I forgot..I haven't checked on times with members or anything. i'll let you know the time...it'll probably be in the afternoon...like 6:00 my time...2:00 your time. when are you gonna talk with matthew? christmas came fast! next monday i'll let you know for sure :)

Hermana Heath

17 daysss:)

Hola Familia,

Sooo...it's officially the Christmas season here in Argentina. On December 8th everyone starts to set up their trees and decorations and weird Santa dolls with stringy beards. I think it's a catholic tradition...and Argentina kinda adopted it. Crazies! I can't believe how quickly this year went by. Are ya'll excited to talk to meee? :)

This week was reallly long..but it was a good one. Remember Griselda and Miguel? They're supposed to get baptized this weekend! Keep them in your prayers please! They're amazing..the only problem is they moved to the area of the Elders yesterday...puuucha. We're gonna keep visiting them until their baptism and then we'll start to have visits with the Elders and eventually they'll take over with the retention lessons. I'm gonna miss visiting them...we go almost every single day. Such a great family:)

On Friday we had zone meeting...Elder Ramos and Hermana Judd gave their last testimonies. Soo weird. Elder Ramos was one of my first zone leaders in Trelew...over a year later we were put in the same zone again. Elder Kern is finishing this week too...he's the one from Provo that I met playing volleyball in Wyview before the mission. How the time flies...I can't believe that I hit the 15 month mark this week. NO PUEDE SER!! Anyway...the zone meeting was great. I love being a missionary. It's the best ever. I learn so much every single day.

On Thursday we went out as a district to carol! We visited the menos activos and invited them to church and a chirstmas dinner we're gonna have this friday as a branch. The missionaries are in charge of the nativity...I got stuck with the role of Mary. Normally I would be okay with that..but this is not as simple as walking in with a fake baby and listening to uncle David or uncle Russell read the christmas story...this is acting...and there's a real baby involved. Acting is not my thing people. Oh well...it should be good I guess.

Oh...so here's mostly for dad...my district leader always tells me jokes to keep me sane this transfer with everything going on...the other day I told him the "what do a duck and a bike have in common?" he didnt' find it very funny...I think it was cause he didn't understand.

Okay..well I have to go! Have a great week!! :) I LOVE YOU ALL! The church is trueeee:)

Hugs from Rio Gallegos!

Hermana Heath

No email today.  It's going to be a long week... :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Mi queridisima familia,

So...what's up? I have about two seconds to send you an email...it's a holiday in Argentina (surprise! surprise!) and the only ciber open is super expensive asi que your email is gonna be short..that seems to be happening a lot lately...

First we had interviews with President and Hermana Rogers. Can I just tell you how much I love them! They're amazing...and they both motivated me to keep going. They love me:) Hahaha I'm so excited for ya'll to meet them one day.

...HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I totally forgot...but  I hope you have a splendid day. Make sure Shaun doesn't eat all the banana cream pie...I feel like we always had a battle for the last piece...haha. Man, I'm gonna be missing home on thursday..but honestly not that much. Give everyone big hugs for me!! :)

This week I got to talk for a few minutes with Hermana Hundley...benefits of being friends with the assistants. She's doing good...it's always great talking to her. It pretty much made my day...plus everyone in Gallegos LOVES her and so they automatically love me too. It's the best:)

On Thursday two investigators Griselda and Miguel got married!! Yahooo... they're 24 and 22 years old and have 4 kids...on Friday Griselda told us she's pregnant with the 5th...anyway...they're super poor, but they are the cutest family. We're working toward baptism with them. I LOVE them...Miguel reminds me sooo much of the Craig-meister...it kinda makes me wanna give him a great big hug every time I see him. They're awesome.

Ummm...last but not least...sketchy Argentina water is finally starting to affect me...or I should say my hair. My hair is FALLING OUT. As you can imagine...I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS! Someone do some research and tell me what I have to do to keep my hair in my head...remember back in the day when my hair was long and pretty and thick? Well..those days are no more. Puuuucha. Someone help me please!  :(:(:(:( Hahahhaa...okay so I might have exaggerated a little bit...but really someone tell me what to do!

Yesterday in church we talked about what it means to be a true disciple of Christ..I LOVED IT! It's never gonna be easy...but it's worth it every time! Our first loyalty should always be to the Lord...in relief society we talked about taking the beam out of our own eye before trying to get rid of the mote in someone elses. So..it all tied together really well. It was an awesome day in church!

Okay that's all I can come up with this week! I love you all! Have a very happy thanksgiving! Hugs and kisses from Rio Gallegos!

Hermana Heath

Heyyy...

Hola Familia...

So...this week was EPIC. I didn't have time to read your emails...internet time is SUPER expensive here....soo...I'll read them later. Anyway...this week flew by...kind of.

On Tuesday I was in divisions with Hermana Johnson in centro Rio Gallegos. It was a good day...and a nice break from my companion. President Rogers wasn't kidding! Haha. I also hit 14 months in the mission...can ya'll believe it? I sure can't. The time is going by wayyy to fast. We're already half way through november!! Que LOCO!

On Wednesday we were at the dentist all day...my comp had to get a root canal last week and this week they did some other stuff. That night at 6:00PM we met up in the chapel and went to the terminal together...at 8:00PM we were boarding the bus that took us to Comodoro! It was sooo fun. I was sitting next to Hermana Garavito but Elder Ramos was in the other aisle seat across from me (my old zone leader in Trelew) It was the first time I had seen him since I left Rawson (he's in Calafate now which is about 3 hours outside of Gallegos) We talked until about 1:30AM about the mission and remembering good times in Trelew Sur. Hermana Garavito was also in that zone so she didn't get left out:) Haha. We only slept a little bit here and there...bus rides are impossible!

We got to Comodoro at about 6:30AM. We passed through Caleta and it pretty much ripped my heart out...I almost got off there. I could have made it to Maxi's house in 5 minutes running. Temptations. Anyway...we went to the mission office...the first Elder I saw that I recognized was Elder Alvarez...it was soo fun to see him. Then I saw Hermana Rasmussen, Hermana Zanuttini, Hermana Tumbaico...I had 7 of my 9 companions there. CRAZY. Haha...it was super fun. I finally found Hermana Hundley...it was the best reunion EVER. I love her with all my heart. We just kinda stood there stunned...neither of us knew what to say so we just hugged each other...from that moment on we didn't leave each other's sides all day. She's doing really well. I was happy to talk with her:) Elder Christofferson showed up with Presidente Gonzalez and Presidente Rogers and their wives at about 10:00AM. The conference was GREAT...and Elder Christofferson wanted to shake our hands...you can bet I wont be washing my right hand ever again...it's my apostle hand. I shouldn't have a hard time with that goal because in Argentina they rarely have soap anyway! Haha. Crazy Argentines.

We ate lunch after and then just had the whole day to chill in the church. It was the BEST. The other missionaries all left before our zone...which was sad..I cried when Trelew and Puerto Madryn left...and then again when Caleta Olivia left...but right before getting on the bus Elder Dunford asked for my agenda he knows my companion and that she's a little bit hard so he wrote on the front page "you're better than the whole bunch of them put together old sport" apparently it's a quote from the great gatsby...but it always makes me feel better during the day when I see it:)

Have a great week! The church is true...Elder Christofferson said so! I love you all!!

Hermana Heath