Cachoeirinha

Cachoeirinha, Elder Hunt's new area in Sao Paulo North.  It is poorer than Brasilandia, his first area.

Monday-I packed a ton and finished up all the finishing touches on the packages I was going to send the next day. I told the family whose sons I had baptized that I was leaving and they cried and cried a ton. It was very sad because I began to really love this family, but the Lord needs me in Cachoeirinha.

Tuesday-That same family called us early in the morning and said they had a surprise for me. We went to their house and they had made me a huge breakfast! How fun! :) It was great and I really appreciated it! They all cried a ton again. It’s just nice to know that I truly made a difference in their lives and I will return to Brasilandia to baptize the other 3 family members soon :) 

Elder Hunt with Elder Zenteno, his new companion

We went to the transfer meeting and on the way there I sent my packages! Then I got there and saw all my friends, which is practically everyone, which is great. I try to make sure I am a friend to everyone! Then I met my new companion, Elder Zenteno...                              

Elder Zenteno

AND HE’S AWESOME! He’s an American from Miami, Florida.

His parents are Bolivian, but he’s 100% American. We get along great and he’s HILARIOUS.

Wednesday-I got a good look at my area and it a worse favela than Brasilandia, much worst...which is great for us! :) My comp literally said to me "Elder Hunt, I don’t know how to baptize, and I want to baptize, so I’ll just show you the area and you just teach me and do your thing." I loved hearing that.   I forgot to take pictures of our house, but it’s huge like the Brasilandia house, and a whole lot cleaner!  

Elder Burt and Elder Hunt, housemates and friends

We live with Elder Borba (my bud, from Uruguay) and Elder Burt, from Oregon. Elder Burt is awesome. He’s such a goof and I love him. He played football and lifts a bit, and we all get along super well in our house. My comp has been out 1 year in the field and visa waited in the Salt Lake City West mission for 2 months. I love his sense of humor and one other thing, Americans just ‘get’ other Americans. We just understand each other better. 

Thursday-I got to my new area and we literally had nothing. No baptismal dates marked, and only 1 progressing investigator. So I went to work. We marked 10 baptismal dates in 2 days and 14 total by Sunday. It’s a great area with A TON of potential. We marked a date for a baptism on Sunday with Sergio, a 13 year old boy who had been taught and gone to church a bunch of times.

I also wasn’t able to get my bags to unpack until today because no one could pick them up for me, so I’ve been wearing my suit and dress shoes everyday.

Elder Hunt with Elder Lene from New Zealand

Friday-We did a division with the zone leaders because my comp is the district leader. I went with Elder Lene, remember - the huge Poly from New Zealand who I did baptisms with? Yeah it’s him, and we’re pals too! :) 

It seems like they eat a ton of pizza

The day was good and rainy and we talked to tons of people.  That night we got pizza with a chocolate filled crust and it was amazing! :) And Elder Lene had way too many wild pre-mission stories, but he’s the best.

Saturday-We have been working super, super, super hard trying to build up this area. We have tons and tons of new investigators, lessons, baptismal dates, everything. 

Brasilian James Bond

007 in Portuguese

A huge crowd and police cars surrounded a dead man in the street,  He'd been shot in a fight with someone. It’s very grim the amount of dead people I’ve seen here. 

Elder Hunts says they only get pizza on 'special occasions'  Really?

Sunday-The ward is smaller than Brasilandia, but it’s much better. Everyone likes us, the bishop is great, and the lunches are amazing too. Our church building didn’t have water because the government shut it off...so how are we going to baptize?  We fought incredibly hard to baptize Sergio, but his mother is not willing to allow it. I gave it everything I had, every last ounce of energy I had, but it just didn’t work out.

Elder Hunt baptized a family from Puritiba that he taught as he worked there on exchanges.

But during this time I realized as representatives of Jesus Christ, we should be fighting super hard for every child of God. We should be emotionally, spiritually, and physically drained after fighting our best fight with all we have for every single person, just as Christ would and did for every one of us. 

Soccer game with his new pals

Monday-We went and played soccer this morning with some other Elders and I bought all the stuff to make my Nana’s famous chocolate chip cookies! I’m going to make them today! :)  Tomorrow is the mission Christmas event and then Christmas is Thursday! I’m so excited; everyone is! Merry Christmas everyone and remember our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s loving sacrifice for us during this holiday season. 

                               Love Elder Marcus Hunt