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