Rosa's baptism...BEST WEEK EVER!

My dearest family,

 

This was the best week EVER! I just want to skip right to the baptism but I’ll save that for the end.

So last Monday, we went to Rosa’s house to teach her and to ask the big question . . . Who do you want to baptize you? So after the lesson we asked her and she asked me to do it. I really thought she might ask Elder Ramos because my companion is so awesome and it honestly didn’t matter a whole lot to me. Of course I was honored that she asked me but my focus wasn’t on who was going to baptize her, it was just getting her baptized so she could make that wonderful covenant with our Heavenly Father.

We went to visit Jose and Isis this week and talked about the importance of the Book of Mormon. We taught that the ONLY way they can know if our message is true it by reading and praying about the book of Mormon. Isis was pretty excited for it, but Jose was a little reluctant. We think he’s just kind of going with the flow to make his wife happy, but we’re working on him.

Thursday we went to visit Lorena and read with her from the Book of Mormon. She loves reading it and loves talking with us, but doesn’t understand everything. So were helping her with that by reading with her.

Friday we finally contacted a less active member named Margot. We dropped by several times recently, but she’s never been home... FINALLY we got to talk with her and her non-member husband. It was great! They were so excited to see us. They were showing us all their trees and fruit and telling us about all their problems... they really want help and my companion and I were thankful that they trusted us enough to tell us about their life.

Finally Saturday came. At8:00 in the morning we went across the street to the church to fill up the baptismal font. It was the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard. After we got everything set up for General Conference and the baptism, we called and texted everyone we could think of to come and attend conference. We went over to one part member and less active family named Marvin and Eva (I think I told you guys about them a while back) we invited them to conference and they were so excited!

Conference was a great success, not only were there amazing talks given and not only was it incredible to see 3 new apostles called, but we were able to have 6 investigators come to church and 3 less active families! For our little branch that was exciting! Then came the baptism. The Spirit was so strong. We didn’t have a ton of members attend, but everyone was so happy. After pictures and the opening program, we had the baptismal ordinance. I entered the water first and then Rosa followed after me. She couldn’t hold back the tears. When she came out you could just feel the cleanliness. She just stood there in the water crying and saying "thank you God, thank you." After we changed clothes and ended the baptismal service I asked her "Rosa, how do you feel?" she said "Magnifica!!!! Siento Magnifica y limpia" (magnificent and clean). And you could see it on her face. She was smiling ear to ear! And so was elder Ramos and I.

Family, the church is true. There is no other way to salvation but by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s how it’s always been and how it will always be. I know God answers prayers . . . even though it took a year of praying and fasting, I know that a year’s wait was the best timing that God had planned for me. I love you and miss you all tons! Thanks for the letters and prayers!

Love,

 

Elder Hunt

Pre baptism week #2

OK... Rosa is going to get baptized THISWeekend! President came down on Thursday and interviewed her and told us October 3rd! We’re very excited and she is very ready for her baptism! After the interview, President George took us out for tacos. So let’s just say Thursday was a great day. We’ve been working a lot with Rosa and she’s really moving along great! We have just about all the lessons completed and now it’s just words of encouragement to keep her motivated for her baptism. It’s incredible to see the blessings of the gospel coming into the lives of others. Just to know that her past life will be not just forgotten but exchanged for another perfect NEW one is so great to see. Please pray for her so that she can make this covenant with our Father in Heaven this weekend. Satan is going to be working hard on her, but our prayers and faith are stronger than him.

Lorena is loving the Book of Mormon and reading it every day. It’s hard for her to come to church because she lives so far away. We talk to her at her work, but we're praying that this weekend will be easier for her since it is general conference.

We found a new family this week; Jose and Isis from Honduras. They’re awesome! When we taught the Restoration to them the spirit was so strong! It was incredible. They understand the Restoration really well and are willing to pray to know if it’s true. We know the Lord will answer their prayers.

We taught some English classes this week too. It was ok I guess. I have no idea how to teach English but we tried it out. We’re thinking about maybe doing an advanced group and a beginners group because there were people who came who know no English at all and others who already know a bit and want to get better. My comp is real good at English so that’s probably what we’re going to try this next week.

Well family, I’m out of time, but I love and miss you all so, so, so much and I’m loving the letters and pictures I’m getting, keep ‘em coming! Sorry this was a short letter. I know next week will be a LOT more eventful! you’re the best!

Love,

Elder Hunt

Pre baptism week

WE'RE SO PUMPED!

Rosa is going to be baptized this Saturday! We and she are so excited . . . . and nervous. We had a lesson with her this week and she revealed to us some information that will require her to have an interview with President George. He’s 75% sure he can come down this week but not completely sure, so we're praying a lot and we fasted this week. We know that if it’s the Lord’s will, it will be done. She is doing fantastic. She’s coming to church and really progressing well. She’s so ready for her baptism.

This week it also rained A LOT! and it’s still raining, which totally stinks because all the clothes that I washed today are still going to be soaked for like 4 days! but I’m thankful for the cool!

This week we found a less active member named Marvin. He’s about 30 and has a little boy. He loves the church but hasn’t attended for like 15 years. He wants to go back so bad but the“natural man” inside won’t let him. We had a great lesson with him and at the end sang, Abide With Me Tis Eventide. He was crying and kept saying "thank you, thank you". It felt good to find him and help him and show his wife that the Mormons aren’t all that crazy (she’s Baptist and has a lot of ideas about us).

We met with Josue and it went pretty good. He loves listening to us, but I don’t think he really understands what we do as missionaries. I think he’s looking more for an inspirational message, not a life change. We’ll still work with him and pray that he’ll be able to see the importance of what we do.

This week we’ve also been working with a new lady named Lora. She sells furniture and is about 40 years old. She’s a little round lady with a big smile. She loves the message of the Restoration and loves reading, so the Book of Mormon is a pretty nice thing for her! We’ll be stopping by to see her tomorrow to see how she’s doing on the reading, I’m sure she’ll be great.

So that was this week and next week is shaping up to be awesome! We’re so excited and can’t wait to see the hand of the Lord in this work.

Love and miss you all tons! Can’t wait to hear about your lives every week!

Love ya!

 

Elder Hunt

Good week and random week

It was a good week and very random. So, remember my toenail . . . . it got ingrown again so we went to the doctor and he numbed the sucker and took out the ingrown piece. It was quite painful but I’m ok!!! So after that experience on Tuesday we were in the house for a couple of days on doctor’s orders and couldn’t work at all. It was a bummer but now I’m totally ok. So mom don’t worry! My toe is totally enjoying being in a shoe comfortably now. I repeat. I’m OK!!!!!

So here is what happened this week . . . .

We worked with Rosa to get her ready for her baptism in two weeks. She accepted the word of wisdom easily and basically is already livings it, so that was great.

We met a guy names Josue. HES AWESOME! We contacted him yesterday and he told us "yeah, you guys can definitely stop by my house. I don’t know why, but you guys seem different. I feel peace when you guys talk to me." So we’re totally visiting him this week!

We helped a less active member get excited to come back to church. Her name is Blanca. She’s gone through some rough things recently but is ready to come back into the gospel.

Sunday was the best day this week. We went to San Cristobal for the temple dedication of the Mexico City temple. It was an incredible experience! So amazing! Pres. Eyring and Elder Holland spoke. Their words and testimonies were inspiring, especially when Elder Holland bore his testimony in Spanish. I’m pretty sure everyone there was crying. It was so awesome! It made me really excited to go to the temple. I’m hoping after I finish here in Comalapa, that I’ll be able to serve some time in Tuxtla so I can go to the temple there.

Sorry, that’s all the time I have for today because we went to some lakes called Los Lagos de Colon. And no, it has nothing to do with the body part! Ha! Anyway it was very beautiful and so fun. We went with the zone leaders and some members from Comitan. There was a pyramid there too and I’ll be sure to send all the pictures next week.

Love and miss you all tons. Thanks for the letters!

Love ya.

Elder Hunt