Life is a Highway

Monday: We went to Ottumwa to play baseball at a batting cage and then we ended up chopping wood for service. It took a hot minute to do but we definitely got a lot done for him. We then went to church and relaxed. Also shootout to Elder Burke he burn't his popcorn and the whole church smelt like burn't popcorn.

Tuesday: We helped at the library with Disks . It was a good time like always. We then had a lesson with person who told us they would stick to there book written by a scientist and gave us the large print Bible and Book of Mormon that we had given her. We also had Hyvee Chinese chicken that a member bought for us.

Wednesday:We had to drive to Iowa City because my companion had to get his knees checked by a physical therapist. So what that meant was an hour and a half drive to Iowa City. So we drove down there AMD went to the physical therapist who ended up rescheduling for later. But to my amusement the Bengals vs Redskins preseason game was playing the waiting room. Even tho the Redskins got wrecked and looked hopeless. I was glad that I was able to see the Redskins play. We then went to Wendy's cause there isn't a Wendy's nearby. We then drove back and everything was good.

Thursday: We had a district council then went to a place called Mimi's some Mexican restaurant.  I have been eating healthier lately but was challenged to get this burrito that was huge. It was a huge mistake. I almost finished it but couldn't I felt so terrible after that. Pretty easy to say I won't do that again. We then drove back to Fairfield and had a lesson with Maryann she is devoted to her religion but her heart is being softened which is great. We then had a dinner with The Peterson's and they are a party.  We then had a lesson/walk with Annette and are really trying to help her see the point of being baptized. We then drove back to Ottumwa to stay the night for our exchange the next day. That's there and back and then there. So three 30 minute trips Haha 

Friday: I had my exchange with Elder Taylor and let me tell you this guy is the definition of gift of tongues he is a Spanish elder who was speaking a little bit of Haitian creole. We went and saw a recent f convert then we went and had lunch. Then we went to a part member family from Haiti and they speak Haitian Creole which is pretty much ghetto French. I could understand a few words here and there but I pretty much could only have a basic conversation or talk about sports and a hamburger. But with the gift of tongues plus Google translate Elder Taylor taught them as I nodded my head. We then hot free snow cones and they were pretty good we then get a call from Elder Critchfield telling me that I need to go give a blessing to someone in the hospital in Fairfield so we hoped in the car drove thirty minutes down to find out that she had been transferred to Iowa City so then we had to drive back which was another thirty minutes. We then had a dinner which was Dominos with a member and I gave him a commitment then he gave me one so that was cool. We then went and a helped a family make a family mission plan and that family was from Deweyville Utah. Which was cool because that is kinda close to Logan but really close to Honeyville. We then drove back from Ottumwa one last time. So I had driven a long time at this point.

Saturday: We went to Nauvoo with some members who brought a British guy with them who was not a member he had really kind of petty concerns with the Book of Mormon and other things in the church. We tried to explain stuff to him but he didn't listen. He then tried to dodge me and my companion in Nauvoo even tho we were going around with him. He met with some Nauvoo sisters and they addressed his same concerns and he actually listened. It kinda seemed like he was hitting on one of the sisters that has talked with him before. Kinda weird if I going to be honest but I met a senior missionary who is the grandfather of one of my favorite missionaries in the mission Elder Stokes. His grandpa is from Hyde park In cache valley so that was cool. Plus his personality was just like elder stokes Elder Critchfield and I were both like that's gonna be Elder Stokes when he gets old. We then drove back and had a dinner with a part member family so that was pretty fun. They had some college football playing and fed us some really good tenderloin.

Sunday: We went to church then had some dinner at like a mini ward get together. In one of the smaller towns in our area it had alright food but it was good seeing a lot of the ward members and even some non members. I then cleaned the kitchen which took a little bit of effort 

Overall life this week was like a highway I drove like 6 or 7 hours then some members drove us like ankh 3 so I spent like 10 hours just driving.

Love y'all 

Elder Caylor Hunsaker 

1. Maharishi tower of invisibility don't ask me what this is its somehow related to meditating 

2. The big burrito 

3. Elder Stokes the Eldest with Elder Critchfield and I 

Broken Mailboxes

Monday: We went and had Burger King and played some basketball it was a pretty average p day.

Tuesday: We did our morning service and the library  we went and bought some supplies for a person trying to stop smoking but he dodged us hard core we saw him and then a lady came out and said he was not home it was pretty weak. We they had.

Wednesday: I was sick! RIP me so I was just chilling all day and it was pretty weak. We were fed by some members two at pizza hut. It was pretty great. Then we fixed our mailbox with the member and it was a great time 

Thursday: We cleaned our car and it was pretty dirty. I mean I am totally just cleaning everything. We also had a lesson with Corri this time and he did not flake so that was good. We then went to Keosaqua and then went by some people.we had a good time with Jim the guy that I was able to meet with the other week ago. So that was pretty cool. We then went and explored a lake and in a state park in the middle of a forest cause we had like 20 minutes before a dinner. We then had a dinner and it was pretty great. The members were homies and it was pretty good shrimp noodles.

Friday:We woke up and zoom zoomed to Iowa city. This time we went to the Bradford building which is home to our mission office.  I miss the stake center tbh because it was on the campus of University of Iowa. But it was good they discussed and change and then implemented a new way to work with members that will up the amount of baptisms. So I am excited to get good at that before I go home. So I am very excited.  I saw Elder Madsen and saw Elder Anderson and he is training Elder Butcane so linage. I had a blast with all of those guys. Shout out to Elder Mather and Stoddard they finished their two years and they were giant homies throughout my mission. We then went to Texas road house as a zone and the food was good let me tell ya  I got the pulled pork like always and had food for days. (Aka lunch the next day).

Saturday:  I played some basketball with members in the morning and it was pretty fun it was a pretty great workout. Plus I was some how making all the shots I was taking .We then implemented the new way to work with members and met with 2 members one of them loved the new way and other person wasn't as excited so that was pretty cool.

Sunday: I spoke at church and I thought I did a good job, but didn't think much of it until church lessons members were quoting what I talked about! We then went back and studied and I was able to finish Doctrine and Covenants. That definitely is a great Book of Scripture. I also read the Pearl of Great price so I highly recommended reading those two Books of Scripture as well as the Book Of Mormon which I also finished. We also had some dinner with a family and it was also good it was a great day.

Love y'all 

Elder Caylor Hunsaker 

1. The lineage carrying me like a king( Elder Anderson and Buttcane)

2. Me with our broken mailbox that we fixed. 

3. Service on Tuesday 

4.Elder Madsen and I 

Iowa+Country roads+Utah kid+GPS=getting lost.

Monday: We had a zone p day! We went to a bowling alley in middle of nowhere in Washington Iowa. The bowling alley informed us we needed to have a party reservation. #weak but we looked them up on maps and it said they had the best bar tender in town. So I guess that bowling alley isn't completely useless for non members but for word of wisdom abiding members its trash. We then went to Walmart the mall of half of these Iowa towns and went and bought some wack little games. I didn't though. Then we went to the church everyone rolled up and we basically relaxed there. I ran a few laps around the church and it felt pretty good to run. It's been a hot minute since I have ran but i was breaking a sweat it was great. That was pretty much Monday.

Tuesday: We started the day by doing some service at the library. It's super fun we sort DVDs into super damaged damaged or could use some cleaning IRS pretty cool but honestly you see to many good movies you miss. But let me tell in all of my areas the librarians  love the missionaries so that has been pretty cool . Seeing how the Lord has been preparing all of these librarians is neat. Then we had a lesson with our most solid person Corri and taught him the word of wisdom and the law of chastity.  It was great he accepted those two commitments and it is just such a blessing to see him change. He is a great guy. We then had a lesson with Mary and it was a good lesson she is putting together that we have the complete gospel which is going great. 

Wednesday: We went and did some missionary work. Then went to a member who is chiropractor.  He helped my companion and then asked if there was anything bothering me. I just said my hip because a few transfers ago my bed was sunkin in on my hip and it would feel weird. But he adjusted my hip and I mean I never realized how much I enjoy having my hip back to normal. Then it was click my day which is basically how we count up the months we have been out. It was my 18th month click day so that is pretty exciting.  We celebrated by getting Mexican food. Well there were two Mexican places in town and we ended up going to one where no one spoke English the food was good but two missionaries that didn't know to speak Spanish went so far. We didn't know where to pay so we sat there for 30 minutes trying to figure out how to pay. We finally sent it to the counter and payed there. Moral of the story for Elder Critchfield and I if we ever want authentic Mexican food bring Elder Taylor with us who speaks Spanish.

Thursday:: We had district council which was good. We then had a exchange with our zone leaders. Elder Burke and I went to this place called Boneparte, Iowa for a Bible referral. We dropped off the Bible and went by some people but no body answered.  So we punched it in the GPS and it took us on this gravel road by the Des Moines River. There was a sign that said dead end  we didn't believe it because we put our faith in the GPS. As we were driving the GPS said turn left. We looked up and there was a bridge above us......  at this point there was no way we could turn around so we kept going Intell we turned around. Overall we were lost for like 30 minutes but it was a good time. We then drove to a town called Keosaqua (probably butchered the spelling). To answer your question that I know you all have is no we did not get lost this time. We stopped by a part member family where the husband is not a member and he has been sick lately so we taught about Samuel the Lamonite and then really just talked to them and enjoyed their company. As I said the closing prayer he got very teary eyed. We then got into the car and I look at Elder Burke and said that was one of the most inspired stop by's I have done on my mission and he looked at me and said same. We then went to some less actives and they were happy to see us and then offered us later to go have some hamburgers with them. That day was full of blessings.

Friday: We finished the exchange but before we did. Elder Burke and I got yelled at by some crazy lady. O boy was she mad. I just laugh every time people yell at us because 99% of time its just because of our presence. 

Saturday: pretty much nothing happened other then we went by some people who weren't down. We then cooked dinner and it was a pretty great dinner. I also picked up saints again I had only read till chapter 10 so I am going to try to read that before i go home.

Sunday: Church was good we went by some people and planned. We also had dinner with a member family so that was pretty fun. Their oldest son just put in his mission papers and it was pretty cool because I can remember the missionaries back home talking to me before I left.

Love y'all 

Elder Caylor Hunsaker 

Elder Burke and I posing.

Elder Burke and I doing something 

Almost 18 Months+Nauvoo +the temple=good ole week

Well hello there on Wednesday I will hit 18 months pretty wild isn't. 

Monday:Average p day we played ball and we we ended up chilling with some other elders as well. It is always a refreshing day.

Tuesday: We had a lesson with Gene and then I was able to call Eden and tell her happy birthday which was coool.

Wednesday: We went and saw the British Pageant it is just so great being able finally see it. It's really cool because it talks about the people being converted in the United kingdom.  It's also pretty cool with all the bagpipes. I honestly can not decide which pageant I like better. We went down with a member and  a woman who went another church who was trying to convert our person being taught Gene. It was really awkward.  Definitely something that I have not seen before.

Thursday:We had 2 lessons. One with A woman named Marianne and we were able to teach her. Then we went and taught our homie Corey the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He is on date for baptism so we are sort excited for him. Then we had a member dinner with this family out in the boonies but they fed us some good country food featuring shrimp cause shrimp isn't in the country. We the drove to Ottumwa for an exchange the drive was pretty fun plus I was able to drive with my diet cherry Dr. Pepper. 

Friday: I went on a exchange with legend himself Elder Taylor.  We had some fun we ate some donuts and fudge. It was great we had some powerful lessons that day. We taught a part member family and they were just awesome.  We also went by a bible request and there was this dude straight tripping asked if we believed in Aliens. Elder Taylor was like I see why not and then the guy dashed inside it was pretty funny. We then went to a member dinner where a family fed us some pizza hut. It was pretty good. Then Elder Critchfield and I left to go to a lesson with someone who has a baptismal date with and her concern was polygamy and we were able to address that and it was cool. We pulled out the official declaration #1 in d and c. It was pretty powerful. She felt the spirit strong 

Saturday: Man it was a great day it started with interviews with President Sturm. It was great getting to know him better. Then we drove to Nauvoo to meet up with Corey. We were able to go to the temple because we left pretty early. I couldn't help but smile because I hadn't done in and endowment session in over a year. I realized how much I missed being able to go to the temple more regularly.  It was great to be there and be able to witness the miracles of Nauvoo and the miracles of the temple. We then went to a few sites and saw a few familiar missionaries from our mission it was great. Plus Corey loved the pageant. We helped clean up the pageant a little bit then drove back to Fairfield. 

Sunday:Church and dinner. We did some other stuff but those weren't as notable. 

I'll just end this by giving my witness of the restoration.that it did happen and how grateful I am for all the sacrifices of my own pioneer ancestors and their fellow pioneers. And for the sacrifice that they all endured. I am also super grateful for temples and the feeling the love of our Heavenly Father in those temples. I am so beyond grateful to have seen those two pageants that testify of gospel truth. I am also grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ that makes any thing possible.  I say that in the name of Jesus Christ Amen

Love y'all 

Elder Caylor Hunsaker 

(Fyi the people in non proselyting clothes are missionaries they just took down the stage after)

Pictures consist of

Elder Taylor preaching 

Elder Studard(Stoddard) and I 

Elder York ,Gardner,Harvath and I 

Elder Mather and I 

The Nauvoo temple 

Elder Madsen and I 

Elder Steed,Bingham and I

British pageant pic