december 29

*2 new posts today! last week's and this week's e-mail. lots of pictures at the bottom of both posts. leave us your e-mail address if you want a high-res copy of any of the pictures. enjoy!

Yup it is almost the new year!! Can you believe it??

Christmas was absolutely amazing. We had zone meeting in the morning and we brought a white elephant gift. But the great thing is that my zone has the mission home in it. So Hermana and President Asay were so super nice and opened up their home, even with some of their family in town, to have a big Christmas lunch. So we also brought either a dessert or a side dish. And Hermana Asay made the Ham! But of course she goes up and beyond and makes everything else, including funeral potatoes - I forgot those even existed!! So we had our zone gift exchange. Ate. and then we sang Christmas Hymns. It was just good feelings all day. I am definitely one of the lucky ones.

Afterwards we went out and worked. We visited the older hermana and sang some songs to her and read the Christmas story to her. It was great.

We, once again had to be in early (because the streets aren´t safe on the holidays) and so we invited Brittany, President´s daughter to come over. Pretty much we had a girl's night. haha.

But this Christmas was great because there were no commercials. We knew why we were celebrating this day. As a missionary I thought more about Christ, why He had to come to the earth and what He did for us. The entire reason why He came to this earth was because He had to fulfill the plan of our eternal father.

Church was great yesterday. Gloria came with her little babies. After church Lily and her daughter, Rocio, walked with home with Gloria and her little ones. I watched them walk away together and I thought: THAT is why we work so much during the week, with the heat and the long hours. Because you get to see people helping one another as they are coming unto Christ. I love the gospel. period.

Well, it was super fun to talk to you all. I miss you all sooo much.

Well here´s to another week on the mission field . . .

loves

Hermanita Urban

PICS!...

this is Celeste, Oscar and Luna. I love them. Christmas Eve. (about 2 hours before i called ya´ll!!):

our little Christmas eve celebration. we totally found chips and salsa!!! (we went out of our way to find some, they are close to impossible to find. this is the first chips and salsa in a LONG while, and you all know I eat that stuff for lunch and dinner alone):

my excited "I can´t believe I am going to eat chips and salsa" face:

Little Lily Asay. A granddaughter of President Asay. It blew our minds talking English with little kids. Hermana asay said that lily had to have been drawn to me because of my blonde hair. haha. I loved her!!!:


The mission home christmas tree pic:

cool random door. not in my area:

the mission home all croweded:

me with brittany, Hna Asay and Hna Tracy:

(some of these aren´t the pics i meant to send.)

oh the last one in hna tracy and a stray dog. not unusual. we went to eat at this side-of-the-road asado place:


the sidewalk asado:

december 22

*we didn't get around to posting last week's e-mail until now! new pictures at the bottom of this post. enjoy!

Hola todos!!!

How is everyone this Christmas week? I cannot believe that it is Christmas. That came out of nowhere. But I am not complaining because I am super excited to talk to ya´ll!

I have written up a list of things that I want to talk about. So get ready!!

Basically this week was amazing. And pretty much didn´t exist because it just flew by!!

We had our last Noche de Luz concerts this week. tear. I am so sad. But so happy that I was a part of such a great program. On Saturday night we sang in La Plata. A stake center that is a 2 hour car ride away. So me, being once again a very lucky one, rode with President in his air conditioned van. As we were driving along the highway, we noticed that a car accident happened on the other side of the road. President, being President and also a Doctor, decides to pull over and see if he can help anyone out. So we patiently wait in the car (actually we had a little music video moment). As President goes to see what he can do. But it was like a scene from ER. He was walking against traffic with his shirt billowing in the wind. I took a picture. But everything was fine. He offered to help but they either didn´t want it or they were just going to wait for the ambulance or something. ¿Que sé yo?

On Saturday morning we did divisions. President and Hermana Asay´s daughter, Brittany, came out with me. (she is visiting her parents for Christmas). It was very fun for me. And she just has this sweet spirit about her. (Since when did I say "sweet spirit?") She prayed in English in our appointments and I know that the people we were visiting felt the spirit even though it was in a different language. But it was fun to talk about the mission, why I am on a mission, etc. with someone that is making that decision right now. The mission is tough stuff. But completely worth it. You learn how to deal with and do hard things.

Well our little family, Diego and Gloria are doing well. They went to two ward activities (without us because we had noche de luz). But the ward is in love with them. They are from Cordoba, so the ward members have started to call them the Cordabitas, meaning the little Cordobains. Diego found some work. It is not the greatest but it is something. Unfortunately it goes until the early hours and he is sleeping by the time church starts. We are going try to help fix that.

Ok, well my time is out. sad moment. But hey I am going to talk to you all!!!! YIPPEEEEE!!!!

I am gonna call Christmas eve at 7 o´clock pm my time. You are the ones that have google so you can figure out what time that is for you. haha.

Loves

Hermanita Urban

Noche de luz. this should be a sweet cd cover pic. (Kendra and Janelle I have a couple of these elders picked out for you):

me and Hermana Tracy:

behind these trees is what is called the Holy Grail. Wal-mart. Haven´t seen one of those in a LONG TIME!!!

This is a special little nativity that Lily made and taught us how to make. she is soooo special:

President saving the world:

Somebody got a Christmas package and was super excited to get Christmas cookies. and as Hermana Tracy said the cookies have a special filling of "Urban love":

Hermana Asay made TO-DIE-FOR brownies for our last noche de luz. I cannot explain how tasty they were:

My new friend Hermana Insgoldby. And a shout out to her mom, Monica!

Noche de Luz - part dos

This week in pictures!

La Familia Ramoa de El Dorado. despues Noche de Luz:


a little solo action. practice:


a little ice cream action:


a little "not really artsy but trying to be" missionary and christmas action:


me and my comp. a little christmas card action. you can tell we are missionaries by our now-off-white shirts and ped socks:


driving to noche de luz. BLESSINGS=CARS.


my zone this morning:


another kindof wanna-be-artsy:

Hello all!

It is hot, but is it great. This week we worked a lot and sang a lot. I am loving the spiritual experiences I am having as a missionary. It doesn´t really feel like Christmas for me but we are trying to use the Christmas spirit to talk about Christ. I recently read about the birth of Christ in "Jesus the Christ." It completely changed my outlook on the season. I think I will read that book to my kids for bed time, it is so good.

We had 3 Noche de Luz performances this past week. The comments have been crazy - of how this is the best one yet (they do it every year). People in our ward said that it NOW feels like the Christmas season because of Noche de luz. This is our last week of it. Sad day. But I am just going to love our last performances. I just have a strong testimony of feeling the spirit through song . . .and dance. I have had amazing experiences with both. Our director, Elder Taylor, is outstanding. I am amazed with his talent. It is insane. He wins so many style points, I´ve decided. I wish you all could see it.

Today I ate lunch at a place called "Urbano." I got fish and have decided I just can´t try to order food that I think I would like if I were in the States. Because it is always different. If you go to a nicer resturant - it is all about presentation. So the plate looks good. But it just doesn´t taste that amazing.

Sorry that this email is shorter. I am gonna work on sending a bunch of photos.

Hey, I got the package from Grandma Urban!! and one from Caitlin and Mary (i sent out letters today) THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Hermanita (little sister) Urban

noche de luz

Hola ¿Cómo Están todos?

Well this week was pretty cool. It was a very fast week.

We had our first “Noche de Luz” performances. Song really is powerful. We sing Christmas songs but mostly we testify of the divinity of Christ. We went to two stakes, one of them included El Dorado, my first area!!! It was FULL with people, like whoa. But it was so great for me to see the first people that welcomed me here and made me feel comfortable in Argentina. But this time I could understand them. Haha. To my dismay they weren´t just speaking in some unbreakable code. I have pics but this computer doesn´t have a connector picture thing. (and this chair is really uncomfortable). But it was really fun and the Spirit was really strong.

We are helping and teaching two families right now. I am completely in love with them. They are young and want so much for their families. One of them, Diego and Gloria, came to church yesterday (on their own). And they really liked it. They have a month old and a four year old girl who never stops playing with us. She already loves the primary kids.

Also yesterday in church the majority of testimonies born were about how, we, these missionaries, are angels. One of the members said that when he first met them he that they were just a bunch of Yankees. Haha. But then he realized that the message they carry is so much more and has blessed him beyond reason. Diego and Gloria looked over at Hermana Tracy and smiled. I was sitting by Lily, she too looked over at me and laughed. One amazing member, Gabe, has been helping us teach Diego and Gloria and he always says how they don´t realize it yet, but how God has sent these two angels to them. (Que dulce).

Lily later had a funny thought; how the church is so close to her house, but God sent us (who live SOOOOO far away) so that she would walk over to that church. God works in very interesting ways, doesn´t He? She received her first calling yesterday: 2nd counselor in the Primary. I was sooooo happy. She is amazing. If she is the only person that I witness come into the fold, that makes this mission worthwhile.

Anyway, Bethany I got your DearElder, thanks for writing me!!!! ( I will try to write a letter about what you suggested – it might be really boring though). Kendra and Grandma I can always count on you! You are both amazing!! I am glad you are feeling better grandma. Dad I also got your dearelder yippee!

Saren - POR FIN! I got your letter. I sent one out today. Chaela also – I got your glorious dearelder, and sent one out!

I wish I could personalize these emails more. And so Kendra, even though you haven’t gotten much of any response I have so much to say to you on that happy Chirstmas day!!!! What would be better Christmas eve or day?

I was just (about an hour ago) informed that Elder Wirthlin died. I loved every single one of his talks. I never have favorite apostles but his talks always stood out to me, and touched my heart. I am really sad. Two of my favorite people have left this year: President Hinckley (I am still crying) and now Elder Wirthlin. One thing I know is that the world is a better place because of them, as well as I am a better person. I really do have a testimony and a confirmation of the spirit that the prophets are worthy, humble men that are called of God.

Well, anyway gotta go back to work.
Keep the Faith,

Hermana Urban

Ps For p-day I just watched that Emma Smith movie. AGH!! I LOVE CHURCH HISTORY. Can I just be a church history master?! It is so inspiring.

Fajitas for Thanksgiving Argentina style! and a quick note from Dad

Note from Dad...

Oh so busy a life of a missionary from our church! My daughter is no exception! She and her companion work from sun up to sun down and beyond. They work so hard to find people to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ too. This mission is completely about teaching people and helping them find faith on their own accord with the help from the missionaries on how to do this. There is no physical home or church building involved, nothing else but working with and teaching people. They do find people on foot and by asking and inviting as they meet people. The best way to find people is through faithful members who introduce their non member friends to the hear special missionary lessons. They teach gospel truths. They teach the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint church beginnings and about the church restoration. They teach doctrine that all makes a lot of sense and sometime in your life you to should hear these lessons if you haven't. I think you will find that these young men and women who teach have a testimony of the gospel and they want to spread the good word of Jesus Christ and his great message. Here are a couple of examples of people who made the commitment. From Elissa:


Things are good here in the south.

Thanksgiving was great. It didn't even feel like Thanksgiving. We found a fajita mix so we made some delicious fajitas - with homemade tortillas and all! And then we had interviews with President. I love interviews!! President Asay is an inspired man that really has been called to be my president. I am so grateful for him.

We also had the baptisms of Yolie and Siliva. It was so nice. They were so happy and peaceful. I am very happy for them, now they just have to live the gospel. It is a huge change people make to accept Christ in their lives. And it is difficult. But it is so worth it.

We met this cute young family and the mom goes to dance classes with her daughter and little sister. We decided to stop by with our recent convert Lily. It was sooooooo cool! I loved it! It was in this lightly lit room with tile floors and no mirrors. The dance instructor was a little on the bigger side and was smoking her cigarettes while demonstrating. But they danced folklore - which is a dance from Argentina, of course. We only watched for a little ratito. But I loved every second of it. It has been pretty humid so of course they were all sweaty and gross. but that just makes it even better for dance classes like that. Well anyway the ladies name is Celeste, she and her daughter and sister came to church with us. She stayed for all of it! But it is always a little stressful: we talked a lot about the millennium and family history. You never know what people that are visiting the church for the first time are thinking. But that is why we have the gift of making our own decisions. So we will see what happens! Yea!

con amor,
hermanita Urban