Good morning my family,

I hope you are all doing well and are happy. Christmas time is coming soon and with it a new financial year… so I’m really busy making lots of reports and closing out the finances for the year. I got a letter from Heather and a package for the family, however I haven’t had a moment to look at them.

I went to the airport on Sunday night to pick up a missionary and I spent the night with Elder Fillerup (the assistant), because his companion finished his mission two days before. One Monday we picked up the other new missionaries from the C.C.M. (MTC in Mexico) and then spent hours in traffic going to the mission home. We trained the new missionaries, and the next day in changes meeting we received a new companion (Elder Lopez Hernandez) to replace me. Just kidding, to replace Elder Lechuga (the Visas secretary). I knew before hand, because I make all the financial changes, like who gets the rent, etc. ahead of time so I usually know what’s going to happen with the changes a few days before. However, all my companions were surprised.

We also had the Zone Leaders council yesterday, it went really well. I’ve been getting the feeling that I’m going to be in the offices for a long time. But that’s okay. I am learning lots and working hard. It really makes me treasure the time I have to proselyte.

I’m really excited to get to talk with all of you at Christmas time! I keep forgetting that it’s coming so soon.

I love you all!
-Elder Packer

Happy Thanksgiving… kind of late. mmmm… pumpkin pie, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, corn on the cob, cranberry sauce, homemade rolls, gravy… I ate tacos dorados.

These weeks have been the busiest of my life! It’s the end of the cycle which is when I have lots of work and it’s the end of the month which is also when I have lost of work. Plus we’ve been driving all around the mission delivering new beds and other supplies through out the mission… Then I got the dreaded email from the financial director for all the missions in Mexico saying I have to close out all the finances for the year (Jan-Nov) this week and have all the reports turned in. I’m not sure if I explained that as a non-prophet organization we need receipts for EVERYTHING and that makes a lot of reports. So I’ve been busy!

That’s exciting that Kerry is back and will be with some of the family for Thanksgiving. I realized at about 7:30 am that it was Thanksgiving Day and that mom was probably in the kitchen preparing dough for the rolls or pies, then I quickly changed my thoughts.

Really quickly the things I am grateful for are:
• my Family (I state it every night in my prayers)
• the Restored Gospel
• and my country  ;)

I love the tradition of giving thanks, because when we recognize all that we have been given, we are happier. We focus less on gaining more (what we don’t have), and more on giving what we do have.  It is the opposite of materialism and selfishness, and materials can NEVER bring us happiness. Giving thanks is an act of humility, and humility is a sign of strength. Like exercise, it is hard, but as we develop it we become healthier, stronger, happier and more beautiful.

I believe that sincere gratitude (including expressing it) is essential for our health and well being. It is sad to see how we sometimes allow ourselves to be deceived into believing that happiness and self-worth are determined by or possessions.

¿Do we measure our own wealth on how much we gain or on how much we give? Giving, especially through service, is the true way to express one’s gratitude and to obtain real wealth.

I love you, my family, and am truly grateful for every one of you, your love and support, and sacrifices on the family’s behalf. I pray that you will continue to humbly serve one another.

-Bryce

Well first things first…

¡¡¡¡¡HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!! I know that you probably don’t want much… probably to rest for a moment! However, I wanted to let you know that I am grateful for the grand effort and many sacrifices that you make for me and all of the family. I couldn’t do it without you!

I got a nice package from the Kogers, with a letter, drawings from Isaac and Adeline, much needed socks, and homemade caramel and trail mix. We already ate all of the trail mix… it brought back lots of memories of hiking in the mountains. I’ve been trying to ration the caramel. Thanks Kogers!

I also got a “Dear Elder” letter from Denna (Harper Tenney) Russell, Aunt Dawn’s daughter. I think her son will be serving a mission soon! And I received a Florida postcard from Nick Ogden; he’s such a funny kid. Please tell them Thank You!

Well, this was a very exciting week, because President Johnson [the Area President] came to speak in the mission. He taught us so many important things and as he taught, my heart yelled amen over and over. He taught us how to recognize a person who is ready to receive the gospel, how to contact in a way that the spirit can testify and about self empowerment. One of the things he explained is that if we truly want something (that is right) the Lord will give it to us. However, we often say that we want something, but we don’t truly want it, that is, we aren’t willing to pay the price to obtain it. So really, we are everything that we want to be and have everything that we want to have.

It’s not a new concept for me, however they are strong words to reflect upon, that make you really evaluate if you are cheating yourself out of being something more than you could be, if you we will to put forth your maximum effort. Sometimes, do we allow ourselves to be calloused, insensitive to our state of progression? Are we in one of those “sometimes”? If so, let’s not be satisfied with the mediocrity. Evaluate the things that have become relaxed in your life and you have become comfortable with.

Make a list and specific goals to improve those things. It will be hard, but we must be willing to pay the price! And self-improvement has a high price! However, the rewards are far greater. I promise you if you put forth you greatest effort to repent and become better, placing complete trust in the Lord to help you, He WILL “make weak things become strong unto you”.

Four things that will help to make this process successful:
- Prayer
- Fasting
- Prayerful study of the Book of Mormon
- Regular church attendance

I am grateful for the perfect example of the Lord Jesus Christ and the grand mercy and love He has for us. I pray that we may all awake to our true state, accepting our flaws and weaknesses before the Lord, that we may be able to overcome them with His help, and become as He is.

Love,
Elder Bryce Sterling Packer

So, a few days ago I got a package from the young women in the ward with some very nice letters and some candies… including gummy burgers mmmm.  Please be sure to tell them all thank you. They all wrote about how great you are, mom… and how proud you are [of Bryce]. Amanda Arnold wrote her testimony in Spanish which was impressive! Here are a few of the questions they asked, if you would be so kind to reply to them:

1. How is Mexico? — Mexico is great, there are a lot of people and they are very open and social. Most of them live very humbly. The food is delicious… well not all of it
2. What is it like this time of year? — Hot during the afternoon (like I’m sweating) and cold at night (like I use a coat); very strange. It’s a little drier because it hasn’t rained in a few weeks but it’s still quite green. The leaves don’t change color here.
3. What was your favorite talk from General Conference? — see my letter from that week.

This week we have a conference with Elder Johnson, who is the Area President. And as you can imagine, I am very excited for that! Things are going well with Elder Lauterio and we are continuing to learn together.

In our area, we are trying to focus more on working with the members. We have been praying to know how we can help the members get excited and participate in missionary work and how we can help our converts and the youth of the ward to have the desire and preparation to serve a full time mission. The idea we’ve come up with is to divide our area into sections and to assign ward missionaries to each section. They will have a list of part member families and less actives that live in their section and we will accompany them on visits. We’re also planning to have a meeting once a week to teach and practice principles from Preach My Gospel, and review the needs of the families being visited. It’s going to be work to prepare everything, but I know it’s going to pay off. We’ve also shared these plans with the Bishop and he is working on calling ward missionaries to help us.

I am excited to have more member participation, and know that it will help the members participating and being visited to be nourished by the good word, to have a friend, and to have a responsibility. (The three needs for retention and a lasting conversion.)

I love the Lord, I love the church and the brethren, I love the people where I serve, and I love my family!

Have a great week!
-Elder Packer

Do you have any more ideas on how we can work more with the members?

Hello my wonderful family!

All is going great here and I am healthy, safe and feeling great! The mission continues to be a challenge that is helping me to grow, and developed talents and attributes. The experience is precious every day!

More and more I am able to choose to be happy, and continue doing what I should, no matter what difficulties I face at that moment. Man that’s been hard! But priceless to learn! Consistency is so important! It is one of the basic characteristics that forms perfection. So, how can we become more constant? I know that it comes from living the Gospel and from feasting on Book of Mormon. In my youth I’ve felt very flexible and formable, like a sculptable substance. Lately I’ve been feeling more and more like that substance is beginning to harden and the form is beginning to set. I like the form I’ve chosen, and feel less and less movable in the aspect of “who I am”. I believe I am becoming closer to “who I should be”. Now I guess what’s left are the finish details.

I am profoundly grateful for the role the Gospel has played in the formation and transformation of my life, and in the divine guidance I’ve received to help me become the best being I can be. And I know that, just as Jesus Christ and His Gospel have formed the base of my life, he will continue to guide me in that process. That’s always the best part, that no matter how great it’s been so far, I know with the Gospel, there is always more!

I appreciate each one of you, my family, and am deeply grateful that you are mine!

With much love,
-Elder Packer

Hello my wonderful family,

Happy Halloween! All is great here! We have a baptismal service in a few hours. Our investigator’s name is name is Ricardo and he is amazing!  He’s about my age. We also had a baptism last week and get this, his name is Shazam Jovany. He’s great as well. We’ve not had much time in our area, but the Lord is blessing us greatly!!!

My companion and I have made the goal to baptize every week this cycle and to baptize a complete family. I know with the Lord’s help and lots of self-sacrifice it will happen.

This week was the Zone Leaders Council and it went well. In it, we read a letter from the new area Presidency, and wow, they’ve got the vision! They made big goals for the members here in México. One is three special consecutive fasts (starting today Nov, Dec, Jan) for the leaders of the Mexicans, so that they can have the wisdom to do the things that they should. Another is to read the whole Book of Mormon before the General Conference in April of 2010 (you know what I’ll be reading). Another is for every member to attend the temple every month before the General Conference in April of 2010. To reactivate a member, and help some to enter into the waters of baptism before the General Conference in April of 2010. And there are more! Exciting times to be in México!

Well, we’ve got to finish preparing our service. Be safe and have a great week!

¡¡Love you all!!

-Bryce