Wow, this week really has been crazy. Finally got a new companion! Only one other person that entered the mission with me had the same trainer for all three months. Just me and him. Everybody else got changed after 6 weeks. So it really is quite nice to have a change here. My new companion. Elder Suarez. Latino!! (answer to my prayers). From Honduras. About the complete 8 months in the mission (we're both so young out here in the mission, i just finished 4!). He's super excited about the work here in his new area, and this excitement has rubbed off on me. We're talking to people like crazy, and we feel like we're finding people that will progress (finally!). He's Senior Companion, but you wouldn't be able to tell. It's his first time, so he's not sure what's happening. I'm the one that does the planning the night before, so I decide where we're going, who we're visiting, and what we're teaching. In reality, I'm the Senior Companion, but he just has the title. Which, really, is fine by me. But since I received a new companion here, I think I'll be leaving the area in the next change! (last Wednesday in Octubre.) I'll send a picture next week. I've been really bad about taking pictures. I'm going to take my camera with us when we go work so you can see what I see. I'm just a little worried, because it rains unexpectantly. But I'll cover it good with plastic bags, so it won't be a problem.
The craziest thing happened a couple days ago. In reality, I'm kind of a little worried to tell this to my mother, but it's my life here in Guatemala! Here it goes: So, here in Guatemala, we use the public bus system to get around. It's not the safest, quite sketch, actually. But it's the most efficient option we have. So it was about 8:15 one night, and we were taking a bus back to our area to finish the day. My part of town is quite safe, never have had problems around our house. But these buses are full of people, so we're able to contact a lot. (going around seat to seat, introducing ourselves, presenting the purpose of our message, and asking for the address so we can visit them). So I'm at the back of the bus talking to the people, nothing strange whatsoever. Then, what do I hear? THREE GUNSHOTS!!! It was about 5 yards away from me, right behind the bus (not in the bus). So of course, i turned my head to look what was happening, because I just thought their were someone with fireworks or something--nothing out of the ordinary. But what I really saw was something disturbing and unforgettable. The bus assitant, the guy that takes the money and helps people on and off the bus, laying dead in his own blood. And I saw it. I will never erase this image from my head. Now, I thank Heavenly Father for my life with more sincerity than ever. Things are crazy here in Guatemala. As missionaries, we see people at their very best, like when they decide to make these convenants with God. And we see them at their worst...at least here in Guatemala.
This was easily, the scariest moment of my life. It all happened less than 5 yards from me!!
So, now for a little bit more uplifting stuff!
Hermana Jaquelin was confirmed this past Sunday! Yea! She's going to be an awesome member. We'll baptize her family one by one. Then she'll have so much more support in the home. I'm really excited to see it. Jaquelin's baptism was such a long practice. They contacted her way back in April and she wasn't baptized until the 15th of Septiembre. For some people, it really is quite a long process.
We have a baptismal date for this Sunday. Her name is Daniela. She's 17. She told us straight up this past visit. I want to be baptized. I want to make this big change in my life. I know this is true and it's what I want to do with my life. So, being 17, she's not able to get baptized without her mother's consent. At first, she was like, yea, it won't be a problem. My mom will sign it. Then, this past Sunday, she wasn't able to attend church because she didn't have permission from her mom--just to attend church. If she doesn't have permission to attend church, how is she going to get permission to be baptized. We want to talk to the mom, but she never wants to talk to us. We're praying really hard that her heart will be softened and she'll let her daughter make this choice. If Daniela gets baptized, her sister, Cindy, 24, will also get baptized. So we're praying and working for it.
We have an Hermano Alejandro, that is just about set in stone for baptism, for the 6th of Octubre. He's super awesome and excited to be baptized. What a blessing!
So, thinking of the atonement, a new thought has been in my head. As missionaries, we need to have charity for all others, like the charity Christ had. Let's think about one person especifically to whom Christ showed this charity. How about the guy that drove the stakes through His hands and feet. Christ could have opened His mouth and stopped it all, or condemned this man to hell right then and there. But no, He said nothing. And at the end of it all, He asked the Father to forgive 'them' and, included in 'them' is the man that had to put in the stakes.
Right now I'm in 3 Nefi 12. In the middle of the part where Christ appears here in the Americas. My testimony grows everyday that i read the book of mormon and live the life of a missionary. I know that Christ lives and appeared here in the Americas.
I'm so excited and happy to be a representative of Him here in Guatemala!!!
I love you guys so much!!! I'm safe here in Guatemala. I have angeles surrounding me always on all sides. As long as I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing, I won't have any problems. I'm a representative of Jesus Christ, I've never been happier.
-Elder Hunt
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