Email from Jan 19

This week has been incredible. Where do i begin?

Dogs have it out for me, i'm 100% sure of it. So up til this email, i had been bitten two times by dogs. Now, i'm reporting the third time! Yes, you read that correctly. A dog has bitten me again. Can you believe that? This time, he went in with a little more vengeance. He wripped my pants right there on the ankle! So, there's a new hole in one of my pants. woo!

Cool Experience. Remembered how like a year ago, i received a new missionary and became his trainer? Well, yesterday, i worked with him again! It was incredible. He was not the same person that I trained. In all forms of the word, he was different. A lot more happy and confident. We really enjoyed the day because we chatted the whole time that we worked. Being able to see his progress over this past year made me reflect a lot. What changes have i made? What will my friends and family say has changed about me when 2 years have past? I hope they say good stuff. I've seen quite a few changes in me, i hope other people will see them too.

Interviews with President Markham! Usually, interviews last for like 15 minutes max. Mine went for 40 minutes. Why? He talked to me as though I was still his Executive Secretary. I loved it. The Spirit was really strong and he told me a lot of stuff i needed to hear. I asked a question that's been on my mind. What can i do in my last three months to really accelerate my Spiritual Progression? His answer, "Seek the Spirit, Fast, Pray, and Obey". So we chatted about that for a second. Starting February 1st, i will start a complete santification and purification process. What does that mean? Fasting every weekend for 3 months. Why? To offer myself as a sacrifice to Him. The mission is not a sacrifice. It's an offering to the Lord. A principle taught by Sister Markham. My last 3 months will be a 100% offering to the Lord. That way my first fast back home will be absolute thanksgiving for the time here in Guatemala. It's going to be a crazy three months, but it'll be worth it.

I feel like the week has been incredible, but i don't know what else to say. My mind is drawing a blank. Everything tends to me the same daily routine that wouldn't really interest y'all at all. For me, it's my normal life. For y'all, it's a life unknown. I haven't been taking pictures, because there's not time to stop and take out the camera. There are souls to bring to Christ!

Did somebody say i only have 99 days left? What?

I hope everything is well and everybody's happy. If you're not happy, you're not doing something right.

"Always Be Happy, Never Be Content."

-Elder Hunt

More pictures

 Carmen Rivas baptism

Mosquito nets around Santiago's bed

Email from Jan 12

Well, things are going incredibly well. It's hot. Not much more to say than that. Right now, i'd say it's almost unbearably hot, but the truth of the matter is that it's only going to get hotter for the months of February and March. I'll be here for those months. It's not really something to look forward to, but we'll see what happens.

There was another baptism this week! Carmen Rivas, 77 years old. She's got a crazy story. On the14th of December, an old man was baptized. These two were husband and wife. They had 3 kids together. Then, she turned a little bit crazy. So, Victor, the old man, started to just take care of her. So, he looked for a new wife and found her. This change happened like 40 years ago. But, all three of them live together. It's as though the Victor guy has two wives. It's great. But they all see Carmen Rivas as Victor's sister even though they have children together. It's a great story. But now, Victor is married to the other one, named Delfina, that was baptized on the 28th of december.

I've set a goal for this year: to stop biting my nails. I have talked to a lot of people to quit their addiction to smoking or coffee or alcohol or something, saying that it's possible. When i haven't been able to stop biting my nails my whole life. This year, i'll do it. This time, i have the determination needed to do it. Another one of my goals is to stay under 200 pounds. That trial will come after the mission, but i'll keep it up. Right now in my area, i'm gonna be losing weight.

Time has been going by so fast recently. It's weird to think that Ben only has like 1 month left, and i have like 3.5. It's animating to make me work harder and really appreciate what all happens while here in Guatemala. On Thursday, i complete 20 months in the mission. I never really though this day would come, but it has. So, 3.5 months to give it all i've got and really make the most of it. I'm excited.

When i first got to this area, nobody gave us food. Now, everybody is giving us their food. It's always the same, egg with beans and tortillas. They make you eat til your full then make you go out in the awful heat. Whenever i sit down, i am just nailed with a wave of sleepiness. But, this means that the people love us. It also shows that they didn't really love the missionaries before.

We have a baptism lined up for this Sunday, so that's incredible. We're really searching for the miracle to baptize on the 25th of this month. We need to baptize every weekend, because that's the goal that we've put. We've done it so far, but we don't really have anyone progressing for the 25th. But, we'll find the person that needs to do it. God won't let us down because we'll do all that we have to.

Really, this email has been random. But life is random. The mission is random. It's the best.

Love y'all!!

-Elder Hunt

Pictures

 His zone, Tiquisate

Santiago, his son and grandson (Elder Diaz and Elder Hummel)

Baptism of Julio Antonio Pozuelos Castillo

Email from Jan 6, 2015

Let's see what kind of stuff i can come up with this week.

This week has been incredible. Last Wednesday, we found the miracle that i just sent the baptismal picture of. There's a part of our area that is quite far, like an hour on bus. But, the bus only comes by every once in a while, so it could take up to like an hour and 20 minutes to get there. We went out on Wednesday. It was a process of about 2 hours. We got to a halfway point hitch hiking. We almost decided to start working in that area, but we didn't. We felt like we need to go to Ticanlu. So, we waited and we went. We quickly found out why. We found a guy named Julio. His mom and dad are members and his brothers and sisters are too. In this area, there was a branch that was closed 13 years ago, when he was 7. For the distance to the church, we was never baptized! Like two months ago, he went to church like 3 or 4 times. When we found him, he just straight up said that he wanted to be baptized now that he's 20. We taught him everything in 2 days and baptized him on Sunday, the 4th of January. It was incredible. He wants to be a missionary. He'll be a great leader in this future little branch out there. Miracles exist. But during all this teaching in these two days, we were accompanied by his 25 year old cousin. His cousin loved everything we taught and wants to get baptized on the 18th! His name is Otto. After much sacrifice (traveling) the miracles come. Suffer with patience.

When we hitch hiked out to Ticanlu, we got picked up in a car with a mom, her son, and the son's friends on the way to the beach. Ticanlu is like 10 minutes from the beach. They were crusing with the sun roof open listening to American music. I sure do remember those good ole days from before the mission. Less than four months, huh? wow, that's crazy.

Every once in a while, God lets me see how i'm changing and that i'm not the same person as before. I realized on Thursday, that i've become quick to forgive and forget. Elder Quispe and I got in a little argument because we didn't see eye to eye. I have learned in 20 months, not to get angry. (yes!) But he got upset, but i tried to come up with the solution. Instantly after the little scuffle, i had forgotten about it and forgave him for what had said, but he kinda held on to it. It's super interesting. I'm slow to anger now and quick to forgive and forget. That's going to be way helpful after the mission and in married life.

I'm eternally grateful for being sent here to Tiquiate as a Zone Leader. I've learned so much in this past month. I'm becoming the leader I need to be. The missionaries respect me, for that, they obey. They don't obey out of fear. I've really tried developing into a mix of President Brough and President Markham. And, little by little, i'm being it. Some tend to lead to one side or the other, since they're so different, but i'm focusing on the middle.

Today, we had Zone Training. It was incredible. The Spirit was super strong and the Zone is animated and focused on reaching the goals that we have. I would try to type what was said, but it wouldn't be possible. A lot of on the moment type of things that just happened to make it what it needed to be. Little by little, we're trying to instill in the missionaries a change of heart, mind, and focus. They need to reach a new level of Spirituality and Conversion. That's when we'll see more miracles. If you want to know what was talked about, remind me post-mission of the Zone Training on the 6th of January of 2015, i'll be happy to share. I sent a picture of the Zone and of me with the person i trained and the person he's training. My son and grandson.

Everything is good here, just working on becoming who i need to be. It's hot. I'm sweating. I'm getting tanner and skinnier. What else is there to say?

Love y'all!!

-Elder Hunt

Email from Dec 29

It's been a good week. I'm learning a lot about church leadership: the more leadership you receive, the more busy you become with a lot of things that nobody really knows about. As i've gone up in leadership on the mission, i've realized that the time is just occupied with a lot of little things. Also, the time is just flying by. I thought this 8 week transfer cycle would be really long, but these first few weeks have just flown by. I'm enjoying it a lot.

One thing i am enjoying a lot is divisions with other missionaries. This week, i went out with Elder Cox. He's a relatively new missionary and we get a long quite well. I see a lot of the young Elder Hunt in him. He's got great potential. To end the night, we bought some pupusas and just stuffed ourselves and ended with extras. We had a really good day and a lot of fun.

On Saturday, we had a baptism. The daughter of a returned, ex-communicated missionary (at least that's what we were told) She's 9. Her mom and brothers are faithful. We don't know the details, but the thing is, she was baptized. Dalia Alvanez.

On Sunday, we had 3 more baptisms. But, i'm not focusing on those too much this week

I spoke on Sunday. It was one of my better talks. I really enjoyed it and it came really smoothly. I don't use notes. I get a list of 3 or 4 scriptures and just follow the Spirit. It makes them come out a lot better and are received better by the members. Quite a few came up to me afterward and congratulated me for a really well given talk. That's always really nice.

The mission has changed me and is changing me. There's not too much to write this week since i just talked home.

Set goals for 2015 and make plans to reach them. Know that i love y'all!

-Elder Hunt