FASTING AND PRAYER

That´s great about Maren. When i fasted, I wrote a whole huge list of things that i was fasting for. Apparently there is no limit on how many purposes you can fast for. I was also fasting for an investigator who is living with her boyfriend but can´t get married because the boyfriend´s divorce from his first wife hadn´t come through. She really wants to get baptized, but can´t for that reason. on Tuesday they told us that the divorce was finalized and everything was set. Now they just have to get married. Another purpose was that our recent convert was jobless and was looking for quite awhile. We fasted and a week later he got a job (really miraculous because of his age...50...nobody here wants to hire people that age). Another purpose was for an investigator who does not live in our area, but is attending church here with her boyfriend. She had a doubt about Coffee and wasn´t getting an answer. We fasted and that week she told us that she got an answer that quitting coffee was indeed a commandment and that Joseph Smith is a profet (she had been fasting and praying too...she´s evangelical christian so she already knew most of the gospel pretty well). The sad part is that she decided that she doesn´t want to leave behind coffee. So now we´re not teaching her, but God answered our fast in his own way...she no longer has the doubt about coffee. I was bashing my head for weeks thinking ´why can´t we help her? Why can´t we receive revelation for our investigator? Then it hit me. Hard. Really hard. Such that it hurt. She doesn´t live in our area. We were robbing her from other missionaries (in the states we called that poaching). We don´t have the right to revelation for her. Only for those who live in our area. Well that problem was resolved through fasting. And now you tell me that Maren is doing much better. I testify that fasting really works. The pics below are from the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico. The Aztec Calendar was found in the heart of Mexico City.

Aztec Calendar found in Mexico City

The old testament and the book of mormon

Hello all. I have been studying deeply the old testament and the book of Mormon together. If you have not tried this, I highly recommend it. After all, the Book of Mormon takes place in Old Testament times, and Lehi and his family are an old testament people, keeping the law of moses and performing all of the ordinances of the aaronic priesthood as commanded. Understanding the old testament really helps form the background for the Book of Mormon (and the New Testament too). I am deeply in love with the scriptures right now. There are so many important lessons to life and to the priesthood therein. I am about half-way through the Old Testament right now and loving every minute of it. On Tuesday we also visited the Museum of Anthropology, one of the most renowned museums of the world. We got to see 3 of the 27ish rooms. And spent 2 hours there. Needless to say, there is lots to see. It was interesting to see all the carved rocks and designs and pottery, but I was thinking how much cooler it is to have a record so complete about another similar people, the nephites and lamanites in the Book of Mormon. I have no doubt about the Book of Mormon and its verity. I have heard so many attacks on the book and how it can´t be true, but then I see how little these people know about religion, let alone the bible, that they completely discredit themselves. And one can´t deny an answer from God through the Holy Spirit. It always reminds me to Know what you believe, and believe what you know. Many times we are comfortable with hearing and believing. Or being dragged to church. Or being preached to by friends and family. But I think that every person, many times throughout his life, must stop, examine his life, and decide on what he believes, knows, and does. Distinguish between tradition and truth. That is another important topic. Some traditions are false, others are based on truth. Either one, we must decide which is which and decide if we are to continue it or abandon it. For example, the tradition that there are 3 wise men (here in mexico, they even have names) is a false tradition. We can go to the bible and read that there were wise men who came from the east bearing gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But it never says how many men, and certainly does not give names. On the other hand, traditions such as Family Home Evening are based on truth. Words from the prophets are truth. Celebrating Christmas, although Christ was not born in December, is a way to honor and recognize that most holy event. All must stop and decide if the traditions that they grew up with and learned are true or false. Then act and defend the truth and abandon that which is false. Well those are just a few commentaries based on some of the problems I have faced as a missionary. Let us all be sure of our faith and be able to defend it. God does not like luke-warm disciples. He spits them out, or vomits them. We don´t want that. I love you all. Take care. See you in a year and a month. Elder Bunker

HOLA

Hello everyone. Yes, I feel like the prodigal son, returning to writing you all this email after such a long time of neglecting it. Things are going well here. We had 3 baptisms 2 weeks ago (I think I already told you this and sent pictures). The recent converts are all progressing and doing well. One already received the Aaronic Priesthood. Today we went to the Centro again and visted the National Museum of Athropology, one of the most recognized in the world. It was really amazing, but really big. We spent about 2 hours and got through about 3 rooms out of the 25 different rooms available. We got to see the original Aztec Calendar and a replica of the Maya Calendar (the one that supposedly says the world will end in 2012). It is really really big (the aztec calendar) and really neat. Also we saw some of the huge heads carved in huge stones by the Olmecs. I don´t have my camera with me, but soon I will send some pictures. It was really neat, but you have to go with lots of time to see everything. There were lots of ruins to see and lots of stone sculptures. Quetzacoatl (the ´white´ god that visited) and the feathered serpent were both there. It was amazing. Apart from that, this was a pretty slow week. We had a lot of appointments fall through, but we got to do a lot of exercise and walking, so thats plus. And lots of street contacts. We have a zone conference next Tuesday, which should be good. It´s a new zone and a new area. I´m also hoping for some new exciting announcements. President said a litte while ago that the church is thinking (THINKING) about giving us cell phones here. I really hope they made up their minds already because calling cell phones from public phones is a huge cost to us. Especially when we have to report our numbers and successes. All in due time though. I have really been progressing, learning to be more humble most of all. I never receved in-field training when i got here, so my companion and i are learning together. I know this gospel and church are true without a doubt in my heart or mind. I have a greater understanding of missionary work and this gospel. I could never give it up. It´s the truth. I love you all and wish you the best. Love, Elder Bunker