Week 42

Well, the day has come Ladies and Gents, the change has ended. As exciting and stressful as yesterday was, I was greatly relieved to find out that Elder Goodfellow and I will be staying here for another change. There are so many more people who I want to help here! We have 3 families we are working with right now. In our district we only had 2 changes so not much is different although now we have an Elder from Mexico so no more "All Americans" :P 

This last week wasn't the greatest and we didn't have the success we wanted but hey we still have plenty of time. Yesterday we were able to have a Ward Counsel Training at the Stake Center. I really hope that it will help our ward out so we can all work together. This last week we were able to provide service to a few families here in the ward which was nice since we haven't been able to for a while. 

We had a new difficulty come up this past week which I have a feeling will affect us for a while. In one of the popular newspapers here they published an article about how Joseph Smith had 40 wives. Let me just say that they really do blow everything out of proportion and like to twist the truth! I've heard that the church has come out with a few videos to help people understand more about the falsehoods that are commonly spread about us. It sucks that there is so much contention in today's day and I know that it's only going to get worse before it gets better! It is really going to prove who is loyal to the Lord and who is not! 

One thing that I have really learned to do here on my mission is to defend my faith and my beliefs, something that I definitely couldn't have done before. I will forever treasure the things that I am learning here on my mission and can only hope that I will continue to do so! 

There was a talk given by Elder Neil L Anderson in the October Conference that talks about how important it is to really become converted and be able to defend what we know so that we can be ready to help others do so too. I'm thankful for the Gift of the Holy Ghost that we have all received and the guidance that it gives us everyday in our lives. If we will but follow the prompting's of the Holy Ghost and stay on the path the Lord has set before us, and hold fast to the Iron Rod, we will make it to the tree of life! 

I can attest that although it is not easy being a follower of Christ in these times, it is worth it! Just being a member of the Lord's Church doesn't guarantee us eternal life, that depends on each one of us and how we live. Be an example to the people around you. Seek to find people that really need your help in their lives so that they can be brought to the knowledge that we have in our lives, so they can receive the blessings of God. I love you all and I love the lords work here on the earth! 


I hope you all have a great week! 
Con mucho amor, 
Elder Hunt

Missionaries in my District

Week 41

It's crazy how close I am getting to completing a year here in the mission! It's a great feeling but at the same time it scares me as there are still many things that I want to get better at and change to help the people around me. 

This past week, my Companion and I had to travel to Quito for a verification meeting with President Christensen. Lets just say that I don't love that trip.... I don't miss being in Quito. It was nice to be able to see President Christensen again. He really is such an amazing Servant of the Lord! He has so much love for all the missionaries here in our mission. He really is doing so much to help us reach our true potential so that we can help as many people as we can here in Ecuador. 

We were going to go visit the Tsachilas (An Indiginous Indian Tribe here), but we didn't get permission so were played soccer again. The love that I once had for soccer has greatly decreased while being here on the mission as now every time I play, all I get out of it is being super sore for 3 days.

This last week we were able to get 6 people at church. Family Espinosa (2), Family Zambrano (2, Parents of Alexander and Estiben), Lulu and Alejandra (Grand daughters of a less active member who we have reactivated). What we are really trying to focus on now is getting our recent Converts and Investigators to the point where they have friends in the church so that when we leave they don't go inactive. 

This last week we did a family home evening with Family Zambrano and Family Zhingre to help F. Zambrano meet more friends and to have an example of why they should get married. On Saturday we had the baptism of Rosa. It was great to finally baptize her!  I'm really excited to finally baptize a family! Although we are having success, there is much more that we can be doing and more people that need our help in their lives. I truly do love this work and the blessings we receive while making sacrifices in our own lives for the Lord. I hope you all have a great week! I can truly feel the love that God has for each and every one of you! 

It saddens me to hear about all of the deaths that have been occurring back at home! Please make sure that if you know of someone that has suffered something like that to reach out to them! President Monson said in his talk last spring "Although tomorrow you may forget the words you say or things you do for someone, they may cherish them for a lifetime." Show forth the true love of Christ. I love you all and wish the best for you!

Con Mucho Amor, 
Elder Hunt

Baptism of Andres

 Baptism of Rosa with Estiben and Alexander

The Sanchez Family put their Christmas tree up already :) haha

Me and my Zone Leader Elder Lopéz after soccer

Sweet sunset we had the other day

Sweet sunset we had the other day

 

 

My favorite fruit here called Guanabana :)

My favorite fruit here called Guanabana :)

Week 40

Well, the end to a great week has come! This week was a really good one and a fun one too. Our hard work really paid off and we were able to end it with success:) It was quite the crazy week but those are the ones that usually make for the good ones! 

First off, one of our Investigators broke up with her boyfriend, our recent Convert, and wasn't sure anymore if she wanted to attend our ward and get baptized as she has no support from her family. A few days after that they finally made up and got back together luckily and now she is really excited for her baptism! I knew that she would get baptized no matter what but it's a really great opportunity for Estiben to get some practice with Missionary work. He's been reading Preach My Gospel and is planning on going to the Temple here in a few weeks with his little brother. We are currently working with their parents also so that they can get married and baptized. That's our goal, to get them all to the Temple and sealed as a family. 

We also found another family this last week named the Espinosa family. They found out about the church from the church website. The mom watched/read something about Eternal Families. She asked her husband if he would like to be with her and their daughters forever and he said yes! She told him that she found out how they can do it. They really are so great and so ready to accept this gospel and really change their lives. They are so accepting of everything and as the mom partook of the sacrament on Sunday she said she really felt the spirit and that it was something she could not explain, something she had never felt before in the Catholic Church. I'm so excited to really help them reach their true potential and receive the blessings that our Heavenly Father has for them! 

We were able to baptize Andres on Saturday and are now working to get his mom and dad married, his mom baptized and his dad active in the church again. Here, there are a lot of less active members that are so ready to come back to the church and many of families that have family members who aren't baptized. We are working on getting them active again and baptize those who need it. I really do love this work and can see how it is truly blessing me in my life! 

Today we got to play soccer as my Zone Leader, Elder Lopez from Spain goes home after this change. Lets just say it was a little bit hot and I may or may not have gotten really sunburned but hey, we go hard on P-Days haha!! I love you all and hope you all have a great week! 

Que Dios Les Bendiga!! 
Con Mucho Amor, 
Elder Hunt