I read my brother's email today, and realized that his few short paragraphs were the perfect length. I am starting to keep a daily journal again, so I hope that will help me condense my thoughts better in my weekly emails home.
Last week, my dad mentioned that I'm 1/4 of the way through my mission. I tried to ignore that, but out of curiosity I did the math and realized he was right! It's so weird to think about - time is really thrown off when you're a missionary. Every day seems like an eternity, and every week feels like a second. And before you know it, you're a quarter into your mission already. I'm starting to appreciate everyday more as I've recognized how fast it's all flying by. I learn something new everyday, and each day has a purpose: helping others improve their lives by learning more about Jesus Christ.
But of course, we all need a little break every once in a while. Last Monday, all the missionaries in the San Leandro zone went and played mini-golf! It was SO fun - I'll add pictures at the end. After, we went for ice cream at a nearby diner. It was a weird experience - I almost felt like I was in college again! It took a few minutes to snap back into missionary mode when we went to the VC that night. Despite remembering those fun times in college, I am having just as much fun and so much more joy as a representative for Jesus Christ here in Castro Valley.
I've also felt back in the college scene with all the new members of our ward. We've had four new young couples move into the ward in the past few weeks and they all immediately called us up and invited us over for dinner. We had dinner with the Alexanders Tuesday night in their cute little apartment, and we realized that they were the PERFECT fellow-shippers for Noelle, our 21-year-old investigator. So it's been weird spending time with members and investigators my own age, but Sister Ure and I are making it work.
We saw Christine a few times this week: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. She is just so solid. We taught her all about the doctrine of Christ, focusing heavily on baptism. She wants to be baptized, but she feels like she's not ready - like she doesn't know enough. We've extended a date a couple of times as a goal to work towards, but she hasn't accepted it. It's amazing to see how her testimony has grown. Her questions are amazing, she figures things out on her own, she LOVES church, and she knows it's all true. We even brought her up to the Visitors' Center yesterday afternoon and watched the Joseph Smith movie - she picked up the tiniest details and learned so much from them.
She also said something that struck me, and I've thought about it a lot for the past day. The church was organized in 1830 with only a few members. When the pioneers left 40-ish years later, there were 70,000 members. In 40 years. And today, there are over 14 million members of the church. She pointed out how that in itself solidifies her testimony that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. When all other religious organizations are floundering as people turn farther and farther from God, the church is still growing - not only because of missionary work, but because the work we are doing is TRUE. If it wasn't, the church would have dwindled and died with the death of Joseph Smith. What Joseph Smith did was a miracle which could not have happened without the power of God. Missionary work today - helping people come unto Jesus Christ - cannot happen without the power of God. This wasn't Joseph Smith's work, this isn't my work - it's God's work. And that's why it is growing and expanding - our Heavenly Father's hand is in it. If you haven't seen the new Joseph Smith movie, I would highly recommend it to everyone. You can purchase it for a few dollars right here.
We taught Elena and Ariel about the Plan of Salvation this week. This lesson was really important for them as their grandpa, their dad's father, just passed away last month. They're doing a lot better, and there was only a brief moment of emotion. It's hard to understand death - I've never been extremely close to anyone who has passed away - but the plan helps me to know that when that moment comes and I do lose someone close to me, it's just part of the plan of our Heavenly Father. I know that there is a life after this one, and we're here on earth to prepare for it.
I had another exchange on Wednesday with Sister Pena. This is her first transfer so I felt a little bit like a trainer, but she's naturally good at sharing the gospel so it wasn't hard. We taught a less active, Teresa, and then saw Jackie. Jackie is doing so well. We saw her again on Friday and she is so ready to be baptized. All we have to do is teach her about the law of tithing and schedule her interview! She came to Stake Conference yesterday with her son Zach and she was all ready with her hair done and make-up on and it's just been so good to see her get back on her feet! I am so grateful that I've been able to see her rise above and I pray everyday that she'll stay up. She should hopefully be baptized a week from Saturday, assuming everything goes well with her interview. I am just so endeared to her - she's hilarious and she's really working to turn it all around. She wants to get a job, get half custody of her son, and totally get off the methadone (prescribed) and nicorette gum for once and for all! She can be baptized while using those two things, but she's not looking to do the bare minimum - she's going all the way! I am so excited for her.
I was at the VC with Sister Chipana almost all day Thursday, as Sister Ure had meetings and trainings and prep work to do with Sister Taggart. We were able to stop by the Garrisons (recent convert family) because they had been sick for a couple of weeks. Only Ling was home so we stopped by and talked to her. All of our plans for the day had fallen through but it was because Ling needed to see us. Sometimes the Spirit guides us, and sometimes God creates the circumstances so that we are led to where we need to go.
On Saturday, I went on another exchange, this time with Sister Sia to Oakland. She's in the Oakland area, but we ended up going to Berkeley to do street contacting with the district. It was my first time street contacting, and it was EXHAUSTING. It was fun, but a little nerve-wrecking at the same time, and we met some crazies: ie men wanting to marry all of us since "we practice polygamy" and people that just talked and talked and talked and talked about nothing. We did get a couple of referrals though, and it helped me get over my fear of talking to random people. It also opened my eyes a bit. Usually, I'm the kind of person that zooms right past people that are offering things to me - I think most people are. After my mission, I'll probably be nicer to those people and take the things they're offering - except when I go to Vegas haha.
Yesterday was a regional conference - it was SO GOOD. We had both Jackie and Noelle there. Noelle sat with us and she was paying attention on and off, but there were a lot of things the speakers said where she would stop and say "they're talking right to me." It was perfect, and it really brought me the lift I needed after this week. Because of the Superbowl, NO ONE was at the VC Sunday night so it was a good time to relax and just feel the Spirit of the VC. I love when people come in and I feel like I'm actually fulfilling my purpose being there, but sometimes it's nice to have that quiet time to yourself in a holy, dedicated place so close to the temple.
We received a referral this week (Roger) and met a potential investigator (Richard), and we have a lesson with another potential investigator (Raquel) tonight. We're going to try contacting them in the next week so hopefully we'll have some new investigators this week! As I've been in different areas in the past couple of weeks, I am so grateful to be having so much success in this area. I'm just trying to work as hard as I can and be exactly obedient so I can exercise the power and authority of my calling to bring souls to Christ. I just love being a missionary!
Good luck this week!
Hermana Hunsaker
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| The whole zone at mini-golf!!! |
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| Probably Sister Ure's and my best picture EVER |
