03-26-2012

Hermana's Hunt and Manami

Lizard Friends, they are Everywhere!

Good-bye to Hermana Green

Miriam and Franco

Hello Family and Friends!

Not a whole lot to write this week.  This transfer has been a rough one but it has flown by really fast, and I have learned A LOT!  Things are looking a lot better now.. we found a lot of really great people this week that are really ready to receive the gospel.  Although we still only had one investigator in church, things are looking up and we`re working closely with some people that can really progress. This week in my journal I have been writing down each night why this day of my mission was significant.  My whole week has changed... I don`t know if it`s just because of my attitude or because the work is really changing haha but I have started to recognize and value little miracles that happen every day.  The Lord is blessing us for our hard work, and we are learning a lot!  

Something special about today... well, it was exactly one year ago today (I think! haha) that I went to a post office in Provo to pick up a big fat white envelope that had `Sister Linsey Hunt` written on it. Yep... it was exactly one year ago that I found out that I would be leaving July 6th to serve for 18 months in a foreign land, in the grand mission ARGENTINA RESISTENCIA.  What an exciting time that was! I think about that day and all of the emotions I felt.  I am SO grateful to be here.  To be on a mission, as a representative of Jesus Christ, bringing the gospel to all of our Heavenly Father`s children here.  I know this is where I need to be in this moment.  I know that my call was inspired by God, and that I am doing exactly what I need to be doing right now! What an incredible experience this has been so far, and will continue to be for the next 9 months! 

Scripture of the week... 3 Nephi 2:1-2

 1 And it came to pass that thus passed away the ninety and fifth year also, and the people began to forget those ^asigns and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen—

 2 ^aImagining up some vain thing in their hearts, that it was wrought by men and by the power of the devil, to lead away and^bdeceive the hearts of the people; and thus did Satan get possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he did blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the doctrine of Christ was a ^cfoolish and a vain thing.

I highlighted a few things that stood out to me.  This is so true! I feel like this happens a lot.  I have been thinking a lot about the importance of the word REMEMBER.  Like it says here, the people started to FORGET the miracles that they had seen, and had started to disbelieve and justify... convincing themselves that the things that they had seen and the things that had happened weren`t really from God.  They lost their faith, because with time they FORGOT what they felt when they saw the miracles.  I always admire Joseph Smith when I think about the first vision.  He had to have had SO much faith to keep on going for all of that time after he received the first vision, because he had opposition coming from all sides, telling him that he was just crazy or that it was a dream or something he had imagined.  I`m sure from time to time he wondered to himself if he really saw what he really saw.  But in his account of the first vision he says `I  knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I couldn`t deny it`.  It is the same with us and our testimonies.  The times we have felt the spirit strongly, or felt the spirit witness to us that something is true.  Sometimes we question ourselves and wonder if we really felt what we felt, or if what we felt really was from God or was just something we imagined.  But we must always REMEMBER what we felt in that moment.  Because in that moment, we knew it was from God.  And if we knew in that moment, then nothing has changed.. it WAS from God, and will always be from God.  I really liked these scriptures because it really is important to remember all of the experiences that we have, and never lose faith in them, because they really are from God and they really are real witnesses from the Holy Ghost!

I hope you all have a fabulous week! Take care!

Hermanita Hunt

p.s. Happy birthday last week to my lovely cousin Nicole!! LOVE YOU SISTA! Also this week to Jenna Jean and Summer! Que tengan una semana maravillosa!! 

p.p.s. my companion says hello to everyone! :) 

3-19-2012

Hello Family and Friends!

Sorry for not writing a group email last week.  The work has been really slow but we´re pushing through it and working really hard to find some people that are ready to accept the gospel.  This week I just want to share a couple of scriptures I have been studying the past couple of weeks and my thoughts on them! :)

First- Helaman 5:40-41.   This is when Nephi and Lehi are thrown in prison, and the whole prison is surrounded by a thick cloud of darkness.  They were all confused and didn´t know what to do...

40 And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him: ^aWhat shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from overshadowing us?

 41 And Aminadab said unto them: You must ^arepent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have ^bfaith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and ^cAmulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you.

I liked this scripture because it applies so much to life... what do we do when we are stuck? What do we do when we feel like we are surrounded by a thick cloud of darkness and we can´t move? Cry unto the Lord, until we have faith in Christ.  Once we gain faith we see things clearly, the thick cloud is removed and we are able to move forward.  Sometimes it´s not easy to have faith... when that is the case, we must endure and cry unto the Lord until we gain the faith to finally move and make a change.

Second- Helaman 13:25-26.  This talks about having faith in the prophets and following them

 25 And now when ye talk, ye say: If our days had been in the days of our ^afathers of old, we would not have ^bslain the prophets; we would not have stoned them, and cast them out.

 26 Behold ye are worse than they; for as the Lord liveth, if a^aprophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your ^bsins and iniquities, ye are ^cangrywith him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him; yea, you will say that he is a ^dfalse ^eprophet, and that he is a sinner, and of the devil, because he ^ftestifieth that your deeds are evil.

I love this scripture.  It´s so true... so many people say ´well if I lived during the time of Christ, of course I would follow Him!  If I lived during the old times, of course I would follow the prophets´ but are not willing to follow His prophets today.  What is the difference?  I think sometimes we read the scriptures and think ´well they just knew... of course they knew he was a prophet´.  But it was the same as today!  It all depends on the faith of each person.  When we don´t take the counsel of the prophets seriously, it is a lack of faith on our part that they are really prophets of God.  With conference coming up, I challenge you all to pay close attention to everything the servants of God are saying to us, and take it seriously and really live it.  Just as in the scriptures, through the mouths of the prophets are the words of God.  What a wonderful opportunity we have to receive modern revelation today, and receive new ´scriptures´ every 6 months!

Third- Helaman 15:17. This is Samuel preaching to the Nephites and he says:

 17 And now behold, saith the Lord, concerning the people of the Nephites: If they will not repent, and observe to do my will, I will utterly ^adestroy them, saith the Lord, because of their unbelief notwithstanding the many mighty works which I have done among them; and as surely as the Lord liveth shall these things be, saith the Lord. 

I highlighted the part that I really like.  The Nephites denied the truth, even though they saw so many miracles and might works.  I think so often it is so easy to not notice the mighty works and miracles that are happening each day in our lives.  Sometimes we are so quick to lose faith and to doubt, so quick to look at the glass half empty instead of half full, and we deny all of the wonderful blessings and miracles our Heavenly Father is giving us each day!  The work has been really slow and it´s been a difficult couple of weeks, but I am realizing more and more that how the work goes depends more than anything on MY attitude.  Just as it is with life.  One of my companions Hna. Green always talked about this talk she read that said life really is not like a roller coaster, but more like a train track with 2 sides... good and bad.  There are always good and bad going on in our lives, every day.  How we feel and how we are doing depends on which side we are paying attention to.  Maybe at times it is easier to see the good, or easier to see the bad, but what matters is that there are always both and if we want to be happy we have to learn how to search for the good... even in times when it seems to hardly exist.  I have only written in my journal once since I´ve gotten here in my new area, because I kept thinking ´eh.. there´s not really anything to write!´.  I decided yesterday that every day in my journal I am going to write ´this day in my mission was significant because...´ and write something about the day that changed me, or changed someone else.  As  it is in the mission is as it is in life... the time flies by so fast that we hardly realize when a year has passed by.  Take advantage of every day!  Each day is different and unique and significant, and there is definitely miracles to be seen in every day.  

I hope everyone is doing well!! Sorry I´m not able to respond to everyone super quick.  I can´t believe how fast this transfer is already flying by... the past 3 weeks have been a blur and I can´t believe we are already in week 4 of the transfer!  In just a few weeks my companion will go home and I´ll get a new one.  So crazy how fast the time flies by!  I hope everyone is taking advantage of each day, and taking advantage of the wonderful blessings of the gospel each day.  I have a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon that it really is the word of God and by continuously reading it each day, we will gain the help and strength we need to always press forward and become more and more like Christ.

I love you all so much! Thanks for your constant love and support! :) Have a fabulous week!

--Hermanita Hunt

p.s. more pics next week that I don´t have time to send right now... I´ll explain these ones next week too!

2-27-2012

Sorry Linsey, I didn't get this e-mail posted with everything going on with Grandma!

Buen Dia!                                                                                                                    2-27-2012

Well... I got transferred! I´m no longer in Lavalle, or Posadas, or Misiones! I got transferred to the other side of the mission, to the Province Formosa, and my area is in the capital Formosa in Parque. My companion´s name is Hermana Mamani, and she is so awesome! She was in my district my first 2 transfers in the mission and was the trainer of Hermana Michaud who was in the mtc with me, so I already know her. It´s a big change but things are good!  A few awkwards and awesomes for the week...

AWKWARDS INCOMODOS Y CHISTOSOS

·         finding out at 11pm Tuesday night about the transfer, then finding out at midnight that we had to be in the terminal in an hour and a half to catch the bus and head out to Resistencia. You bet I packed as fast as I ever have! Hermana Green is training so she had to go to Resistencia too and we seriously ran with my heavy suitcases to the terminal.  My whole body was sore the next day! It was the best work out I´ve gotten on the mission, haha.  Then for the 4 hour bus ride to Resistencia I wrote in my companion´s journal and wrote letters to people in my area for her to give to them.  Didn´t really get any sleep that night... haha. From 2:00 am to 6:00 am we were on the bus and then again from 9:00 am to 12:00 I was on another bus to Formosa. Sadly I didn´t have time to call or see anyone before I left :( :( Ohhh the mission!

·         this week we have talked to a few interesting people.. haha. The other day we had a lesson with a member and we were talking about fasting and she told this huge story about how she was fasting and she ate one bite of meat and God punished her and gave her this big head ache for days and all of this stuff. Luckily my companion is really great and explained afterwards that it was really great that she learned a lesson but that God doesn´t really punish us like that when we don´t keep the commandments, haha.  We also found an 80 year old member who can´t go to church because of his health.  He talked for FOREVER, and shared pretty much everything he knows and his testimony, and told us all about how great of a member he was, haha. It was great... gotta love those viejitos :)

·         This may be too much info... hahah, but our toilet seat in my new apartment is broken and the top part isn´t attached to the toilet. So every time I use it I´m scared it´s going to slide off and I´m going to fall! Yeah.. that´s fun :)...

·         being asked right before sacrament meeting to give a talk in my new branch.  It was either that or teach the gospel doctrines class by myself to a whole bunch of members I don´t know yet... I chose to speak, haha.

AWESOMES

·         my new area! Although I miss my old area and all the people A TON, I know I was supposed to be transferred and I really like this area.  It´s really pretty and it´s a lot smaller than my old area so we never take the bus which is great because I´m going to save a ton of money!  Also, we live right behind the President and his wife (who are a young couple... they are super down to earth, funny, awesome and fun!) and they do our laundry each week because they have a washing machine and they always bring us food and stuff at night. Super awesome! Also, our apartment is the only apartment in the mission that has air conditioning! (so I hear at least.. if it´s not true, it´s at least one of the very few that have it) so that´s super nice too

·         my companion Hna. Mamani is so awesome! She is the cutest little Argentine you have ever seen, hahah (and I finally have a Latina companion! Sheesh.. por fin!).  She is from the province Jujuy up here in northern Argentina by the border of Bolivia. This is her last transfer in the mission so we´ll only have one transfer together :( but so far it´s been awesome together.  She is a hard worker and has a very strong testimony.  She is also very charitable, loving, and caring.  She is always telling me I need to wear my sombrero to protect my head and I need to wear gloves when I clean and everything... a typical Argentine, they worry about all of the silliest things hahaha. No but she is super awesome and I´m really happy to be with her!

·         the branch members here are awesome!  The people... well, a little bit more cold-hearted than they were in my last area.  We get rejected a lot and people are very stuck to their ways here, but the members are super awesome and are always willing to accompany us in lessons and stuff.  We are working on finding better ways to find people rather than just clapping doors, such as references and inactives, etc.  I´m sure things will start looking up soon and we´ll find some good investigators to progress!

·         another good thing about being here is that I already know most of the hermanas here. Hermana Mamani my companion I know from my old district, also Hermana Juarez is in my district (woohoo!!), she was in my zone in posadas and we were in trios a whole bunch of times there.  Also, Hermana Mondaca who arrived with me in the mission is in my zone and Hermana Blatter who was in the mtc with me was in my zone.  Super awesome!! I am super excited to get to work with all of them

Well, that´s about it for this week!  I decided I should probably start sharing more spiritual thoughts in my letters or a scripture of the week, so here goes... a few things I have been learning about this week!

One thing I realized this week is with the letter ´C´... I found a whole bunch of words and topics in the gospel that are all essential to the plan of salvation and all start with the letter C:

commandments

covenants

conversion

consecration

charity

choice

change

Christ

pretty cool, right? Think about each one of these.  The plan of salvation couldn´t exist if one was missing.  One that I wanna focus in is Conversion.  A few points I learned in True to the Faith are:

·         conversion is to be changed through the power of the Savior´s atonement and through the Holy Ghost

·         it is a process, not an event

·         it is a quiet miracle... something that we may not even notice is happening

·         the characteristics of someone who is converted or in the process of conversion are

·         they have a desire to do good

·         they do not rebel against the Lord (no disposition to do evil)

·         they share the gospel

·         they are filled with love

·         each person has the primary responsibility for their own conversion

·         and most importantly... like it always says in the scriptures, those who are converted receive ´exceedingly great joy´... which is the deep incredible feeling that only the gospel can give us!

I love learning about conversion and I love recognizing my own conversion that is taking place every day that I learn and experience more of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I love that it is our own responsibility... which is so true! It´s not going to come just by going to church each week... but by really searching, really studying, and really having a desire to be converted.  And most important of all, it is SO worth it.  It is worth every second of work to gain a testimony and even furthermore, be converted, because you really do receive that exceeding joy that nothing else in the world can give you.  I challenge you all to continue to or start if you haven´t already working on your own conversions!  The more work you put in, the more joy you receive... definitely something I have learned so far on my mission.  The gospel is so incredible and I´m so grateful to be here!  Thanks for all of your love and support!

--Hermanita Hunt

P.s. shout out to Luke and Creager this week! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Hope it was fabulous! Also another thing I forgot to mention... my new area is an old area of my trainer Hermana Payne! It seems like a lot of the hermanas end up serving in the same areas... in this area and my last area both me and Hermana Payne served, as well as 3 or 4 other Hermanas that I have heard of that were here before I got in the mission.  So crazy how that

3-5-12

 Hey family and friends-
This week I want to share an entry from my journal.  This was written on Saturday March 3rd.

Today I found out that Grandma Meyer passed away this week.  We were just about to head out the door and PResident called.  Hermana Mamani answered and then handed me the phone.  We were both pretty confused (I thought for a split second about Grandma but pushed it out of my head because she had been doing better this week so I hoped for the better).  I knew right when he said ´I´m going to speak to you in english´ that it was about Grandma.  He told me that my dad had called him and told him that she had another stroke and passed away this Thursday.  He said a lot of other things but I don´t really remember... I was all shoked up and couldn´t really say anything but ´yeah... thanks President´ as I sat down.  We hung up the phone and I sat and cried.  My sweet companion Hermana Mamani comforted me and hugged me.  President told me that I could take the afternoon and stay in if I wanted.  I thought about it, but thought about what Grandma would want me to do and I know she would want me to be out working.  She served 2 missions with Grandpa... I know she had a great testimony of missionary work and would always be wanting me to do my best and work my hardest, so we went out and worked.  It´s weird... it doesn´t seem real that she´s gone.  I have been fasting each week for her and praying every day for a miracle, but I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for us and she has fulfilled everything she needed to do in this life.  I am so grateful for every letter I have received from her on my mission--each one is special and precious to me.  In every single one she always ended with her testimony of the Savior.  She had such a strong testimony and I am so grateful for her example in the gospel.  I really appreciate all of the support she always gave me... making sure to be there at my high school graduation, my endowment, my farewell, and my setting apart.  I have so many memories at the old house on main street in smithfield.  Sitting outside and chatting, going up for Christmas each year, sleeping over with Julie when we were little and eating nilla wafers and watching berenstein bears.  I specifically remember Grandma´s house being the place I felt the most safe when I was little. I remember telling my friends in junior high how stylish my grandma was because she wore capri´s.  And of course I will never forget her purple feet :).  I loved all of her homemade cards that she made on the computer.  So many memories at the family reunions at Bear Lake, and Sunday ham and rolls at the old house.  Also, the picture I took of her and Grandpa for my film class at BYU.  When I was developing it in the dark room everyone commented on it and said it was the cutest old couple :).  I am so grateful for the example grandma set as a wife, a mother, and a member of the church. Serving 2 missions and always serving in the church and sharing her testimony has really influenced me.  I also have been really influenced by her love for music.  It has been such a huge part of my life and I got my musical genes from her.  I will always try and honor her by always staying involved in music and sharing my talents.  She has also motivated me to be a better missionary and fully dedicate myself to the Lord.  I have been studying lately about how when we are baptized we take upon us the name of Christ and we carry his name with us.  We must honor his name in all we do and be worthy to carry it, or we will lose it.  On my nametag is written my family name and Christ´s name--2 names to remind me every day who I represent.  The other day I was reading in Helaman 5. Versus 6-8 talk about this carrying of a name. Helaman is talking to his sons Nephi and Lehi, and says:

 6 Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first aparents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were bgood.

 7 Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them.

 8 And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves aatreasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that bprecious gift of eternal life, which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers.

My middle name is Karren--which is Grandma´s maiden name.  I also carry her name.  I am privileged and honored to carry it, so that I can remember her good works and do my best to live up to them.  My greatest desire is to strive each day to be a better disciple of Christ, so that one day, it can be said and written and remembered of me-my good works, as it is with my grandma.  Not so I can boast, but so I can make it there--make myself a place in the celestial kingdom.  Since I´ve been on my mission I have really regretted not getting to know my grandparents better and my biggest plan for hen I get home was to spend more time with them and interview them and write their life histories.  I have thought about it my whole mission and have been really excited about it.  I can´t wait for the day when I will meet with my grandma again and we will talk for hours as she tells me all about her life and experiences, and everything she has learned.  I´m so grateful for the life of my grandma and the example she set for my mom, for my family, and for me.  I miss her already and I can´t imagine Grandpa or the family without her.  But I know she is with us and will be with me every day on my mission and in my life as I strive to be more like Christ every day and live up to the example she set--carrying and honoring her name and His in everything I do.

I love you Grandma

¨Hasta ver, hasta ver, hasta vernos con el Rey, hasta ver, hasta ver, para siemple Dios esté con vos.¨ 

If you could all please keep my family in your prayers at this time, it would be greatly appreciated.  Especially my grandma, and my mom and her siblings.  Have a great week!

--Hermana Hunt

2-20-2012

I know, the picture at the wedding is really cute. Don´t they look SUPER happy? hahaha. Love Argentines in photos... (also please notice how well Argentines take pictures [the one of me and hermana green and ramona].. haha)

1 and 2-me with some of my favorite people on the planet! Hermana Gutierrez, Alicia, and Fernanda

My first official wedding cake! hahaha. not the cutest thing in the world. but hey... they all loved it and said it tasted really good!

Us being cute missionaries walking down a street in argentina :)

Hermana Green´s birthday! I put signs up all over our apartment with nice creative sayings and poems, haha.  A nice cute picture smiling

 and a nice weird awkward picture :)

some pictures from the wedding and baptism...

2-20-2012

Hola Todo!
How is everyone? Well well... a few major events happened this week. Here goes...

Wednesday: Hermana Green´s birthday! I put signs all over our apartment with cheesy sayings and little poems and inside jokes and stuff.. haha, I think she liked it.  I even made her a birthday crown! Look at me, so creative.  (thanks mom for your creative genes)  It wasn´t much... but it was something!

]-->Friday: Well, as if I wasn´t embarrassed enough last week falling down the stairs of the bus, I just HAD to have another great bus experience this week... only it was worse!  We were on this bus and it was packed full of people.  So of course everyone is just sweating and miserable because it´s so hot and humid and everyone is super close together.  Well, these bus drivers here are CRAZY, they break and go super fast and you basically have to be holding on with both hands if you don´t want to fall over.  So I´m holding my backpack on one shoulder and my other hand is holding on to the bar because there was nowhere else to hold on and we´re in the back of the bus so I´m by the door and my back is facing the back row of bus seats which were all full of people.  The bus of course does some crazy thing... I don´t know if he hit a ditch or just broke really fast or what, but I felt myself falling backwards and basically there was nothing I could do because there was no where for my other hand to grab other than onto a person! So I just tried my hardest to not fall and.. it didn´t work.  I fell COMPLETELY backward, I was almost sitting down/laying on the people behind me, and some guy beneath me sticks his hand out and pushes my back so I can stand back up. Hahaha, ohhh poor guy had to touch my sweaty back and push me up so I didn´t crush his family. hahahaha Hermana Green was laughing SO hard, and don´t you worry, I definitely got the whole back of the bus laughing. Ayyyy que vergüenza.... 

Friday afternoon/night: RAMONA AND LUCAS GOT MARRIED AND RAMONA GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!! Wow. Best day of the mission. Ever. I love them so much.  This baptism was a really big deal for me for many reasons... first of all, Ramona was one of the first people I really got attached to here.  Hermana Payne and I found her about 2 or 3 weeks into my time here in Argentina, so I have been there with her since day one through all of the ups and down.  Also, she´s been waiting for 5 months now for this to happen.  After going through MANY trials and obstacles, we finally made it to marriage/baptism day and everything went smoothly.  I don´t know how many times she had told us that that was her dream... to get married, get baptized, and have her family move forward in the church.  And now it´s finally happening! :) Also... it was my lucky number 7 baptism! And possibly my last baptism in Lavalle (or possibly not! We´ll see what happens with transfers this week).  So yeah... it was a really great day.  I am SO happy for Ramona and for Lucas.  We asked him about baptism the other day as well and he wants to be baptized and will be baptized within a couple of weeks now.  Also, Lorena is returning to the house today.  Wow milagros!! I am so so happy for them and SO happy that I was able to stay this transfer and be here for all of this stuff to happen.  This is a family that has totally changed my life and will always have a part of my heart!

Bueno... that´s about it! Transfers are this week so we´ll see what happens! I now have almost 6 months in this area (my first area) but I know there are a lot of hermanas who stay in one area for longer than that... so we´ll see we´ll see! I´m sure I will be happy with whatever happens.  I hope everyone has a fabulous week!! LOS QUIERO! Besitos

--Hermanita Hunt