We Had Baptisms Just Before Transfers

P-Day with Zone

November 28, 2016

WEEK 56

Dear mi familia,

Thanks, mommy, for the wonderful email! I'm so happy to hear about how Thanksgiving was with the family and to hear that everyone is doing great. I am a little worried, though, about Gma & Gpa. I hope they made it home safely.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAMISON!  It must be weird having your birthday on Thanksgiving this year. You just need to celebrate it during another time of the year... AND it still weirds me out that everyone is now married or getting engaged. But it really is great.

I am attaching quite a few pictures this week. A lot has happened and we had a few baptisms this week. And YES, mom, me and Elder Salazar are working as a team with the other missionaries… Last week, with Milagros, me and Elder Salazar contacted her but the other missionaries helped teach her. Sometimes they would teach her and other times we taught her, so she is a shared convert.

The baptisms this week are an older man, a couple, and two kids. 

Marcelino Baptism

The older man is Marcelino. We've been helping him for awhile to get ready for baptism. He stopped smoking and everything. Pretty cool! 

San Juana with kids Baptism

The kids are Roberto and Frida and their mom, San Juana. They are my favorite! 

The couple we helped get married Baptism

And the couple is the couple that we helped to get married. They are as well shared converts. Elder Salazar and I taught them and then we placed them over to the other guys. We work as a team. And so we all helped each other with these baptisms. It’s been a wonderful experience!

But I got some news… We had changes, so that’s why I’m emailing late today. Elder Salazar (my child) is now training. I'm a grandfather again and I'm going to be a soon great-grandfather. Elder Cox is training as well, and the son of Elder Cox, Elder Hidalgo (my grandson) is training as well. AND Elder Gonzalez (my other grandson) is now training. So... I'm pretty happy. I'm leaving a lot of posterity.

But the other news is that I'm now a Zone Leader. I got transferred back to Reynosa, in the area of Juarez. And we all got changed today, so it was a little crazy this morning. When I arrived, the president was happy to see me and wanted to have a special meeting with me, so he pulled me into his office and everything. So it's been a pretty fun day.

Well.... yeah....how about them apples! Just some good old transfers. I love you guys soooo much! Stay safe. And preach the gospel.

- Elder Pukahi

P.S.  I'm glad to hear that you guys finally finished Jamison's room. Hope you guys can finish the other rooms before I get home #porfavor... LOL! But send me a pic of how it is if you can.

And fun to hear you watched the movie, Moana!... People here talk to me about that movie because #Hawaii and they all assume that I've seen it. But nope, uh, mission… So yeah, it will be good to see what all the talk is about when I get home.

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

I Am Getting Transferred, Training And A District Leader!

Members from Matamoros

August 1, 2016

WEEK 39

Dear Mi Familia y Amigos,

Elder Pukahi and Elder Eskeran
The Other Hawaiian

It was chill being with Elder Eskeran. He leaves soon to go back to good old Laie, Hawaii. OH, HOW I MISS THE BEACH!!!!!!!!!!!!

P-days.... are super fun! I will send you pictures of what we did today. You were wondering if I was wearing my contacts… No, I don’t really where my contacts, just to play soccer or on some special occasions. Everyone tells me that my glasses are better and they are much easier so I’m sticking with them for now, especially with the sun and the heat and the dirt. Glasses are much easier. Speaking of heat.... I haven’t sweated so much in my life! I don’t know if I told you guys but here in Mexico there is a thing called the Canicula [a big heatwave], and we are in the middle of it! So yeah.....

THE PRESIDENT IS SUPER COOL! He’s just like the old President but nicer, happier, and with a lot more excitement!!! He’s so excited to do everything. It is pretty cool! He’s changed a couple of things but nothing major. He seems pretty cool!

Making tortillas and other stuff

BUT I HAVE NEWS… I HAVE TRANFERS!!! I am saying goodbye to Matamoros and I am going to Rio Bravo. duh duh duuuuuhhhhhh!  My new companion is Elder Cox. I don’t know anything about him! He’s fresh off the boat so I will be showing him the ropes as well as I did with Elder Perez. I am going to be a district leader as well. So wish me luck!  I am opening an area, training and in charge of a district, so I will tell you guys next week how everything goes!

It is really hard when changes come! We learn to love an area, the people, and just everything and then we get called to leave. Even though this ward wasn’t anything when I started, it’s now growing. Everyone that I have met in this area was for a reason and in this area, I have grown SO MUCH! I know God has a plan for each one of us and I know this change is going to help me grow for the better! It’s just a little sad leaving everyone. But our family knows very well, goodbyes aren’t forever, it’s always a see you later!

I love you guys!

Elder Pukahi