IN THE LAND OF EPHRAIM

First, it is 100% OK to email me at this address (dbunker@myldsmail.net). Just please include your home address so I can reply by snail mail. I just don't have enough time to reply by email (we only spend about an hour a week at the computer on P-day) to everyone. Regular letters in the mail are great too, because I get them throughout the week, whereas emails I can only check on Mondays.

This has been a great area. This is my first 'real' transfer (a transfer is a 6-week period of time in one place--then you may get transferred to a new area). The house we are living in is one that was donated by a man to the church. Half is dedicated to the LDS Employment services and the other half is for us, the missionaries. It's pretty old, but it does the job. The oven/stove is huge and goes to the ceiling and matches the diswasher, which looks like it could be from the 70's. It probably is.

I had the chance to watch General Conference in Spanish. It is amazing how you can learn even in a new language when the spirit is present. As a missionary, it is very helpful to watch conference. It is said that you can go to Conference with any question in mind, and it will be answered if you pay attention to the words of the Prophet and Apostles and to your feelings. I testify that that is true. As a missionary, we can go with questions in mind about the specific needs of those we are teaching, and they will be answered. That is exactly what happened for me, as I was thinking about the concerns of one investigator. Ideas just kept coming into my mind about how to address them.

There are not too many hispanic people spread out in Ephraim, but there are a few trailer parks where we can find lots of humble, interested people. There is something about teaching someone who is sincerely looking for the same organization of the church that Jesus established, with Apostles & Prophets, etc.

I don't know a lot about soccer (futbol), but I will have to learn because that is a huge thing among hispanics, especially Mexicans. Our district decided to start playing soccer on P-Day (Monday), so I will be able to get better at it.

I keep forgetting to bring my camera cable, but one of these Mondays I will bring it and load up some pictures to send home.

Well, weekends have ceased to exist. Clothes have become "normal clothes" (white shirt, tie, slacks, belt, dress shoes, etc) and "P-Day clothes" (when we are doing activites that would need gym-type clothes). All the days blend together in the work of sharing the word of God. Monday is our only weekend-type day, but even that ends at 6pm and then it's back to missionary work. Tonight we have 7 lessons setup for between 6-9pm. We have to go on splits with a member to cover them all...it will be good.

The weather is cooling down now, for which I am truly greatful. The mission rules require us to wear our suitcoats everywhere we go from October conference until April Conference. Friday it was still really hot (80's - 90's), but Saturday took a huge dip. It was overcast and a little rainy and cool--probably upper 60's & lower 70's. I guess the Lord does watch out for his missionaries.

Well I better get going so I can storm Wal-Mart for a week's worth of supplies. I wish everyone good luck, health, and week! I pray for you every day.

Elder Bunker

Current Address

This is the address you can reach Dan at.

Elder Daniel Bunker
Utah St. George Mission
107 S. 1470 E.
Suite 304
St. George, UT 84790

His latest update:
It has been a swift 3 weeks in the MTC and 1 week in the mission field. I left the Provo MTC on Tuesday, drove 45 minutes north to the SLC airport, flew 1 hour 22 minutes south to St. George, drove 3 1/2 hours north to Mt. Pleasant, only to end up 45 minutes south of Provo...a lot of traveling for not much net change in distance!

I arrived in St. George and met the Mission president and wife- they are great! We got to the St. George airport via a small twin prop plane, disembarked and walked across the tarmac and into the airport. It is a very small airport--President was right inside the door, alongside the baggage claim, which was so small that you could see out the other side of it onto the runway. It was kind of funny to see them pull our luggage off the plane, wheel it 10 yards, and put it on the baggage claim platform, where it fell at my feet.

We drove across the valley and got the orientation regarding phones, vehicles, etc at the mission office. I was assigned the Mt. Pleasant area, about 1 hour south of Provo. This used to be the Provo mission, but they split it in July into the Provo & St. George missions. This mission is brand new. I was assigned to Elder Hepworth, my first companion (English area). Transfers are this week, however, and I will be moved to the Ephraim area (near Snow College), into a 3-companion Spanish speaking area. Maybe that will make it easier when my VISA comes through, just to move me out without disrupting the other two companions.

The area here is very amazing. Everyone honks and waves at us as we walk down the street. We eat free at 2 restaurants in town whenever we want (though we limit it to twice a week). We walked in to a McDonalds for lunch in Ephraim after District Meeting and they didn't charge us. We were shopping in Walmart one day and a man came up and said "are you almost done? I want to buy all of your groceries for you. I didn't get to serve a mission, so i like helping the missionaries out". The Lord truly does take care of his servants. It brings to mind the scripture in the New Testament & Book of Mormon when Christ directs his Apostles/disciples to 'take no thought' for what you will wear, say, eat, and stay. Everything seems to be taken care of for us. The members feed us in their homes almost every night for dinner. I really love this area and the people so far. It's been great.

I finish by testifying that each of us has our agency. One of the greatest gifts of God. He won't drag us back to his presence, but he sure does entice us very strongly by the Spirit. I testify that we will live after this life, and we have the chance to live with God, according to our actions in this life. I love him. He gave us Jesus Christ so we can repent of whatever we have darkened our past with. He's fair like that. He's just.

love,
Elder Bunker

Elder Bunker is now in the Utah St. George Mission. As soon as we have an address, we will post it. He would love to hear from everyone. Please don't use DearElder.com or the Provo MTC address as he isn't there anymore. He will probably be in the Utah St. George Mission for 4-6 weeks before going on to Mexico.

Elder Daniel Bunker

Temporarily reassigned

Tuesday Elder Bunker will leave the MTC, bound for ST. George, UT. There are still visa issues to work out, and potentially a visit to the consulate, then hopefully off to Mexico City, Mexico.

Week 3 down (tomorrow), a few days to go

It's starting to get cold here at the MTC (in the mornings until about 10am). I forgot to pack a sweatshirt, so I bought one here. Everything is pretty heavily discounted for missionaries at the MTC bookstore, so it was pretty cheap. We have gym time about 4 times a week, about an hour each time. It's nice to get out and walk around the MTC field and up by the temple. With the mountains in the background, we get to see a pretty amazing sunrise.

I'm so anxious to get out into the mission field, wherever I will be going (and eventually to Mexico City). I am anxious to teach and help and love. One point I was studying and thinking about this week is the following:

God is a fair god. for those who don't have the opportunity in this life to hear this gospel will have an opportunity in the next life (the spirit world, where our spirits await the resurrection--reuniting of the spirit and body). So why, then, should we have the gospel here in this life? Isn't it easier just to live however you want in this life and then look for the truth in the next? I am thinking of all the blessings and good things that have happened to me because of having this gospel in this life. The commandments and instructions we have in the church are not binding, but rather liberating. No smoking, for example. I had a teacher that once told me he had a friend. The friend said "HaHa! I can smoke anytime I want! Your church is too strict!". My teacher replied "that's true, that you can smoke any time you want, but so can I. It's you that can't STOP smoking anytime you want." That is so very true. I testify that God commands not to bind, but to liberate us. To ensure that we are our own agents. That we make our own decisions. That we learn by making those decisions. Nicotine shouldn't make our decisions. Alcohol shouldn't. Any addictive substance--loads of caffeine in coffee included-- shouldn't.

God's commandments are a way to keep us on the road that is plowed, salted, and on which we have traction, as we drive through the countryside of life in the vehicles of families. I love God. He's awesome. Literally.

I love you all and miss you!

A letter from the MTC

Well it has been a great week at the MTC. Every 15 minutes is scheduled, so you are always doing something. Afternoon naps are a thing of the past!

The greatest thing i have learned since being here (other than bettering my spanish by hearing it 24/7) is people. We as missionaries are going out to the mission field to teach people, not lessons. I have learned and am still learning to talk to people about their lives and and getting to know them.

I like to think of it like this: People go about their lives in a daily routine, acting in their roles in society. Whether they think about it consciously or not, all wonder about their origins, about some higher purpose in this life. It's kind of like everyone is asleep, dreaming. Their dreams are their daily lives and routines. Our job as missionaries is to go around and wake people up and tell them where they are and why and what they can do to live life knowiing their purpose. Sometimes people wake up on their own and ask the people around where they are. Others, upon our waking them up, are grumpy and tell us to go away and they roll over and go back to sleep. That's missionary work I guess. Some people just don't care or aren't ready.

Living with the influence of the Spirit is a great advantage. Before, I noticed and felt teh presence of the Spirit, when I was doing the right things, studying the scriptures, etc. Here, though, it's different. I am constantly with the Spirit, so now I notice and feel the absence of the Spirit instead of noticing the presence. When there is an absence, it is time to evaluate what you are doing to drive the spirit away.

One other thing struck me this week. I was thinking about the name tag that I wear. It looks like this:

ELDER BUNKER

LA IGLESIA DE

JESUCRISTO

DE LOS SANTOS

DE LOS ULTIMOS DIAS

Thinking about that, I notieced and remembered that I bear Christ's name below mine. If I am a representative of Him, I need to study his life more and incorporate his teachings and attributes in my life & teaching. Food for thought.

Well my time is up. I testify, though, that Christ is the Savior and Redeemer. That he conquered death so we might return to our Father in Heaven. He is our father. We are his children. He loves us and wants us each to come back. My job is to help others find Father. That's why I have developed and am trying to develop a love (charity) for everyone, regardless of class, clothes, or style.

I love you all and thank you for your prayers. I pray for you every day.

Love,

Elder Daniel Bunker