JUNE 13,2017

Well, it's Tuesday. Sorry, Nieuw Amsterdam had a really nasty power outage yesterday. So, we weren't able to email.

But I'm on today though. They were just updating something in the power system. The weather has gotten a lot better this week. It doesn't rain as much, but we had a pretty crazy storm yesterday. Suriname is kind of like Utah in that way. One moment, everything is still and peaceful, the next, there's a big storm. We had to take shelter at a member's house to wait for the storm to pass over.

Well... I got my last transfer call. I totally thought I was staying in Commewijne my last transfer. That makes sense right? Well, the Lord threw another curve ball at me, and... I'm headed to the city my last transfer. I'm headed to the dead center of Paramaribo.

Somalee is getting baptized this week! I've been working really hard to see someone baptized here in Commewijne. And of course, the week it happens, I get transferred. That's alright though, President Egbert has given me permission to go to the baptism. The Lord has let me see a baptism in every area I've served in, since I've gotten into this mission.

Again, I'm short on time and I've got to go, but I wanted to share an experience I had while doing personal study one day. I've been reading in Our Heritage, a brief history of the church. I've been reading about the organization of the church, and how there were small, young branches organized throughout the US, Canada, and England. It's awesome to read these stories. As I was reading, an impression came to me of how Commewijne is like that. It's young, with just a handful of faithful members. The work we're doing here in Commewijne is much like that in the early days of the church. This work too, is pioneer work.

Reading the stories about the early days of the church is so fascinating. In the scriptures it talks a lot about "coming unto a knowledge of the fathers". That phrase is frequently rehearsed throughout the Book of Mormon. In 2 Nephi 30:5, Nephi writes why he's quoted Isaiah. He says:

5 And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them; wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among their fathers.

As latter-day saints, coming to a knowledge of our fathers is what is contained in the church history, Our Heritage. The Nephites and Lamanites learned much about their fathers, and so should we. We become grateful for our blessings, and helps us know about where we come from, Our Heritage.

Have a great week. I'll talk to you all later.

Ik hou van jullie!!!

Elder Hunt

Amazing member in Commewijne

MAY 15,2017

Goedemorgen iedereen! It's been a great week in Commewijne. We've been able to see great success in the group this week, and it's exciting to see everything coming together.

We had a great time at church. There were 25 people that came! That's the highest I've ever seen it here. One of my most favorite parts of the Sabbath is playing prelude before Sacrament meeting and watching everyone come in. It was great to see the room so full with members who were coming from all parts of Commewijne. That was a very special feeling to have.

Rosieta and Somalie were also able to come to church yesterday. They enjoyed the company of the other members. Somalie actually a very good friend with one of the young women here in the church, so that helped her feel much comfortable in what might seem like a small and different group. They're reading in the Book of Mormon and are excited about their baptismal date. Rosieta learned about the idea of the temple and service in the church this past week, and learned about how there's so much more after baptism, which made her really excited.

We've met some really cool people. Do you remember Elder DeSeil, one of the missionaries I trained? We contacted his uncle this week. He told us about how he was happy his nephew was in Holland preaching the gospel. He told us he'd be very interested in learning more about the church's belief's. Unfortunately, he doesn't live in our area, but he'll be great to teach. We had another fun experience this week when we pasted a man cutting grass out in his lawn. We offered to help, and he gave us two matchless and we helped him cut grass for about 15-20ish while he rested. We got talking with him about the gospel and was interested to learn more. He was probably wondering why two Americans dressed up in a white shirt, time, and slacks were coming to help him cut grass. He was interested though and we past off his info to some other missionaries.

Other then that, it's been about the normal grind. Biking everywhere... talking with people... dealing with the rain. It's been a good time.

President Egbert had encouraged me to study more about the Gathering of Israel, to learn more about my role in it. One day during personal study I stumbled upon the dream of Kind Nebuchadnezzar, where it was prophesied that the gospel would go throughout the world. In Daniel 2:44-45 it says "And in the days of these kings (i.e. the European kingdoms going throughout the world) shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it (the kingdom) shall stand for ever.

It's awesome to be able to witness that. This gospel really is an ensign and light that is going throughout the world... "and it shall stand forever".

Have a great week!

Ik hou van jullie!!!

Elder Hunt

May 8,2017

Goedemorgen en groetjes uit Suriname!

We've had a great week. One of the best we've seen in Commewijne. It's been raining a tone this past week! Many Surinamers are saying it's the big rainy season now. That means it rains everyday, and it dumps when it does! It's been making the dirt roads here very muddy, and that's not fun to bike in. My shoes are getting destroyed too...

We are seeing great success and progress in our investigator Rosieta and her daughter Somalie. They were so excited to go to church! We agreed that we would meet them at their house and walk with them to church. Not only was Rosieta ready, but she had two of her daughters with her, and 4 grandchildren! We walked with our little brigade to church, where the members gladly welcomed them. Commewijne finally got a piano! Keep in mind that church is still held at someone's house. They were all very happy to have accompaniment for sacrament. It'd been weird because the weeks before was the first time I did not accompany in nearly 15 months.

my scripture I'm sharing this week is in D&C 19:23

Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me.

It's interesting to think about what it means to walk in the meekness of [the Lord's] spirit. What does that mean? According to a church source meekness is defined as "Godfearing, righteous, humble, teachable, and patient under suffering. The meek are willing to follow gospel teachings". So we should walk godfearingly, righteously, humbly, teachably, and patiently. Only then do we find the peace of Godliness that the gospel brings. It's an interesting concept to ponder about...

Have a great week! Sorry this week is a short letter, I'm short on time today.

Ik hou van jullie!!!

Elder Hunt

Pink Skies

Muddy roads of Voorburg

MAY 1,2017

Dus is al de tijd snel gegaan. Maar wij hebben toch veel wonders in ons gebied gezien!

Well well well, another week as already rolled passed. We had a great week, full of miracles! We've been busy finding more people to teach, and have been able to set a few on date.

We got transfer calls this past week. Both me and my comp are staying in the same area. We're going on transfer 3 together. Longest I've every had with any companion. We were sort of anticipating our area being split. There's been talk of of the mission splitting our area in half, because it is way too big for us to structurally manage. We helped the senior couple find a new apartment for a new missionary set last month. 2 new elders were supposed to come in this transfer, creating a new are. But, one of them does not have his visa, so we're staying all the same. They'll probably split Commewijne in half the last transfer of my mission.

We have started teaching a wonderful mother and her daughter, Rosieta and Somalie. We've been able to visit them a few times. We had a wonderful Restoration lesson with them, and both accepted a date in June. They're very excited and we're very excited for them too.

Another example how I've seen we've been led to investigators was yesterday actually. We had an appointment to go to, just before we went in for the night. The lady ended up not being home. We decided to follow up on a referral we had. When we arrived at the street, we realized we didn't have a house number for the referral. So we start "kloping" (knocking) at the houses on the street to find the referral. This one house wasn't answering. A man walked by and asked if we needed help. He kloped for us, but no one ended up answering. We ended up talking to this man though. Turns out he was a previous investigator in Guyana, and was super excited to sit with missionaries again.

President Egbert shared with us a great quote last week. It says:
"If you are poor, work. If you are happy, work. Idleness gives room for doubts and fears.
If disappointments come, work.When your faith falters and reason fails, just work.
When dreams are shattered and hope is gone, work. Work as if your life is in peril, it really is.
Work faithfully. Work is the greatest remedy available for both mental and physical affliction."

I testify as a missionary that that is true! Work is the way we show our faith. We may not understand way things happen the way they do. But we keep going. We keep working. In the end, everything will work out. The Lord will consecrate our efforts. That is the beauty of this gospel.

Love you all, have a great week!

Ik hou van jullie!!!

Elder Hunt

May Amazing

Dutch home

Look Up

Drink Up

April 24,2017

Hallo iedereen! Ik hoop iedereen een mooie week heeft gehad! We've had some struggles but also successes this week, and we're really feeling the Lord's had helping us in the work. 

I'll start with the bad news first so I'll end off with the good news. Charissa dropped us. We have no idea why. We haven't been able to get in contact with her via phone or going to her house. I'd been so confused because we had such a great lesson with her last Saturday and she was so excited for her baptismal date coming up.

But we've been able to see many miracles coming up and happening this past week. One was on Saturday. We met a wonderful lady named Venesa, a referral from our landlord actually. She lives in the same area as we do and as we were leaving our apartment, I got the impression that we should see if she was home. We went by and she let us right into her home. We had a great lesson with her and have a return appointment to teach her family tomorrow.

We had a couple of appointments lined up Saturday afternoon that ended up falling through, so we decided we'd go contacting after trying to see if there was anyone we could see. As I grabbed my bag to walk out the door, we get a phone call. This man named Djin called us, a previous investigator. He simply said "It's been a while since I've seen you, can you come over today"? It had been nearly 7 months since he'd received any sort of visit from the missionaries. We bike the hour bike ride to his house and had a great lesson with him.

We've been seeing all sorts of small miracles in the work this past week. We might of lost an investigator but we've been finding plenty more. We've seen plenty of success and really feel like the Lord is preparing our area. Helaman 5:2-3 Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit have great views of that which is to come;

Ik hope you all have a great week. Talk to you next week! 

Ik hou van jullie!!!

Elder Hunt

Group in Suriname

Native Flower

Main road in Suriname

APRIL 18, 2017

Goededag en gezegende passen!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend. Suriname has a thing here called "Tweede Passen", second Easter, the Monday after Easter. So we're emailing today. We've had some really cool experiences this week.

We had a really cool experience a new investigator named Rosieta. She is a very nice lady. She's currently going through a great many problems though. We've had some very spiritual lessons with her though. I remember one lesson she was expressing to us in tears why she had to deal with all of these problems. I remember my heart aching for this lady, and I remember praying to know what on earth I could say to help her. A confirmation to me said to teach her the Restoration, like we had planned to do. We ended up having a good lesson, and she agreed to read the Book of Mormon and come to church. It's amazing to see how the Lord prepares people to hear the message of the Restoration, and how he puts people like Rosieta in our path so we can teach them about the gospel.

We had a good Easter. We saw good church attendance and enjoyed listening to the testimonies of the members. We had studies and did some contacting. We were then headed to our evening appointments when I crashed my bike trying to avoid a snake in the road. Sorry, I wasn't able to get a picture of the snake. But I promise it was a cool pink and black stripped snake. I bent my front wheel and sprained my left hand in the crash. We were out in the middle of no where so we had to walk back to our apartment. It wasn't too far though. I enjoyed listening to some conference talks while icing my hand for the last part of Easter haha. Mission memories :)

Sorry, it feels like my email time keeps getting shorter. I have to go, but I wish you all a great week!

Ik hou van jullie!!!

Elder Hunt

Eating Lunch with a member

Hanging out in the jungle

Missionaries in Suriname

Waiting for a Ferry