Cuauhtemoc, Week 13

Well first of all it was great to see you all! I can´t believe that was my last video call... yep that is a little weird to think about, it is also weird to think that I am now the oldest missionary in my zone.  I feel like I’m not that old hahaha.  I’ve only got about 22 months now haha. It’s alright though I’ve just got to make the best of these last 10 weeks to get a few more converts here in Cuauhtemoc so that when I come back to visit I’ve got a few people to see. Also, although it was disappointing to hear that everything fell through with the house and the new house, I guess we will just have to see what God has planned over there in Arizona and in Utah, we just need to keep praying and go to the temple (those of us that can...darn mission haha).. On that note I think it would be super cool since I’m getting back pretty early if we can head out to lunch, and then off to the temple so that I can visit it at least one time more as a missionary (I only had the chance to do it in the mtc in Mexico once). And that Monday is a relaxing day, and then Tuesday the 24th starts the party haha.

Alright well onto the week, well my companion is now in his house, he finished this week and at 10 this morning left on the plane.  Meanwhile I did not receive a new companion, this week I am going to be in a trio with Elder Dustin (my mission son) and his comp. Elder Pacheco, 2 missionaries that are in my district and ward. We think that I may get the chance to finish the mission training someone due to the fact that all the new missionaries are going to arrive next week, and technically speaking I don´t have a companion for a week.  I´m just piggybacking on these other missionaries so I’m not breaking any rules haha. But I guess we shall see who my new companion will be this next week. But it is alright meanwhile while I’m here I’m going to help these 2 missionaries to baptize a few people! It´s going to be great!

On that note we baptized 3 people this Saturday! It was great!  One of them was a sister we have been teaching for about 4 months now, she is a little different, but it was really cool she started going to church because her 7 year old kid wanted to get baptized.  So they came and the members instantly befriended her and she has stayed ever since.  The only big problem is that her memory isn´t the best, but we are going to keep teaching her and soon she will be an awesome convert! The other two baptisms where the mother and daughter that I explained in my last letter.  They are super cool, and know everything, they were true golden investigators that were prepared by God! It was an awesome experience for my companion to leave his mission with these last 3 baptisms, as that is the goal of every missionary, to baptize their last week. Great day!

Well this next week should be interesting as I am in this trio, but we are going to work great miracles! And if everything goes well we should be able to baptize as well!

con mucho amor,

-- 

Elder Bunch

México Chihuahua Misión

Cuauhtémoc

Cuauhtemoc, Week 12

Well first of all, Happy late birthday Mom! Sorry that it was a bit stressful and that I missed it once again... but next time I’ll be there haha. Well this week was great here.  We had the piano recital in the end and I played Faded (some electronic song that sounds amazing on piano) and perfect by Ed Sheeran. Not the most hymn songs but they are a few songs that I’ve learned that I’ve gotten well known for. But don´t worry I also know a solid number of hymns and those that I don´t know it takes about 30 min to an hour to learn. It´s been fun to learn a lot of songs.  I look forward to finally taking advantage of the piano in the house with some actual music. I am also super excited for the move, the new neighborhood looks amazing... so I hope everything works out well and the negotiating goes well.  I´m not sure which house is the Tuscan house (quite frankly my house buying terminology is a little rusty) but from what i´ve seen for the houses for sale, it looks like a great area! And a 1 hour plane ride isn´t too bad.  I´ll come to visit and we can leave Maren in Utah studying haha (nah just messing). But either way I look forward to being home to help out in the whole process because it is going to be quite a large process indeed with all the animals and items. And before getting into my letter I want to say I’m genuinely impressed that Maren found a prom date with longer and better kept hair than her own :p hahaha. And tell Nate after he drowned his iPhone, welcome to the Nokia phone life. I have a very strong testimony that they are nearly impossible to break, I’ve thrown mine, knocked doors with it, lost it several rivers, thrown it off of bridges, and yet through it all it remains working and with minimal scratches.

Alright, onto what we did this week, the biggest accomplishment was that we committed 3 people to be baptized this next week. The first was a sister that we have been teaching for a while, but she has been a little nervous about getting baptized.  About a month ago we talked to her about baptism and she said that when my companion is about to go home she will be baptized, and well this week is the last week with my companion! So she finally consented for Saturday... Not the most exciting commitment to baptism that I’ve had, but hey! It´s a baptism so that is what matters. The other 2 people were actually a lot cooler. They are a reference from Chihuahua City from a missionary who baptized the daughter/sister of these 2 sisters. So, we finally had a moment to organize an appointment and when we arrived some members led by the spirit had arrived an hour earlier and talked to them about the church and offered to take to church and the activities. They were just leaving when we arrived.  The investigators freaked out when we arrived with happiness and the mother (she´s like 60 for reference) said that she was angry that the missionaries in Chihuahua didn´t let her get baptized because they told her that she wasn´t from their area, so when we arrived she told us that she wanted to be baptized yesterday (Sunday).  The daughter (she is 30ish) said she also wanted to get baptized but wanted to wait a week to understand for herself, not to get an answer solely because saw the change in her sister who got baptized.  They wanted that light in their lives.  So we taught them the baptism interview and put the date down for this weekend! It was a complete miracle that my district and I were praying for!

The other great part of the week were my interviews with President. This day was pretty intense, the president arrived at 9 in the morning and left at 10 in the night just because how long the interviews of the zone took and for temple recommends for the members of the branch.  Anyways to give a bit of background I have started to study a lot on revelation and "calling down heaven´s powers".  I can´t understand revelation unless I’m obedient with exactness to the rules of the mission (easier said than done haha). So this past month there was a certain subject that was coming up in the mission that has been severely bugging me so I’ve been praying to receive answers.  I wrote down all answers and feelings in a book.  So when I finally had my interview with president, I discussed with him what I had received, and to make an hour and a half long interview short we both left with answers we were looking for, on my part questions for why I was put with a missionary that is considered the most difficult in the mission. And on his part questions and plans on how to develop the mission to improve success and new opportunities. There have been few times that i have felt the spirit as I felt it in that interview, I am honestly so glad that he will be living close to our house in Arizona when he finishes in a year, he is a great guy, i love the opportunity to help in whatever way I can.

Well that was my week here! I believe i will be calling about 5 or 6 on Sunday, it is going to be interesting though because my companion needs to go to Chihuahua that day so... well I’ll keep you updated!

con mucho amor!

-- 

Elder Bunch

México Chihuahua Misión

Cuauhtémoc

Cuauhtemoc, Week 11

Wow, I just realized I have entered my last 12 weeks. This means that they could be buying my plane ticket any one of these days, and I start a program that is more or less the MTC in reverse that prepares one to return back to the non-missionary life, weird.  That is crazy that people are already placing bids to buy our house, I guess you guys better start getting a house over in Arizona because time is running short! That is a little weird to think that I might return to Arizona (on that note when they ask for my plane ticket they ask for where I am returning to, so I would really like to know that information when you have it haha). Also I can´t believe that mother’s day is in two weeks, I’ll get everything sorted out next week with skype, just send me an email with my username and password because I once again forgot it hahaha.

Alright, well this week passed by super fast which made it very pleasant, due to it being a week full of work. We found several people who are super cool including one in which we had a 6 hour lesson with him, in which the 6 hours involved him talking and me nodding my head in agreement about every 5 minutes.  We probably spoke about 5 times and not longer than 10 seconds at a time. It is great to see that my patience has improved and my ability to stand in one spot while my comp tried to cut the circulation in his legs to make him faint, unfortunately it did not work... maybe next time haha. Besides that investigator all of our lessons went well and almost every one of them offered us food.  I´m not sure if it has been a blessing or a curse but my entire mission I have been dramatically blessed with food, it is rare that I don´t get randomly offered food from someone on the street or that an investigator doesn´t offer us food.  It´s a miracle that I have withheld my incredible handsome body frame.

This week we had our zone conferences with president Montoya.  As always it was a great experience and he focused a large part of the talk on the new prophet’s message from the Sunday morning session regarding revelation and the new beginning for our mission. Our mission has been trusted with a pilot baptism plan that if all goes well could change how the missions in Mexico baptize and should heavily increase numbers of converts that remain in the church. Guess we shall see how it goes.

Well right now I’m off to a piano recital.  We promised a member that teaches piano we would help her out. I believe that i will be playing perfect by Ed Sheeran.  I guess we shall see how it goes. Beautiful song I just never get to practice it. But I’m playing with other people who are learning just basic piano so I think even if I mess up a little the parents will just be happy to hear something that sounds like a real song (not to say anything bad about those learning instruments), but it is painful to hear the same 5 songs for 2 hours).

Have a great week, con mucho amor,

Elder Bunch

Elder Bunch

México Chihuahua Misión

Cuauhtémoc