New transfer, new challenges

The last official picture of the district

I'm heading into into my SEVENTH transfer this week. Hermana Ivey is leaving me to go to Castro Valley, my old area! I've told her all about it, and she's going to love it. It's so celestial. As for me.....I'm staying in the Oakland 6th Spanish ward and I'm going to have a native companion! Her name is Hermana Pena, and she came out on her mission just one transfer after me. She's from Ecuador but her family moved to Utah when she was 12 because they won some type of visa lottery. So her English is really good, but we're going to speak Spanish 24/7! I'm also the driver again, and I'm the senior companion for the first time - which is a bit overwhelming considering we have tons of investigators right now and not enough time to see them all twice a week. It's going to be an important teaching time to help them feel the Spirit testify of the truth of our message so that they can make a choice. We've added quite a few investigators this week, and we have a lot of other investigators that haven't been progressing for awhile. It's going to be a long but very important week for us to find those who are prepared.

So yeah, lots of miracle finding opportunities. So many that I can't write them down here. We have to get Hermana Ivey all packed up today so I don't have more time today, but I'll report on all of them next week. I'm grateful for all the opportunities that the Lord has given me to stretch and grow, and I'm grateful for the ones He's giving me now. I'm grateful for the trials that have tested my faith.

I've spent a lot of time contemplating this week as I've made time to write in my journal and really evaluate all that I need to do to improve every single day. I've run across a couple of quotes that I'll share and that will be my little thought for the week.

Look around and count your blessings this week. I promise they are there because our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us so much. And keep these things in mind:

"Life is hard, but the gospel is simple."

"Prayers answered are faith-promoting. Prayers unanswered are faith-perfecting."

Hermana Hunsaker

Investigators

Veronica - We had FHE with them Monday night while teaching the message of the restoration. We played Telephone to illustrate the Great Apostasy and then watched the 20-minute Restoration movie. She prayed at the end of the listen and all her kids were there and she invited her sister and her kids to come too! She's moving in with one of our member's this week, Hermana Preciado, and she even came to church! Everytime she prays, she feels the Spirit and feels so much peace. We're working on helping her two kids, Ramses and Jenny, to progress. We're so excited to help this family.

Martin - Martin hasn't been able to make it to church because of work, but he has been teaching all of his co-workers about Joseph Smith - he's not even a member but he's sharing the gospel with everyone and totally understands why Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet! His sons still don't want to learn, and his wife has been avoiding us, but we know he's ready. It's hard for him to move forward without his family, but they'll come around someday. This family needs the gospel SO MUCH - no matter what we sometimes assume, every family needs the gospel. Every family has its own problems and concerns and the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only thing that can truly help and have a lasting impact.

Maribel - Maribel is having a hard time getting to church, but she's AWESOME. She has stopped drinking coffee since we taught her the Word of Wisdom last week, and she even taught her husband so he's drinking less! She's already seen the blessings of the gospel in her family, even though her husband doesn't want to learn right now. The biggest problem is that they are moving to Illinois next month to the middle of nowhere - Hermana Ivey and I searched online for a Spanish branch in that area and there's NOTHING. So......we'll see.

Sonia - Sonia wants to come to church so bad. She almost made it - her husband is very devoted to his church, but he said he would bring her. But of course, he didn't make it home on time and she didn't tell us. But she really is looking for the truth and reads everything that we give her. We started teaching he 15-year-old daughter Vanessa this week too who also doesn't want to be baptized in her dad's church. We only see them once a week usually, but they're great and we've found some great fellowshippers for them.

Marilu and Atzidi - We didn't have a lesson with Marilu this week, but her 9-year-old daughter Atzidi is reading the pamphlets we've given them and came to church with Hermana Preciado! And they live right across the street from the new house of the Preciados and Veronica! Such a blessing, such a miracle.

Mario - Mario is a referral from Anabela, a lady from our English class. I absolutely love her and we tried teaching her a couple weeks ago, but she wasn't getting it and wasn't interested in learning more. She did read a little bit of the Book of Mormon though. She's here for a few months and she's going back to Guatemala next week but she's living with Mario's family. Mario has leukemia so she asked us to visit him in the hospital. We're going back there this week to give him a Book of Mormon and teach him some more - he has a lot of faith but we can know the Book of Mormon will give him even more hope and strength in the future.

And now.......Miracle referral stories.

Familia Campillo - Referred by a recent convert who didn't even know the name of these people. She only knew that they lived in her building. We showed up and they immediately said "Oh we're Catholic" and acted like they didn't want to talk to us. But as we kept talking to them, we found out that Hna Campillo is meeting with the Jehovah's Witnesses and they don't go to church or read the Bible. At first they told us that they were on their way out, but we ended up talking for ten minutes at the door. By the end of that, we had their phone number and found out that they're interested in English classes and the VC and church. And they told us we can pretty much stop by whenever we want. We're going to set an appointment for Friday when we're in Berkeley again. We NEVER would have found this family in Berkeley without the help of this random recent convert neighbor - we can't do this work without the members!

Familia Rodriguez - We've only met Hno. Rodriguez, but his wife is just as excited to listen to us. Hno. Rodriguez works in Concord at the apartment building where some of the Concord missionaries live. During his lunch break, they started talking to him and he asked about Adam and Eve. They gave him a Book of Mormon and he's really interested to understand it better and learn more. We're seeing them tonight and we're super excited!

Another tender mercy from the Lord: exchange with Hermana Garcia in Hayward. After being in her area for the first year of her mission, this was her first exchange staying in her new area in Hayward. Not too much happened, but we taught a miracle investigator - her husband is a very less active member of the English ward, and his home-teacher set it up for the sisters to go over. She's soaking it all in and doing so great. I love Hermana Garcia so much - it's nice to have companions that are also great friends.

Quick summary for the week, but there were literally miracles all around. It's the last week of the transfer and I'm just hoping and praying that I get to be here for all these baptisms that will happen soon!!! Our mission president told us in an email today that this next transfer, more than half of the missionaries in our mission will have been out for 6 months or less. There's a lot going on, but it's exciting and we never know what will happen. All we can do is have faith that the Lord knows better than us and He'll take care of everything.

Have a great week! Love you and miss you all!

Hermana Hunsaker

So blessed

I have no time today but we have seen so many miracles this week - so many in fact that after being an awful journal writer for my whole mission (well actually my whole life) I am BOUND AND DETERMINED to write in my journal regularly. That being said, this email won't have too many details, but I just feel the need to share all these miracles with you all.

Lunes - Preparation day. Mmmm.....not much happened, except our haircuts but I think I talked about that in my email last week.

Martes - We had an awesome training from Elder Bradford during our district meeting. We practiced how to receive revelation and teach according to needs. We all took a section from the lesson of the Restoration in Preach My Gospel and taught it to the other missionaries. It was a powerful experience and helped me remember just how important it is to have the Spirit in every facet of the work. We also had a lesson with Martin and Guadelupe - he came to church last week and is so solid, but she lacks the motivation. She opened up to us and told us that she fills her life with her kids' sports and so many things in the effort to find peace but she's still searching. I know the gospel is the only source of true, sustaining peace and we're trying to help her understand that.

Miercoles - This was a special day. We had interviews with President Meredith in the morning. Those interviews always come around just right when I need them and he knows exactly how to help us do the work. For everyone that knows me, I've always been a perfectionist, and sometimes it's hard to accept the fact that you literally can't be a perfect missionary. We have so many goals that we're working towards and so many things we want to accomplish and so many people we want to help and it's just exhausting. But my interview with President Meredith helped me remember that I don't have to be perfect - I just need to keep improving. That's when we see miracles and that's when we can recognize our growth. 

We served in the Visitors' Center that night, and a man named Alfredo came in. Sister Ivey was in the bathroom so I talked with him for a few minutes and he said he would bring the rest of his family in. After ten minutes, I just knew they weren't coming back in - the friends that were visiting Alfredo and his family were avoiding us like the plague. So........what did we do about it? We just went outside and found them. Turns out, Alfredo wanted a Book of Mormon! So we got his address to send missionaries and went back inside. They didn't come in again, but I know the Spirit prompted me to go out and find Alfredo.

We also had an English class miracle. English class was cancelled this week but the elders brought in a family who we met at English class last week. They came to watch Finding Faith in Christ and we started the tour without the missionaries because they were running late. The woman, Dominga, totally opened up to us; she talked about how sometimes they go to the Catholic church, sometimes to the Evangelist church, sometimes no church at all. Through tears, she told us that she prays every single day for God to help her find the true church. It was just another testimony to me that even as missionaries with the spirit of discernment, we never know who is truly ready to receive the gospel. But there are so many people, and we all have to give them the opportunity to hear it.

Jueves - Wow. It was an awesome day. We had VC training in the morning where we practiced for our new exhibit that's coming (it actually got here today!) and it was so great. Then we worked in the VC where a miracle happened. A man and woman came to the temple, not knowing that it was closed. It just so happens that this man served his mission in Russia - and there was a non-member couple visiting from Russia on the grounds that day. They ran into each other outside and this member brought this couple in and showed them EVERYTHING. At the end, they exchanged phone numbers. We need members so much in missionary work - we can't do this work without them! It was quite the miracle - when we listen to the Spirit, we are put in the path that the Lord needs us to be in.

THEN. We had THREE member present lessons and added three new investigators! One is Sonia - her husband recently was baptized into another church but she's not sure if it's true. She was raised Catholic but after her study of the Bible, she realized that it wasn't the true church. She's looking, and we have a recent convert who lives in the same apartment complex. We're really excited to see what happens there. It will be hard with her husband, who is deeply committed to his new church, but Sonia is so ready for the gospel.

Then we had a lesson with Veronica and her daughter Jenny. Veronica is the friend of Hermana Preciado, who is a recent convert and one of our ward missionaries. Hermana Preciado brought Veronica to the Visitors' Center three months ago, before I even came to the area, and Sister Ivey has been trying to get in touch with her ever since. It finally happened and we really focused on prayer. She prayed at the end of the lesson and said that she felt something for the first time. She has a lot of baggage but I know the Atonement can heal anyone. We're really excited to work with her.

Viernes - We did weekly planning, and then we went to the Visitors' Center so we didn't go to our area at all. BUT a non-member family from Mexico came in and referred themselves AND a few of their friends! It was amazing! We'll see what happens there, but the daughter is already assisting institute with her friends down in Mexico. This family is so ready!

Sabado - Saturday was a long day with very little success. But we did advertise English class and 10 people signed up! Then we went to see Anabela, one of our English class students, to bring her the movie Finding Faith in Christ. We tried to add her as investigator, but she didn't really get it. But we shared a little bit with her and gave her a Book of Mormon and she has a friend back in Guatemala who is a member. I absolutely love this lady and I just hope to stay in contact with her - she'll understand one day. She goes back to Guatemala in one month, but Sister Ivey and I are going to stay in touch with her through the Visitors' Center.

Domingo - We didn't get any investigators to church today, but Patricia and Hna Delgado both came to church again! So that was great - they're both doing so well. I just love helping less actives prepare for the temple. We had a lesson with Hna Delgado and her daughter Monica and Monica expressed her desire to start coming to church again. Martin had work so he couldn't make it, but he wanted his family to go so bad - we stopped by twice but they were not interested in coming. We'll keep working with them.

That's a pretty big list of miracles, but it just keeps getting bigger! I'm so grateful for the opportunity to serve here in Oakland all these wonderful people. It's tough, but the Lord is shaping me and helping me to love a little more and a little better everyday.

Thanks for all your love and support! Have a good week!

Hermana Hunsaker

Miracles at church

Time flies in the mission - especially on preparation day. Lots of things have happened this week, but I only have time to talk about the miracles. 

4th of July - I was up for the fireworks! We were in our apartment doing daily planning so we didn't get a great view, but we saw a few of them on the way home from the Visitors' Center that night and we heard them all throughout our planning. Despite that, it was the best 4th of July EVER. We had tons of people come in to the Visitors' Center that night and a lot of them spoke Spanish. We contacted four solid familias and they were all interested in learning more! It felt almost like Christmas again.

Clase de Ingles - We taught English class for the second time! It was so much fun - I really love doing it. The first time was rough because we didn't know what we were doing, but we improved a lot and it was tons of fun. We have a few regulars that come to the class, and it's been so much fun to work with them! It's amazing how any kind of service, not just missionary work, helps us love all those around us and gives us so much joy.

Iglesia - WOW. Words don't do justice to express how great yesterday was. We had two less actives come to church, and an investigator! Usually only Paul comes, but he's going to be out of the picture for a few months because his father is staying with him from Mexico - we'll see what happens there. But Martin came! His wife Guadelupe and two sons didn't make it with him so we'll have to pray about how we can help them. But Martin loved church. He was there all three hours and said afterwards that he feels like this is the true church that he's been looking for! We are going to invite him to be baptized at the end of this month, and he's so ready to set that example for his family. His faith is so strong. Our less active Hermana Obregon came to church too. She doesn't have transportation so it's hard for her to get to church, but a friend gave her a ride and she talked to the bishop so that she can come back and get active in the church again.

Hna. Delgado - This story is part of the miracles at church, but it's more than that. After our correlation meeting, we went to see Hna. Delgado. Her husband is not a member and most of her kids aren't active (they were all baptized eight years ago) and she has depression. She had a really strong testimony but hasn't been to church in over a year. We decided to stop by her house and share 2 Nephi 4 with her. We read the end of the chapter and talked to her. It was such a Spirit-led lesson. When we arrived, she said that she didn't have any desire to go to church. After reading from the Book of Mormon and asking heaven-sent questions, she opened up and told us that it was just too hard for her to go to church by herself. Hermana Ivey shared her story about how everyone in her family is inactive but she knew that she needed to go to church so she never gave up on it. We told her that she can be the rock to strengthen her family, but she has to do something. And without us asking, she said she would get ready and come to church! She showed up at church an hour later and one of her daughters decided to come with her! You may not understand if you haven't served a mission, but the Lord helps us so much in this work. He knows exactly what we need to say to help His children, and He gives us those words as we keep His commandments and serve those around us. I'm not a perfect missionary - I've had very few lessons like the one with Hermana Delgado. But as we rely on the Lord, we can be instruments in His hands to bless His children. I'm so grateful for that calling and opportunity to bless people every single day as I listen to the Lord.

Hermana Ivey found this scripture this week, and we truly have seen it come to pass this week in 2 Nephi 29:

....my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.

Miracles have not ceased. Look for the miracles in your life this next week. Love you all!

Hermana Hunsaker

Milagros de la Obra Misional

Wow. It's already July. The weather warmed up a little this week for a few days but it's nowhere near as hot here as in other parts of the mission. I feel very lucky to be in Oakland for most of the summer instead of in Antioch or Concord (where it's been over 100 degrees all week).

The only complaint that I have about Oakland is the simple fact that there is not a single library open on Mondays. And with the Family History Center closed yesterday for carpet cleaning, we weren't able to email. Which means I have approximately 5 minutes to email right now. Five minutes can't even begin to sum up all the miracles of the week, but I'll try.

Visitors' Center - we met people from Finland, Russia, Romania and Italy this week. I love being in a city with so many different cultures! Real quick story: the people from Italia came to visit their son for the first time who is a member and lives here with his wife. They didn't speak any English but we spoke to them in Spanish and we were able to understand each other pretty well!!! Amazing. I told their son that my dad served in Italy and he said "Tell him that Italians DO get baptized in Italy!" Most of the people my dad baptized in his mission were all from different countries. But his story is super cool - he read 7 Habits of Highly Successful People (or whatever that book is - I forgot the exact name). Anyways, this book was written by a member (I don't remember his name right now either, I just know he passed away recently). But anyways, he read this book and thought to himself, "there's something that this guy isn't telling me." Then he met a member of the church and they talked about it and he got baptized! It's just further evidence to me as to how true this church is and just how many ways that God speaks to His children!

Oakland Spanish - our ward had a crazy party for the 30th anniversary of the ward. There were so many people that we weren't able to do much, but it was good to support the ward leaders and recognize how far this ward has come throughout the years. Also, Sister Ivey and I have a teaching pool again! We're teaching nine people, of which half of them are progressing. They're all so different and it's taking all our work to arrange them all in our limited schedule. I fall into bed exhausted every night but it feels so good to be working so hard and doing it for someone and something that mean so much to me personally - the Lord and His gospel. Also, we taught English class this week!!! It was so much fun and I'm excited for more opportunities to do it. And there are so many non-members there! It's great.

Lesson of the week - you never know who is ready to hear and accept the gospel. We were teaching Guadelupe and Martin (who are doing AWESOME by the way) and their niece Ilene kept walking through. She didn't look interested AT ALL, but finally we just invited her to sit with us and learn! She ended up opening up to us and telling us that she had always wanted to pray but just didn't know how. She said she'd read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it's true! Even growing up in the church, I don't think I really understood it when I was 16 but the Lord prepares people in His own time and in His own way. We really are only instruments but as we take that responsibility upon ourselves to share the gospel, we really are doing what we've promised to do: "take upon ourselves the name of Christ."

Challenge - bear your testimony to a friend this week!

Happy 4th of July! Enjoy the fireworks for me!!! I'll be asleep :)

Hermana Hunsaker