Sister Pugmire #51

Dear Family,

well from Dad´s letter it sounds like everyone is still alive which is always great to hear. 

I think I forgot to say that I cut my hair off a few week ago. but I don´t have any recent pictures to send because we forgot to bring the connector thing. so I´m sending some old ones. One at Bishops house and the other on p-day.

this last Friday the office elders called me to let me know that my new cell phone was in the office. In december all the zone leaders got new ones but I some how got forgotten. We went the office to pick it up. When I opened the box it was a touch screen blackberry. I was so surprised and made a pretty big emotional scene about it. Then an elder brought in a smaller box and said ´just kiding this is your phone´. no touch phone. They got me pretty good. At first I was pretty set on getting my revenge, but not being much of the vengeful type I got tired of planning it and left it to my comp, who is pretty set on getting them back.

Saturday we had a lesson with a sister named Lucila. She hadn´t read the pamphlet and I´ll admit I didn´t think the lesson would go every far. But when we were ready to leave she asked us to stay and teach a little more. as we talked about Joesph she smiled and laughed a little bit. we asked her why and she told us that she was at the point of giving up on God and religion but during this lesson she felt she had finally found the truth. she told us ¨sisters, I want to be part of this church but I don´t like wearing skirts!¨ the only problem is that she and her husband aren´t married.

Sunday stake confrence was broadcasted from salt lake to all of Peru . Elder Bednar (who spoke on repentance) and Elder Scott (sho spoke on the divinity of womenhood) presided. We didn´t get to hear all of Elder Scott´s talk because we got called out to help a sister who´s special need´s daughter stabbed her in the arm with a pencil during conference. This sister was just run down and feeling like she didn´t have any support from her husband and that her load (carrying for a special needs child and her other childern, and working full time) was just too big. Our bishop´s wife came in and shared some personal trials that we never knew she went through. 

you just never know what someone is going through by just looking at them.

today we´re going to make pizza as a zone. 

oh, and Tuesday I gave a health presentation to the new missionaries. I hope it went ok. I got to eat Pizza hut!

And an elder who pulled a tendon in his ankle was going through alot of pain these past 2 days. the pain pills weren´t helping. I didn´t know of any stronger pills so I told him to get a blessing. he sent me a message this morning that said that after the blessing he felt like a new person. The preistood works, go figure!

love ya´ll

Hermana Pug

Sister Pugmire #50

Dear Family,

This week Patty ALMOST got baptized. At the missionary noght we had she told us that she would start saving up her money to pay for her baptism. We told her it didn´t cost anything and invited her to be baptized saturday She accepted but saturday morning told us she wanted to wait for the next week because her mom would be back from vacations by then. Sunday we went to visit and her sisters were in town. They go to a christian church and pray like crazy people. They told us they didn´t understand why their sister would leave the church, blah, blah, blah. We left and said a pray. Then they asked if they could say a pray for us. They both spoke/ chanted at the same time and asked God to help us and they´re sister get on the right path. 

Afterwards Patty told us she felt paz when we prayed and like they were calling for the devil when her sister´s prayed. 

But she still likes going to the christian church more because she likes the way the pastor teaches. She has a testimony of the Book of Mormom, Jose Smith and the churhc but she doesn´t want to leave her traditions behind. 

We have her programmed to be baptized this week.

Congratulations to Roman and your lincense!! and happy birthday to Brent Thomas. I ´ll be thinking about you!!

And Isaac got his mission call to the same mission as my companion, hna Vargas, she ´s waiting for her visa for mexico. What´s Isaac´s last name?

Our mission night went really well, we got about 8 references out of it. 

I have more to say but no time to write. I´m sending pictures of us with Patty and bishops wife, Daniela. And of a stake activity we had in August, This is us helping with clean- up/ playing with the equipment

love ya´ll a ton

Hermana Pug

Sister Pugmire #49

Dear Family

Happy Labor day!! 

And happy late birthday to Mark, sorry I forgot to write it in last week, but I promise I was thinking about you. 

And happy birthday to Erik, your day´s a bit easier for me to remember because the day I went into the MTC. 

And happy grandparents day this Sunday. I sure am lucky to have the best grandpartents in the world!

This last Sunday we had a new investigator come to church, Davie. he understands everything we tell him. He reads the book of Mormon and marks is up. The only problem is that he says he has the whole Book of Mormon to know if its true. 

Patty didn´t come to church yesterday but we did get to have an appointment with her last night. We watched the Testaments with her at Lourdes house. Lourdes made popcorn and made me my own giant bowl, how embarrassing, but I ate the whole thing and a little bit of the community bowl. I´ve developed a great love for popcorn in the mission. (I think its because it reminds me of mom and how she´ll microwave a bowl of popcorn when she wants a snack, or pull out an orange cream sicle.) She had her baptismal interview last week but still doesn´t want to put the baptism to a date. 

We´ve started eating with our new pincion, Hermana Nora. She´s not a member but very sweet, and the food is very yummy, but she doesn´t give us as much food as Maria which is great because we don´t feel too bloated to walk. 

In our zone there a few women who sale second hand clothing from the States on the side of the road. There are few things that make me happier then seeing a goodwell tag that says $7 and realizing I bought it for 9 soles- I got it cheaper then I could at a second hand store in the states.

Well I can´t think of anything else.

Love ya´ll, and pray always for ya,

Hermana pugmire

PS mom I got a letter from you about 3 week ago that got missent to Thailand. So I got to read all about the wedding preparation about 2 months later! but it didn´t change how much I loved getting the letter and reading about the wedding plans.

Sister Pugmire #48

Dear family,

how is everything in Arizona? Happy anniversary to Jill and Scott, 18 years whoa-who! and Happy birthday to Kalanie, 9 years old is a big number... its also most 2 whole hands of fingers!!

This last Tuesday we had an interesting run in. We were walking back from our district meeting when a women stopped us and told us she had been looking for us for an hour. She was tired of living the way she was and wanted to find the peace. Turns out she´s been in a homosexual relationship, practiced witch craft and attempted suicide. Holy apple sause. I called our zone leaders and told them I don´t think we´re supposed to handle cases like this but they said to keep with her. We love her so much, she is a very sweet spirit but a handful. She calls us when she feels lonely or want to kill herself, etc. We brought her to church yesterday but it took all of our strenght. We literally pulled, dragged, pushed, and chased after her (running). As we were crossing the gate to the church building she bolted. I ran after her for a bit but gave up the chase. She didn´t want to come to church. She said she was afraid. Well gees every one has fears, and the only way to get over them is to face them. 

Also she has 6 cats.

Our big activity monday turned our pretty fun. I ate 3 completos and was so full. the pictures I´m sending are from the activity. 

These passed 2 weeks I´ve been teaching english class but its been a poor showing I guess we need time to get the word out. Either way I have a fun time teaching. One of our investigators, Patty, comes. She has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith but she hasn´t linked that to the fact that she needs to be baptized again. We´re trying to help her understand that the authority is in THe LDS church. 

We had a missionary night this week and got 2 new investigators out of it. Pamela is one of them and she came to church last week. We feel like she´ll be able to progress really quickly. 

And thats a bout it. I´m stil the nurse and every one still calls me. One elder went to the hospital this week and was told he had appendisitis. He was rushed into surgery where they did a echograph and found out it was kidney stones. That was a big scare.

have a great week everyone!!

Hermana Pugmire.

Sister Pugmire #47

dear family, 

how is every one? I bet Sam´s baptism was wonderful, I got my invitation Thrusday, sorry I couldn´t come. I hope ya´ll are saving your pictures and family videos for me to relive these moments. 

I´m in the computer early because my companion and i got nomianated to buy the stuff to make completos for our zone activity today. That episode of kids history about the completos makes so much more since now. 

Yesterday there was a juge crowd at the stadium just outside our area. When we asked about it we found out it was for a bull fight. But my companion and I didn´t see anything. The most interesting thing we saw was a dead stiff cat just outside the stadium. My companion has a phobia of cats so it was pretty distressing for her. And hearing her scream is always pretty distressing for me. 

This week I can´t remember anything to interesting happening. Our pincionista, Maria, is moving so we´ve had to look for a new pincion. The mother of one of our old investiagtors offered to do it so we´re at peace there. And she lives closer to us. 

We´ve been teaching a girl named Patty (and her siblings Helmer and Guadalupe) who is really interested. Its been a blast to teach her. She´s making real progress. 

I´m sorry this is such a short letter, I just can´t remember what happened this week. Everybody got sick, we taught great people, OH!- and hna Juana (a less active member) went to Lima and brought us back turron. I am so excited for October because that´s turron season. 

love you all so much, 

these are pictures of me with hna. Celestina, she a very faithful special needs sister in our ward who is committed to converting her family, 

love 

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #46

Dear Family,

happy birthdays to Sam TODAY, and later on to Lily, Abney, and kaligh. what a big birhtday week. 

This last Monday I  gave my haelth presentation to the zone leaders. I don´t think I messed up too bad. We got to eat hamburgers with barbeque sauce. I actually perfer ketchup and mustard, but how often do you get to eat barbeque sauce? The most memorable part happened as we were leaving. We had said our good byes and were walking away when I realized I had left my camera above the kitchen sink. I ran back and ran into the glass door. It was just so darn clean. And everyone was right by the door. Its a miracle I didn´t fall into anyone. 

We had divisions this week with our sister leaders. I got to go back to Paucarpata and spend time with my cousin (in the missionary family). She also finished training my daughter after I had to leave to train Hna Vargas. Actually they never finished training. Before training was over Hna Cangalaya (my cousin) got called to be a leader Hna Rivas got called to train a gringa.. before she finished training!! Its cause I know how to raise them. or because they just come really prepared. I preferred the first thought

This last sunday we had a less active member come to church. he is one of the most interesting looking characters I have seem in Peru. I first noticed that he keeps his himno tucked into the front of the pants. then as I was sitting by him in the new miembros clase I realized he was wearing a choker, green eye shadow and black eye liner. it was fun to get to know him, and he siad he´s going to bring his GIRLfriend the next sunday. I´m excited to meet her. 

We had a big stake relief society activity Saturday of comidas tipicas de Arequipa. They asked the missionaries to come because lots of nonmemebrs attend. I finally got to try Rocoto Relleno. It was really yummy. afterwards my companion and I had fun cleaning up. I dont remember what its called, that thing you use to put lots of chairs on to 

anyways we worked but we also had fun taking turning taking rides, until the Zone leaders took it away and started playing with it. 

my week has been great, Hope the next one is good for ya´ll. 

love, 

Hermana Pugmire

ps don´t forget Arequipa day the 15th

Sister Pugmire #45

Dear family,

how is everyone? Ready for school? Is it starting even ealier or is that just me?

We didn´t have a baptism this week. There´s a young boy who goes to church every week with his uncle and aunt, he even escaped from his house one Sunday to attend church when his parents said he had to stay home. His mom is all for him getting baptized but the dad isn´t. We haven´t actually talked to his dad so we´ll need to found him and hear it for ourselves before we believe he doesn´t want his son to be baptized. 

So Raul was supposed to get baptized this week but hopefully we´ll get the permission to baptism him this week. 

The other day I was on the comuputer putting some health information in the church system at a computer cafe when a boy of about 9 years gave me a good quizical look and asked my companion ¨is it a boy or a girl?¨ Maybe I should be better about putting my make up on in the mornings. 

The problem is that I don´t have time any more. As soon as I wake up I need to start calling missionaries to check up on them, inform them of doctors appointments, etc.  I don´t even do my exercises anymore. If I don´t get a worm or something I think I´ll come back home needing  a new pants size. 

On the bright side a drunk called me a drawf the other day. My comp informed me there was a saying that drawfs are actually very beautiful and white but they´re sent from demons. So it wasn´t really a compliament. 

Friday we had a relief society activity. I was supposed to teach them how to make peanut butter cookies. Our president (hna. Consuelo) but all the stuff. It was very sweet of her. The problem was is that no here knows what brown sugar. It almost doesn´t exsist. She bought a type of sugar that had a brownish hue, and was large granule. The cookies turned out fairly pathic. 

But I learned a great lesson: when you´re in Peru Just enjoy the food you get to eat in Peru. 

Tomorrow I´m supposed to give a health presentation to the new missionaries. Wish me luck. My spanish is still pretty crumby, and I´m forgetting my english. basically, I can´t communicate. I think I´ll basically tell them to take pepto bismol and stop eating in the streets. 

 I also need to set up a meeting for me and Hna Zobrist to speak to a cardiologist doctor about an elder with a heart problem- I´m not really sure how to do that. But it will be a great learning experiencia. 

I don´t know what more to report. I´m doing well, and feeling overwhelmed but I love being able to be more apart of everything. 

Love, 

Hermana Pugmire

ps this is me with Hermana Consuelo (RS pres) and the peanut butter, and the other is of Hna Marcaria after she cut my hair. PS, its offical, my hair doesn´t grow other bean. Oh well.

Sister Pugmire #44

Dear Familia, 

 How is everyone? congratulations to Target!! they are getting a great employer by hiring Vasa. 

and Happy Anniversary to Cheryl and Dave! Your marriage has been  a blessing to our whole family. 

And Happy Independence day to Peru!

This weekend Yhumi was baptized and confirmed. Friday night we went over to make sure she was prepared to be baptized Saturday and while we were talking at the door her dad showed up. he hadn´t been heard from since Sunday. He had the nerve to say he would have to talk to the mom before authorizing the baptism. Who does he think he is to abandon his family all week and then have a say in what does on? So I read D and C 68 and told him if Yhimu wasn´t baptized it would be his sin to carry to judgement day and God would judge with justice. Then I gave him a good firm hand shake. Sometimes I like being a foot taller then everyone around me. 

Saturday night when Yhumi didn´t show up when went to the house and got her. The bishop was supposed to baptize her but he didn´t show up either. (he had a pretty tough week and a family emergency came up). The Young men and women were having a party at the church so we grabbed on of the priests and had him do the ordination. And in the end she was baptized and confirmed. She came out of the water crying because hno. Alan dunked her too low and she hit her head on the floor. But atleast she´ll never forget her baptism!

 The bishop got robbed this last week. and we passed by his house while it was happening! People were coming in and out with things. I suggested we go talk to the bishop because we had some stuff to communicate. But my companion said: no look at how busy they are right now. 

So we didn´t go. Maybe its for the best.

As far as nursing goes, its about the same. I´m in the computer a lot more. I actually have a meeting with Hna. Zobrist at 1 today. She called this morning and asked if it was ok to if she took time out of my p day. I said yes, no problem but my heart pretty well broke.

Oh well, thats life. 

Sunday a women who was playing with her son in the park across from the church decided to come in. When asked her why and she said ¨I don´t know, I just felt like I needed to come in¨. we´re pretty excited to teach her this Tuesday. 

All in all, we´re staying busy. I miss ya´ll, love ya´ll, and pray for ya´ll. 

Love , 

Hermana Pug

Sister Pugmire #43

Good Morning Dear Family!

 This week Deysi and her niece Dayana got baptized! It was a really wonderful service. The ward very supportive. But the water was cold, when desyi got baptized EVERYONE could hear her squeal. It was a little funny. 

After they were confirmed Sunday Deysi was teary eyed and had the face of someone who was a little astonished. She said that during her blessing she felt heat enter into her body. She said it felt so good. We explained that the Holy Ghost had entered in and that she would now always have this spirit with her to guide her. It was really special. 

I feel like I haven´t been in my area all week! Sister Zobrist wants me to do alot more work as the mission nurse. This week we had a couple meeting and she had me go to the hospital a coulpe a couple times to help a sister who has had a bad infection and is actually going home this week, probably today. 

She only has about 2 weeks left of the mission but we feel its better she goes home now. I´m a little sad to see her go. She´s been pretty sick her whole mission. So we´ve gotten to know eachother pretty well and I´m going to miss her.

Hermana Zobrist wants me to start using the computer alot more. Before if I wanted to get online I had to call and get permission. But now I can get on whenever I want. They also want to make arrangements for me to go to the mission office to get online there. But that really isn´t necessary. She wants me to write all the notes I have on the missionaries in the computer. Before I only put in major cases. This basically means that I have about 8 months of back logging to do. 

My plate is alot fuller but much more interesting and I love all that I´m learning. President and Hermana Zobrist are great leaders and they have all my respect and love. 

I love you all so much and pray for you. 

Hermana Pugmire

PS I got Grandma and Grandpa Pug´s letter today, thanks!

Sister Pugmire #42

Dear Family, 

how is every one? I loved hearing about the family reunion. I feel a little sad that I´ll have to wait 2 years to be a the next one. But the what are gonna do? the Lord calls and you gotta answer. 

This last thursday we had a meeting with the new president. he and Sister Zobrist are very positive happy people. they love everything and everyone. I think it will be very fun to work with them. I have my first meeting with Sister Zobrist tomorrow. So I´ll be able to find out what they see me doing as the mission nurse and what I need to change. 

Last night I had so many calls from sick missionaries.

We had 4 of our investigators come to church yesterday. Deysi (who´s getting abptized this Saturday), her niece Diana (who we´re praying will also get baptized this saturday), Delfina, and Rosamaria. 

Delfina and Rosamaria still aren´t married. We´re hoping to get Rosamaria married this August because the county has a day in which they help people get married faster and for less money. 

Delfina´s spouse is married to someone else who doesn´t want to give a divorce. It seems like we always end up crying when we go to delfina´s house. 

I´m sending you photos of my companion and Maria´s kids and of the house of Maria´s neighbors. Every night this women sets up her microphone thing and blars Avangelical sermons for EVERYONE within 30 miles to hear. I´ve never met this sister but I think she must be a very interesting person. 

To answer some of Mom´s questions about my area, its all city. I´m pretty sure I´m spend my whole mission in the city. It makes me miss the cabin a whole lot. Theres lots of drunks and dogs. the ward is great and the relief society helps us out a lot. We´re right next to the airpot.

I can´t remember what else happened this week but it was pretty busy. 

I love you all so much and pray for you. 

Love, 

hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #41

dear family,

I hope you´re all having a great time in Montana. And happy birthday to Zach!!

also happy 4th of July to everyone. I´ll be celebrating our independence with you in my heart. 

This last Thursday we had our final meeting with President and Sister Fernandez. I was pretty emotional the whole time. They have be such a huge influence in my life and its tough to have them go. They took us to see where the temple will be, but we´re not allowed to tell anyone we got to see it. Its very beautiful and situated where you can see all of Arequipa.

At the meetting I go to see Hermanas Torreavla and Rivas. Hermana Rivas told me that Laura, Qiutina, Flor, and Juan all got baptized within these last two weeks! I wish I could have been there to witness it but I guess the Lord wants me here.

Hermana Rivas told me that when hna. Quintina found out I got transferred she cried and wailed out ïts my fault the Gringa got sent away! It´s because I treated her badly!¨ Oh Quintina, how I miss you.

This week Hermana Nimia got baptized. She had her interview with Pres. Fernandez Tuesday. She said that when she went into the office she left a insupportable burning from inside. The night before the bapitsm we had a special meeting , just the 3 of us. Nimia is very special person. We got to share our testimonies and express our love for her. 

The baptism went really well. Our Pincionista (from her own small budget) prepared sandwichs and Chichamorada. 

Luis (Nimis´s financee) performed the baptism. Everything went well and everyone went home happy. 

She was confirmed Sunday but Hermana Vargas and I missed it! we had divisiones to get our investigars. I went to get the Condori family. the mom and kids were all ready but the husband (Felix) never showed up. Later Hermana Vergas told me that she and her temp. called down a taxi to get to the church and the taxista was Feilix! He told her that he had been out all night drinking, hopefully not doing anything worse. 

Hna. Vargas brought hermanas Rosamaria and her baby, and Rofina. Maria (our pincionista and best friend) brought Yolanda and her kids. We were pretty taking care of everyone. 

We´ve got some great investiagators but none of them are married!!! Its just not taught here that you need to get married. 

So thats where we are. We have a new mission president and I guess I let you know next week what kind of changes that means for the mission. 

Love ya´ll,

Hermana Pugmire -or as I´m known in these parts: hermana Pok

Sister Pugmire #40

Dear Family, 

How is everyone? Wasn´t the training meeting last night so great? It helped to me. This was the first world wide leadershiping meeting that I got to be part of? Is it always this focused on missionary work? 

Our area is really great, but we spend alot of time feeling lost. Sometimes we wonder if we´re in our area or someone elses

My new companion is hermana Vargas. She is very positive , happy and ready to laugh. At first she would we talk very slowly with me and ask if I understood words like cocinar, hablar, etc and used alot of hand signals, but she getting better about just talking. 

We have a great investigator named Nimia who´s been coming to church this past month is ready to be baptized but needs another interview with president Fernandez or one of his consolers. 

This is the last week with President Fernandez! Friday was my last meeting with hermana Fernandez. She gave me a bunch of papers to go over with Hermana Zobrist. It was pretty sad for me to have to say good bye. 

I was thinking about what Elder Wadell (member of the presidency of our  area) said about President Fernandez, thanks to him one of the worst missions in the church has because a ´celestial mission´. I agree and am so grateful to have served under his direction. I´ve learned so much. 

Our pinpcionista is one of the most wonderful women in the world. she´s a new convert and very faithful. she´s always extremely funny. She likes to say ¨soy sincera...¨ then say exactly what she thinks wether you like it or not. and she cooks really well,. and she doesn´t make eat until we explode. This picture is of my companion and I with Hna Maria (our pincionista) at breakfast this morning. 

Oh, and Hna. Maria sends all of you her greetings.

I hope you all have a great week in Montana at the reunion. Tell the family I love them a bunch and keep them in my prayers. 

Love, 

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmrie #39

family, 

first of all sorry that I forgot to say happy birthday last week to Jared and Brock in my letter. I know you didn´t hear it, but I said happy birthday on the big day. 

And happy fathers day! I am so grateful for my dad and all the worthy priestood holders in my family. we are so blessed.

yesterday Quintina came to church with her 2 grandkids and Flor (her granddaughter) told us she wants to get baptized with her grandma. we asked her what her family would say. She said they didn´t care what she did, her decisiones/life isn´t important to them. That was so hard to hear but the ward (especial our pincionesta Julia) is doing a good job taking care of them. 

Jesica and Cesar also came and are preparing to be baptiszed. We had a contact in the street named Rosario come. 

And Romeo/ Ivan recieved the priestood!! He was a little unsure about his worthiness ( his dad doesn´t think he´s worthy because of his past life and still hasn´t forgiven him). But we helped Romeo understand that he is forgiven of God and worthy. He is progressing really well, we are so grateful to have found him. 

His mom invited us to eat picarones with the family after church but I didn´t get to go. Because.... I got transferred!! I was so suprised, I hadn´t finished training Hna Rivas, normally we don´t have transfers during training. I got sent to an area in Zomacola. I still don´t have my companion. I´ll be training a new hermana but she doesn´t get here until tomorrow. 

I admit that i´m nervous about my new responiosilbities and really didn´t want to leave ,y old area. I only had 6 months there! it doesn´t seem fair to leave so soon. I feel like I left my family (The Llanos Family). 

but I don´t get to choose so I get I´ll just have to toughen up.

love ya´ll so much!

hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #38

Dear family,

 the wedding looked so beautiful!! and Mariana was gorgeous of course. All the of the missionaries here think the wedding turned out beautiful to. It will be so fun for me when I get to see all the pictures when I get home. 

This weekend Romeo got baptized! But it turns out his name is actually Ivan. Saturday we had an interview for Johnathan but he didn´t show at the chapel. we had been calling him all day and went by his house but nothing. So we were feeling really bummed. Bishop asked me to stay and practice with the choir so we had splits so that Han Rivas could go get a family we invited to watch a bautizism that the elders in our ward had. She called me in the middle of practice and told me to get a hold of our district elder (Elder Kerivan) because she was headed to the chapel with Romeo for a baptismal interview. I got a hold of E Kerivan and H Rivas came to the Capilla hauling a family of 5 and Ivan. He had his interview and when they came during the baptism and when they came out E. Kerivan said that they going to Evan´s house to get his family because he was getting baptized!

We got the ward to wait for another baptism, got permission to stay out late and Evan got baptized! 

But his family didn´t come. He was really sad about it, and so were we. They said they were too tired. 

Before Evan entered the waters we asked him why he told us his name was Romeo and he said ¨Porque las chicas le dicen así¨. Evan, you dog you. 

After the bautism we discovered that his mom had come! that was super special. 

He came to church yesterday in a suit and tie, was confirmed and recieved his interview to recieve the preistood. and his mom came too. 

Jesica and Cesar, Johnathan and Laura, and Quitina and Flor. We were busy!

Johnathan had his bap interview church and his bap date is this Saturday. Keep him in your prayers!

We went to pick up this family that went to the baptism for church but when we go there they were talking to a Testigo de Jehova!! they said they couldn´t come to church and then the testigo came up and said that were studying the bible and then heading to church.  We told them sorry but we were headed for the true church and invited the family to pray and choose which church to attend. we had to pick up Evan but would return to hear what they chose. In the end they chose neither. We were so sad. this is a very special humble family that´s had a lot of problems I don´t have time to explain. 

I love you all so very much and keep you in my prayers

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #37

Dear Family,

This is such an important week. Happy Birthday to Evelynne and happy wedding day to Mariana and Ricky. I hope Mariana gets over being sick in time for the big day. 

This last week was really great. Saturday we went with our investigar Romeo to a baptism. Afterwards he told ¨hermanas during the baptism I couldn´t move my feet, I felt like I was stuck to my chair and I felt cold (because the room really was cold) but inside I felt so warm. What does this mean?¨ We explained that he was feeling the Holy Ghost. Yesterday night we had a lesson with him and his whole family. He during the lesson he explained to his parents that after the baptism he prayed to know if he should be baptized. He felt good and went to bed. Then he woke up in the middle of the night with a ¨thirst of the Word¨ so read the Book of Mormon. His dayd said they were happy he was trying to follow Christ and that he had his parents support. His parents are really great too and I feel like down the road they´ll get baptized. 

Romeo has a smoking problem but he wants to quit and is very willing to do everything to get over it. 

He didn´t come to church yesterday because his brother had a school problem that they went to. But he will next week. and he wants to come to choir practice this week.

Yesterday Hermana Quintina and her grandaughter Flor, and so did Johnathan again and so did Cesar and Jesica.

Earlier in the week we had a lesson with them and a couple of members. That night they said they wouldn´t be able to come to church. The next day we went over to invite them to an activity. They weren´t able to come but they told us that they had decided to come to church. We asked them why they changed their mind. Cesar said that after we left the night before they just had a feeling that they needed to come to church. And they did!

It was a really great sacrament meeting.

Our pincinsta´s gran daughter tells me every time that we sit down to eat that I´m gettting fat and that they´re fatting me up to through me in the oven for Christmas dinner (an idea she got from my companion). Hopefully I get transferred before Christmas. 

This was a really great week and I know that this next one will be to. I´ll be very much thinking about the family this Friday. My prayers are always with you. 

Hermana Pugmire

Ps Thanks for the news letter Grandma Lorriane. Congratulations to all the Wells family for these great changes that are taking place.

Sister Pugmire #36

dear family, 

happy memorial day! It´s so fun to have traditions and know what will be going on at home today. 

¡¡¡¡¡¡¡And a really big congratualtions to Mariana and Ricky!!!!!! You have been in my thought and prayers so much and I am very happy to hear about you tying the knot. its amazing to me how much the family is growing during my mission and in such a positive way. We´re so lucky to have Ricky in the family. Thanks Mariana!! and Ricky you´re pretty darn lucky to be with Mariana.

this last Sunday was really wonderful for us. We had 4 of our investigators con to church. Jenifer (part member family) came and was a different person. normally she runs around the church causing havoac but this time this time she was one of the best kids in her class. 

Johnathan and his sister Laura came. We found them this week while looking for their brother Pedro who came to church for about a month about a year ago. The ward was really good about befriending Johnathan. On thing I´ve noticed is that here the priestood understands a lot better how to help the missionary work (except when it comes to Julia our pincionista, she´s the maximo). 

After church bishop asked us to come to choir priactice (ward confrence is next week). I told him I didn´t think we were allowed to unless we got a reference while there, or there was an investigator present. Bishp told us if we wanted the ward to help us we had to help them. So we went to choir practice and I ended up with a solo to boot. 

after that we had to hurry back home. Our mission had a goal of contacting 100 per week (it was a 150 but pres wants us to have better contacts). we were short about 15 people so we talked to everyone we came across. One person was Romeo. Romeo told us that we had contacted him earlier that week and that he gone to church that day. We hadn´t seen him because he left right after sacrement. I now have a testimony of why Predicad Mi Evangelio dice que tenemos a contactor todos!!! we would never have found him if you hadn´t been talking to everyone. 

I don´t know if you remember me saying that the family we live with thought thier grandpa died 5 years ago only to find him livinng and well. yesterday he came to visit the family, and I can confirm that he is indeed alive. 

I think I forgot to say that last sunday for family dinner we ate the family goat. He was more of a pet (especially por Soledad who left for the mission tuesday. Hermana Julia - her mom- was pretty teary that day and I´m still afraid to say Soledad´s name). But Gego (the goat) fell off the roof and died. so we ate him. rest in peace Gego.

love, 

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #35

Wow how exciting for the Lee family!!! thanks for the pictures of Rex , I love showing them off to the other missioneries here.

and Happy Birthday to Dave and Kamea. You´re in my thought and the family is in my prayers.

This last week have been so busy. I feel like I haven´t had time to do anything. We get home plan and bearly have time to get to bed at 10:30. It feels really good to be really busy. 

This week we talked to Maria and Daunar, we asked Maria if she knew the Book of Mormom was true yet and she told us she got her testimony too. Duaran told us that he knows the church is true too. We asked them what they they needed to do next and they said get married so they could get baptized. It was a really great lesson.

But they didn´t come to church yesterday. Its so hard to love these people and have them know its all true but choose not to progress. 

Wednesday our zone leader came to talk to Tintina. I feel like she is his investigar and not ours. She agreed to be baptized this week. I was pretty shocked. When its just my companion and I we can´t get in the door. but with him or our pincionista she´s all love and smiles. She didn´t come to church yesterday so we stopped by her house to see how she´s doing. She wasn´t in the house when we knocked she was coming home. She yelled at us pretty good in the street and told us to stop pressuring her and molesting her. Honest we couldn´t be more loving. 

this morning she came to see our pincionesta and apololiged (more or less) to us. She´s a very odd person, and it makes her endearing. and we have to laugh about our encounters with her.

Yesterday Bishop pulled me out of Relief Society to help a sister who was trying to get a hold of family living in the states. She hadn´t talked to them in 10 years and when she called the number they gave her a women answers in english. they asked me to talk to the women, all I can see is its a good thing they don´t understand english. This women had a get off my back atitiude. 

This sister is very stressed and I told her I would give the information about her family to my family to see if they could find a number: the names she gave me are Lidia Biuda de Torres and Walberto Torres Duezada. They live in Miami. She´s going through some really hard times, but the ward is helping her so I´m not too worried if we can´t get the info. 

Oh, and I went to the Zoo last week!  I wish I could show you photos but I don´t have anything to connect my memory card to the computer. Its tiny and I can put my hand in the lion cage, but it was a lot of fun. 

I love you and prary for you!

Sister Pugmire #34

Dear Familia,

Congratulations to Mary and Jared!!! Its so exciting to know your in the hospital right now!!!! Don´t forget to send me pictures as soon as you can. 

its so crazy to think I was just talking to you and seeing your faces yesterday! I loved seeing everyone and getting to see the new faces as well.I thought it would be really hard to get back into the mission mentality but since we had a lot to do it was easier then I thought. After we left Liz´s house we went to an appointment with a less active member who wasn´t home. so we went to an appointment with an investigator but they weren´t home either so we went searching for new people. 

This last saturday we had an activity in the church for mothers day. Maria and Duarar came to see Kathy (their cousin) perform. It was the first time they both came to the church. It was really exciting to see them there. We were hoping they would come to church the next day but they went to La Joya to see Duarar´s mom. But Maria told me that she knows the Book of Mormon is true. and that they´re getting ready to get married. We have an appointment with them tuesday so we´ll see how that goes. 

My new companion Sister Rivas is really great. I feel like she´s training me! She´s very positive and easy to get along with. Its a little hard for me to understand her because she speaks with a different accent. She´s from Buenas Aires Argentina. But I´m starting to figure it out. 

For the last few weeks we´ve been taking cold showers in an outdoor shower in the winter. Its freeving but not too bad. But my poor companion! She´s still not used to it and its kind of a rough beginning in the mission field. 

I love you all so much and miss you of course. I´m kinda glad I won´t be talking to you again for 7 months because my nose is red enough without all the crying and sniffing.

Your´re in my prayers.

Love Hermana Pugmire

ps Scott, congratulations with your new calling.

Sister Pugmire #33

Good Morning Family!

what an exciting week this is going to be! Aunt Marcee is getting married and Mary is due!  Please don´t forget your kin in Arequipa and send me some pictures of these events. 

and its mothers days. I just found out that we do get premission to skype. we have a member who said i could use their skpye, is it alright if I plan on calling about 4 o clock my time? we get 40 minutes this time. Whoot whoot!! I´ll see if I can borrow someone´s account. 

and we had cambios yesterday. I´m a mother!!! my new companion is Hermana Rivas from Lima. I´ve thought I would get asked to train for about 2 weeks and I´ve known that I would for a week. Hermana Torreavla and I have been in tears all week. We´ve been together for 6 1/2 months! niether one of us felt ready to part and niether one of us feel ready for our new responsibilites. 

At the training meeting yesterday I meet 4 new sisters from the states. One of them looked super familiar. Sister ¿Kahle? had early morning seminary with Mariana. How crazy is that. I got to talk to Sister Robinson as well. She´s from the colonies in Mexico and knows Ashley Lindbloms husband Dallin Brown. Its a really small world for us mormons.

We have a great investigator named Tintina. She´s a sweet older women named Tintina. She´s come to church the past two weeks and went to a baptism last saturday. The problem is she doesn´t want to talk to us missionaries because she´s afraid that we only want to talk about baptism. We´re trying to be more careful with her. 

She´s a little harder to teach because she can´t read and she thinks she needs to be be baptized. She takes care of her 2 grandchildren and doesn´t work. she goes out to beg for food every day. The ward has been helping them and really taking them in. 

We might have a little problem with our pincionista. My new companion doesn´t eat a whole lot. Before Hermana Torrealva would eat the food I didn´t want but we can´t do that any more. I hope Hermana Julia doesn´t get too offended. But I´ve really tried to warn her.

I love you all and pray for you. Its crazy that I´m so far  but I love you more then I ever did before.

con amor, 

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #32

Dear Family,

How is everyone? I´m writing a day late because we had a sister missionary confrence yesterday at the mission home with all the sisters in the mission. For those who have had multiple companions it was a really sweet reunion. And it was fun for me to make friends and just be with all those wonderfull sisters.

President Fernandez told us yesterday that beinging now all missions will have sisters to be liders over the other sister misionarys so that we can have division and such. My companion was called to be one of the first so she´s in trainging today and I am working with Hermana Duarte.

PS happy birthday to David! know that I´ll be thinking of you on your big day.

Last we knocked on a door and the women that answered was pretty tough on us at first. Then she opened up and confided in us that her 33 year old son had died. She wasn´t sure if she would be able to see him again in the way she did during this life. We were able to open up to her the blessings of the ressurrection and the plan of salvation. It was very sweet.

We had a couple investigators come to church too. Tintina and her granddaughter Flor. They´re very wonderful people and enjoyed being in church. They´ve had lots of trials but want to follow Christ.

We didn´t get to have our confrence with Elder Bednar, for some reason he wasn´t able to make it but Elder Christensen still came and it was a great confrence. The choir sounded like it needed help but everyone said it was beautiful and the Holy Ghost WAS present and that´s what matters.

We have lots of great investigators. they´re not all progressing as quickly as we would like but they are moving along.

I love you all very much and pray for you. I am very blessed to have a wonderful, wonderful family who is living the gospel of Christ.

Love,

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #31

Dear Family,

Happy birthday Roman and Kalias! and Happy birthdays to Ava, Anela, Julia, and Scott. This is a pretty celebretery week.

And I found out from Mom´s letter that Aunt Marcee is getting married!!!!!!! congratulations that is really exciting

Saturday we had a really special experience with an investigator we found last saturday. Hna. Natala has been searching for the Church of God for a long time. We talked about the Book of Mormon then watched the First Vision movie with her: I felt the spirit so strongly and when I looked at her I knew that she was feeling the spirit as well. after the lesson she told us that heart felt like it would pound out of her chest and that she a felt this once before in a church been never as strongly as that night with us. When she said the closing pray all she could ask was that her whole family could join and after that she just kept saying thank you. It was a really wonderful experince. She came to church yesterday too but was disappointed because she didn´t have the same heart punding experience. It was a little sad to her say that but we still feel that she´ll still be able to progress.

We found out this morning at choir practice that it´s Elder Bednar who´s coming with Elder Christenson from the 70. While they´re here they´re going to pick a spot for the Temple. It´s pretty exciting for all of us.

The choir sounds... not like MoTab. We altos are doing pretty bad. Bless their hearts. But I think the spirit will be there anyways. During practice President told us he set up an appointment with one of our investigators for this week and told him to get ready to be baptized. President says someone is going to be baptized they get baptized so we think we have a baptism to plan for this week.

And more things happened this week that I can´t remember. OH! We felt another earthquake. My companion hates them but I´ve never felt one before coming to Peru so it´s pretty exciting for me.

And all is well here in Peru. It gets cold a night but its perfect during the day. TThings were pretty green for a couple weeks buts its back to its usual brown.

Love you all and miss you

Hermana Pugmire

ps I think the pictures are of me with other hermanas playing soccor last p day and the other is the pday before that when we all met eachother at the hospital

Sister Pugmire #30

Dear Family,

Happy Birthday to Kaileigha and Mariana. Eat extra cake for me please!!

This week I´m writing later then usual because we had choir practice this morning. Next Thursday one of the general authorities and a member of the 70 are coming down to visit us. All of the mission will come together for the conference. It´s pretty exciting. Practice didn´t sound to bad but its a good thing the song of the righteous is a prayer unto God and not a song of the excellent singers.

This last week we got to have President Fernandez work with some of our investigators. I really have a lot of respect for our president. It will be tough to see him go. Our first appointment wasn´t home. so pres. had his daughter give him the number and called him to tell him to be home monday night for a meeting with him and to have his baptismal clothes ready.

Then we went to Kathy´s house (our convert). We talked to Duarar' (her cousin who is investigating with his wife Maria) and Shirley (her mom). We´ve been trying to get Duarar to read the Book of Mormom and he always says he will be never does. When Pres told him to read he did! we said good bye to pres and return to the house to find Duarar with the BOM and his reading glasses on. Pres also found Shirley´s doubt for us. She hardly said two words together when Pres told her ¨you´re afraid to leave your catholic tradicions, but don´t be. God wants you in His kingdom. He needs your help in His Reign.¨ she got alittle teary eyed and so did I. Pres invited them to stake confrence and said he wanted to direct his talk to them.

But they didn´t come!! we even called Maria and Duarar at 5:30 AM (at their request) so they could return from Duarar´s parents house in time. They daughter got sick and they had to take her to the post. Shirly´s boy Johnathan was also sick. It was REALLY disapointing. we were so sure they would come.

We also were able to tract into a coulpe of atheists this weeks. Both of whom are very nice people but say they face their problems without God and don´t need Him. They have no idea that God is granting them their daily breath! John told us it´s very pretty this hope we have for the next life but he just wants to be happy in this life. We tried to explain that this hope and living the gospel is what brings us happiness now. buts its hard to describe such grand joy to someone that doesn´t have the desire to believe and thinks they are happy enough as is.

I think lesson 3 in PME is my favorite. we all need this lesson and we all need to continually strive to live it. This is how we find happiness and this is how we come to know Christ. I´m so grateful for the gospel!

and I love you all very much have a great week, you´re in my prayers but my thoughts are in the work, or atleast that´s where I´m trying to put them.

love,

Hermana Pugmire.

Sister Pugmire #29

Family,

Wasn´t confernce amazing? and our investigators came!! not to every session but atleast they came. Shirley came and so did her niece Maria, who -with her husband- is another one of our investigators. They came to the sunday morning session which was great because they talked a lot abour the importance of marriage and neither one of them are married. NO ONE is married. we find lots of people who are interested but aren´t married and are living with thier significant other. Vasila (a another investigator) also came to that session and snored through a good part of it but she did pay attention when the prophet spoke. Saturday Heydi came and said she felt the spirit. We´ve been talking to her a lot about Alma 32 so we joked a bit that her tree is growing.

Friday night we went to invite Bertha to confernce and our favorite drunk showed up. He bought us all drinks (of water). He asked me how old I was and I said 68. Then he said ¨I was thinking about marrying you but your too old for me¨ That was kind of funny.

Last Monday we got permission to leave our area to look for wool stockings. And we got to go to McDonaalds! I love that place in a way that before the mission I just couldn´t muster. McFlurries are heaven sent. It´s really tought to get permission to leave the area for anything so Monday was like a day in a dream.

Mom, you gotta stop sending me stuff. Everyone wants my stuff. Bertha wants my coat, Kathy, Diana, and Maria want my watch, and Roxane (who does our laundry) wants me socks. And the bishop wants more chocolate.

For some reason I don´t have a lot to say this week. Glad to know everyone is well at home. I love you all very much and you are in my prayers.

The I live this picture because everyone is smiling but me cause I´m telling them to look at my camera. The other is in the tienda of Hermana Bertha with her daughters.

Love sooooo much

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #28

Dear Family,

The biggest news for this week is that Kathy got baptized and confirmed! It was a really special service. Her parents and grandparents came and so did lots of ward members. They were all very supportive and Kathy really felt the spirit. She told us she felt different, elevated. Her grandparents really felt the spirit too. They´re going to be great references for the missionaries in La Joya. When we took the picture with the Lima temple her dad asked about it and was very interested in enternal families. We´re excited to continue working with them.

The pictures are from Hermana´s Torrealva´s camera because I for got mine. I´ll send some next week.

Happy Birthday to Cheryl and Tyton. I hope everyone makes an April fools joke on Cheryl and President Monson wishes Tyton a happy birthday in confrence.

Next week I need to send a picture of Liz. She´s a new convert who is waiting for her mission call. She´s the elders pincionista, conselor in the primary, ward missionary, sub teacher in Relief Society, teachs early morning seminary, and she still finds time to go to our lessons with us. She´s my hero. When she was baptized her dad said he would kick her out of the house, now her whole family are members.

And thanks for the package Mom. I love everything. I´m even wearing my new skirt right now. By the way, Maria (the investigator who´s picture I shared last week who owns the bread shop) would like 2 watches like the one you sent me, pink and orange. She´s willing to pay. She even gave me a bag of my favorite rolls (caramanducas) to help me remember to tell you. It would really help me out if you could say they´re seasonal or something.

I don´t have more to say but I love you and pray for each of you.

Love, Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #27

Dear family,

Happy anniversary Grandma and Granpa Wells!! what a big deal. I know that´s I´m so grateful for your family marriage and the blessings it brings me.

And Happy Birthday Dee, hope you eat lots of cake, no protein shakes and don´t work out

And happy Easter to everyone. I´m learning more and more that Christ really is central to everything. and if He isn´t then we need to make changes so that He is.

Hermano Pedro (who has the worm infection) had an operation last week for the infection but he still has his foot. I noticed this week that he only has two toes and part of another one. Sorry, I don´t think I´ll be able to get a picture. We´re not teaching him any more. He isn´t really interested in learning the gospel.

We had transfer yesterday but Hermana Torrealva and I are still together. at the end of this transfer we´ll have 6 monthes together, wow! neither one of us wanted to leave our area so we´re both pretty happy. Hermana Vidal got her companion last night so she went back to her area. we´re happy that she can get back to work but sad she won´t be working with us any more. She´s a really great missionary with a sunny attitude.

Friday we knocked on a door and a women named Maria answered. She asked us why bad things happen to good people. We read 2 nephi 2 with her and she began to cry. 12 years ago her 13 year daughter committed suicide after seeing her father do some pretty nasty things. We were able to share what we know about God´s plan for us. It was a really spiritual experience. We felt grateufl that the spirit guided us to her.

Yesterday Hermana Shirley came to church with her daughters Kathy and Diana. They stayed all three hours and loved it. We felt so blessed. During Sacrement I thought about how Heavenly Father loves to bless us. Pres tells us we can´t recieve blessings when we sin. But thanks to the Atonement we can repent and be clean to recieve them.

To answer Anna´s question, its getting colder here. The rain stopped and things look greener. But the nights are cold. I need to start wearing my wool stockings.

Love you all so much and remember that you are in my prayers.

Hermana Pugmire

ps I think the photos are me with our Pincionesta and her grandson, and with Maria who owns the pastery shop we love... and is kinda an investigator.

Sister Pugmire #26

Dear Family,

How is everyone? Happy Birthday to Owen and happy anniverary to Erik and Shalae. I love thinking about you guys on your special days and thinking about what great blessing you are to me.

I have a story that is fairly short but that I am very excited to share. Friday we went to visit Pedro, a contact from last week. Pedro is in a wheel chair and only has one leg, he lost the other to diabetes. We watch Only a Stonecutter with him and the story of John Tanner. He was very impressed with the movies and told us he wanted a blessing and a miracle. he then took off the sock of the only foot he had to show us a very very distorted foot. the heel had ulceration with tunneling and a I looked closely at it I noticed something wiggling arounhd inside. Sure enough, a couple of worms dropped out and there were still more inside! It was somewhat epic for me. He came to church with us yesterday, which was great, but he wanted to leave early because he said the ward was very welcoming. Actually just about everyone greeted him. Marvin (the son of our old pincionesta) gave him a blessing of health with another member of the ward. Afterwards he said something that I thought was worth remembering. He said the affectiveness off the blessing depends on the faith of the recipenent and the reason they want the blessing. It helped me to realize that if I want a blessing in my life it needs to be because I want it to help my Heavenly Father.

Hermana Vidal´s temp had to go back to school so she´s been working with us again. I know its hard for her not to be working in her area but we love having her with us and feel blessed for the time she´s been with us.

I went to the hospital here for the first time. Hna Vidal has white bacterial growth in the back of her throat so we went to get that checked out. She´s fine and on medication. The hospital seemed pretty normal except more crowded and confused than my experiences in the States.

A few weeks ago I was talking to our area doctor who told me there´s another Hermana Pugmire serving in Aregentina as mission nurse. Go figure.

I´m been hearing about the raft trip for so long that I´m really happy to hear it went well. I love the Arizona desert, when I get back (I´m trunky, just saying) I want to visit every part of our beautiful state.

Sounds like every one is busy and doing well. Glad to here Mary and Jared made it home safe. And congrat to the Lindbloms. For me it´s really exciting to think that elder Lindblom is serving in Peru, it feels like I have family serving in the mission right next to me.

Love you all so much,

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #25

Happy St Patty´s day everybody

This was a pretty great week, except that our baptism fell through. Julio didn´t show up for his interview and we´ve been having a hard time finding a time to meet with him, he always cancels last minute. But I´ll talk to him wednesday and find out how we can help him.

Yestday we had 2 investigators come to church- Kathy 15 and Diana 8. Their mom promised to come too but couldn´t last minute. The girls loved church and are asking about when they can come back. The Mom- Shirly- is having problems with her spouse. He moved out and the girls are always asking about when he´ll come home. We pormised her that the gospel could help her with her marriage. She asked us how. I tried to describe how grateful I am for parents who live temple covenants and taught me to look forward to the temple. I tried to describe what a difference it makes when you know that your family is eternal. That when you get married in the temple you make a promise that will bring you and your spouse happiness for eternity. I haven´t made that promise myself but I have plenty of examples. And I know what my goal is. Many people want to have a family for eternity but they aren´t willing to live the gospel or make the covenants. We have members that are always saying one day they will go to the temple but they aren´t willing to prepare themselves to go so they´ll keep talking and continue to miss out on the blessings.

This is what´s going on with the parents of our investigator Talia. They won´t let their daughter be baptized and they keep saying they´ll get married in the temple but time is passing them by and their example is teaching their daughter the baptism and temple marrigae is unimportant.

The family we live with has had an interesting week. They found out that their dad/ grandpa died 4 years ago. So our pincionesta went on a trip to take care of the grave site. When she got their she found out he was living and well. How crazy is that. I will always keep in contact with all of you so that that doesn´t happen with me.

I had my weekly meeting with Hermana Fernandez. My 3rd one! she said that we really are going to start having them weekly because she needs to prepare me to take on a lot more work when the new mission president gets here, because his wife might not speak spanish.

thanks for the package Mom! It was a really fun surprise. I love sharing the summary and picture of Elder and Sister Zobrist with the other missionaries. and my no show sock are exactly what I needed. They don´t sell those kind here (so says my comp) and the colors are so fun! You know me too well.

Keep living the gospel, keeping covenants and remember that you are ALL in my prayers.

Love,

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #24

Family,

it sounds like this last week has been really great. Congratulations to Roman on his Driving permit test and Vasa on his track meet. And Happy Birthday to Spencer, and to Scottie. And Happy Anniversary to Mary and Jared.

Thats so fantastic that family came to church dad (sorry, I can磘 remember how to spell their names). What a blessing for you efforts and desires to help them and Christ in his work. This week we were really focused on getting our investigators to come to church. We passed by their houses just about every day to remind them and on Sunday we went to pick them up but they didn磘 show up. That was really hard! But Preach My Gospel says that missionaries are hopeful and happy even when investigators don磘 keep promises or accept the message. I have the Gospel of Christ and promise of his help so I know that I can be filled with joy if I seek comfort from the Holy Ghost.

Dad磗 letter was the first time I heard about our new mission president. Wow Norteamericano! I need to learn spanish quick. And i now have no hope of ever leaving Arequipa during my mission. Every one said if the next mission president was Latino I might be able to serve somewhere else for my last transfer (like Camana, Moquega or Tacna). What else do you know about them? can you send me a picture?

This week we also ran into our favorite drunk the other day when we went to have our appointment with Adriana and Stephine. He tried to kiss my hand again! but I was a lot quicker and more forceful about pulling away. Guy, if their wasn磘 some one behind him to catch him he would have fallen to the ground. I磎 going to be alot smarter about when drunks want to shake my hand. Adriana and Stephine really aren磘 progressing. They read the Book of Mormom and have testimonies of it but they still don磘 go to church so we won创t be able to spend much time with them any more. That磗 been really hard for me to digest.

We have a girl in our ward we磖e teaching who wants to get baptized but her mom doesn磘 want her to. Its crazy because the mom and dad are preparing to go to the temple. She do閟n磘 want her daughter to be left out in her catholic school. I think this mom needs to read D牋and C 68 25. We磖e also teaching the cousin of Dafna. Angela wants to be baptized too but her dad is against it. All her siblings are members and her sister is a return missionary. They all lived with their Grandma who is a member and gave permission. We磖e praying Heavenly Father will soften the Dad磗 heart.

Well I still love you and am grateful for my beautiful family. And I磎 very grateful to be apart Christ磗 force as a missionary. D and C 84 77

Con Amor

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #23

Happy Birthday Vasa! 19 years is such a big mile stone. And so is 10 years so congratulations to Mark and Beth as well.

We got some really good news yesterday. Dafna got permission from her parents to go to the temple in Lima this week with the youth. We were praying that she would be able to and are very grateful to have those prayers answered.

Yamali (bishop´s cousin) stopped progressing. We haven¨t been able to get ahold of her for about two weeks and neither has the bishop. Its sad, but we are finding new people. We have 2 that are worth mentioning Victor Hugo and Heydi. Victor is really excited about what he´s learning but he says he´s confused because it´s all so new. We keep telling him to pray about it but he doesn´t yet. It´s the same story with Heydi. They love learning about the church but they don´t want to pray to know if its true until they´ve studied more.

we had a missoinary activity saturday and some of the members brought friends that are really interested in learning more which is excting for us. The activity was fun too. The different organizations each planned a game. Everyone seemed to enjoy it.

no too many missionaries have called me about health, but most of the time it´s stomach problems: we have one little sister with severe ankle inflammation and pain. She´s seen a few doctor´s but none seem to know how to help her. Me either but I think we´ll be able to find a solution soon. We have a young girl in our ward who´s boyfriend has been coming to church with her for about half a year. We finally got a chance to talk to him yesterday night. (he´s been gone for work just about every other week). He told us he wants to get baptized. Great! we just need to set a date. He´s name is Julio.

Hermana Bertha (Adriane and Stephine´s mom) told us the other day that she loves our chapels and wants to go in and listen to our ´pastor´ but it´s always closed. We told her to come on Sundays.... but she´s not to crazy about that idea.

We´ve been reading talk but Elder Tad R Callister ¨Consecrated Missionary¨ as a mission this last week. I´ve really had a change of heart. He talks about laying everything on the ¨altar of sacrifice¨ because we need to be more then just good or even great missionaries. I need to serve because we Truly love our Savior and know that even though our sacrifice will never equal His we need to give all for HIm. I have lots of sins that I really don´t want to give up but I do love Him. And I don´t want to be just a missionary.

Love you all so much,

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #22

Dear Family,

Happy Presidents Day. I love my family calendar so much. But I think it will be good when march comes and I can´t look at pictures of OUR family all the time.

It sounds like the girls had a great trip to the cabin. And I´m so happy to hear everyone is still alive and happy. So am I!

This week Dafna got baptized. I don´t think I wrote very much about her but she really is a very special convert. She´s 14, her mom isn´t a member and her dad is less active. They live with their consins who are very active so she have a lot of support. Her uncle (who is also in the bishopbric) baptized her. it was really special. We´re hoping she´ll get to go on the temple trip at the end of this month but her dad isn´t keen on it (he wasn´t happy about her getting baptized either) which is odd because he´s member. I tried talking to him at the baptism but he made it clear that that wasn´t happening. But we have a lesson with the family tonight and hopefully he´ll be there.

We contacted a girl named Heydi this week. She´s 18. She told us that she´s been searching for the truth for a long time. She´s also been studying with the Johova´s Witnesses. The next time we talked she asked us about Kolob (thanks Wikipèdia). So we gave her a Book of Mormon. Last night she told us that reading the Book of Mormon makes her feel happy and Curious. Entonce, we´re really excited about her.

I´ve had some really great oppurtunities to share my testimony and I feel it growing. I don´t know a lot and can´t relate to the experiences of all our investigators but I´m coming to understand that that really doesn´t matter. What matters is that it´s true! and I don´t have to speak fluently for them to know it. They just need to search for themselves and ask God. and we always have the spirit to help us commincate the things we can´t say.

I found out that we have 2 sweet shops in our area. But the 2nd one isn´t as good as the first. Plus Maria runs the first one and she is really interested in learning about the gospel. The only problem is that her husband doesn´t like her talking to us.

Keep being wonderful. I love you and miss you.

Con amor,

Hermana Pugmire.

ps because of the age change for missionaries sister missionaries go home 2 weeks early. Go figure

Sister Pugmire #21

Dear Family,

Happy Valentines Day! I hope you all get to eat a lot of Chocolate.

Congratulations To Rachelle NOT Lee, I didn´t even know she was engaged. And Uncle Brento is in my prayers, I hope he recovers soon. And what is this about Aunt Edie being Elsie´s Valentine? Who am I? Roman I hope you make the Volleyball team. And Vasa good luck with Track.

Mary and Jared how´s your car coming along?

This last Monday we had a power out throughtout Arequipa and Moquega. It also happened to be the foggiest night I´ve had here. Walking through these dingy crowded polluted streets was like walking around in a scary movie. And it was really fun.

The rainy season was supposed to have started the end of December but it didn´t really start until last week, and I am so grateful it waited! To look around you would think it never rains but it pours! its crazy to watch old taxis and dying buses scales steep hills on roads that are more like rivers.

Friday we had a visit with an inactive teenager named Pamela. She´s 18 and lives with her mom and little brother. Her mom seperated from her dad when she was 15. The first time we met she was to me another Maria Roldon (I don´t know if you remember but she was an investigator in La Libertad). The next day we went by because she promised to go to some appointments and track with us. We found her drunk and smoking with her 17 year old pregnant friend, who got pregnant by her professor of religion at her catholic school. They were trying decided wether or not her friend should abort.

We found out that Pamela had been raped and got pregnant too but aborted naturally. This girl has passed through a lot of stuff. she´s completely addicted to tobabco. She smoked about 7 packs in 2 and ahalf days. we spent a long time talking with them, dumped out their alcohol, and took their cigriattes and headed to our apointment with Adriana and Stephine.

What a different experience it was with those sisters. They committed to obeying the law of chasity and living the word of wisedom. It was easy for them cause they were already living it. What a different experence! It helped me realize how important parents really are. The first 2 girls don´t have strong families. Pamela´s mom is always away working. Adriana and Stephine´s mom won´t let them get baptized until their 18 but atleast they care!

Speaking which Bertha (their mom) asked me the other day if I had any Gringos related by blood that she couple her daughters with. I may or may not have promised away some kids in this family in exchange for the baptisms of her daughters.

I still learning the lanuage. I choose to believe that I´m getting better but its comes little by little and its hard to see progress. But I feel confident about it anyways

This week I haven´t had too much nursing work. A sister has a tear in her bronicals that was causing her to vomit blood and an elder had to go to the hosiptal a couple times but they are being taken care of and all is well.

I love you and miss you soooooooo dang much. what´d ya gonna do?

Love

Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #20

Dear Familia,
Happy birthday Kiera! hope its a good one.
And I hope everyone is feeling better who was sick last week. Way to go with these last few basketball games Roman! And Vasa its so great to hear about all the service you give. It helps me want to be a better mission. I got a letter from Grandma and Grandpa Wells today, so thanks! I have to wait to get home to read and I am excited to do so.
This week has been fairly eventful. Monday we had Hermana Vidal come stay with us. She´s my Companion`s trainer so it was a really fun reunion for them. Hna Vidal is supposed to open a new area in our Stake- Casa Blanca. She`s been with us all week because she didn`t have a room in her area or a companion. She`s supposed to move today. Its really been fun to have her. She is so fun, happy, and a really good missionary. She loves everyone, and I´ve learned alot from her.
We have a youngo girl named Dafna who's getting baptized on the 16th. Her cousins are all members and she knows alot about the church. after we comitted her we told her we needed permission from her mother to get baptized. She was a little worried about this. She had wanted to get baptized when she was much younger but her mom said no. Everyone in the ward was rather unoptimistic as well. But when we went to talk to her mom she told us she was willing to support her daughter (who is 15) 100 percent. We were very happy and very surprised., Dafna`s decision reminded me of Mariana. I felt the spirit very strongly and was to bear my testimony of eternal families and how grateful I am for the decision of my adopted siblings to be baptized so that they could be sealed to our family for eternity. and because the room was filled with all women, we all cried.
we also moved to a new house. The last one had single men living in it so we had to move. Now we actually live in our area. And we live in the house of our picionista so we don`t have to go anywhere else to it. and the family are members. Its a really great situation. The only downside is that I have to start over with trying to explain the reason I don`t eat all of the mini mountain on my plate isn`t because I don`t like it... it`s just phyically impossible.
Sunday the Bishop`s cousin came to church. We talked to her and she wants to get baptized on the 16th as well. Her grandfather died a year ago who was a father to her. She`s interested in eternal families.We`re vey excited for our lesson with her on Wednesday.
I hope everything is still going well with you and I really really really love all of you.
Hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #19

Family,

I just love guys so much!!!!

Happy Birthday Annie and Helia. I hope you eat something really yummy that day that I can´t buy here, like peanut butter, in memory of me. That´s so amazing that Josh was able to get his blessing. What a great example he is of a righteous young man. I´m so greatful to have nephews and neices that are really trying to do the right thing and help those around them. Sorry to hear everyone is sick. hope yoiu all feel better soon.

So at the beginning of this last week I got bit by a big old mean dog. He went for my leg but latched onto my skirt. The worst of it is that he tore my favorite skirt, but other then that I don´t have rabies, he didn´t even cut the skin. I always carry a rock with me to scare insecure dogs but this was the first time I actually threw one. Fortunetly I have fairly bad aim, I think I would have felt bad if I actually hit him.

I have officailly finished training but I still have alot to learn. in any case its a big mile marker.

This last thrusday we had a training meeting with Elder Wadell. It was really great and I got to meet all the other north american sister in the Arequipa mission- all 3 of them. I´ve talked to them all on the phone before for nursing but I actually know thier faces now.

Well I we didn´t have a baptism this month.The threat was that we would get transferred if we didn´t have one but transfers were today and we´re still here. Last week Bishop offered us his nephew and niece (kinda like pulling a 10 dollar bill out of his pocket). The kids said they wanted to be baptized but Hermana Torrealva before felt it would be wrong to baptize them. they just weren´t ready, but we were getting alot of pressure from our zone and district leaders. In the end the mom decided she didn´t want them to be baptized. We were really relieved.

We´re also working with the bishop´s brother in- laws family as well. They were really strong at one point, the husband worked on the stake counsel but he got offended, started drinking and the family left the church. They have testimonies and say they want to return but they haven´t done it yet. we're had some really spiritual experiences with them that make it hard for us to see them continue to choose the wrong páth that is obivously making them unhappy.

I still love everyone and pray for you with all my heart. Your welcome

Love,

Hermana Pugmire

ps I think these are pictures of my zone and my area

Sister Pugmire #18

Dear Family,

Guess what this is my last week of training!!! I am so exciting. My companion(Hermana Torrealva) says time goes alot faster after training. I wonder what will happen after this week. I really want to stay in this area. I love our ward and the people here. Yesterday I found out that we only have this month to get a baptism or less President Fernandez is going to sack us! Which means we have a week.

I think I said it before but we´re kind of testers in this area. The wards in this zone really want to have sisters. We´re the only ones right now. If all goes well with us then they´ll send in more sisters but if we can´t make it then we get sacked and they give up the idea of having sisters in this area. Talk about pressure!

Our zone leaders came to some of our teaching appointments the other day. They invited one of the families we´re teaching to get married and baptized by the end of next month. Later the family (Los Morrons) said they felt really pressured into joining the Church. We explained that we didn´t want them to feel that way but we´re also grateful to those elders for helping this family really think about their future. The mother said she wants to go to the Temple and feel the things her sister has experienced there (who is a member).

The 2 teenagers we´ve been teaching (Stephine and Adriane) who have testimonies of the church but thier mom says they can´t get baptized til they´re 20 are doing great. We had a lesson where a recent convert (Liz) bore her testimony. The mom said (Bertha) she was almost convinced to get baptized the next day through this testimony.

Liz is amazing. When she joined the church her parents told her she would get kicked out of the house. now her whole family are members, she´s wanting for her mission call, and her mom just got called to be 2nd counselor in the relief society.

Our Pincionista´s Pit Bull just had puppies!! they are so cute. Hermana Susana (pincionista) is so sweet. She really tries hard to give us food we like. she buys things especially for us that the rest of the family isn´t allowed to eat. I try to ask for 2nds when I can because I know it makes her really happy but sometimes I just can´t eat that much food!

On of the elders in our zone brought his dear john to the computer cafe today. I only laughed inside. They all laughed too but I know that deep down this elder is really hurting. its been fun to listen to them make up replies that include quotes for batman, Lord of the Rings, Robert Frost, Les Miserable, Harry Potter, etc.

I still love everyone and pray for you all. oh and thanks Aunt Mary for the Chistmas card! I really love it.

Love,

Hermana Katy Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #17

Dear Family,

Congratulations Bryson, I am so happy to know that the church is blessed with you as a member.

and happy birthday Mom, of course I am always so grateful for you.

And Cool Katie I got your dearelder. I didn磘 think I could any more. but it turns out they still get sent to me. I therefor recommend my family to discover the website for dearelder.

The area is doing great. we get a lot of support from the ward who are really involved. The bishop is awesome and really wants to help us. We had interviews with president fernandez this week and the office told us that this area baptizes a lot. We haven磘 really found anyone yet but I磎 sure that we will.

To answer your questions mom, there are next to no trees here and lots and lots of building, stray dogs and drunks.

I had kinda of a funny run in the other day. A mother wanted me to talk to her daughter because she was learning english. while we were talking their drunk uncle came into the scene and proceded to pledge his undying love to me and really wanted to kiss my hand. I don磘 like to touch drunks, they don磘 have any self control so you don磘 know whats on their hands. I tried to explain that its a rule not to do the hand kissing thing. he didn创t really get it and proceded to get down on his knees and make a general scene. it was rather interesting but i磀 rather it didn磘 happen again.

in other news the neice and her sister read the book of mormon and have testimonies of the church but their mom says she磗 not giving them permission to join any church until they磖e 20. Their aunt was a nun when she converted to the church. So we磍l just keep working with them.

our pincionesta wants us to like her food so much! I really love that women. But I don磘 always like the food. Oh well, who cares its food! two of her sons served missions and her last leaves for his mission in march but she isn磘 a member. and she goes to church every week. She磗 not actually in our area so we don磘 teach her but we sure love to talk to her.

I love hearing from every one and I can磘 tell you how happy it makes me feel that everyone is well healthy and choosing to follow Christ.

Sister Pugmire #16

Dear Family,

First of all happy birthday to Jill, Brent (promise I remembered last monday I just forgot to email it), Bryson, and Josh. And happy anniversary to Julia and Dee. This may be obvious, but mom I got the family calendar this week, thanks!!

I think I am sending you a picture of Hermana Flores Baptism and of my new area.

Yes, that's correct. My trainer and I were transferred. At our distirt meeting on tuesday the secertaries took us aside and told us to go home and pack because president Fernandez wanted us to open a new area. so we packed as fast as week could and found ourselves in Neuva Alborada by the end of the day. Transfers aren´t due for another 3 weeks!! Neither one of us were prepared and naturally we felt pretty glum about it. Starting over again is a little hard, and we really learned to love the people in our area. I wish we could have said good bye!

But our new area is really great. The stake has a goal of a thousand baptismes this year and the ward is really working hard to do their missionary work. And they really consider missionary work as their job, and us merely as their helpers }. Its really great and I found it very easy to learn to love the people here. I really want to be a good missionary. Every ward in this stake is asking for sister missionaries and our ward is excited to have us. How can I not love them? This stake hasn´t had sisters in a long time so we're on a trial run. We really want to other sisters to be able to come in so we're trying hard to be obedient and safe.

last night we got a text message (perk of being mission nurse) from Flor saying her daught makenzie got baptized yesterday. When the elders asked her friday and saturday she said no, but Sunday she said yes so they hurried and got her baptized. Of course we love flor and makenzie so much and wish that we could have been there and a part of it but maybe Heavenly Father knew the Elders would be better fit to help her.

Our new area is a hill. We live at the very top but our area is at the bottom. great heart exercise. I feel like we can see all of Arequipa. its pretty neat.

I found out one of the elders in my zone is from Snowflake- elder bennet. He said that if you find a big arrowhead it can be worth about 900 bucks, wow! he said my little ones are worth about 30.

I love you all and keep you in my prayers,

con amor,

hermana Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #15

Happy New Years!!!!

And Happy the very last day of Arizona's centinal- its been a great 100 years.

It crazy to think that just last week I was really hearing your voices, one minute I was in the house the next I was back in Arequipa. I am so excited for Mary and Jared's first boy! we found out that our penchanista is prego too so I think about the new (Dane) and soon to be coming (¿name?) members of our family a lot.

I'm happy to hear you got my letter with all the pictures. I thought the best gift I could give would be one focused all on ME. your welcome. my companion has an adapter for computers and the memory card of my camera so maybe next week I can send a picture of Flor's baptism.

Flor has been having a hard week and cutting herself. This is a reaction that I have a hard time understanding, especially when she just recieved the Holy Ghost. I know that the Holy Ghost comforts us in sorrow and bouys us up becuase I have experienced it. I really want to help hermama Flor learn to rely on the Holy Ghost. I think she still relies very heavily on us missionaries, which is no good! I sometimes wonder what will happen with her and her little family when we are gone. I'm really learning that baptism is not enough. if you baptize 100 who cares if they don`t endure to the end?

This week has been really good for Jose Luis except yesterday. Sundays seem to be really hard for him to resist alcohol. But we`ll keep praying and believing in him.

The little girls who gave me shoes that are too small for me for Christmas were really excited for me to wear them. My poor feets! but I think the blisters are worth their smiles. They came to church again but without the parents. we finally met the mom who said she would come to church but.... I think this next week she really will.

I hope everyone makes great goals this year and enjoys the cinnamon rolls (assuming Mom makes them again this year). I know I plan to make this next really great.

Love you and talk to you in May (in spanish because I'll be fluent by then!!)

Hermana Katy Clara Pugmire

Sister Pugmire #14

Merry Christmas!

Tomorrow I`ll actually be talking to ya'll. I hope you feel a little excited to talk to me because I feel pretty darn excited.

Also I got a letter from Mom saying erik noticed the Teddybear Calendar wasn`t up. Thank you Erik, I actually thought about the calender a few times and wondered if it would be up this year.

This weekend was really special for Hna Torrealva and I. Hermana Flor was baptized and confirmed. I feel so grateful for her example. She is willing to give up her well beloved tradicions and beliefs for what she knows to be true. The first time we saw that she wasn`t wearing her necklace with the Virgin Mary we were so happy. and now she has the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. This is the Best Christmas Ever!!!!!!!

We were really happy that both her daughters were able to attend. Carol (the oldest) didn't think she could because she had to work but she showed up just in time. We hope she felt the spirit too. Carol already has a testimony of the Book of Mormon but lives in a convent and doesn't want to give up the virgin Mary. We think Makenzy (the youngest) will want to be baptised soon too. She attended all three hours of church yesterday and loves the young womens program. I wish I could show you a picture but I don`t have a way to hook up my camera to the computer. oh well.

We had a christmas talent show Saturday and 4 little girls (the oldest was 12) that we tracted into showed up. they sang with the primary and brought themselves to church yesterday. I wish you could meet this sweet daughters of our Heavenly Father. They have such righteous desires. No one is forcing them to sit through church the just want to. They feel the spirit. They are so meek and loving. What great examples to me. I wish I could just mother them.

we have another investigator named Jose Luis. He has a drinking problem. we've been calling every day to remind him to read the Book of Mormon and help him be strong. Last night we called him as his friends were inviting him to go drinking with them, and do other rotten stuff. we called just in the nick of time. I really feel like my companion was inspired. But we were given the impression that he didn't choose to follow Chirst in this moment. It was a very sad night for us. I often feel the grand plans Heavenly Father has for Jose Luis and it hurts very much to see him choose a lower path that only hurts him and his family. it is so important to never start addictions, to never deviate for the Path of enternal life.

I dont have more to say that I can't say tomorrow so love you and talk to you VERY soon.

con Amor,

Hermana Pugmire

ps Cool Katie I don`t get DearElders anymore and I lost your address so I don`t know how we'll communicate in the future but hopefully I'll find your address when I move