Sister Pugmire #13

Well Family hello,

Hope everyone is enjoying the week before Christmas. How long have Mark and Beth had Zoe!?? I think someone should feel disappointed in themselves that I didn`t find out until this last letter from Dad. And happy birthday to Mary and Shalea. Is Annie getting my letters? is it alright if I call the 25th at 7 pm(Peru time)? we`re allowed to skype too but I don`t know which members have the stuff for it or how to do it, so maybe for Mother's day.

to find out that everything is well at home.

This last week I had a great experience in our lesson with Hermana Flor- in which I was an active perticipant. She had told us she wasn't sure if she wanted to get baptized anymore and that she didn`t have a testimony of Joseph Smith. She told us she prayed and knew she needs to get baptized. Change is Hard! We invited her to pray with us and ask God if Joseph Smith is a prophet. So we knelt down in her little tienda and she prayed and then we waited for a REALLY long time. During which time I was praying so hard! and I felt the spirit confirm my testimony of Joseph Smith. When she got up she told us she knew that he is a Prophet of God. Saturday night we tracted into a lady who had the missionaries visit her before. She quickly began to cry and told us her mother had just died. hna Torrealva confirmed to her that she knew that God had sent us to her. She aksed us to come teach her family. So yesterday we had a lesson with them about the plan of salvation. her husband and sopn inlaw said they want to be baptised, she (hna Alvena) isn`t ready to commit. It was a really great experience but it's not happily everafter yet. I'm coming to understand the importance of the temple more and more and I am so grateful to have an eternal family.

I'm sure lots of other things have happened this week but I don't remember them! So remember that I love us miss you and am very very very grateful to wear a name tag that identifies me as a representative of Jesus Christ.

Con Amor,

Hna Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #12

Familia!!!!!!

Is it already Monday again? it feels likes Sunday was just yesterday. Time is really flying.

I love you guys so much!!!!!! and every one else that reads this email through me blog... ps thanks again Mary

first of all I want to mention a crazy run in I had at the Metro last p day. we saw someone who looked every north american and mormon. When I smiled at her she said "hello sisters" Turns out Sister Palmer is from Mesa Arizona and I think she was in the Brady's ward. In any case they`ve stayed at the Brady's house in Midway a few times and knows them pretty well. Her husband is the first counselor in our stake. She invited us over for Christmas. She's not in our area so we have to get permission from President Fernandez and hna Torrealva doesn't seem very confident that he`ll say yes.

Our zone leaders said it really depends on his mood and they'll ask him at the Christmas devotional we'll have tomorrow. In which devotional I got volunteered to be Mary. I don`t remember being Mary as a little kid in our family nativities so I`m pretty excited. I only have too lines but I have a fear that I'm going to re inact Charlie Browns Christmas and say "Hockey sticks" instead of "hark"

PS I forgot to say it before, but I feel pretty special that I finally made it on the roof, what an honor. I need to learn how to communicate how special this is to my companion.

I also forgot to say last time what our area covers- Arequipa, Moquegau, and Tacna. The last nurse told me that I'll probably end up staying in Arequipa my whole mission because I`m the nurse. she said President usaully sends you somewhere else for your last transfer because he feels bad for you. But the Fernandezs terminate their mission this spring so I'll just have to wait and see what happens.

we had one investigator have a baptismal interview last week - hna Flor. She might be getting baptized this week but she has to have another interview this week. She is such a sweet women . I just want her to have the gift of the holy ghost so bad!

I gave a very carefully prepared talk in church yesterday which was supposed to last 5 minutes. It may have past the 2 minute mark.

Thanks for the pictures Cheryl!!! I saw that you and dad emailed last time but my time was up so I had to wait til this week to see them. Killer

Grandma told me about Jamie and I am keeping my fingers crossed for Arequipa.

Have I mentioned Paneton yet? Its like Peruvian fruit cake except everyone likes it. (disclaimer: I love MOM`s fruitcake) At first I avoided it but its everywhere and so I decided to like it.

well Love yall and I love finding out what's going on at home.

con amor,

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #11

Dear Family,

First of all, thanks for the pictures Erik, its true, pictures are the best. And once again, PLEASE send me a picture of Dane Larsen. Mary the story of Elsie really is sweet. Please let her know that I love the picture she sent with Mom and that I think about all my nephews and nieces and pray for everyone of you. Cheryl that`s so great that you get to be Boston with Annie, how fun.
I was thinking this week that if each of you sent me 2 letters (through the mail not email) then I would get a letter every month from ya'll!! Hows that sound? personally I like it.

I´m going to try to answer some of the questions Dad asked me. We knock on lots of doors and make lots of appointments with those people that dont actually happen because they don`t really want to talk to us or they just don`t remember us. We`re teaching about 3 real investigators right now. One of them, Flor, came to church with us yesterday (we're in a ward). She's told us that she knows the Book of Mormon is church, she feels the spirit when she comes to church, but when we ask her to be baptised she always says sorry I`m Catholic. Maybe we just need to dig deeper with her.
We have two meetings each week with our distirct and a monthly zone meeting. we also see our district when we come to use the internet. As the nurse I have a meeting with hermane Fernandez each week, I get about 2-3 calls a week from missionaries asking for advice. When I use the internet I get extra time to chart on the church Emed system. I`m allowed to use google! which no one else is allowed to do. But I try to use the church resourses first when I have a question about missionary health.
Last P day my companion and I met a family from Alabama. They too are missionaries but for the Bapist church. Their dad is a minister here. The girls told me I could come to their house for real homemade chocolate chip cookies. They`re in our area so maybe we`ll tract into them. Plus we got their address.
We`re also teaching Maria and her family. But not her husband. He`s only home on the weekends and we are not allowed to come over during that time. He's catholic and doesnt want to hear from us. Maria kinda acts like our meeting are something of a secret. I don`t really know what to do about her. She loves having us over and watching church videos. We share the same birthday, She often tells us that she's crazy and that I remind her of herself. Needless to say she's something of a favorite of mine. Tonight we're going to teach a part member family. The mother and daughter are very active (Lourdos and Wendy) but the father isn`t a member.
It is finally December so Merry Christmas!!
I think I'm really more spanish. Every one tells me the key to learning is talking but I find this very difficult when I have no idea what is going on. still I do try and I try to talk to me companion but seems like I only understand 6 of 10 words and the 4 i don`t know are the most important ones.
the family we live with is great the mom (hna. Silva) told me shes giving me a test at the end of the month on spanish words so I better get ready. I plan to!
I`m doing great and learning more and more about the gospel, love of God, spanish, and to keep my head in the mission.
But I still do miss everyone. I'm grateful to have such a wonderful family who's worth missing. lots of people here are not half so blessed in family unity and disipleship.
love,
Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #10

Dear Family,

I`m happy to hear you had a good Thanksgiving. I thought about you all Thursday and Friday. I never use my mission money to buy snacks because I know that they are sacred. I have two exceptions- when I bought peanut butter at the metro - the sales people had no idea what I was talking about and led me to refridgerated section where butter is- and on thanksgiving. I bought a little treat for my companion and I. turns out that was very unnecessary. We taught a women in her store and after the lesson gave us candy and a soda because she felt the spirit so strongly. then we had a meeting with the mission leader for our stake. he took us to a bakery and bought us both a mini pie. I was so sick of sweets that day! I think that my sugar tolerance has lowered.

I had my first meeting with the Hermana Fernandez this last Friday. We have a meeting every week to discuss the needs and health of the missionaries. She asked me to make a few notes in the computer file for one of the elders having a operation this week. For the most part my job as the nurse is to give medical advise to missioaries when they call with a problem, talk to the area doctor when we need to and help with health classes for the missionaries - like during orientation. I live with our pinchanesta who does our cooking and part of our laundry. we hand wash our garments ourselves and hang them on the line to dry. which means that they smell like smoke. our pinchanesta uses a washing machine which she feels up with a hose.

every day we get up exercise and study and head out to prosylt. we knock on a lot of doors. we have a few families to teach but aren't making alot of progress. I'll abmit we're not the most sucessful in our zone but we do work hard and I do love the people we teach. We teach an elderly gentlemen every Saturday who knows the Book of Mormon is true but doesn[t want to be baptized. lots of times people of a problem with us not worshopping the Virgin Mary. and everyone is Catholic.

I still don't know what[s going on but I'm trying to learn the language. Sunday night we tracted into a young man who learned english by watching movies. I got to be the primary speaker! He didn'[t believe God could be perfect because he knowingly created the devil. I think he was more interested in practicing English than learning the gospel but I was still happy to be actively involved in the lession.

I still love everyone and America. The people of Peru are wonderful people. Someday I hope to understand their jokes. The family we live with is always laughing about somthing I don't understand.

Congrates to Vasa on your football game, and I wish I could have heard Romans talk in church. I'm sur it was very helpful.

Con Amor,

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #9

dear family,

First of all I would like to give a shut out to Cool Katie- your last DearElder came exactly when I needed it and said things I REALLY needed to hear so thank you.

also I`m writing a day late because I was in Lima on P day! I flew out Sunday night with other elders who needed cards to be in the country. Monday was a long day of waiting in lines but it was interesting and fun to talk to the elders from my district in the CCM and see how they are doing now. And it was so nice to speak in english! and understand other people.

I really hope Cheryl is feeling better, know that you are in my prayers. How is Aunt Terri`s arm doing? I was really glad to hear from Grandma and know that she is doing better.

Congratulations to Dane on his blessing. Somebody really ought to send me a picture of him.

And Happy Thanksgiving!! Obiviously we don`t celebrate it here don`t I`ll be singing songs of gratitude in my heart all day.

Week 2 of really being in my mission is going great. still don`t know what`s going on but I`ll trying to learn.

my companion and I live with our Penchanista. She does all the cooking for us and it all tastes great. They alot of rice and potatoes. I love it but I miss fruits and veggies. Especailly the kinds we`re not allowed to eat. I understand why so many gain wieght on mission. I feel like Hna Silva (our penichinsta) is trying to make a model of Mt Misti (a volcano here) on my plate. I'm always saying ´menos, menos, menos'.

Elders still call me all the time about their health problems who don`t speak english. Sometimes I`m able to help and sometimes i just ask them to call Hermana Fernàndez.

my ward can`t sing worth beans and I love them all for it. There is a sweet elderly lady with the sweetest, loudest, monotone voice I have ever heard who sits in the front row.

Well I probably won`t be sending out many snail mail letter because it`s become very expensive to do so here but I still think about everyone and love you all. I do miss you something fierce and love the `'home of the brave' more and more each day but I also love peru and the people here. and that helps.

love,

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #8

I am finally in the mission!!! The night we arrived President and Sister franadez were at the airport with the mission nurse!!! Sister anderson trained me for a couple of days then I recieved a new companion (Hna Torrealva) and the cellphone for the mission nurse and was sent on my way. As the mission nurse I do a lot of diagnosising. elders call me with their problems and I tell them what to do. Having the cellphone is a big responsilblity. only district leaders, zone leaders and the nurse get one. Needless to say I feel overwhelmed. right now I mostly tell leaders to call hermana fernandez because I don`t understand them. they all speak spanish!!! saturday night I got a call from an american elder who I was able to advise ( i was so nervous that I called the area doctor too). It felt so good to do something and feel useful!!! I feel like a bump on a log most of the time.
My companion is from Lima Peru, entonces, I don`t understand her. She learning english and I'm learning espoñal! Pre. Franañdez promised me I would be fluent in esponal in 6 months. I choose to believe him because it makes me feel.
tracking is really boring but I was warned of that. Last night when I was ready to call it quits a women let us in!! it was so great. She wanted to know why children suffer on the earth. I shared Alma 12 (i think, when the children and mothers are burned) straight out of Preach my gospel. But for the most part I just sat their and smiled or laughed when everyone else did.
I was so happy to here about Vasa`s amazing touchdown and that Roman made the time!! congratualtions. I love hearing about the missionary work going on at home and to be honest I wish I was there. I feel so home sick!!! I once thought that I could be something of a wanderer but now I just want to honorable complete my mission and never venture past that white vinyl fence that seperates my sancutary from the rest of the world
and I heard about the election- bumper.
Mariana, this dating situation is pretty exciting!!!!
Jill, I`m sure the customs looked great
Curtis is going to Cusco!!!!!!!! No way, that is so cool, tell him to look for my group picture at the MTC, and ask the cardons if they rememebr me (that one nurse). Crazy, crazy
well I`ve got more to say but no time.
I´m working on thinking of others more and working hard so I don`t feel home sick. I love you all so much and boy do I miss you.
con amor
Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #7

Family,

this is my last week in the MTC!!!!!! I fly out Monday afternoon for Arequipa. It´s crazy to think I´ll be in my mission soon. Some one told me that the last week of your time in the MTC reflects your last few months of the mission so I want to spend my week working hard.

I hope every one is well, especially with the flight problmes. How´s Grandma Lorriane doing? YOu are all in my prayers and I think about you often. But I try to keep thoughts of home to a minimum because I need to focus on the work.

Today was the best P day ever. My companion and I had a goal of handing out a pamphlet. We have this goal every p day but we never do it. We sat down in a coffee shop in the grocery store and talked to a college student named Grabriela. We taught her the 1st and 2nd lesson, gave her our phamlets and got her contact info, it was our first real contact on our onw!!! when we go out prosyleting on saturdays we make contacts but we always have a latin companion so we don´t do a whole lot of talking. This was different

Speaking of saturdays, this saturday in campoy was great. we went into a few houses and taught some lessons. I didn´t say very much because I was pretty well lost during most of the lessons. One door we knocked on the man just let us in without us saying a word or even getting a chance to. When we got in he told us he had been taught by missionaries before, liked their message and wanted to hear more. he was´t intersted in joining becuase he´s catholic. That´s what everyone says and everyone is catholic. he talked to me the whole time even though I was the only one who couldn´t understand. he said that I reminded him of the missionaires who taught him before because I´m white. We also tracted into a lot of inactive members.

every night Hermana Santa Cruz tells us a story before we go to bed. it´s pretty fun. She makes us actors in her stories and gives us lines to repeat and little actions to perfoms. and we always sing a song that one of the elders translated to spanish called ÿou can dance if you want to¨. Its very silly and very fun.

every day my companion and I have a goal of getting a reference, which of course is always fact (except for today). one day on of your teachers gave us a contact of one of the adminstraters and said that if we went to his office he would act like an investagator and let us teach him. So we did, but he wasn´t home. Instead President Cardon (president of the MTC) came up to us and we taught him! we plan on having the 2nd lesson soon.

So the new white hermanas seem very nice but we don´t talk to them very much cause we don´t see them a whole lot. They´re not in our district. I´m happy to report they are not taller than me. I am still the tallest female in these parts.

I don´t know if I´ve mentioned it before but Granadias are the best fruit ever. I love them and I hope there is somewhere in the US where you can buy them and enjoy this beautiful part of Peru.

I love everyone so much. And I really miss you but don´t want to see any of you we for a while.

con amor,

Hermana Pugmire

ps happy dia de brujas!!!!

Sister Pugmire #6

dear family,

in the last letter from Mom and email from dad they asked if I was getting any of their emails and letters. I found this very puzzling because I thought that I had been thanking everyone for all this in my emails. I´m starting to think that you don´t get my emails! i hope you do because this half hour of writng to you and reading emails is very stressful for me and i would hate to think that my high blood pressure is all for naught.

speaking of which grandma Lorriane is in my prayers. I hope you recover completely quickly.

Congratulations againg to grandpa Pug and Martha. Its crazy to think that there is so much going on at home.

Once again- Mom I get all your letters and I am so grateful for them. I got the birthday card you sent. I also got the letter from Annie with all the pictures of the kids. I love getting pictures, especially of my nephews and neices.

So think week we got a new group of Latinos. This is the group that i´ll be leaving the ccm (mtc) with! entonces, I´ll be leaving the ccm in about 2 weeks!! and I still don´t know spanish. but thats fine

the weekend of general confrenece we had the AMA come and give us medical advice, after the meeting i told him that I´m soppused to be the nurse for my mission. he told me a little about what I´ll be doing and said that I´ll pretty much be the doctor for my area. he said he wishes every mission had a nurse so it sounds like I´ll be able to help a little in mission by using my nursing degree.

My companion started a new game here, that doesn´t have a name. her old district used to play it. here´s how it works:

if you make eye contact with some one you try to be the first person to get your hand to your mouth and make a swooshing noise like you´re shooting a dart. if you get the other person first they have to freeze until someone says ´¨antidote¨¨. its very popular here and kinda frightening because you don´t know who´s playing so your afraid to make eye contact with anyone. I like it

we´re supposed to get 2 new northamerican hermanas tomorrow. I´m kinda bumped to not be one of the only 2 northamerican hermanas, but excited to have them come too. I hope none of them are taller then me because right now I´m the tallest female here. I haven´t seen any females in peru that are taller then me.

Our instructors here are so amazing and so patient with us. did I mention that we are now in the ´´advanced´´ class? yea, that´s crazy because I still feel like I don´t know anything, and am losing knowldge that I thought I had by the minute.

Today I found peanut butter in the store. It was pretty exciting but I didn´t buy any because we´re not supposed to bring food back to the ccm. everyone does anyways but its a rule and I need those blesing. its just good to know in the future I can buy peanut butter.

one Sunday we watched a talk by elder Hollland. It was so great!! I wish you could find it on the church website. it was about how if you come home and go bakc to the person you were before the mission you wasted 2 years. it was so great and I definetly don´t want to come home not changed for the better.

this week we´re going prosylting in Campoy. Our teacher served his mission there and told us some pretty crazy good stories so I´m exctied.

I love you all and miss you very much. THANKYOU SO MUCH FOR LETTERS AND PRAYERS!!! I didn´t realize until now how wonderful they are.

Love,

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #5

Family

first of all I miss you all very much, but I´m very happy to do so. My companion doesn´t have a ny home sickness and I think I feel worse for her.

P.s. my companion is wonderful. we get along very well. She´s very easy going and easy to laugh hut she is also very dedicated and wants to be obedient. She has such a strong testimony. Hermana Ali is a blessing to me.

Last Saturday I went prosylting for the first time. we went to a town called Chosika. I was paired with Hermana Cruz because my companion and I don´t speak english. It was such a wonderful experience. I didn´t talk very much but I felt the spirit very strongly. I don´t think I´ve ever had such a strong desire to share the gospel because I care so much for people I´ve never met. we went to a restruarant where they served us salad. which I KNEW we weren´t supposed to eat beucase it´s impossible to completely clean the lettuce. I warned everyone and then I ate the lettuce becuase I didn´t want to waste food. Never again.

I then drink a coke for the very first time in my life because I´d heard mission president´s wives tell me that it kills the bacteria and very thing alse in your system. Thats why you shouldn´t drink that kind of stuff.

Oh, and I hated every minute of it. I never want to drink anything like it again.

many of the elders who ate the lettuce have been throwing up and couldn´t go on the tour of Peru today. One elder even had to go to the hosiptal.

Again, I will never eat something I know it bad for me out of couresty. The church says don´t do it so I´m not going to do it.

The Lima tour was amazng. we went to a beautiful Monestry that was built in the 1600s. I was so amazed. i wish I could show you picutres but there´s no way to do that on these computers and we werent allowed to take pictures inside anyways. We went to the catacombes underneath as well and that was pretty awesmoe. then we went and bought soccor jerseys (well the elders did) and after that we saw the state building and where the arch bishop lives.

The Hermanas latina left yesterday so my companion and I are the only sister missionaries here. we miss the hermanas but thats life I guess.

I lost my toothbrush last week and have been using a paper towel to brush my teeth. Today Hermana Cardon (the Mission Presidents wife) informed me that she had toothbrushes I could take. So I did.

CONGRATLATIONS LARSENS!!!!!!!!!! I can´t wait to share this with my district.

I got the Browns and Lehua´s letter and the birthday card from mom and dad and co. I was very happy to get both. I love gettinh Mom´s letters each week.

I got my early ballot as well. My branch president came over the nect day and i was able to give it to home to send back with some of his friends who leave in the states. I feel very blessed to be able to vote on my mission.

I hope that I get more time in the field to write. I´m out now, please forgive the horrible grammer and confused thoughts. I so much more to say!!! oh well. If I forget I have an eternity to recall it.

Love,

Hermana Pugmire

P.S. I placed my first books of Mormon on saturday

Sister Pugmire #4

Dear Family,

I has been so long since I have emailed you! Atleast that´s the way I feel. Usaully we email on Wednesdays but the internet in Lima has been down for the past 2 days.

I would like to begin by saying that I haven´t read any of the emails sent to me because I´m on a timer and I want to tell you everything I can before I read your mail.

I would like to also tell that I got Mom´s letter on my birthday and it was the best birthday gift I have ever received!!!!

To begin:

My first couple of days here I was with to Latina companions- Hermanas Cruz and Castro. I loved following them around everywhere although I didn´t know what was going on. Orietation was a alittle tought to follow but i basically understood it.

We had our first branch meeting the first night. As I sat dummily pretending to understand my name was called as someone recieving a calling. I stood up and accpeted it but I didn´t have a clue what that calling was. I found out when they me the black binder that I was the cooridating sister (one of two) for a bunch of Latina Hermanas that I don´t understand.

A few nights ago the cooridating sister came into my room and explained that some of the hermanas were having a hard time getting along so we were going to have meeting. My first thoughts were that I was going to get any sleep that night. When we had the meeting I realized that it was a companship having troubles and I immediately remember that we weren´t supposed to try to advise them but just notify the branch president. So I sat there for a while listening to them pour out their feeling foreignly and said ¿oracion? as soon as I found a pause- aka I tried to end it as soon as possible. Pero, I still lost a good 30 mintues of sleep. I don´t think latinas need sleep, or atleast they don´t seem to think that they do.

Yesterday they surprised me with a cake at breakfast and sang happy birthday. They made me a really sweet card and a few of them shared peices of their candy with me for my birthday. It was very sweet of them.

Two days after I got here my companion Hermana Ali came. We knew eachother in the Prove MTC but she didn´t come to Peru with the rest of the group because she didn´t have her Visa yet. She´s alot of fun and I think we work pretty well together. We both love being around the other sisters and are pretty bummed that we can´t sit with them anymore at lunch because we need to sit with our own district. to build unity. On wednesday we went to the Lima Temple and the super market it was so beautiful and wonderful. I really appreciate all the chivlary here. They gave us their tray and tell us to go to the front of the line at lunch, give up seats on the bus for us, and do so many other things that make me want to act like a lady.

FYI- Mom please don't send me any packages in the MTC it´s super expensive and if you want to send a little then use the pouch mail, you can use USA stamps. the address is:

Lima Perú MTC

P.O. Box 30150

Salt Lake City, UT 84130

I wish I had time to write more about how interesting it is here and how much I love it but I´ve only got 5 minutes and I really want to read your mails Por Lo tanto- good bye.

I love so much,

Hermana Katy

Sister Pugmire #3

Mi familia,

I still havent read any of your emails because I havent been given the ok to spend time reading them. I have been give a little time to write a quick note to let you know Im here and safe. I will give you a quick overview of my trip:

On the ride from Salt lake to Atalana I sat next to an older gentlemen who was once a part of the church but was offended and he left. He actually left alot of Churchs that he was offended by. I gave him a pass along card but didnt talk to him about the church very much because every time he brought the subject up (which he frequently did) he would change the subject as I was speaking. He told me so many things about his life. He told me that he doesnt make friends very easily and that he normally doesnt speak to people on the plane but he opened up to me because I reminded him of a young women he was once engaged to who died! That was very interesting but im glad he felt comfortable around me.

Last night I slept in a room all by myself for the first time since the begining of my mission. Hermana Ali was supposed to fly out with us and be my companion but she didnt get her visa. So toady Ive been assigned to 2 Hermanas from South America and they are very sweet and helpful. I hope I get to spend alot of time with them so that I will be forced to learn faster!

As far as I can tell Peru is beautiful and I feel very blessed to be here.

I got the girls letters, Mary, and I was very proud of them. I showed them off to my companions and anyone else I could. Ill write them back as soon as I can but the mail is pretty slow here.

Love you all so much

Hereman Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #2

Well guys....
I received an email a few days ago to notify me that my visa hadn't come. I was asked to notify my family on my next P Day. Consider yourselves notified.
Yesterday I told I'm flying out to the Lima MTC on Tuesday and was asked to notify my family on my next P-Day. You are now notified.
I AM SO EXCITED!!!! And I'm feeling pretty darn blessed. I've worried more about that visa then I ought to and it's a relief to be on my way.
Sunday one of my companions and I were asked to give the prayers in Relief Society. Kind of a big deal. Sister Sherri Dew was the speaker. Yes that is correct- I said the closing prayer and I sat on the stand with Sherri Dew. It was rather epic and I'm feeling pretty cool.

Sister Dew asked to shake my hand but I said "whoa, whoa, whoa Sherri Dew- CEO of Desert Book and author of President Hinkley and Benson's biographies- not just anyone can shake my hand." Actually I had a pretty lovely cold so I told her it was best I keep my germs to myself. I think that comment made me more memorable.

I think the best feeling that I experince here at the MTC is a feeling of safety. You see, there are no 'sisters grabing sisters bums' at the MTC. I can turn my back in peace.

I'm sorry to write another very short letter. We get a half hour during laundry but I was pulled out because I had a nuring class that started earlier then I had been informed it would. I'm unlawfully finishing this letter now so I can't be as elaborate as I would wish to be. I love you all and miss you but I try not to think about you too much. Mainly I just pray for you and dream about you all.

Thank you Mary for getting your girls letters sent off (I'm assuming you did) it will make me very important in my district.

Erik- I didn't get to read your letter but I did see the beginning off it and I'm happy to hear you're sporting a more missionary look.

OK now I really gotta go. IT's too bad, I really had thought out a lot of fanstastic things to share with you that I'll forget before my next letter.

Lovingly,

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire 1st edition

Well family it's been week and I caught Tb here at the MTC. I'll probably die in a couple weeks. CHISTE!!!! AKA: Chiste is Esponal for 'just kidding', although I don't know the actual spelling of that. I'm finding out that I know very little about the gospel and Spanish. I want to be better than I am and progress fast then I am. I feel like I'm in one of those dreams were a monster is chasing me and I'm running in slow motion with lead shoes.
I have two companeras. There were 4 Hermanas in our district but Hermana Dopp got bumped up to intermediate Spanish so her companion (Hermana Shelton) became companions with myself and Hermana DeMille.
I got to see Aunt Lynnie during lunch a couple times before she left. She got my lunch schedule and came and found me. It was so wonderful to see her!!! My BYUI roommate and beloved friend Amanda Hill also found me. Apparently one of the Elders in her district knows how to hack into the computer system and found me for her. I am so loved.
I saw Elder Allred from the Stake and Elder Rigby came in today.
Lets see, my Bosom friend Katie picked me up from the airport and we went to Temple Square and lunch before I went into the mission. It was very peaceful and a great breather before I jumped into the compound. Hermana Shelton is going to D.C. South - aka the Riggs mission. I tried to tell her fantastic stories about them but I don't know any that she hasn't already heard. Everyone wants to tell her about how President Riggs likes to stick his finger in your food. Hermana DeMille is going to the Mesa Temple mission. If you see a very little person with very long dark, almost black, hair give her a big smile.
So I'm getting highly distracted because I'm trying to write in the laundry room; therefore I can't think of anything else to say even though I know more has happened.
P.S. write me a letter. My companion gets one every day so you should follow that excellent example. Well I don't need one every day.
I love ya'll very much and want know what's going on with you.
Love,
Herman Pugmire
oh and I attached a picture of me and katie and me and Elder Allred


This is not katy typing...but her wonderful sister, I can't figure out how to attach the pictures to her post...but i will figure it out and do it soon!

Wait... This is also in America?

What does the 4th of July mean to us? I mean besides freedom, patriotism, heroism, honor, justice, etc, etc, etc.
The 4th is a day that we light fireworks and have barbeques. It's universal- even here in nowhere land Gustavus. Of course everything must be on a smaller scale. The parade is about 5 trucks long plus the firetruck and lasts about 20 minutes (counting when it turns around). They have festival that everyone gets involved in. They sell pies and ice cream, the fire department has a barbeque fundraiser, and there are lots of competitions. There's the egg toss, the bubble gum bubble, the horseshoe toss, etc, etc, etc. The Lindbloms have dominated the horseshoe competition every year since they came here with this year being the exception. It was a tough blow to the Gustavus Country Inn pride. All those afternoons that Jim and Curtis spent throwing shoes has come to naught. Truly- the defeat was agonizing.
The most amazing competition was the greased pole. If the tide is high enough they grease a pole with Crisco, grease up some money, place it in a slit at the end of the pole and set it over the Salmon river. If you can slide down the pole, and get the money before you fall into the river  you win. It's the most interesting 4th of July tradition I know of and by far the most entertaining.
At midnight we all gather to the beach and light the fireworks. For all of us privileged with the Lindblom's acquaintance we know that this is the climax of the summer. They had been preparing for some time, and their efforts did not come to another crushing conclusion. The fireworks were fantastic and the patriotic country music playing in the background was a real nice touch. I don't how ya'll celebrated the 4th but I don't think it could have been in better style.
P.S. Yesterday after church we saw a mama bear with three cubs walking around about 12 yards from the window we were staring out. It was national geographic amazing. That is what people come to Alaska dreaming to see. I didn't dream it ladies and gentlemen- I lived it.

Curtis in the horseshoe competition, with a form like that you'd really think he'd take the champion seat.

The red solo cup float, not my favorite but still note worthy.

 

The bubble gum bubble contest

 
PS I tried uploading more and better pictures but it wouldn't load or save so this will have to do.

Boundaries

On this globe there is a dot named Gustavus Alaska. In this dot this there is a little nomad. Which is me. How is it I ended up in this little town where the side walk ends? The Lindbloms generously  invited me to come work at their lodge here and I anxiously accepted.
Gustavus is... different. Unless you're Andy Griffith then it's home sweet home. Except that Sheriff Andy couldn't eek out a living here because they don't have any law enforcement. Recently they built a fire station in reaction to a forest fire and apparently this is their  resource for all emergencies. Gustavus Alaska has two paved roads- one going from the airport to the national park and another stemming off of that going down to the dock; therefore, Gustavus has no stop lights. It would seem that the population of Gustavus is capable of containing/ restraining themselves without the aid of deputies and blinking lights. Everyone seems to be possessed of common sense; everyone that is, except me.
Last week as I was frolicking about the meadow when Boyd (another employee/ friend of the Lindbloms) suddenly screeched to a halt with the golf-cart-thing next to me and asked me:
"Do you have bear spray with you?"
"Uhhhhhhhhhh," I was afraid the truth would get me in trouble, "no but I was just on my way back to the lodge."
At this reply Jim Lindblom had instructed him to drag me back so he suggested "want me to drive you back?"
If I had said no, what would he have done? His instructions to bring me back were pretty clear. In any case, I replied "Yes and thank you."

Where I had be Frolicking

After this I thought it prudent to have a chit chat with Jim and Carla about my boundaries. So a couple days latter I asked Carla "what are my boundaries?" She spoke with Jim, then called me into the office and we had a sit down talk about where my lines are drawn. It was good to have it out. If I had a camera I would show you the places I'm allowed to bike to independently. It is so beautiful here!!! I can hardly believe the masterpieces that are constantly before my eyes.
The other kids here like to laugh about 'my boundaries'. They jovially admonish me to stay in my parameters and suggest getting a shock collar. I laugh along, but the truth is they have the same boundaries as me they just didn't give their enclose a name as I have done. I never bring it up of course: I don't want to wound their pride.
Here are some pictures of Alaska from Hannah's camera:

The lovely inn work where I work

While hiking we saw 3 bears on this island

Halibut Fishing

Thess symbols of freedom fly around like a common pigeon up here. I never ceased to be amazed by seeing them.
  

Anne, Hannah, Yours Truly

It's not the Gilbert Arizona Mission

  

Were you aware that the last time this bad boy (El Misti) erupted was  between the years1438 and 1471? Accordingly it has been declared inactive by Wikipedia (a website you can trust). Pretty though...
Oh yea did I mention that this is where I am serving my mission? No, not in the volcano, just the volcanic people surrounding it. Or maybe they're a rather docile bunch- I don't know because I've never met them. According to a family friend from this country the city in question is a lot like Scotdale in wealth and heart and the people of the surrounding areas are Indians, but not India Indians- American Indians. I've never been to Scotdale. as far as I'm aware of so I can't make a comparison.
Oh P.S., this is Arequipa Peru and it's where I will be serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (with my primary responsibility to be the mission nurse specialist)  starting Sept. 5.
Understandably (at least I understand) I'm rather overwhelmed with excitement and joy.
But I'm not going to get into the mushy details in this post:
To all my faithful blog followers (all 5 of you) I'm be sharing more emotion detail in the next post
To all you facebook visitors- thanks for flying and have a safe trip home.