6 months? 9 months? a year? Who knows..

Hello!

This past week has been really great! The Texas McAllen mission is heating up! And not just because of this crazy hot weather.. the missionary work is going great! 

So I guess I'll be serious for a few seconds. June 19th passed by a little while ago.. A whole year since I went to the Peru MTC. I started thinking a lot about this past year. I feel like it went by SO quickly, but at the same time A LOT has happened. I was in two other countries, I was home, and now I'm in Texas. Who would have thought that this would all happen? Definitely not me. My companion and I are doing a 40 day fast. Not literally a food fast, but a fast from ANYTHING that could keep us from being the best missionaries we can be. Like studying on our bed, or talking about worldly things, or even just snacking. But we've seen such a HUGE difference in our missionary work. We found a ton of new investigators this week, and we TRIPLED the standard of excellence for investigators with a baptismal date. While I was thinking about the week, I couldn't help but think that it is because all of the trials I went through that I'm here. That I have the opportunity to be serving in Texas, and to be training Sister Bentz, and to be teaching the people here. I still sometimes wonder why all of the trials came my way, but I know that it all happened so that I can be here in this exact place in this exact time. I needed to meet and teach these people, I needed to be companions with these Sisters. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the WONDERFUL year that I have had. It doesn't seem so wonderful on the outside, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else. I definitely still have those days where I miss Ecuador more than anything. I would give anything to get back.. but then I think about why I'm here. And I realize that I had my chance in Ecuador, I must have accomplished whatever I needed to do there, but now I'm here and I need to do EVERYTHING in my power to be the best missionary I can be and accomplish whatever I need to do here also. I mean it's also pretty cool right? Having two maps on my plaque. I am just really grateful for this past year. And grateful for all the people that encouraged me throughout the whole thing. Thank you so much! 

Well now on a more comical note.. We decided to ride our bikes the other day because it was sprinkling rain a little bit and we thought it would be fun. Little did we know, about 3 minutes into our bike ride, it started dumping buckets! I don't think I've ever been so wet in my life!! Sister Bentz and I couldn't help but laugh. I didn't want to make by baby cry in the first few weeks! It was really fun.. we definitely smelled interesting after that day though. I feel bad for those members that had us over to eat.. we just pretended that it was the dog or something. 

Thank you everyone for all the support! I love you all! 

Con amor, 

Hermana Hunt

Killing Chickens and Having a Baby

This week was a crazy, not normal, really fun week! 

 

Of course I picked up my baby! I'm a mom and it's a girl!! ..I guess that would  be really awkward if it wasn't a girl.. Anyway, her name is Sister Bentz and she is from California too! We got along the minute we met. 

 

 

 

I love training! Sometimes it is a little overwhelming because I feel a little inadequate, but I guess you just have to fake it til you make it. (Wonderful advice from my dad) Apparently it's working because we have found people and set baptismal dates with them every single day this week! It's been crazy!

Then one of our first actual days together we went to help with an eagle project, which was plating cactus.. cacti? Whatever. Let's just say we got poked by those little needle things EVERYWHERE. I had to use tweezers to get them out of Sister Bentz. It was quite the adventure.

Then the next day we did another service project! ..killing chickens. I am NEVER doing that again! Breaking necks and plucking feathers is definitely not my thing. I'm just going to cross that one off my bucket list and never look back.

Oh! And we had people come to church! We have been working with this one less active member. I met her when I first got here and it has been my GOAL to reactivate her. She has always just been really really nervous to go back. So my companion and I talked a lot about that quote about 20 seconds of courage. If we have 20 seconds of courage, we can accomplish anything! And guess what! SHE CAME! I almost cried when I saw her. It's all about having courage. Even if it only lasts for 20 seconds, you'll accomplish great things!

That's all for this week! I love you all!

Hermana Hunt :)

Feliz dia de los Padres...

This week was a great week! It always seems like the best weeks fly by right before your eyes. I started writing this email early so that I could actually write more than last time.

OH! Happy Father's Day to all the fathers and future fathers! I love you all! I hope you all had a great day:) And had breakfast in bed or something.

So I think I already mentioned part of this story, but I'm going to tell it again anyway..

A couple weeks ago, my district leader was really emphasizing talking to everyone on the streets. My companions and I have always been pretty good with that, but we wanted to try even harder. So we were walking down the street to an appointment and we were on bikes so we were worried that we were going to be late; but as we were walking to our bikes, we saw this guy washing his car. 100% OYM (open your mouth) right? So we decided to take a minute to talk to him and maybe give him a card. His name is Juan and we ended up teaching him and setting a baptismal date with him. He later told us how he had been praying just a couple days before because he didn't know what to do. He used to be atheist, but he knew there was a God, but he didn't even know what to do. Where to go. Where to even start. We taught him all the lessons and he was absolutely golden. No issues at all. Then on Saturday, the day before his baptism, we get a text from him asking is we could cancel the baptism. WHAT? We were on the complete opposite side of our area, but we headed straight over there. He was saying how he started to get nervous and have some doubts. We basically had to drop a spirit bomb on him. We testified, shared scriptures, and testified some more. Long story not so short.. Juan got BAPTIZED yesterday!! It was so amazing! He has such a great spirit. I am so excited for him! He will do great things. (I hope you caught that quote..) 

 

 

The symbol for Baptism...

Another exciting moment of the week.. I got a call Friday night from the APs that I'm TRAINING! I'll be the youngest trainer in the mission. I went to a training meeting with President Maluenda, it was so great! I learned so much! He is an awesome mission president. I have learned so much from him and Sister Maluenda. We have some AWESOME leaders in this mission. Oh man I'm so nervous to train. But I have an amazing companion right now that is helping me get ready! So this week will be really interesting. I'm soo excited! 

So it's starting to get hot. It's not even the hottest part of the summer, not even close and it's already 111 degrees, oh yes.. I am getting darker and sweating (ahem I mean sparkling) a lot!!

 

 

I love you! 

con amor, 

Hermana Hunt 

p.s. Send me a letter or a quick email! I would love to hear from you all!

Hello family and friends!

I'm sorry I literally have like 3 minutes left, so this one won't be long. 

 

But I'm doing great! It's getting hot as heck here.. but like I'm getting tanner so that's ok! 

 

I will start off with a picture showing my latest style. A member in the area passed away and they gave her clothes to the sisters here. Everyone looked in the box and said, this looks like Jennifer. Yeah so that is where I got the shirt and awesome fanny pack in this picture.. Yes I am styling!!

 

 

We are having a baptism next week! Juan!! We are so excited! He was asking us the other day how soon he can be baptized because he wants it SO badly.. so why not this week?? He's so ready! 

 

The work is progressing here so much! I've gained a huge testimony that it is because of obedience. Obedience is everything! Especially here on the mission! So..be obedient. That's all:) 

I love you all!! 

Con amor, 

Hermana Hunt :)

Yep I'm definitely in Texas

Hello! Nothing TOO exciting happened this week, but of course I still have something to say.. or at least I'll try.

This week was really good! We have been steadily teaching a lot of people. The weather is getting hotter by the second. But I'm actually getting a tan! So I don't mind too much. 

Oh shoot. First off.. HAPPY 1 year ANNIVERSARY to Kelsey and Matt! I can't believe a whole year ago you two were married. Do you still like each other? ..haha jokes. But for real this is nuts! I hope you both had a great day! 

Sister Perez and I have been walking like crazy! I love walking! I just feel so good, and it gives us some great opportunities to open our mouths and talk to people. Parents are you ready for this? You won't believe how much I've changed. I LOVE talking to people! I will run up to them on the other side of the street, no matter what they are doing. Yes I am still the same person that would make you order for me at restaurants.. But I honestly just have this crazy joy to share the gospel. I know that the benefits of talking to people outweighs the fears by so much! It is ALWAYS worth it to talk to people about the church. Yeah they might reject you.. but just imagine if they DON'T! Wow. Let's be like the sons of Mosiah and feel hurt by the thought of just ONE person not being able to reach salvation. We should want all of our brothers and sisters on this wonderful planet to know about the truths of this gospel. Yeah. Let's do that:) 

I hope you all have a great week! I love you! I want to hear from you! 

Con amor, 

Hermana Hunt :)