Elder Santiago wore out his shoes

 These are his new athletic shoes. The old ones are falling apart, so he found some bright colored shoes to play futbol. He's very excited!

His every day walking shoes are also dying. All the walking he does sharing the gospel really affects his soles and soul. Haha! (Get it? Soles of a shoe. Soul in a person.)

Email from Dec 8 2013

On Monday morning, we found out about changes. I'm leaving the area! I've been here for 24 weeks, so it's definitely my time to head out. I really have loved it here in El Caminero. It's amazing to see how much the people trust in the missionaries and really grow attached to them. It'll be hard to say goodbye to the recent converts, investigators, and the friends I've made within the ward, but it's for my good. I'm excited to meet new people and more of Guatemala!

Two super cool experiences happened yesterday.

1) While walking down a street to an appointment, we were talking and just carrying on. Then I felt a super strong impression to knock on a door. It was odd because we weren't knocking any doors, just walking. So, of course, I knocked. The guy said he didn't have any time to listen because he was super busy. I asked if we could help and he gratefuly accepted. He was with his wife, daughter, and 14 year old son trying to lift a huge cabinet to the second floor. But they couldn't take the stairs so they had to lift it from the outside with cables. After a monstrous fight and exertion of energy, we succeeded!  Then they accepted to listen to us. It turned out that we found a FAMILY of 5 baptisms all because we helped them with service, all because I followed the impressions of the Spirit. At the end, they had super good questions. What does it say in the Book of Mormon? Are there sister missionaries? What is the Plan of Salvation for y'all? Oh yea!!

2) The Lord took note that I listened to the Spirit, so decided to bless me again to see if I really was paying attention. While with a recent converts and faithful members, we were talking about Family History. The member had us read DyC 128:15. What a doozey to understand-especially in Spanish (since I've never read it in English). But, he asked me to explain what was happening in this verse. I put DyC 84:85 to the test and treasured up the words of eternal life. I then opened my mouth with no idea what to say. But I started talking and felt an overwhelming of the Spirit. When I had given my part, everybody understood clearly what the scripture was saying and what I said. I love the Spirit!! Two great experiences within 2 hours. Fantastic.

I can't believe that Christmas is in like 2 weeks. Crazy! I'm about to pass the 7 month mark on Sunday. It's going to be a little hard because I'll be entering into a new area and won't be knowing anybody. Hopefully, I'll be going somewhere where the people treat this poor white kid alright. ;)

I have made a study of Satan a little bit this past week. It has been wonderful. It really is a good idea to know exactly how he works to be able to over come him. I think I'll write it out and send it. I don't have to much time right now and I don't have my notes either.

I'll be sending a letter home of Patience. Use it often. I think it will help. With this also, you can type it up and put it on my blog or Facebook or something to help the greater good of mankind.

I really have loved my studies of the scriptures. It's crazy the things I'm learning and what I'm able to apply and what I'm able to remember when teaching. The other day, I made a good study of Alma 32. I. Love. This. Chapter. Especially verses 13-16 and 27-29 and 40-end. Read the chapter, it's good stuff.

I hope all is going well with the reading of the Book of Mormon. I hope all is going well with introducing non-members to the missionaries (you've got 15 days to do so). I hope all is going well with prayers every night. I hope that we're putting our best foot forward in attending church.

The Church is true. Jesus is the Christ. He lives.

--Elder Hunt

Email from Dec 1

I definitely forgot all about Thanksgiving this year. Oops. But it's what happens when your living in Guate, with a Latino companion, in a hot climate, and nobody else celebrating it. But, I'm not even sad that I missed it. I wouldn't have changed my normal diet of a tortilla filled with refried black beans, rice, and hot dogs fried on the oven top like a quesadilla. Yummm.

On P-Day, we get up at 6 like usual. Exercise, study, then leave. We drop off our clothes with the lady that washes them, then we head into town. We go to the church and play soccer from like 11-1. Then we go eat (like Pizza Hut or a burger place), then we go to the store to buy groceries. Then we return home at about 3. At 3, I write the letters I need to write, shower, clean some part of the apartment (either the kitchen or my bathroom). At 5, we leave to work like any normal day. There isn't much changing in what I do on P-Day. Playing soccer and buying groceries.

I can't believe that Alicia is Pregnant! That's so crazy! One day, you'll have another grand child! And I'll have another niece or nephew. But I won't see the baby until it's like a year old. And I won't see Aubrey again until she's about 3. Crazy. For all I know, Stephanie could have another before i get home...

I wrote a letter to Lauren Boyd and sent it to you. hahah. I couldn't read the address of her house, so please give it to her when you receive it. Thanks.

I'm not too sure what has happened this week, but it got COLD.  One Tuesday, it was a normal, hot day. We were working in short sleeves like normal and not thinking anything of it. Wednesday, after interviews with President Brough, we left to work with short sleeves again. At about 4 in the afternoon, it got super windy. Like crazy. And it got super cold. Really, it got cold-for someone who doesn't like the cold and is out there in short sleeves. This cold continued for about 3 days. But then it just left. And now it's back to being hot and sunny. Not exactly sure what to think. I don't have any sweaters and only have 3 long sleeve shirts..uh oh...

During this week, I'll work at night to write a new letter to y'all, about my studies of patience and humility. It'll be hard because there's a lot of scriptures to review and how to connect them how i want. But when you receive my letter, you can use them as talks if you want to. You'll just have to cite me :) I finally found envelopes to send letters, so I think I'll start sending more home. In them, I'll put spiritual stuff, like what I'm learning in my studies and what not. Things that y'all can use as talks when called upon.

The other day, I put myself to read DyC 27 again. This section is quite interesting. At the beginning it talks about wine and alcohol. Then how the Lord will come to drink wine with Joseph, Adam, John the Baptist, Elijah, Elias, Abraham, James, Peter, John the Beloved, etc. I didn't exactly understand it, but that's not what I want to talk about. Verses 15-18 are the best. The armor of the Lord! There is a list of things that we need to arm ourselves with- 6 to be exact. But it's interesting, the armor of the Lord is to protect us from the fiery darts of the adversary. Of these 6, five things are listed to protect us, from our head to our toes. Only one thing is for the offensive-the Sword of the Spirit. With this sword, we can pierce and overcome whatever trial, difficulty, temptation, etc. that Satan has against us. If we live our lives with this Armor of the Lord, we will receive rest in the life after. In the next life, during our rest, we have the ability to receive a robe of righteousness as it says in 2 Nefi 9:14. There's something about this armor of the Lord that i just love.

It's December. I can't even believe it. Next week, we have changes again. This time, it seems like it's my turn to finally leave this area, El Caminero. So, quite possibly, I'll be having to pack up all of my stuff for the first time since leaving the CCM at the end of June. But, we don't find out what's really happening until the Monday before. So on the 9th of December I'll know and on the 10th and tell yall what's happening.

I appreciate all the prays that y'all send my way. I receive strength from them. I pray that y'all will read your scriptures, say your prayers, attend church happily, and obey all the commandments that the Lord has given. With every commandment, there is a blessing attached-as it says in DyC 130 (I think, I don't have my scriptures in hand to check that reference.) The Lord is bound when we do what he says, but if we don't, we have no promise. Not even one. We must be obedient in all things. Reading is a commandment. Praying is a commandment. Attending church is a commandment. Being obedient to al lthe commandments is a commandment.

Ask me any and all questions. About doctrine (like my opinions and thoughts), about the mission, about whatever! Tell dad to respond to the email I sent to him!

I love y'all alot and pray for y'all always. Stay happy and keep smiling. Remember Mosiah 2:41.

--Elder Hunt

Email from Nov 24

I definitely forgot about Thanksgiving. Did it pass? We don't celebrate it here. We just do what we do any other day. It's not cold at all and it's not even starting to get cold. Christmas will be quite strange unless I'm sent up to the mountains where it's a little colder. I don't feel like it's about to end November. I feel as it could still be August or something. Almost time to call home....

We're not allowed to go to member's houses to have dinner. We have lunch from 1-2. Other than that, we work from 10:30 am until 9 pm. It's fantastic. If I work after my mission like I work now, I will have a good chunk of money.

A funny story while knocking doors. It was about 7 pm, so the sun had gone down. I knocked on a door. A lady called, "Who?" I just said "Hi!" (all this in Spanish). After about 10 seconds, for her to get to the door, she finally opened the little window so she could see who I was. She opened it, saw me, shrieked and jumped. WHY did she get scared? I knocked on the door, did she not expect me to be there? So I gave her a hard time and we laughed quite a bit. It turned out she didn't want to hear our message...That's sad.

Another while contacting. So, I kicked a dog in the face. Sweet! Here, there are a ton of angry dogs just walking the streets without owners and with a ton of diseases, so we can't afford to ever be bitten by them. While out knocking doors, had quite a little panic. I knocked on a door. From about 10 yards a way, a super angry dog came charging at me, barking, showing his teeth. I thought he would stop a few feet away from me, but he didn't. So, I let my reflexes take charge and kicked him straight up in the face. He let out a whine and whimpered away. Elder Hunt: 1 Dog: 0

This past weekend was Stake Conference. It was special. We had a satelite broadcast when President Eyring talked and so did Elder Richard G. Scott. Elder Scott knows Spanish. I didn't know that. It was super cool.

A plea to all members: Remember what Elder M. Russell Ballard said in the last General Conference. Remember, yall sustained the 12 apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators. He gave a commandment. Every member has to introduce the missionaries to one person before Christmas! I can't have my family break this commandment. There are two missionaries out from this family. If y'all want us to have the support from our ward members where we serve, y'all have to complete it. At least, get the addresses from your friends and send the missionaries. Are there missionaries in your ward?

I've had my fair share of struggles these past weeks. This morning, we had interviews with President Brough again. I asked him why I haven't been seeing the success that I supposedly deserve since I've been obedient with exactness and diligent. He says because of the companions I've had. The Lord has put me with companions that he needs to humble, correct, or prepare. In six months, I've had three baptisms-can be a little sad for a missionary here in Central America. For the closing prayer, President Brough prayed that I would start to receive the success that I deserve. So, President Brough thinks that I deserve it, and so do I. But, I must accept the Lord's time. I'm so happy for how the Lord has tried my faith and patience (Mosiah 23:21). In these next two changes combined, there will only be 10 opportunities to be able to rise as a Senior Companion and a list of 22 Elders that he feels are ready to be them. We'll see what happens. If the Lord chooses me, I'll be quite humble and, since it's the Lord's will, I'll be ready. But we'll see what happens. We have changes 11 December, who knows who will go and who will stay and what will happen.

Just so yall know, I'm pretty much writing talks about humility and patience. The past week, I spent one hour every day studying Patience. This week, I'll be spending one hour a day studying Humility. Next week, I'll write down stuff and send it out in a letter. You'll be free to use whatever you want in talks. You just have to cite me ;)

Read the Book of Mormon. Remember John 5:39. Study the scriptures because in them, you'll find eternal life. Heaven won't be happy if I won't see y'all there! We want to reach Eternal Life. It's a gift from God- DyC 14:7.

I love y'all. The church is true. Christ wants to forgive us of our sins, so we must repent! Jesus is the Christ and He lives.

--Elder Hunt