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
