IT'S BEEN A YEAR!

November 7, 2016

WEEK 53

Dear Mi Familia,

IT’S BEEN A YEAR!  I got my package—GRACIAS for everything! My companions want to steal everything from me because they are super CHIDO! So THANK YOU, THANK YOU!  I haven’t tried the new shirts yet because I’m still using my other ones. I haven’t changed them. My shirts are still somewhat “white” because I’ve washed them by hand for the past year. Some good old hard work!

Me and my companion didn’t get changed this week, so we still get to be together. It’s a good/bad thing because we act stupid together, but we are working really well!

Glad to hear that you talked in Sacrament meeting. I’m sure you are helping the ward with the great testimonies that you guys have. I’m so grateful to have you as my parents. Have I ever told you guys that?

I’m also happy to hear that you were able to go down and visit with Gma and Gpa Weaver. I love them and so glad to hear that you helped them. When we are serving others, we are in the service of the Lord.

This week was great. We worked well and found some great people. We had our investigators go to church, so we should be seeing some baptisms soon. I sure have learned a lot in the past year. It still blows my mind how time goes by so fast. For example, it’s only 48 days until Christmas. That is crazy to me because I know how fast that is going to go. People have been telling me that when you reach a year, the time goes double as fast. So well.... I guess I’ll be seeing the fam real soon then if time will go that fast.

Well, I got to go soon and save many more souls, right? That is what God asks of us, and we must be obedient to his will.

Hey daddy, remember the Secret? You know, if you are visualizing what you want, or always thinking about something, you’ll get it. Like with the phrase, "what you put out in to the world, you will receive.” Well, this principle of the Secret is just using gospel principles like faith, hope, diligence, and obedience. For example: if we want chocolate, we are thinking of chocolate, which makes us want chocolate more, until we want to act and go get chocolate. And if we want it bad enough, we will do anything to obtain chocolate. If we have great desires to brings souls to God, we think of bringing them to God, and then we act and try to bring them.

All of this just depends on our desires. What are our desires? Do we desire to do God’s will before our own?  Wouldn’t it be awesome to be like Nephi... where all his life he’s always desired to know God and then acted righteously.

Well, I love the GOSPEL so much!

- Elder Pukahi

We Baptized The Parents!

Brother and Sister Vazquez baptism.

October 31, 2017

WEEK 52

Dear mi familia,

Yep, I’m hitting the year mark in a few days! Where did the time go???

This week was a GREAT week. We are really finding the blessings from Heavenly Father. When we first arrived in this area, we were struggling but now we are seeing it was all worth it. And we are still struggling, but… now we get to see some blessings as well.

Well, we baptized the parents of the Vazquez family (Erick’s family)… Like I mentioned before, Brother Vazquez had a major problem with drinking. A HUGE problem but we got him to commit to stop drinking little by little. He hasn’t now had one drink for two weeks. He wanted to get baptized. And Sister Vazquez… well, she wanted to get baptized but has a huge fear of water. On the day of her baptism, she actually backed out but we were able to talk with her and we all said a prayer. We also gave her a blessing. We did everything step by step. Me and her got into the water and we had a conversation for about twenty minutes. During that time, I said the prayer and then, well, she got baptized. It was awesome!

This month has been great and we’ve received a lot of blessings!  I love you guys so much!!

ELDER PUKAHI

Erick with Mom and Dad.

We Had Three Baptisms Saturday!

Norm and son Irvin with little boy Diego

October 24, 2017

WEEK 51

Dear mi familia,

WOW, wonderful to hear that you’ve been up to great things again this week—this time helping Grandma and Grandpa Weaver. And glad to hear that you are thinking about family history because I’ve been really interested in all of that since I started the mission. It’s lame how I didn’t put much time in that kind of thing before the mission. Now I really regret that but well, there’s still whole lot of life to live.

I’m doing awesome. We had three baptisms Saturday. Norma, Irvin and a boy named Diego! I am sooooo happy. NORMA is awesome! Just her whole story and everything has been awesome. At first, she really didn’t want to get baptized but slowly she knew that she wanted it. We baptized her and her son Irvin. Her other son, Angel, didn’t want to yet, but we played soccer with him this morning and we will be going over later to watch the Restoration movie so we’ll see if a miracle happens.

Changes [transfers] are coming up and I’m sort of worried so I hope nothing happens. I don’t want to leave this area, and Elder Salazar and I want to stay together, but we’ll see what happens.

We should be baptizing this weekend as well... But sorry, family. I haven’t really talked a lot of about this family but remember Erick?  The baptism that happened two weeks before. Well, his parents should be getting baptized this weekend but we’ve been working with his father in trying to quit drinking, and his mom has a fear of water. So, let’s see what the adversary puts in our way this week…

But I’m doing really well!  I love the mission. Every day is getting better and better!

That’s awesome about Aunty Mavis and Uncle Bob’s mission call to Mexico! We just received a missionary that is from Monterrey and lives about 20 minutes from the temple, go figure! When do they go start serving the Lord? I think I have a friend serving in the same mission. I’ll ask them!

Love you,

ELDER PUKAHI

This Week Was Really Good

We had the Primary Program

October 17, 2016

WEEK 50

Dear Mi Familia,

Wow! Sounds like you’ve been up to many things!  I’m glad to hear that everything is fine with Jamison—now I’m happy!

Glad to hear Grandma and Grandpa are visiting there in Utah. Tell them that I love them and MISS THEIR FOOD! I miss Hawaiian food and DONG YANG’S but mi Mexican amigos here sure know how to cook but nothing like mi abuelos!

This week was really good! WE WORKED A LOT! We are finding a lot of success now. I’ve learned A LOT of patience. A whole lot! I’m very thankful to God for the lessons I have learned in this area and I still got much to learn!

Norma is doing awesome. Her and her son are going to get baptized this weekend if all goes well. But we’ll see because Sunday was interesting.... We just finished a spiritual lesson and everything when she said, "I can’t wait to get baptized" and then her friend came over...

Her friend is a Jehova Witness and well, we were being very nice and getting to know her and everything, but then she started saying a lot of bad words and started saying "John Smith.” She even asked me if my name was "John Smith"... It got to the point where she started making fun of my Spanish and once she started doing that, well, my companion, Elder Salazar, couldn’t take it anymore. He told her, "As this nametag says, we are representatives of Jesus Christ. We represent our family but more importantly Christ himself, so please will you be more respectful." We looked at Norma after that and she was very happy. We left her with a chapter to read and then asked her to pray. She said the prayer with so much Spirit like that situation didn’t even happen. And then we left. We’ll find out tomorrow what happened after we left and what she says but I have faith everything will be great!

I was going to ask about the cousins! How are they?! How’s Nunu? and Carlton? Well...Cody will be getting married...that’s crazy! People shouldn’t be getting married right now. I’m chilling here in the mission, but it’s all good! Life keeps going. BUT JESSICA CAN’T GET MARRIED! Just saying.... you know me... JUST JEREMY!

I love you guys so much!

- Elder Pukahi

Me and my homie Geraldo

When Elder Paredes went home we had a party.

We Had A Baptism

Elder Pukahi, Erick, Hermano Santiago and Elder Salazar

October 10, 2016

WEEK 49

Aloha mi familia y amigos,

Norma is doing awesome! She went to church with her sons and they are progressing really well. She’s been reading the Book of Mormon and loves our visits. Right now, she might have found a job so we’ll see what happens.

Last week we had some changes. I’m still with Elder Salazar and still in the same area but everyone around us has changed... Our zone is bigger and life is good!

Well, WE HAD A BAPTISM! His name is Erick. There’s a huge story about him and I don’t really have a lot of time to explain but about a month ago his Dad contacted us. He wanted to quit drinking. It was when I was in the other area but then I got transferred to where he lives. The other missionaries were helping him quit drinking but he still had some troubles. But then the other missionaries got transferred, so we got to start teaching him and his family! We just baptized his son and we’ll be trying to help him quit!!

I LOVE THE MISSION and I LOVE EVERYTHING!

- Elder Pukahi

Elder Pukahi, Erick’s family, Hermano Santiago and Elder Salazar

Picture of me watching conference...with a coke...

October 3, 2016

WEEK 48

Dear Family & Friends,

So CONFERENCE, AM I RIGHT??! Conference was the BOMB!! I can’t believe how good it was.  Okay, well, I will talk about conference in a little bit…

This week was something very interesting but special. We found a woman named Norma. We started out with a prayer and left our place with the feeling to go to a certain colony. We found this guy who really didn’t want anything to do with the gospel but we got him talking enough that he gave us the direction of a woman who needed help, who was Norma.

We went to her house and knocked. It looked like nobody was home, but then a lady comes out. She first starts telling us that she’s Catholic and well... doesn’t really want anything, but as we looked into her eyes, we felt something. We told her, "We may not understand all the problems that are passing through your life at these moments but we have been sent from God to share a message of Joy that can help you and bless you. Will you allow us to come in and share it with you?" We then shared the Book of Mormon. I don’t know how to describe it but as we bore testimony of this Book, this fear or whatever was in her eyes was there no more. The Spirit was strong!

Speaking of feeling the Spirit strongly… CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING! I hadn’t felt so much revelation flow through my brain for a while. The power and authority these men bring. I could go on forever and ever about conference!!  But what I learned is the importance of repentance. We need to repent every day. We can’t live with our Heavenly Father again unless we REPENT! Sick, right?!?!

I LOVE YOU GUYS AND I LOVE THE WORK!

- Elder Pukahi

Pictures of me and the ZONE

Satan Really Is Fighting Me In This Area

Me Sweating!

September 26, 2016

WEEK 47

Aloha, mi familia y amigos,

Man.... not going to lie... Satan really is fighting me in this area. I still haven’t figured out how I can receive the best amount of success here but I’ll let you know when I find it. Life is hard. Everything isn’t given to us on a silver platter. We need to try and try and try again.

I mean there are many examples of great people who tried something and was great at it. BUT there are many more examples of GREATER people who at first didn´t succeed but kept on trying and trying until they did… like Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Alma, Amulek, and Jesus.

This week I learned a lot about the atonement of Jesus Christ. This week I tried and failed A LOT OF TIMES but I know at one point, God will give me the revelation I need so I can find the best way to help people. I have learned this week, especially from Elder Salazar. He’s helped recapture some of the attributes I have lost. Again, God puts people in your life for a reason! I have a true testimony of that.

We also went with the sisters to help them in their area...IT’S SO WEIRD having sisters in the district... I am so accustomed to go on exchanges but with the sisters, my good old companion just comes with me everywhere. I love that kid but the sisters are pure power... There’s a reason the sisters don’t need the priesthood! LOL!

Well, even though I made a lot of mistakes this week, there’s only one way to go and that is up. I am ready to make more mistakes but I am even more ready to do better… learning more and more of the LOVE of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Sorry... I am not sharing all of the miracles or great experiences. I just feel like I should tell you guys that even though we make mistakes, God is still ready to make us his servants.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. I love you so much!!!

- Elder Pukahi

P.S.  You asked me about my companion… Yes, he’s TOTALLY Jessica’s size!  We mesh really well and he’s way cool.

Also, we are going to be watching General Conference at the ward building and will be trying to get people to come with us and watch it. It will be FUN! Love you!

Happy Birthday Everyone!

Our name tags

September 19, 2016

WEEK 46

MY FAMILY!  HAPPPPY BIRTHDAAAAAAY!!!!!!!

I LITERALLY FORGOT! Not going to lie—Dad, Carlton, Josh and Jessica… Jessica, just lucky for me that your birthday is a little later but I totally forgot. Half way through this week, I don’t remember exactly what we were doing but I looked at my watch and realized, wait, it’s September and everything and then BAM—everyone’s BIRTHDAYS... and well... yeah. And now I’m here saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!

So… as I said last week, it was a little loco and it’s been about the same this week. We’ve been all around here and there this whole week. My district is actually in another area and I have sisters in my district so when I want to verify their work and everything, me and my companion have to go together and stay with them. But when we do, we lose that time to work in our area…I guess that’s life.

But EVERYTHING IS GREAT!  Well… even if this week was hard… I swear that I’ve never been REJECTED SO MANY TIMES EVER like what happened this week! I feel bad for Elder Salazar because it’s been a little rough but at the same time, it was really weird... Because… EVERYTIME somebody rejected us, I was happy. I don’t know but maybe my mindset has changed so that’s good.

On a tower in Rio Bravo

TODAY we had a sports day again! The zones from RIO BRAVO and REYNOSA went to the Mission offices and played a lot of sports and got a little wet, so when I get pictures of the activity I’ll send you some!

This last week, I spoke in Sacrament meeting about a lot of things but mainly I talked about MOMMY AND DADDY and what I have learned from you. Like I mentioned before, the Branch is kind of dead. This last Sunday we only had 40ish members but had 20ish investigators and converts come to church.... That just shows you that the members are not working and helping each other. So I’m really trying to make this branch a missionary branch but it’s going to take some work. But as I spoke about you and everything that we’ve gone through, we could just feel the spirit. A lot of the members were crying.

After the meeting, the members now want to support us so we’ll see what happens this week. But it’s all because of you guys. MY PARENTS ARE THE BOMB! You have been the greatest example and I love you guys sooo much! Thank you for everything that you have given me and how much you both have sacrificed for me! I LOVE YOU GUYS!

Well, I LOVE the mission! You already know!

- Elder Pukahi

This Crazy Week!

My new companion Elder Salazar

September 12, 2016

WEEK 45

So the title of this email is:   THIS CRAZY WEEK!

Dear Family & Friends,

It was...CRAZY! Let me explain. So on Tuesday, I went to go drop off Elder Cox in Reynosa, expecting to just pick up my new companion and that’s it, right? But NOPE!  The assistants surprise me and tell me that I will be opening a new area, too!  So yeah, I got transferred as well.

Getting new companions with mission president

Let me explain about my new companion... ELDER SALAZAR! He’s new to the mission, so he is 18 and from Durango, Mexico. HE IS SWEET! We are going to finish his training so fast! HE’S SO PREPARED! Every missionary that I have trained have been so prepared—it’s crazy! Good old Elder Salazar will be totally trained in no time! I am so excited.

But here’s the REAL crazy part. On Tuesday, they told me in the morning about me being transferred. So in the afternoon, when we got back at like 5:00 pm, we went to the appointments that we had set up. I gave all the references that I had gotten from people to the sisters in my district. Then me and my companion left that night!

Then Thursday, we went back to Reynosa to see our mission president, along with… ELDER PAUL B. PIEPER, our Area Seventy. We had a training with him, where he told us what we needed to do better and helped us by showing how we can do it. But what’s even crazier is that only 15 missionaries in the whole mission had the opportunity to talk with President Pieper one on one in an interview. President Regelado called me and told me that I was going to be one of the 15 people, as well as my good old friend Elder Cox. (He’s killing it as a trainer by the way with his newbie companion.) I am so grateful to have had the privilege to talk with a man called from God. I have learned so much this week!

Group photo at the mission office

This week because of my interviews that I needed to do as district leader, as well as the other meetings that happened this week, we didn’t have a lot of time to work in our area yet, which I feel bad for Elder Salazar. He hasn’t gotten the regular mission experience but he will learn and will be better than me.

But a miracle happened this week. I was praying for the knowledge on how I can have the success the mission needs in this area, and I felt impressed that I needed to change the mentality of the members and get them on our side. So the time that I had, I worked on gaining the confidence of all the leaders of the branch.  OH!  I’m still in Rio Bravo, just in another branch named Monte Real. When I was getting ready to come over here, people told me that the Branch President is crap and that members don’t want to work. But with the time that I’ve had with these people, I realized that it isn’t the members’ fault—it is the missionaries’ fault. They hadn’t gained their trust. And this week I haven’t gained the trust of the members 100% yet but the members brought people to church for us and are entrusting us to teach them and help them to baptize. So #miracle.

Oh, another thing… On Sunday, Elder Pieper assisted with our Rio Bravos conference that we had, so... that was crazy too!  SO YEAH! MY WEEK!

I LOVE YOU GUYS! The church is true and all we have to do is create the miracles!

- ELDER PUKAHI

Another pic of me and my companion

Formally becoming companions

Going to the mission home

Picking up my companion

Here is a link from the mission Facebook page that shows Elder Pukahi playing the ukulele with other Elders.  Enjoy!  https://www.facebook.com/misionmexicoreynosa/videos/672464252917966/

My Mission