Fantasmas e Coisas (Ghosts and Things)

My view of the city from our house

(Ghosts and Things is the name of a Daft Punk album that The Duke Brothers and I used to always listen to my senior year!)

Monday-P day, I slept, listened to music, we made more apple crisp and then we went out to work at night. When we came back we all started hearing very strange noises and footsteps upstairs. We went up and no one was there. We came back down and my comp started telling me that this house has had a long, dark history with spirits and ghosts. I didn’t believe a word he said, I totally thought he was pulling my leg and messing with me, but then he told me some of the stories. I started believing him because my comp isn’t really that much of a jokester, especially with stuff like this. And also during the stories we heard more weird noises and stuff and I started to freak out a little. He even said that in the past after strange things happened, the former mission president came and rededicated the house himself, but things started again. So we got all the guys in our house together and I rededicated the house through the power of the Melchizedek priesthood.        

No one slept that night. 

 

Elder Hunt with Elder G Ferriera

Tuesday-We had a zone meeting and we did a ton of practices and it was great! After we did a division with the mission secretaries. I went back to Cashoeirinha with Elder G Ferriera, a super cool Brasilian guy! He teaches well and we get along great too! We  found a 22 year old guy named Hugo, whose father is less active. He was very receptive and wants to get baptized soon. He’s obsessed with Demi Lovato. He has over 20 posters of her on his wall in his room and he went to her concert once, took a picture with her, and now it is his prized possession.

Elder Hunt with Elder Lene from New Zealand, Elder Arias from Ecador, and Elder Medeiros

That night Elders G Ferriera, Borba (who was on a division as well) Lene, Arias, and Medeiros, all went and stayed at Elder Arias and Medeiros' house and made homemade pizza with our very own chocolate crust! It was delicious!!! What fun!

         

 Homemade Pizza Party

Chocolate crust

 Eggs and pizza sauce

 Even homemade dough!

The final product

Wednesday-My comp was throwing up sick, and I was also sick pretty sick from the throat/sinus infection that I’ve had, so we just had to go home and rest that day. 

Elder Hunt and Elder Lene

Thursday-We had a rough day. IT’S EXTREMELY HOT HERE. None of our investigators were home all day. The heat was an absolute killer and we were both exhausted. We had very little luck today; it was rough.

My man from Ecuador, Elder Arias

Friday-We did another division with the zone leaders, so Elder Noleto, a 22 year old Brasilian guy who is a very good, powerful missionary went out with me. I always learn a ton with him. But today I was SUPER motivated and my faith levels were on an all time high. Our goal was to baptize at least 3 people just in the one day. All our baptismal candidates fell and we had another very hot, tough, difficult, exhausting, frustrating day. 

Saturday-We did a zone fast for everyone in the zone to get at least one baptism this week. It was rough to say the least, but we toughed through it. Here in Brasil you fast from lunch to lunch which is different, but being out in the sun in the streets with no water was very tough. It was another tough, unsuccessful day.

We are working so hard and not getting the results we want. This area is very, very wicked. Just in the streets and in the people’s homes you can feel the very strong presence of Satan’s power here in this area. These people are blinded by evil and corruption and don’t want to change. The wickedness is really talking a toll on our spiritual well being. But this is why we are here, to help people.  Saturday around 6pm it finally rained and hailed and it was so nice!  :)

Sunday-We were out in the city before church for 3 hours looking for investigators and not a single one showed up for church. These people are very frustrating, especially when they say they will go to church and they won’t.  

I was also asked to give a talk, so I did, it was on missionary work and it was fine, but I was a bit nervous.  It was on D&C18:16, my favorite. After we had an amazing lunch and for dessert, all you can eat açai and ice cream with all the toppings! :) It was great! 

That night and afternoon we went out trying our hardest looking for a miracle baptism, we exercised our faith to the max and tried so hard, but it still didn’t workout. 

       

I’m exhausted, my body, my mind, my spirit. It’s so hot even during the night that I’m still not sleeping very much. I’m alright, but I am struggling right now. We are working so hard in very tough conditions with a very wicked people and we are not getting results.

I know the real question I need to ask myself is,

 ‘What lesson does God want me to learn?

I love you all, 

Elder Hunt