DECEMBER

2014

"THAT'S WHAT'S SO INCREDIBLE ABOUT THE ATONEMENT"

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!                                          12/31/14


 I hope you all had a wonderful week because we had incredible one that's for sure!  Not to say that it was easy by any means. Satan was most definitely working his hardest on us,. I've never felt as stressed and anxious on m mission as I did this past week. It’s funny to me how Satan works. Whenever things are going good and you're seeing miracles happen he just attacks you like crazy. He makes you feel like you're failing and that you'll never be good enough.
 One day this week we were studying the Christ like Attributes for a lesson and It made me feel awful.  As I read through the different attributes I just kept having thoughts come to my mind like "You're so far from this", "You'll never be able to develop these attributes" and "You need to be so much better". I've pondered a lot about this and overall those thoughts are all true. I'm not going to be able to develop all of those attributes over night, but that's ok; I do need to be better, we all do, not one of us is perfect.   That's what's so incredible about the Atonement though; Christ does not expect perfection. However, he does expect perfect progression. What’s important is that each day we are trying our hardest to be better than we were the day before. That each week when we take the Sacrament, we take that time to reflect and recognize where we need to be better and then work on it. That doesn't mean that we're going to become perfect at being better at that specific thing, in fact I can promise you that you're still going to make mistakes, but that's ok, because The Savior is there to help us when we do. I'm so grateful for the Atonement and all that it does for me in my life, each and every day! So after a stressful week full of Satan trying his hardest and failing it ended up being probably the most memorable week of my mission.

Sister Peel, Brandon, Jon, Sister Hunter, Sister Goldwater

  JON GOT BAPTIZED!!!    And to top it off Brandon baptized him!! Brandon, who didn't want to quit smoking hookah or take off work on Sundays when I first got here! He got the priesthood back a couple of weeks ago and ended up baptizing Jon. Then Betty, one of the recent converts gave an incredible talk on The Holy Ghost and at the end Jon bore his testimony. I have honestly never felt the spirit so strong at a baptism before. My testimony has been strengthened immensely by Jon and Brandon and by simply being able to serve in this branch and teach such incredible people. I can't explain in words the Joy that I've felt on my mission, especially being able to watch people come closer to Jesus Christ and ultimately make these covenants with him.


 Jon is preparing to go to the temple and do baptisms for the dead in a couple of weeks with the Branch. He's so excited and I couldn't be happier for him. I know that this work is true without a doubt in my heart and I’m incredibly grateful that my Savior has trusted me enough to be a part of it by being a mere instrument in his hands.

Congrats Jon!!!!!

 We were able to meet with George after church yesterday (he's the one who's been investigating for like 5 years, and pays his tithing) and had a really incredible lesson with him about desire, real intent, repentance, and receiving answers to prayers. The Spirit was most definitely guiding that lesson and somehow the things we taught and bore testimony of touched his heart enough that he was willing to set a baptism date! I don't think he's been willing to set a date in close to a year. He said that he's very scared and can't make any guarantees that he will keep the date. We told him that for now he just needs to be working towards something. I think that this is huge for George and is going to be a good starting point for him to start making changes in his life. Have I mentioned lately how cool The Spirit is? Because it's incredible and miracles happen when we listen and follow its guidance. I definitely know that it’s the Spirit who is the real teacher out here, without it nothing would ever happen! Funny story for the week. We were street contacting on one of the main streets in Neenah and we were just not having any luck. Nobody would talk to us and it starting to get sad. So we see this guy sitting on a bench a ways a head of us and I get so excited! I'm like "Sister Goldwater this guy is just so ready for us and he's going to accept a He's The Gift card, then we're going to be able to talk about The Book of Mormon and give him one, and he's going to become a new investigator!" So we get all confident and are ready to walk up to him and be bold and as we get closer we're like "Man he hasn't moved in a long time. Then we realized that it was a dang statue of Abraham Lincoln! It was really sad but super funny didn't quite work out how we wanted but definitely gave us something to laugh about. Well I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and take the time to remember your Savior. 1 Nephi 10:4 "Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among yhe Jews, even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the World" I know that Jesus Christ is SO much more than a Prophet. He is my Savior and the Savior of The World. He has sacrificed so much in our behalf and I hope that we take the time to remember that this week! I know his Gospel is True and I know that the Book of Mormon is True! Love you all and miss you tons! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

 Love,
 Sister Kendra Hunter

Dancer and the Missionaries

  

Vision of sugar plums 

                                              







 

SHARE THE GIFT!!!!

 Hello!!                                                     12/15/14

Wow we have had such a neat week here! Jon came to church again yesterday! He showed up wearing a white shirt and tie (that's the first time I've seen him wear that) and I almost started crying! He is just making so many incredible changes! Temporal and spiritual, I probably say it every week but he is so incredible and I feel so blessed to be able to be an instrument in God’s hands to help him accept this gospel! He and is all set for his baptism on Saturday! He has his interview tomorrow but we know he is ready and that it will go great. So last week for FHE the branch members went out with a survey, Book of Mormons, and He Is The Gift pass along cards and tried to share the gospel with people. Jon was so excited about it and had an awesome experience. He was with a group and told them that he felt like they should go to Shopko. They split up and he started talking to a lady and ended up giving her a Book of Mormon! He's not even a member yet and he's handing out Book of Mormons! He told us that it was kind of scary at first but he ended up really enjoying it and definitely felt the spirit.

Look at that wonderful white shirt

On Tuesday we had a lesson with someone in Oshkosh but she ended up not being home, that was a bummer.   So we took advantage of the time and walked around UW Oshkosh. We stopped this guy named Antonio and started talking with him about He Is The Gift. It ended up leading into the Restoration and talking about The Book of Mormon. It was really cool and he was really excited about finding out for himself if the Book of Mormon is true. We invited him to be baptized and he said he would if he comes to know that it’s true. He's going home to Milwaukee for the break but we will be sending missionaries over to teach him! It was an awesome experience and taught me a lot about being bold with people. That's one thing I've struggled with a bit on my mission, it’s just so out of my comfort zone. But the spirit prompts us to do things that require us to be bold and when we act on it MIRACLES happen! 

We had another experience in the Library when we were watching the new Angels From the Realms of Glory video with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. If you haven't seen this video GO WATCH IT!!! It's so good and invites such a strong spirit. Anyways I just felt really strongly that I should ask the girl sitting next to me to watch the video with us. So I asked her if she would like to watch this really neat video and she came over and watched it with us. The spirit was so strong as she watched it and she even started to tear up. Her name was Principenia and it turns out that she had actually talked with missionaries on the bus in Chicago about 2 weeks ago! She just moved to Menasha from Chicago a couple days before and doesn't know anyone so of course we invited her to come to activities and she was really interested and we were able to give her a Book of Mormon. The Spirit is SOO cool and I have such a strong testimony of the power that comes from listening to it. Like I said earlier I know that miracles happen as we listen to the spirit and that he truly does guide every day if we will take the time to LISTEN!

In my studies the other day I came across this scripture that I absolutely love! Its 3 Nephi 27:14 and it says "And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that i might draw all men unto me, that as i have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the father" I just want to leave you with my testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ. I know that he lived and was literally lifted upon the cross by man, so that he could draw us unto him and lift us up through our lives and in our times of need. I know that he not only does this for me but for each one of you. As we allow him into our lives and come unto him, all that he has done for us will and does take action in our lives. I love my Savior and I am truly grateful for the knowledge that I have of him. I hope you all take the time to ponder about your Savior and what he has done for you and how you can share that knowledge with others. #ShareTheGift, that’s my invitation to you this week! Share The Gift with others especially this Christmas Season!!

Love, 

Sister Kendra Hunter

WE ALL NEED TO SHARE THE GIFT!!! 

"The Christmas Bells"

Christmas in the field is a blast!!!

     I AM A MISSIONARY!!!!!

Hello Family!                                                                12/8/14

How has everyone's week been? My week here was incredible of course because I'm a missionary and even when we have hard days we're still doing The Lords work and miracles and blessings come from it!

 

Some of the members of the Menasha Ward

                                                                                               

Jon is doing incredible! He came to all the activities that the branch had this week. FHE on Monday, went to the movie night the branch members had, he came to President Munson's house last night to watch the Christmas devotional, and to top it all off HE CAME TO CHURCH THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!      


 He finally got things worked out with his job and will be able to
come to church!! Everything is looking set for his baptism on the 20th! They announced it in Sacrament meeting yesterday and all the branch members are super excited for him! His friend Maria, who introduced him to the missionaries, has been basically less active the past few months; but with him gaining a testimony, coming to church and the different activities she's started coming again. It's so neat to see the gospel not only change Jon but change Maria as well!

So I can't remember if I've already talked about this so if I have I apologize, but President Cutler has given us all this survey to start using when we go tracking. He told us that it was a great way to get inside people's homes and then be able to turn it into a lesson about The Restoration or The Book of Mormon. We've been trying to use it but people have just not been very receptive at all.. But this week we were able to go to Oshkosh and tract where all the students live and we were determined that we would have success with the survey. The first door we knocked on the girl let us right in! Her name is Shannon and we were able to teach a lesson about The Book of Mormon and get a return appointment. It was such a miracle and really strengthened my testimony about expectations. I've definitely learned on my mission that when we go out with expectations miracles happen. This work has so much to do with our attitude. If we don't believe that we can see success than chances are we won’t, but when we expect those miracle to happen they do!

On Thursday we went caroling as a district. We all wore Santa hats and went door to door singing a bunch of songs. It was really funny but we had a great time. At one of the homes when we got done the lady got all excited and told us how much she loved The Book of Mormon.... the musical and then asked if we had seen it.. haha uhh... no. 


Also that night I may have accidentally turned down a one way street going the wrong way.. haha I just started screaming/yelling and Sister Goldwater just couldn't stop laughing….; we’re all good though we just flipped around and then we were going the right way :)

Last night we got to watch the Christmas Devotional, if you didn't see it go watch it!! It was really good! Richard J. Maynes, a member of the Presidency of the Seventy gave a really great talk about the attributes of Mary and Joseph and their family. I had never thought to study the qualities and attributes that they had but I think it's a great invitation and I want to extend it to you. Study them and write down the attributes they had that you want to have as a parent, spouse, or even sibling. You can apply the attributes that were used in raising our savior in your own home! I know that as we apply them to our lives we will be happier and will feel that closeness to our savior that we feel at Christmas time all year round

I love you all and miss you tons!!! 

Love, 

Sister Kendra Hunter

Now that is a cool snowman!!!!

THANKSGIVING!!!!!

Hello Family!!                                                           12/1/14

Wow what a week! So many great things have happened but let’s start with Jon! Jon is doing just absolutely incredible! We are meeting with him twice a week and re-teaching him the lessons so he can be ready for baptism. Last week we brought up the fact that he needs to quit drinking coffee again and he wasn't super excited but he said he would try. On Tuesday he had made it one day without it and by Saturday he had gone five days without it, threw away all of his coffee stuff, and even took it off his Christmas wish list! Haha I thought that was funny but wow the changes he's making are amazing. He told us that it was hard at first but it's gotten easier and he just knows it’s what he needs to do because he knows The Book of Mormon is true! He even said that he's not as tired in the mornings as he thought he would be. The Lord truly blesses us when we keep his commandments! It's so neat to see the way people change once they know The Book of Mormon is true. Jon is experiencing the "Change of Heart" that it talks about throughout The Book of Mormon and it's really amazing to be able to see it happen. Jon has started coming to different branch activities and even helped us clean the church last week. He gets along so well with the branch members and loves the activities. Everyone just loves him and they are really excited for him to get baptized. He is actually talking to his boss today about getting Sundays off so he can start coming to church and be baptized so please keep him in your prayers that everything will work out! I have faith that it will but extra prayers can never hurt right? :)

I think Brandon got the Priesthood yesterday. Sister Goldwater had the flu so we weren't able to go to church, which is super weird as a missionary in case you wanted to know, but he told us on Saturday that he would be getting it and that his dad was going to be able to ordain him! I'm so excited for him and he's already made a goal to get to the temple to do baptisms for the dead and to even take his own names when he goes!

So how was your Thanksgiving?!   Mine was really great and we definitely saw miracles! We started the day by playing in the Neenah wards turkey bowl. It was so much fun and believe it or not, yours truly even scored a couple of touch downs. It was freezing cold and we were playing in the snow but it was a ton of fun.

Turkey Bowl Wisconsin Style 

 We had two dinner appointments and we originally were going to tell the second family that we already had a dinner and just go help them cook but then we just felt that we needed to go for some reason so we went. When we got there we found out that another couple, Noah and Missy, were coming. Noah is a returning member and Missy has been investigating for years. While we were eating we felt really prompted to talk to Missy about baptism and why she hadn't been baptized yet. Bishop King (bishop of the Neenah ward) then asked Missy if she would like us to help teach her because he thought she could really benefit from Sister Missionaries (because Sisters are better than Elders ha ha just kidding). She was really excited about it and said she would really love it because she feels like she could connect better with Sisters, plus we can come by during the day when Noah isn't home. After we left I just thought about how grateful I am to have the Gift of the Holy Ghost and I'm grateful for spiritual promptings. Without those promptings we would not have ended up having that dinner appointment nor would we now be teaching Missy. Heavenly Father knows what he's doing and it's so important that we recognize when he's telling us what he needs to do. Miracles happen when we act on spiritual promptings and I have such a strong testimony of that. I'm grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that he has made for each one of us. Remember that he truly is the gift this Christmas season! I love you all and miss you! Hope you have a great week!

Love,

Sister Hunter

Sister Goldwater and Sister Hunter

NOVEMEBER

 2014

TRANSFERS

Hello Family!!!                                                                                 11/24/14

Holy cow what a week! We had transfers and I'm still serving in the Winnebago YSA branch which I'm really happy about! I love serving here so much! I'm going to be really sad when I get told I'm leaving... but for now I'm staying so all is well! My new companion is Sister Goldwater. She's from Colorado and oh man she is incredible! She's a recent convert of 2 years in February and she left on her mission 14 months after shew as baptized! She has such a powerful testimony and she is SOO BOLD!! I love it she just tells it how it is, it’s so great! Oh and get this her mom got baptized on Saturday!! How neat is that? Wow in case you can't tell I'm really excited to be serving with her. We've already seen so many miracles this week I just know this is going to be an amazing transfer! Oh ya I'm the designated driver now.. haven't driven in almost 9 months and now I get to just in time for all the snow... haha but don't worry I'm a good driver so we'll be ok :) (also I know Shawn and Chris are probably

 laughing right now saying something about how that's not true...)

Introducing Sister Golwater

So HUGE Miracle for the week was our lesson with Jon!! I think I've mentioned this before but he has not been willing to pray specifically about the Book of Mormon which has been really frustrating because we knew that if he would pray about it he would know that it’s true. We felt very strongly that we just needed to be really bold with him so we decided to read 2 Nephi 32:8-9. We talked about the fact that it is Satan who is working so hard to keep him from praying. We asked him why he thought Satan would put that much effort in to keep him from praying about the Book of Mormon. He said because Satan knows it’s true. Then after a little while he said "I know what I need to do." We asked him what that was and he said "I need to pray about the Book of Mormon." So right there we told him to do it. We all got down on our knees and sat in silence while he prayed and listened for his answer. The spirit was SOO strong. I have never sat in a lesson where the spirit was testifying that powerfully to someone! After about 5 minutes he said he felt so much peace and that he knows the Book of Mormon is TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

He committed to do what’s necessary to be baptized including getting work off on Sundays so he can come to church! Also we had Stake Conference this weekend and at the Saturday night session Jon told President Cutler that he knows the Book of Mormon is true!! We are going to be working harder than ever now with him because we know that Satan will be working extremely hard to keep him from being baptized. I know that we won’t be working alone though, Heavenly Father will be helping us each step of the way to see this miracle happen! I know that the Book of Mormon is true, I know that the Spirit and The Book of Mormon are the real teachers in this work and that we are only instruments in God's hands, but I am so grateful to be that simple instrument in his hands to help this work move forward. 

The Church came out with a new video for this coming Christmas season and I want to invite all of you to watch it. Just go to www.mormon.org/christmas. This video helps us see what’s really important about the Christmas season and invites us to share it with those around us. Christ is the real gift. Because of him we can have eternal life! Help others understand this and Share The Gift with them! 

I love you all and miss you! Pray for the missionaries around the world and pray for missionary opportunities in you're on life! I know that you won't regret it and that you will grow and be strengthened by the experience. 

Love, 

Sister Kendra Hunter

Not For Time But For Eternity!!!

Hi Family!!                                                    11/17/14

I hope you all had a great week back home! This week we did a lot of tracing in Oshkosh. We're trying really hard to find new investigators. We had a ton of other lessons and met a lot of people who have a ton of potential. Only problem is none of them will set return appointments with us because they are going to school and working so there really busy and don't know when they will have time. It's really frustrating sometimes, especially when you feel like you are working so hard and not much is coming from it, but then I realize that I can always be better. And I have to realize that everything is on The Lords time and when the timing is right he will place those who a  prepared in our paths so that we can teach them!

A couple of weeks ago some members of our branch got married in the Nauvoo Temple. On Saturday they had their Ring Ceremony and we got to go. It was so happy! They had people speak on Temples and The Plan of Salvation, I loved that they took advantage of that time to share the gospel with their friends and family who were not members. They are incredible examples to me with their faith to be married first in the temple even though not all of their family could be there. I'm so grateful for temples and the blessings of being able to be a forever family!

Yesterday Adam passed the Sacrament! It was really neat to be able to see him do that. I feel so blessed to have been able to teach him, see him be baptized, and receive the Aaronic priesthood. Brandon took the Sacrament yesterday for the first time in seven years and he was sustained to receive the Aaronic Priesthood! I can't even begin to explain the joy and happiness that comes from being a missionary! Just like it talks about in Alma 29:9, I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father has used me as an instrument in helping Adam come closer to Christ! I know that this church is true and I know that the Book of Mormon is the Word of God. I know that it changes people’s lives as they read from it and apply its teachings into their lives. I'm so grateful to be a part of this work and to be an instrument in God's hands!

The members are great cooks in Wisconsin!

These Sisters are very grateful for wonderful families who feed them

Sorry it's not much this week but I love you all and miss you

Love,

Sister Hunter

p.s. We have been teaching this little 8 year old girl in the Neenah ward to help her be ready for her baptism. She is super cute and she got baptized on Saturday. It was fun to be able to help her understand better the covenants that she would be making!

A Week of Tender Mercies and Miracles!

Chicago Temple

Hello Family!                                                       11/10/2014

This past week was another great one! So there a less active in the branch, her name is Aurora, and we have been trying to meet with her every week since I got here. Most of the time she would never respond to our texts but sometimes she would actually set up an appointment with us and then she would cancel at the last minute. She text us this week and asked if we could meet and have a simple lesson on who Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are. She's gone back to a lot of old bad habits and decided to go to an AA meeting. She realized that she needs God in her life. She has a desire to start coming back to church and begin making these changes in her life. Heavenly Father has been slowly working to soften her heart and I'm so grateful he's doing it! I know that people would never change if it wasn't for him and the power of the Atonement. She came to FHE last week and we are so excited to be meeting with her again and to help her come closer to Jesus Christ.

Adam and Betty both went to the Temple on Saturday to do baptisms for the dead. They both had really great experiences. I'm sad that we couldn't go with them but I'm so excited that they both have now made it to the temple and had that experience. Betty told people that it was a little overwhelming but she really enjoyed and is looking forward to doing it again. Hopefully she will have the opportunity to go again soon so she can experience it again without being overwhelmed.

Brandon is doing great! He's started reading the Book of Mormon with his Dad, hoping that it will help his Dad to strengthen his relationship with Jesus Christ and have the desire to be more active again in the church. I think it's so incredible that Brandon has recognized the good changes that are being made in his life and he's wanting to share that with his family. Brandon informed us as well that he should be getting the priesthood either this coming Sunday or the next! He told us that one of the reasons he feels like he's been able to come back to church and make these changes in his life so soon is because back in September we challenged him to look for the tender mercies in his life throughout the day. I remember that lesson and feeling so prompted to bring that up with him and extend that invitation to him. He said that because of that challenge he's been able to recognize all the ways Heavenly Father has been there in his life and how he has been preparing him to come back and receive the priesthood again. It was such a tender mercy for me to know that following that spiritual prompting has made such a difference for him. He has come so far and made so many great changes in his life. The Atonement is REAL and it's Amazing!! I want to invite you all to look for the tender mercies in your day. I know that it will help you to see all the ways that Heavenly Fathers hand has been and is in your life. He is there, I know he is! Have I mentioned that I love being a part of this work? Cause I do! It’s INCREDIBLE!

                                                 

I had the opportunity to go on exchanges this week as well with Sister Morelli’s. She is a wonderful missionary and I'm so grateful I had the chance to spend the day with her and learn from her! I love learning new things and being able to apply them to my missionary efforts. I hope you all have a great week! Remember to look for those tender mercies! 1 Nephi 1:20. Also listen to the spirit and act on those promptings! I love you all and you're always in my prayers!

Love,

Sister Hunter

Where is Sister Hunter?  She is camouflaged!!!  

A nice member took these missionaries to dinner!!!!

Red Lobster!!! So Yummy!

Sister Hunter is in Heaven!!!

LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON!!!!!

One of the original 500 copies of the Book of Mormon

Hi Everyone!!                                                                                                 11/3/14

How was your Halloween? I hope you all had a great week!

It was a pretty amazing week here! We had Zone Conference on Thursday and it was really great! They had a member who lives in Wasau come and talk to us. He is a convert and his story is really neat. He bought an old missionary copy of the Book of Mormon at a rummage sale, he said he doesn't know why he bought it other than that the spirit told him to. He had no idea what the Book of Mormon was but he bought it anyways. It sat on his shelf for close to a year and then one day he decided he would read it. He read through the introduction and the testimonies, then part way through the first page of 1 Nephi 1. That's all he read and he knew it was true! He didn't know what to do, but he was eventually able to get in contact with some missionaries, was taught the discussion and not long after he and his wife were baptized. Since then he has somehow gotten a copy of one of the original 500 copies of the Book of Mormon. He showed us the original copy, his quad, and the paper back missionary copy he bought at the rummage sale. He said that these were all worth something, but in different ways. The original copy is worth a lot of money. People look at it now in almost a materialistic way. His quad has "the most knowledge" because that's where all of his markings and quotes are, and yet the one that is of the most worth to him is the old paper back copy, because that is where his testimony came from. I thought that was really neat. The copy that would seem of the least value to us was of the most value to him. What's really valuable about the Book of Mormon is the testimony that we gain as we read it. It changes our lives! If you haven't already, read the Book of Mormon and let it change your life! If you're out of the habit, read it and let it change your life again! I love that it doesn't matter how many times we read the Book of Mormon, each time we do we learn something new and it changes our lives again in some way! Have I mentioned that I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON?! Cause I do!

October 2014 Zone Conference

Adam received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday and should be going to the temple this weekend to do baptisms for the dead! We're really excited for him!

Brandon is still doing great as well. He's been to church every Sunday since getting work off. Yesterday he bore his testimony, it was really powerful. I am so grateful for the Atonement and to be able to see it change people’s lives!

Sorry it's not a lot this week but I'm loving it here every single day! I love being able to share the Book of Mormon with others and bear my testimony of it to them! I hope you always take advantage of opportunities to bear your testimony, it can only strengthen it even more! Love you all and miss you tons!

Love,

Sister Kendra Hunter

Beautiful sunset in Menasha, Wisconsin