Heyyyy!

Welp...I know I told ya'll I wasn't gonna get on email today...but...here I am!! Hahaha...I'm in Comodoro. Last night at 9:30PM I left Rio Gallegos....it was awful. Cried like a baby. Today we're in the offices.  I have my final interview at 2:00PM con Presidente...then we have some time to visit around comodoro and we have testimony meeting tonight TWICE...yep that's right. Once with members and other missionaries that are invited...and once with the missionaries no mas. Then we have a good argentine dinner and we were told that we'll go back to the Carter's home at like midnight. Awesome. Tomorrow we're gonna be waking up at about 4:30am to get ready to be at the airport at 7:00AM ish...should be fun.

Anyway...that's my schedule until I get home. We would have been able to go to the temple, but it's CLOSED! That's bad luck...pucha. Oh well..I think we'll go to take pictures at least. See you soon! I love you all!! :):):)

Hermana Heath

Love from above:)

Hola Familia,

Sorrryyy it's a little late for the usual weekly email...but I've got a good excuse! Today as a zone we went to Cabo Vírgenes to see the penguins!! :) It was super fun. We left at 9:00AM and got back to the chapel around 6:00PM. It was a blast and a half...penguins are so cute!

This week was FANTASTIC!! Mario got baptized on Saturday. It was one of the biggest miracles I've seen in my mission. The baptismal service was really nice and the entire branch was there to support him and his family. He was sooo happy. His t-shirt said, "take time to make a change" He told me that he chose to put on that shirt saturday morning because he was gonna take some time to make an important change in his life. Mario has Parkinson's and some other problems from a surgery that went wrong a few years back..but his faith in the Lord is unshakeable. He is an incredible example to me. I love hanging out with him and his family...on Sunday we ate an asado to celebrate! Their family goal is to go to the temple next year to be sealed for time and all eternity. That's really what it's all about, isn't it? I love this gospel!

Well, this is the last email you'll be getting from me in Argentina. That kind of breaks my heart, but I know things are gonna be okay. I have loved every second of my mission. It's been hard...but mom has always taught me that I CAN DO HARD THINGS! Looks like she was right! The mission is one of the hardest things...but definitely one of the best:) I have learned so much...and will never ever be able to stop thanking Heavenly Father for this time he gave me to serve His children in Argentina. I'm not ready to come home, but I know it's time. My mission is coming to an end...but it doesn't have to be a bad thing. My life has been changed forever. I have seen the Lord's hand time and time again, I have seen him work miracles...in me and in other people...I feel confident enough to say that my testimony is unshakeable. I know that this is the only true and living church on the earth today. I know that God lives. He loves us and knows us perfectly. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. He suffered for each and every one of us. We are never alone. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. The Book of Mormon is the word of God...I am so thankful to know these things.

Thank you for all the love and support you've given me throughout these 18 months. I've always been able to feel your prayers...and there were days that those prayers made all the difference for me. Thank you! I love you all soo much. I'm sending lots of hugs and kisses from Argentina...I hope they make it to you all before I get home!

I LOVE YOU!!!

Lots of love from the bottom of the world!

Hermana Heath

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CRAIG!

Hola querida familia mía,

Soooo...I swear I did NOT forget Craig's birthday...but last monday I didn't realize how far into february we are...how did that happen so fast?! I thought about Craig all week and I hope he had a veeeeery good pre-birthday celebration...cause it doesn't sound like the actual birthday was that great. I'm so glad he's safe and okay. I prayed for him soo much this week. God really does listen to and answer our prayers:)

So...this week we don't have much to report. I'm out of time because I spent lots of time reading...I've almost got all of the things I'm gonna bring home with me...now I just need more room in my suitcases! Hahah...just kidding. I'm leaving lots of things behind:)

We have a baptism planned for Mario this weekend. Please keep him in your prayers! He's progressing really well..after the loss of his son last month the Lord has really softened his heart and he's readier than ever to be baptized and in a year from now seal himself to his wife and three sons. I love the gospel!!

Okay..that's all I've got...I'm sorry. Well actually I'm not. You'll be seeing me all really soon.

I LOVE YOU! Keep being excellent people. Have a wonderful week!

Oh...and Em..I don't mind sharing the bed with you! Haha...and Kim have a great and SAFE trip to Vegas and California...I'm a little bit jealous..not gonna lie.

Hugs and kisses from Rio Gallegos!!

Hermana Heath

Another week in Rio Gallegos...

Querida Familia,

...

...

...

I'll be honest. I don't really know what to say. Monday has become my least favorite day of the week because it's the day I remember just how little time I have left. With my district leader this morning we were talking about how the mission feels like a dream. The time has passed so quickly...I'm sure tomorrow I'll wake up with all of my suitcases in my bedroom and you will all drive me to the MTC where I'll get out of the car and slowly walk away wondering what exactly I got myself into...some lady will give me my black nametag that says "Hermana Heath"...and in that moment I won't really know how much getting up every morning and putting it on will mean to me over the next 18 months, I won't know exactly how much I'll love being a missionary. I won't know really how hard the mission is, I won't know how much it will change my life, I won't know the names of the areas, the investigators, the members, the people, and I sure won't know how much I'll grow to love them...I won't know anything! This is the best and biggest dream of my life... and I never want to wake up. The good new is, when I come home, my mission won't stop being my dream, and it won't become any less important to me...but I'm gonna have to find a different dream..a BIGGER one! And that kind of scares me. In the mean time...I'm gonna enjoy every second of this one...because pretty soon I'm gonna wake up...and I LOVE sleeping:) Haha.

Anyway. This week was good. We found two new investigators and I bought some cool stuff last monday to bring home...I've still got TONS of stuff to buy though. With my companion we're working really hard and having a blast! We had lots of lessons this week and several families came back from vacation so yesterday we were 78 in sacrament meeting! Our investigator came too!! :) I love being a missionary. It's the best in the world. I started my 4th journal last week...can you believe it?! I sure can't...

Tomorrow is my last district meeting. It's all winding down...I try not to think about how little time I have left...but that's all everyone and their dog talk about...and do you even know how many dogs there are in the PATAGONIA?! All I hear all day long every day is questions..."are you excited to go home?" "are you gonna get married fast?" "what's the first thing you're gonna eat?" "are you gonna sleep in?" ...just LEAVE ME ALONE ALREADY! Haha...it's okay...it really doesn't bug me...but sometimes it stresses me out a little bit. A couple days ago I was walking home from the chapel and I just started crying...I was walking down the street taking everything in...the trees, the sky, the half-paved roads, the little stores, the crazy argentines everywhere, the dogs...I'm gonna miss it all so much.

Well family. Have a great week. I love you all so much! Craig, drive safe and don't forget to send mom and emily a text when ya get there;) Emily, keep taking good care of baby higgins til I get home...and I wouldn't mind some more pictures! Hahaha...Matthew...er..Elder Heath...keep tearin' it up down there in Texas...I hope you get to stay in your area! And Kim...I honestly think you can convince mom to keep the kitten...I'm counting on you!! (we all know she's a sucker for the puppy eyes and cute animals!! It worked for me with snickers years ago!)

See you soon!

Hugs and kisses...(but really...I'm blowin' ya'll some kisses...with the wind here in Gallegos they should get there sometime tomorrow...)

Hermana Heath

Happy Valentine's Day!! :)

Hola Familia,

Soo...the mission offices sent me my itinerary...my reaction was the same as mom's...didn't know whether to cry or smile. Puuucha. This week was great. We had the zone conference in Calafate...Elder Viñas is a capo. I loved his insights about the atonement. I love being a missionary. It's ending soo quickly. I try not to think about it but it's all I hear all day every day. Everyone knows I finish this transfer. It makes it hard to push it out of my head.

Umm...this week Elder Velasquez and Elder Benitez came through Gallegos for a conference in Comodoro. They told me they're trying to convince president to let them leave a day early (Saturday) from their zone in Ushuaia to spend their last sunday of the mission in Caleta Olivia. They told me they're taking me with them...I guess we'll see what president says...but I would love to go! I would get to see Maxi and the Zampa's and all the wonderful families there before leaving. :)

Umm...I can't really think of anything else that happened this week. We had zone conference on Friday which was good...we did lots of practices...I don't know...life is normal! I'm just workin' my little behind off down here in the patagonia...dont' know what else to say. I promise I'll tell you all about everything when I get home...but I can never come up with anything good when I'm at the computer.. oh..this morning my comp and I saved a baby bird. It was in the middle of the street and still learning how to fly...so we picked it up and put it in the bushes. I've got a picture of it sitting on my hand. We're good samaritans:) We've done our good deed of the day! Hahaha...it was sooo cute though.

Anyway...that's all for this week. I'm really tired. Calafate is about 4 hours away..we went in a huge van...it was a loooong ride...I couldn't sleep so we mostly just talked the whole way...and back. It was worth it though..the conference was great...really spiritual. I got roped into singing a musical number with another hermana. I hate public singing and due to the fact that I don't know how to say no, I ended up at the front singing...once again. puuucha. It turned out okay though:)

Have a great week! I love you all! The church is true...and remember to share the love this week:) Read 1 John 3:1...the greatest love in the world! As Elder Heath put it...we sure are lucky to be loved by them!! :) Couldn't have said it better myself.

I LOVE YOU!

Hermana Heath

Happy February! :)

Hola Familia!!

¿Cómo andan? This week was really weird. I'll be honest. I'm suuuper tired. My body is falling apart I think...my shoes too! Haha...there is a chance I'll be walking barefoot for the last week of my mission. It's a real possibility...I really should have bought new shoes in Caleta when they broke the first time...but you know me...stubborn as ever! Hahaha...whatever. One way or another I'll make it work out.

Heyyy..today I'm gonna buy a flag!! It's pretty big...but I decided I want a big one:) It's soo pretty. I'm gonna miss seeing the Argentine flag everywhere. Other than that I haven't bought anything yet to bring home...well...besides the little things I've picked up on the way:) I'm in denial that I'm ever gonna actually have to go home I think. Haha.

Oh...before I forget, next week my p-day will be tuesday...on monday we're going to Calafate again but to the city no mas...we have a conferencia with Elder Viñas. It should be great. I'm really excited. I love when general authorities come. They're pretty hardcore.

Mmmm...I can't really think of what else to say. We're having a really hard time finding investigators...right now we're working with Mario...the husband of Hermana Arriola. They're the ones that lost their son recently. He has never joined the church and is finally starting to soften his heart. Yesterday he bore his testimony and he has said that he wants to get baptized. He listened to the missionaries before...as you can imagine...afterall his wife has been a member for like 30+ years. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

My companion is great. We're having a great time. I LOVE her. I'm so glad we're companions. I'll be honest...I never wanted to train, and I still don't really like the actual training part...but my companions is amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better one!

Soo...that's pretty much all I've got. But...I do have a couple questions...when does Craig leave for South Carolina? If I remember right he wont be there when I get home...but is he gonna be there for his birthday?! Well...okay that was my question. I've been thinking a lot this week about transfers...well because it was transfers. I really dont' want this one to end EVER. I love being a missionary. It's such a blessing and a privilege to get up every morning and put on a name tag that marks me as an official representative of Jesucristo. It's the best feeling in the world. I'm so thankful that I decided to serve a mission. I love Argentina with all my heart...and the crazy people that live here too. I think my whole life I'll miss it. Being a missionary has to be the most rewarding thing in the world. The church is true...and Jesus Christ is at the head. I've never been more sure of it than I am now.

Have a great week! I love you all...and...see you soon I guess. Weird.

Chau chau!

Hermana Heath

Transfer #13...

Hola Family,

So...today's a pretty depressing day. It's Monday January 26, 2015. Today I started transfer 13 of my mission...for those of you returned missionaries... Elders have 17 transfers...and Hermanas have 13. Six weeks left. I'm trying my best not to think about it because my heart already hurts when I rememeber how little time I have left down here in Argentina. I'm gonna make the most of it! Luckily I'm staying here in Rio Gallegos to finish with Hermana Solórzano. Lots of missionaries are leaving...and most of them I'll never see again. This weekend has been harder than I thought it would be. Pucha.

Anyway...no more pity party for me. This week was great. On Tuesday morning we left for Calafate!!! An Hermano from the other branch drove us down in his bus...there were 18 of us I think:) We arrived at the glaciar at 2:00PM and had until 4 to walk around and enjoy ourselves. We split off as a district and walked around. It was INCREDIBLE. I've never seen anything like it in my life. I wish you all could have been there. It's BEAUTIFUL. I could have spent all day there. Every now and again a big chunk of ice falls off into the water...it's sooo loud...it sounds like thunder and you can almost feel the earth shaking. It was really neat. As I sat there looking at the glaciar I couldn't help but feel tiny and insignificant next to something like that...but then I remembered that I'm a child of God...we all are. We are God's supreme creations. Isn't that amazing?! We are of infinite worth to our loving Heavenly Father:)

Sooo...other than that the week was pretty normal. We did lots of contacting this week. Sometimes it's boring...one day we knocked like 20 houses in a row and not a single door opened. I'm tellin' ya...there's no one here in Gallegos. But the weather was great this week! It was sooo sunny...I started getting my tan back along with the awkward tan lines that scream sister missionaries... but as dad always says, "beggers cant be choosers." (...how do you spell beggars?...beggers? beggurs? oh well. you get what I mean)...I was getting a little bit too white for my liking. Haha...I love the sun:):):)

Soo...I don't remember if I ever mentioned the obsession Argentines have with mayonaise...they put it on everything...literally everything. It's weird. The mayonaise here is yummier though than what we have back home..but still. Crazy argentines!! :)

Mmm...I don't really have anything else to say. Today we're gonna be in the terminal from about 4:00PM until 10:00PM...wish us luck! Have a great week! I love you all!! Don't forget to read and pray!

Hugs and kisses from the bottom of the world!! :)

Hermana Heath