Dang! I love being out here!...

I love this city, as McKeesport is growing on me.  The city is just insane, a lot of people are drug addicts, drunk smokers or just plain insane.  You think I'm kidding I'm really not, but I love it here! This week has been interesting and fun.  We found some people contacting, around 7 people this past week and are planning to find at least 10 more this week

We also went OYMing in downtown (Open Your Mouth) people accepted a card or a pamphlet from us which is good.  On our way back to the car I wanted to talk to a group of black guys, Elder Ball was iffy about it, but I was like “let’s just go and see them.”  As I started introducing us, one of them stops us and says to the other guys, "Yo my n*****s, these guys spread the word of Jesus. Listen to them on Thursday when we feed them BBQ."  This guy was a business owner in downtown McKeesport, he owns a BBQ place. We gave them all a Book of Mormon download card and said to download it by this Thursday, they said sure.  I think I talked to six guys. Yesss!!

Latisha is a girl we found Tuesday.  She is an interesting person.  She has an abusive family, but she wants to find Jesus and the truth so that's someone. We’re trying to help her out.

Dwayne is increasing in faith very well.  He is beginning the 12-step program of addiction recovery.  He’s a good man.  He’s ready to join the church and our Father in Heaven. Of course, we are still working with him about overcoming addiction but we're there to help him out and so is the Savior.

Then yesterday we tracted into a Muslim family, they said no thanks but to try those people over across the way👉 so we did.  We gave out 3 copies of the Book of Mormon and taught them the restoration.  After the lesson they gave us a couple of hot dogs and sent us on our way.  They live outside of our mission, so we sent the missionaries over in Youngstown Ohio to visit them.

We had another lesson with Arnold.  He understood the Plan of Happiness and said that the drawings help him learn.  He is an older guy who is slow of learning, but pictures help him out.

On Sunday we had 3 people come to church, Dwayne, Latisha, and a less active, Sister Martin!!  They all enjoyed church.  Sister Martin hasn't been to church for 6 months and was so happy that we’re helping her come out again.

Dang, I love being out here, it's the best!! I love to see these people and their face change when they realize Jesus and Heavenly Father have been with them always to help them.  To see their face when they learn the truth of the Book of Mormon and the restored gospel. It is incomprehensible and truly remarkable to see their lives change when they act on it. Most want to share it with their friends, and we encourage that 100%. 

Have a wonderful week!

Elder Hunt

The hot dogs they gave us!!

The view on his porch!

Elder Hunt's study area

Egg sandwich and hash-browns for breakfast

The "other" St. George

Transfers again

Transfers happened and I'm now with Elder Ball.  We have done so much contacting it’s awesome I love it. 

We are teaching this one man; his name is Dwayne he is a slower learner, but we are patient and we will teach him at his speed. He also struggles with the word of wisdom like majorly, long story short, he takes illegal things into his body. He's very humble though. 

 Another man we're teaching his name is Arnold, he's very old and a wheelchair helps him move around. When we were teaching him the restoration, we told him about the Book of Mormon and that it takes place in America.  He was so shocked and he's like "Wow, that's really interesting I want to show my friends this" and so he did and now his friends will be there at our next lesson.

We were contacting this one person who wasn't interested and said to try her neighbor, so we did. The man was not interested and said no thanks, but we kept talking to him and eventually he's like I want to learn more about Jesus except not the Book of Mormon, so we set up another appointment for Saturday.  After that we were walking back to our car when a woman came out her door and said do you guys have Bibles? We said yes and we gave her a Bible and Book of Mormon and talked about the Book of Mormon.  She was very curious about it and said to come by again and teacher her more about it. We gave her the introduction of the Book of Mormon to read before Saturday as well.

This area has so much potential it's incredible!!!

Love yinz!!

Elder Hunt

Elder Zarges you'll be missed!!

(Elder Zarges and Elder Hunt were companions back in December.  

Elder Hunt loved having him as a companion)

McKeesport District

Sights of greater Pittsburgh

More to come...

We contacted Arnold, he's a good guy. He knows that God is with everybody. Something will happen to bring him to the door of baptism one day.  We also got a new referral, his name is Joseph but he wants us to call him  Dwayne.  He's a very great guy.  He has trouble learning things but hey that's fine, we'll teach him slowly.  He wants to come to church and read the Book of Mormon.

That's it for today.  

Love yinz. Have a great week.
Elder Hunt

Zone Conference for the Pitt, Pitt W. and Pitt N. Zone 

Our awesome new chapel

Trying to stay fit

Changes

Well, well, well...

A week ago our amazing little McKeesport Branch was disbanded!! Saddest day ever! This was a tiny branch with wonderful people that I will miss so very much.  They have divided the branch and sent parts to different wards around the area.  My comp and I are now part of the Pleasant Hills Ward.  So instead of literally walking across the street to church we have to now drive 30 minutes to church.  Bummer, oh well.

The Pleasant Hills Ward is quite big, they fill the chapel and the overflow all the way to the back of the gym.  It looks like our Stake Conference back home every week. The APs are in that ward and two Elders I came out with too, Elders Tumor and Hall, so It's nice to see them all each week.

We had a great day finding on Tuesday.  A lot of people came out to hear us and were willing to take the Book of Mormon but didn't want to meet with us.  We did find 7 people willing to meet with us. The problem now is getting them to set an appointment.  I wish more people were willing to hear our message than just take a book, but its better than nothing for now.

Yinz keep reading the Book of Mormon.

Love,
Elder Hunt

"Sister Murphy!! I will miss her dearly as she is 

now in a different ward than we are"

How fast things change

This week we are determined to tract out some new contacts as our old ones have dropped us.

Speaking of dropping us, David, who last week said he would be coming to church and was going to bring his wife to the next lesson, officially dropped us.  He said since we have given him all the lesson that now the rest is up to the Lord and him.  He said he appreciated everything we taught him. He is a really good guy who has drawn closer to the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  A good man, wishing him the best!

If you didn't read my email last week then I'll say it again. If you have not read the Book of Mormon yet, READ IT!  If you have then READ IT AGAIN.  Pray so you can get your answer.  Please go read it! I challenge everyone of you to read it now! It will change your life! Promise!


Love yinz,
Elder Hunt

Elder Hunt at The Waterfront open air shopping center on P-day

Captain Moroni!

Hello yinz!

This week there wasn't much to tell by way of new things going on.  I hope to have lots to tell next week.

Sunday we had a lesson with David and it was excellent! I bore my testimony and we talked about him coming to church.  He gave us his word that he would come and also bring his wife.  He said he would have her come to our next lesson too.  David gave the closing prayer in our lesson which was so awesome because he's always said he would never pray with us so that was HUGE!

By way of an FYI, Elder Asay was transfered but my comp and I are still together AND, I bought a Steelers tie, an absolute must.

OK, for all of you back home who may not have read the Book of Mormon yet, READ IT!  If you have then READ IT AGAIN.  Pray about it to get your answer.  Please read it! I challenge you all to read it now! It will change your life!

I hope yinz have an excellent week.
Elder Hunt

(In western PA prominently in Pittsburgh you say "yinz" like you would say "you all" in Utah or "y'all"  in the south)

Elder Asay

McKeesport District

 New Pittsburgh Steelers tie

The work keeps moving forward

All our appointments fell through this past week so we're back to square one trying to reschedule lessons . It's OK, its all part of the adventure.  We're always trying to find new contacts as well.

We did have one great experience last week, we were at the store and a man walked up to us and was so happy to see us which is always a surprise because that never happens.  He said he felt God told him to go to the store that day and now he knew it was to meet us.  He took off his cross necklace and gave it to me.  It was the most genuine gift.  He was so kind and sincere and wanted me to have it.  He took our number but he hasn't called us.  Maybe one day.

We have the best branch in all the church.  Our Branch President is so great and the members are so loving and caring.  They are always asking us if we need anything or if there is anything they can do for us.  They really value missionary work here. Members are always willing to go teach with us.  They are always feeding us and they buy us groceries every week so we hardly have anything to buy.  Sister Murphy takes us to dinner every Friday and not to McDonald's either.  Last week she took us to a nice Italian restaurant and this next Friday she's taking us to P.F. Chang's. This branch is so thoughtful.

I loved my time on exchanges with Elder Nave.  He's our district leader and he's awesome.  We had some great bonding experiences together.

District meeting was great.  We have three companionships in our district, the Elders from Greensboro, the Pitt 7 Sisters and us in McKeesport.  Our district leader, Elder Nave, asked each companionship to share a Christlike trait that can help us in the work.  The Greensboro Elders did Knowledge, the Sisters did Humility and we did Patience.  The other missionaries said they love it every time I share because they "feel my sincerity, genuineness and love." I'm not sure what all that means but I thinks it's good.

That's it for now. The work keeps moving forward.

Have a great week,
Elder Hunt

MTC Buds

New haircut

Stuart, still the Jenga Master