Week #22 - Twas Four Days After Christmas........

From Heather:  Today Hannah was able to send a TON of pictures because she was apparently on a "really fast computer".  YAY!  I will put her email message first and then A LOT of pictures!  ENJOY!!

Everyone that sent me Christmas cards..... THANK YOU! I loved them. ESPECIALLY the Fisher´s. It is my favorite card every year and I got one here in Argentina! I AM SO LUCKY! 

This week was the best week! We had such a fun time celebrating Christmas Argentina style!

On Christmas Eve we had a sleepover with all the girls in our zone! We stayed up talking and laughing. 6 girls slept on 3 mattresses. It was an interesting experience! On Christmas we had a zone activity. We played with water balloons (yes, in Argentina you can do that for Christmas...) and we used a slack line! It was super fun! 

I am pretty sure the highlight  of my week was being able to talk to my family! I missed them SO much. I am so so so so happy to have the family that I have. I love them so much! Anyways, it was the best Christmas present in the whole world. 

On Friday and Saturday we had the BEST days! We taught a lot of great people. I am so happy and blessed to have met the people that we met. Hermana Tapia is such a great companion. She is teaching me a lot about missionary work, but something I like even more about her is that she is my friend.

On Saturday we met the best family! We talked with the mom for a long time and we shared with her a message about the family. She was super excited about the church and I am just really excited to teach her some more!

I hope you all had the best christmas! 

XOXO

Hermana Hannah 

Pictures from the Posadas mission Christmas Devotional and Dinner:

Pictures of Hannah with her current companion, Hermana Tapia from Argentina:

Hannah with her last companion, Hermana Moreno from Ecuador:

Some reasons Hannah LOVES being in Argentina and serving at this time:

This is the view she sees Every. Single. Day......

Week #21 - It´s NOT beginning to look a lot like Christmas......

this is one of our investigatores natalia. she is super talented and super darling and i want this blanket.

 BUT it is huge and i dont have space. sadly :( 

So sorry for not writing last week....we lost power in the place that I was emailing so we went home. We lose power at least 3 times a week! 

But............. it is not really fun while you are emailing your family. ¡igual no mas! 

Last week I had to go to Resistencia again for our passports. I was able to see Hermana Wilson again which was the best thing in the entire world. I just love her. Anyways, after that I had my p-day on Tuesday!

This week we did divisions with the nurses (Hermana Larzo and Hermana Gonzalez) and I was able to work with my best best best friend in the mission Hermana Larzo! She is so darn cute! I love doing divisions because I am able to learn so much more! We taught 3 lessons and even sang a hymn with a guitar! (I have the video so I will try and send it) 

divisions with hermana larzo!

Anyways, this week was really good! We had a choir with all the missionaries in this area in downtown  Posadas! It was so fun! We sang a bunch of songs and handed out the El es la Dadiva cards. 

I have been thinking a lot about the true meaning of Christmas and to me it is all about the family and how we can be better through Christ. 

I will be skyping my family this week and I cannot explain to you all the excitement that I have. I CANNOT WAIT! I love them and they are the greatest gifts of my life. 

FELIZ NAVIDAD EVERYONE! I love you all so much! :)

Hermana Hannah

Hannah's apartment

the pretty sky. the nights look like this almost every night! :) i love it

Week #20 - Where is Hannah?

Hannah wasn't able to send pictures this week, so a special
THANK YOU to Heather Robson Dunford.  She shared this picture
of her daughter........Hermana Mikayla Dunford and Hannah.  When I
told Hannah that Hermana Dunsford's mom "found me" on Facebook, she said
this about Hermana Dunsford, " i loveeeee her!"

Note from Heather:
Sorry, but I don't really have a letter to post from Hannah this week.  She had about two minutes to email today and all she really said was:

"MOM I NEED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SKYPING.   I AM SO GOSH DARN EXCITED---------- BUT I NEED USERNAMES AND PASSWORDS FOR WHAT I WILL BE USING PLEASE RESPOND!!!!! But really........I don't remember any of my passwords or usernames so I need to use yours or dads or Collin's or Maddie's.... whatever will work fine. But I have Pday on Christmas next week BUT i am able to get on the internet and talk on Monday and figure out plans for skyping or talking. We are trying to find a computer to talk on because I think we will be moving houses..... I can't believe I get to talk to you in 9 days. I am way too excited. BUT I NEEEEEEEEEEEEEED A USERNAME AND PASSWORD AND INSTRUCTIONS OF WHAT TO USE AND HOW TO USE IT!!!!  HELP!!!"

So......that's it folks.  Nothing too much this week.  Obviously something was up because:
1.  Yesterday, she didn't email on her Pday.  
2.  Today's email was SUPER short. (But good....so I knew she was at least okay.)
3.  She has to move BEFORE Christmas next week.  

Sounds like some last minute changes are in action, so I can't wait to hear the "full story" next week WHEN WE GET TO TALK TO HER ON CHRISTMAS!!!!!!! (I am SOOOOO excited I can hardly contain myself!!!)

Week #19 - ¡tengo 20 años en argentina!

this is one of my favorite families here in argentina.
 the familia balbuena! they made lunch for me on my birthday!

WOW. Thank you all for the emails. You have no idea how happy that made me. I shed a few tears not going to lie... I just love you all so much!

birthday celebrations in AR! ice cream from hector... haha

This week has been GREAT! We had transfers and I was super nervous because I had to leave my mom (my trainer hna moreno.) My new companion is Hermana Tapia! She is 31 years old from Argentina! I have already learned so much from her just in the 6 days that I have been with her. i just love her already. 

Anyways we had a cool experience this week. Yesterday I studied about how we can have more service opportunities in the streets. I prayed and prayed that Heavenly Father would send me a family that needed help so that we can teach them......Heavenly Father sent me a sweet birthday present because there was a family that needed our help. They were walking in the street and they were carrying a bunch of stuff. We asked if we could help them and they said "no, it's okay", but they were touched about our willingness to help them. We are going to teach them this week!

me and the cute hat i have to wear

It was such a good birthday and I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present! I am just so happy to be here and to meet so many new people! Never would I have thought a year ago from today that I would be spending my 20th birthday in Argentina!

Thanks again for the love and support and for all the emails! I love you all so much!

Hermana Murphy

familia balbuena again... because i love them

hermana gonzalez went home this week. i love her!

this picture was shared to me by the cute Hermana that Hannah is standing next to.  THANKS!

Note from Heather:

I want to thank EVERYONE from the bottom of my heart for sending Hannah so many fun birthday emails.  You can tell from her message above just how touched she was.  It's the little things when you are so far away.  On another happy note, the small package that Rick and I sent her about five weeks ago arrived safe and sound.  She now has some music, new crocs and sour patch watermelons to enjoy for the next six months until we can send her another package!  WOOT!

AND........In case you were wondering........we also had a fun night celebrating Hannah's big 20th last night in downtown Portland.  Hannah and Maddie were able to "be there too"........kind of!  We had fun carrying on our yearly tradition with the Schnell, Francis and Batten families!  

Here are a few pictures from Hannah's big night........PDX Style........

Elder Michael Schnell, Maddie and Hannah at Chipotle for a birthday dinner

We sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Hannah.......and ate Cheesecake Factory
Cheesecake, Cake Balls and Hannah's all time favorite....Rice Krispies Treats!

Maddie and Hannah heading down to Santaland.......(get it?  "Head"ing down?)
(That is really for Hannah........I am sure she misses my puns...)

Collin is a good sport!! (This is actually why I made "Flat Stanley's"
of Maddie and Hannah.  I didn't want Collin to be alone in the picture.

Hannah Batten........being Hannah Murphy

Here are all of the kids......except Maddie, Hannah, Ben, Hailey & Luke
(I am glad there are some littles still around.......because otherwise it would
make me cry that everyone is growing up ......and leaving!)

Awww....we DID get a family picture this year after all!!

Week #18 - Life Here in Argentina........

If pictures are worth a 1,000 words.........then Hannah blessed us with many WORDS today.  Well.........actually, she wasn't able to write very much, BUT she sent quite a few PICTURES for your viewing pleasure.  ENJOY!

From Hannah:

I am not going to write a large letter this week... just lots of pictures with details! Look on my blog for more. I love you all SO much!

4 months down! i had my 4 months yesterday!

Hermana Hannah

these are my sweet grandparents ramona and mario :)

 i love them with all of my heart. i just wish you all could meet them! 

these are the three people that got baptized this weekend!
Ramona Pereyra, Mario Pereyra, and Johanna I LOVE THESE PEOPLE

before johanna got baptized! johanna cantero and hermano rios!

after the baptism. how darn cute is she?

guess who is done with 12 semanas? 

guess who is officially a normal missionary?!! hermana murphy!

today i said bye to hermana anderson! i love her and i am going to miss her so much!

 ZONA POSADAS:  we work hard but play hard too :) 

Zona Posadas!

we were without power for 10 hours so we had a little sleepover :)
with hermana larzo and hermana gonzalez :)

Another note from Heather:

Hannah has transfers this week and she found out that she will be staying in Jardin (where she has been since she arrived.)  She will be getting a new companion and therefore her sweet companion Hermana Moreno is off to Paraguay!  That is exciting for her.  Hannah will be sad to see her go because they have had a great time together. Hannah is excited about meeting her new companion, but is a bit nervous too because suddenly, "i am in charge of our area now!" (I told her she was "Charles in Charge" now.  haha!