amazing new members

The fam,

Things are going well in the life of San Vicente. We actually had a baptism yesterday of a 13 year old girl, Mara. She is the older sister of the little girl we baptized the week earlier. Mara had no records saying that she was baptized before and was never confirmed so after much investigation it was best that she got baptized again. But she really is an amazing girl. Her prayers are always so poetic and beautiful. A couple of weeks ago in her prayer she said something on the lines of: “thank you for the new missionary, i forgot her name, but the cute blonde one, for her kindness” and then just the other day she said “thank you for the chapel and it´s beauty, for every time I walk in it brings a smile to my face.” I love her prayers because she will say what she is thankful for and then go on to explain why. Well, I gave the talk on the gift of the Holy Ghost and then the welcome to the Young womens, I actually got pretty emotional. So I had to hold in the tears. But I really can see her potential as a Daughter of God. I really wanted to say all that I could within the barrier of the time limit and the broken Spanish. But I think that the spirit speaks to us in ways stronger then words. Actually I know that is true. Well, afterwards she ran up and gave me a huge hug!

There is a family that was baptized in October. The mom and Dad and then 8 kids. Pretty much the cutest kids I have ever met in my entire being. It is so hard not to give them the biggest hugs! As missionaries we actually can´t hold babies so it is really hard. Monica, the mom, gave me the BIGGEST hug my first week in San Vicente. I could feel the love that she has for the missionaries. I am always going to remember that hug. (I am so cheesy). The Sotelo family is defiantly a family in need. With 8 kids and a small house and no real job they have their share of struggles. Hna Gyunn and I decided to teach them about fasting. After the lesson we asked them what they could prepare themselves to fast for. And then automatically Monica starts to talk about another family; and how this other family is in a time of need. I just thought it interesting to me that her thoughts went to others. A family that could ask for a million of blessings place their thoughts on what others need. I know that I could learn so much from her example. I am really excited because this week we are going to go and help them build their house. Yay for service!!!!

Well my loves to you.
Hermanita Urban

Mara on her baptism yesterday:

And the man from the stake that is a spitting image of the old man that plays chess against himself for his teeth (so cute!):

more love from our hermanita

Hola my family that I adore!!!

Well how is everyone? I hope well! I pray for you daily. Well we had a baptism yesterday of a little girl. She is 9 and really great. It was a little insane trying to fill up the font in time. We actually had to run (literally run) home to get pots to boil some water. We were worried it was going to be too cold. So we boiled some water and added it to the font. I know that it made no difference because when she walked into the font she gasped from how cold it was. I felt soooo bad! But she was such a great sport. Yay! We had a handle of people from the stake at the branch yesterday and actually they helped a lot last minute with the baptism. One man, I promise, was the cartoon-man from that short film of the guy playing chess. Oh man I loved him! I promise he was a spitting image of the old chess playing man. He didn´t have any teeth, but he was just soo cute.

There is a lady in the branch who is just a little light. She has a huge testimony and loves the work of the Lord. I am amazed by her because she is the one that actually will go out with us to appointments. Whereas with some of the other members it is like pulling teeth. But the thing that amazes me about Virginia (her name) is that she has Parkinson’s and cannot walk well. But she is always willing to come out with us. I always just hope for the best for her. I hope that she is happy and content. I know that she will have a great blessings from God.

Well other then that we are just working. It has been a bit of a challenge to really find some people to teach. But I know that we need to find more people and get more people interested. I love the gospel. I know that it is true and that I way we must share it and invite others to learn more.

Love,
Hermanita urban

San Vicente

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Vicente,_Buenos_Aires

Hola mis amores,

Well, today was the start of a new transfer. Or otherwise the start of another 6 weeks. I am awful with goodbyes. I have always avoided saying goodbye to people that I love. I never think that people should say goodbye. Maybe that is something I have to learn as a missionary because you say goodbye a lot. Yesterday I had to say goodbye to El Dorado. So I wont be seeing the baptism of T or D, but hey it is their baptism not mine and I am so excited for them!!! Whoo-hoo!!

Well with goodbyes come hellos, right?? And so today I moved to San Vicente!!! Whoo-hoo I will learn more about it and tell you all about it – I am sure. It is a branch. It is nicer. I live pretty close to a park which is really cute. I have a new companion!!!! Hermana Guynn from Connecticut!!!!!!! I am already in love with her! She is great and I know that we are going to work hard and have a good time doing it! Unfortunately, this is her last transfer. So I will be seeing her off. How sad!

Well a little D story:

On Saturday we went to teach T and Demetrio. D still hasn´t prayed to know if the Book of Mormon was actually the word of God. So we stressed the importance of doing that. We decided to kneel down right then and there and pray. First, we knelt in silence; I guess he decided to pray in his mind. After what felt like forever – me and Hna Tyhurst started to look at each other wondering when he was going to look up! Finally he said that he could´t feel or recognize anything. We asked him to pray out loud and told him that it isn´t the first time that someone hasn´t be able to distinguish something. So he prayed again, this time out loud, and then we waited again. After a while he said that he felt lifted, like something had been lifted. An answer!!! It took a while – as things will at times. But now D isn´t just going to go off on what we are telling him is true, now he can go to God. Our faith should be based on the answers we receive from above. Once we receive those feelings of the spirit then we know that it is true. We don’t have to question anymore.

Well, I am really excited for this transfer and I am excited to be in San Vicente with Hermana Guynn. She is awesome.

I made a cheesecake – delicious!!! It was also the first 4th where I walked in the cold with jeans tucked into my boots and a long skirt and a heavy coat. Oh the mission life. I have pics (of the cheesecake – not the walking) but those will have to wait for a while – no time.

I love you all and miss you like the crazies.

Hermanita Urban

July 1st E-mail

*Elissa just hit her quarter-of-the-way-through mark! Remember to keep writing! :)

This week was good and successful. We worked really hard. Well, so last week I talked about Tanya and how I love her. Her brother Pablo is amazing! He accepts every little aspect of the gospel and he will re account everything that he read in the Book of Mormon to us, he is great. Well she was there so we ending up just teaching her a little bit and giving her a Book of Mormon. In the middle of this week we called Tanya to set up an appointment and she told us that we have to be sure to come on Saturday because it was going to be the last time Pablo would be there. He was going to Peru or something. We hung up the phone and just started to cry!! We love Pablo! He is the best Pablo in all the world! And he is going to be baptized and out of no where he is moving to Peru??? So I made them some delicious American chocolate chip cookies (Argentine style) and we went to our appointment. Well we actually taught about the Law of chastity and him and Miligros were both very accepting. But this is faith to me. Faith always leads to some sort of action or sacrifice. At times we don´t even know why we have to do certain things, but our faith leads us to do the things we know are correct. Well turns out Pablo will be coming back in about a month. So if I stay this next transfer (which starts Monday) then I will see him again. But just in case we took pics. And it is so funny because we took pics and nobody ever smiles in pictures here. So the first one they all looked horrible and I made them smile and took another. But they were all embarrassed to smile...

my peeps. Miliagros is in the grey, Pablo in blue, tanya in brown and demetrio in the black

me and my comp Hna tyhurst:

me and my district today. we are really cool.