Hi mom,

All is well here. they just told us of the transfers. I ain´t goin´ anywhere. I will still 

stay here in Contreras. I was realy suprised because the Mission president said

 in our interview last week that i have already been here quite a while (hinting

 that i would be transferred), but I know from past experiences, that Brother Valadez

 and President Valadez are sometimes not the same. The revelation comes to 

President Valadez, and what Brother valadez says on one occasion is not

 necessarily what happens. I will finish here I think (barring any special transfers),

 with 7 1/2 months, my longest time in an area. Still here with Elder Hubbard, he

 is great as always.

One of the district leaders in our zone was mugged the other day and was 

sent to the municipal building (the delegation they call it). One of the sisters 

in the wards near the building saw the detained misionaries and informed

 another companionship in that district, so they in turn notified us, we notified 

the assistant and then he notified President, all very very fast. Then President

 called me and verified the information and ended up going to the municipal

 building and collecting the missionaries. Right now they are living with the 

assistants and will be moved to another delegation (county). their area is being

 closed this transfer, but luckily they are OK. they jsut lost some money and

 the cell phone, but managed to keep their SIM card so we can still call them.

 They were beat up a little but nothing serious. I really gained a testimony of

 how the Lord protects us and watches out for us, and how the organization

 of the church is perfect...especially in emergencies.

Also I was almost hit by a truck this week. There are no sidewalks here so 

there is no choice but to walk in the streets. Generally those driving know

 this and are respectful of the pedestrians. but this guy had a little truck

 with a rack on back to haul things (maybe bales of hay or something like that).

 He was driving forward, stopped, and threw it in reverse and sped up really

 fast not even paying attention to what was behind him. I was behind him, 

looking down a street to determine if it was the right one. I didn´t even see 

him, but my companion did at the last second and said ´watchout!´in spanish 

I just saw it in time and ducked out of the way. He still didn´t see us and my 

companion ran around the corner. Afterward when he finally saw us, he just

 slammed on the brakes (a useless reaction at this point). We continued 

down teh street and just looked at him (not a dirty look, but one that seemed

 to say, do you realize what could have just happened?). he didn´t say

 anything. oh well, but again, the lord protects us, and gives us companions

 for something.

Well that´s about all the exciting news for now. thanks for the report of your

 vacations and I will be looking forward to the pictures. Love you much.

Love,

Elder Bunker

Well this is the pretty part of our area. Amazing, really. 

We are working hard and having success and fun. Our new mission president 
is pretty great. He has a new direction for our mission, and we are putting it
 in practice...generally, it has to do with three pillars: work diligently, trust
 in the Spirit, and obey strictly. Within these tree pillars, we will be safe
 and effective missionaries. If we are outside of these three pillars, we
 essentially stop being missionaries, which is really dangerous.

Last week we had a great experience. We were in downtown Coyoacán 
near the mission offices after picking up a package for my companion at
 the post office. We wandered to one of the side streets looking for a city
 bus that would take us to another area where we would hop on the bus that
 takes us home. We were waiting, waiting, waiting. It never passed. But as
 we were waiting, we saw a mini-bus, also part of teh public transportation.
 Every bus and mini-bus in the city has a reversible plaque inside the front
 window informing of its destination. That way everyone can see where it
 is going and flag down the bus to hop on. This mini-bus had a plaque that 
read ¨CRISTO¨, or the english equivalent ¨CHRIST¨. I saw it as it passed,
 stunned, confused, and curious. It passed too fast that even if I had 
wanted to flag it down, the destination didn`t register in my mind in time 
for me to flag it down. I thought, ¨Really? Does this really go to Christ? or
 did a church rent that bus and they put it there as a joke? or is there 
really a place called CHRIST?¨. Now, I thought about this for a while,
 a few days. As missionaries or members, we are like a city bus in
 downtown Mexico City. As missionaries, people see our nametag with 
the name of Jesus Christ and wonder. As members, every week we 
promise to take upon us the name of Christ in Sacrament meeting. Other
 people--neighbors, friends, associates, co-workers--see us and wonder. 
Why do we dress up and take our books, bags, etc, and drive off to some
 place every Sunday? Some want to come to Christ, but cant find the
 right bus to get on. WE ARE THE BUSES. Our plaque should CLEARLY
 read Christ. That way others can flag us down and ask us and get on
 the path to salvation. We should not hide our plaque nor put it up half
 the time we are out and about in the street. we need constancy, clarity
. Are we really Christians? Do we know how to get to Christ? True, we
 pray to the Father, we listen and feel the Holy Ghost as a response, 
but how to we come unto Christ? He told us how in 3 Nephi 11. How 
to come unto Christ. We see him with our eyes, thrust our hand into 
his side, prove for ourselves that he is the God of Israel. Literally 
every sunday we thrust in our hands, we touch the body of Christ,
 represented in the bread. Have you ever wondered why the teachers
 prepare the sacrament table, but they don`t break the bread. They
 put it there whole. The breaking of the bread is to be seen by 
everyone during the ordinance and everyone witnesses with his 
own eyes (see 3 Nephi 11) and partakes of the bread--touching the
 body of Christ-- thrusting his hand into the tray. And those are 
symbolic too. Faith, Repentance (before arriving at the sacrament),
 Baptism (or for members, the renewal of baptismal covenants in
 the Sacrament), Receiving (or being worthy of) the Gift of the 
Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end is how we come unto Christ. 
Others don`t know that. I invite all to come unto Christ.

That is what I learned this last week. I hope it helps someone.

Love you all
Elder Bunker