AUGUST 2014

Transferred!!!!

Hello Family!!!                                                                              8/25/14

I can’t believe it but transfers are already here again! I pretty much knew I was getting transferred, it’s weird how you kind of just know. I've just felt the past couple of weeks that there's more people out there that I'm supposed to teach. So I found out I'm being transferred to Winnebago and it’s an YSA ward! I'm super excited but also really sad to be leaving this area. The people here have become like family to me, especially Nichole. Oh man you ask anyone, it’s like we're the same person. It’s crazy how you just know you were sent to an area for specific people. I know I was sent here to Madison to teach Nichole. Teaching her has strengthened my testimony so much I can't even begin to explain how grateful I am for that experience. I know that Nichole and I will stay in touch... let’s be realistic she's stuck with me for the rest of her life. ha ha

 Nichole

 she said that's ok though so no worries.

Sarah

We had an interesting experience this past week. It was pretty rough but it really strengthened my testimony. So on Tuesday we had dinner with Sarah at this place called the Terrace. It’s this really cool area that looks out over the lake and it’s just super pretty. We decided to just do our lesson there after we ate. We were teaching her the Gospel of Jesus Christ and it was going really great. Sarah just gets everything so well and it makes so much sense to her. All of a sudden this random couple come and just sits down and starts asking us what we were teaching. Turns out the husband used to be a member of the church and they were just telling us about all their friends and family members that were members of the church and how they've both had it around them pretty much all their lives. We thought they were about to leave but then the husband asked if we would bare our testimonies to him. So being missionaries of course we did. After that he and his wife basically attacked us with all these questions and telling us how everything we believe is wrong and that the Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible and Doctrine and Covenants contradicts the Book of Mormon. They went on for about 45 min referencing all these different Bible scriptures to prove their point. It was crazy too cause Sarah was sitting there the whole time and I was just dreading what she was going to say after they left. But it was so cool and just proved to me even more how prepared she is cause she told us how awful she felt the whole time they were there. She said she definitely didn't feel the spirit that she feels when she comes to church or at our lessons. She also said how she doesn't understand how someone so centered on Christ could be do something so un-Christ like to others. 

This experience was rough especially since it was my first time experiencing that and having that anti Mormon stuff thrown at my face. I came home that night and probably prayed the hardest I ever have to know if the Book of Mormon is true and if this truly is the true church restored today. I can tell you I've never been surer in my life that the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith was a prophet and did restore Christ's true church upon the earth. I'm so grateful for this experience. It strengthened my testimony immensely! I love this gospel and I love this work! Be kind to others and always strive to be Christ like! I love you all and miss you tons!!

Love,

Sister Hunter

GOALS

Mission Tour August 2014

Hi Family and Friends!!                                              8/18/14

This week has been one of the best weeks on my mission so far! We had Mission Tour on Thursday and Elder Martino from the Quorum of the Seventy came and spoke to us. It such an incredible experience! I don't even know how to explain it but I have no doubt in my mind that he has been called of God and set a part for this calling. He focused a lot on ways to see the mission work progress here in Wisconsin.

Sister Hunter & Brewster at the Mission Tour Luncheon 2014

 We read in Alma 8-12 about how Alma wasn't able to teach the people of Zarahemla until he found Amulek, who was essentially a Less Active Member. He talked about how critical it was to have Amulek because even though Alma was the better teacher Amulek was able to "astonish" the people with his testimony. They were his friends and they trusted him. He's asked us to focus on finding the right "Amulek" for our investigators. Not only finding them but then using them and having our lessons in these members’ homes. He gave us a challenge of having 3 lessons in a row, at 6, 7, & 8, in members’ homes. He told us that in all the other missions where he's extended this challenge, after 2 months 2 out of the 3 investigators have been baptized. Being in a bus area this is basically impossible but Sister Brewster and I really wanted to be able to accomplish this challenge. We worked like crazy all weekend planning and trying to figure out how we could make this possible. We ended up getting permission from our President to borrow a car from our Sister Training Leaders and last night we were able to accomplish this goal!   Satan worked really hard to keep it from happening but we know the Lord blessed us and made it possible! This experience has strengthened my testimony immensely on faith and trusting that if it’s in God's plan he will make it work!! (Also we found out that we are the first missionaries in the mission to be able to complete the goal!)

  Our lesson with Stefanie was a little more simple. We felt very prompted to talk about Family History and it was incredible how she got so excited about it! Our member Sis. Andrews actually works in the family history center and they just connected so well! I know that we were very guided by the spirit when trying to find the right "Amulek" for Stefanie. 

Sara's lesson was incredible. She told us that she's been feeling very overwhelmed with school, learning about the gospel and family not being supportive of her. We did a lesson on how the gospel helps lift our burdens. Sara is so in tuned with the spirit and told us how she has noticed the difference going to church and reading from the Book of Mormon daily makes in her life. We felt very prompted to talk about priesthood blessings with her and when we were done she asked Brother Krewson to give her a blessing. She has incredible faith and I'm so excited to see how she's growing and accepting this gospel in her life.

Our last lesson was with Nichole went really well as well. We watched the Mormon Message ‘Good Things to Come’. Brother and Sister Allred bore very powerful testimonies on not giving up through their difficult times. We committed her to ask Heavenly Father what it is he needs her to be doing differently and then to act on it. We will be praying continually that she will recognize that answer.

I know that as we work our hardest and work diligently to continue having our lessons in members’ homes that we will see these investigators be baptized! Heavenly Father truly hears and answers our prayers and as we put our full faith and trust in him we can expect to see these miracles happen!

I love you all and miss you tons!!

Love,

Sister Hunter
 

p.s. got to see the lovely Sister Elkington at mission tour!

The best MTC Companion ever!!!!Another week in the life of Sister Hunter

ANOTHER WEEK IN THE LIFE OF SISTER HUNTER

Hello Family!                                                                                  8/11/2014

Well this week has been really great but it flew by! I can't believe how fast time goes out here! So we had lunch this week at one of the Spanish member’s home, the Salinas. Somehow I got convinced that I needed to be a tough Sister Missionary and eat a Jabenero... So I did. It was rough ha-ha. It was only bad for about 10 min. ha my lips swelled up pretty big but went back down after a bit. So I survived and I didn't through up like some of the Elders did so I feel like that's a pretty big accomplishment!

One spicy Jabenero and Missionary!!!!

Our lesson with Sarah went very well! We talked a bit about the Word of Wisdom and she is working to quit coffee. It’s so incredible to see how the Lord has been preparing her for such a long time! She told us that she has a past of parting and not making the best choices, but a year or so ago she just realized how stupid it was and that she didn't want it to be a part of her life so she stopped and made the choice to not participate in those activities! Sarah also told her mom this week that she's been coming to our church. Her mom was not very happy but Sarah told us that she's not going to let that change her mind. She loves coming to church and learning and she really wants this to be a part of her life. She also told us that she feels like she is slowly getting answers and confirmations that this church is true. Nothing huge but small things that happen or little feelings she has here and there. She says that she thinks they are combining together to give her that answer! Teaching Sarah has been such an incredible experience so far. When you teach her you can tell that she just gets it. This is what she's been searching for and you can see that she recognizes that! I can't even explain how blessed I feel that Heavenly Father trusts me enough to teach her and help her make it to baptism.

Nichole is progressing but slowly. She has become really good friends with Sister Allred in the ward and that's been an incredible blessing and answer to many prayers. She came to a fireside we had last night about making it to the temple. The Chicago Temple President and his wife actually came and spoke and it was SO good!   It made me kind of sad because I can't just up and go to the temple obviously, but it was still really good. Something I really loved that was how we need to prepare ourselves before we go to the temple. He said "Don't think that you already know things. Learn to observe what God wants you to learn. It is impossible to absorb something that you have not observed."  If you haven't been to the temple recently go!!!  And when you go, go prepared, prepared to observe and keep your mind open to what Heavenly Father has to tell you!

 

I Love you all and miss you tons!!! This gospel is true!!

Love,

Sister Kendra Hunter

P-DAY ALREADY!!!!!

Hello Family!!                                                                8/4/14

I can't believe it’s P-day already! We are already half way through this transfer which is even crazier to me!

Sister Brewster, Sarah, Sister Hunter and Janessa 

So this week has SUPER GOOD, but it’s also been really hard. For starters our investigator Sarah the one from the campus ward has a baptism date for August 23! Our lesson with her went really great! (Obviously)

 We felt very prompted to have Janessa a Recent Convert from the campus ward there as the member present and it was perfect! I'm so glad that we listened to that prompting!! They both come from Catholic backgrounds and can relate to each other very well. Janessa's testimony was very strong and brought such a great spirit to the lesson that Sarah said she really felt. She was able to bare her testimony about things that are different and a little harder for Sarah to accept. It’s such an incredible experience to teach someone like Sarah. She truly just has this light about her. You can tell that she gets it and sees the difference it’s making in her life. She knows it’s something that she wants in her life! Sarah's only concern is that she hasn't told her mom she's taking the discussions let alone wants to be baptized and her mom is a very devoted Catholic; apparently she's a “her way or the highway” kind of lady.  We invited Sarah to fast and pray for strength when she talks to her mom and to also pray that her mom's heart will be softened. We will be meeting with her tonight and hopefully things are continuing to go well. We know that Sarah is incredibly prepared and ready to be baptized. Prayers for her would be greatly appreciated!!

We had exchanges this week which were really great! I really look up to Sister Johnson and am so grateful for the example that she has been to me so far on my mission. I always learn so much from her. She's an incredible teacher. This exchange in particular she helped me remember that I truly can do anything I put my mind to when I rely on my savior to help me get there. I can most definitely become the best missionary I can be. It’s because of the atonement that it is possible. My testimony has grown a lot this week about how we are not doing this work alone. I have literally felt my savior lift me and give me extra strength when I needed it this week. That was the hard part about this week. We have found out some information about Nichole and now we really understand and know what's holding her back from baptism. Right now all we can really do is pray that things will start to work out and that God will create a way. I know as we put our faith and trust in him all things are possible! One day Nichole will make it to baptism and I’m just grateful I've had the opportunity to teach her!

 

I love this gospel and I’m so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. He truly is there with us every step of the way. He gives us that extra strength that we need. I know that it is because of him that I am who I am today and for that I am eternally grateful!! I love you all and miss ya tons!!! The Church is true and don't forget to read from the Book of Mormon!!

Love,

Sister Hunter

It's GREAT to be a MISSIONARY!!!!!