Wednesday, February 8, 2012

yes, i still play the piano for sacrament meeting. I´ve done this in all 3 wards that I´ve been in.
They´ve all enjoyed it too because no one else really knows how to play the piano. they always
sing a capella, and it sounds pretty bad. Luckily all of my investigators will be able to have me
playing the piano during the sacrament meeting.

About your thought, it is the plan of salvation. If you remember, Aaron also taught the king the
plan of salvation as the first thing he taught him. The same thing with Ammon and the king.
The plan of salvation is the lesson that best answers the questions of the soul. I think our zone
conference will be about teaching the plan of salvation as the first lesson and teaching it well
so that the people will accept a return appointment.

Well last night they gave us information about transfers. I´m getting transferred to the Contreras
ward and my companion and I will be the Zone Leaders. It´s a whole lot more responsibility and
time. I was sure surprised and shocked, but I accept it. There are about 150 missionaries, 25
district leaders, and 10 zone leaders in the mission. It´s pretty cool because I´ll get more personal
time with President Chavez. He is incredible. Very spiritual. I love to just sit there and listen to
him talk. I´ll get to see and participate in the inner workings of the mission. It will be interesting.
We´ll see how it goes.

Well that´s about it here. I love you much and hope that everything is going well there.
Another thing I learned from the atonement in my studies. Barrabus was in jail for homicide.
How interesting that the romans liberated from death he that killed (barrabus) and killed He
that liberated from death (Christ). Just food for thought. sometimes we do things backwards
too. Like with the commandments. Sometimes we complain that it´s hard....we kill the
commandment that was created to make us free, and we adopt the contrary lifestyle
that enslaves us (for example, word of wisdom).

Love you,
Elder Bunker

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

push along push along push along..

Hello all,

Sorry it has been a while since writing. Time goes by so fast now.

The other day we were walking from one appointment to another and this guy was outside of his VW bug trying to push it. We stopped and offered our help, and he accepted. We started pushing and asked him how far. When he told us, I thought, wow...that´s pretty far. Oh well, we have a little bit of time. So we just pushed and pushed and pushed. We ended up pushing the car about a mile and a half. We finished exhausted, but feeling good. The funniest part was when we passed about 3 different churches, all with people nicely dressed and standing on the sidewalk. I imagine it was quite a sight: an American and Mexican missionary all dressed up in tie and slacks and backpacks and everything pushing a VW bug. They all just stood their watching us as we passed. I felt pretty good putting the gospel in action.

Yesterday we got to see our Recent convert of about 20 days receive her first calling as the secretary in the primary presidency. Her daughter, another of our recent converts, is 12 and last week she received her first calling too as 2nd counselor in the beehives presidency. It is such a joy to see that kind of progress in our former investigators--now members. This is the greatest work that exists.

I love being here. But time sure does go too fast. Before I know it, I´ll be getting off the plane thinking about what I´ve done in the mission...that makes me want to get even more in gear and work work work. As President Eyring mentioned in his talk during the last general conference, the Lord will give us strength to keep working even past the point of exhaustion. Work until you´re tired. And then work some more. Work is the only thing that advances us, progresses us, etc. We can talk about vision, plans, goals, dreams, etc, but until we ACT and WORK, nothing ever happens.

I love you all and hope that you can gain strength from Christ´s example in the Garden of Gethsemane: At the point of exhaustion and in agony, may we pray ever more fervently, that our Father may send his angels to uplift and strengthen us.

Have a great week!
Elder Bunker