Email from Aug 26

Wow, what a fast week this was!!

Last Tuesday, we went to Pizza Hut for lunch as a District. It just opened, so we're all really excited and so was the rest of the town. It was packed! American music blaring! SportsCenter on the TV! (I sure do miss SportsCenter!) It felt like I was back in America for a little bit. Pretty cool how that can happen when you step off the streets into a normal American restaurant.

On Wednesday, I got pretty sick. Fever, head hurt, achey, congested. I was scared I was about to come down with something bad. So i took some medicine ever so often to try to fight it before it hit me. I worked through the day- I had to, I'm on the Lord's errand, not mine. Then, that night, we realized we had Interviews with Presidente Brough on Thursday. So we had to wake up at 3:55! Of course I get sick the day I will only have 5 or so hours of sleep. Love it!

But we woke up at 3:55, left at 5 in a taxi (the public buses don't start til 5:15 and we had a little ways to go). Got to the stake center at 5:30. Waited around for our interview at 11:30. So for 6 hours, we just kind of hung out and talked with all the other missionaries. It was really cool and relaxing. You might be wondering what happened during the interview with Presidente? Well, let me tell ya!

For our interview, we had to memorize 3 Nefi 5:13. Me encanta la frase 'soy discipulo de Cristo, el Hijo de Dios.' Love it!! Anyway, after that, and he explained me the story of Mormon. He asked if there was anything he could help me with. I couldn't think of anything. He was like, I think there's something I can help you with. He went on to tell me of a missionary that just finished his two years. Presidente knows we've been struggling with people attending church and baptisms and what not. This missionary had 9 baptisms at the end of his first year (low for this mission). He went home with 70. that's 61 baptisms in one year! That's pretty fantastic for any mission! So he went on to say be obedient, diligent, and most importantly, pacient. Then I asked him what to do about Bairon (an investigator I told you about last email). He said just bare testimony like the disciple of Jesus Christ that I am. This was all good and spiritual. It really was. Then we got to some really interesting stuff. Elder Aragon was with Presidente before me. So Presidente Brough said 'I asked Elder Aragon if you're ready for a companion that's not exactly obedient. He (Elder Aragon) said yes. I think you're ready too.' WHAT?!?! You know what this sounds like? Sounds like I might be moved to senior companion the change after my training. This is what everybody thinks. I mean, hey, if the Lord and Presidente think I'm ready, then I'm ready. It has been really good motivation to work harder on my Spanish and learning everything I can about the Gospel. Another story about interviews with Presidente. During Elder Aragon's interview with Presidente, Presidente said that Elder Aragon was about to train a very special missionary, so this training is vital. Elder Aragon is convinced I'll be an Assistant to the Presidente one day. I got him to write it in my journal with his signature (22 Agosto 2013). I guess we'll see. It'd be cool. ¡Vamos a ver! My favorite phrase in Spanish. (We'll see!)

On Saturday, we had an activity as a District to give out Morcaff (Coffee for Mormons, no caffeine or anything bad). The bus to get to the place, was FULL. So, what did we do? Oh, hopped on top of the bus! These are American school buses, with ladders on the back, and a rack on the top. And so we just climbed up there and rode to the place. We were tossing candy to people on the street and everything. So fun and so funny!! The people loved it, and so did we. At this activity, I fulfilled my calling as a missionary. I declared repentance to all that could hear my voice. I fulfilled Alma 29:1,2,9. I stood on the street and started to holler ''¡Arrepentirse! ¡Arrepentirse!'' It was quite funny! Not too effective though. Oh well.

We have an investigator that's on bed rest right now. Why? Oh nothing. He was just shot 3 times. No big deal. LOVE GUATEMALA!!!

Well, as always, my petition for letters! Handwritten! Can you please tell people through my facebook to email me? Katie Coleman, Allison Marshall, Caitlin Huber, Tecie Sams, Alisha Tuli. I'll tell them to write me, that's not a problem. Thanks!

I love yall so much! I'm so thankful for this blessing, opportunity, and privilege I have to serve the Lord for two years. I'm always so happy. Always.

Challenge to all, especially my family. Finish the Book of Mormon before I get home. Start today and finish before these next 19 months finish! Yall can do it!!!

¡Se Cuidan!
--Elder Hunt

Email from Aug 20

That's so great that Chris graduated! Mom, your kids are pretty awesome, you and dad did a good job. 1 kid has served missions, 2 kids are serving right now, 2 kids are married in the temple, 1 kid has a little family centered around Christ. One day, you'll have 4 kids with temple marriages and little families centered around Christ. Not many people can say that!

So we've found this family with a potential like 13 baptisms. So many people live in this house, but they still have yet to attend church even though they seem SO positive.

Speaking of a crazy storm out in Utah. We had a good storm here. It all went down on Friday night. We were out working and it was about 5. It started to rain pretty good. Aw yea, life of a missionary! Then it started to get pretty windy. Windy enough to break my umbrella! Aw yea, life of a missionary. So we're out working, soaked to the bone. We're contacting people at doors, but afraid to enter because we're soaked! Then at 7, the lights blow out. ALL the lights. In the whole city, in the neighboring city, in the capital. All lights! So here we are. Pouring rain, howling wind, no lights, and nowhere to go-can't return home until 9, can't teach people without lights! So we go to our cook's house and try to wait it out. We thought it'd be 30 minutes without lights (the thing stopping us from working). It turned out to be until 10 without lights. That night, we returned home at 9 with no lights. We did planning that night by the light of our camera screens. Aw yea, life of a missionary! So, moral of the story, umbrella broke, soaking wet, no lights, lost with nowhere to go! I loved it. Reminded me a little of Hurricane Katrina! Except Katrina was way more destructive. This storm did knock over a wall though! haha, it was fantastic!

This past Sunday, I had to talk!! This was the 3rd talk of my mission. 2 in the CCM, 1 in the field! Crazy! When the Bishop came up to me, he was like 'somebody fell through, can you talk for us?' of course i tried to deny it, but finally, i accepted. I had like 2 minutes to prepare. I related DyC 103:9, DyC 115:5, and Mateo 5:14-16. It was a pretty sweet talk. 100% Spanish! At the end of Sacrament meeting, a lot of people came up to me and told me how awesome it was. My cook was like 'wow, i had no idea your Spanish was that good!' (Sweet!) Then some recent return missionaries came up to me. They were like, how much time do you have in the mission. When I said only 8 weeks in the streets of Guatemala, they were like 'WOW. You're Spanish is Fantastic!' It made me feel really good. I'm smiling inside just thinking about it!

We met one of my favorite investigators to this point. His name is Bairon. He let us in and we sat down to talk. He had heard the missionaries before, but it had been a while. At the very beginning, he asks for our opinions on the resurreccion (don't know how to spell that in English) (resurrection). But just opinions, not with scriptures. We explained that's impossible. He wanted to know what we thought about specific details. All I know about the resurreccion is based off the scriptures, so that's what we explained. He went on to tell us his beliefs. He's not Evangelic, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, or Mormon. He doesn't believe in the Bible, it was written by the hand of man. He doesn't believe Christ is the Son of God. He believes in God. And he believes in Evolution. You might be wondering, 'how do you believe in God and Evolution?' My question exactly. That's not possible!! But at the end of the lesson, he turned to my companion, 'you won't understand this, you're from here in Guatemala'. Then he turned to me and asked me about the RLDS and FLDS churches and stuff. I was able to answer his questions and explain the story simply and briefly. This guy, what a hoot!

I got some pouch on Sunday. 2 of dad's letters (the 21st and 28th of July). The picture that I sent like my first day in the field with me and my comp, is the comp I have now. That's Elder Aragon. I'll send it again though, even though i don't know if you'll get it in time for the activity. But also, in pouch, I got a letter thing from family out in Utah! Yea! It was awesome and makes me smile. I'll attach a picture. And I got a letter from a friend serving in Honduras. The joy that comes to a missionary when they receive a handwritten letter! I need more of those! (Can you contact Allision Marshall and Katie Coleman through my facebook and tell them to write me! And give them my address. Or give them my email and I'll tell them to write me!) Writing letters is way more fun than just emailing!

So i've been out here for a little while. I'm about to finish my first journal!! wow! Good thing I have 2 more! I'll finish this one this week, i presume. It's more exciting than it should be.

This past week, I read Alma 5. Talk about pondering some questions! Like what it says in verses 26 and 27. If you have felt this joy once in your life that this is the truth and what not, Can you feel so now? And in 27, if your time came to die right now, would you be ready? Whoa!! I can say yes to the first question, no doubt. Personally, I think I'm ready to say yes to the second. One, because I'm a missionary. And a worthy missionary will go straight to the Celestial Kingdom! And two, I want to follow the example of Abinadi, and if appropriate, seal my testimony with my blood. But hopefully that day will be when I'm like 95 and lived a full life! I know the church is true. I know it. I don't feel, think, or believe. I know it.

 I love you guys and think of you often and pray for you always! Don't worry about me. I'm safe. I'm happy. I'm a missionary! The mission is hard, but it's so worth it.

Se cuida!!

--Elder Hunt

More Pictures

Elder Santiago and his companion, Elder Aragon 

Zona 1

Some of what Elder Santiago sees

More of his area

Elder Santiago loves handwritten letters from home!

Something from home