Happy in Lewisville

February 10, 2015

Dear Friends and Family,

Last Tuesday I was transferred to Lewisville,TX.   It is right on the border of our mission (again, seems they love to do this to me) and it is very similar to Frisco and Plano where I served before.  

My new companion is Elder Sorensen, from Fillmore, Utah and he has been on his mission for three months - soon to be four. Our ward mission leader is Brother Larsen, who I formerly knew as Elder Larsen, the Texas Dallas Mission vehicle coordinator. The man who called y'all to let y'all know where I am is Brother Loschen, one very dedicated ward missionary. 

We are on bikes here in this area which I am glad of. Coming back into the metroplex reminds me once again that Dallas is not Texas but a piece of California that was picked up and dropped right next to Fort Worth. Yesterday at church many ward members reacted in many different ways once they heard me talk! 

Last night we had the great blessing of teaching Tristan and Isabelle, both friends of a girl in this ward.  They both have come to church in our ward many times and both are very interested in learning more. However, they both live in the Fort Worth mission so we will be having them get in contact with those missionaries and have them taught by the proper missionaries. Nevertheless, they are both prepared and received the lesson very well.

 

Our mission is begining an initative to focus on family history work as a way to bring less actives back to activity, keep our converts, and hastening the gathering of the elect. We have been asked as part of this to ask y'all (my family) for any stories, photos, or other family history y'all know. Turning our hearts to our ancestors helps people think on an eternal perspective, not just here and now. Using this will add power and meaning to our teaching of the doctrine of eternal families and temple work. So if yall have any interisting stories, names, photos yall could share with me that would help immensely!

 

I am so happy to be here in Lewisville - this is where I need to be right now! I hope that each one of y'all are happy where you are. God leads us and guides us so that we can do good and bring to pass much righteousness - as long as we are willing to follow his direction. Even a flat tire on a bike or a car can lead to you meeting people you can uplift or share the gospel with. Difficult cirumstances or frustrating setbacks can lead to spiritual growth if we work to over come them. No matter what happens, the Lord has promised that all things shall be for our benefit.

 

Love,

-Elder Hunt

A Jewel in the Crown of Blessings

February 3, 2015

Hello,

This Monday morning I found out that I will be transferred tomorrow morning. I do not find out where I am being transferred to or who I will be companions with until tomorrow morning. I am sad to leave Henderson, I feel as if I just arrived here and now I am so soon leaving it behind. I will miss Elder Witkowski - he has been an excellent companion.   

If it were up to me I would that I might stay longer, but the Lord has more wisdom than I. Wherever I have found myself, whatever has happened to me, all things have been for my benefit as long as I learn from them. I know that the missionary the Lord brings into Henderson is who is needed at this time, and I too am now needed elsewhere. So long as I can continue in doing God's will, it doesn't matter where He sends me. 

I'll admit when I opened up my mission call to Texas it took me off guard. I wasn't exactly excited at the prospect of spending two years in Dallas. It was rather ignorant and immature of me to feel that way; serving here has been a jewel in the crown of blessings God has placed upon my head. 

Over the past two weeks Elder Witkowski and I have seen many miracles, events that many would dismiss as coincidence or luck. I know that we have been led by the hand of God. Elder Witkowski and I have a solid investigator now! He is a man by the name of Matthew, who has kept the commitment to read and seek God's direction in regard to the Book of Mormon. It is amazing to see the Spirit of God work in the hearts of people, but there are many outside pressures against those promptings. Matthew nearly didn't meet with us last Saturday and was about to send us away, but changed his mind. We were able to meet and Elder Witkowski was able to share his perspective and some of his story as a convert from Catholicism. Truly this is the Lord's work, for without the Holy Spirit it would be impossible.

Yesterday at church was a wonderful experience for me, especially now given that I know I will be leaving. Several people bore testimony who never had before. One of the youth bore his testimony and invited the other youth to also bear testimony, saying that it wasn't only for adults. In gospel principles class we taught about the fast and fasting with a purpose. One of the sisters had never even heard of fasting with a purpose! We have been having wayside members coming back to activity - slowly. 

All in all it's just like you taught me, Fadre: "leave it better than you found it." 

I am so grateful for all I have learned here in Henderson, I am so glad of all the Lord has taught me on my mission. Now I must be changed by it. It is easy to hear of Christ and see His influence and understand His Gospel but how about go and become like Christ? I'm still working on it and will be, until God tells me I am perfected in Christ, having any particle of desire for sin uprooted out of me. I write boldly on this computer but the man typing these words is just a nineteen year old kid. 

I could not amount to such aspirations on my own. It is impossible, I have many weaknesses and faults to overcome. Nevertheless I know that through my Savior, Lord, and Redeemer all of humanity can be changed, transformed from evil to righteousness and from hate to love. We can't change others but we can with Jesus' grace and atonement change ourselves- and just as a softer metal cannot cut a harder metal, we must become strong in the faith of Christ for God to use us as a tool in His hands to help shape or influence others. We must first be changed to change others. That is completely within our power to accomplish. So it all starts with you and me. And that's why I feel I need to follow Jesus Christ.

My family I love you,

Elder Hunt

Being Sanctified

January 26, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

I want to take the opportunity to share what I have been learning.

I have been caught up with the word and concept of Sanctified and Sanctification for what feels like a few weeks now. Thought I would share a little of what I have learned.

In 3 Nephi 27:20 the Savior says, "Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day."

Jesus here challenges us to change what we want and what we do. He invites us by a commandment to repent, to be baptized and to get the gift of the Holy Ghost. If we choose to follow Him, and do as He says we shall be sanctified by getting the Holy ghost. It is when the Holy Ghost is in our heart and we have God's spirit with us. God no longer views the bad things we do- but we are clean from sin as a white shirt is cleaned from a stain when it is washed. (see Isaiah 1:18)  That is what it means to be sanctified. If you have been baptized and given the gift of the Holy Ghost by someone holding the authority to do so, you were sanctified at that time. Each week we have opportunity to renew, again make our agreement with God to follow his Son. The way is to partake or participate in the sacrament each week.

In 3 Nephi 18:6-7 the Savior says,  "And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you.  And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me.  And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you." 

If we always have the Holy Ghost with us, we are always sanctified! If we are always sanctified, we stand spotless and without any sin before God now and at the last day. 

In 3 Nephi 27:22 Christ instructs, "Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day."

We are taught in D&C 133:62, "And unto him that repenteth and sanctifieth himself before the Lord shall be given eternal life."

Eternal life is to live with God in heaven forever! This is the greatest gift God can give us! Jesus showed us the way-- If we will obey God's will, be baptized and each week partake of the sacrament, continuing to repent and forsake our sins we will have that ultimate goal.  Next time you take the sacrament at church, remember how important what you are doing is, and take it as a commitment to follow Christ better than you have previously. I know that if we will continue to improve little by little, we will look back and be astonished at what we have achieved.

-Elder Hunt