6th week, ZL

Hey Everyone!

So first is first, Hovanski's thank you for your continual letters. I love hearing how the fam is doing and I am always so happy to hear about fun stuff like teaching the primary about fasting. Way neat. Fasting definately has power to it, and its amazing that the kids are learning about that.

So, I am still here in the MTC, and I am still sick. I have been sick for over a week now. It's not necessarly the worst thing in the world, it just means I get less sleep then everyone and more headaches... But, the hand of the Lord has been in my life and I can see it already. I have been receiving strength this last week, and I know I would not have been able to progress as much as I have without the Lord. (in fact IDK if there would be any progression at all).

This week we have been teaching one of our investigators, Mario, about the importance of church attendance and FHE. We brought over a member to teach with us. I just want to let everyone know, Member involvement in missionary work is CRITICAL!!! The members can do SO much for the work. (I wish i would have understood this before, I would have loved to go on splits with the missionaries). The spirit was there so strong. Mario has a lot of problems with drinking and such, but he is really starting to turn his life around and become a better father. His wife is still skeptical though, but I know with time the Lord will soften her heart.
(our investigators are all "fake" here in the MTC, but It is so very real the spirit that is here, and those who play the part of the investigator only change when they feel they have been influenced enough by the spirit, The hand of the Lord is in this work!)

Other new thing this week. On sunday, myself and my two comp.s were assigned as Zone Leaders... Lots more meetings... But we are grateful, we have been seeking oppertunities to serve and we now have one of the greatest positions to serve other missionaries. It will be crazy though. In the next 8 days we will go from 18 Missionaries to 54 missionaries... 54 Missionaries is a lot more than any ZL will have in their Zone in el Campo (the feild).
We get 4 sisters and 8 elders tonight. I know Dallin Eliason is coming in tonight so Maybe I will see him around the MTC!

also the MTC is filling up. They just announced they will have 2,900 missionaries in the MTC in August!! The work is going forward!!! :D :D

This week has been rough. I wont lie. Investigators have been hard, but the Lord has found ways to Humble us as a companionship and build us up as well.
This week for devositonal we had a man come (i cannot remember his name for my life, its in my notes though) who has written a lot of amazing church literature, He did an presentation on Joseph smith from the veiw point of one of his great friends. It was absolutely amazing. After we sang praise to the man and we began sitting, but within moments all the missionaries had stood up. It was incredible to feel the love these missionaries have for the prophet joseph smith. My mind flashed back to HT and singing to the prophet as we stood outside the John Jonson home. There is no way in that moment that I could deny that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. My testimony is still small, but I know that Heavenly Father has restored the true and everlasting gospel through Joseph Smith.

Another tender mercy of the lord this week: while my comps and I were going to the front desk monday night to call president cameron I met an elder who had served in chiclayo!!!! He is the first elder I have met in the MTC who has/is going there. I dont think they send very many white people to chiclayo.... This missionary was injured out in the feild and sent back to heal and he is waiting for the next three months as he serves in the Chat center to find out if he makes it back out there. I hope he does. He was really nice and had an amazing glow about him. There is a huge differenc in the missionaries that have been here for a while and the ones who havent, and also a huge difference between the obedient and so obedient. He was a good missionary.

Apparenty my mission is everythign. Mountains, desert, jungle, beach. Im so excited!!! I mostly excited to meet my mission president. He sounds like the coolest guy.
Doesnt sound like I will be getting much mail out there though. He said it takes three weeks for letters to come though, and sometimes up to a year for packages... if they make it.
So if you are going to send anything. Send it now. (thank you btw to everyone who has sent letters, i love hearing how the lord has been blessing your lives. It brings a lot of joy into the work)

anyway I want to end with a spiritual thought.

D&C 6:32-37 has become a favorite of mine

v. 33 says: "Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore if sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward."

One thing i have learned this week is to completely trust in the spririt. Its hard and im still working on it. But nothing bad can come of listening to the spirit. Only good things can come.

During one lesson I didnt want to share a particular experience that the spirit was prompting me to share, but i did anyways. It was an experience near and dear to me and sacred. The investigator rejected and disregarded the message i was trying to share. It hurt, and i felt betrayed by the spirit because i didnt want to share it in the first place and I felt I had sullied that sacred event in my life. but I came to find out later the message i shared wasnt for the investigator, but for my companions.

Only good can come of listening to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.


I love you all

The church is true, Tell your friends!!!
Always turn outward and Keep Smiling!!!

Love, Elder Bunker