Week 103...August 8, 2016...Last Week, MARIA, CRISTIAN and LEIDI get baptized

Hey! Wow I can't believe that this is my last real week of my mission! Time went by so fast but I couldn't have imagined ending it any better.

 So Sunday, 7/24 Maria Catarina and their kids all came to church and it was awesome! Monday, we went back to follow up with them. Man the devil is working so hard against Maria trying to convince her that what she is doing is wrong. I went with Elder Hill. We were teaching her and she told us '' I wanted you guys to come today because I wanted to tell you that I'm not going to be baptized. But during the discussion I've tried to say it a few times and every time I do I feel super sad. I know it's an answer from God and I just want you to know that I am going to be baptized next week because that's what makes me happy." We were ecstatic! She is so amazing and really just wants to do what is best for her family and herself. 

On a side note we brought some more missionaries to the office. Elder Moreno is our 4th companion and is going to be the new Assistant.  He's super tall and a great missionary. Also Elder Steiner is going to be the new financial secretary! The office is going to be completed power packed!

Tuesday, 7/26 Elder Moreno and Elder Kahl went to do interviews in Mazate Lincoln while me and Elder Hill put in registries at the office. Later we went to visit Hna Laura a recent convert. She doing really well. And then we to visit Maria. She is receiving a lot of opposition especially from her family and mom. 

Wednesday we worked all day on changes with President Goodman and his wife. He wanted it to be very processed and thorough. But for his first changes it was great. Then we had a family with the family Maldonado and Maria. So that was really good. While Elder Hill and Elder Kahl went with President Goodman to visit Mario.
Thursday.  Me and Elder Moreno went to San Felipe to help that zone out with some interviews and such.  We got totally soaked. I don't know if I've had such a hard rain like that in all my mission. Then we picked up the mini missionary to bring him home.

Friday. I had my final interview with President Goodman. It was really good. He encouraged me to marry someone better than me and to always have something to start and end the day with in college. Then we had to run to Coatepeque to pick up and Elder who was having some heart problems. I got to see Carolina, Belinda and Aroldo! So that was awesome. We made it back for a dinner that Maria had invited us to. It was great! Cristian when he saw us ran up and as excited as could be said "elders! Only 20 hours more till my baptism!" He really was super excited.

Saturday. We had the baptism. We bought all of the white clothes in the morning and then we got everything set up for the baptism. It was a great baptism. They were all so excited to be clean of everything. It's insane to me that the way we found them was by someone giving us a reference and we never found who they sent us to look for. But we did find who the Lord wanted us to find.

Sunday 7/31 My last Sunday in Guatemala.. It was great. Carolina came to church to see.  Leidy, Maria and Cristian get confirmed. I said goodbye to a lot of people and we ate for the last time at Herber and Eiset's house. Then we went to say goodbye to Maria and their family. Because me and Elder Hill on Monday had to go to San Marcos and we wouldn't be able to pass by again. It was so hard. I love that family so much and pray that they will always continue in the gospel. 

Monday 8/1 we went to Malacatan to bring everyone's bags from there and San Marcos. It was a long drive.

Tuesday we went as a group to the temple.

We welcomed all of the new missionaries off the bus and then we got on on one to go to the temple. In the temple I wasn't sure what to ask or say to my Heavenly Father.   President Goodman in my interview had already told me that The Lord had accepted my offering and I felt the spirit testify to me that He had. But even though I didn't know why I was there The Lord did. I didn't realize it before but I was extremely sad and heartsick to be leaving my family here in Guatemala. But going to the temple The Lord gave me that comfort and peace about coming home.

Then we had pizza and ice cream in President Goodman's house.

Wednesday changes happens and we got the bus for Guatemala and stayed in an apartment.
Thursday at 3:30 am we were at the airport where a hurricane delayed our flight till around 10:30.  

Three flights later I arrived around midnight to Montana to see my family for the first time in 2 years. I could feel their love and support. It was the greatest experience of my life. 

I know the church is true. This gospel is The Lord's Gospel. This is His work. I love my Savior and this missionary work. I wouldn't have traded these last two years for anything in the world.

Love.
Elder Pugmire