Elder Pugmire in Tuxtla: Week 7: January 26, 2015

Hola Fellow amigos,

Wow what a week!! So much stuff to talk about. I’m loving it here in my mission. What a spiritual week.

Monday,

So we stayed up all night in the CCM because we left at 2:30 am for the airport. We got to the airport and had to wait in line for like 2 hours to check our bags. Ugh. The Mexico City airport is impossible. Way different that any airport I’ve been to. We took a small bus to our plane. The plane was the smallest plane I’ve ever been on, only three rows across. It fit like 60 people. The plane ride was like an hour and a half long. Slept the whole way. Except for the free Coca Cola I got. Yay. We arrived in Tuxtla and it was so humid. And it was only 7 in the morning. We met our mission President and I was relived because he spoke to me in English. The rest of the missionary’s were jabbering away in Spanish. We took an hour and a half bus ride to Tuxtla; the airport is so far away. And arrived at the temple where we took pictures. We went to the mission home and they served us pancakes. YUM. So much better than any CCM food. We had interview with the President than the assistants took us to go contacting. I was really nervous. But I ended up giving three cards away with a brief conversation. Haha. The people talk so fast here. So all of us stayed at the Mission office for the night, no sheets or anything it was cool though.

Tuesday,

So we woke up and the assistants rushed us to the stake center. We had for breakfast the best tamales I have ever had for breakfast. Then we had some training from the assistants. It seemed like it took forever because all of us were waiting to hear who our companion was and to hear where we would be going. The time finally came. They announced the Hermanas first then started with us. Elder Clark was right before me and he received a gringo companion which never happens. The time for me came. These words popped up on the screen, Tapachula, San Hose area, the hottest area in Tuxtla, then the name of my companion, Elder Prows from Utah. I was so surprised to have a white guy as my companion. He greeted me and we hugged and took a picture with the Pres. We ate like 3 boxes of Little Ceasers for lunch. They rushed us out because it was a 6 hour bus ride to Tapachula. So we got on the bus and its super nice. For the next two hours Elder Prows explained to me about the area and how it was. What’s crazy is that Elder Prows just finished training and has only been here for 12 weeks. We got to Tapachula and got out of the air conditioned bus. It is sooo humid here, and so hot. Even though the sun was down and it was like 9:30 it was still like 90 out. It was humid enough that when I went to take a picture with Elder Prows, my camera fogged up. Haha. We then took a taxi to our house. It’s small with three rooms and a bathroom but I love it. We wrote in our journals and unpacked, Elder Prows has been there for 12 weeks. We set up my mosquito net and went to bed. It was so hot and I was so paranoid of bugs that I didn’t fall asleep till like 12.

Wednesday,

So we got up at 6:30 and stated our daily routine. It’s amazing how much I don’t want to work out that early in the morning, so that was a struggle. We did personal study than companion study than language study and then headed to our zone meeting. We took a conbie, a small van thing that only cost 6 pesos. So I met our zone leaders and others in our zone and had training from the pres. and I didn’t understand anything because Elder Puentes talks so fast. After that we went back to the house and headed to our lunch appointment with Hemana Blancito. She made us the best tamales yet. Yum.

Let the proselyting begin. Oh how hot it is here, I have never sweated so much in my life. We walked a ton. It was really cool meeting investigators though. That night I was so tired.

Thursday though Satuday,

So we got in the normal routine of missionary work, it is the hardest thing I have ever done, but the reward is far greater. Bringing people unto salvation feels so good even though it involves being super tired and sweaty. We committed a young girl, Janey, to Baptism, which was so cool even though I did none of the talking. We do a lot of walking probably like 10 miles a day. But we also talk to lots of people. They are so poor, I’ve learned to be grateful for everything I have, like a hot shower, and ours only has cold water, so I inch into the shower every morning. At least it wakes me up. We also committed another investigator to baptism. He pretty much bore his testimony to us about how the Book of Mormon is true and how Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. THE HOLY GHOST WORKS MIRICLES IF YOU HAVE FAITH.

Sunday,

By far my favorite day. We went to church, and they had assigned me a talk so I gave my talk to the ward, about missionary work, and how it’s all about love and service. The rest of church I didn’t understand anything, so I just read the whole copy of the Liahona Magazine. The Liahona is amazing, it is modern day scripture. After that we went proselyting for 3 hours. At 6, we had a Family Home Evening with these family of investigators Romeo, Mirenia, and Romeo the Son. They are my favorite investigators. This was the most spiritual experience this week for me. We watched the Joseph Smith Restoration film with them and the Spirit testified so strongly of the message. We bore our testimonies about Joseph Smith. We meet with them on Tuesday and are going to invite them to baptism.

Today.

PDay in the field isn’t as fun as in the CCM. We had to clean the house and wash our garments by hand, we then took the rest of our laundry to a Lavenderia and then went to Walmart. Walmart is basically the US when you walk in its air-conditioned and clean. We bought our food and other stuff, and a pound of bacon, clean cut, yeeeesss. Then we had Dominos for lunch.

The food here is amazing, one day we had a whole fish and beans. Hermana Ttia make the most amazing Burgers, better than most in the US. The drinks here are weird, most people serve water with fruit stuff in it. It’s hard to get used to. But the Agua de Lima is amazing, we aren’t allowed to drink coke so good thing I had one on the plane.

I am so thankful for my companion, he is truly amazing. He is so motivated, and such a hard worker. He inspires me.

Go to Alma 31:5 it is really true. And in Ether 12:27, the Lord really makes your weeknesses become strong.

If you are doubting your faith, doubt you doubts before you doubt your faith. And if you are considering not going on a mission, GO, It teaches you so many life lessons and skills, and as well strengthens you spiritually. And I’ve only been here for a week.

I have not had beans and rice yet, together!!

Love you all,

Elder Pugmire