You love without service but you can´t serve without love!!

Dear Family,

I will be brief (not Ryan short, don´t worry). 

This week was another pretty rough week but I decided last p-day that I was going to be go-lucky happy. It rained straight for 4 days, and am one of the 2 missionaries in San Rafael (of the 22) who love the rain! It may have helped that I have the coolest rain boots ever. This meant that Hna. Sorensen made me carry her on my back over some really big rain puddles which I didn´t entirely mind. And on Friday on the way back from area 3 I jumped in 22 awesome puddles. I should have taken pictures but didn´t. Supposedly it rained more yesterday then it did in the complete last year in San Rafael, but that came from some Argentines and they like to exaggerate a little bit. 

We got a call and had to travel up to Mendoza for Visa stuff and ended missing almost two days of work. Which was disappointing because we had some big plans. And due to the rain only one investigator came. But it was one we dropped a couple weeks ago and this was a big step for him so hopefully he will get baptized soon. 

We had a miracle Tuesday. We are rarely at the church. But Tuesday we were waiting with a member for a less active to come with his almost wife who is not a member to do a church tour and they didn´t show up. We asked if we could leave the member with a prayer. As we said Amen, we heard the door open to find a mother of an investigator. Even though we invite her to every lesson she generally is too busy or leaves during the lesson. But she came in sat down and started to cry telling us she didn´t know where to go but knew that she could find peace in our church. We had a member already there and shared with her a powerful lesson. It is difficult for lots of missionaries to work during the siesta because it is ridiculously hot and everyone is asleep but I have found that the majority of the miracles I have been able to witness have happened during the siesta. 

Can´t believe Covey and Annie are married!!! I got their announcement this week and it was funny because Hna. Sorensen visa waited in the mission when he was AP. And then she showed me all the notes she had taken from different conferences where they had spoken. Thanks for the pictures!!! 

Well I am off!! I love you all!! And I am keeping Grandma in my prayers!!

The gospel is true.

Life is wonderful!!

Hna. Hill

Let us not take counsel from our fears

Dearest Family,

I was brought to tears as I read emails today. I want to particularly like to thank Abby, Mom, and Becky. It brought back a flood of memories. I am so grateful for the people who have influenced, and continue to influence me to do good! I am grateful for the influence Mark has had on our family. And know that I was praying for you all especially the Mulfords this week. 

This week was rough. We tried to find, and find, and find, but didn´t have much success. We had planned a día blanca for the 22nd of February, and were hoping for at least the minimum of 9 baptisms of the 15 we are preparing. But yesterday we ended up dropping the I....... family (which broke my heart), which were 4 of the secure baptisms, and no one attended church this week. I have been very blessed in my mission and it had been the first time that no investigators have come to church in many months. With that we will have to focus really hard on Camila, Sergio, Lydia, Karen, and Lourdes who have the required amount of Assistencias but I don´t know  if they will be fully prepared by the 22nd. But we will do all we can and leave it to the hands of the Lord. 

Pray for Lydia, she is down to 5 cigarettes a day, (came down from 40), but she needs to move out of Enzo´s house this week, and they have nothing, but she is fairly determined. And yesterdays lessons was super powerful.

We had an awesome ward activity this week. I took Aspen Foolies to a new level and we had a blast. Also I brought Nutella and basically I am every ones favorite missionary. ....not that I wasn´t before..... Jk. But only 1 investigator made it and no one brought friends, but it was a blast and I am confident that if we do another one in two weeks everyone will bring the neighborhood children. And mom sent me peanut butter cookie mix so the food will not lack there. (Thanks for your inspiration, Mom) P.s. we always try to bring members to lessons and as we analyse who would be best we generally come up with the same three people and as I was thinking how awesome it would be to have my family in the ward I was serving in. Not only would we probably double the population of San Rafael, but the fellowshiping would be ridiculous! So though I can´t have you here in Argentina with me. So help me, you better be fellowshipping where you are!! 

Hna. Sorensen sends home 14 pictures a week, and I think I have probably sent home 14 pictures my whole mission. But I will send a couple. 

1. LOOK NUTELLA!! put to good use.

2. Turns out sending me to barter at the market in Ecuador at age 10 was not a bad idea. Turns out I still have the old touch!

February!

Dear Family,

First off, I went to Mendoza and they had my Christmas package waiting for me.... So apparently the one that is in Buenos Aires is a different one. And I would advise you not to send anymore packages. And I doubt there has ever been a missionary in the world that has send that, but NOTHING is getting through. But my Christmas package was wonderful! Hna. Sorensen and I had a blast and I had two intercambios this week so they enjoyed everything as well. Funny thing is that I brought home a package for Hna. Sorensen and she got a calender too, and uno, and tons of candy! It was hilarious. But I got an ultimate Frisbee so clearly you guys win!! And thank you so much for pictures. Everyone I have shown thinks I have a gorgeous family! I would have to agree!

Second, everything is changing here and fast. When I went to Mendoza the taxi I took cost almost 40 pesos. Two months ago it cost just over 20. Bread is now at 18 pesos a kilo. Everyone is loosing jobs, especially here in San Rafael. My heart has been broken again and again this week. San Rafael is a smaller town. Its main source of income is tourism (has beautiful places like Nuihil, Valle Grande) and fruit. This past winter was strong and froze/burned all the fruit. Not very many people are traveling because of the economy and there is no fruit. In this past week there has been a huge influx of people on the street. 

Last night I couldn´t get C...... out of my head, she was way out of the way but we stopped by at about 8 last night and we helped her pack all of her boxes. Just broke my heart. It is a rough situation for all. And I feel like when you are in these situations of turmoil it is so easy to ask why. To question out of faithfulness you are put in difficult situations. The active members of the ward are suffering as well. I just wish we had more time to visit everyone who needs help. We have taught many lessons this week but people are not progressing. I just wish I could help people understand the blessings of obedience. Mosiah 2:41 has climbed to be one of my most favorite scriptures. 

We dropped lots of people this week. Which always is hard. Saturday we were focusing on finding and prayed hard on Friday to find a family of 4 the following day. Saturday was rough. Nothing and it was warm. But we continued working hard. Walking during the siesta and talking to EVERYONE!! We were not let in at all! But at 8:45 we found our family of 4. A grandmother with her 3 grandchildren. God answers prayers. We recieve testimonies after the trial of our faith. Do what you know is right and the blessings follow.

I love you all. Send your prayers this way. 

Your favoritest, smartest, funniest daughter, Duh! (I know I am missing a couple adjectives)