Hello everyone,
Not much time today, but here it goes.
This week was Semana Santa (the week before Christ´s crucifixion). On Friday there was a representation of the crucifixion that passed through our area, but I didn´t get to see it. Strangely, but with significance, it stormed with thunder, lightning, and rain on Friday night. Saturday is called Saturday of Glory, and everyone gets wet, such that the city shut off the water and gave out fines of $300 and 36 hours in jail for wasting water (water balloons, throwing buckets of water, etc). Luckily it scared enough people that nobody got us wet. They also burned a giant sculpture of Judas Iscariot in the streets. It gets pretty wild here during the festive days. Sunday wasn´t much of a celebration, which was surprising. In the US Easter Sunday is a pretty huge thing. All in all, many people were gone on vacation, but many were more willing to talk about Christ.
Lots of people have asked us why we don´t use the cross in our church, but I have learned a lot from the Book of Mormon; that the cross is a symbol of the crucifixion and sacrifice of Christ, but Christ himself set the appropriate symbols for those: the bread and the water of the sacrament. I have been thinking a lot about the resurrection lately. How wonderful it was. That Christ died, but more importantly that he lives, with a body. He didn´t take up his body and ascend to the Father just to leave his body somewhere orbiting somewhere out in space. He took up his body because he is going to NEED it. Just like we will need our bodies after the resurrection to inhabit a kingdom of glory. How greatful I am to know that. And to share that. I am trying hard to repent and to become a better person, a better son of God, a better missionary, a better representative of Jesus Christ.
I love you all and wish you a happy Easter.
He lives.
Elder Bunker
