Week 64...10/25/15...CAROLINA and Hermana Adiahaida

Well, well, well, here's the computer screen again. . . I can't believe that a whole other week has passed. Like 2 more of these and my companion will be home, like literally in his home.  I do my best to try and get him ''baggy or trunky'' We call it baggy here. He's a great kid though and we've been working hard as always!

Me and my comp, Elder Nielsen. He’s got such an amazing voice. We’ve been singing a little bit.

Elder Retana and Elder Nielsen

I've been running all over the Zone this week. On Tuesday I went to Genova and on Thursday headed up to El Amparo y Tumbador. It was pretty good! It's kinda crazy because a lot of the missionaries depend on their leaders to lead them. But when I go on divisions I like to force them to lead me and do the very best they can. Which actually surprises them more than it does me because they learn that they are capable of doing so much more. 

This is how you make a cake in Guatemala.

We had a kinda bummer week this week as a Zone though. We had a bunch of people scheduled to get baptized and confirmed but unfortunately, a bunch of them fell through. I think that The Lord is just humbling us and that next month He's going to use us to make a miracle happen. 

Yah… Reeses went on sale…. So you can say we made the best of it.

Our area though has been BRILLANDO!!!! The Mom of the two kids who got baptized last week got BAPTIZED!!!! Carolina is super cool! Even though she had a bunch of friends and family come and try to get her not to do it she still felt like it was a good thing to do and that the church was good. So she is super awesome! All three of them were there in church early for her confirmation. She is super shy in front of people but once you get to know her she smiles all the time! I love their family so much!

Elder Nielsen, Carolina, and her children Belinda and Aroldo were baptized last week.

Also, we have been teaching this family of the Hermana Adiahaida. She is super awesome! I don't remember if I mentioned her last week but she had a dream that The Church is true and she got a new job so that there was absolutely no way that she would miss church this week! It worked! She came along with 2 of her kids, another friend, and 3 other kids she knows! Her other 2 sons had to work and her daughter-in-law and another one of her son's friends were gonna come too but they went to work too. They should come next week! She loved church and the 2, her daughter and family friend did too.  Actually, they all loved it and the members all came up to us, and we're like, ''That is such an amazing family that you guys brought to church!'' I've never gotten compliments on investigators before but it felt pretty darn good. I was like ''YA! YA, they are!'' Actually, that's exactly what I said. I know it wasn't very intelligent-sounding, but that's what I said because they really are that special. We're hoping that they get baptized in these next couple of weeks so if you could keep them in your prayers that would be awesome! The Family Gonzalez! 

Love you all!

Love, Elder Pugmire 

Week 63...10/19/15...Elder Jose Alonzo of the 70, 40 Days of Miracles, Temple, AROLDO & BELINDA

Alright, so this week was super dope!!!! It was so crazy. 

Me and my comp, Elder Nielsen, after Making some really good milkshakes.

Me and my comp, Elder Nielsen, looking fly.

We started out with interviews with Presidente Ruiz they went really well and hopefully this next week we're going to do a lot better as a Zone. After interviews, we had to go to Reu to get my companion's temple recommend so that he could go into the temple. Presidente Ruiz took us there and we got to talk with him a lot. He's such a great man!

Then we headed back and got back to work. We had our Family of Gold commit to going to church and but they didn't end up going because Hermana Adiahaida ended up having to work. But she told us that she had a dream where she found out that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true church! I don't know what it is with the dreams that the people have here but they are insane! Everyone seems to have dreams of revelation. But she told me yesterday that she was going to quit her job so that she could start going to church all the time! It was crazy! 

On Wednesday we went to the Temple! It was awesome just to be able to feel the spirit so strong there! Then we came home a little later in the day and took care of a bunch of Zone stuff.

ME and Elder Preciado at the temple

Me and Elder Wilcox

Me and elder Call

Me and Elder Johnson

Me and elder Tucker

Me and Elder Elggren

At the Temple

Elder Sanchez and I…. I believe that is the proper English way to say that.

My companion, Elder Nielsen, and I.

My companion, Elder Nielsen, and I.

Elder Sanchez and I on the way home.

Thursday I went on divisions with Elder Keck and we found some super cool people!

Then on Friday... Holy Moly, it was amazing! We had a Consejo de Lideres with all of the Zls, Hermana Lideres, Sister and Presidente Ruiz, and Elder Jose Alonzo of the 70! It was so amazing! We read scriptures and he just opened all of our eyes to be able to see, feel and hear what they were really saying. We learned that every scripture can be tied into the plan of salvation.

He told us a ton of stories about his mission and we were just all blown away and determined to start changing the culture of the mission for the better. We started a thing that I suggested in the Zone called 40 days of Miracles. We are going to fast for 40 days as a Zone by each companionship rotating on fasting that day. We're determined to see a miracle every day. We started on Saturday and I'm pretty sure that our area had the first miracle. 

Here's the story

On Thursday we bought two of these kids and their mom that we have been teaching to the chapel to try and ask for permission so that they could be baptized. But she said no and that they needed to wait longer. So we just kinda left it at that because she seemed really firm about it. However, later a member started talking with her to invite her to the stake activity, and then they went home. On Saturday we found them on the street selling and they were like. ''When is the baptism going to be!'' We're ready we just need to know what time!'' We had an activity planned for the stake where all of the youth did a dance from a different country. And their mom thought that the member was inviting her to the baptism! At that point, she had accepted! We were just like uhhhh.... we'll get back to you... So we ran and told the bishop about our miracle and then ran to fill the font to be ready at 8. Then we went to let them know and then we went to the activity.

The Stake dance activity: Puerto Rico

The Stake dance activity: Germany

The Stake Dance Activity: Guatemala

The Stake Dance Activity: Guatemala

The Stake Dance Activity: Mexico

The Stake Dance Activity: Tonga

The Stake Dance Activity: Hawaii

The Stake Dance Activity: Hawaii

The Stake Dance Activity: China

The Stake Dance Activity: Arabia

The Stake Dance Activity: Arabia

The Stake Dance Activity: Arabia

We came back and got the baptism all ready and the kids came running from their house they were so excited. And after the service, we talked with one of our investigators that was there and the mom of the kids and they both accepted to be baptized the next week!!!!! It was such a miracle!

Baptism of Aroldo and Belinda

Aroldo, Belinda, and their mother, Carolina.

But ya we are super pumped and happy and we're gonna be working super hard to get our family of gold to church next week! Hope all is well! 

Love you guys!

Elder Pugmire

Week 62...10/12/15...Zone Leader Service

View of our house from the roof.

I'm not sure if it's Graham or how you spell it! But there's a guy in our ward that told me that he knew a sister Pugmire that served in Honduras.  His name is Eddy Cifuentes! He told me that she's married with two kids and now has the last name Graham and the husband works in audio for the church! So it's basically a pretty small world here! But he says hi and sends his best wishes!

Alright, so this week was a blast! But man it went by fast! We started off the week by going to Reu for a Zone Leader Council. It was awesome! We got a bunch of new ideas to help our Zone out! We are hoping to have a lot of success this month! But someone has been working really hard against us, that common enemy.  Man, it's been tough! The thing that has been the hardest has been communication. In our Zone, something has happened to all of the missionaries' phones and we can barely contact anyone to know what's going on. But we're working through it. 

Me and Elder Ellsworth in the Consejo de lideres meeting.

We had a super good lesson after that with a guy named Jorge. He came to conference and during the lesson, he started crying and told us how grateful he was and gave us a hug, and accepted us to be baptized! So that was awesome! 

Typical Guatemala

Typical Guatemala

On Wednesday, I went on divisions with Elder Zuniga. It was pretty good.  We basically contacted the whole time, we set up 3 lessons for the next day but none of them seemed to be too positive. Then the next day we went to go contact the door of one of the lessons we had set up. The mom was obviously inside because we could hear them talking. But the little kid came out to tell us that no one was home. (It's kinda sad but that happens almost 3 times every day.) But we had the feeling not to walk away like we normally do. We shouted in to let the mom know we were there and we were bent on sharing a message to help her and her family. Long story short we got in the door and had an amazing lesson and now have an amazing family that we are teaching. The next day we brought them all tacos and we had dinner together and it was awesome! They couldn't come to church this week but they already took off work and made plans to come next week! So that will be awesome!

Elder Nielsen and I waiting to teach some members

Preaching the Gospel to every creature.

I did a few more interviews during the week and I'm so grateful for the Spirit helping us know what the needs of the people are.  The gift of discernment is a huge help for us!  I'm so grateful that I can be a part of helping these people come and repent and be cleansed for their sins. It is such a great and amazing responsibility and privilege.

Me and Elder Keck

View of our house from the roof.

View of our house from the roof.

We finally got the Magnolia Elders all moved out of their old house (after someone was shot outside of their house the week before) and into our new one together. It's pretty fun having 4 nortes in a house together. Somehow we've all started talking to each other in British accents and can't seem to stop. I kind of inherited a crazy situation as far as areas go. So there are three areas ( Jardin is mine, Magnolia is Elder Kecks Wilcox's, and Dalmacia). Dalmacia had to be shut down from some disobedient Elders last change, but right when I got to Coatepeque, Presidente was still trying to decide what to do with the area. Apparently, both sets of missionaries were locked in our house hiding from people who were unhappy with the other missionary who got sent home. They had just moved into this huge, beautiful, and probably nicest house/apartment I've ever seen in Guatemala. But it's also twice as expensive as most houses in the missions, even for 4 people living together. I'm not even sure how they got it approved in the first place. But apparently, they also signed a contract saying they'd be there for at least 6 months, which isn't normal in the mission. 

 However, when the Dalmacia Elders got taken out, we were left with an apartment that was twice as expensive for four people, and now only two people lived in it. So we were considering trying to find a way to move even though the house was awesome, then outside the Elder's house in Magnolia, someone was shot and killed. So we needed to move them anyway and it worked out. 

Me and my comp hard at planning.

Sunday we had a meeting with the Stake President and Presidente Ruiz to talk about how we could help with all of the work here in the stake to get ready for all of the activities this December! It's going to be awesome! We do a ton of planning as Zone Leaders and it's tough because I like to be out working all not running errands or making sure people are doing what they should but I'm adjusting to it and I know that I'm where I need to be! 

Love you all!

Elder Pugmire

Week 61...10/5/15...Coatepeque, Zone Leader, Elder Nielsen

Holy cow! What a week! Honestly, I feel like it's been like 2 weeks shoved into one! So much has happened and plus conference! Holy cow! That was like the greatest thing ever! Here's a little bit about what happened all of these couple of days.

The stake center and I in Malacatan.

After writing, me and Elder Garboza went on divisions.  We headed up to our old area, San Pablo, to visit our converts.  We were so happy to see Noe and Hilda doing so well! They go to church all the time and you could feel the spirit so strong in their lives and in their home! Unfortunately with Amelia and her family, it wasn't quite the same.  They've been drifting away from the church and not too many people have been there to help them out. It made me really sad. I just would like to exhort everyone to go the extra mile to help the new converts of the church. They really desperately need friends and support from all of the members of the church! We also visited some other members of the church up there to help them out with some problems that were going on.

Tuesday, was insane. They announced changes and I was one of the many that had changes! My son, Elder Lagos is going to be training! So that means I'm gonna be a mission grandpa!!! Haha, so that's pretty exciting. We spent the rest of the day saying goodbye and then the rest of the night packing up my suitcases!

District Changes Meeting:  Me and Elder Bonilla

District Changes Meeting: Elder Gutierez

District Changes Meeting: Elder Cancino

District Changes Meeting: Elder McGuirre(and Elder Gutierez again)

District Changes Meeting:  My extended family in the mission of Elder Lagos, Holland, me, Cancino, and Davis

Change Meeting: Me and Elder Davis

Change Meeting: Elder Davis

Change Meeting: Elder Sanchez

District Changes Meeting: Kanahele (who had changes up to being one of the Assistants )

Change Meeting: Me and Elder Holland

Change Meeting:   Selfie with Elder Ngungutau, Elder Holland, Davis, and Hastings

Change Meeting: Me and Elder Ngungutau

Firebreather

Me and Hna Martinez saying goodbye to La Familia Godoy. (They were having a birthday party.)

La familia de Hna Sandra

Pablito

Hna Sandra got baptized 2 Saturdays ago.

Me and Julito

Hna Berta and her family

Judith and her family

Meider y Familia

Hno Cruz Rodas

Hno Olvidio y Grace

Hno Olvidio y Grace and their family

Me, my comp and Fernando

Me and Fernando

Daniel works in the stake all the time.

Familia Merida

La Hermana Edilma (our clothes washing lady)

Elder Gutierrez and Elder McGuirre cooking up a storm.

Familia Madonaldo

Familia Casasolas

Familia de Hna Shirley y Herver

Me and the FAMOSA BENSON

I don't remember the name of this sister but we always visited her when I was in San Isidro on divisións.

Joel y Mayra Barrios!

Wednesday, we headed to the changes meeting in Reu! They moved me to Coatepeque! I'm now with my very first American Companion Named Elder Nielsen! He's from Utah and has 23 months on the mission so this is gonna be the last change! But he's super awesome!  He has a great spirit and I've felt the Holy Ghost very strongly in all of our teachings!

Me and Elder Jensen the other Asistent!

Me and elder Bagley! HE'S IN HIS HOUSE NOW!

Thursday, we had a Zone Meeting Elder Nielsen and I made Brownies for the Zone! Not gonna lie everyone was super pumped! We made a bunch of goals for the conference and animated everyone to go and try and bring the whole world to conference! Then I went on divisions to do some interviews with a guy named Elder Johnson who is super awesome! He's a new missionary but he's gonna do great things! That made for one crazy first day in Coatepeque. So after divisions, we went home to the Elder's house in Pajapita, when we got there it was like 9:20 when Elder Johnson realized he didn't have his keys. We waited for the other set of missionaries to get there and they told us they forgot their keys! Not to mention one of their phones was broken and the other one got left in Coatepeque (about a 40-minute bus drive away). Unfortunately, the buses stop at around 6pm. So we started to try and figure out our options and decided our best bet was just to try to get a Jalon to Coatepeque, we ran into a member who said "Elders just come stay at our house!" Elder Elggren shook his head at me and gave me the "snake" sign, he told me later this member had a sister that was known for being a little too friendly with the elders. We graciously turned down the offer and went to the main street to start trying to find a Jalon. We stood on the road for a long time and finally thought to pray. Immediately after that, we saw a car on the road, we all thought "this is it this is the miracle car!" However, it passed right by after slowing down for a little bit. However, it soon turned around and pulled up next to us.
"Do you boys need a ride?"
... We kinda just sat there because seated in the front two seats were the most beautiful girls any of us had ever seen in Guatemala.
noting our inability to speak, hopefully, they thought it was due to our Spanish since we were all gringos "Where are you going? We live here in Pajapita but we can drive you around if you want." Naturally, all the missionaries turned to me, it was late and this was right after we prayed and one of the first cars we'd seen in forever. I don't know why but I just imagined opening the back door and having been full of other attractive women saying "climb on  in there's plenty of room!"
After my zoned-out vision, I shuddered, and then I turned them down thanking them for their offer and said we actually had another ride coming.
We didn't have any luck so we thought we'd walk to the other side of town where another street fed into the main street to see if we could catch some more traffic. Unfortunately, by then it was like 10:30 and at that time of night there really aren't any cars on the street and even less you want to be riding in.

At around 11:00pm we made it to the next crossroad, dripping in sweat from our high-speed march up the highway. Elder Johnson suddenly ran into the store shouting that he got a ride and we needed to hurry. We grabbed our stuff and took off! We rode the rest of the way to Coatepeque in the back of a Semi truck cab where the driver said he had talked with the missionaries the week before and thought he should help us out! We were soooo grateful! We got home right near midnight safe and sound. But it was quite an experience.

Friday, we just ran around making sure everyone was going to go to conference and making sure members were going to bring their friends.

Coatepeque from our roof.

Sunset in Coatepeque

Saturday was amazing with conference and we had and investigator come!!! It was awesome! It was awesome to see how strong the hand of the Lord is in this work in calling his servants to serve and lead and guide the church! I loved what Elder Renlund said that we aren't assigned to positions for what we have done in the past but for what we are capable of doing and what we will do in the future and time of our service. I loved that! 

Me Elder Keck and Preciado at General Conference.

Sunday was a miracle. We only brought one investigator to the conference but we ended up having 25 more come with the members!!!! IT WAS SO AMAZING!!! We had the highest assistance in the mission of investigators and our zone had almost double the amount of any other zone! It was so amazing! We are so excited for what everyone is doing to help the work go on in our zone and hoping that a lot of good things happened this month!

ME and my comp tying members shoes together….. but he caught us.

Conference photos with the guys that live in our house. Elders Keck, Wilcox, Nielsen, and me.

Elders Keck, Wilcox, Nielsen, and me.

Elders Keck, Wilcox, Nielsen, and me.

Celebration of cake. We each at like ¾ of a Magdalena. We were all sick after but we are eating healthy now.

I love this work! 

I love you guys!

I love BYU!

And I love my Savior Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father

Love,

Elder Pugmire

It's funny how some things don't get translated into Spanish. I've never heard of this pondering thing.

Dear Grant. I'm so happy to hear of how good of a kid you are. Every day it makes me so happy to have a brother like you! I hope you can be an example to others always even when no one is looking. Keep making sure to help other people before you help yourself and always compliment people for doing good things to make them feel good! I love you man! Keep being awesome!

Love your brother,

Elder Scotty Pugmire