7/17/17

Hello Everyone!

It's been a crazy last few weeks! We had zone activity day a few weeks
ago, then it was 4th of July, then Sister Alder went home. So I've
been busy!

Sister Alder was an awesome companion and I miss her, but she is going
to do great things at home! Sister Felt and Sister Swanson (past
companions) also went home this transfer. They've each been great
examples to me.

With Sister Alder going home, I assumed I would be staying in Venice
and receiving a new companion. Instead, Venice closed this transfer
and I transferred up to Citrus Ridge (in Davenport) which is the exact
opposite corner of the mission. Sister Felt's companion (Sister
Saunders) and I packed up the whole Venice apartment, transitioned all
the people we were teaching to the nearest missionaries, and got on
the road in about a day and a half. That was a miracle! Sister
Saunders is a saint.

My new companion here in Citrus Ridge is Sister Jensen! She is from
Utah and we are guessing she will finish her mission here since she
goes home 2 transfers after me. She's been sick this week, so we've
mostly been inside.

Today we went shopping with some members. They are so nice and take
the missionaries every week to save miles.

Since Sister Jensen has been under the weather, I've had some
additional study time this week. My favorite was the insight I gained
in Moroni. He is the last one from his civilization, and yet he holds
on to hope and teaches future generations about the Holy Ghost, or
Comforter, which must have been a great strength to him.

I hope you are all doing well! Feel free to email :)

Love,
Sister Brittany Hunt

(Pictures: Sister Alder and I on a "Sisters" bench, Sister Saunders is the redhead that helped me pack up, Sister Jensen is my new companion)

6/19/17

Hello Everyone!

The highlight of this week is that we went as a zone to the temple! It was awesome. We drove up to Sarasota Wednesday night to stay with Sister Felt and Sister Saunders, then got up at 4 the next morning to get ready and drive to Lakeland. From there, we drove with some other missionaries to Orlando, past Disney World (little do they know the real happiest place on earth is a few more miles down the road). Lots of driving, but it was a good day! I love the peace that we can feel in the temple, and even on the temple grounds. Afterward, we drove back to an area that is a little closer to Orlando and had zone conference. The focus of the conference was on obedience, and how if we want to ask for the Lord's blessings, we have to be doing what He asks of us. 

We spent the rest of the day driving back and stopped with the Sarasota sisters at a barbecue to get dinner. While we were in line, we were able to talk to a couple people about our message to the world as missionaries. It was really fun! 

We've had some good clouds and sunsets, and a few more storms. The area has been needing more rain, so it's been good.

Have a great week!

Sister Brittany Hunt 

Brighton's Baptism!

Hello Everyone!

This week started out a little slow, but it was a great weekend! All week the clouds couldn't decide if they wanted to rain or not. As a result, we didn't bike much and stayed close to the car just in case. The area has been needing the rain though, so we're not complaining. 

Highlight of the week: Brighton was baptized and confirmed! Her baptism was really special. Her mom and sister are working on coming back to church. Her mom was very emotional. Though she has been away from the church for so long, she always knew it was true, and we knew it was a day she had been waiting for. There was a really good turnout, with almost all of the young women there to support Brighton. 

I gave a talk on the Gift of the Holy Ghost, which Brighton received at confirmation yesterday. I shared these scriptures from 2 Nephi 31: "(17) Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. (18) And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive." I  know that the path Brighton set herself on at baptism will lead her to her Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ. I also know that she has a loving Heavenly Father who provided the Holy Ghost to help her on that path.

We had three of our investigators there for the baptism. Someone jokingly told one (Patrick) that it would be his turn next week. He told us he didn't know if he'd be ready next week, but that he was looking forward to his own baptism. He's hoping to be baptized next month, so we're excited to help him with that goal.

After the baptism, Sister Alder and I had a little pancake party to celebrate.

I'm grateful for the tender mercies we've seen this week. I hope you all are doing well!

Love,

Sister Brittany Hunt

5/5/41

Hello Everyone!

We had a lot of cancelled appointments this week, so we knocked on doors a lot. We are working on finding new ways to meet people. The ward members here do great missionary work, so we've been visiting with more of them to help them in their missionary work.

Brighton had her interview this week! We are so excited for her to be baptized this Saturday. She has developed a testimony of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel on the earth, and it has been so fun to watch her and her family progress. 

Patrick, the man we met on Memorial Day, came to church. He had a great experience, and set a return appointment. We're excited to start teaching him!

We got a ward mission leader this week! And his wife was called as a ward missionary. They moved in recently and are ready to get working. It'll be fun to work with them.

We're having a hard time believing it's already June again. May went way too fast.

Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Brittany Hunt 

5/30/17

Hello Everyone! 

It's been a pretty good week! We got transfer news yesterday and Sister Alder and I will be staying here in Venice another transfer. Which means we'll both be here for Brighton's baptism!

Tuesday we went to visit a member who is working on coming back to church. We often meet on Tuesdays, and she's a little further north than we usually drive because of our mile allotment. We got there, and she didn't come to the door. We gave her a call, but she had left her phone out (so we were closer than she was). Finally, I said a quick silent prayer on the doorstep that the dog would bark so we could keep the appointment and not have to drive all the way back. Just then, the dog barked and came running out, followed by the sister we came to visit. Prayers are answered! It was a good visit, and we'll be going back tonight.

Wednesday and Thursday we had an exchange, and I was up in Sarasota with Sister Felt. I've now been in 3 areas with her (which is all of her areas). We read the Book of Mormon with some of the young women in the ward. We promised each of them that they could receive an answer to a question they had been pondering while we read. Each started with a prayer. Two of the three were a little more hesitant, but accepted the challenge. They each picked where they wanted to read (one randomly opened, one used the index, and one picked a chapter from a book she liked). I watched as each, no matter the question, was able to find her answer. It built my faith that the Book of Mormon answers questions, and our Heavenly Father answers prayers. 

Memorial day was great yesterday! We tried contacting on Venice Island, where more people would be out for the holiday. We met a nice older veteran, Patrick, who had met with missionaries years ago, and had been meaning to go to church but never did. We talked with him about the importance of the family and how God designed families in order to bless us. He said he'd come to church and meet with us again this week.

I hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Sister Brittany Hunt

5/15/17

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all had a good Mothers' Day! It was good getting to talk to family. Here are a few highlights from the week:

The part member family we are working with are doing well! It was especially fun this week when we met with them and one of the sisters (who is a member) was answering questions for her sister, who is getting ready for her baptism. They've faced their share of opposition, but it is inspiring how they have determined to hold strong to their choice to come back to church.

We spent half the week inside, as Sister Alder has been sick. She's been a trooper though and it's been good to get some things done here that we haven't had time for in the last few weeks.

Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Brittany Hunt

5/8/17

Hello Everyone!

I hope you are all having a good Monday. Fun fact: Sister Alder and I reported to the MTC together 15 months ago this week. She made gooey butter cake to celebrate, and it was pretty good!

 This week we have been working really hard to talk to everyone we come in contact with. I set some personal goals not to miss a single person, and it has been fun to watch the miracles that have come from that. This has changed my mission than most of the other goals I have set. It makes more sense how it is possible to find yourself as you lose yourself.

We had some pretty defining lessons with investigators. We had one sister we've been meeting with summarize all we've been teaching her, and we realize she has soaked in a lot more than we thought. She is going to be totally on board as soon as she has her "aha" moment. That was a pretty big highlight this week. She's awesome, and we're grateful for the work she's putting in to know for herself that this gospel is true.

We had a lesson with the young women we hare helping prepare for baptism all about how to study the scriptures. She is starting to recognize the Spirit through peaceful feelings as she reads. We're excited for her progress! 

We went back to try to share more of our message with a woman we met, but haven't had super consistent contact with. She listened, but was a little distracted by her grandson. Her husband came out at one point, and seemed a bit standoffish, but listened. He interrupted at one point to tell us that while he was in the hospital this last time, he read from the Book of Mormon (someone must have left a copy) and he had some very personal experiences that helped him know the parts he read are true and real. We hope to see them again this week.

I hope you all have a good week, and a happy Mothers' Day!

Love,

Sister Brittany Hunt