Week 26: "It's a small world after all..."

¡Familia y Amigos!
 
Now that you have that beautiful song stuck in your head let me
explain my reasoning:
 
TRANSFERS:  So, I stayed in my area and at the Visitor Center! And out
of all the sisters in our whole mission, my new companion is...
(Drumroll).... HERMANA (Lauren) OLDROYD FROM MESA, AZ!!! Who would of
thought a year and a half ago when we threw our caps in the air at
graduation that we would be serving together as companions!?  Hermana
Oldroyd and I have been so blessed and have already seen many miracles
together! Oh and did I mention we also live with Sister Helmbold and
her companion? So it really is a small world after all! :)
 
Fun and joking aside, this has been one of the most miracle filled
weeks thus far on my mission! Sister Oldroyd and I have been able to
jump right into the work and we are so blessed to work together so
easily! She's an incredible hard worker and she loves the people so
much! I can't wait to see all the wonderful things I will learn from
her this transfer!
 
So we have had the craziest schedule and the first time we actually
got to go out in our area and do things was Monday night. One of the
biggest things I have come to learn while serving at the Visitor
Center is that if we utilize our time wisely, the Lord will make so
much more of our time than we ever could! We on average get about 2
solid hours in our area everyday, which is why we get one day a week
when we are only in our area and not at the Visitor Center. But if we
effectively plan those 2 hours, He will help us see miracles! This
truly is His work, and as we respect and remember that, He truly
blessed us!
 
2.0
Doctrine and Covenants 123:17
"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things
that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost
assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be
revealed."
 
How beautiful is the phrase 'let us cheerfully do all things that lie
in our power'? Sometimes we feel like there is so much impossible in
front of us, but I know that if we do all we can, the Lord truly will
give us the tools and means to accomplish anything that is asked of
us. So I would invite all of you to focus more this week on the things
that you CAN do rather than what you can't do. I know that as you try
to look for things you can do, you will begin to realize that there
really is a lot that you can do and you will be able to have a happier
outlook in your day to day life.
 
Well I love you all so much! As always I am so blessed by all of your
support and prayers! I hope you all have a week full of miracles!
 
¡Abrazos y Oraciones!
 
Sister/Hermana Hunt

Week 25: "For behold, I have refined thee."

¡Familia y Amigos!
 
Wow! Time out here on the mission goes by so fast! This week is
transfer week, and we find out tonight where we are going. Can't
believe it's already been 6 weeks! But none the less that means my
P-day will get changed to Thursday, Tuesday or Monday. I think it will
probably be Monday because I think I'm leaving the visitor center and
going back out full pros this transfer, but as I have come to know
transfers are always crazy and that's how we know they're inspired!
This is the Lords work!
 
But this week was incredible! We found 4 new investigators and we are
so excited! We found two of them yesterday, and it was the first time
Hna Delgado and I taught in English (not counting dinner with members)
all transfer! Andrea I am sorry I ever doubted your faith for me to
speak Spanish! I hope you know God is definitely answering your
prayers!
 
We also had a dinner that was hosted by the Independence Stake for the
missionaries and it was so good! I truly feel so blessed to be serving
here in this area! The people have a vision of missionary work and how
the gospel has blessed them and it truly shows! The Visitor Center
sisters did a set of music (I'll try to send a couple of the videos
home) and I love how powerfully music can bring the spirit and how
strongly I can feel it when we all sing together!
 
Well this week I feel prompted to be very personal with you all for my
2.0 So I hope sharing my experience will help strengthen whom ever
this is for. I love you all!
 
2.0
In 1 Nephi 20:10 it says: "For, behold, I have refined thee, I have
chosen thee in the furnace of affliction."
 
This transfer I have truly been blessed to see how the Lord has been
refining me and that He still chooses us in our personal 'furnace of
affliction'. Most of you don't know but, I have been struggling with
anxiety for the last 4.5 months. It has been the hardest trial I have
probably ever had to go through in my 19 years. I have spent many
nights crying and wondering if I would ever be able to see any hopes
of getting better. In fact my hopes for getting better grew smaller
and smaller as more and more changes brought more fears, but this
transfer I have been able to slowly go up hill. I have been able to
develop a very personal relationship with my Savior and come to more
fully understand His atonement as He helps me somedays from minute to
minute. I know He is there and that He can succor us. I have also come
to know of the power of prayer. Heavenly Father is there. He listens,
He cares, and He will never give us anything we can't handle. I have
been able to grow so much and accomplish many things among the hard
days, but more than anything I have been able to learn to be grateful.
I'm grateful for trials and for the opportunity to be humble, to grow
closer to the Savior, and ultimately learn and grow to become who
Heavenly Father needs me to be. I know that trials are not simply
taken from us, but I do know that if we yoke ourselves to the Savior,
He can make our burdens lighter and easier to bear, day by day, until
we will overcome it all. I know He lives and I am so grateful for all
He has done for each of us. May we take his out stretched hands is my
humble prayer, In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
 
Hope you all have a week full of miracles!
 
¡Abrazos y Oraciones!
 
Sister/Hermana Hunt

Week 24: Where are You Investigators, Why Can't We Find You?

¡Familia y Amigos!

This week was a crazy week! It was full of drop talks (a talk you give to people when they don't keep commitments we give them) referrals, cold, thanksgiving and all mission conference (I got my package there!) and it was all amazing!

We ate dinner with a family from the ward and it was really nice! Feel so blessed to have people who are willing to let us join their family and friends!

The title this week is based off the Christmas number 'Where are You Christmas?' and was given because this week we had to drop all of our investigators who were on date, because none of them have come to church and they are not keeping their commitments. It is is really hard to drop people, but "the field is white ready to harvest" so we just have to find those who are ready to receive the gospel!

All mission conference: WOW! It was so awesome to be together as a whole mission! We had some really incredible trainings about the Book of Mormon and Sabbath day observance, and I got a lot of revelation for how I can personally use both of those things to be a more effective missionary! Then we had lunch and skits from all the zones in the mission, and then President Best introduced the 'A Savior is Born' campaign. What an incredible way for all of us to share our testimony of the savior and help remember why we celebrate this season! I would invite all of you to watch the video if you haven't already, and then share it to your Facebook with your t stoking of the savior. I know that it will increase your testimony of the importance of a savior, and help you feel the true meaning of Christmas. 

2.0

During our training for the Book of Mormon, we were given an invitation to read 6 pages of the Book of Mormon everyday and were promised that if we did for the rest of our lives, we would NEVER fall off the path, and that we would be able to listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. I felt the spirit testify to me that that is true. I have now committed to read 6 pages everyday, and I know that if you do so those same promises are yours. May we all strive to gain a stronger conversion to the Book of Mormon.

Well I love you all and I am looking forward to this new week full of finding! I am so grateful for your prayers and love! 

Hope you have a week full of Miracles!

¡Abrazos y Oraciones!

Sister/Hermana Hunt

Week 23: Exchanges and Holidays Galore!

¡Familia y Amigos!

Wow this week was awesome! 

We went on exchanges on Saturday and it was absolutely incredible! Love that I get to learn from so many missionaries! I went out of the area to Northern Kansas City with Sister Muñoz, and it was awesome! We saw so many miracles and I learned a lot! Hna. Delgado and Hna. Rollins were able to reach all of our goals we set for the week in our area! It was awesome! We had 3 people lined up for church, our last goal, and none of them ended up coming, which was pretty sad, but we will try again this week!

We set up all the Christmas decorations at the Visitor Center this week and also pulled out  decorations for the house we live in, and Christmas music was approved to listen to! I love Christmas, crazy that it is so close!

Well I don't have much time left except for a 2.0

This week I just want to bear my testimony about charity. Charity is 'the pure love of Christ' (Mormoni 7:47), and it is should be something we are all praying and working to develop. I know when we have charity we are much happier and can look beyond ourselves and see how we can love others and view them through Heavenly Fathers eyes. May we all strive to be more charitable as we go through our days!

I love you all so much and hope you have a week full of miracles!

¡Abrazos y Oraciones!

Sister/Hermana Hunt

So weird wearing pants!

Week 22: When the Cougars Come to Zion

¡Familia y Amigos!

Wow! Another week come and gone! time is seriously crazy out here as a missionary! I feel like I just barley wrote my last email but this week was awesome! 

For starters, Im sure you're wondering about the title and let me start off with a little history. In the two years the saints were here in Jackson County Missouri after the prophet received revelation that Independence would be the center place of Zion about 1200 saints settled around independence. We Saturday there was a BYU vs MSU game and on Friday we had about 350-400 guests at the Visitor Center, but Saturday we had 1376 people come to the visitor Center and was NUTS! We had jokingly said we wanted the saints to gather to Zion, and we got more that we thought! In the summer on one of the highest days they had about 800 people come and usually there's tour buses and things scheduled so they have a general idea of how many people, and when they would be there, Saturday we had no clue! It was the most amazing experience taking 30 people on history presentations and just SO many people all coming in at once! It was incredible! Hna. Delgado and I had been on shift all morning and ended up staying an extra hour after shift change to help explain the system to the Sisters who were just coming on, but it was so awesome to be able to help all those people feel the spirit of the visitor center before they went to the game! It's truly such a privilege to bear my testimony about the history here and about this gospel everyday! Then that night Our Branch President  asked if I could sing in church, he asked me the first week I was here if I had any talents and Hna Delgado told him I sing and play the piano and so one if the Elders in our ward sight read the music and I sang Sunday at church, so it was a crazy day!

We have another investigator that we invited to be baptized and she accepted! We are still determining her date, but she is awesome! This area has so many prepared people and it is truly a blessing to be serving here! All of our investigators speak Spanish, and Hna. Delgado told me that this week it is now my turn to take the lead in the lessons so wish me luck!

2.0

My 2.0 this week is just my simple testimony that I know this is Christ's church and I know it is true. I know that He is the Savior of the world and that through His atonement we can change. I know we are never alone, that our Heavenly Father sends us the people we need in our lives when we need them, and I know that He has so much trust in us and gives us all opportunities to be the person who can bless the lives of those we interact with. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. It has changed my life and I get to see it change lives everyday. I know this gospel is true with all of my heart and love nothing more than sharing it with those I get the chance to meet.

I hope you all have a week full of miracles!

Abrazos y Oraciones 

Sister/Hermana Hunt

Practicing a musical number!

Planning for the week!

Week 21: There's Power in Simplicity

¡Familia y Amigos!

This week was awesome! 

We had a full proselyting day this week where we had the whole day in our area and we aren't on shift at the Visitor Center, and we saw SO many miracles! We found 6 new investigators and were able to contact 17 people! It was incredible! We also had a baptism of one our less active families daughters! She was so excited! And it was awesome!

We had stake conference this week and Elder David S. Baxter was the 70 that came, and he had some super powerful words to share! It was awesome! He talked a lot about testimonies and reminded us that a testimony is the feelings and beliefs that you  know to be true and invited to keep our testimonies to 2 minutes or less on fast Sunday. Good reminder again that the gospel is simple :)

I don't have much time this week to write because I didn't realize how late it was, so 2.0 time

2.0

There is literally no sweeter joy than being a missionary! I love that my responsibility everyday is to invite people to come unto Christ and share a message with them that will change their life forever. Speaking Spanish has been a very humbling experience as I don't know many words, and I still don't speak very well, Elder Baxter made a comment that was an answer to my prayers, he said 'some of the most powerful testimonies are in the simple truths of the gospel'. I don't know much, but I do know the simple truths of this gospel are very powerful. No matter how simple your testimony is, it has the power to change someone's life forever. Don't be afraid to share it.

I hope you all have a week full of miracles!

Abrazos y Oraciones

Hermana/Sister Hunt

Week 20: Soy Hermana Hunt, again!

¡Familia y Amigos! 

This week was crazy! So transfers happened. I am still serving in the Visitor Center, just in a different ward, and with a new companion, Hermana Delgado! She's from Texas and she also came out with me! The branch we are serving in is about 45% Spanish and almost all of our investigators are Spanish so I'm trying really hard to learn as much as I can and hopefully quickly also. But the sisters here at the visitor center, basically just rotated companions. Out of the 19 sisters 17 are still the same, CRAZY! 

So my first night in the area we went to a lesson with one of our investigators who's on date and her husband was home and apparently this is the first time he has been there also. We taught the plan of salvation and we invited him to be baptized and he accepted! So both of them are scheduled to be baptized December 5th! Pretty exciting! And what an incredible experience.

We also were out finding in our area, just last night, and we were looking for a less active that we were visiting last minute because no one was home and we had like 10 minutes ,and the address didn't exist! So we were walking down the street and stopped in front of this house and we both looked at each other and asked if we should go stop by, and then these two little yippy dogs come charging at us and the people came running outside and we ended up giving them a pamphlet and we are going to see them later this week! Miracles miracles!

So this area is going to be a great adventure, and I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for it!

2.0

This week there was a Presidents Devotional, where recent converts come and bare their testimonies, and our recent convert form my last ward bore her testimony, and after she got down one of the Elders sang an arrangement of 'How Great Thou Art' and the last verse really struck me. "When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation, And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart! Then I shall bow in humble adoration And there proclaim 'My God, how great thou art'". What wonderful words, and what a wonderful promise! There will come a day when all of the trials and struggles and hardships will all seem so little an effort to be able to return back and live with Heavenly Father and the Savior. So my realization is this: Keep going. President Eyring once said 'As hard as things may seem this day, they will be better the next day.' I know that's true. Turn to the Savior and he will give you the strength that you will need.

Love you all and I hope you have a week full of miracles!

¡Abrazos y Oraciones!

Sister/Hermana Hunt