Elder Bunker and other Spanish speaking Elders in his area.

New Year

Dear Friends & Family,

Just a reminder that these emails are posted on elderdanielbunker.blogspot.com by my mom (thanks mom!), so if you are getting these as a forwarded email, you can also see it on my blog.

Anyway this has been a good week. We taught a lot of lessons, put a few people on date for baptism, and had a great Christmas. We visited a lot of families and spent time with them eating and playing games, etc. I got to call home, which was good. It was kind of weird, as I've only been gone 4 months. Still here in Utah waiting for my visa.

We got transfer calls last night. My companion, Elder Padrones, is getting transferred to Cedar City Spanish, where he will be a Zone Leader. I will be transferred to the St. George Central Zone, in Pine View Spanish, where I will be in a companionship of 3 again. Here in Price we were living with the English Elders, so it was hard to get 4 people through the shower with enough hot water. At least now we will be back down to 3. The cool thing about a threesome is that you can triple book your appointments for a night and go on 3-way splits with members. That is how we can teach a lot more lessons per day.

This new year will be interesting. We can watch It's a wonderful life or Toy story 3 on New Year's Eve. I'll be looking forward to that.

Well there's not a whole lot to write about with all of the festivities and stuff. I'll send another email with a few pictures.

I love you all!

Elder Bunker

Christmas!

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been another good week. We were able to teach more lessons than in each of the past 3 weeks.

We have some interesting Christmas policies. We are allowed to spend 2 hours per family with members or investigators on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Eve from 5-9. On New Years Eve we are allowed to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" or "Toy Story 3". It will be pretty cool I think.

The snow finally came to this forsaken land of Price, UT (forsaken because the weather is unpredictable--they can try North and South of here, but it never is accurate for Price). There were about 3-4 inches of snow on the ground, but it was a very long period of snowfall.

My companion, Elder Padrones from Spain, had a little accident a few months ago (before I got here), and they had to replace the front bumper. Then a few weeks ago we were at an intersection with a big ditch on both sides of the main road. As we were turning onto the main road, the bumper scraped on the ditch edge. Our vehicle manager for the mission, Elder Woolley, told us to go and get an estimate to fix the paint scratches, but it turns out that the bumper was bent a little, which caused the paint to flake off. It was a $300 fix, so Elder Woolley told us to go ahead and get it fixed. The next day, I was assigned as driver. It's so weird to be the junior companion and have all of this power in my hands (car keys, Stake center keys, house keys)! Anyway, it was pretty scary driving in the snow before the trucks could clean up the roads. We had to go to a 7am correlation meeting 30 minutes away. It's a good thing I learned to drive in the snow though!

I've met a few people here who have sons waiting for visas to Mexico City. Different missions, but still the same area. Some of them came out right before me (3 days ahead of me), so maybe when they get their visas the family can contact me and give me a heads up.

Well transfers were delayed another week (instead of this last week) so we can spend Christmas in an area with which we are familiar. This transfer has 7 weeks instead of 6, and next transfer will only have 5 weeks.

I had a pretty good birthday this last week. We kept really busy with lots of appointments, which is probably one of the best gifts I could receive. I got a package from DearElder.com with lots of candy & a picture of Christ. I think it's from family but not sure...there were no names attached to it. The return address wasadmin@dearelder.com, which is VERY generic. Thank you family.

At this Christmas time, I have lots more time to think about the birth of Christ. There in a stable one night, the very pivot of everything was born. Everything before that night looked forward to Him. Everything after that night looks back to Him. How humble the setting was! There was no pomp & circumstance. Everyone else just went on with their daily routines, having no news about the birth of the Savior of the World. This is the moment when the possibility of Salvation for every person began. Millions had exercised their faith on Jesus Christ through the Mosaic laws of sacrifice to gain a remission of sins, laws which were in similitude of the mission of the only begotten son, Jesus Christ. Now, millions will be able to exercise their faith in Jesus Christ by accepting his mission, life, and sacrifice, and applying the atoning blood of their savior to their debts--sins. We can now be clean. Clean of everything. "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as wool. Though they be red like Crimson, they shall be white as snow." As mortal humans we are subject to sin. Its possibility is a natural consequence of the fall of Adam from God's presence & his transgression. But "as in Adam all die (as in the possibility of physical & spiritual death), even so in Christ shall all be made alive". What a marvelous gift--to be forgiven for any sin with true repentence, to be succored in any sickness, trial, or challenge in life, to have the empathetic ear & shoulder of someone who knows us personally & how we feel. Give the gift of Christ to someone this Christmas. Receive the gift of Christ as well. He has prepared, wrapped, and topped with a bow a wonderful gift for everyone personally. It's there sitting on your table. It's up to you to open it or to let it sit there. To put it to use or to ignore it. It will always be there. It doesn't expire. It doesn't have a limited-time-only policy. You can't deny it's presence--it's right there. Open it and love it and treasure it and then show other people how to open theirs.

I love Jesus Christ. I love my Father in heaven. I'm ever grateful for what they do & have done for me.

Have a very Merry Christmas. Remember Christ.

Love you all!

Love Elder Bunker

ANOTHER WEEK IN PRICE

Hello Family & Friends,

The work is continuing. This transfer was extended another week so as to not change everyone up right before Christmas. I'm surprised I'm not getting Emergency Transferred this next week! In the past, I've always been in a new area the last week of a transfer.

The Assistants to the President are thinking about splitting off Huntington spanish from Price spanish and putting a set of Spanish Visa waiters there. That way when the visas come through, the waiters can just leave and Huntington will be rejoined to Price spanish. I don't know if that is set in stone yet, but we'll see. I wonder if it will be me.

We went to a Bishop's house to eat dinner one night and saw that they had all of their pictures wrapped with wrapping paper and re-hung on the wall. The pictures of Christ were partially opened so you could see his face through the paper. It was a really cool idea. I think I'll do that when I start my family. It really shows the meaning of Christmas.

It's amazing how fast time passes here in the mission field. It's hard to believe I've been out 3.5 months! That's a little over 1/8 the way done! I feel like I haven't been out that long. Life is really different when all of your days are spent involved with other people, their lives, their commitments, their struggles, their joys, etc. I see things I don't want in my future life. I see things I do. I get to hear people's concerns about life, why we are here, and how they are spending the time allotted on this earth. It's really amazing to not have to worry about myself for awhile. This is how we as missionaries start to love the people we serve. We forget ourselves and go to work. We serve them. I really like this work.

That's about it for this week. I'll try to keep track of things that happen so I can report them to you all. I love you and appreciate all you do for me.

Love Elder Bunker

Picadillo Ranchero

Hello Friends & Family!

Fasting works! We have a small spanish group in Huntington, UT. Last week, only 2 people came besides leadership and us missionaries. We had to combine with the English ward for Sacrament Meeting. We decided to fast Saturday night and yesterday for both our branch & group (Huntington & Price). Yesterday, about 20 people came! It was testimony meeting, and it was very spiritual. I'm really excited that our investigators came with their friends & family. Some things don't happen but by fasting and prayer I guess (as told in the bible).

We have one investigator named Melchor. He was with us in Huntington when we were at an investigator's house (family/friend of Melchor). We put on the movie "To this end was I born", which describes briefly the life of Jesus & his crucifixion and resurrection. At the end we were talking and suddenly he asked us "when can you baptize all of us?". The investigator that we were visiting couldn't get baptized yet because she has to get married first, but they are waiting on citizenship before they can marry (it would add like 10 years to the waiting time). The other person in the house was already a member. So we told him 'As soon as you're ready'. He said he wanted to talk with his wife (living in California with the kids while he is looking for work here) first, but that he wants to be baptized in the church. He's such a great person, and we're excited!

Well that about sums up the exciting events of this week!

Love you all,
Elder Bunker

GUAJOLOTES & SNOW

Yet another great week has passed here in Price. It's starting to get pretty cold, but being from Northern IL, it's manageable. There are little skiffs of snow here and there...they keep forecasting big storms, but the mountain range just to the west fools everyone. They say that the weather in Price can't be predicted. They can predict just north and just south of Price, but it's too crazy here. Typical Utah winters, I think.

We had a great thanksgiving. We were invited to 4 different places, but didn't have enough time to go to all of them. We settled with 3. And just about exploded because of the amount of food they were trying to give us. The first 2 places were buffet style, so we took small amounts and figured the third would be buffet too. Nope. They loaded our plates up to a mountain....

Turkey in spanish is Guajolote (in Mexico) or Pavo (everywhere else & Mexico too).

We were allowed to spend 2 hours at each member's house, but no more than 2 hours. We went to President Perez's house ( our branch president in Price) and ate and jammed with some music. He's a musician bigtime. His band/group performed several times in the Tabernacle & other places. He plays piano, flutes, guitar, banjo, and lots of other wind & string instruments & percussion instruments from around the world. He's really really cool & i'm grateful to know him.

We were discussing calls home and it turns out that here in the US, Mother's day is the second sunday in May. In Spain, it's the first sunday in May. In Mexico, it's May 10th. So I don't really know when in May I will be calling home, whether it be Mexico's or the US's mother's day. I'll have to wait and see and ask. Luckily Christmas is the same here & in Mexico, and I will be able to call then.

The work has been good but slow. With the holiday, many people were out of town & forgot to cancel our appts with them, so we spent a lot of time driving around and knocking on doors of empty houses.

I've been meeting a few people that have lived in Mexico City for a little while. They always tell me that I will love the food & especially the fruit there. It's all so rich in flavor and diversity. I can't wait for it. I think i can already taste some of it...

Anyhow, all is going well. I love and miss all of you!

Stay close to the Lord!

Elder Bunker

Elder Daniel Bunker and companion Elder Padrones Salvador from Granada, Spain,

Technology

We had a training meeting this week from the Mission President (just our district here in Price). It started out with the missionaries throwing around rumors about missionary work on Facebook in some missions. President Leonard wanted to clarify everything, so he just blew us all away with the following:

-Within 3 years, this mission will have iPads, which will replace all of the area books, investigator teaching records, weekly numbers, schedules, church DVD's (they will all be on the iPad), maps with ward boundaries, it will have GPS, etc.--Way cool!

-We will be getting texting VERY soon as missionaries because while people don't answer doors, phone calls, messages, post-it's on the door, etc, they DO answer texts, so our mission will be going in that direction very soon.

-10 Missionaries have been called to serve in chatting (instant messaging) missions at the MTC, where they proselyte on the computer. This opens up a whole different world. The prophesy that the gospel will be preached unto every nation, kindred, tongue, people, doesn't necessarily mean having full time missionaries walking the streets. Where there's internet in a country, there's opportunity to share the gospel. So far, these missionaries have baptized 110 people.

-Mormon.org is rapidly becoming a sharing tool. We as missionaries were permitted to visit this website during P-day emailing time to explore it and tell our investigators about it. Please go and setup a profile and share your testimony to the world.

-In the meantime, portable DVD players are being slowly distributed to areas. This enables us to show/watch training DVD's & church DVD's only. They are truly placing a lot of trust in us as missionaries. This especially will help for those investigators who don't have access to a TV or DVD Player in their house when we visit.

While I won't see the iPad in my time as a missionary, I hope to help the church develop through the technology department of the church. That is right up my alley in programming. It is truly exciting to see how the Lord is using technology to roll forth the great stone cut from the mountain.

I testify that our Father wants his children back. You and I and everyone else can help with that. Go to Mormon.org and explore it. Set up a profile. Share your testimony--it's simple and will stand much longer than we will live.

Stay close the the Lord! I love you all and miss you!

Elder Bunker

Groups & Surprise Talks

All is well here for week 7 in the mission field (it's hard to believe I started my mission 2 1/2 months ago already)-- 21 1/2 glorious months left to bring souls unto Christ.

We have a spanish branch here in Price, and a Spanish Group in Huntington (a group is smaller than a branch). We alternate attending each week, and yesterday was my first time attending the group. It turns out that the Group Leader (similar to branch president/bishop) had me scheduled to speak...no topic or anything specific, so I just talked about faith. I've learned so much about faith during my intense study of the new testament. Faith is a real power, nothing philosophical or mysterious. A physical power--such that it overcame the force of Gravity when Peter was walking on the water to Christ, such that Christ himself physically could not perform miracles in one of the cities due to their lack of faith--it didn't say he would not perform them, but rather that he COULD NOT. I'm still studying faith, but it is something very concrete and real.

It was kind of funny yesterday at the group. We showed up at 9:00, no one there (it was supposed to start at 9). at 9:05, the pianist and chorister showed up. At 9:10, the leadership showed up (there previous meeting was running late). At 9:15, the first family showed up. At 9:20, another 1 or 2 people showed up, so we started. it was a very small meeting, but it was good.

As I am closely reading the New Testament, the entire gospel is there. All of it. Right there in Acts in one chapter ( i don't recall which right now...maybe ch. 2) is Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the end. The same doctrine that Christ taught in 3rd Nephi 27. I am loving it.

We spoke with a man a while ago who is of another religion (pretty strongly). He said that our church was corrupt because according to Galatians 1:8-9, any different gospel brought from an Angel is corrupt. He was referring to the Angel Moroni appearing to Joseph Smith. In my personal studies, I explored that scripture a little more. What was happening is that the apostles (I believe Paul specifically) were writing this letter to admonish the saints for changing the teachings, doctrine, etc, and following a different gospel than that preached by the apostles. The scripture actually says that if the APOSTLES OR EVEN AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN bring a different gospel, it is corrupt. Since the apostles include themselves and include the extreme case of that of an angel coming down from heaven, it is not the means by which a different gospel comes that makes it corrupt, but rather whether it is DIFFERENT from that taught by Christ and the apostles. Which brings the question: What doctrine is different from that which Christ taught? Well we can look at the church Christ set up: Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, revelation, priesthood keys & authority, have no other Gods before God & Christ, worship only them, temples, seventies, missionaries 2 by 2, non-paid ministry, etc. Now look at all Christian religions established today. Who has all these? Who is one of the farthest removed?
I reject the notion that [our church is corrupt because of heavenly personages, including the Father & Son, appeared to Joseph Smith to restore everything previously established by Christ, bringing the gospel]. I do reject any church that has become so far removed (the DIFFERENT gospel) from that taught by Christ.

I may not be a biblical scholar, but I hate attacks against my faith that are based on out-of-context & are not scriptural truth. We don't bash with modern-day Pharisees & Scribes, but I do defend. I'm trying to understand the scriptures for myself. I understand now why the bible is the farthest thing from "common ground among all Christian Religions", for it is the spawning ground of contention--everyone has their own interpretation of it and they are right while everyone else is wrong. No wonder Joseph Smith, a 14-year-old boy, was so confused about which church was the correct one. I would be too at that time.

Well there is my rant for the week. But it was good to be able to defend Christ (to myself...I didn't share this with that man) and clarify what the scriptures actually say. He is my shepherd, I know his voice. When he comes again and calls, I hope to recognize his voice. I am serving my mission to help other people recognize His voice too. I have been warned, and am in the process of warning my neighbors.
I testify of Christ. He lives. He has a resurrected body. We are engraved in the palms of his hands. He numbers us and knows us one-by-one. He loves us. He succors us according to our needs. He is.

I love all of you and miss you.
Have a great week & draw closer to the Lord.
Elder Bunker

Jolly Spaniards

This last week has been a busy one. On Wednesday I got a call from the Assistants to the President, and they asked me to pack up that night and be ready to leave in the morning for Richfield, UT. I packed up and was all ready to go, then at 10:00 that night they called and said "change of plans. You're staying in Ephraim." So I started unpacking--not all the way though. On Friday, they called again and asked me to be ready in 2 hours to leave to Salina, UT, where we do transfers. They said I will be going to Price, UT, Spanish speaking. So that's where I am now!

I am companions with Elder Padrones, from Spain. It's so cool to hear his accent--it's very different from Mexicans, Peruvians, & Guatemalans. He is a very jolly fellow, always anxious to get to work. He has been out for about a year.

We ate at a branch member's house yesterday. The food was so delicious! It was Sopes (also called Gorditas in one state in Mexico). Sopes are fried tortillas as a base, with shredded beef, fresh shredded cheese, cream, lettuce, guacamole, & broth with cooked carrot pieces on top. So good! Also, we topped it with fresh pico de gallo (a blended up salsa--mostly liquid). Super spicy but very tasty! I think it is my favorite Mexican dish so far.

Price is pretty crazy. Within the first week here, I've learned about a not-really-serious death threat against the missionaries, translated for a court case for one of our investigators, translated for a Mission-Leader training meeting, been offered a Corona by a "progressing investigator" (the bottle was full, so that's a good thing--I hope they're not drinking), helped lay down laminate flooring for one of the Group Leaders (a group is smaller than a branch, which is smaller than a ward--a group has no priesthood keys), etc. Lots of fun/crazy stuff.

I'm sure learning a lot more about Jesus Christ. Having a few hours in the morning every day really does help increase your understanding of the scriptures and how they apply to your life. This is my time to come to know Jesus Christ even better-- to be a witness of Him, His resurrection, and His Gospel.

Recently I have had the opportunity of talking to some Bible-bashers (not bashing with them, just talking). Everytime we bear testimony to them, they just brush it off and "share their opinion of what the bible says". I have come to realize why the church sends out unlearned 19-year-olds. Our job is to invite all to come unto Christ. I know Christ. I don't know the bible as well as those other ministers who have gone to a college for years and years studying the bible. Since I know Christ, that is all the tooling that I need to do my job. I may not be able to answer every question that others have. But God can. My primary personal goal is to establish the communication between my investigator and God. To teach them how to pray. To wait for an answer. To pay attention to their feelings and the promptings of the Spirit. If they are not willing to set aside all their prejudice and try what we are asking them to do (read, pray, ask, wait for a response), then it's time to move on. That is why we don't bible bash with others. Even if I knew the Bible inside and out, I still wouldn't, because they are not trying to learn, try, ask, but rather to confound, ensnare, and trap.

Which is why I am so greatful for my testimony. Nobody can give that to me but God, nobody can take it away from me but me. I testify that God is there, living, interested in our lives, ready to dump the bucket of blessings on us. I testify that after the death of the apostles, the priesthood authority, power, and keys were lost from the earth, leaving the unbelieving people to their own self-denial. I testify that God has given the people of the earth time to change their hearts, remember him, and seek him out, that he has once again opened the heavens, brought truth from the ground and righteousness from the heavens, to restore those priesthood authority, power, and keys for the benefit of his Children and his Kingdom on earth. I leave that testimony in the name of Jesus Christ.

I love you all and miss you. Grow closer to the Lord every day.

Elder Bunker

We invited our investigators to a pumpkin carving contest that our spanish branch put on. We got to carve a pumpkin too!

left to right: me, Elder Lora, Elder Johnson

center front: Elder Calabaza (pumpkin)

the carving was a joint effort.

The other picture is when all the pumpkins were lined up to be judged. Sadly, we didn't win, but the judge came up afterward and said he thought we would be able to handle the disappointment better than the kids :)

Elder Bunker

Decked-Out School Buses & Exchange Students

Dear Friends & Family,

This week was very slow for missionary work. Monday we had a Zone Conference, Tuesday was our P-day, Thursday we had a 2-zone temple trip to the Manti Temple, Saturday night was halloween (celebrated on saturday instead of sunday in Utah) so we had to be in by 5pm, and Sunday we had 4 hours of ward correlation meetings, plus church.

Halloween in Utah is a bit unique for missionaries. Apparently many people dress up as missionaries and then without thinking are doing things that missionaries are not allowed to do. In the past the mission president has received many phone calls from members about inappropriate behavior. So the mission president ordered all missionaries in by 5pm, so he can be confident that no true missionaries are doing the alleged things. We gathered our district here at the Ephraim Institute building and played basketball, sardines, boardgames, pool, pingpong, fooseball (in spanish we call it futbolito, or little soccer). It was a blast.

We taught a sheep herder who lives on his boss's ranch. He lives in a little trailer up in the hills. His boss owns an old schoolbus that is all decked-out with electricity, an oven, sinks, water, sewer, etc. It's like a mobile home--the seats are removed. We taught him in the school bus. It was rather interesting, kind of fun.

We are teaching a highschool foreign exchange student from Brazil. He goes to the English ward with his host family, but he prefers the lessons we teach in Spanish. Spanish and Portugese are close enough for him to understand. He is really a great person. We are also teaching another exchange student from Colombia in spanish, but she isn't too interested because there was nobody her age in the Spanish Branch. We'll see if we can get her some fellowshippers from the English wards who speak spanish.

Other than that, I don't have much news to report. It is still going well here. The Lord is kind and provides well for those who seek to declare his word--of that I can testify (free groceries always helps!).

I love you all, Stay close to the Lord!

Elder Bunker

Shiney Shoes & Shaving Machines

Dear Family & Friends,

This week has been great. We had a Zone Conference yesterday and Elder Richards (area seventies) presided. We went out that night and continued the mission work. We put 3 more people on date for baptism in one evening. The lord really does care for his children.

At the zone conference we had a shiney shoe contest. It was fun (I shined my shoes the night before), but my shoes were too new. They didn't want to compare brand new shoes with those that had been out for 2 years I guess.

My companion is from the Dominican Republic and still learning English. He wanted to go to Walmart to buy a shaving machine (electric razor)...it was pretty funny.

We had the opportunity to speak in church in our Spanish Branch. It went pretty well. Our topics were missionary work.

The work is going great here. Lots of walking, but it is so worth it. There are lots of dogs around. We got our first snow here--nothing stuck, but we've been watching it come farther and farther down the mountain over the weeks.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ really does bless everyone. Our faith is strengthened when we spend time with the Spirit--in the scriptures, prayers, etc.

Love,

Elder Bunker

Forbidden Love & Shepherds

This has been a fairly interesting week.

We are in a companionship of 3. We went tracting in a trailer park in a nearby city. We picked up a few new investigators. One in particular was very good. She seemed to be interested in the message, was very attentive, and talked to us a lot. A few days later, we went on splits with a member from a nearby ward. We had to split up to cover all of our appointments on time. 2 of us went to this investigators house, while the third went to another appointment. The companion I was with told me "that's too bad Elder ___ can't be here...they seemed to really bond (as native spanish speakers)". It was us 2 gringos trying to talk to this native investigator. Turns out she was busy, so we rescheduled. That night, we got a phone call from her. Our native companion answered. She was concerned that he had left. She then told him that she liked him and wanted to go out with him (despite the fact that she is married with 3 kids). Since that is DEFINITELY not our purpose, he bluntly told her that there was no way possible. She asked us not to return. Too bad, because she would have been a good investigator. Oh well.

We went on exchanges again this last week. I was in Gunnison spanish speaking again. This time, we went to go teach a Borregero, or sheep hearder (shepherd just sounds weird) in the fields. He is a very humble man from Guatemala on a work visa to care for these sheep. He came to church sunday when we invited him. These men just go and live in a small trailer in the mountains or fields and care for the sheep 24/7. They have lots of time to read, study, etc, so we visit them often.

There is a trailer in a different trailer park here that sells authentic mexican tacos. You can get cow eye, brain, stomach, rectum, tripe, cricket tacos, carne asada, del pastor (sheep), etc. Lots of different kinds of tacos. I was brave enough to try Tripe (innards)...it wasn't that bad. I've also had lots of Tamales, Pozole, Fajitas, encheladas, etc. Pretty good food.

Well that's about it for this week's adventures.

Love & miss you all.

Elder Bunker

Pozole & Faith Walking

We started off this week by taking our car in for repair. Apparently some missionaries about 6 months ago slid off the road in the icy conditions into some barbed wire fencing and scratched up the back of the car. One Auto body workshop offered to fix it up for free for the mission. We didn't have a car for about 3 days. It was good walking and finding rides--a little difficult to find so many rides in one day. We also went on exchanges because my companions have been out for only 6 weeks and I have only been out 2 weeks. We are all greenies, training each other. We will do exchanges frequently. I went to Gunnison (Spanish speaking) for Friday night and Saturday Morning. It went very well, I met a lot of people there and taught many great lessons.

We had a ride up to Mt. Pleasant to switch back another elder, and the Mt. Pleasant elder with us said we would be there for 3 hours, so we sent our ride home. It turns out that he was just kidding, so we had no ride back to Ephraim (14 miles away). The Mt. Pleasant elders had to go to a baptism, so they couldn't take us. So we just started walking along the highway (aka Faith Walking). We got about 1 mile before someone stopped and gave us a ride back to Ephraim. It is a no-no, but when you have no choice...

One evening we had an EQ president accompany us on a few lessons. He taught us a saying that he had to memorize in the MTC regarding missionary work: Faith is the power, obedience is the price, Love is the motive, the Spirit is the key, and Christ is the reason. That is so true of why I am serving my mission.

My companions' names are Elder Johnson & Elder Lora. E. Johnson was born in Canada and lived in Texas for a few years. E. Lora was born in the Dominican Repulic and lived in New Jersey for 2 years before the mission. E. Lora is English-speaking, but he is needed in this area for Spanish speaking.

We have one investigator family that is from Mexico City. The are very hospitable. On our second visit, they fed us Pozole, which is a kind of corn & pork meat soup. It was very good & authentic.

I am so greatful to know what I do about our existance. I am so glad that I don't have to judge anyone. When we are at Judgement day with Christ & our Father in Heaven, it will be a judgement of our entire existance--including premortal. This earth life is one small blip on our eternal existance. I can't say whether someone will be going to Heaven or Hell based on their actions in this life, because I don't know how their life has been: both here and before this earth life. We can only try our best not to put a giant question mark over our heads as we leave this eath life. I testify that Christ is our advocate with the Father, that he is our lawyer, defending us from the law of justice (which demands the price be paid for sins). He knows how to judge perfectly, as he descended below everything.

All is well here. May God bless you.

Elder Bunker

IN THE LAND OF EPHRAIM

First, it is 100% OK to email me at this address (dbunker@myldsmail.net). Just please include your home address so I can reply by snail mail. I just don't have enough time to reply by email (we only spend about an hour a week at the computer on P-day) to everyone. Regular letters in the mail are great too, because I get them throughout the week, whereas emails I can only check on Mondays.

This has been a great area. This is my first 'real' transfer (a transfer is a 6-week period of time in one place--then you may get transferred to a new area). The house we are living in is one that was donated by a man to the church. Half is dedicated to the LDS Employment services and the other half is for us, the missionaries. It's pretty old, but it does the job. The oven/stove is huge and goes to the ceiling and matches the diswasher, which looks like it could be from the 70's. It probably is.

I had the chance to watch General Conference in Spanish. It is amazing how you can learn even in a new language when the spirit is present. As a missionary, it is very helpful to watch conference. It is said that you can go to Conference with any question in mind, and it will be answered if you pay attention to the words of the Prophet and Apostles and to your feelings. I testify that that is true. As a missionary, we can go with questions in mind about the specific needs of those we are teaching, and they will be answered. That is exactly what happened for me, as I was thinking about the concerns of one investigator. Ideas just kept coming into my mind about how to address them.

There are not too many hispanic people spread out in Ephraim, but there are a few trailer parks where we can find lots of humble, interested people. There is something about teaching someone who is sincerely looking for the same organization of the church that Jesus established, with Apostles & Prophets, etc.

I don't know a lot about soccer (futbol), but I will have to learn because that is a huge thing among hispanics, especially Mexicans. Our district decided to start playing soccer on P-Day (Monday), so I will be able to get better at it.

I keep forgetting to bring my camera cable, but one of these Mondays I will bring it and load up some pictures to send home.

Well, weekends have ceased to exist. Clothes have become "normal clothes" (white shirt, tie, slacks, belt, dress shoes, etc) and "P-Day clothes" (when we are doing activites that would need gym-type clothes). All the days blend together in the work of sharing the word of God. Monday is our only weekend-type day, but even that ends at 6pm and then it's back to missionary work. Tonight we have 7 lessons setup for between 6-9pm. We have to go on splits with a member to cover them all...it will be good.

The weather is cooling down now, for which I am truly greatful. The mission rules require us to wear our suitcoats everywhere we go from October conference until April Conference. Friday it was still really hot (80's - 90's), but Saturday took a huge dip. It was overcast and a little rainy and cool--probably upper 60's & lower 70's. I guess the Lord does watch out for his missionaries.

Well I better get going so I can storm Wal-Mart for a week's worth of supplies. I wish everyone good luck, health, and week! I pray for you every day.

Elder Bunker

Current Address

This is the address you can reach Dan at.

Elder Daniel Bunker
Utah St. George Mission
107 S. 1470 E.
Suite 304
St. George, UT 84790

His latest update:
It has been a swift 3 weeks in the MTC and 1 week in the mission field. I left the Provo MTC on Tuesday, drove 45 minutes north to the SLC airport, flew 1 hour 22 minutes south to St. George, drove 3 1/2 hours north to Mt. Pleasant, only to end up 45 minutes south of Provo...a lot of traveling for not much net change in distance!

I arrived in St. George and met the Mission president and wife- they are great! We got to the St. George airport via a small twin prop plane, disembarked and walked across the tarmac and into the airport. It is a very small airport--President was right inside the door, alongside the baggage claim, which was so small that you could see out the other side of it onto the runway. It was kind of funny to see them pull our luggage off the plane, wheel it 10 yards, and put it on the baggage claim platform, where it fell at my feet.

We drove across the valley and got the orientation regarding phones, vehicles, etc at the mission office. I was assigned the Mt. Pleasant area, about 1 hour south of Provo. This used to be the Provo mission, but they split it in July into the Provo & St. George missions. This mission is brand new. I was assigned to Elder Hepworth, my first companion (English area). Transfers are this week, however, and I will be moved to the Ephraim area (near Snow College), into a 3-companion Spanish speaking area. Maybe that will make it easier when my VISA comes through, just to move me out without disrupting the other two companions.

The area here is very amazing. Everyone honks and waves at us as we walk down the street. We eat free at 2 restaurants in town whenever we want (though we limit it to twice a week). We walked in to a McDonalds for lunch in Ephraim after District Meeting and they didn't charge us. We were shopping in Walmart one day and a man came up and said "are you almost done? I want to buy all of your groceries for you. I didn't get to serve a mission, so i like helping the missionaries out". The Lord truly does take care of his servants. It brings to mind the scripture in the New Testament & Book of Mormon when Christ directs his Apostles/disciples to 'take no thought' for what you will wear, say, eat, and stay. Everything seems to be taken care of for us. The members feed us in their homes almost every night for dinner. I really love this area and the people so far. It's been great.

I finish by testifying that each of us has our agency. One of the greatest gifts of God. He won't drag us back to his presence, but he sure does entice us very strongly by the Spirit. I testify that we will live after this life, and we have the chance to live with God, according to our actions in this life. I love him. He gave us Jesus Christ so we can repent of whatever we have darkened our past with. He's fair like that. He's just.

love,
Elder Bunker

Elder Bunker is now in the Utah St. George Mission. As soon as we have an address, we will post it. He would love to hear from everyone. Please don't use DearElder.com or the Provo MTC address as he isn't there anymore. He will probably be in the Utah St. George Mission for 4-6 weeks before going on to Mexico.

Elder Daniel Bunker

Temporarily reassigned

Tuesday Elder Bunker will leave the MTC, bound for ST. George, UT. There are still visa issues to work out, and potentially a visit to the consulate, then hopefully off to Mexico City, Mexico.

Week 3 down (tomorrow), a few days to go

It's starting to get cold here at the MTC (in the mornings until about 10am). I forgot to pack a sweatshirt, so I bought one here. Everything is pretty heavily discounted for missionaries at the MTC bookstore, so it was pretty cheap. We have gym time about 4 times a week, about an hour each time. It's nice to get out and walk around the MTC field and up by the temple. With the mountains in the background, we get to see a pretty amazing sunrise.

I'm so anxious to get out into the mission field, wherever I will be going (and eventually to Mexico City). I am anxious to teach and help and love. One point I was studying and thinking about this week is the following:

God is a fair god. for those who don't have the opportunity in this life to hear this gospel will have an opportunity in the next life (the spirit world, where our spirits await the resurrection--reuniting of the spirit and body). So why, then, should we have the gospel here in this life? Isn't it easier just to live however you want in this life and then look for the truth in the next? I am thinking of all the blessings and good things that have happened to me because of having this gospel in this life. The commandments and instructions we have in the church are not binding, but rather liberating. No smoking, for example. I had a teacher that once told me he had a friend. The friend said "HaHa! I can smoke anytime I want! Your church is too strict!". My teacher replied "that's true, that you can smoke any time you want, but so can I. It's you that can't STOP smoking anytime you want." That is so very true. I testify that God commands not to bind, but to liberate us. To ensure that we are our own agents. That we make our own decisions. That we learn by making those decisions. Nicotine shouldn't make our decisions. Alcohol shouldn't. Any addictive substance--loads of caffeine in coffee included-- shouldn't.

God's commandments are a way to keep us on the road that is plowed, salted, and on which we have traction, as we drive through the countryside of life in the vehicles of families. I love God. He's awesome. Literally.

I love you all and miss you!

A letter from the MTC

Well it has been a great week at the MTC. Every 15 minutes is scheduled, so you are always doing something. Afternoon naps are a thing of the past!

The greatest thing i have learned since being here (other than bettering my spanish by hearing it 24/7) is people. We as missionaries are going out to the mission field to teach people, not lessons. I have learned and am still learning to talk to people about their lives and and getting to know them.

I like to think of it like this: People go about their lives in a daily routine, acting in their roles in society. Whether they think about it consciously or not, all wonder about their origins, about some higher purpose in this life. It's kind of like everyone is asleep, dreaming. Their dreams are their daily lives and routines. Our job as missionaries is to go around and wake people up and tell them where they are and why and what they can do to live life knowiing their purpose. Sometimes people wake up on their own and ask the people around where they are. Others, upon our waking them up, are grumpy and tell us to go away and they roll over and go back to sleep. That's missionary work I guess. Some people just don't care or aren't ready.

Living with the influence of the Spirit is a great advantage. Before, I noticed and felt teh presence of the Spirit, when I was doing the right things, studying the scriptures, etc. Here, though, it's different. I am constantly with the Spirit, so now I notice and feel the absence of the Spirit instead of noticing the presence. When there is an absence, it is time to evaluate what you are doing to drive the spirit away.

One other thing struck me this week. I was thinking about the name tag that I wear. It looks like this:

ELDER BUNKER

LA IGLESIA DE

JESUCRISTO

DE LOS SANTOS

DE LOS ULTIMOS DIAS

Thinking about that, I notieced and remembered that I bear Christ's name below mine. If I am a representative of Him, I need to study his life more and incorporate his teachings and attributes in my life & teaching. Food for thought.

Well my time is up. I testify, though, that Christ is the Savior and Redeemer. That he conquered death so we might return to our Father in Heaven. He is our father. We are his children. He loves us and wants us each to come back. My job is to help others find Father. That's why I have developed and am trying to develop a love (charity) for everyone, regardless of class, clothes, or style.

I love you all and thank you for your prayers. I pray for you every day.

Love,

Elder Daniel Bunker

Elder Daniel Bunker

Dear Family & Friends,

As many of you know, I am serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will be serving in the Mexico Mexico City South mission for 2 years. This email address (dbunker[at]myldsmail[dot]net)is the one you can use to send me an email, but please note that I will not have much time to email (maybe a few minutes once a week). Hence, if you are expecting a reply, please send a letter via snail mail, so I can take it with me and respond when I am not at a computer.
If you are writing a letter and will use an envelope, you will need to take it to the post office and mail it (internationally) to the mission home, which will forward it to me:

Elder Daniel Scott Bunker
Mexico Mexico City South Mission
Av. del Taller No. 540
Col. Jardin Balbuena
Delegacion Venustiano Carranza
C.P. 15900, Distrito Federal
Phone:52-55-2612-0177 (Include if sending a package)

The above method will cost nearly a dollar to send via Post Office. Alternatively, you can use the church Pouch Service by using either a post card or a single piece of paper folded into 3rds and taped at the top. You would send this via regular mail & regular stamp to Salt Lake City, and they will forward it on to me in Mexico. This only costs the typical stamp price. The address in Salt Lake City is:

Elder Daniel Scott Bunker
Mexico Mexico City South Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150

I will be in the Missionary Training Center in Provo, UT for 3 weeks (not including Visa delays which may occur) starting Wednesday, September 1st. While at the MTC, my address will be:

Elder Daniel Scott Bunker
MTC Mailbox # 83
MEX-MEXS 1101
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

I would love to hear from any/all of you, and I will do my best to respond to all letters that I receive. Meanwhile, my mother will be posting some of my letters/adventures/pictures on my blog: elderdanielbunker.blogspot.com. It has some pre-mission thoughts of mine and a few mission maps as well.

Thank you all for your support and friendship and preparation. I look forward to seeing you when I get back in 2 years!

Sinceramente,
Elder Daniel Bunker

P.S.: please forward this to anyone who you think might be interested in my mission -- I will love to get letters from anyone!

NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message.

A final goodbye. driving down to become a missionary. see elderdanielbunker.blogspot.com for adddress and adventures. love, miss, and see you in 2 yrs

Mission Boundaries

I have been looking around for better images of the Mexico City South Mission boundaries. Luckily, good ol' LDSTech forums helped me out. LDS maps is a really neat tool. It can highlight mission boundaries (mine is in blue). Here are some screen shots:

Mission Boundaries

I have been looking around for better images of the Mexico City South Mission boundaries. Luckily, good ol' LDSTech forums helped me out. LDS maps is a really neat tool. It can highlight mission boundaries (mine is in blue). Here are some screen shots:

Mission Boundaries

I have been looking around for better images of the Mexico City South Mission boundaries. Luckily, good ol' LDSTech forums helped me out. LDS maps is a really neat tool. It can highlight mission boundaries. Here are some screen shots:

Mission Boundaries

I have been looking around for better images of the Mexico City South Mission boundaries. Luckily, good ol' LDSTech forums helped me out. LDS maps is a really neat tool. It can highlight mission boundaries. Here are some screen shots:

Mission Boundaries

I have been looking around for better images of the Mexico City South Mission boundaries. Luckily, good ol' LDSTech forums helped me out. LDS maps is a really neat tool. It can highlight mission boundaries. Here are some screen shots:

Baptism

I recently had the opportunity to go to the Chicago Temple with a friend and go through the 2pm session there. Following that, I helped with our ward/stake new member baptism trip. Most of the people there were either missionaries or members from the hispanic branch of the stake. They needed someone to help with the actual baptizing, and having been recently endowed (see Endowment), I was able to help. The most interesting part was that I got to do the baptisms for the dead (see Baptisms for the Dead) for my own ancestors in Spanish. I got to do 14 of my own family file names. After I baptized them, I got to be confirmed for them (see Confirmation) by proxy.

I got to speak with our Stake President, both of his councilors, our bishop, and lots of ward members that day. It was a long day but a very good glimpse of exactly what I will be doing in 2 months for a period of 2 years. It just feels...right.

On a separate note, a very good friend of mine (the same one I went to the temple with) just left today for the MTC (see Missionary Training Center). He will be going to Lima, Peru on his mission. I am very excited for him and hope we keep in touch.

Some Temporal Matters

Lots of people have asked me what the weather is going to be like down in México City (La Ciudad de México). Well I looked around online for some average temps. Here's what I've found:

México City is located on México's high central plateau and because of the high altitude (over 7000 feet) the city enjoys a relatively mild climate all year. Summer and winter both are generally mild. The evenings can get cool enough for a jacket all year long, so be prepared. Afternoon rains come during the summer months, June to September. Usually the rain lasts for a few hours after which the sun comes out and the air is much cleaner. October to May are, most often, the driest months and February to May are the warmest months.

Source

So it looks like it will be very mild and feeling great. I just hope there is not a lot of humidity like there is here at home...

The Mission Call

I figure this blog will be a pretty good record of my mission. Hence, I will start at the beginning; here's the story:

I submitted my papers and finished my interviews about 2 weeks before the end of my Freshman year at BYU. The rumor going around (it held pretty true) was that every mission call arrives within 7-10 days after your interview if you are at BYU. Counting the days, I figured my call would arrive on Wednesday, April 21st (calls typically arrive on Wednesday at the Cannon Center in Helaman Halls). This also happened to be the very last day of finals. I had been planning a trip down to Las Vegas to visit all my family there before I would leave for two years. My aunt Becky and cousins Benson and Casey were also going down to Las Vegas from Provo, so I figured I could hitch a ride down with them. We set the date to leave on Friday as soon as Benson finished with his doctor appointments.

Well, Wednesday came and went. Nothing. Thursday came. I checked again at the desk in the Cannon Center to see if any mission calls had arrived. They reminded me that as soon as any mission calls arrive, they call the recipient on the phone immediately. They also speculated that since Thursday was graduation ceremonies for several colleges at BYU, there would only be one morning mail delivery. Heart sunk once again, I waited. They also told me that on the next day (Friday) there would be more ceremonies, and there would only be one mail delivery that day as well. Suitcases and backpack in one hand—Thursday was checkout and move-out day for me as well—and nothing in the other, I mozied on over to the bus stop and boarded the 817 bus for my sister's house: where I would stay and wait for my ride to Vegas on Friday.

Friday morning came very early—you just can't sleep waiting for this kind of thing. Would I have to wait until I would get back from Vegas (an excruciating 2-weeks)? I won't be living in the dorm anymore...would I have the call forwarded to my sister's house—waiting for my return? to my cousins' house in Vegas where I would wait for it? back home where it would be waiting for me? I was going nuts.

Finally, at 9:30 AM, the phone call that I had been waiting for arrived—in the nick of time: we were planning to leave around 10 AM for Las Vegas. I coordinated with aunt Becky, and she said we could stop in Provo and pick up my call. It was a glorious feeling. For the 30 minutes it took to get to Provo. Then came the other feelings—the ones you would get on Christmas Eve as a kid, wanting to take an Exact-O knife and carefully slice the tape that sealed a present under the tree, then take a peek to satiate your wonder and curiosity, and finally carefully re-taping it so no one would notice. That feeling. For 6 hours, that envelope sat on the car seat next to me, daring me. Taunting me. Burning a hole in the car seat.

In case you didn't know, opening a mission call is a huge thing. Family and friends usually gather physically, by phone, and by skype/ichat/video chat to hear where you will be spending the next 2 years of your life. I carefully planned out when the best time to open it would be. Extended family would be visiting about 3 days later: more excruciating waiting time.

Finally the night arrived. I tried getting 3-way video chat with my mom in Illinois and my brother's family in Utah, with me in Las Vegas, NV. Of course there were technical difficulties...skype only allows 2-way video chat, and iChat requires that all three users be using the same IM service—which wasn't a problem when I tested it out with AIM. But my mom was on her Google Account in iChat at the time, so it didn't work so well. I ended up putting my mom on video chat and my brother on skype audio only.

Anyhow, the moment came and I opened my call.

Dear Elder Bunker:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the México México City South Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 24 months.

You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, September 1, 2010. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language. Your assignment may be modified according to the needs of the mission president. . . . Sincerely, Thomas S. Monson, President

I'm sure you can imagine what feelings I encountered. This is right. It is my mission. The words of Mormon came to mind:

Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.

3 Nephi 5:13

"Preach My Gospel"

"And he said unto them, Go

ye into all the world, and

preach the gospel to every creature."

~ Mark 16:15 ~

Well, for my first post, I was thinking: If someone were to ask me "What is the Gospel that you are called to preach?", what would I say? That is such a loaded question. Good thing I don't have to come up with a succinct response; Christ already did that:

• 13 Behold I have given unto you my ^agospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the ^bwill of my Father, because my Father sent me.
  14 And my Father sent me that I might be ^alifted up upon the ^bcross [ATONEMENT]; and after that I had been lifted up upon the ^ccross, that I might ^ddraw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father [RESURRECTION], to stand before me, to be ^ejudged [JUDGMENT] of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—
  15 And for this cause have I been ^alifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their ^bworks.
  16 And it shall come to pass, that whoso ^arepenteth [REPENTANCE] and is baptized [BAPTISM] in my ^bname shall be filled; and if he ^cendureth to the end [ENDURING TO THE END], behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.
  17 And he that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no more return, because of the ^ajustice of the Father.
  18 And this is the word which he hath given unto the children of men. And for this cause he fulfilleth the words which he hath given, and he lieth not, but fulfilleth all his words.
  19 And ^ano unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his ^brest save it be those who have ^cwashed their garments in my blood, because of their faith [FAITH IN CHRIST], and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.
  20 Now this is the commandment: ^aRepent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be ^bbaptized in my name, that ye may be ^csanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost [HOLY GHOST], that ye may stand ^dspotless before me at the last day.
  21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my ^agospel; and ye know the things that ye must ^bdo in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do;

  
  

  ~ 3 Nephi 27:13-21 ~

Well, there you have it: The Gospel is the Atonement, Resurrection, Judgment, Faith in Christ, Repentance, Baptism, the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End. Side note: Gospel means Good News. And it really is. Maybe I'll post something on the Plan of Salvation later. It just makes sense.