SAYING GOOD-BYE TO SUMMERSIDE, PEI. . . and HELLO, NEW BRUNSWICK!!!

Dear Family,

Sorry about last week...I don't know why things didn't get through to you other than a couple of pictures. 

I’ll try to recap things for you.

The week of transfers we went out to Chelton Beach and took a bunch of pictures.  The ocean was completely frozen over so it was no problem walking on water!  It was a fun last prep day on the island.  We had a lot of “last dinners,” and “last lessons.”  There are so many people I’m going to miss; so many people who are progressing in the gospel.   Elder Tibbitts gave me a blessing before transfers, which was a big help, too.

  

There's always good and bad to everything...especially when saying "good-bye!"

Thursday morning of the 16^th we drove to Moncton, New Brunswick where we met up with all the other missionaries.  It’s always great to see everyone…notice the picture of me and Elder Tusa!! 

 Elder Wolsey, my new companion, and I packed up and drove back to Fredericton.   After a dinner appointment that night, we tore apart our apartment and got it in livable condition. 

The next day we had a Skype call with Pres. Leavitt, the AP’s and the other Zone Leaders.  Then we had correlation with the other missionaries.  The Hendrickson’s are a senior couple who are great, and we also have Sister Lewis and Sister Gouchner…who is from Holladay, Utah…and apparently kind of knew about me because she knows friends of Erika’s.  Small world. 

We visited with a recent convert named Steven.  He is someone I visited/taught on exchanges before he was baptized here in Fredericton.  It was so great to see him and see the light in his eyes since being baptized.  It was a great experience.

One evening we were knocking on doors in an apartment building.  A lady answered her door and we began to talk to her.  But before we knew it, three other doors opened, and people came out and talked.  It was like a swarming ant-hill, but we really neat.  We were able to set up some lessons so we’ll see what happens.  

   And so THIS week has been good...finished cleaning and arranging our apartment on p-day, emailed, did laundry and then had dinner at the Mattice's.

Tuesday was way busy and strange!!  We had our first zone meeting with all the missionaries, and it went well.  Afterwards we went on exchanges, and I got to go with Elder Diodati (from our MTC days).  In the evening we had some things fall through then decided to go visit a less-active member that hasn't been visited for quite awhile.  I'll just say it was a good thing we did.  A strange situation...but it was good we were there.

  On Wednesday we had one of the young men in our ward spend the whole day working with us and it was really good.  We had two lessons that went great and we also did some street contacting downtown.  It is SO nice to be backin the city...so many people everywhere to talk to.  It was still freezing though, and I didn't have any gloves.  My hands were frozen at -18 degrees, even with hand warmers!!  In the evening we had dinner at the only Mexican restaurant in Fredericton.  It was so good to finally taste Mexican food again.  When we were contacting after dinner, I slipped eight times on the ice because my shoes have no traction on the ice and snow.  I feel so blessed not to have any broken bones the way I fell each time. 

There was a very tender situation this week too.  We contacted a referral and it turned out he had had a very bad week.  Without going into all the details, it was very important that we were there when we were and he is interested in learning more about the gospel.
And then a funny thing...I had made Bro. Gallant's famous taco shells and E. Wolsey and I stuffed ourselves to the brim with tacos.  Right when we finished, we got a text from a member wondering if we were still coming for dinner.  So we jumped into the car, and rushed to the dinner appointment we didn't know we had.  We managed to eat all the food, but then for dessert they made us eat THREE pieces of cheesecake.  I was so blessed to be able to get all of the food down that I did!

It's a busy life as a zone leader but I love where I'm at right now.  I feel such an appreciation and love for my family and friends.
I think we're caught up now.  I hope you're all enjoying the new year.  I'm amazed at how time is flying!
Love,
Elder Hunt

Interesting...and AMAZING Experiences!!!

Dear Family,

So, what happened this week???   One night we accidentally knocked on the door of a gal who turned out to be an “escort service.”  Can I just say it was a bit awkward, and we left rather quickly!  

The next night we had the most amazing experience!  We had been out contacting and had some good appointments, but then headed over to the church to finish some training we would be presenting the next day.  Well, it was about 8:10 p.m. when we arrived and the bishop was there…but he’s never there on Tuesdays.  Turns out he felt impressed to go to the church.  What he didn’t know was that a non-member man was searching for God, and was led to the church…but the doors were locked.  God told him to wait a few minutes then try the other side of the building.  He found a car on the other side with a few people inside…it was the Bishop.  The two went into the church and spoke together.  Bishop started teaching him and just as he was telling him about the missionaries, we walked in.  Amazing!  

The one time Bishop was there, the one time we happened to go to the church, and the one time this man was guided to go to the church…wow!  Bishop introduced us and we had an hour long discussion in the church with Chad, who has been so prepared by the Lord.  We never get people like this…who walk into the church and say: “I want to learn more, I want to come to church, and I want to meet with you.”  What an incredible blessing this has been!!  I am grateful!

The last bit of news is that Elder Wolsey is being released as a zone leader and is transferring to Moncton for the last two transfers of his mission.  I’ll be getting Elder Skinner (from Houlton) as a new (old) companion.  I’m excited because we worked so well together in Houlton and have so much in common!

That’s all for now. 

Love,

Elder Hunt

New Zone Leader. . . Obviously!

Soooo, this is the first time in Elder Hunt's mission that we haven't gotten any news.  I'll chalk it up to his being swamped with all of the new responsibilities as a zone leader.  He DID send a few pictures, which I'm assuming were his "farewell to PEI" pics.

Maybe NEXT week...

TRANSFERS. . . AGAIN!!

Dear Family,

Yes, I'm getting transferred to Fredericton, New Brunswick...but you'll have to read the rest of the letter first!!

Last week things started to warm up and we even got into the positive digits...with RAIN!!  We had exchanges with the Zone leaders this week and I really enjoyed working with Elder Roberts.  We are a lot alike and we had a lot of success!  We taught a family from the middle east and picked them up as new investigators.  We also did some street contacting and got some great potentials and referrals...and had a blast doing it!!

During district training on Tuesday I had everyone say "one thing you'll miss about Elder & Sister Tibbitts" who are returning home next week.  The meeting was very spiritual and meaningful.  They have become like a mom and dad to me out here.  It's sad to see them go, but it's nice that they live in Alpine, Utah...so I'll be able to see them when I'm at BYU!

On Wednesday temperatures plummeted again!  Oh well. . . we met with a couple (investigators) and went over the Stop Smoking plan, and they are excited to start it!  I hope it is successful for them!!  And THEN...later in the day...through a series of blessings, we were able to pick up as investigators a new FAMILY...eight children, plus mom (and dad, who is out of the country on business.)  I was especially excited to find out they are from Burundi, where Elder Nzojibwami is from, and we had a lot to talk about.  They are very interested to learn about the church, and I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store for them!!

Thursday was good, too.  We got a new investigator from some referrals from the sisters.  This guy knew absolutely nothing about God, so we had to start from the very beginning, which was different for us.  But it was really good.  Also, in the evening we held our first scripture study group.  It was like the first one in Houlton...where only a few people show up...but then word spreads about how good it is and it starts to catch on.  I hope the same thing happens here in Summerside!

Friday we had a great lesson with one of our investigators and he committed to February 22nd for his baptismal date!  He's a great guy and the gospel will be such a blessing to him!

Saturday we had a Skype call with the zone for some training, then later we went to an appointment...that fell through...but was walked down the road to another referral who was very interested in meeting with us and we have now picked him up as an investigator.  That brings our current teaching pool up to 20 investigators.  This is by far the most I've ever had all at one time since I've been on my mission!  We also got to watch via Skype a baptism of one of Elder Urick's former investigators.  That was pretty cool, even though it took FIVE times to have it by total immersion.  And in the evening we taught our Burundi family again.  One of the things I'm learning on my mission, and re-learning on my mission, is that I can't do this work without God.  I really need His help and I have to make sure that I'm giving Him the adequate environment for Him to touch their hearts.

And then it was SUNDAY...and transfer emails came...and I've been asked to transfer to Fredericton, New Brunswick, serving with Elder Wolsey, as zone leaders.  I'm really excited about the transfer!  

And Church went really well...Jaimi Adams came to church for the first time and really enjoyed it...he's going to do great things in the branch one day!  Later, we visited Jean Costain...and I said goodbye to this sweet lady I've grown to love.  It was pretty sad.

Later we had dinner at the Meister's...he gave us the full tour of their Bed and Breakfast, and it's really nice!  We also visited with Gary and Paula, and went over the last of the Stop Smoking program and they are very committed to doing it!  That will be great because it will help them draw even closer to the Spirit.  And then the evening was topped off by watching the CES Devotional with all the missionaries here.  Tad R. Callister of the Presidency of the Seventy spoke and his talk was a pure answer to our prayers.  That talk will help so much in what we are doing out here.  He spoke of the blueprint of Christ's church and how clear it really is.  It was really such a bless to hear that tonight!

Well, the next time you hear from me I'll be living in New Brunswick.  So I will have served in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick.  Who knows, maybe I'll even make it to Newfoundland!!  I hope you're all doing good.  I think about you a lot...but not too much!  :)

Love,

Elder Hunt

(I'm excited to write Elder Hunt and let him know his 4th great grandfather, John Pack, who entered the Salt Lake Valley with Brigham Young, was from Fredericton, New Brunswick!!  Small world!!)

What The -35 Degree Weather!!!

Dear Family,

Once again it was a VERY cold week!  It’s the worst when we knock on doors, someone answers, and our faces are so frozen that we can hardly move our lips.  We tried getting some video interviews of people talking about their New Year’s Resolutions, and we got a few, but not too many people wanted to do that.  It was quite sad as many of the people we talked to said they don’t set any resolutions anymore because everyone breaks them, so there’s no point.  Too bad!

New Year’s Day turned out a whole lot better than I thought.  We went to an area where the missionaries have seldom gone,  called Wellington, which has a strong French culture, and we did some knocking.  It was SO cold that Elder Urick and I were talking how some big blessing was being built from this experience.  Sure enough, there was!    A French man let us right in and we had a good lesson.  He even set up a return appointment.  There was a lot of revelation received during that lesson regarding what to ask and what to say.  It was amazing!

In the evening we went back to the Filipinos’ house to teach them…and there were TWO MORE people who wanted to learn more, so now we have EIGHT investigators in one place!  It was such a spiritual evening teaching them, and after the lesson they all insisted we stay for food.  They loaded us up with 6-7 different Filipino dishes.  They made “Afra-tada” (probably massacred that spelling!) and it was SO good!! 

There are some really great things starting to happen here in Summerside and it is such an incredible blessing to get to be a part of it.

(Is that FROST BITE on Elder Hunt's nose???)

Did I mention that the thermometer came in at a balmy -25 degrees, and with windchill it was -35 degrees!?!  I’ve never been so cold in my life!!!

On Sunday we introduced the study program to the Summerside Branch that we started back in the Houlton Branch.  I’m excited to see how well it does here.  President Meister is completely supportive of us doing this and we gave a 5 minute presentation to everyone right after Sacrament meeting.  It went well and people seem to want to do it.  I’ll let you know how things go.

That’s all for now.  I hope you’ve all set some really good goals for 2014!!  Even if you don’t complete them all, you’re still better off for trying to improve yourself!

Love you all!!

Love,

Elder Hunt

(Some pictures of the PEFECT coffee cake I made on Christmas morning!!)