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