Week 3...8/26/14...Life in the CCM and District Mateo

Mateo District:  left to right top to bottom Elders Williams. Stuart, Wallace, Fisher, Ellsworth, Elgren, Me with a haircut, Sherwood, Evans,

Bottom Elders Fickes, Mattson, Willden

Man! The time here at the CCM is ridiculous! The days feel like weeks, but the weeks feel like days. I can't believe that it is already P-Day again! That's Great for Bishop Ruff! He finally gets a break! ;) Haha I'm so proud of Zac and I'm sure Dad was happy that he didn't have to drive the whole way!  Were you still going to write letters to my district? If you did that would be awesome! Elder Kimbal, I think, sent you a message with the people who wanted one but I'm sure my whole district would appreciate one. But just a few good people to send to...  are the  Elders x x x x,  they all have a tough time with Spanish. I've heard about the Ice Bucket Challenge! That's awesome! That's crazy how expensive you are mom! Haha. Our insurance is such a blessing! That's great for Porter! He's gonna be awesome! Grant looks so big already, and it has only been three weeks! Zac looks as studly as ever. But he probably should lift some heavier weights. ;) JK! What's wrong with our family photos?

So about my week! like I said the days are like weeks and Weeks are like days! President Cox is back! He was out in the states because he had a blood clot in his shoulder that wouldn't go away. But he's back now after 3 weeks and I love him! He is such an amazing guy! He's really inspiring and makes me want to be an even better missionary in everything at all times! He's super funny! Last Wednesday or something, he came into everyone's rooms right at 6:30 to make sure everyone was awake. He was like "Good morning Elders! You fired up? What a day! What a great day! How ya doing?! You awake?! You fired up for the day?! The Lord wants you up. He's got things for you to do!" Since then I don't think I've slept until 6:30! I'm always nervous that somehow I'll miss the alarm, and wake up to see the president face right in mine. So I wake up at 6:25 like every day. 

President Cox is really into being obedient to everything. He tells us that if we are exactly obedient and have faith, we can do anything we want as missionaries. He told us that we could get 50 baptisms a month if we really work and do nothing but work in the field. I hope to be the best missionary in the field, for my Mission President. I'm working toward my goal to be fluent by the time I get out of the CCM. I'm putting president Hinckley's promise to the test that if you read the Book of Mormon in your mission language, you will be fluent by the end of it. Right now I'm in Alma 36, so I should be able to do it! It was the president's birthday the other day and it was crazy! We packed all of the people in the CCM into the Comedor and had everyone sing Happy Birthday! Sister Cox baked two huge chocolate cakes and, then a Mariachi The band came in to play! We all loved hearing music, even though we couldn't understand! 

Robert T. and Rebecca E. Cox

Robert Thomas Cox, 61, and Rebecca Eugenia Friend Cox, four children, Tulare 2nd Ward, Porterville California Stake: Guatemala Missionary Training Center. Brother Cox is a former president of the Mexico Leon Mission, counselor in a stake presidency, stake executive secretary, bishop, ward mission leader, temple ordinance worker, and missionary in the Andes Peru Mission. Owner of Cox Farming. Born in Tulare, Calif., to Howard Marion and Dorothy Marie Cox.
Sister Cox served with her husband in the Mexico Leon Mission and is a former counselor in a stake Young Women presidency, ward Relief Society and Young Women president and temple ordinance worker. Born in Santa Monica, Calif., to Rollis Lewis and Mary Viola Friend.

It was so awesome this week we got a volleyball! Which we promptly hit over the fence... We sent one of our guards to get it back.  Then the next day I served it and the same elder who hit it over last time hit it back over again... and well we haven't seen it since then, so that's that. Oh! I forgot! I've been called to be the District leader of District Mateo, so that's pretty sweet! All of the guys in my district are great! I love them so much! I and my companion Elder Stuart is doing a lot of teaching. Yesterday we were practicing our Spanish with the Latinos. Every bit of feedback we got was like, "your lessons are really good but you should work on Spanish," or "you should practice saying the words more, you need to work on your R's," or my personal favorite that one of the Hermanas told me, "I can tell that you are speaking Spanish but I have no idea what you're saying!" So that was a real confidence booster! But not really. Anyway talking with the Latinos really helps! I've started to be able to understand almost anything they say. That is about the gospel. I had a little harder time understanding our Latino roommates that were trying to tell us their bed had Fleas in it. He made it pretty clear when he showed us all of his bug bites though. Fortunately for us, only his bed has the bugs! 

The other week we went to the market. It is basically a store like sears. I didn't get anything there but I bought a bunch of stuff at the distribution center. And once I find out what size my scripture cases are I'll get some sweet Spanish scriptures. Funny Story about the Market, One of the Elders just has the worse luck - may be brought on by himself. We walk out of the market and he just pops open a red-bull right in front of our teacher. He had no idea! Our teacher flipped out and Elder Fisher was like you've got to be kidding me! I drink these in front of my bishop all the time! He's from Canada, and he's great but, it seems like he always ends up with bad luck. He never has spoken Spanish before and has made a few mistakes including asking our teachers if they are going to go number 2 or if they text 6-year-old girls. He's a good sport about it though, and I feel like in just three weeks his Spanish is already caught up to most of ours! 

Anyway, things are great here I love every minute of it! I miss you all and hope everything is well! I look forward to hearing from you next week! 

Love Elder Pugmire