Hey hey everyone! This week started off great! 2 lessons on Monday, 2 on Tuesday, 4 on Wednesday, one on Thursday, and then nothing. It's like running on the wet sand at the beach at an angle towards the waves. Eventually you end up in the water and slow down drastically. I forget if there is a physics term for it, but it's the same idea with light traveling through different mediums. But that's not the point!

Things just slowed down. But that's ok, because that's just one week!

And this one was very productive! We committed a number of people to start reading the Book of Mormon and praying to know if it's true, or if we were all duped by an 18th century con man. I don't like con men very much. Or con women. Lost $$$$$ to one of those......we also met this guy.....we were looking for a member of our Ward no one knows, and he answered the door and said, " So, what's all this about changing your doctrine? You believe black people have souls now, do you?" Just out of the blue accusing us of believing, or having believed, that black people don't have souls. I calmly explained that he was wrong, and that whatever book he read that out of was completely untrue. He then went on to start telling us why we were wrong about everything we believed. I answered all his questions and explained why his accusations were incorrect, but he just kept on ranting. At one point he called us Devils. By the time we left (we were waiting for the lady we had come to visit b/c she was supposed to have been coming back) Elder Meyers said he thought I was going to strangle him, and I thought he was going to give home a 'nice pile drive to the face' (Nacho Libre quote there for those of you who are

fans.....) so that was quite the way to end the week! On the bright side, we have a baptism coming up this week! I shall send pictures next week because Victoria is getting baptized this Saturday. The short thought for the week comes from the frustrating experience I described above.

"To one with faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible" -- I will tell you who said it next week because I can't find where I've written it right now. Love you all!

Here are some pics from the week!

Elder Hunter

1. A Mormon missionary was shot this week in Anaheim California.....

2. Funny Buddha statue.

3. Creepy picture in an old home.

Hey everyone!  This week was pretty interesting......on Tuesday we were driving home and stopped at a red light.  There was another car slightly in front of us and to our right.  The guy in the drivers seat looked back at us and then did a double take, and then as quickly as he could (not very quickly. he had some trouble getting it out) He put his seatbelt on!, the whole while, glacing at us.  he totally thought we were undercover cops.  The next day we had to run get Elder Meyers a pair of socks at the store because it was an emergency.  When we walked in, a young girl thought we were security guards and was yelling at her mom, "It's the securities!  It's the securities!"  According to another Elder we are the most intimidating pair of English Elders in the mission, so I guess it's kind of understandable.                          

On Wednesday we had a sort of open house at the stake center, where people could come in and learn more about what we believe and eat free food. Yaaayyyy! Free food! So this guy comes in that is stoned out of his mind. Some guy comes by a couple minutes later and yells at him for harassing his wife. A couple minutes later, a cop pulls up, so I offered him a hot dog, and he said no thanks, and then asked me if some guy that was harassing someone is in the building and I said yeah. Then he came out and the cop pulled him aside, talked to him a bit, and then arrested him. It was great. Cali life!

On Thursday I taught my first District Meeting! It went alright if I do say so myself. On Friday we went to work at a soup kitchen! That's always fun. I got to wash dishes with a big spray thingy!!! On Saturday I had the opportunity to confirm 8 year old Elias, a kid in the ward, a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

It was an incredible opportunity. It was an amazing thing to use the Priesthood of God to allow someone to experience and have the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Sunday, I had the opportunity to play a violin at the seminary graduation for the seniors! I played Savior Redeemer of My Soul, while sister Atkinson sang, and Elder Seegmiller (the AP) played the piano.

Two days before, sister Atkinson had called up and asked if I could learn a piece for the graduation on Sunday, so of course I said yes, and she told me what it was! I already knew it, so there were no kinks to work out and it went amazingly. Also, the surfer from the Mormon message was there! For those of you who don't know who that is, if you go on to Mormon.org or Los.org, and find Mormon messages, it is the one entitled 'No Regrets'. It is also on you tube I believe. But I met THAT GUY! I got a picture to prove it. Here is my thought for the week. Starting with a quote by Boyd K. Packer, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

"I said there was a question that could not be taken lightly nor answered at all without the prompting of the Spirit. I have not asked that question of others, but I have heard them answer it--but not when they were asked. They have answered it under the prompting of the Spirit, on sacred occasions, when “the Spirit beareth record.” (D&C

1:39.) I have heard one of my brethren declare: “I know from experiences, too sacred to relate, that Jesus is the Christ.” I have heard another testify: “I know that God lives; I know that the Lord lives. And more than that, I know the Lord.” It was not their words that held the meaning or the power. It was the Spirit. “… for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men.” (2 Ne.

33:1.) I speak upon this subject in humility, with the constant feeling that I am the least in every way of those who are called to this holy office. I have come to know that the witness does not come by seeking after signs. It comes through fasting and prayer, through activity and testing and obedience. It comes through sustaining the servants of the Lord and following them."

I want to simply add my testimony to President Packers, that gaining a witness of truth comes by the Spirit, after we do our part of fasting, praying, searching, and pondering. This is the kind of testimony I have of the truth and divinity of the Book of Mormon, and of Joseph Smith's calling as a prophet of God. This witness is not reserved for any particular person, or group of people. Only those people that work for it. Many people argue that you cannot trust the witness of the Holy Ghost, because it is the devil manipulating your feelings. This is a lie conceived by that very person. A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit. If the Book of Mormon is true, if Joseph Smith is a prophet, if this church is Gods Kingdom on the earth, the devil isn't going to tell you that, but God will. In the name of Jesus Christ, who I have a witness of from the Holy Ghost, that He is the Savior of the World, amen. I love all of you! Enjoy the pictures.....

1 Me and a little wabbit!

2-3 Some guy we saw on a bike. Why he was wearing a whole bunch of body armor we don't know....unless he wrecks as much as I do and just can't take it like a man.

4 Me, Elder Halle (who baptized Elias), and Elder Meyers. From this, you can see why we are an intimidating duo. My suit coat makes me look a bit bigger than I actually am, but I've gotten pretty cut while I've been out.

5 Me and the surfer dude! Right when I got there I went up to him and said "Aren't you the surfer dude from the Mormon messages?" Nailed it. My tie is a bit sloppy because I just finished playing my violin.

Our baptism went great! We had Allen interviewed by a member of the mission presidency, because we felt kind of uncomfortable, but he passed! He's got the intent, just zero understanding. He refuses to let go of past spiritualist things......and refuses to accept English definitions of words because that's not what they actually mean. It took 30 or so lessons with him, each at least two hours to finish teaching him everything. He just exhausts me. After he was confirmed a member of the church in church yesterday (the guy that confirmed him was a former gang member that had done prison time for a few years. He was super nervous and was asking me to go over it with him a whole bunch before. He gave a beautiful blessing) and after everyone stepped back at the end sat there humming in the chair. He thinks feeling the spirit is unnatural or something. We need to go over that with him.....probably will read about receiving spirits that are not of Him.....he went up and hugged a sister missionary yesterday after a music fireside.....President Taggart and I were both about to pounce on him. He is very lovable, but sometimes it is just a little to creepy. And we aren't sure of his intentions. But whatever they are he needs to realize that just about all of what he thinks is appropriate is not. For example, he wanted to do his baptism in the nude....but notice his haircut in the picture! I did that. 

We have a baptism lined up for the 13th, and one for the 20th that was actually a Referal from a member! It was a great lesson. They wanted to have a family night and talk about the plan of salvation, but we made it work, and extended an invitation to be baptized with a specific date! It is gonna take some miracles, seeing as the happy couple is unmarried with a child, but they are solid. The guy is a returning member. We are really excited for that. We are hoping to have another kid on date for the 27th. His dad is a less active member, and has loooots of problems. But we had a talk with him and he wants us to help him get his act together so he can baptize his son. He showed up at church today!! That was a miracle because he has not been in ages. And he said 2 days ago that he probably wouldn't be able to make it. 

Heh. The members. We have earned the trust of the ward council very much so. From reporting on assignments we've been given, and we have organized a set night each week to go on splits/exchanges with the priests and a youth leader. It's good for them. We are starting to have more young men show up it seems! The rest of the ward is basically Innactive. We currently have a list of...it was 30....now 17 people we have to hunt down and see if they are A. Alive  B. Still live there. Or.  C. Are interested in coming back to church and would like home teachers or not. That's just us. The missionaries. All the other quorums and auxiliaries have lists of their own. So we have our work very much cut out for us. Here's an awesome story for this week!

So on Friday we went on exchanges with our District Leader. I went with his trainee who is just finishing. Elder Smith. We started off by visiting two less actives. One was a less active. We talked about her experience doing temple work and her problems. I felt impressed to share a story someone gave me about a missionary that taught someone that was having much worse problems, and promised her that if she read the Book of Mormon and prayed about it, everything would be taken care of. She read a verse and prayed, and nothing happened so she thought ha, they were wrong. She dreamed that night that a man appeared and asked her if what she was planning on doing (dating a rich guy for his money) was right in the eyes of God) and after being asked twice, she said, well how else am I supposed to care for my children? He said open the book. She woke up, opened it, and opened it to the page of Joseph Smith.....the man that had appeared to her in her dream. She hadn't seen his picture before. She got a slew of phone calls from the government saying that they could do various things to help her out because there were abnormalites in the system that shouldn't have been there, but were, so she could make use of them. After telling this sister this story I promised her that if she would listen to what the missionaries (elder smith and elder kuehne) would ask her to do everything would work out. The lesson with the returning member was short and uneventful. The next lesson was a short teaching the daughter of a less active on the doorstep and inviting her to read from the Book of Mormon. Then we went to the church because I had to pee. Elder Smith was trying to figure out what to do, and I asked him if I could see his area book. I glanced through the potentials, and stopped on one, and opened it up and asked him if he would like to go visit that person. So we did. She had spoken with missionaries exactly 376 days previously. We taught her the plan of salvation and restoration on the doorstep. She said she wanted to change her life around. She asked us if we had been baptized, and then said that she hadn't been baptized. So I said, well, how would you like to be baptized?! We committed her to reading the Book of Mormon and set up a return appointment for tomorrow. And she said she would love to be baptized if she feels like the Book of Mormon is true, and was even asking us what exactly had to happen for that to happen. It was a great day. I'm especially glad, because he is about to be put with an elder that I love, but is pretty apostate. He just likes having fun more than working to find people to teach the gospel to. Soooo....in other news.....transfers!!!

I am staying in A4 with Elder Meyers, and I have been called as a district leader. There are 25 missionaries leaving this transfer and 2 coming in. Next transfer there are 30 leaving and 25 coming in. I was talking with President Taggart about it and he gave me the scoop. :) Love you all! Can everyone please answer my questions though......that would be great. You can email me again on Monday you know. And during the week. But if you don't answer my questions, I'm in the dark and I don't know what's going on!!!

Love 

Elder Hunter

So this week we baptized Allen! This is when lock picking becomes useful.....no one had keys to anything in the church building, so I had to pick 3 different locks to make the baptism happen! I was quite impressed with myself. But after three grueling months of teaching Allen, it finally happened! Notice his handsome haircut.....yes, I did that....I am very proud of that too! As far as baptisms go, it was an interesting one. I'll leave it at that. This week was one of my favorite weeks! So much happened! We had so many great lessons!!! Transfers are also happening today! Elder Meyers and I are staying together. Every Ward that has two sets of missionaries is going down to 1! A year ago there were 240 missionaries in the mission. Now there are 140. So in the next 3 transfers we are getting a huge influx of new missionaries! 

Here is my short thought for the week!

In my studies this week, I read a few conference talks from ages ago...here is a passage of one that stood out to me.

"Through his experience and his omniscience, our Heavenly Father knows the end from the beginning. Through his prophets he has revealed and does reveal the history of mankind, the timetable of life upon this planet. This is the dispensation of the fulness of times, when the keys of all former dispensations have been given to the prophets of the restoration, a time when God has spoken from the heavens and angels have appeared to man, a time when men and women have the Holy Ghost conferred upon them, and by the power of the Holy Ghost we may know the truth of all things. There is need for this great power in the earth today. The history of this world is in fulfillment of the plan prepared in the heavens before this earth was created. That which the world calls Mormonism is based upon the rock of revelation."

I am so grateful for the revelation that continues today. Revelation is what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints stands on. Either there is a prophet on the earth that continues to receive revelation, or there is not. The Book of Mormon is proof that revelation does continue. You cannot honestly read it, and honestly say that it is not the word of God. I have read the Book of Mormon, and more convincing than the many evidences there are of its veracity, I know it is true by the power of the Holy Ghost that allows us to know the truth of all things by testifying to our souls of truth. I'm so grateful for the guidance of the spirit in my life, and his role in testifying of truth. I'm grateful for the revelation that is continuously received by the prophet Thomas S. Monson today. I tandem with the email I sent a couple weeks ago about the Book of Mormon, I want to invite everyone who reads this that has not read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover and prayed to God to ask Him if it is true or not, to do so. I promise He will answer if He is asked with real intent. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. I love you all!

Elder Hunter

Pictures 

1. Elder Wilding, one of our zone leaders, at the baptism.

2. Elder Meyers and Allen

3. Elder Meyers going at a piece of chicken.

Happy Memorial Day everyone! This week was full of lots of small miracles in the form of people answering their doors or phones and lots of crazy stuff. Let's start with Elder Meyers's iPad. We were helping someone move some things in our tiny Corrola. Elder Meyers set his iPad on top of the car. He forgot about it. We drove off. Yes, elder Meyers's iPad is no more and we believe that it is in the hands of a dastardly Italian man that was to dishonest to give it back when we asked for it. We even bribed him with some bags of popcorn we got from the library. Moral of the story? Never trust an Italian man over the age of 65.

Next interesting story. We went to teach someone last night. When we got there he was eating dinner and had very recently taken a hit from the bong sitting on the floor.

We had some awesome lessons this week. There were only 8, but the quality was great! Some of the miracles that happened were as follows....we had three people come to church! And even more exciting was that Allen passed his interview for baptism! Elder Meyers and I were a little worried about it because he is very unconventional, not necessarily in a bad way or good way, but he makes others feel uncomfortable. I literally had nightmares all last night of being in church and having him run up and start yelling at everyone. This week was a tough one, but all the hard work was worth it! We spent lots of time organizing our area. That was exhausting. The pictures are as follows.

1. Stopped by a family's house we'd never visited before. This sign was there and it was funny. We talked with the lady about it and she was saying how frustrating the mailmen were....just sticking packages on the ground....here they will get stolen in a couple seconds.

2. We noticed this sign as we were driving to the mission office. Cali life!

3. That is Elder and Sister Fowles. They serve in our Ward with us as missionaries and we're just released. Elder Fowles in one of the funniest guys I know. When it was announced that we placed in the chili cook off he was crying he was laughing so hard!

4. This is why you don't drink and drive. But actually this guy was mad at us for parking in 'his spot' (notice the Guest parking only sign) and tried to box us in with his truck so the towers could tow us. I backed up and we peaced out. We were both pretty mad about that. The guy (with the bong) we were teaching after that offered to have his sister slash the guys tires. We are loved by our investigators!!

To polish this off, I want to share a quote with all of you from Marion G. Romney, a member of the quorum of the twelve apostles.

"That man is a child of God is the most important knowledge available to mortals. Such knowledge is beyond the ken of the uninspired mind. Neither logic, science, philosophy, nor any other field of worldly learning has ever been, or ever will be, able to find it out. Those who limit their search to such learning techniques will continue to be as they have always been, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”" 

I want to add my testimony to this. There isn't any way to find out the truth of Gods personality and being except for the way God has provided. That is studying, pondering, and praying. 

"To know thyself is to come to know that you and I are literally the offspring of Deity." The joy that comes from a correct knowledge and understanding of our Father and His Son cannot be matched. How do we come to this knowledge? By studying what God has provided for us, namely the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Many people wonder why we need any book, or why we need the extra book of the Book of Mormon. God provides an answer. "Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth? Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also. And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever. Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written. For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written." 

I know we are all sons and daughters of God. I know that anyone can come to a knowledge of that better by reading the Book of Mormon, pondering, and praying about it than by any other means. I leave these things with you all in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Hunter

picture above is Brother Cunningham from the Braun Heights Ward who personally delivered a cookie et al package from home!

This picture on the right is of someone from our Ward directory......it very much epitomizes the Anaheim 4th Ward!

 The picture in the center of the letter is of Hunter before leaving on the mission when his brother Justus called for mother's day.  We couldn't get a good picture of Hunter's mother's day call but we loved talking with him!

Hello everyone, sorry I haven't written in a few weeks! This week has been the best one for the past ten weeks! I gots a fun story. So we were teaching a lesson about the Plan of Salvation and when we went into this lesson, the older sister who is about 23 was dressed up super nice in a casual way and the house was all cleaned up. So we go in and notice this and were like hmmmmm. Then when we finished, she said something along the lines of, umm, if you maybe have any time next week do you think maybe you could go clubbing? It's my graduation, and were having a big party..,so yeah, we got asked to go clubbing!!! I was extremely flattered to say the least, but we won't be going. Other than that, this week was full of miracles and other wonderful things! In the gospel essentials class in church, we had to sub and teach the lesson, and I had to leave ten minutes early to go play a violin in another room. I left elder Meyers all by his lonesome to teach. Afterwards he told me he had no idea what to do and was freaking out that I was leaving. It was adorable.

I want to share something with you all that I found this week in regards to the Book of Mormon. In D&C 84:54-57 the Lord says "And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received.

Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written." The saints at this time were under condemnation for not taking the Book of Mormon seriously enough. President Benson in 1984 said, "As I participated in the Mexico CitTemple dedication, I received the distinct impression that God is not pleased with our neglect of the Book of Mormon." So the church was still under condemnation. He closed his remarks by saying, "We do not have to prove the Book of Mormon is true. The book is its own proof. All we need to do is read it and declare it! The Book of Mormon is not on trial--the people of the world, including the members of the Church, are on trial as to what they will do with this second witness for Christ." I can promise that what this prophet of God said was true, and would like to invite everyone that reads this to ponder these five questions that President Benson posed.

1. Is the Book of Mormon the word of God?

2. For whom was it meant?

3. How important is this volume of scripture?

4. What is its major purpose?

5. How are we to use it?

I promise that if you seriously consider these things and make it a matter to ask God for answers, he will not disappoint. 

Love you all!

Elder Hunter

Hunter didn't send us a letter to publish for Everyone this week so we are giving you what he wrote to our family:

Kumen, I'm sure you did great! Stop being such a worry wart!! Did you not finish your email there......? Anyhow, it was great seeing and talking to you!

  

Mom, thank you so much for fixing up my lama skin! Just please be gentle with it.....and by that I mean just keeping it away from the other kids because I'm afraid they will play with it until it is ripped apart....thank you so much for your efforts! I love you so much! People in California are very much like Texas soil. People here can be so humble, and seemingly ready to accept the gospel, but then they reject it. Just last night after we finished talking, we went and fixed an investigators bike. We found a new axle, and fixed up the chain so it would work. Afterwards (this was the Jehovah's Witness that we taught last week) she asked us if she could ask us a few questions! And now they are so much more willing to listen to us! I'm super excited about that. I'm glad the spirit reconfirmed the importance of the Book of Mormon to you. Did you know that the church was under condemnation for taking the Book of Mormon to lightly when Joseph smith was on the earth, and that condemnation was repeated by Ezra Taft Benson I think. It's so true! The other day my comp told me he was talking to a guy at the soup kitchen he was serving at (we were on exchanges) and he was talk into a guy about the restoration of the gospel and he said 'and the Book of Mormon is proof of it' which is what I always tell people. And he heard himself say that and thought nooooooooo, I'm turning into Johnson!! Which is a good thing because it means I'm doing at least something right! Mommy I love you! I will share my testimony when I skype again next Christmas! Jk, I will write it at the end of this email. How is everything going with the thing that I sent? Have you talked with Mike about it? Has Elder Meyers's mom friended you on Facebook? She is AWESOME! Lemme know who you want me to email to because I didn't see anything in this email! Also could you please make photocopies of those 2 pieces? I need them for Sunday...Love you!

Avery, I loved your talk!! It was amazing!! You are so cute I loved hearing you sing yesterday and I loved seeing ranger!!

Ammon, great job, you're almost there! The little heart you put in somehow ended up on where you said lovable and nowhere near where you meant it to be. I was looking at the calendar, and it turns out I will most likely be coming home at the beginning of August. The last transfer ends August 1 2016, and I will hopefully be able to stay a couple more days past that. But right now I'm looking at a 16 transfer mission because of when I came out, and when school starts. Hopefully we will have an 8 week transfer so I have two extra weeks. I've still got 12 more months before I need to start thinking about that though!

Zenock keep doing well in school! Enjoy your summer! You only have like 3 weeks of school left now! Craziness! Have a fun summer too!

Dad, I'm glad you were able to talk to Sandy a bit. Tell her I miss heeeeeer! Has Grandpa gotten his results back yet? We are doing the best we can to use the Book of Mormon as much as possible. Promise! It was wonderful talking to you guys yesterday! I absolutely loved it!

I know the church is true. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet, because the more I study the Book of Mormon the more and more I become convinced that a 14 year old boy could not have written it. This church is Gods Kingdom as He has organized it on earth. Jesus Christ is my Savior and my Older Brother and He loves me and everyone. I know He lives. I know my Heavenly Father cares about all of us. I know families can be together forever! I love you all, and I leave this short testimony with you, in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Hunter

P.S. The talks I was thinking about that you could share with Sister Valdez was The Only True and Living Church by Boyd K. Packer, given in October 1971 and What Will the Church do for You, a Man by Gordon B. Hinckley in April 1972, and Why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Marion G. Romney given in October 1972. These are all super good ones. They would be good to watch with her maybe. Hope they help!

New stuff this week....we taught ten whole lessons this week! That's two more than our record in this area. Other than that....there was a stabbing kind of close to us. That was exciting.

It's the 2nd time I've seen red homicide tape on my mission! I did an exchange this week with my district leader. We had 3 member present lessons this week! That was insane. Members here don't know how to teach at a lesson. They kind of take over. O well. At least we were able to get them to come. That's the most work our Ward has been doing in ages! 11:00 sounds good for skyping on Sunday! Love you all!

Hunter

Adendum: Not much happened this week. We did find a 'Murica pillow pet that we bought and gave to a girl for her birthday.  It looked really cool.

 But here is a video my companion took!

The moon looked really cool. And a couple pictures of some parrots.

1-2 :These are pictures of me and my companion.

3: I dyed some pasta I was cooking for him green just because I love my companion. 😊

4: we found this great and spacious building in our area. It looked pretty cool.