These Boots Were Made For Walkin'

It´s about time I write you all a proper post!  Transfers are coming up next week and I do not want to leave.  Nope, not going to happen!  Hermana Green and I have too many plans, too many great things that are happening for us to have to pack up and move yet.  We are hoping to get two more hermanas to help with the work.  I really hope everyone´s Visas come in so we can build up our ranks!!

This past week was pretty great.  We are teaching a new family!  A whole complete family!!  It was such a wonderful discovery, hearing the father tell us how he sets certain rules in the home for his two teenage daughters.  I wanted so badly to tell him ¨We´ve been looking for a father like you!!¨ Hermana Green and I are trying really hard not to be over eager with this family.  We have great plans to invite them to a noche de hogar (family home evening) with a family in our branch.  The best part of teaching them is when we hear Isabel and her daughter Rocio comment on how they feel when we speak.  I must admit that sometimes I forget the power and authority we missionaries have.  I know I feel different than the Hillary I was before the mission because I am set apart and have a really powerful calling, but I often do not realize that these people can FEEL that we are different, and it´s not just because of the clothes we wear.  When we speak they can feel such a peace, and they believe what we say because that is how the Holy Ghost works, it testifies of truth.  It is such a honor to be part of a connection between an investigator and this beautiful feeling.  It is interesting to think that some people have never even felt this strong of a feeling until missionaries come and teach them!  How great is my calling!

My boots had their last miles on Tuesday.  I felt like I was roughing it while I was walking in the mud with that huge hole on the side!  Luckily I have a different pair of sturdy water shoes that are perfect for the mud.  I just miss looking like a pirate/ the princess bride with my red skirt and brown boots!

I hope you are all well.  I love hearing about all the great things you are doing through your letters and updates from my family.  Cat, you made a beautiful bride, congratulations!!  I am sad I missed all of the festivites, but I heard my mom did a good job of dancing in my place ; )   best wishes to you and peyton!! 

un besito,  hermana hill mill

elders in our zone during our zone conference this tuesday in pergamino (province of buenos aires)  we all took a bus 3 hours away to this conference.  we played a game that the AP´s (assistants to the President) put together to test our knowledge of quotes in Preach My Gospel.  Pretty intense.

photo of other hermanas in a nearby zone, they are all so sweet!  I hope I can serve with some of the hermanas that still have a bit of time on the mission.

me and hermana green with Iara in the back of her family´s car, all squished.

sweet mural near the park where we run.

We Wear Many Hats/Faith, Trust and Hope

Hola friends y family!  Hope you are having a great day!  

Hermana Green and I are having a blast here in Venado Tuerto.  These past few weekends we have really used our talents and leadership skills to fill in for different spots when some teachers were sick and couldn´t come to church.  There´s just something about making things work the last minute and pulling things together with a little magic that really excites me. It also reminds me of my Dad, he is quite skillful at being able to make things go smoothly when things go crazy during an activity or event!  I felt like I was doing a little bit of that during our activity we had this Saturday.  

We had planned this ¨Noche de Cultura y Talentos¨ for the past month and were really excited about all whom were going to participate.  The plan was to have a whole bunch of tables showing things from different countries, and then have a talent show at the end.   The elders from the other branches came and set up things from the States and Mexico, and we patiently waited for our talent to show up.. .... ... waiting... waiting....some other members put some crafts on tables they made, a lady from Germany brought a WHOLE bunch of great things and food... waiting and waiting for our planned talent that we confirmed all this past week...   and I soon realized that we needed to act fast and be creative because they were not showing up.  We ended up pulling some strings and hermana green and I sang with our friend Iara who played the guitar, Elder Stout played ¨They called the wind Mariah¨ Iara´s and sounded just like Johnny Cash, we were all blown away!  The sweet German lady sang with her friend, a little boy played a 10 second song on his portable keyboard, so adorable, and then Hna Rivoira had the little girls model purses she made... and I called one more family and their daughter showed up and played the violin!  What we thought was going to be a night without any acts ended up being a fun spontaneous night with six talents!  

Is it strange that I find some excitement when things go a little haywire?  I think my Dad can relate: when there´s a game or show that´s ¨sold out,¨ it gives us the challenge just to work a little harder and find a (honest) way in!  It´s all about working with what you have, having a little faith, trust, and hope! (or pixie dust as I would say in my disney days)
Instead of freaking out and thinking that the activity was a disaster, we missionaries put our heads together and ended up with a wonderful evening, and a handful of nonmembers came too, which was the whole aim of our activity to begin with!