Hola Famila!

Well, it’s been another quick and fruitful week! Axel and Luis were baptized yesterday, which was great! We found Cinthia and Sandra, however they both will be waiting a little longer to get baptized. I think Cinthia will be getting baptized on the 11th. We found a great family the other day when we contacted a bus, after we contacted the bus and had talked with all of the passengers we sat down and began to make some plans, however we couldn’t help but notice the family of nine who got on so we contacted them and made an appointment, we visited them several times throughout the week and they came to church on Sunday! All of the kids are super excited for their baptisms as they stayed the 3 hours and for the baptismal service after. The Lord has continued to bless us in our efforts!

It’s my companion’s last few days; he goes home on Thursday, so I feel kind of weird and sad. Next Tuesday I’ll get a new companion… I think I might train again, who knows. Anyways, it will all be great.

Mom asked me…

“Have you made any plans for when you get home? Or any idea about what you want to do with your life now?”

Well, I’m still tying not to focus too much on that, however I promised Heather I would help her and the kids out for the next year, so that is really the first and most important. Obviously I will need to get a job, if the Ogdens don’t have work, I will find a job using my Spanish, possibly at a bank or in the airport. (Mom, maybe you have some sweet connections.) I’m going to buy a motorcycle (it costs less and saves gas + I’ve always wanted one). As far as plans, I want to be an inventor/architect, however will probably do all of that on the side and study to be a teacher, which is where I feel I will really be able to make a difference. Plus, it would be nice to get married within a year of being home… if you know anyone

Well, I hope you all are doing amazing! I’ve been praying for all of you!

Love,

-Elder Packer

Editor’s note: Bryce’s mother, Tanda, sent Bryce a set of questions. Below are his answers.

Thanks, mom, for the questions, after a tiring week it helps the not so creative mind.

1. Your place in Mexico City was very nice it seemed. What is you housing like now?

My apartment right now is nice, its very small, however clean (now) and in a very central location I my area, which helps.

2. Do you live with 1 or 3 other elders and who are they and where are they from?

I only live with my companion, Elder Alcantar, who is great! He is from Torreon, Cuahuila, Mexico.

3. What is your area like now? poor, wealthy, middle class etc.?

It’s a little pueblo on a hillside, next to the volcanos. There are lots of dirt roads here and adobe houses. It’s nice, I would say it is my favorite area of them all. So many of the people here are receptive to the Gospel.

4.  We are hearing lots of information about violence etc. tied to drug wars have you seen that type of things going on?

Nope, thats all in the north of the country like in Ciudad Juarez.

5. What did you buy for your birthday?

To be honest, I spent most of the money sending that package home. However we are having a shirt and matching rings made, and I will probably go to Mexico City my last week to buy a couple of keepsakes.

6.  Do you need some more money? if so about how much?

Well, because of the package, it might be nice to have some money to buy a couple things at the end as well as some stuff for the family. If you could send a little for that I will pay you back.

7.  Where do you email from now?

An internet cafe close to the house.

8. Are you on foot now?

yep

9. Who are your investigators and how are they coming along?

Well, we just had a baptism yesterday of a sweet old woman, Maria, who is 80, however she is still sharp. It was a very special baptismal service. This week we are going to be baptizing Luis, the son of a recent convert who didn’t want to go to church before, but now is very excited about the gospel. Axel is a youth who is super intelligent and reading the Book of Mormon and bunch (we have really seen how the gospel has brought a brightness in his countenance); and we also have Cynthia and Sandra who were supposed to get baptized yesterday, but fell off the face of the earth over the week end, so we’ll see what will happen with them.

10.  What are some of your duties as district leader?

There are not that many really, the most important are baptismal interviews, which are a lot gratefully. Then district class, receiving and giving key indicator reports on Thursdays and Saturdays, delivering pouch on Sundays.

11. How many companionships do you have in your district?

My companion and I and two other companionships, so 6 Elders, 3 companionships.

12. What are your worries this week?

Not finding Cynthia and Sandra for their baptisms this week.

13.  What  gave you joy this week?

Maria’s baptism, not being sick anymore (my companion and I had bad colds for a few weeks), and my district class went well.

14. Do you get to watch General Conference live or as a rebroadcast?

Live in our chapel, because it’s the stake center. The chapel is kind of far away, its the same word, but in another area.

I hope that keeps your curiosity tied over for the week, I’m looking forward to reading all you letters!

Well congratulations Emily beforehand on your deliver date. you asked me about my release date… Well, I don’t know if I’m supposed to tell you but since I was in the offices still when they bought my plane ticket, I am coming home on Saturday, May 15th… and if I remember correctly, I fly into Dulles around 3:30 pm.

…but we’ll worry about all of that later!

Love you all! Have a fantastic week!

-Elder Packer

I can’t think of where to begin writing. This week has just flown by, actually this month! We had the mission photo on Wednesday and our interview with President Bulloch on Thursday. Also on Thursday, I went on devisions with one of the companionships in my district. They weren’t doing so hot, however they are just blowing up with success now. The Lord has just been blessing all of us!

My companion asked for an extension on his mission, however he didn’t get it because it was less than 30 days before his release date. I love being a missionary and am trying to live and work every day of it to the fullest. However I just haven’t felt the desire to ask for an extension, even though I know I am going to miss serving full-time and hope I don’t go into shock when I get home.

I’m sorry this is kind of a short dry letter, however I just don’t know what to write about. It’s like I blinked and another week has gone by.

Take care! Love!

-Elder Packer

Hello my lovely family!

It has been another glorious week in the work of the Lord, in the which he has blessed us greatly. My companion and I worked diligently and hard the past two weeks, however at the end of last week our overall impression was that we needed to be more humble and rely more on the Lord, so that is what we’ve been striving to do this week. The Lord blessed us greatly this past week in being part of the baptisms of two amazing people, Laura and her daughter Susi. They are wonderful people who have received a true conversion to the Gospel. He also blessed us in being a means by which 14 investigators attended church services yesterday. I feel very grateful! Actual its funny our ride fell through and we had to rent a public transportation van, so everyone could come. I’m sill working to recognize that success in this work comes from the Lord and rely on Him for guidance and strength.

Coming to this area, I’ve just felt blessed and full of energy and excitement to work hard and make the Gospel flourish here like it never has before. My initial excitement is what got me going, however the Lord has been showing me along the way what it is I need to do (change) to keep going. Being humble and relying on Him is part of it, now I have felt what I need to do is work hard to just really truly love the people and desire their salvation. I love the two people who were baptized yesterday and am so happy to see how the Gospel has made them happy! And that is my motive, that was (and is) the motive of Christ and His mission, the great cause of the Gospel.

When we allow pure motives (the well being of others) to motivate us to act (service) and we repeat these actions to the point that they become habits, our deepest desires become converted to that which is pure, righteous and godly. The strength, energy come as needed and God teaches us along the way what more we must do (change). What we love we will seek, and what we seek we will obtain.

I know that Christ lives and that He loves us. May we seek Him and His pure love and may it motivate us to loose ourselves in the service of God’s children even as He has done.

I love you all and pray that God will bless and keep every one of you!

-Elder Packer

¡Bienvenidos al campo misional! [Welcome to the mission field!]

Hola Familia,

Here I am, very happy out in Bautizaluca (Ixtapaluca)! [Pronounced eextapalooka. South-east of Mexico City.]

San Francisco is the name of my area which is a soon to be branch of the ward Los Heroes (which is the Assistants area). And it is amazing here! My companion, Elder Alacantar, and I are working harder than I have ever worked in my whole mission! It is his last cycle in the mission. He is a really exceptional missionary, we’ve been running in the mornings, studying hard together and have contacted thousands! Really I feel great and can say with 100% there is nothing more I could have done! I love being able to give that type of an accounting to the Lord at the end of every evening! And that’s what we’ll keep doing everyday!

Our district is the “dream team”; two of the best zone leaders are in my district as trainers. Ixtapaluca is the most successful part of the mission and President just wiped it clean and put in some of the best missionaries to just explode the place. It’s just nuts, nothing like this has ever happened in the mission before. Our district includes: Elder Carretero and Elder Padget in the Aylotl ward, and Elder Winters and Elder Cordova in the Izcali ward. [Bryce is the District Leader.]

“Todo por el Señor” [Everything for the Lord] is my theme for this cycle. I will stay humble and 100% focused and know that the Lord is going to support us in our goals and give us the strength and the inspiration to complete them.

Well, take care all, we’ve got to get back to working! I love you!

-Elder Packer

Well, I wasn’t here this weekend for my preparation day, because Elder Fillerup, one of the assistants, finished his mission Friday so President sent me to work with his companion for the weekend. I had a great time in Ixtapaluca with Elder Christensen. We baptized there and in my area Aragón and have a baptism for next week too in Aragón, however tomorrow are changes [transfers] so I won’t be here.

I am so excited to have changes and just be a normal missionary again, even though I loved my time as a [financial] secretary. Yes, that means my preparation days will return to Monday and I won’t be driving in traffic, etc. I don’t know where I am going yet, however I know that I am going to be a District Leader again. That will be good because Elder Cambria (my replacement) will be able to call me with the questions he will inevitably have. I know—I was there!

Well, that’s about the only little time I have to write today, I just wanted to let you all know I am happy and excited and that I love you all so much!

-Elder Packer

P.S. Thank you all for writing me… I haven’t been able to read your letters yet… it is the most email I have ever received in one week. [Bryce's birthday is today.] Pretty crazy, I’m 25, Huh? We are capacitating [orienting] the new missionaries so we are going to La Onda a tacos restaurant like always, so I’ll even get a b-day dinner!