So, first of all I want to say that I have recieved the emails from Grandma and Grandpa Mellor. Thank you so much for your help with the Family History stuff. It would be great if you could find out their birthdays. I also need information about my Great-Great Aunts and Uncles on both sides of the family. For the project I have to do right now I need their names, birthdays, and when they passed away. I also need more detailed information about my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. Where and when they were born, where and when they were married, where and when they passed away (I dont need that last detail if you are still alive), and an important story from their life. (not necessarily a story related to me). Jake's not the only one who has to do a family history report... but finding out about my ancestors is really cool. I spent a little time on FamilySearch.org and found out I have ancestors from Scotland, England, Denmark, France, and Ireland, and there are still a lot of names left to fill in.

I am praying for Grandma and Grandpa Hunter. I hope they can heal quickly and be able to figure everything out. Good luck Dad with getting them to do what they need to recover.

My new area is a lot different from Bolivar. There is a lot more green plant life and I am surrounded by hills. There used to be a large river here in town but it has dried up now or something. I am no longer close to the sea. The things that are the same... I am still trying to figure that out. There are fewer active members here but my companion and I are going to change that. Elder Ortega is from Chile, a pueblito close to Santiago that I cant remember the name of... I have it written down in my journal. His Dad is whiter than me and all of his siblings look like gringos but he looks like a latin. He has 10 months in the mission and he trained a missionary from my group. I have been going around, meeting all the people. Francisca is 64 and she was baptized the week before I got here. She is very excited about the church and wants to help Hector Tello, her 82 year old friend, be baptized. Alex Cubillo is a ward missionary and he has his mission call to serve in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. He leaves on March 10. I have met a lot of people this past week and I still have problems with some of their names but I will let you guys know more when more things happen.

The bus ride was alright. There were some really cool views and we passed through several pueblitos. (small towns) I left Antofagasta with 3 other Elders. One got off before me, one got off after me, and Elder Hinton came to Copiapo with me. We sat right next to each other. Most of Chile is Roman Catholic... there is actually a really big Catholic Festival coming up here in Copiapo called the Candelaria and we plan to go hand out cards at the Feria. The Feria is a street market and everything is really cheap so a lot of people go. (the worst part is when the investigators work at a feria because they always work Saturday and Sunday because those are the busiest days) I wrote Kaitlin about Elder Ortega but tell me if you have more questions next week. He is a sports fanatic and convert of 3 years. The spanish is coming along. I still struggle with a few things, especially pronunciation and grammar, but I can communicate much better now. The ward is a little small but the chapel is huge. Elder Juan Ortega has 3 months here already.

Happy Birthday Kaitlin! I did not at all forget that your birthday was February 5, 1998. I just forgot we were in February already. I will see what cool things I can buy in the Feria next week and then send a package home. I need more space in my bags here until I learn to pack better. Expect to recieve it... June? May?  Maybe April if I hurry. 

My last week in Bolivar was like this: we had a party on Monday because it was my companions bday on Sunday. We had an earthquake of 5.0 on Tuesday and I finally took pictures with my Momita and her family. Wednesday we had a Correlation meeting and we planned an activity for this past Friday. hope it went well. Thursday we had an activity as Priesthood and we made paper airplanes. The main purpose was to make a plane that would hit a target but we all got distracted by the other instructions. It was a good object lesson. We spent the last few days teaching and saying goodbye in case I left, which I did. I took photos with several families and missionaries but I did not take pictures with everyone that I wanted to... I guess I just have to wait until the Milenium to see them again.

My first week here in Los Minerales was spent getting to know people. We taught several lessons but I was so confused with so many new faces and names that I cant remember most of it. I didn't know if the people we were teaching were members, recent converts, less actives, or investigators. We had a Barbaque Friday Night for the Priesthood. It was a success but it started late. Saturday we went to the Birthday Party of Alex Cubillos, the future missionary. Both he and his friend Juan will go to the Bolivia, Santa Cruz North Mission. His family was pretty sad right now so I can only imagine how his farewell will be. Only his immediate family are members. Sunday we woke up and my companion had a mass of fluid below his knee. It was about the size of a tennis ball. We called Elder Garrison, the mission doctor, and we were told Ibeuprofen and ice and rest. So we did just that. He is feeling much better today. We still do not know what caused it in the first place.

I had completely forgotten about Groundhog Day and I had no idea this past weekend was the Super Bowl. I guess that is a good thing because that means I am focused on the Work here. The computer I am using is a bit slow but I will try to actually send pictures this week. I still have not had the chance to take many pictures here though.

I love you guys a lot and I want you to know that I pray for you every night. (and if I forget to do it while praying for my investigators I do a second prayer just for you guys. Dont you feel special?) I hope that you have success in all your school, work, sport, and church activities. Stay well. 

Love ya Elder Brock Hunter

BBQ Birthday Party for Elder Riveros and Elder Laulu-Pututau

Noche de hogar with Hermano Jorge Arancibia and his daughter Karen

The District
Elder Pineda, Elder DeLaMare, Elder Antonio, Elder Rivera, Elder Riveros, Elder Hunter

Benjamin

Dante

Mamita Estrella is 7 months pregnant and Papito Dante is thrilled.
No, he really is but he doesn't smile for many photos.

Benjamin

Elder DeLaMare

Elder Pineda, Elder Riveros

Paulo Sanchez
Ward Mission Leader

Activity with paper airplanes
object lesson with the priesthood

Maria Araya and Katy

Family Arancibia minus Krasna who is serving in Mexico
Braulio, Yasna, Mauricio, Mauricio Junior

Mario

Francisco, a blind less active who is the son of Maria Araya

Bishop Reyes and his family.
Richard, Spencer, Marieli, Hermana Elizabeth, Bishop Richard Reyes

Elder Pineda

Elder Riveros

Elder DeLaMare

Elder Antonio (my district leader)

I think that is everything. I tried something new so I hope you can still load all this to the blog. and I hope that if it does work that I can do this again. much faster. Love you all. Stay safe, stay well, pray often.

Elder Hunter

(any requests for photos now that I am in a new area?)