First talk!

So... Not very many things happened this week.  Last Wednesday we had a cool experience though.  When we were on our way to an appointment, there were these two 15 year old kids sitting on one of the green electric boxes, playing around with their skateboard.  They seemed like two little punk kids, so we were going to pass them up.  But, we ended up talking to them, and it turned out really good!  We started to talk to them about mormon.org and that it was a super cool website.  Then, we talked about the Book Of Mormon and that Jesus Christ came to the Americas, after he was resurrected.  One of the kids was like, "Wow!  That's so cool!  I didn't know that happened!"  He seemed really excited.  So, we gave him a card to call to receive a free copy of the Book Of Mormon, and when we were leaving, he pulled out his phone and called the number!  It was pretty cool. 

 

On Friday, we rode the bus for the first time ever!  We had a dinner appointment, and we didn't have the car, and we couldn't find any members to give us a ride... So, we rode the bus!  How exciting!

 

On Saturday, I went on exchanges with Elder Gneiting!  He came out the same time I did, and it was really cool to see how much we have actually progressed in the mission.  His trainer was Elder Josse.  We had a few lessons, which was good.  Also, when Elder Toronto was here (he went home :( :( :( ), he told Elder Gneiting that if he (Elder Toronto) could choose three Elders out of the group that came out the same time I did to train, it would be Elder Kitchen, Elder Gneiting and me, because Elder Toronto thinks our Spanish is the best out of all the new missionaries.  And when this transfer ends, there are a lot of Spanish Elders going home... Scary!

 

Sunday was fun!  I gave my first talk ever in sacrament meeting!  In Spanish!  It was awesome.  I was supposed to talk for 7-10 minutes, but I only ended up talking for 5.  But, everyone told me it was a good talk, so it's okay!  I received a lot of compliments on my Spanish too, which was sweet.  A lot of people have been telling me I speak really good Spanish for just 6, almost 7, months.  And that's really all the happened this week.  Not very much :(  This area is kind of dead!  But, Elder Anderson and I are working hard!

 

The mission home is really close!  Like a 10 minute drive.  Better than it was in Rancho!  Like a hour or more drive! 

I don't know if I have told you this yet, but just about every single member, when I tell them where I am from, they say "De la fabrica de los misioneros!" (Of the factory of the missionaries).  There are LOTS of missionaries from Utah!  Everyone in my district is from Utah, except Hermana Jones (Idaho) and Elder Ochoa (Peru).  Everyone from my last district was from Utah also, except Hermana Kohrman (Indiana) and Elder Gibbons (Virginia).  Lots of missionaries from Utah!

With our car share, Elder Anderson doesn't like to ride bikes, so we just walk everywhere.  Our area is really big, so we usually just work around the same area all the time, unless we get a ride from a member.

The weather is really good in Vista!  Every morning is super cloudy, like it's going to rain, but then it clears up.  It's been a lot more hot, but that's because summer is coming up.

Memorial Day was just like any other day: finding and teaching people.  I forgot it was Memorial Day, until I saw a bunch of kids outside, when they should have been in school.  Then I was like, just kidding.  It's a holiday. 

 

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful week!  Hopefully next week will be more exciting!

Love, Elder Hunt

VISTA!

WOO!  I am in Vista!  San Diego County!   My new companion is Elder Anderson from guess where?  Utah!  Cedar City!  Also, guess what?  He was in the same MTC district that Elder Price and Elder Josse were in.  So, when this transfer is over, all my companions (except Elder Simmons and the new one I will receive) will be dying! (going home!)  How crazy is that?!  I am driving here too!  Woo!  I love driving!  Except we have a car share :( so, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Elder Anderson and I have the car.  On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Elder Ochoa and Elder Gneiting have the car.  With an area as big as ours, having a car is not fun!  There's only so much area that we can cover!  But, it's fun walking too!  In Rancho, we had full time car, so it's a nice change of pace to not have one. (sometimes).  Elder Anderson is a good companion.  He is a bit trunky because he goes home in 5 weeks, but he is still working.  I really like it here so far.  I miss Rancho, but Vista is a really good area too.

So, when I arrived here last week, we went to teach a less active lady and her daughter.  Her daughter, 13, hasn't been baptized yet, because her father says he won't allow it until she is 18.  She really wants to be baptized, but her dad won't allow it.  But, we went to their house yesterday, and he was there!  Elder Anderson said he has never seen him before in the 2 months he has been here.  So, that was good!  From what I could tell, her dad said that she could be baptized if she showed a desire to go to church and not fall away, like her mom has.  So, hopefully that will start happening!  When we were finished with that appointment (this is last Tuesday), we went to In-N-Out because neither of us had eaten. (Transfer days are SO busy).  So, we went to go order, and while we were ordering, so guy walks up, tells us to order and then he paid for us!  Then he left with the people he was with.  It was so cool! 

This area I am in right now is pretty dead.  There are like, 4 investigators, which is good, but other than that, not much is happening.  One of the investigators had a baptism date for this Saturday, and he seemed really excited to be baptized!  But, recently, he has been acting weird and says he has stuff to do and vacation until the end of May...  We don't know what's going on with him, but we are sad :(

On Sunday, we had stake conference, where they realeased the old stake presidency and ordained a new one.  Two of the Seventys came down and it was pretty cool.  One of them quoted President Eyring and said, "The Savior lets us feel his love for those that we serve."  Being a missionary, that is so true!  As missionaries, we are able to have such love for people we hardly know.  When that happens, it's just another testimony builder about how true this Gospel really is.  It's really cool.  I love being a missionary. 

And yesterday, we had Zone Conference!  This zone is a lot bigger than the last one I was in.  I learned a lot of good things that I can apply to the work I am doing now.  President Cook was defintely called of God to come and be a mission president here.  He is SO AWESOME.

So, you figured out what was wrong with Jaxon?!  Yay!  He doesn't have a gallbladder?!  That's really strange.  Hopefully that's what is wrong with him and the doctors can fix it!  That's crazy that he and Dad both had gallbladder problems around the same time. 

I did see the ecplise, but definitely not as cool as you did!  Or John!  It was really cloudy over here in Vista that day, so it was a lot more difficult to see :( but we did see it and it was awesome! 

I don't even want to think about turning 20 in a few weeks... I am going to be so old!  No more teen years! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELSEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't have any time to buy a card last week (since it was transfers) but I will buy one today and send it to you!  Old lady!

I really like the poster!  What's the yellow paper?  And all the writing under the colored dots?  The picture you sent me was kind of small, so when I zoom in, I can't read it :(

So, I think that's it for this week!  I really like it here in Vista so far, and Elder Anderson is a good companion!  The work is a little slow right now, but we are going to pick it up!

I love you all!

Love, Elder Hunt

Pictures: Before I left Rancho

Transfers!

So, I forgot my journal again today... :( Good thing I told you pretty much everything on Sunday! That was a lot of fun talking!

So, I am sending a package home with a bunch of stuff in it. (Hopefully. Today has been pretty dang busy and I hope we will have enough time to send it off before I leave.)

This is what is included:

- My Book Of Mormon from the reading challenge we had as a mission. And the super awesome case I made for it! The book is all marked up with everything I have told you about: red - names of Christ, blue - words of Christ, green - Gospel of Christ. There are some other colors too, orange, purple and yellow, but they don't really have a meaning. Just cool verses.

- A Holy Bible I received from Chris, another basher! Two Saturdays ago, we were on our way to Nico's house, and some guy and his girlfriend drove up to us and asked if we could come over to their house and learn more about the Church. From that approach, we knew they were bashers, but you still have to go over and see if they are really interested. We made an appointment with them for the next Saturday (which was this last Saturday, before Mother's Day). But, turns out they were bashers. They weren't like Christopher basher though. They were definitely more caring. I don't know how to explain it. They were bashers, but they didn't bash... If that makes sense. Probably not. But, at the end of our "lesson", he gave Elder Josse and I both Holy Bibles from his church (Calvary Chapel) with all the Bible language removed (thee, thy, thine, etc.) to make it "easier" to understand. I would take it with me as a souvenir, but I would never even use it. So, I am sending it home!

- Proclaiming The Gospel. This is the book I received for Christmas, but it turns out it is against the rules because it hasn't been approved to be read by the mission :( The book seems like it would be super good, but since it is against the rules, I cannot read it :( :( :(

- Spanish book! I found a Spanish book in the drawer when I got here. It's an older version of the one I already have, so I am sending it home so other people can study Spanish! It's a super good book.

- A DVD of a talk by Elder Holland in the MTC last July! Oh my goodness, this talk is SO GOOD. President Cook uses this talk a lot in Zone Conferences and stuff, and so I made a copy, so you could see it! He is such a powerful speaker! Super good talk. Watch it and tell me what you think!

- My Avengers watch case. I have the watch, but I have no need for the case it came in. I bought it about 2 months ago at Kohl's. It was on sale and it was Avengers, so I had to get it! I have heard the movie was really good! Lots of people have told me, and I want to go watch it so bad... But, in 18 months!

- A water bottle from Mission Viejo City! When we did Mormon Helping Hands, they gave out water bottles to all the volunteers that were helping. I have no use for it whatsoever, but I wanted to keep it as a souvenir, so I am sending it home :)

- My Spanish dictionary from the MTC! I have no use for this either, because I now have the translator/dictionary/basically everything tool I received from Elder Morgan! It has a lot of funny, strange words marked too, so you will have to look at those

- A program from the baptism of Enrique! YAY! I thought you would like to see a program too! That baptism was soooooo awesome! So is Enrique! Also, since he received the Priesthood 2 Sundays ago, he passed la Santa Cena this past Sunday! He told us he was really nervous before and then when sacrament meeting was over, we asked him about it and he said he had no reason to worry! It was easy! Oh man, it was awesome. We were talking with Hermano Crowder last night too, and he said the ward is going to give Enrique a calling as a ward missionary! YAY! He is going to be such a good ward missionary.

- SD card! Pictures! I have had this SD card since I arrived in Cali, so it has pictures of my last two days in the MTC, and everything since then. If you need an explanation of any of the pictures, just ask :)

- My old Book Of Mormon! Another cool thing I received that I don't really have any use for in the field... It's super awesome, but I already have like 3 Books of Mormon haha.

- My Batman thing! I already told you about it and I have 0 use for it out here, so I am sending it home too! Maybe you could put it with all the other video game collector things we have.

So, these are things that I can remember that happened this past week. On Friday, we had an activity del dia de las madres. The activity went really good. We had a lot of investigators show up and get to know some more of the members. Olga showed up too! Remember Olga?! I was SUPER surprised to see her there! It was so awesome. So, on Fridays is when we do weekly planning. We finished about 4:30 ish and were about to head to leave and work when we received a call from Elder Gibbons and Elder Chavez asking if we could help set up for the activity. Hermano Crowder was supposed to call us two days earlier and ask, but he forgot. So, we went to the church to help set up. We set everything up and then started to help with the food too. The activity was supposed to start at 6:30-7:00, but didn't end up starting until 8:30! Hahahahahahahahahaahahahaha!!! That's what happens when you mix Mormon time and Latin time! Church here never starts on time haha. It's always like, 5 minutes late. So, we stayed at the party until 9, then went home. It was awesome.

Yesterday we had a pretty cool experience. We were walking in this area called Madero and there was this lady we started talking to. She was buying some food from a street vender, and so we thought about just leaving them alone and finding some more people. But, we stayed and had an awesome experience. Her husband was arrested 3 days ago and today he is going to court and will most likely be deported. She was having such a difficult time handling it because he was working a lot and bringing in most of the money. She started to cry and tell us how difficult life was right now. So, we shared with her a little of the Book of Mormon and the Proclamation to the World. She seemed a lot more happy when we left, and she seems really prepared for the Gospel. It is really strange how the Lord prepares people for the Gospel. Elder Josse and I were talking about it, and that white people are a lot less receptive to the Gospel because they usually don't have to go through a lot of the trials as other races.

Well, it's time to go! Next week you will find out where I am and who my new companion is! I hope everything goes well with everything! I love you all! If there is anything else super exciting, I will make sure to tell you next week!

Love, Elder Hunt

Mother's Day

Mother's Day call was fantastic

Bautismo!

Oh yeah. Saturday - highlight of the week.  Enrique was BAPTIZED. That's what's up.  The baptism was so good.  We had two really good talks, a really good musical number and of course, the BAPTISM.  I know I have said this a million times before, but he was so excited and ready to be baptized.  We taught him on Thursday, after English classes, before his baptism, and he said that he didn't feel any different than from before, but that all his friends and co-workers have all noticed a change in him.  Like, he has more purpose in life and the light of Christ!  So cool.  Elder Josse and I didn't do anything for Enrique; he came prepared!  The ward here is so fantastic too.  There was lots of people that came to support Enrique in his bautismo and it was so cool to see that.  The ward here is like one big family!  I never thought I could love a bunch of people that I cannot understand in just a few short months.  Then, the next day, Sunday, was excellent!  The youth had just returned from Youth Conference the night before, and a lot of them shared their testimonies.  The Spirit was sooooo strong!  And of course, Enrique received the Holy Ghost!  Man.  So cool.  And the Aaaronic Priesthood too!  His weekend was jam packed with life changing things!  I am so glad I was able to be a part of it.

Nothing really compares to that, so I think I will just stop there for the week.

Just kidding!

On Monday (yesterday), we got a new investigator!  And she's getting baptized on May 20!  (in Mexico).  Her name is Copitzy, and she is visiting her sister up here for two weeks.  She was being taught by missionaries down in Mexico, and she is ready to be baptized!  When she came up here, she looked for some missionaries to keep on teaching her.  So, we did!  It's kind of a weird situation, because we have no idea how much she has actually been taught, but she already knows most of the doctrine.  Her husband is getting baptized too on the 20, but he's in Mexico.  So yeah, new investigator, but not really. 

Also, on Monday, I was offered to be baptized in the Catholic church in the street!  We were contacting, I went to talk to this guy, and he's like, "Hey!  I can baptize you in the Catholic church right now!"  I tried responding back, but he just kept on walking away.  I missed my chance of being baptized :(

Today we had district activity!  I love district activity.  It was Elder Gibbons' last one FOREVER.  He goes home next week.  It's so crazy how quickly time goes by!  Elder Gibbons, Hermana Kohrman and I were on a team and we played Ultimate Frisbee and our team destroyed the other team (Hermana Allsop, Elder Chavez and Elder Josse).  It was a lot of fun.

That's really about it for my week.  A lot of our appointments fell through, and so we haven't been teaching much, sadly :( But, we just keep moving forward!  There's no time to waste!

So, what I found out about Mother's Day, is we go to a member's house to call.  I guess anytime of the day, but I don't really know.  We will be busy when you have church, so it couldn't be then :( :( :( 

We are able to go to the temple every other transfer.  We went to Newport again.  It's such a nice temple!  I can't wait to go to San Diego!  It's SO COOL!

It's going good with Elder Josse.  There are definitely a lot of rough times, but nothing too major.  We are both pretty sure that I am leaving the end of this transfer (next week).  He's taught me a lot of good things, and he has been a good companion.  Elder Simmons is down in Elder Nealy's zone and they are able to work together!  Lucky!  Hermana Farr is in Fallbrook or something and the only time I have seen her was at transfers and Elder Nelson conference. 

Tobyn is graduating?!?!?!  OMJ!  Time goes by wayyyy too fast...  Soon, he will be out serving a mission too!  In Carlsbad!  With me!  Speaking Spanish!  WOO!  That's pretty cool he was picked to be a cheerleader at SUU; that's quite an accomplishment.  Tell him congrats!  And Zack too!  (even though he hasn't emailed for a long time :( :( :( )  He leaves in a transfer!  Oh man!  Time is going to go by so quickly! 

Thanks for the package!  It was a really nice one to get.

The new cabin looks really awesome!  Only a little while longer and I can go there!  Yeah!

Thanks for everything!  I love you all!  Have a wonderful week!

Love, Elder Hunt

P.S.  Where did Maddy and Kelsey translate their Spanish from?  jajajajajajaja

Pictures: Elder Josse, Enrique, Elder Hunt

Elders at the Newport Beach temple

A cool Batman thing I got

Hermano Crowder- he is a huge BYU fan & keeps me updated

Garfias family 

Almost 6 months! OMJ

I forgot my journal this week :(  We went to the temple this morning (YAY!) but I didn't think we were coming right to do email right after we returned from the temple...  But, I have my planner and I will do the best I can to try and remember what has happened this past week!

 So, last week, I had exchanges with Elder Chavez!  YAY!  I went to his area and Elder Gibbons came to Rancho with Elder Josse.  And, the coolest thing happened while I was with Elder Chavez... We went to CAFE RIO.  It's the only Cafe Rio for a while around these parts.  Elder Price really liked to go to Chipotle, which is like Cafe Rio, but not as good.  So, when I went with Elder Chavez to his area, we went to Cafe Rio!  YAY!  Elder Chavez is still a greenie, but he is such a fantastic missionary.  We taught this 17 year old who just arrived from Mexico.  His name is Angel.  He really has a sincere desire to learn and it was a lot of fun teaching him.  Since the Spanish of Elder Chavez and I is not super amazing, it was a lot of pauses and "um", "uh", and "yeah", but it was a lot of fun!  Since there are not very many Spanish missionaries, I think I might serve with him again in the future!  That would be so cool!

Saturday was fun!  We had Manos Mormonas que Ayudan (Mormon Helping Hands).  We went to a park and planted trees and flowers for 4 hours!  All the missionaries in our zone went.  I guess MHH is a worldwide thing on Earth Day where everyone does service and helps plant trees and stuff.  But, I've never seen it!  And we live in Utah!  What the heck?!  Also on Saturday, we had Enrique's baptismal interview.  And since Elder Josse is the District Leader, and the Zone Leaders don't speak Spanish, guess who had to come and do the interview?  The closest Spanish DL and his companion... Elder Nealy!!!  YAY!  Enrique passed his interview and he is so ready to be baptized.  I do not know if I told you this yet or not, but he is so excited.  It's so cool to see such a change in someone's life that the Gospel makes.  Like, Enrique was always a happy person, but now since he accepted a baptismal date, I have never seen him happier!  We taught him all the commandments (Palabra de Sabiduria, Ley de Castidad, Diezmo) and he accepted them all, just like that.  He told us that all the laws make sense and there's a purpose behind them!  I am pretty sure I told you this, but before, while he was investigating and stopped, was because of the "strictness" of the commandments.  But, now, he's all on board and ready to accept and be baptized!  It's so cool. 

Yesterday was a pretty good day too.  We had a really good practice on extending baptismal invites.  Later that day, the other Elders Gibbons and Chavez were teaching Angel y ellos le extendieron una fecha bautismal y el la acepto! (they extended a baptismal date and he accepted!)  Later that night, they sent us a text saying that if it weren't for the practice we had, they wouldn't have extended a baptism date to Angel.  So cool!  Also, I don't think I told you about Ruben y Alejandra.  They are a referral from some of the English Elders in our area.  We went by sometime last week to teach them.  They go to some weird church with some weird name (apiscopalion, something like that).  They seem like bashers, but they really have the desire to learn.  They have a special sort of spirit in their house that really tells us that they have that desire to learn.  We taught just Ruben about a week ago and then both of them yesterday.  They are really on board on reading the Book of Mormon, which is really cool, because most people that are as strong in their faith as they are just reject the Book of Mormon and never want to read it.  But, they told us last night that they are willing to read and pray too.  Pretty cool.  I can see them getting baptized pretty soon. 

Mom, your story is super cool!  I'm glad you were able to use something that happened to me in one of your classes.  Hopefully I can use your story too!

Nobody still knows what's wrong with Jaxon?!  Oh man :( :( :(  I really hope someone finds out what's wrong and fixes it!  I pray from him and everyone every night. 

I didn't receive any mail this week :( maybe next week!  You should see how many letters the Hermanas get... WOW.  They get AT LEAST 4 letters a week!  It's like, "OMJ!  How many boyfriends do you have?!"  They never answer me.  Psh.  Hermanas.

Zack went to the temple last week and he didn't even tell me?!  OMJ.  I am going to send him a very strongly worded email. 

The weather here has been about the same as it has always been.  Super hot one day, hot the next, then rainy and cold.  It's a cycle.  Yesterday, today and tomorrow is full of rain.  Whenever it rains, it reminds me of Animal Crossing. :)

I am super excited for Mother's Day too!  It's coming up so quickly.  Like, two weeks ago, Elder Josse and I were driving around and a restaraunt had a Mother's Day banner out for something.  TIME GOES BY TOO QUICKLY.  It's already May!  I am not sure what we are allowed to do for calling... I guess we will find out! 

So yeah.  That's my week!  Sorry I forgot my journal... If anything super important happened this past week, I will make sure to tell you next week!  I won't forget my journal next time; I promise!

Have a marvelous week!  I love you all!

Love, Elder Hunt

P.S.  Can you email me a picture of the fire danger sign?  I want to see it again!