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