Week 99. . .7/4/16. . .President Goodman is in the House!!!

I love America. Happy 4th of July. I'm feeling very prideful today and it might not be a good thing but I love America! It really is the best Country on the planet! I've been able to so many blessing of living in the USA but I've only been able to recognize them being out here in Guatemala. Though I may not be there for the lemonade stands, the fireworks, the homemade rootbeer, the hamburgers, with the family, or anything like that, the values and truths that the USA stand for are here with me. Today we as an office gathered together and stood and stated the Pledge of Allegiance. "I pledge allegiance, to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic and which it stands. One Nation. UNDER GOD. With Liberty, and Justice for All. We then listened to the National anthem and our nation pride was stirring in our hearts. You better believe that me and Elder Kahl were rocking our All American Ties everywhere today. I love America and Freedom and Justice and I love my Savior Jesus Christ who has made all of those things possible. By way of his infinite atonement He paid for my sins and yours so that we may be free, so that justice can be fulfilled and so that we, may one day enter into Our Father's presence in the Celestial Kingdom. GOD BLESS AMERICA! God bless those that serve our country.

Me and Elder Kahl! We love AMERICA!!!

We made a coin jar as an office so that tonight we can eat Hotdogs and some other American food to celebrate the 4th!

We actually did a good job saving! We ended up with 272 quetzales of change! Nothing says freedom that getting rid of unwanted change!

This week we said goodbye to President Ruiz. It was really sad to see him go. on Tuesday we had our last meeting with him and his wife. They left us these little plates as a parting gift.

The plate that President Ruiz left for us

I Gave him one of my ties and we took the last photo as an office. Then he New Mission President is pretty tough. The New and Old Mission Presidentes barely get the chance to speak. However in our case we got really lucky!

On Wednesday the roads got blocked more protesting! It seems to be the protesting only happens when we have some important meeting. However this time it was really helpful. It gave President Goodman and the now (Hermano) Ruiz the time to talk probably triple of what they would have had.

We had planned to have lunch here with President Goodman and then take him to our area to work but they got back at like 6 pm instead of 12 am. We got to go over there right as they got there. We greeted Presidente Goodman and Hermana Goodman and then we gave Hermano Ruiz a hug and then he and Hna Ruiz got on the bus and left. It happened so fast! We then sat right down with Presidente and Hermana Goodman to talk about the mission and our plans! WOW! What great people! The Hermana Goodman was so happy to hear that we spoke English! They are such humble people with such a great desire to serve The Lord and do all that He asks of them. They told us that we were going to be their trainers to the mission and told us they wanted us to take them out a lot in our area to teach them how to be missionaries! We still haven't gotten the chance to do so but we are super excited. Hermana Goodman doesn't speak any Spanish, YET! She's so awesome and had such a strong desire to learn I know she's going to do it! We told her that our theory was she made the best cookies ever. And all I can say is, that theory was tried, tested and Proven. Man. It'd had been sometime since I'd had a good cookie! Another thing that I love about America!!!

The first night we met them

Thursday, we had a meeting with the Zone Leaders. President Goodman took control of most of the meeting. But my favorite part was when they walked in they took the time to go shake the hand and hug each and everyone of the missionaries. it was a really powerful first impression and I feel like the mission already loves them! After Thursday we planned for our District Leader Training Meeting the next day and we went to work in our area.

The first leaders meeting

This is a fruit basket of exotic fruit. (small bananas, red bananas, kushin, nance, rambutan, pepino dulce,mangos, exotic pears, palmagrante and 2 other fruits I don’t know the names of.)

Friday, we had a much needed District Leader Training meeting. Elder Hill talked about how to conduct interviews, Elder Kahl talked about how to put Fechas and Elder Perez (Elder Hill's companion) talked about how to do divisions. I was going to just be the coordinator but I ended up staying with Elder Perez to team teach the lesson. I think it was a really effective meeting. Then we had our meeting as an office with President and Hermana Goodman. When we spoke in Spanish he'd take the time to translate everything out for her. They actively took notes on everything we said and you could tell that they really wanted to learn! It was a long meeting! We went over almost everything that goes on in the office! Then we headed back to work in our area! We've found a bunch of less actives. Our ward boundaries are like the ward boundaries are in Utah. We have like 18 small blocks in our area. And it's full of members, less active members and people that have seen the missionaries so many times they seem to have some bell go off in their house that tells them to run and hide when the missionaries are by. But it is also full of a ton of prepared people.  Last week I told you a little about the family we found. we went to visit them and we actually ended up talking to the mom's sister named Maria. She's even more positive than her sister! They told us they wouldn't be able to go to church this week although she has already gotten someone to cover she shift at work for her. So we're excited for them! 

Saturday, we were with President in the morning, and then we went to a baptism in Monterrey.  A girl named Natali got baptized! She was so happy! We then went to do divisiones with our District Leader and we went to pass by all of the people we had invited to church.

Sunday, was amazing. Unfortunately note one of  our investigatores came. But I could feel the spirit so strong this Sunday. I had a really good fast, and during the testimony meeting one of the youth was called to the stand to receive his call on the mission. It made me feel like it was my brother who had just received it. I'm excited to hear where my brother Zac will be going. Where ever he goes he is going to be an amazing missionary! I usually don't bare my testimony in the testimony meeting because I feel like we should allow the members to used that time. I bare my testimony all the time! But this day I felt like I should and I did. It felt really good. It was a reminder I needed to have to feel to remember what I was sharing was true. Later after the meeting I went to interview a joven the Hermanas had brought to the meeting. He expressed to me the strong spirit he had felt in the meeting and also told me he had felt that feeling especially strong when 3 people had spoke. He told me that one of those people was me! I told him that it didn't have anything to do with us, but that it was the spirit that was testifying of the truth of their words. He committed to be baptized on the the16th and he is trying very hard to change his life around so that he can be baptized!

I know this work is true! I love it! I can't believe I've already came down to my last month in the mission. In two days I will have been here for 23 months. We have a goal to baptized at least a few families this last month! So we've been working hard to do it! Hope all is well! I love you all! 

Happy forth! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!

Love,

Elder Pugmire