This past week has been a very busy and crazy week. David is going to get baptized and he ask me to baptize him. I feel its a great honor for him to ask me. I am really looking for to that day! Being here on a mission has built my testimony of the Savior. I know that he lives and that he answers prayers. I see it everyday of my mission and it is amazing. So many people have been put in my path to meet and talk to. It is really cool. I seem to connect to the people here in Joshua Tree & Yucca Valley and I'm grateful for that. On Tuesday we had to go down to Rancho Mirage to a dentist for my companion to get his tooth fixed. Then we stopped by Bro Cox's smoothie shop in Palm Springs on the way back. All of my days are filled with teaching and sharing the gospel. This past week we taught 22 lessons and have many more visits on top of that. People here are really willing to accept the Savior in their lives. It's neat to see. Today Elder Glasco and I went to Joshua Tree National Park again and hiked Mt Ryan. I hiked from 1,000 ft to almost 6,000 feet. it was a tough hike but it was really cool. It seemed like I was right in the middle of the wild wild west. I could just imagine the horses running across the valley I was standing on top of.  You could hear all the rattle snakes all around us rattling but Elder Glasco and I said a prayer that nothing would harm us. I also said a prayer for it to cool down a little. right after I said that prayer a cool breeze came out of nowhere and there where a few clouds that rolled in to cover up the sun for a little bit. I thought that was really cool. It was just enough for me to stop and take a break and cool off. When we got to the top of the mountain you could see the whole national park and clear down to Mt San Janico & Palm Springs. The road looked like a spec and all the huge rocks seemed like little dots. We had zone meeting down in Desert Hot Springs on Friday and that took forever. Everything is going very very good here in sunny southern California! Don't forget to write me! I am working on writing back those who have written me today. so be expecting a letter soon from me.

I love you all very much.

Elder Hunter

This past week has been very very busy. I got a new companion Elder Reimann. He is from Denver, Colorado. He is really an awesome guy and we get along great. We have the same sense of humor so its awesome. We picked up 2 new investigator families this week. Mark and his family are from the country of Jordan in the middle east. His family moved here 2 years ago. He is searching for the truth. He is a christian and not muslim. When we came over he even had Book Of Mormon in Arabic! It was really cool. We taught him a very good lesson and we will be seeing him soon. He said he was going to pray about the Book of Mormon. He hopes that he will get an answer. The other family just moved here from Yucipa and the missionaries were teaching them there and they just moved out here. The husband is already a member but she is not. All seems to be going good with them. 

We had a ward party Friday at the church pavilion and sand volleyball court. It was alot of fun. We had a really good turn out. Yesterday was a very crazy day. We had a good dinner over at the Parkers home. This morning Elder Glasco & I got up at 6 am to go to Joshua Tree National Park to go Hiking and go see the rocks.  That place is amazing in every way. I feel so blessed its a part of my area. We went up to Barker Dam and Hidden Springs and Qual Springs. I took a ton of pictures so i'm excited to send some home. I love all of you and hope all of you are doing great.

Love Elder Hunter

This past week has been CRAZY. There has been so much stuff going on! I made the front page of the newspaper!A car blew up  in front of one of our appointments in Joshua Tree.  I took the picture thats on the front page of the newspaper!! I took the picture and video down to the news station and they were really happy that I got such good pictures. I'm sending you guys a copy of the newspaper with my picture.  Add on to that there was a chase down Acoma in Yucca Valley. The guy rolled the car and it blew up. Then he started a forest fire in all the Joshua trees. Then my companion and I wanted to find out where the smoke was coming from so we drove up into the hills to get a better view. We parked up and saw how huge the fire was. Then a park ranger type person came and told us to leave because the guy that started the fire was still running from the cops and he had loaded gun and he was up here in the hills somewhere. It was crazy! 

In other news I get to stay here in Yucca Valley for another 6 weeks! So feel free to send me letters now! :) Also we got a flat tire out in the desert yesterday lol. that was not fun.

Elder marshalll is getting transferred though :(  I'm a lil bummed but hes going to Moreno Valley (east LA) I'm sure he will have fun. I am going to meet my new companion in 3 hours.. He's getting transferred in from Corona. The work is going really good here still. its a little bit slow because of summer. It seems like everyone is at the beach or in San Diego. We had 3 investigators come to church and 7 less actives come! I feel so blessed to be here. I love all of the people here a lot. They are really cool. I just love being out here in the desert. Even though its hot im starting to get used to it. Everyday its about 100-105ish and at night it only drops to 90 :p. Anyway,s thats about all thats going on down here. I met my new mission president and his wife. They where very nice I think im going to like them a lot.  I  tracted into a HUGE athiest he tried to tear down our faith but it didnt work :p  He writes books on being an athiest and he was a pretty evil man. You just look at him and you get this dark feeling. After he yelled at us for 20mins he said he had to go take a shower and get ready for something. While my companion and I were walking away my companion said "alright enjoy the water that God gave you!" lol! It made my day. Being on a mission is an emotional rollercoaster but its worth it. I love you all and hope that all of you are doing well.

 

Love Elder Hunter

My 4th of July was a blast! My companion and I went over to the Kinkaids home in Morongo Valley and tie dyed t-shirts and had a BBQ. After that we went up to the church because both wards where there to watch the fireworks at the high school. The fireworks show was really good. It was a really good p-day.

I have another Baptism coming up in 2 weeks!  Hopefully another after that. I am on fire here in Yucca Valley. I love it here so much. The people are very nice and the members are even better. I feel so blessed to be serving here. I got my haircut on friday and it looks great! Sister Priest owns a hair salon close to my house and she cut my hair. I get to meet my new mission president this Friday President & Sister Smart.  I'm excited to meet them. I will miss the Reeves alot. They where the most amazing couple. They will be missed. Transfers are this Saturday! I don't know whats going to happen but you will find out next week.

 

Love, Elder Hunter