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