Email from Oct 6

 There's not too much to say this week. It was a normal week in the field. We contacted more than 500 people, so things kind of blur together. 

Conference was this past weekend!! It was fantastic. General Conference is like Christmas for Missionaries. On Saturday, we only taught one lesson, because we had 6 hours of General Conference to attend and the Stake Center is far from my area. So we just went around contacting all the members- ended the day with more than 130 contacts. I can't even begin to tell you some stuff I learned from Conference. Just going to say two things about it.

1) there are more than 15,000,000 members in the church. Every member has a challenge from the living profets and apostles to introduce the missionaries to at least one person before Christmas. So you have to complete this challenge! If you want me to find the people ready for the Gospel in Guatemala, you have to do the missionary work at home too.

2) a quote from Jeffrey R. Holland. it's mas o menos 'If the bitter cup doesn't pass from before you, drink it, and be strong.' Wow. When he said this, what power! Life will not be easy, but that never means we give up. We take what life gives us and we are always, ALWAYS, strong in the faith of our God and our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

My companion is Elder Gomez. He's actually been awesome. He came into this change knowing that I wouldn't accept any form of disobedience, neither would Presidente Brough, neither would the Lord. So, the only thing we've been working on really, is getting him to walk faster. You guys would be astonished by how fast I walk right now. When I walk with some people, they literally have to jog beside me. There is Urgency in the Work!!! But other than that, there are some little things, but not many. We correct things and go on. Mainly, the way I've corrected him is by my example. I'm not one to be confrontational, but i have been leading by example. Presidente Brough responds to  my emails every week (he doesn't for other missionaries). This week he said something that made me smile. 'I have absolutely perfect confidence in Elder Hunt. Wow, I love Presidente Brough.

We have about 7 or 8 people progressing nicely for baptisms now. It's awesome. I'll give a list of names just in case someone wants to pray by name for them. Alejandro Lopez; Junior and Maria and their family; Wilder Alvarado; Lasaro Hernandez; Blanca Morales; Daniela and Cindy Monterosso. We are hoping and praying to reach our goal of 6 baptisms this month. Our purpose as missionaries is to baptize. We find to baptize. We teach to baptize. We work faithfully, diligently, and obediently...to baptize.

I love my drunk people here in Guatemala. They make my mission quite a bit more exciting. On Saturday, we were waiting for a bus to take us back to the Stake Center- 8 missionaries total, 2 NorteAmericanos. Then this drunk guy started walking up to us. Usually, they come up asking for money or asking for us to save their souls. This guy was different. He saw me and the other Norte and came up to us. He started to ask us to fight him. Why, we ask. The only reason is that because we're Gringos. hahaha. We kept denying. He was like, yall are so much bigger than me, fight me. fight me. fight me. hahah. I really wanted just to push him over because he was super unsteady on his fight--thanks to the alcohol- but I didn't. We just left. 

This week has not been easy. I received Elder Suarez 3 weeks ago. After two weeks, when we started to work with good flow and when he started to know the area, he had to leave and I had to receive a missionary that isn't exactly obedient--but he is now. So I've had to introduce Elder Gomez to all the people and the area. After just having done so! It's not easy to be a missionary a part of Emregency Changes.

About my Spanish? Here's a little story. The first day, I asked Elder Gomez how much time he has out in the mission. He said 14 months. Then he asked me. When I said 4, he was shocked. I asked why he was shocked. He said he would have guessed 10 months based on my Spanish!! Yea! I talk like someone that's been here almost a year! Walking into the CCM with zero Spanish, and progressing to where I am now. In reality, I'm forgetting how to talk English. I can write and type English, but speaking is hard. 

But I love yall!!! Guatemala is crazy! I love it so much! I pass 5 months this next week and I can't believe it. I'm getting old. Time is so fast out here serving the Lord.

--Elder Hunt

Email from Sept 30

We're having a little bit of struggles with the baptisms. I've only had 1 so far, but i'm not worried about the numbers too much. Just focused on working hard and serving the Lord.

President Brough called us this morning!!! We were praying, so we couldn't answer the phone. Then once the phone died, he called right back!! We were scared to answer. And we got some pretty interesting news. Elder Suarez answered. President asked to talk to me. UH OH!!! He asked me how I am and what not. Asked how is Elder Suarez. Then we cut the small talk. 'Elder Hunt,' he said, 'I'm about to but a grand responsability upon your shoulders. This won't be easy, but you'll be able to do it.' First off, I think Welp, I'm about to be a trainer this next change after only 5 months, but no. something different. Perhaps even a little harder. He continued, 'we need to have an emergency change of your companionship. We have a district leader (in an other area) that hasn't been the most obedient. I need you to help him.' He went on to say how yesterday, for P-day, they went and got haircuts after 5 (we start working at 5) and how they wore street clothes all day (only missioanry attire!). So this District Leader is being taken from District Leader and being put here with me. He won't be Senior Companion, we'll be equals. This will be hard. At minimum, he'll have one year, more than likely, closer to 18 months. He's going to be super discouraged to be put with a Norte that only has 4 months out here. My companion, Elder Suarez, will replace this missionary as District Leader. Elder Suarez, after 8 months, has raised up to District Leader. Welp, looks like I'm receiving the wicked companion I was worried about for this past change. This is going to be a crazy week. Prayers would be appreciated!!

So excited for General Conference!! We'll leave my home at like 8 in the morning and return at like 9 at night on Saturday. We won't have any time to work and teach people. But I'll be at General Conference, so it's ok. I'm so excited!!!! We'll be listening to profets and apostles in these days!

Had a door contact get quite offended this past week, and I'm not sure exactly why. I contacted her. All I said was, '¿Como esta, Hermana?' Then she got offended. Why did you call me Hermana? Because we are children of God. No, we are not His children until we accept Him in our corazon. No Hermana, we are children of our loving Heavenly Father. Then I gave a little testimony. Then we left. Bless her heart, really.

Well, people are convinced we're profets. I love it. We taught this super old couple that hardly knew what was happening. We asked, after teaching what a profet is, 'what, in your own words, is a profet?' They answered, 'Yall'. Aye, not quite. Then there was this Hermana that we taught. At the end, during her prayer, she thanked heavenly father for having sent these two profets to her home. People do not understand what a profet is even after we give examples and explain thoroughly and simply. I'm quite flattered, really. To be compared to someone like Moises, Joseph Smith, or Thomas S. Monson.

Taught a super awesome lesson this past week. It was about 7 in the evening and we met a member's house, so we could get a ride to this person's house. We went quite the drive until we arrived at a residency like West Lake. These houses were huge. Apparently, the husband works for the government, but he wasn't there. So we just taught the wife. It was such a super powerful lesson. She was understanding everything and feeling the Spirit super strong. But, we found out the next day, that she doesn't live in our area. So she can't be counted as our baptism. But she's just about as sure as it gets after a first lesson. We'll meet with her again in the member's house here in our area, so it won't be a problem. But her name's Michelle. It's kind of sad that we can't continue to teach her and have her progress to baptism. But it is what it is!

My goal is to finish the Book of Mormon this week! Right now, I'm in Mormon 8. So close! I can't believe the progress I've made in the Book of Mormon. I remember when I would read like 1 chapter a day struggling, and now i can read about 4 without too much of a struggle.

I love yall so much! Life sounds great in the States. I'll be back before I know it. Time is so incredibly fast out here. I'm about to complete 5 months here in a little bit. Ahhh, I almost can't handle it. I love the life I'm living. I've never been happier.

--Elder Hunt

Email from Sept 22

 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