6 Weeks in El Dorado

Editor's note: *Initials = names shortened

E-mail sent today:

Well it happened.
6 weeks = transfers. and it has been 6 weeks. thus today was transfers. And if you are a greenie it is pretty much unheard of to have your trainer leave on the first transfer, but Hermana Garcia is on her way to the coast. So My new companion is Hermana T, from Virginia. Basically I am nervous that I need to know so much about the area. It is also scary because Hna Garcia has been in El Dorado for 6 months, making her popular, and now she is gone. But I am grateful for companions because I know that Hna T will help me.

Well, this week was great and I learned a lot about the Atonement. I got to see it first hand. We have been teaching J and her daughter A; J's sister V and her son C. All were baptized on Sunday (except for V) But I just feel soooooooo much love for these people. They are all living with Hermana G (the RS pres) and her family. The kids ALWAYS run up to us give us the biggest hugs ever and everyone calls us "hermanitas" – "little hermanas." We were hoping J would be able to be baptized, she has a strong testimony that is a strength to mine. She wanted so badly to be baptized and make that promise with God. She talks about going to the temple and she wants to do everything she can to make her life and her family happy. And I know that this is the only way to have a better and happy life. Through the Gospel, through obedience, God pours out blessings. And though the Atonement we can be clean. Well, for the musical number I sang with C and A and B (their cousin, hna G`s daughter who was also getting baptized bc she is 8) We sang Mas Cerca Dios a Ti, Nearer my God to thee. And it was such a privilege to be standing (well actually I knelt down) and singing with these little angles all dressed in white! Honestly, I would have to say that it was my finest performance.

We also found this cute family. M and N – she is 21 and he is 24. They are from Paraguay and guess what???????? ….. they are married!!!! (rare) But they are so cute and they want to learn more about the church. They have a brand new baby boy – who is just the cutest thing ever. They actually had a baby before but he passed away, which is heart breaking, but we know that they can be together with that baby again forever, I am really excited to teach them.

Bethany – I really enjoyed your pics!! Just come to Argentina and follow me around for a day – PLEASE!!! Hagalo. (do it)

UM guess what, best family ever?!?!?! I got your package! ¡Que Rapido! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!!! Seriously thanks so much for being so giving. It was a bit expensive – wasn't it? – so sorry about that. But I am going to have some delicious raisin bran tonight. Really words cant express my warm feelings for a package from home! ¡EN SERIO!

- I am lovin´ this The Killers are on the radio right now.

Well I love you all entirely way too much!! I think of you all the time. Thanks for your love. For your DearElders for your letters for the package!!!
Bethany give a shout out to Mary and scott – tell them I got their sweet dearelder. (I cant believe scott is home) oh also will you give me jenni´s email address. I need to hear from her!!! it has been too long and i have to hear about spain!
Janelle thanks for the Seinfeld! I can't believe it either that you are going to be a sophomore!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

¡¡¡¡Les Extrano muchsimo!!
Vaya con Dios,

Hermana Urban

Ps. I forgot my camera cord. Lo siento (sorry)

Note From Dad...

We are saving Hermana Urban's letter for next week because we are missing the pictures. I wanted to just take a minute to say how wonderful it is to have a daughter on a mission. I am also so proud of my other daughters too. It is so wonderful and rewarding to raise a family. Oh yes, there are always some growing and trying times, but having the gospel in your life is such a fantastic thing. A balance of what life has to offer is so important. Please click on http://www.providentliving.org/ to learn more about how to have a well balanced life. Including your financial picture, food storage etc.

My family and I really hope you are enjoying reading Elissa's letters. She is just so happy and has a wonderful loving spirit. People naturally love her and we really know that she is building relationships that will last a lifetime and beyond. If you read My Testimony you will understand how loving all people of all creed, color, and origin is really the ways of our Heavenly Father. I certainly feel this way!

Finally, we really do want you to take us up on a chance to hear a brief lesson that will be hosted at our home in the coming months during Elissa's mission. The lesson is exactly the same lesson Elissa is teaching. Please don't be shy because sometimes we are shy to ask. Please take a moment to send me and e-mail at Jim@HomeReferralTeam.net and we can let you know when we will be hosting another event. If you have my phone number just give me a call!

Sincerely,
Dad/Jim

e-mail from elissa: may 12

*we were unable to reach elissa for our mother's day phone call, but hope to this week. cross your fingers for us! she wrote us an e-mail this morning, here is partial:

Hola!

Things are going great here. We had 17 investigadores in church yesterday. Which is insane. There is a lot of work to be done in El Dorado and I know that I can help. I just have to let the spirit guide. Everyone we teach seem to just agree completely with how there was a need for a restoration. And then Christ´s church was restored to the earth again and so the true church is once again here. But once people realize that God does require some sort of sacrifice for his people, people get scared or something. But sacrifice ALWAYS brings forth the blessings of heaven. I am amazed at the things people do sacrifice for God. It always gives me a little push and a thought that no matter what I go through, people have gone through more. One, in particular, has gone through it all.

yesterday after church we went to a members home for lunch. They are probably one of my favorites in the ward. I wasn´t even hungry to begin with but she fed us chicken - which I ate and then she filled my plate with potatoes - which I ate and then more chicken - which I ate. I didn´t know How to say that I didn´t want anymore. . . well I do I was just to shy or something (imagine that). Ok and then I realized that on the chicken there was still feathers. Haha SO now I am one of those missionaries that can say that. But honestly I felt awful. and later when I told my companion about the feathers she started to gag - she has a really bad gag reflex. And was yelling at her: "If you throw up I am going to be sooo jealous!" She didn´t, thank goodness. But it is ok - i can work and all. Tonight I am planning on calling the Pres´s wife, Hermana Asay. I love her and maybe she will have some advice for me.

mom--Happy Mothers day!!!! YOu are the best mom EVER! I am so grateful and lucky that you are my mom. I miss you and think about you lots.

Pray for this language for me please! I miss and love all of you.

Hermana urban

Enjoyable Letter from Elissa

Hola family!

Tengo sueño! ¿Por que? Jugamos Fútbol hoy! Fotos la próximo semana.

Warning: this keyboard is awful and so don’t be surprised if there are a lot of mistakes.

Ok so you know how last week I said I sent something out? Well everytime i go to try the lines are ridiculous and we have somewhere to be. So I will try again tomorrow morning. But just so you know I am working on it.

Today we played Futbol. It was so much fun to not wear a skirt! My zone all got these sweet jerseys and put nicknames on the back. My nickname was just “urban” but hey it is a cool name. Ok but it is hilarious –on p-days when we have to take the trains and buses I am always reminded of a senfield episode. The buses and trains are soooooo crowded and everyone just stands there completely awkward . . . well in my opinion. And so you know that >Senfeild when Elain is on the subway and it has stopped and in her head she is yelling and being all annoyed?? Haha!! I think of it all the time – because that is always me! Haha good times. Well anyway the train this morning was ridiculously crowded and I tried so hard to not touch the elder I was standing next to. It was hilarious.

Well anyway this past week was good. It was weird bc I thought about home a lot. And I never dream, or remember my dreams but this week I dreamt and it was all about home. and my friends and family and stuff. But today I got DearElders from Kendra, dad and grandma and I think that will rest my mind, not that it is uneasy but maybe it is,. No sé.

Missionary life is good. I am definitely experiencing it. I have never had to go to the bathroom and the most inopportune times before in my life!! As well as I have never stepped in wet cement and not cared or twisted my ankle so much from walking on unstable ground. Oh good times! I have also realized that close to everything I say in English is some sort of slang or some phrase, because of this it is hard for me to figure out everything I want to say in Spanish. Or Castillano. In Argentina people will make sure that you know that it isn´t Spanish it´s “castillano”

Well we are teaching this lady (28) Tanya, her brother Pablo (23) and their uncle Demetri (44) I likethem so much! They have come to church the past 3 weeks and are progressing. I think that they really want to know the truth and so I just pray that God will prick their hearts and they will know!

There is this family, the Bobadilla family, who will get baptized once the dad´s divorce from his previous esposa is final and then he marries his new esposa. But I like them a lot. Yesterday we talked over hot chocolate, toast and jelly and they of course had matee. It is a little different then America bc she is about 25 and he is in his 40´s I would say. Age isn’t really a factor here. But anyway I would just love to see them go to the temple! And I would be able to go and agh! What a beautiful thing! Ok I am crying now. We have been talking about praying and reading the scriptures as a family. I was able to bear my testimony of how family prayer has helped me and my family. And though it was hard at times and sometimes we had it at 6 in the morning; I learned the importance of it. I t was hard bc of course it was in “castillano” but I hope I was able to convey to them what a great blessing it is.

Thanks family for having prayer and scripture! En serio.

I understand more of their Spanish. Did I tell you that the way the way talk is IMPOSSIBLE!! No offense to them – I love them. But honesty, it is all in their throat and it is all slurred together. Even my comp says that it was hard for her to understand when she first got here and she is a native Spanish speaker! Just diligence and a lot of it!

Ok so moms day!!! Yay!!!!! I can call!

Also some staple package ideas would be:

Organic peanut butter
Raisin bran (i miss it!)
Or dad, your old ties, they are gold here and when someone wears a tie there is a lot of congratulations!


Well I love you all sooomuch. You are in my prayers!

Hna Urban