Thank You For Your Birthday Wishes!

Elder Pukahi

March 14, 2016

WEEK 19

Thank you for your birthday wishes but no, I didn’t get the package. Stop worrying, Mom. They didn’t go today to pick up packages so I will get it later, maybe this week. My birthday is tomorrow, so I’ll let you guys know what I’m going to be doing for that. But I’ll give you just a little sneak peak.... WORK!! Yup, we’re just always working. But I think a member made me a cake, so I’ll send you pics if things get interesting.

This is from my birthday and this time
they didn't smash my face in it--that was nice!

Side Note: I found out from Coleson that in Mexico
 that is a tradition...to smoosh the birthday
person's face in the cake

First, I just want to say that I’m not training my new companion, I’m just training him in this area that is new to him, introducing him to the ward members, investigators, etc. But he has more time out in the mission than I do. So yeah, maybe I didn’t clarify that in my past email very well. Sorry.

That is so awesome to hear about Adrian and Kris’s wedding. It’s weird but I’m so happy that she is happy. And Yo’anna and Coleson look so happy and tired…lol…but mainly happy. Glad to hear about their baby blessing and to see everyone. You guys have no idea how much I pray for happiness in our home and in the lives of my family. THANK YOU FOR SENDING PICTURES: that was the best part...not going to lie!!

My companion is awesome. He has 15 months in the mission but again... he’s a bigger Jamison. So just imagine what he’s like. And don’t worry, Mom, we are always speaking Spanish. It’s sometimes harder to speak English, especially trying to teach in English which we did this week in one of our lessons. One of our investigators likes to speak in English more so we had the lesson in English but what was funny was that my companion and I kept on switching from English to Spanish in the middle of the sentences. Man... the gift of tongues struggle, am I right?

We still have 6 Elders living in the house. My companion and another Elder are the only new ones. Hopefully I can grab a picture of all of us later.

So this week was frustrating because there were some outside sources that were making teaching and preaching a whole lot harder. One is the rain and the other is something that I’m not going to say. So work this week was a little frustrating but it was good.

I think the hardest thing about the mission is learning to love someone so much just from the first contact, and KNOWING with all your heart the message that you hold can literally change the life of this person, and they look at you with eyes, telling you to help them and their mouth says No. And then they close the door. It’s one of the most frustrating things. But the crazy part is that we all do a degree of this, and Christ he never gets frustrated or mad. He continues to love, which I’m learning how to do.

But without a doubt, I know that God does things for a reason. It’s amazing to me how much he is in our lives. Just hearing the many stories and seeing the pictures of how you guys are doing at home helps me realize how much my Heavenly Father has blessed my life. Every day he blesses me. I think the main principle I’ve learned this week is humility. This week I’ve been thinking of how much God has given me. I see so many people here that have way bigger problems than I ever had in my life and still have. People who don’t have anything. I think one of the greatest blessings that God has given me is to have been born in this gospel. SOOOO many people don’t have the chance to even know the Gospel and understand it and that’s why their lives are the way it is. But me.... God was merciful enough that I could be born into a family that knows this Gospel and can receive the blessing that he has to give. I never understood how great I have it. I now understand and know that I’m sincerely grateful for everything that God has given me—even all the things bad that happened in my life. Because I now know it was for a reason. And now I get to share this knowledge with the people who are ready for it because there are many people in this world but few are ready to understand the truth.

Thank you, family, and thank you, everyone. You all have been one of the greatest blessings in my life and I just want you guys to know that I love you with all my heart and sincerely want you to be happy.

Have a great week!!!

- Elder Pukahi

I Have A New Companion!

March 7, 2016

WEEK 18

ELDER ADAMS! He’s my new companion. He is awesome. He’s from GOOD OLD Loa, Utah—the town out in Narnia. lol. It’s so interesting with him. Our time together is never boring, but he reminds me of Carlton and Jamison. For example, for the first half of the first day we were together (our P-day), we talked about Pokemon, and the second half of the day, we talked about Avatar the Last Airbender. So automatically, you know we get along!

But he’s very interesting. Much like Jamison, he was very jealous that I got the chance to play Destiny... cough cough…JAMISON. So yeah. I love my new companion!  But don’t get me wrong, he may act like an older Jamison but when he talks to people about the gospel, he’s incredible!! He’s one of the people that wears his heart on his sleeve. Man... I’m learning a lot from him. So yeah... that’s my companion.

This week was frustrating. Actually this whole past month has been frustrating. So here’s what’s been happening… We will work hard, find investigators, teach them everything, and then suddenly, SATAN puts his stinking hand in their lives and then they leave us and don’t want anything to do with the gospel anymore. SO yeah.... But with Elder Adams, we are going to be trying things a lot different this month so hopefully we will find success in a new way.

For example, we could work hard and hard and hard and hard and find people to teach but these people aren’t the people that God has been preparing and sometimes it’s in his time. As missionaries, we are trying to think like our Father in Heaven and have him lead us to those certain people that he has prepared…which can be hard. But again, Elder Adams and I are thinking of new ways to effectively find these people.

I just want to bare my testimony of how important the Spirit is in the conversion of our investigators and the gifts of the Spirit. First, the Gift of Tongues is real. I wouldn’t have been able to do everything that I have accomplished so far without this wonderful gift. And I know that it is true and real. Secondly, the Gift of the Holy Ghost is incredible. Yesterday during a lesson, we had the opportunity to teach this awesome guy, Angel. Since it was our first lesson with him, we had no idea what to teach him and everything. We went in and he was there with his friend (who is a member). After we talked a little to get to know them, we prayed and started the lesson. The truth is that every time my companion was teaching or talking, I was just listening and had NO IDEA what to say and EVERY TIME it was my turn when I opened my mouth, it was filled with words that I know we're not mine. Afterwards, my companion and I talked and he told me it was literally the same for him.

The mission is pretty cool, just saying! I love you guys so much. Have a great week and if you need something, just know I’m there in heart!

- Elder Pukahi