LAST WEEK!!!! IM HEADED TO ARGENTINA!!!

June 28, 2014

Dear Family & Friends,

All right family this is my last email from the States!!! I will soon be in ARGENTINA!!! ahhhhhh!!!  We, We, We so excited. We so excited!! (Jerm that's for you)  

Well, a lot of great things happened this week. Sunday we got to listen to Sister Janice Kapp Perry. Yes, THE super famous lady in the LDS world, who wrote all those awesome primary songs! She is so awesome!! This devotional was the best devotional I have ever gone to. Well... besides the ones with the apostles...cuz those rocked!  But let me tell you how this devotional started out really well. She started telling us the story of how her and her husband met.  This is how it went:  She had been noticing this blonde RM who had been in several of her classes. He hadn't noticed her, so she decided she wasn't interested. Well...one day she was sitting in her clarinet class, getting ready for a music final. She was busy softening her reed with her lips when she felt a tap on her shoulder.  She turned around, noticed it was the RM, and said, "What do you want?"  He looks at her, smiles, and says, "Those lips look like they can be used for so much more." Hahahahaha!!  And then, listen to this. Her husband now in the devotional room, goes up to her while she's talking to us, and gives her a HUGE smack on her lips right in front of all of us missionaries!! Then he brings his fist into the air, and everyone cheers. It was the funniest thing ever!! hahaha!! Everyone surely paid attention after that.

BUT, that honestly wasn't the best part of the devotional. First, was when she said this, "There will come a time on you mission [or in life] where you will feel like you can't breathe.  Turn to Christ. Turn to Heavenly Father.  He is listening." And then we started singing, A Child's Prayer.  Oh, my goodness--what a special feeling!  We continued to sing the other primary songs that she wrote like: I Love to See the Temple, and Love is Spoken Here. It was a wonderful experience to be singing these songs that I had grown up with. These songs helped me during some hard times in my life. And I was at this moment, singing these beautiful songs with the writer, and with 500 other missionaries!!  Holy Cow!  BUT WAIT, the most perfect and best part was when we stood up and all the Sisters sang the new version of As Sisters in Zion. (The version where she wrote it to suit missionaries) And then all the Elders sang We are as the Army of Helaman. Words can't describe the beautiful feeling I had.  I just stood there, singing at the top of my lungs, arm and arm with my companion, tears streaming down my face. Oh, Wowwie, so AWESOME!!  It was truly a precious night.  

And then Tuesday came along, and we got to see SIX apostles!!! (Oaks, Bednar, Andersen, Ballard, Nielsen, and Christofferson)  It was Christofferson that talked to us, and I wish I could write more of what he talked to us about. But what stuck out to me the most was the number of times he said the word CHANGE.  As a missionary, we change a lot. We have that ability to change. And I was thinking what a blessing that is.  I have the ability to repent every day. I know I can change every day.  Through Jesus Christ, I can become like Him. "You are nothing in this work without Christ."

This week went by super, super, super fast, and I can't believe the time has already come for Argentina, Babbyy! I have learned so much from each person that has crossed my path here at the MTC. I love my companion, and I am SO SAD that I have to say goodbye to her. I love my District and my new Zone. What a blessing to have met these wonderful people. The CCM--I gotta say, it surely wasn't easy here.  BUT this means I am learning and growing.  I'm so excited for more hard things to come and more learning experiences to happen!! I know I surely can't get through them without my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is my Rock and my foundation.  He is my Best Friend and Brother.  (Helaman 5:12)

I know this church is true with all my heart.  I'm so excited for my mission in Argentina to officially commence. This is real life. What a blessing it is to be called as a missionary for My loving Heavenly Father. I know I am a daughter of God.  I love Him, and I know He loves me.  

Much Mahalos for everything Family!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you!!!!

Hermana Pukahi

Elder Evans selfie pic of the Zone

I Love These People!

Our last goodbye with Hermano Mace

Waiting at the bus stop

Our last District pic at the Temple

Saying goodbye to Sister T

This is Olga

This is Mercedes...I love her!
One of our investigators

I am so buff

We are always laughing

NINE Days Left Here At The CCM!!!

June 21, 2014

We had to say goodbye to these Sisters.

Dear Family & Friends,

I have NINE days left here at the CCM!! craazzzyy!  Yesterday we got our travel plans, which made everything feel all of a sudden so real.  We ARE actually going to Argentina baby!! (Speaking of which...Argentina just won sooooo I'll be there during the world cup!! woot woot) Anyways, receiving them made me and my companion super excited...and then super sad.  It hit us all of a sudden. Wait we are actually leaving this place? AND leave each other.  So we definitely acted like girls for those moments of...happy and then sad and then happy again.  haha oh well!  It's crazy how much I've grown to truly love this place.  Which is sort of weird right cuz everyone who gets back from his or her mission NEVER talks about the MTC...but this place rocks!!  We don't have to worry about making food, they give us allowance every week, they GIVE us investigators, everyone is so nice, we can ALWAYS feel the spirit, plus bonuses: we get to see an apostle basically every week! What is there not to love?  

With the new Hermanas in our Zone.

This week we got to see Elder M. Russel Ballard.  That was cool! He came in with his cute, little wife and talked to us about.... wait for it...missionary work!! Haha, My favorite part was where he said, "stay anchored to the doctrine of Christ." and "The Savior has the words of Eternal Life."    Especially as a missionary, we need to stay anchored to the foundation--the simple and clear message.  Faith in Jesus Christ is our very first step.  It is our Foundation. Repentance, Baptism, Holy Ghost--all the doctrine of Christ.  It's like those videos on the plane, (the information one's where we basically have them memorized hahaha).  We need to put our own breathing mask on, BEFORE helping others. We have to be anchored to that foundation, that doctrine before we can truly help others. 

Fun in the rain.

We also got to hear from Sherri Dew, which was pretty cool last Sunday! That was wonderful as well!! She talked about Grace --> the power of God.  She is an awesome Lady. The rest of this week was fun too! We are finished teaching Olga and we got her to read The Book of Mormon!! That was a huge step so yes. I had a great week! I learned a lot and we got our new missionaries in our zone!! 14 newbie’s :).  They are a lot of fun and hopefully I'll get to know them before I leave...ahhhhh so soon! 

Sister Tu'aukalau's last Saturday with me.
She's leaving for Lubbick, TX next week.

Okay sooo I leave on June 30th!! We head for the airport at 6:00 that morning to catch our flight to Atlanta at 11:00.  Then, at 9:10 P.M. Monday night we leave to Buenos Aires, an 11-hour flight!!! Good thing its over night and I'm good at sleeping on planes. Thanks dad!! I've got lots of experience, hahah.  Well I love youuuu!!!

Love,

Hermana Pukahi

Sister Wooley and I are twins. 

I asked my brother, Jeremy, to take Sister Wooley's sister,
Kristen, out on a date (they know each other.)  And put
together a care package for me and Sister Wooley.
The gave us matching dolls - we loved them!
We are for sure going to put badges on them.  An our
District loved the rest of the goodies they put in, too!

Sister Julia Morris & Sister Jessica Pukahi

Our District at Church

These Weeks Keep Going Faster and Faster!

June 14, 2014

Dear Family & Friends,

Wowsa!! These weeks keep going faster and faster! 16 mas dias hasta salimos a Argentina!!! Is that crazy? Yes! Am I freaking out? Yes! But it's chill.  

Well we got to hear from another Apostle on Tuesday night devotional!! wut wut! Elder Quinton L. Cook.  He talked to us about missionary work!...of course haha... He said, We are not here to "sell" the book of Mormon.  We are here to build wards and branches.  He is a wise man of God cuz that was something I learned through out the rest of the week.  Especially now, I realize I may have been more of convincing others that this gospel is true, rather than fulfilling my purpose as a missionary and inviting them.  I can tell others all I want of what I know but they aren't going to learn and know anything for themselves unless they find out for themselves.  I learned that the hard way teaching an atheist, TRC investigator "Olga", this past week.  Lessons with her are hard but I learn so much each lesson and I'm actually excited to teach her on Monday...:)

I noticed something else in myself that's kinda sorta weird.  I think.  I have always been chill, easy going but here I've sort become stubborn.  Not the bad stubborn like "my way or the highway", but the good kind like "I’m not going to give up on you."  I think that is the Spirit helping me to be more confident in myself, to speak up and share MY opinion.

Annyy whooo, the other district in our zone is leaving on Monday, tear drops on my ukulele.  We all are super sad to say good bye to those Hermanas, BUT we do get two new districts in our zone on Wednesday.  SOO many new missionaries are coming! Yes! So it's a really sad and happy, sad and glad, hot and cold, yes and no, in and out, up and down......okkaayy, too far, never to far. #YOLO (hahahahah that was for you Jermy jerm)  

I love you Family!! I'm doing great. Everyone in my district was surely put together for a reason.  I have learned so much from each of them individually. I'm so grateful that I can say that and to have so many examples in my life. We are all truly called of God.   

Oh and Thanks for the package!!  I loved every single thing that was in it. ESPECIALLY the pictures of puppies and kittens!!!!!!!! I loved them so much! But the only thing I'm super confused about is the coconut candy.  I mean don't get me wrong cuz, they are DA BOMMB!! But, I've never had them ever so; yeah I was just confused since I got like 8 bags. Hahaha love you!

Talk to you in a week!! 

Love,

Hermana Pukahi 

P.S. The Elders in my Zone call me shark bait, like from Nemo.  "Shark Bait, Pukahi!"...yeah...

There Is Sunshine In My Soul Today!

Week #3 – Saturday, June 7, 2014

Laundry Time

TENGO GOZO EN MI ALMA HOY!!!  

"There is sunshine in my soul today!”  That is the perfect title to this last week!  Also, it's the only song we all know how to sing in Spanish.  So.....we sing it ALOT.  Well, actually just THAT line. Sooooo...all the elders are really annoyed with it.  But I can't help but sing it when there's sunshine bursting out of my soul!!  Ha, ha

I forgot to tell you that last week’s devotional was with Elder Nielsen from the Quorum of the Twelve!!  :) So that was pretty cool!  We were hoping and hoping that we'd see another apostle, but it didn't happen this week. Crossing my fingers for the next! It's still a-okay because after Sunday devotionals, we get to watch some old movies or talks. These last two weeks, I was able to see two AMAZING talks by Elder Bednar.  Boy, that man is certainly an apostle called of God.  He is awesome!

Well, I know school is out....scream and shout, finally Summer’s here...ha, ha (Jeremy I knew you'd love a little of that HSM.)  So, I have some homework for you folks. See if you can find "The Character of Christ" talk by Elder Bednar.  I'm not sure if you can even find it because it might just be for the MTC, but if you do find it, write me and let's talk about it. This talk is honestly life changing.  And I'm not kidding.  So good!! :)  

Highlight of my week was hosting for the new missionaries coming in on Wednesday. Oh, that was fun! The best part was that I got to host Kayleigh Hill…oops, I mean Hermana Hill!  We played soccer and lacrosse together, so seeing her was the BEST.  I got to show her the ropes and all that… so that was lovely.  

Earlier that day was sort of weird.  My compañera had to go to the doctor with another Hermana, so I was without her for almost 4 hours. Doesn't seem that long at all, but it felt like forever!!! I guess since being 24/7 with her, and then being without her, makes me feel like a part of me is missing.  Yeah, weird…ha, ha but honestly, I've grown to love each of these Hermanas and Elders so much.  It's crazy how the gospel can truly bring people together.  We bear our testimonies to each other so much, and I was thinking…that must be it--why we are so close.  Like you know after Girl’s Camp or Youth Conference when we bear testimonies to one another and after the meeting, it's like we feel so much closer and united. It's like that but every single day. Okay, maybe that sounds cheesy, but I love it!  I think it's so true.  I think sharing the gospel and what you believe brings the spirit and love.  It's wonderful.  So I challenge each of you to share your testimony to a loved one.  It doesn't have to be Fast Sunday, you can share your testimony whenever. Then write me about it because I'd love to hear.  :)  

We Love P-Days

The District At Burger Supreme

Also, I think my district is starting to not take me so seriously anymore.  I'm just being too sarcastic. OH, NO! I'm turning into Dad....ha, ha!  It also doesn't help that I am super short.  I don't know where all these tall people came from!!??  Honestly, everyone must've eaten one of Jack's beans and grown so tall because sometimes I feel like an ant.  But hey, it's okay, because guess what?  Tengo gozo en mi alma hoy!  Ha,ha!

Having Fun In Class

Okay, one more highlight of the week.  On Sunday, during our devotional, we sang "Called to Serve." Hermana Nally (MTC Relief Society President) made an arrangement where it grew louder and louder. Oh, I don’t know how to explain it, but it was so awesome and such a happy feeling.  It was like on a warm Summer night, playing outside barefoot. It's at the time of day where the sun has set, still a little light out, but you can start to see the stars begin to shine. (I know, I'm a poet – ha, ha) It's kind of like that feeling, where you're just so happy and content.  It was a perfect night.  

I'm so proud to be part of this missionary work. I just can't wait to go to Argentina!! 

Love,

Hermana Pukahi

Hermano Mace, Hermana Pukahi and Hermana Morris
"This is a picture with Hermano Mace one of my teachers...
he was like Javier...he acted like an investigator at first!!
He fooled us..."

Our other teacher, Hermana Valdez,
Hermana Morris and Hermana Pukahi

Bus-on way to devotional - being silly

Another picture on Bus-on way to devotional.

Funny picture at the Temple

Our Whole Zone - which consists of my District
and another District of just girls.  All of them are going
to Argentina except for Hermana Tu'aukalau who is
going to Lubbick, Texas.

It's Week 2 At The CCM...MTC (in Spanish)

May 30, 2014

Hello FAMILY!!! 

It's week two at the CCM...MTC (in Spanish).  Sorry about that last email. I was stressed out on trying to write everything I wanted ha ha.  So P-day is every Saturday.  It’s the best day!!! We get to wake up early and go to the temple. Oh It's wonderful :). 

The Sister Missionaries In My District except for 
Hermana Yates (in the purple dress), who is our 
Zone Training Leader.  She is Awesome!

I'm going to have to send pics in a different email cuz I have the bad computer so I can't send pics...if that makes sense.  Anyways, this week was sooo much better than last week! We are finally situated and kinda sorta know what we are doing. My companion Hermana Morris and I are working super well together. I really love her and I'm so glad I have an awesome companion! She's honestly so fun!  woot woot.  

Sister Pukahi & MTC Companion Sister Morris

So we teach lessons to these "investigators"...they really are teachers here, but one of them we didn't know he was a teacher...well he ends up being OUR teacher!! He surprised us and we are like, wait? You're a member!! And then he speaks English and all that stuff and yeah it’s kinda funny.  I guess…ha ha. 

I really love my zone and we have so much fun together. It's totally a bunch of random people from so many different backgrounds, but without just one of them our zone wouldn't be complete.  

Lunch at MTC with my District
Left- Hermana Morris, (from Bakersfield, CA)
Hermana Wooley, (know from Orem High School),
Hermana Romeril, (from Hemet, CA)
Elder Royster, (from West Virginia),
Elder Anderson, (from Florida),
Right- Hermana Pukahi, (me),
Hermana Tu'aukalau, (originally from New Zealand,
most recently from San Jose, CA),
Elder Evans, (from California), 
and Elder Giliam, (from Anchorage, AK)


"I love them all of them.  They are all my little ohana."

I'm learning so much Spanish everyday.  It's wonderful, but I know I DEFINITELY still have a lot to go.  Oh the CCM is wonderful! I love being at the west campus.  Just outside our classrooms is this little river and sort of meadow thing. Well anytime we want we can just go outside and study. Oh it’s awesome. It reminds me of the sacred grove...uh kind of...but for real! You can feel the spirit so strong all the time.  Sometimes I feel like I'm just about to burst into tears because of all the strong people around me striving to be better.  It's an awesome feeling to be a missionary.  Seriously though sometimes I forget.  I walk past the mirror and look at my tag and I'm like…oh yeah!!! Then I get so happy :)  

We're going to be starting to teach another Sister, who is actually our teacher right now.  Her name is Hermana Valdez.  She is the sweetest!!! She will literally do anything for us. She helps us learn and she can instantly bring the spirit every time she talks.  She is truly an example to me.  I haven't gotten a picture with her yet but I promise I'll send one of her and me next email :)  Oh and the new teacher we just got, (who we taught) is Hermano Mace.  He lives in Orem. JEREMY you know his little brother Mckay I think? Idk that's what he said.  But he's super funny and a great teacher.

I feel like I can be myself here. It's awesome.  My companion Hermana Morris and I are roommates with 3 other girls.  They are in a trio...sorry I forgot what I told you last time so I might have already said that.  Anyways they are all so funny!! 

Lunch Another Day With Roommates

The last picture I sent was with Hermana Tu'aukalau....I think that's how you spell it.  Yep, yep!   The only thing I don't like about this place. The ONLY thing is the food. I mean I'm not a picky eater and I eat food!! I LOVE FOOOD!! But I mean, I miss some other food.... that’s all I gotta say about it! But all the workers here are super duper nice and so friendly and cute. What great people I am surrounded with. I am truly blessed.

Oh I do have to say the best time of the day is gym time!!!! So fun!! Volleyball can get pretty intense.  My companion played volleyball so it gets pretty competitive. OHHH yeahhh...uhhh anyways, I love you all so much!!! Thanks for being wonderful examples to me! I love you family :) You are the bestest family ever!...in the history of our islands...just for you dad ha ha.

Jeremy and Jamison:  Did you guys get my letters?  I'd love to hear from you :) go ahead and write me back please!! Jeremy, be nice to Jamison.  Jamison LISTEN to Jeremy.  He loves you and knows what's best for you.  I want you guys to read Jeremiah 31:3.  It's about how God loves us. Always remember you have a Heavenly Father who loves you and is always there for you.  Do the best you can every day okay?  Jerm good luck this week!!! Just be you and you'll do great! Don't stress too much okay :) The lord will help you with anything, so make sure to say a prayer before try outs each day.  Remember you both have the priesthood.  Respect that power and be grateful for it.  I love you guys so, so much!!!!

I LOVE MY OHANA! I KNOW THAT WE ARE ETERNAL.

Hermana Pukahi

In Class with Companion Sister Morris

MTC Spanish Class

Sister Morris, Sister Pukahi,
Sister Bowen, MTC Branch President Bowen


"My Branch President and his wife are so AWESOME?
All the wives in our Branch Presidency are seriously
like our moms.  They are caring and loving."

Hermana (Sister) Pukahi 1st Letter

May 26, 2014

Subject: HERMANA (SISTER) PUKAHI

Mi familia!!!!!!!!  hola hola hola! I love you all so so much. I’m having a wonderful time here at the MTC.  I’m in west campus.  Called it. wut wut. Today is my Pday so you will expect an email from me every Saturday and it's great! My companera (companion) is Hermana (Sister) Morris from Bakersfield California! She's way nice and way fun.  So for the past three days I have been sick. Coughing and everything but I have been blessed with a wonderful companion who is helping me get better.  She brought some essential oils so that has helped allot but I need more cold medicine. I had to borrow some Nyquil so please send me some!!! and Dayquil!! or like other things, like cough medicine and lozenges....idk (I don’t know) how to spell.  Anyways MOST IMPORTANT: PLEASE SEND ME MY TEMPLE RECOMMEND!!!! Mom or Dad can just drop it probably off at the Wyview chapel or just send it because we check mail everyday.  I think you can just drop it off at the chapel cuz I can just go and pick it up.  Also, use Dear Elder.  Have everyone use Dear Elder.  It's basically like sending an email but they print them off for us and we can get them twice a day its great so do that!!! That way it won’t take so much time of me emailing you and that kind of stuff.  Also that way I can hear from you guy’s everyday!! Also please send me pictures. JEREMY.  I know you will take pics...not selfies....of everyone so send them to me like everyday please :) :)  

Anyways on the very first day on Wednesday we got to meet my zone. BTW my hermana (sister) and I are in intermediate!!!! Yep the only ones.  So we are technically a district by ourselves.  I love it. It's basically one-on-one time with the teacher and so we can learn Spanish super fast.  I think we are doing super good.  Anyways we meet all together at Rain Tree apartments for our classes with our zone. My companion and I just meet in a separate room for our class. The very first day we learned how to say a prayer and then the following day we learned to bear our testimony!! So I'm getting there! The other girls in our zone are our roommates.  They are awesome!!! they are a trio. One of the Hermanas (Sisters) is Katelyn Wooley from OHS.  So we are having allot of fun. Plus its great cuz we kind of know each other :)  Another one of the hermanas (sisters) is from New Zealand.  So you KNOWWWW I love that!!! hahaha I just love hearing her talk.  I make her say water. It’s great.  Haha she's Tongan so we like to talk about our families allot.  WE laugh allot.  I’m having a blast!! 

Sister Tu'akalau (from New Zealand) & Sister Pukahi

Yesterday mi y mi companera (me and my companion) taught two investigators. They are just teachers who pretend to be investigators.  But sometimes they are actual investigators so we always have to act like they are real! It’s way fun! But super hard. It’s hard because my Spanish is coming along and I’m getting everything.  But don't know any gospel terms. The first guy we talked to was super hard. Like....we had a plan and then completely talked about things that were not in that plan...wut? I don’t know what happened but it still worked out. The second guy it was way good! It was super hard, like harder than the first. But you could totally feel the spirit and the spirit truly guided us on what to say. It is awesome.  But we are still adjusting to everything. We are definitely new.  Like on Thursday we totally got lost and took the wrong bus to go somewhere.  We had a very good laugh out of it.  We ended up having to go to the main MTC and ask them if they could drive us back.  Haha so that was fun.  

Ahhh, I love it here.  I’m living back in Wyview so that’s weird.  But I like it! It’s so easy to feel the spirit here.  I’m always smiling.  Even these past few days when I was super sick and just wanted to sleep.  I was still happy.  I’m just thankful for these free water bottles they gave us cuz that's surely been helping my throat.  

So today we went to the temple and since I forgot my temple recommend we had to have the branch president talk to the people inside.  It worked out so I was able to go. But when we got inside me and my companera (companion) were late for the session so all the other missionaries went to the session and we just did initiatories, again don't know how to spell.  It was way way way good!!! Then we just met the others in the celestial room so everything worked out wonderful :)

So I found out what’s inside those big marsh mellow things in the MTC were...they are big gyms where we play volleyball and basketball.  It’s my favorite part of the gym.  Totally clears my head.  The days are super long here I feel.  I guess that’s life as a missionary.  But at the end of the day I'm like.. What the? Where did the time go?  

Oh so my temple recommend is in my old wallet, the black one..in one of the pockets where the cards are. Sorry you are going to have to look for it.  I hope everyone’s okay?  How are you all doing? What’s new? I wanna know!!!! I love you all so so much and I'm so happy to be here.  I'm so grateful all my family has done for me! I'm truly blessed with a wonderful family who loves me and supports me.  I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!!!!

Yo se que la iglesia es verdadera

yo se que el libro de mormon es la palabra de dios

Estoy muy agredecida para mi familia y yo se que mi family es eternidad

Tengo amor para mi padre y celestial y yo se que el es mi padre celestial

En el nombre de jesu cristo amen.

(Google Translation)

I know the church is true.  I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  I am very appreciative for my family and I know my family is forever.  I love my Heavenly Father and I know he is my Heavenly Father.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Sister Pukahi