I'M FREE!!!!
No longer Executive Secretary. What a load lifted off of my shoulders! Wow, it's so nice. I'm not worried about any office related things. I sleep by 10:30 and get decent hours. I'm thankful. My time in the office was the best, don't get me wrong. It has changed me and prepared me in ways i never could have imagined. Working so close to the Markhams, the Broughs, and the Laws has really been an indescribable blessing.
Now, i'm Zone Leader in a place called Tiquisate. It's hot. With that description, i've said it all. It's 'winter time' and it's 92 degrees outside like every day. Winter? yea. The sun is strong, not a cloud in the sky. I absolutely love it. I'm sweating so much it's ridiculous. My companion is Elder Quispe from Peru. I love this guy. We're always laughing and having a good time. We go to bed at like 10:30, like we should be lay in our beds talking until like 11:30. He's such a great guy with an amazing back story. I'm here for a few reasons: to baptize, retain, and reactivate. (Also, to get skinny and tan. haha.) But really, to liven this place up. Here, it's a District that is not progressing to becoming a Stake. Church meetings are depressing, not uplifting. The leaders are tired and you can see it by looking at them. I'm ready to just be here and liven the people up. We can't sleep in the time of the Restoration!
This Sunday, we had a baptism. He's the cutest little old guy. He was married to his wife on Friday. She'll be getting baptized on the 28th with their grand-daughter. I would attach a picture, but my camera battery is dead and a long story. I'll send them next week. He's a goat herder and is like 76 years old. His name is Victor Marques and his wife, Delfina. They are going to be super faithful in the church. They love everything we teach. He's the oldest person i've baptized, it's great. He's so cute!
I can't end describing how relieved i feel to be here as a Zone Leader. 100% focused on preaching the gospel and helping other missionaries to be better. It's interesting to see missionaries see me when i walk into a meeting or something. People look up to me, it's strange. Like, they know the calling i'm coming from and where i am now so it seems to give me more validity to the things i say. But, i am really working on leading by example and correcting with love. I'm trying to help the missionaries be more animated and excited about the work that we're doing. Afterall, it's the work of the Lord. Being in the field again has helped me get back focused on the mission the office, there are things constantly reminding a missionary of home and what not. here, no. It's all 100% missionary work, non stop.
I love y'all and miss y'all. But, i'm not ready to come home. There's too much to do. Too many lives to change, especially my own.
-Elder Hunt
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Zone Leader letter
Dear family of Elder Harold James Hunt,
It is with appreciation that I inform you that Elder Hunt, has been called to serve as a Zone Leader in the Guatemala, Guatemala City Central Mission. This comes as a result of revelation from the Lord. He has demonstrated diligence, hard work, faith, love and has obtained the respect of the rest of the missionaries.
As a Zone Leader, I will work closely with him to motivate and influence the rest of the missionaries in his zone. At the same time, Elder Hunt will be expected to lead and exemplify every aspect of missionary work.
I appreciate having Elder Hunt as a servant of God here in the mission field. I truly know that he is a special son of God.
Yours faithfully,
Melvin G. Markham
Mission President
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Email from Dec 8
Well, it's only been two days since i've written last, but i need to take advantage of the time i have. This week, i'll have no p-day! woo! That means i'll have no internet time! woo! So, in order to send my weekly letter, i'm writing write now. It was a good weekend. For only two days, a lot has happened.
Saturday was interesting. A lot of time spent driving thanks to a couple of emergency things! We left in the morning to head over to a place called Antigua to drop off beds, a fridge, and all that kinda stuff to furnish a house. That went without a problem. We got there, dropped the stuff back and headed back. But heading back was way fun. Here in Guatemala, they tend to set up random police checkpoints where they pull over random cars to check if we have anything we're not supposed to have with us. I've driven by many without getting pulled over. It's done randomly without any kind of system. This time, they caught us. They pulled us over. I rolled down the window and the guy asked for my license. I just responded, here's my American license. He nervously responded, i noticed. He did not mean to pull over a car full of North American Missionaries. It was so funny. He like didn't know what to do. He left and went to his chief guy and asked what to do. He came back, looked at our passports then just let us go. It was super funny and super pointless.
On the way home after that, we stopped at Little Ceasar's (yes, they have that here!). We took the food home and ate. Then we got interesting fone calls. We had to take a surprise road trip to a place called Patzicia, in Zone Sololá, which is like the farthest zone from here (three hours with light traffic). Since i'm leaving the office, i offered to go in a heartbeat because i won't have these experiences anymore after! I loaded up the car with Elder Roney, the financial secretary, and we hit the road! Elder Hansen, my companion, stayed behind to work in the area because there were important people to visit. We left the house at like 2:05 pm and got back at 8:30 pm. It was fantastic! Here are a couple of pictures taken while on the way: (Santa! Happy Birthday, Jesus! Waffle House?)
Sunday was a long one! Church from 10am-2pm like normal. After, we had a baptismal service for a man named Carlos Catalán. He's incredible. We found him knocking on doors one day. He let us in. He's a 60 year old man that had recently quit his job to watch over his grandchildren while their parents worked. Really a nice guy. He told us of how he has been wanting to join a church, for that, he was really receptive! He accepted everything we taught, and loved the thought of getting baptized. When we left him the commitment to live the Word of Wisdom, or stop drinking tea and coffee, he answered in this way, "Well, if i'm getting baptized into your church, i need to start living it's rules, don't i?!" No hesitation or doubt. From that moment on, he's been living the Word of Wisdom. His baptismal service was great. He's going to be a great member and really wants the daughter and son-in-law he lives with to join too. Right now, we're teaching them, and their progressing nicely for baptism on the 21st of this month.
Then after that, we had the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. It was a nice excuse to just hang out. Here, we watched it in Spanish. I was too tired to even try to pay attention to the Spanish over voice. It was bad. I just kinda slept there the whole time. It was nice. The music came through really bad so we couldn't even enjoy the MoTab singing. But, it was great.
Wow, i can't believe i'm leaving. I've worked in this area with this ward for 14 months! That's an incredibly long time. I literally love these people and they have grown to love me..or at least tolerate me, right? There are many people here i'll never forget. On Wednesday, i'm taking my bags and heading out...to be a Zone Leader in a place called Tiquisate! yea! I am really excited to get outta here though. It's been a long time. I need to get in the field, out of the office, and 100 refocused on pure missionary work. Not worrying about travel plans, visas, fone problems, etc. It's gonna be nice. Also, to lose the weight i've added while being here in the office. It'll be a fun change and i'll let y'all know more about it later on. Like next week.
Love y'all!!
-Elder Hunt
Saturday was interesting. A lot of time spent driving thanks to a couple of emergency things! We left in the morning to head over to a place called Antigua to drop off beds, a fridge, and all that kinda stuff to furnish a house. That went without a problem. We got there, dropped the stuff back and headed back. But heading back was way fun. Here in Guatemala, they tend to set up random police checkpoints where they pull over random cars to check if we have anything we're not supposed to have with us. I've driven by many without getting pulled over. It's done randomly without any kind of system. This time, they caught us. They pulled us over. I rolled down the window and the guy asked for my license. I just responded, here's my American license. He nervously responded, i noticed. He did not mean to pull over a car full of North American Missionaries. It was so funny. He like didn't know what to do. He left and went to his chief guy and asked what to do. He came back, looked at our passports then just let us go. It was super funny and super pointless.
On the way home after that, we stopped at Little Ceasar's (yes, they have that here!). We took the food home and ate. Then we got interesting fone calls. We had to take a surprise road trip to a place called Patzicia, in Zone Sololá, which is like the farthest zone from here (three hours with light traffic). Since i'm leaving the office, i offered to go in a heartbeat because i won't have these experiences anymore after! I loaded up the car with Elder Roney, the financial secretary, and we hit the road! Elder Hansen, my companion, stayed behind to work in the area because there were important people to visit. We left the house at like 2:05 pm and got back at 8:30 pm. It was fantastic! Here are a couple of pictures taken while on the way: (Santa! Happy Birthday, Jesus! Waffle House?)
Sunday was a long one! Church from 10am-2pm like normal. After, we had a baptismal service for a man named Carlos Catalán. He's incredible. We found him knocking on doors one day. He let us in. He's a 60 year old man that had recently quit his job to watch over his grandchildren while their parents worked. Really a nice guy. He told us of how he has been wanting to join a church, for that, he was really receptive! He accepted everything we taught, and loved the thought of getting baptized. When we left him the commitment to live the Word of Wisdom, or stop drinking tea and coffee, he answered in this way, "Well, if i'm getting baptized into your church, i need to start living it's rules, don't i?!" No hesitation or doubt. From that moment on, he's been living the Word of Wisdom. His baptismal service was great. He's going to be a great member and really wants the daughter and son-in-law he lives with to join too. Right now, we're teaching them, and their progressing nicely for baptism on the 21st of this month.
Picture from baptism
Then after that, we had the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. It was a nice excuse to just hang out. Here, we watched it in Spanish. I was too tired to even try to pay attention to the Spanish over voice. It was bad. I just kinda slept there the whole time. It was nice. The music came through really bad so we couldn't even enjoy the MoTab singing. But, it was great.
Wow, i can't believe i'm leaving. I've worked in this area with this ward for 14 months! That's an incredibly long time. I literally love these people and they have grown to love me..or at least tolerate me, right? There are many people here i'll never forget. On Wednesday, i'm taking my bags and heading out...to be a Zone Leader in a place called Tiquisate! yea! I am really excited to get outta here though. It's been a long time. I need to get in the field, out of the office, and 100 refocused on pure missionary work. Not worrying about travel plans, visas, fone problems, etc. It's gonna be nice. Also, to lose the weight i've added while being here in the office. It'll be a fun change and i'll let y'all know more about it later on. Like next week.
Love y'all!!
-Elder Hunt
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