Revelation and the Plan of Salvation

So....I didn't write last week. And I forgot my planner this week. So.....I'll try to catch up NEXT week, but we'll see how much I remember first.

Big news: transfers. We get the call Saturday night. It'll be my last transfer call as a missionary. Hopefully things don't change too much but you really never know. If I've learned anything as a missionary, it's that God's plan for our lives is totally different than our own. 

Lots of VC miracles! We had this couple, Lidia and Jose, who came into the VC this week. The first thing she told us was that she was investigating the church 16 years ago down in Honduras and hasn't had any contact with the church since then. Her and her husband randomly decided to come up and totally want to learn! They live RIGHT outside of our area unfortunately, but it's awesome how the temple guides the prepared people to find the truth! Lots of people came in yesterday as well because it was a holiday. Not everyone accepted, but everyone felt the Spirit. I know that.

I am so grateful for the Visitors' Center and the opportunity I've had to serve there for my entire mission. The Spirit is so strong there because it's right next to the temple, the house of the Lord. We got to go to the temple today, and I'm always amazed by the peace I feel when I enter. I'm so grateful for all that I've learned about the plan of salvation from being in the temple and studying the scriptures and listening to our modern-day prophets and apostles. Revelation is REAL.

We've had a lot of opportunities to receive this revelation as we had two General Authorities visit our mission these past two weeks. Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve came and held a special mission conference for all of us, and then Elder David Evans of the Quorum of the Seventy made a special trip to the Visitors' Center and spoke just to the Visitors' Center sisters. These two visits occurred within only a few days of each other. Getting close to the end of my mission, their words just reaffirmed my testimony in the restoration of Christ's original church and the personal love that our Heavenly Father has for each of us. When they speak, the Holy Ghost bears witness of what they say and teaches us individually the messages that our Heavenly Father knows we need to hear. 

I found a new favorite scripture this week that sums up my missionary service at this point: "And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me." As I've seen others come unto Christ, I've felt His mercy and grace. I've seen answers to my prayers. And I know that as long as I continue in faith and obedience, I will see miracles throughout my mission and throughout my life.

On a lighter note, pictures!

Us, the Sanchez family, and the Rojas family (members). I love them so
much! They'll get married and baptized someday! Just not this week
unfortunately.

The beautiful Relief Society of the Barrio Sexto en Oakland!!!

And the best day ever. Even Delia (in the middle) got dressed in a suit so
we could have a picture of the whole family in white. And again when they
go to the temple in a year! I love the Ramirez family so so much.

And of course my companion Sister Ayala. We've been through SO much
together and she's just my best friend :)

Just a few of the lives that have touched mine so deeply here in Oakland.
The perfect way to spend Valentine's Day - serving with the love of the Savior :)

Hermana Hunsaker

February. Finally giving up on sending out Christmas cards.

Big news for the week: the Ramirez kids got baptized and confirmed!!! I don't have any pictures with me right now but maybe next week.....

But it was a super special day. Also very stressful. We forgot to tell them to bring towels until five minutes before the end of church, twenty minutes before the baptism. Sister Meredith, our mission president's wife, saved our lives and brought them over from the mission home. Their dad, who has been less active for 13 years since his baptism, baptized all of them. With Cynthia, it took three tries. For Antonio, two. And by the time he got to Katheryn, he was a pro and got her all the way down and back up in one dip. Afterwards we ate the tamales that their mom brought from home. It was the best day ever - we ate dinner with them a few hours later and ate more tamales. She's the best cook ever.

So that was last Sunday, and then yesterday they were all confirmed in church. Cynthia was crying during her confirmation, and Antonio was told that he was going to be a missionary! It was awesome. They're all so awesome. Even the parents. I'm just so excited for their desire to serve others and choose the right! I really wish I had a picture of all of them right now so you could all see why I love them so much. We ate dinner with them after their confirmation too haha.

The other fun thing: we did a skit for our Relief Society activity! We're really trying to get the sisters to do their visiting teaching and so we put together a skit of what NOT to do. I've been kind of anxious about it for the past couple weeks so I was so glad it turned out! And it was funny! All the sisters were laughing and having a good time. At the end, we had them practice the RIGHT way and it was just a big hit. We've heard really good feedback and that some sisters have actually called our Relief Society President asking for the names and numbers of the sisters that they're supposed to visit! It's so exciting being a part of this ward and helping them unite. I think the Ramirez family will help a lot with that too :)

VC miracle: Ed walked into the VC. He's from Mongolia, he'd never been there before but had had many interactions with church members in random places, and he said, "I'm lost and looking for God." Elder Lavender, one of our senior elders in the VC, took him around the whole place. Then we gave him some of the free tickets we had for BYU's Living Legends dance performance the next night, and then the next day was Sunday and he came to church! The Oakland 9th elders are teaching him since one of them speaks Mongolian, and he already has a baptism date! His family hasn't jumped on the bandwagon yet, but they will soon! That one golden person makes all the downtime in the VC oh so worth it.

Also, because of the Living Legends performance, Sister Ayala and I gave a private tour to the Guatemala Consul of San Francisco and his family. I was super nervous, but they were the sweetest people ever! We had so much fun showing them around and they had so many questions! We couldn't do that much in terms of proselyting but they want to come back and see more and do their family history! We talked to the public relations lady that put it all together, and I'm thinking that maybe working for church public affairs might be an option for me after I graduate.....

Way too many VC miracles. Kathryn, one of the women I met in the VC during Christmastime, got baptized last weekend. I didn't see it and I haven't gotten in touch with her, but it feels good to know that I had a small part in her finding the truth. I just knew she would feel it and accept it.

So that's the news: exciting things happening here. Until next week!

Hermana Hunsaker