Week 60...9/28/15...Missionary memory, SANDRA REYES

Alrighty, where does the time go... I looked at my watch today and saw that it's the 28th.... I've almost got 14 months in the mission! What is this!???!!! Time is not even real on the mission! But this week started off awesome with a family night with the Bishop's family and 4 of our investigators! ONE OF THEM GOT BAPTIZED THIS WEEK! The pictures should all be coming on their way. I've just been trying to send them a different way than normal because it takes me forever to upload them all.

Sweet typical sunset with the Street right outside our house.

We visited The Benson again (a school that was paid for buy poorly used tithing funds, that got the family excommunicated but since is a private school they let us come in and teach a class anytime we would like) this week and had every one of the students write a bunch of questions down and then had them pass the papers forward to answer them all! There were a bunch of really good questions like ''Does God hear the prayers of people that don't go to church, or what would have happened if Eve hadn't eaten the fruit'' As well as some other good questions and a few questions like ''Si el Elder Blanquito tiene novia'' that one didn't end up getting answered unfortunately for the asker.

We've been looking for our golden family still and we thought we had found one but what happened was when we went to visit them they were super positive! So we were pumped and then they told us they were already members but hadn't been to church in awhile... So we were a little bummed that they weren't our golden family but pumped that we found them so we can help them start coming back to church! 

For our district meeting, we made plans about how we could help as many people make it to the General Conference as possible. And the main plan will be focus on working with the members. So we're hoping that everything goes well with that. On divisions in San Rafael, I spotted a sweet tweed suit for 3 Quetzales and it was too dope to pass up so we grabbed it. Ya, that's right a suit for a quarter... soooooo sick!!!!!!

Friday we had a missionary activity planned to invite a bunch of new investigators to visit the church. It was  "Missionary memory" where all of the returned missionaries decorated a room with photos of their missions and all of their records (souvenirs) Although it was supposed to start at 6:30 when we got there at 6 to help out there was nothing and no one there.  So we stressed out a bit but then once we adjusted to the ''hora Chapin'' we got everything all set up and got it started a little after 7:15.  We had the countries of Peru, Chile Nicaragua, Honduras y El Salvador, and of course GUATEMALA! Then we had a talent show after where every act had an investigator in it! So that was awesome!

Then Saturday was awesome! SANDRA REYES got BAPTIZED!!!!  We are so pumped! We worked all day and then got everything ready and then right at 6:45 we got to the church and realized the font didn't have a single drop of water in it.... and the baptism was supposed to start at like 7 (for any of you that know a little about baptism fonts they're not something you fill in 15 minutes).  But thanks again to the hora Chapin we didn't end up starting till like 8 after everyone showed up. Hermano Joel did the baptism (the dad of Joelito who gave us the reference).  Hermana Sandra was so happy! It was great!

Sunday, I went with Elder Gongora to San Isidro. We went walking trying to find a reference. But we never found them. However, we did save a drunk guy from drowning the river/street from all of the rain and ate 2 dinners with some members. So you could say it was a pretty good day.

Today we played soccer and I got fried by the sun. My comp is obviously tired because he just cramped up here on the internet and almost fell out of his chair. It was pretty funny.

But ya that's life!

Love,

Elder Pugmire

Week 59...9/21/15...DL meeting, The Round of Rescue; The Restoration

Alrighty, so this week was a blast and another crazy week like always. We started the week in Reu with our District Leader meeting, It was awesome! We really needed to changes somethings as a mission and it was the perfect way to start. I felt like I gave a really good lesson in our District Meeting on Thursday. Well, at least I thought it was good as just studying for it changed my life that's for sure. I just hope someone in my District learned something from it! Monday night I roomed with Elder Hill it was great to catch up with him.  He's doing great and I'm pretty sure in these next weeks he's going to be moved up to be a Zone Leader. We had an awesome meeting on Tuesday with Presidente Ruiz, it was only supposed to be from 8-9:30 but we ended it at like 1! The spirit was so strong and I learned so much!

Me and Elder Mecham

On Wednesday we went to see a baptism for the Zone Leaders because they've been working with this family forever! It was scheduled for 6 but the Lawyer didn't get there till 8 so we had to leave even before they got baptized for our Correlation Meeting at 8. It was awesome to see how much the gospel had changed their lives. We sang Families Can be Together Forever and it was just so amazing!

We're working on a project called Family of Gold, we were looking for a Golden family reference from the members. We've had a bunch of lessons with the members to try to inspire their missionary spirit! But we still haven't found the family yet. However, yesterday on divisions with the members I went to visit with Sandra and she accepted to get baptized this SATURDAY!!!! I was sooo happy for her! I know our Heavenly Father is even happier than we are.

Our Zone that received pins for the best scores on the Book of Mormon Test
(Hermanas, ? and Martinez, Elder Gutierrez, Garboza, Cancino, Kanahele, ME, Sanchez, Gaunt, Holland.

We found an awesome family this week! A guy named Edgar and his wife and 3 kids that live with him. He has like 7 but 3 live in the states. He says he doesn't go to any church because he believes that any of them have the truth. But we gave him a Book of Mormon and testified of the truth and his eyes lit up. They study the bible as a family every Saturday and keep all of the commandments! They are soooo prepared the only thing is that he is very well versed in the Bible and likes to pull out lots of little details. We try to stick to just testifying and the Book of Mormon so he doesn't get too side tracked from our basic message. But it's been awesome! I just really hope that his desire to learn the truth is stronger than his detailed-oriented search.

Saturday we had an activity planned for 6pm. A play called The Round of Rescue; The Restoration. Basically. It's a play of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The office was going to come to help us practice at 1 but surprise surprise they didn't make it there till 5:15 so we had like 45 minutes to assign parts, get one practice in, and then the real deal. They assigned me to be Joseph smith and I'm not sure how but by some miracle I ended up memorizing like 4 verses of Joseph Smith History in like 45 minutes. It actually was a great show! We probably had like 300 people there in attendance so it was awesome!  But that was about it for the week! life has been good!

Me, as Joseph, and Elder Ngungutau as Goliath

Elder Hastings 

My Comp, Elder Galicia, as Moses

Elder Carrion as David

Me and Hno Romero from San Pablo!
I finally got a picture with this guy.  This guy is so pilas!

Hope all is well!

Love,  Elder Pugmire

Typical streets we walk.

Zone Photos. . .

Hermana Leon, Hermana Canty, Hermana Martinez and Hermana Trinidad.
Elders: Bonilla, Holland, Cancino, Gutierrez, Elggren, Me, Galicia, Sanchez, Steiner, Perez, Carrion,
Perdomo, Pereira, Parrack, Kanahele

Week 58...9/14/15...Xetalul, Independence Day, not going to lie. . . time of life

This is how you can carry like 100 eggs in Guatemala!

Mom's letter:  "I can tell you're fully engaged because you stopped saying you missed us tons a couple letters ago. I'm totally fine with that!  (Don't feel like you have to say it I'm just thrilled that you are so happy there!)"

Alright, as far as missing you... not gonna lie I haven't really felt homesick once... I just say it because well I want you to remember that I haven't forgotten about you guys and I really do love you all... But as far as missing you homesick wise... not too much... This has been the greatest time of my life.

Photos of San Rafael. All of the rocks get painted a color according to the political party. Red for Lider. Green for Uni. Purple for todos. Orange for Partido Patriota and there's a bunch more of the smaller ones.

This is an overlook of San Rafael.

Alright, another quick email.  I have to be in a District meeting at 5.  The only bad thing is we haven't eaten and the meeting is like 4 hours away. So this week was crazy. (I feel like I say this every week but it's true. I can't even believe it's Monday again! Time goes by so fast!)

Monday we had a quick Pday then we went to work. I headed to San Rafael to do divisions and stayed there for Tuesday as well. On Wednesday we had a normal day.  Thursday..... XETALUL!!! THE AMUSEMENT PARK! Our Zone got some pretty sweet jerseys and it was a blast. I won't be able to load any of the photos because this computer is struggling hard but it was a blast! My comp had a blast but in the night the whole night felt like he was still riding roller coasters and had trouble sleeping he was definitely a little motion sick.

Our bus on the trip to XETALUL!!!

Yo y Elder Woods!!!!

Our zone on the train! Front row left to right Elders Gutierrez, Mcguire, me, Galicia. Second Row Elder Bonilla, Nungutau, Garboza, Kanahele. Third Row, Elder Holland, Carrion, Lagos? Back row, Elder Hastings, Sanches, Gonzales, Gaunt, Gongora.

Me and my comp,

Xetulul has a ton of awesome buildings

The famous Xetalul Pyramid

Elder Galicia

Me and my ‘’Twin,’’ Elder Hastings. Everyone gets us confused when I do divisions in San Rafael.

Me, Elder Gongora, Elder Garboza, and Elder Sanchez trying to look our best on Shetland ponies.

Me and Presidente Ruiz

Friday, we had a great workday. One of the highlights was with Melanie.  She's an investigator but super cool. She actually went with her sister and us to teach another family, and she helped teach the lesson. Remember she's still an investigator. We're working with her husband so they can get married and she can get baptized. Another miracle. . .I don't know if you all remember the planting service project we did, but we found the other guy that was there helping us by complete surprise and HE'S A MEMBER, just a little inactive.  He has a great family and we're starting to work with him some more. On Saturday we had a great day of work. We found a bunch of new people to teach as well as on Sunday.

Your typical church in Guatemala, I've taken pictures of every church I've seen, they're way too many to send home, but here's one of many!

Today was a blast we hit the gym nice and early and then as a Zone activity, we went and did ZUMBA. It was a blast actually. We had 3 investigators from this really poor family come to church, so that was super cool! They're going to progress really quickly.

Right now after the elections, the 15th is Independence Day. It's been fun to see a bunch of Guatemalan flags and a bunch of patriotic stuff, out here in Retalhuleu some guys go everywhere in the streets selling flags and everything.

But that's about all I have for right now. Time to go eat some tortas!

Love,

Elder Pugmire

GO BYU!!!!!!

Week 57...9/7/15...Balduvino, Fernando and Melanie and Sandra

Alright, this one is gonna be short. I'm writing early today because we got to get to work early today. After all, on Thursday we are headed to Xetalul! (editor's note:  The amusement park.) We made some sweet jerseys for the zone but I'll send pictures next week! 

So this week we had some awesome people we met. We met this guy named Balduvino. Great name right? haha! But he's awesome! He's been all through the country being part of the army but we talked to him and taught him the word of wisdom and the Law of castidad chastity... is that how it's spelled? Uh, I don't remember anymore... But ya it was awesome he accepted to live them all at once! Then he told us he was ready to be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church (now remember we only have had 2 days of knowing this guy).  He said he just wanted to go to church a few times before he gets baptized... We were like LETSSS GOOOOOOO!!!! We were so pumped. This guy has been so prepared by whom or what I'm not sure. But it's been pretty awesome and the Lord has obviously been directing us to him.

We also are teaching a family of Fernando and Melanie they are super cool and are progressing really quickly. They have various problems in their family but are slowly progressing through it and should be baptized in these next couple of weeks!!!!

Also, we got a reference of gold from our mission leader Joel. Her name is Sandra Reyes. She's sooooo awesome! She's read like everything we've left her. She's a teacher at one of the schools here and really really smart. And when I asked her if she felt like she has received an answer to her prayers she said yes, that and more, she said she felt so much peace in the church, and she and her daughter just need to come to church a few more times and they're going to get baptized as well! 

Finally, the political stuff is getting over. There used to be pickups full of people running everywhere blowing whistles like crazy.  The elections for the governors and mayors were on Sunday, and that ended with very few problems, so that was good! The only problem was we had a bunch of investigators come to church but then left right out of the sacrament meeting to go to the voting place, we felt pretty used like they had just used us to get to the city since our area is kinda far away.

Hope everything is well!

Love,

Elder Pugmire

Week 56...8/31/15...Weeks fly by. Bad back and service come together

Alright, this week is already over! So this email is gonna be pretty short because we've got work to do for The Lord. But here are some of the highlights this week!

I FOUND A DOG NAMED SCOTTY!!!! 

I WAS SO PUMPED: One Because it’s the first thing or person I've found with my name that isn’t toilet paper. Also that this dog was in good enough condition that I was willing to pick it up.

Some nice cows!

We met a ton of awesome new investigators! We just have been contacting and asking for references from everyone! The best one we got was from our ward mission leader, Hermano Joel. We met this lady named Sandra. She's been to the church activities a couple times and is just so prepared for the gospel! It's amazing! The best compliment came from Joel.  He told us his family had had this reference for years and years and everyone was free to give the reference to the missionaries but no one ever did. He told us he just never felt like they were the right missionaries. So that was a super nice compliment that he trusts us that much! It also means we've got to go and work with her a ton! 

I did a bunch of divisions this week too! They went good but they stress me out being away from my area. I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that my area is like 6 times the size of how it used to be with all of the new areas in my district that I'm in charge of.  I find myself getting to bed later and later and waking up earlier and earlier. But it's a good life.

This week we worked sooooo hard! We had two service projects.  For one of them, we woke up at like 4:30 to go help some investigators of the church ''sembrar milpa'' or plant corn. Man, it was exhausting!  

Planting Corn

Sweaty Selfie

We worked soooo hard! I was sweating like crazy till like 11:00!  But, we met a few cool guys that we are going to go contact this week and the family we helped came to church!!!! Then we can home and they gave us coconuts! And I got to try Iguana! It was like a mix of fish and chicken, it was actually really good! So it was totally worth it! They also had a sweet little dug-out pool in their back yard that the little kids were kind enough to show us how to jump into. 

The awesome little pool of water that comes from a natural spring.

Investigator in the pool showing us how to use it.

That pool has fish all over it.

The other service that we gave was unexpected. We had just got out of a tuc tuc when we saw this lady on the side of the road standing next to a huge bag of crushed plastic. I don't have a photo of it but it had to of weighed at least 100 pounds.  We offered to carry it for her but she said her house was really far away and that her husband was going to go carry it. So we did what any good missionary would do, and pretended like we didn't hear her and picked it up and started walking. Man, this lady was not lying. SHE LIVED SOOOOOO FAR AWAY FROM THE ROAD! I don't think anyone in their right mind would have found her house if they wanted to! I carried it most of the way on my back, how they do it here. When I wasn't carrying it we shared the load half and half. It was raining and we went up and down several slippery hills.  Amazingly, we didn't fall! But I think the biggest miracle happened after we got to the house. We started talking to the lady and we had the feeling that we needed to talk to the husband.  We waited for him to arrive... AND GUESS WHAT!!!!?  It was one of the guys we met planting corn! I don't know how we would have found him if we hadn't helped this lady!!! SUCH A MIRACLE! After planting corn and plus my amazingly comfortable mattress (loaded with sarcasm) my back was dead! But it was totally worth it! We met 2 awesome families that we are now teaching!

River in the back yard of some investigators.

That’s a dead dog in the river….. They're always so clean…

Guy crossing the river (yes the same river the dead dog is in).

The other fun thing of the week continues to be the political campaigns. UHHH they drive me insane!!! One in San Rafael they have these ''caravanas'' basically the loudest and rowdiest parade you can think of that lasts like 30 minutes... AND THEY HAPPEN EVERY SINGLE NIGHT!!!!!! It's insane! The big thing to show your political pride here is to load your pickup with people with whistles and blow your whistle and honk your horn to annoy the other people enough so that they vote for you. I'm not quite sure if I understand the logic but I mean... that's what happens. Also, we had 2 candidates for the President visit. We were just about to bring some investigators to church. One of the ladies had just told us she couldn't leave her house under any circumstance that day. But as soon as she heard the helicopter above her house and landed close by, she bolted to go see the candidate.... leaving us and her house completely abandoned. But I mean that's cool. It's sad how people will dedicate so much to political things and so little to our Heavenly Father. But we are working on it.  That's it.

Can you spot the Presidential Candidate in his helicopter?

Love,

Elder Pugmire