General Authorities Visit for District Conference

Hello,
Well today is an interesting day. We had our interviews and I was half way out of it during them. I think I'm just allergic to something here. It could be the huge amounts of dust that I breathe in everyday. Any way, I am hoping that this runny nose will go away before tomorrow. Maybe I could use some of that Exfuze juice.
We had our district conference this past Sunday. Pres. Eyring, Elder Perry, Elder Robbins, and some other elder who is the president of the Sunday School spoke in the conference via satellite. It was a really nice meeting. Elder Robbins spoke about SER(to be) and HACER(to do). He spoke of how the parents need to separate actions of their children from characteristics of their children. For example, when a child has good grades we should congratulate the child for being diligent in studying and for working hard and not for just congratulate him for good grades. The same thing applies to sports. We should congratulate the child for not getting upset at what the player on the other team said. This is exactly what is needed here.
My comp and I are trying to learn the games that the kids play here. They play with marbles, tops, little smacking cards, and sling shots. We have bought everything but the tops which we will soon buy. The kids play these games in the streets all the time and Elder Pruess and I want to win them sometime. We will be practicing over the next couple of weeks to try and be good enough to beat some of the kids in these games.
Nothing new and exciting has happened here. I hope all is well back home. Love you all. Chau.
Elder Hunsaker

P.S. In the pictures you will see a house made out of palm tree trunks. Our asado that we had a few days ago and the kids playing with the tops.

6-10-2009

HOLA,

Well, this week has been pretty chill. My comp found a guy on Saturday during divisions with the zone leaders and the man came to church the next day. The funny thing about this is that my comp didn't recognize the guy when he arrived at church so I sent him to the zone leader's branch thinking he was their investigator. Elder Contreras stared me down and then told me that he was my investigator. I then made a note to tell Elder Pruess to remember the people he speaks to in the street.

We had a tiny miracle happen in the branch. A 40 year old man moved into our branch from Buenos Aires. He is a member of about 15 years. He will soon be my Elders Quorum president. He is a really nice guy. I think I've also found a Young Men's president. Right now I am playing Elder Hunsaker, the real estate agent. I am trying to make a deal between two people. We want to rent one house but the lady wants to sell so we found another house that wants to rent or sell. We are hoping to do a swap and rent the house from a new owner. The woman says yes to the swap but we still haven't spoken with the other half about the swap. I believe that it will go through and we will be into our new chapel in less than a month. I'm trying to keep myself as optimistic as possible.

This Sunday we will be having our district conference and I will have a break from our regular meetings. We will have some sort of broadcast from Salt Lake. I think one of the apostles will be speaking to all of the districts in the South America South Area. Hopefully the members make it there on time.

Nothing much has changed here in Clorinda since last Wednesday. I received the package that the Young Women sent me a while ago. I enjoyed the treats and the socks. Make sure to tell them thanks and I will try to get a letter off to them soon.

Love you all,
Elder Hunsaker

P.S. The church is still true and José Smith is still a prophet even with his name translated.

Baptism of María Antonia Nuñez

Hello,

I decided to change font due to the fact that I had a few complaints sent in from last weeks letter. I hope that the drafters and old men enjoy this font. I will not use the last font again. I just thought it would be nice to use something new after writing in the same font every week for a year and a half. I guess I was mistaken in thinking that was a good idea. Haha. (All of this was written in a joking and non-offensive way)

After last weeks, letter it continued raining. I think the last measurement of rain that I heard was 315 ml. of rain here. Cold air came with the rain we received. Now it is clean and sunny but cold. I didn't think Clorinda was capable of such cold. My comp didn't bring a winter jacket with him so he wears his sweater, his hoodie, and his wind breaker. He will be buying a jacket today for sure.

The baptism of María Antonia Nuñez went over really well. It was cold and rain on Saturday. We filled up the baptismal font with nice warm brown water and watched a little cricket swim around in it for a little while. I don't know why the water came out so ugly but what are you going to do. María's neighborhood is Primero de Mayo and when it rains there are only rivers of water and rivers of mud where roads used to be. I called her to find out if she was coming when it was about time to start the service and she told me that she was coming but that she almost postponed it because she had a fever. She came and we held the service. There were a few minor problems but everything turned out well. Elder Pruess did the baptism and I did the confirmation. After the baptism was over Elder Pruess told me that cricket was still swimming around in the font when he baptized María.

On Sunday night, we were trying hard to find new investigators to make the mission goal of 12 each week. We had tried the whole week but we only had 4 when we started Sunday. After we got home from church at 6:45pm we got ready to go out and we gave a prayer. I asked Heavenly Father to not allow us to waste time that night. We went over our plans and left. We went to the first family that we had planned on visiting and watching a church movie with them. The weren't there so we went to the back up and that didn't work either. Then we went to a house we have passed by a few times and the people always greet us when we go by. We clapped and they let us in to their home. We came to find out that they are a fairly large family. 8 new investigators is what we needed and 8 new investigators is what we got. The only slight down side is that 7 of the 8 news are women. María told us that the man to woman ratio in Argentina is 1 man to every 14 women. Looking at the family we found on Sunday that statement seems to be correct. I am just thankful that Heavenly Father listens to us when we sincerely pray to him.

I love you all and we'll talk next week. Chau

Elder Hunsaker

P.S. I would like to know if I have a plaque in the church building?

Changing Of The Font & Never Seen So Much Rain

Muy buenos días,

I decided to change things up with a new font. I got tired of the old new roman. Well, María Antonia made it through her baptismal interview and will be baptized this Saturday. We keep telling one of the less active men that we are trying to baptize his future wife. He still has become completely active.

Last Saturday it rained and rained and rained and rained. We received about 8 inches of rain here in Clorinda and in Fornosa capital they received 11 inches and all of this happened in a 24 hour period. I have never seen so much rain in my life. I am sick and tired of seeing gray skies. At least our power stayed on during the whole ordeal. The roads here turned into rivers and Elder Pruess didn't have boots and found his way into three zanjas (sewage canals). I think his shoes are still drying out. I was astonished (Book of Mormon language) to see more rain on Monday night.

On Friday we pruned the bushes of the Steirensis family. While we were cutting, we found a dead bat. We used it to scare a few people and then we put it with the trimmings in a garbage bag. The two girls that want to get baptized are grandkids of this family. It was nice to do some normal service and get out of the monkey suit. Speaking of getting out of the monkey suit, Elder Redford will be in lovely Las Vegas on the 27th of July for a family reunion so he may be making a little visit with you (mom and dad). He may go to church with you as well. So let me know the info on church.

I was told the other day that I have a package in the office waiting for me. I should receive it in about a week. I think it is the package from the young women from the ward.

Recently we have been receiving a lot of references from members due to a piece of paper that has all sorts of questions on it to help the members think of friends and family. I might translate it so that the missionaries back home can use it if they'd like. It has all sorts of good questions. I hope that all of you are helping the missionaries in your wards to find people.

Well that's all folks. Love you all and talk to you later.

Elder Hunsaker

Coati, Grasshoppers and Church Talks, Oh My

Hi, 5-20-09

News about transfers. . . There aren't any 'cause I'm still here in Clorinda. However, my zone leader Elder Salmond will be going to the Iguazu Falls. My MTC companion Elder Tucker will be coming here to the zone and taking Elder Salmond's spot. Elder Pruess is still here with me for one more transfer at least. I believe that I will only have one more companion in the end. Elder Redford is training again for his third time. That is it for transfers and I'm happy to be here still because I still need to find a chapel for these members.

We have been finding a good amount of nice families. We are working more in the “nicer area” in our area. I am hoping to find some good people that have jobs and know what responsibility is. It is a little bit harder to find but we have done all right so far. I met a man who's parents are from Germany and they only speak in German. He understands German but speaks Spanish. He is one of those blond hair, blue eyes. He and his wife sell Alpargatas and own a taxi service.

Yesterday we taught a family that has a pet coati. It is the South American raccoon. It has lived with them since birth. It sleeps in the house with them and is just like a dog. I was able to pet it before it made a mad dash for the tree. It likes to search the tree for bugs and spiders. Apparently it eats tarantulas when it finds them. It looks kind of like an anteater. My comp was happy to see it. I think I'd like to have one someday. . . or not.






On Monday night we had the normal branch family home evening but hardly anyone showed up to this one. We had a good time taking pictures afterward. The people here love taking pictures unlike in the states where everyone hides from the cameras. These are the daughters of a sister that just moved into our branch. She is having quite a few difficulties. Sister Gomez prepared a really good lesson on forgiveness. She will be receiving a church calling soon.





On Sunday we had a poor attendance at church. 20 people showed up and 16 made it to sacrament meeting. Of the 20 people that were there, there wasn't a single investigator. My speakers ditched out on church so we tried something new that Elder Pruess suggested. He said that his ward used to do this testimony/hymn meeting. The people come to the pulpit and share their thoughts on their favorite hymn and why it is their favorite and then we sing part of it or all of it. It really saved me. I had all ready taught the other two classes and didn't want to make up a talk on the spot. Everyone liked it and the spirit was there so I was happy with the turn out.

I found a size large grasshopper on the side of our door when I stuck my key in and it touched my finger. I scared me quite a bit. After getting the door open we went straight for the cameras. I got it off the door frame and into my hand. It was heavier than I thought it would be. I don't know why all the random bugs and lizards like to come to our house. We found another one of those lizards in our study room just running up and down the wall. I decided not to take a picture but I probably should have so that Nathan Andersen could have enjoyed it.




It rained all day yesterday. I put on my mud boots but my comp decided not too. I think he regretted it a little later that day. I finished the day with my pants covered in mud because my foot slipped and flung mud onto my left pant leg. I have had enough of the chocolate milk roads of Argentina. My pants went from gray to brown in two seconds. It's a good thing I have that washing machine.



It seems to me that every week something blows up or freaks out in our pench. This time our new shower started exploding and it sounded like a car was backfiring. The wires that connect it to the power were melting themselves together. My comp got a video of it the second time it happened. It scared him half to death. He decided to shower with cold water that day. The problem is now solved. We await the next problem.
I hope that all is well with everyone. Love you all and felíz 25 de mayo.

Chau
Elder Hunsaker

Chorrizos, Refried Beans or Spiders (Your Pick)

Que tal, 5-13-09
It was fun to be able to talk to everyone on Saturday. I can only imagine how it will be when I get home and I can talk for as long as I want. I hope that all of the kids won their sports games. Nothing much has changed since Saturday. In church there were few people due to the slight drizzle of rain. We had two investigators in the meetings and that was nice. I am about to call a new Young Women’s presidency and maybe a gospel principles teacher because I get spread really thin during the meetings. It drives me nuts especially when my speakers don't show up and I get to go improv in sacrament meeting.
The other day we went over to visit a less active member that owns a carnicerìa (butcher shop). The better way of putting it would be that he lives in a carnicerìa because it is his home. When we got to his house, he was busy making chorrizos for Labor Day. My comp and I enjoyed watching him make them. His little daughter enjoyed playing with the huge chunks of meat before they were ground in his machine. His cat enjoyed drinking the liquids from the raw meat before it dried on the floor. We made a video of him making the chorrizos so I will be sure to show it in the future. When we left he sent us off with about 2 kilos of chorrizos. They were tasty but hard to eat after seeing where and how they were made. I thought of dad and what he always says about restaurants and their back kitchens....not even close to this.
On our way to an appointment we found this destroyed armadillo body in the road. There was an interesting smell hanging around that area. My comp wanted to put it in his bag and take it home but I decided otherwise. I told me that he would wait until it dries. Gross!
Today we played volleyball in a sand court. We got there late because we were teaching a member how to use a computer. We arrived about 45 minutes late to the court. By the time we got there Elder Redford had all ready done himself in. He had scalped himself about 15 minutes before we got there by running into the low fence that surrounds the court. I took a look at the accident scene and found the remains of Elder Redford's scalp and hair. Ouch! He is always doing things like this to himself. Como se dice, clumsy?

Maria Antonia will be baptized on the 30th of this month. I may or may not be here for it though. She told us that she has received her answer from God about the Book of Mormon and this church. We continue to teach her and finish up the teaching process. She's basically a member all ready because she defends the church when people say random things about it. Her friend at school said that we believe that Joseph Smith is God. Maria gave her friend one of the pamphlets that we had given her to show her that we believe in God the Father and that He isn't Joseph Smith. We might have two other baptisms of the daughters of a sister in the branch.
I have been eating good these days. I found a nice box of cookie crisp to change up my breakfast. I also made some delicious refried beans because I was able to find bacon here. That was a first for me. MMMMmmmm good. I just need to make some tortillas so I can eat some burritos.
When we left our house to go to Laguna Blanca last Saturday it was really foggy outside. I noticed that the sun changes to a white color as it comes through the fog and it looks cool. My comp found a spider outside of our house with a pretty web that had collected all of the mist from the fog that day. I think we still have a slight spider infestation here. I love you all and hope that I hear from you all next week.
Hasta Luego,
Elder Hunsaker

Labor Day = Mostly Drunks without the Labor

Mba'elaporte,

This past week was filled with fiestas. Due to the fact that everyone celebrates Labor Day to the max. We were invited to 5 asados and we made time for each one. I will not be surprised if I have colon cancer after the mission. If I don't see meat for a few years I will be all right. In one of the events it was not only a Labor Day celebration but also a birthday party for our neighbor. They are really good friends with all of the missionaries because they always buy from their kiosko. This was the first up close and personal experience with drunks that my comp has had. My comp has now decided that drinking is just not a good idea. This was not our only encounter with drunks on Labor Day.
The evening of Labor Day we taught one of our investigators that is progressing. We taught about the pre-earth life and it was an extremely powerful lesson. The spirit was really strong in the house. Our investigator is the daughter of a less active sister in the branch that we are reactivating. It was a really good lesson and we made sure that our investigator knew what she was feeling. I really enjoy studying and talking about the pre-earth life with other missionaries. It is a very interesting topic.
After leaving our investigator's house we were stopped by some drunk guys. In the end, we had taken down each one of their directions (address) and invited them to church on Sunday. Not a single one showed up on Sunday. When we were trying to continue on our way home, we shook their hands and one of them decided to give me and my comp a hug. What a nice guy.
Sunday was a very nice fast and testimony meeting. We had a good turn out and a lot of the members bore their testimonies. I had to nudge my comp enough times so that he would get up and give his. He is a little timid when it comes to speaking. I hope that he gets over that or it will be a long two years for him. Love you all. Chau
Elder Hunsaker

Leo's "cumpleaños"






P.S. We actually found a new family to teach because of this party. The family is a really wonderful family.